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From the Publisher:

Love checks in―even if it’s an unwelcome guest―in this delightful smalltown romance from USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Shirk…

It was supposed to be L.A. attorney Loni Wingate’s perfect day. Instead, she got only chaos and heartbreak. Her fiancé stole her promotion and ended their engagement, leaving her career and her future dangling by a thread. Then when Loni tries to go to her safe place, her family’s quaint North Carolina resort, she finds it’s up for sale.

But Loni didn’t get to where she is without a fight. So if a developer is coming by to assess the property, the place she feels most connected to her long-gone Mama…well, Loni and her sisters will serve up a taste of Southern hospitality he’ll never forget.

Ian Hollowell hasn’t experienced “Southern hospitality” firsthand, but he’s pretty sure this is not it. Between the storage room accommodation, the all-sugar sweet tea, and a lethally hot pepper omelet, he’s getting the sense his welcome is anything but. Still, he didn’t get his ruthless reputation by quitting when the game gets interesting.

And Loni is one adversary Ian can’t resist