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From the publisher:

A radiant escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and This Summer Will Be Different

As featured in People ∙ Good Morning America ∙ Cosmopolitan ∙ TODAY ∙ E! News ∙ Buzzfeed ∙ Us Weekly ∙ The New York Post ∙ SheReads ∙ and more!

I never anticipated Charlie Florek.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

“The sparks between Alice and Charlie fly off the page and endearing Nan adds heart. This is a treat.”—Publishers Weekly

“Readers will enjoy the steamy love story that develops but will also appreciate Alice’s personal growth. Not only does she find love, she finds her purpose in her career. Fans of Annabel Monaghan will agree with Nan that ‘good things happen at the lake.'”—Booklist (starred review)

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This is the sequel to Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After, which I absolutely loved—and this one is another hit. While Fortune released a couple of other books in between, this novel stands beautifully on its own. You don’t need to read the first one to appreciate this one, but you should – it’s fantastic!

This story follows Charlie Florick, a finance bro in Toronto, but is summering in Barry’s Bay. He’s taken a sabbatical and is spending the summer at his family’s lake house. His parents are gone, but his brother and sister-in-law live nearby.

Alice, a successful photographer, decides to spend the summer back in Barry’s Bay when her beloved grandmother, Nan, breaks her hip. She rents the cottage they once stayed in when she was a teen, wanting to be close to Nan and take a break from her career. The cottage is owned by John, a widower and close family friend, who agrees to make the place more accessible for Nan. Charlie is handling the renovations, and while Alice is initially grateful, her first impression of him is less than stellar—he’s snarky, and she’s annoyed by his cocky note and the key being hidden in an outhouse.

But everything changes when they officially meet. Alice soon realizes Charlie is one of the boys from a photo she took as a teenager—a photo that launched her photography career. As he continues working on the cottage and bonding with Nan, Alice finds herself warming to him. She even has a summer bucket list of things she never got to do as a teen, and once Charlie spies it, he is eager to help her tackle it.

Despite Charlie’s friendly nature, there’s a depth and sadness beneath the surface. The two form a genuine friendship that deepens into something more, though Charlie resists a real relationship. Alice, meanwhile, isn’t looking for anything serious either—but a summer fling wouldn’t be the worst idea. As they grow closer, it becomes clear that this is more than just a fling. Charlie gets her access to a local high school darkroom, and when Alice develops the photos, she sees the truth in Charlie’s eyes—he’s in love, even if he won’t say it.

Their story builds to a heartfelt and satisfying conclusion. This novel is full of charm, banter, nostalgia, and longing. It blends the forced proximity and friends-to-lovers tropes with themes of family, healing, and rediscovering joy. There’s humor, heat, and heart—and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I absolutely loved it.

5/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE GOLDEN SUMMER by Carley Fortune. Berkley (May 6, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593638910. 400p.

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From the publisher:

Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

Named a Most Anticipated book by The New York Times ∙ Rolling Stone ∙ People ∙ USA Today ∙ Harper’s Bazaar ∙ Marie Claire ∙ E! Online ∙ The New York Post ∙ Bustle ∙ Reader’s Digest ∙ BBC ∙ PopSugar ∙ SheReads ∙ Paste ∙ and more!

“What begins as a charming if standard rom-com evolves into a hauntingly beautiful meditation on what makes a life well lived in the latest showstopper from Henry . . . This is a stunner.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Both longtime Henry fans and new romance readers will devour this rivals-to-lovers slow burn, one of Henry’s best to date.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Henry continues to burnish her reputation for fashioning sublimely satisfying love stories with another perfectly calibrated, delectably witty tale featuring endearingly quirky, thoughtfully nuanced characters.”—Booklist (starred review)

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I didn’t love this book as much as all the critics, or even as much as Henry’s other books. Actually, it is my least favorite of all her books. All that said, it is a good read, and I ripped through it in a day.

There are a lot of characters here, but the main protagonists are Hayden and Alice, and Margaret. Margaret is a recluse from a very famous, uber-wealthy family. She is living on a small island off the Georgia coast, and Alice had received a message telling her to look there for this mysterious woman. Once she confirms who she is, Margaret invites her to visit. Unbeknownst to Alice, Margaret has also invited Hayden to visit.

Hayden is a Pulitzer prize-winning biographer, and Alice loved his last book. When they both show up at Margaret’s home, she gets right to the point. She is ready to tell her life story, but she isn’t sure who she will allow to write it. She is giving them both a one month audition, so to speak – at the end of the month, they’ll give her their proposals and she will decide who will write her biography. It is sure to be a bestseller no matter who writes it, and Alice thinks this could be her big break. She has been writing celebrity gossip for an online magazine, so this would be a big step up for her. But how to compete with Hayden is weighing on her.

They arrange a schedule with each of them getting to spend three days a week with Margaret. Alice is the friendly, outgoing type, while Hayden is much more reserved. But Alice breaks through his reserve and they start sharing coffee in the morning then dinner at night. Before long, they have to come up with some ground rules – no talking about anything Margaret tells them. Besides which, she has them both sign strict NDAs. But they can’t help but compare from time to time, nothing specific, just gut feelings that Margaret is lying to them at times.

The book moves between their experiences with Margaret and their spending time together. Alice quickly realizes she is falling for Hayden, but he is keeping her at arm’s length, until that is no longer possible. They know it is going to be difficult at the end; whoever is chosen to write the book, the other will definitely have feelings about it that could, and most likely will, creep into their relationship. This dilemma follows them almost until the very end, when truths come out, but of course, the ending is a happy one.

I found it difficult at times to follow all the actors in this story. Margaret’s family is a cast of many, not to mention Alice’s and Hayden’s family have their stories as well. This is a slow burn romance of the slowest kind, but there are several twists along the way that keep the story interesting and moving along. I liked it, I just didn’t love it.

5/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Emily Henry. Berkley (April 22, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593441299. 432p.

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From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster comes her adult debut novel Summer in the City—a swoony, fast-paced rom-com set in New York City in which a screenwriter and a sexy tech CEO go from lovers to enemies and back to lovers again…

Twenty-seven-year-old screenwriter Elle has the chance of a lifetime to write a big-budget movie set in New York City. The only problem? She’s had writer’s block for months, and her screenplay is due at the end of the summer. 

In a desperate attempt at inspiration, Elle ends up back in the city she swore she would never return to, in an apartment she could never afford (floor-to-ceiling windows, skyline views, and a new coffee shop to haunt included). It’s the perfect place to write her screenplay…until she realizes her new neighbor is tech “Billionaire Bachelor” Parker Warren, her stairwell hookup from two years ago. It’s been a lovers-to-enemies situation ever since. 

When seeing him again turns into a full night of hate-fueled writing, Elle realizes her enemy/twisted muse might just be the key to finishing her screenplay… if she can stand being around her polar opposite. She writes anonymously, and he’s on the cover of every business magazine. He frequents fancy red carpeted events, and she doesn’t like leaving her emotional support five block radius. 

One summer. One wall apart. He needs to fake a buzzy relationship during his company’s precarious acquisition. She needs to write a movie around a list of NYC locations. Both need a break from their unrelenting schedules, and a chance to rediscover the skyscraper glimmering, pizza crusted, sunlit charms of the city.  

Summers always end, and so will this agreement. It’s all pretend. Promise. 

Until it isn’t.

“Best-selling YA author Aster makes her adult fiction debut with a superbly crafted, splendidly entertaining romance that deftly delivers all the snappy repartee and crackling sexual chemistry of Nora Ephron at her cinematic rom-com best while also offering readers a beautifully crafted love letter to the many joys of New York City.” Copyright 2025 Booklist Reviews.” — Booklist

“Bestselling Aster makes her adult debut with a rom-com featuring a lovers-to-enemies-back-to-lovers trope. It follows a screenwriter who likes to be private and a news-making tech CEO during their swoony summer in NYC. — Library Journal

Order now to receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION—only available on the first printing while supplies last! This collector’s hardcover features gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled artwork, illustrated color endpapers, and special design features on the case.

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Elle is a screenwriter in the grip of severe writer’s block, tasked with crafting a romance film while grappling with lingering trauma from her past. She writes under a pseudonym, thus avoiding all the Hollywood hoopla. She returns to New York to housesit her sister’s upscale apartment—her globe-trotting, pregnant sister who seems to have it all together. Their father is absent, and the memory of their late mother continues to cast a long shadow over Elle’s (often unhealthy) worldview. The studio gives her a tight timeline to finish the script, and she’s hoping living in New York City for the summer will help. They have already pulled permits to film in various locations throughout the city, so Elle needs to keep those in mind while she crafts the script.

Enter Parker Warren: tech billionaire, and—surprise—Elle’s new neighbor. He also happens to be the man behind her chaotic stairwell hookup from two years ago, which she had chalked up to a one-night stand with a bodyguard. Turns out, he wasn’t a bodyguard, but rather a billionaire entrepreneur. Now he wants Elle to pose as his girlfriend for the summer. Why? Because she’s one of the few people who couldn’t care less about his money or influence—and in return, she’d gain access to high-end locations for her screenplay. He won’t have to worry about taking a gold digger to the social events he needs to attend, so it seems like a win-win.

There’s one more twist: Elle wrote her most successful script after their infamous encounter. Whether she likes it or not, Parker has become her secret muse. Around him, she starts to feel alive again—jogging at dawn, making new friends, even braving karaoke nights, and most importantly, she is writing again. But opening her heart to him would mean betraying everything she thinks her late mother stood for. Can she let herself risk real happiness—not just for a summer, but for something more lasting?

The city becomes another character with this vivid, heartfelt portrayal of New York, and that always appeals to me. The chapters capturing the city’s energy and charm were outstanding. I appreciated the emotional arcs, especially Elle’s journey toward self-acceptance and the subtle reveal of her hidden identity. The happy ending is a given, and while I am not usually a fan of the billionaire boyfriend, Aster did a terrific job with it here. Turns out, I didn’t mind a bit. This is a cinematic romcom, and I can only hope a movie will follow.

5/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMER IN THE CITY by Alex Aster. William Morrow (March 25, 2025). ISBN: 978-0063411661. 304p.

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From the author of Recipe for Second Chances comes a swoonworthy romance bursting with wit about a therapist who falls for the wrong man…but perhaps the right one was hiding in the margins all along.

As a relationship therapist, Nora helps patients explore their feelings honestly. But she’s hiding an embarrassing relationship secret of her own: she’s in love with someone she’s never even met.

J edits the advice column Nora’s been writing anonymously for the last seven years. He’s in London, she’s in New York, and they communicate solely through shared files. When he confides that his girlfriend’s out of the picture, and her boss asks her to come to London, Nora takes both as a sign.

But that’s not the only thing on her mind. A client’s ex-boyfriend just moved into her co-op, directly beneath her. Eli blames Nora for his breakup and seems determined to make her life miserable, gleefully planning a noisy renovation.

Yet despite all his bluster, Nora eventually starts to see the softness behind Eli’s brusque, charming exterior…and after a slipup reveals a startling secret, Nora wonders whether someone can be two things at once.

“A swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie. Rosen’s enemies-to-lovers romance is a delightfully modern take on You’ve Got Mail, mixed with the kind of will-they, won’t-they sort-of love triangle that’s the bread and butter of all rom-coms…Readers will be eating it up happily.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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This was such a fun read! Anything that hints at “You’ve Got Mail” and I’m on board. Nora is a therapist, but she also writes an advice column for a London tabloid. Her editor there, J, offers great critiques and eventually they fall into a pattern of writing each other notes along with the edits, and a friendship is formed. Eventually, Nora realizes that she is falling in love with someone she has never even met. As a therapist, she also sees a therapist, and hers is all for pursuing this long-distance relationship.

Meanwhile, Nora lives in a brownstone and the woman who lived in the apartment above hers has passed away. Most of the owners in this building are older and have been there forever. When the woman’s grandson moves in, they recognize each other at once. Nora had done couples counseling with Eli and his ex, just a couple of sessions, but that was enough for Eli to blame Nora for his breakup. He ingratiates himself with the board members who remember him visiting his grandmother for summers while he was growing up. When he starts renovating, he doesn’t seem to mind disturbing Nora; in fact, he relishes it. But Nora has a dog that has anxiety issues, and the noise isn’t helping.

Eventually, they end up getting to know one another better, Eli backs off the noisy renovations at night, and they form a friendship. Now, Nora is torn; she still has strong feelings for her editor, but she is also starting to fall for Eli. When she is invited to London to meet the new boss, she is delighted that she will also get to meet her editor, but things don’t go as planned, and there is a surprise in store for Nora. I couldn’t help but see it coming, but it was still fun seeing how things were going to work out. If you want a light, engaging read with some humor and a bit of heat, look no further. Highly recommend!

4/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

UNLIKELY STORY by Ali Rosen. Montlake (March 1, 2025). ISBN: 978-1662527920. 318p.

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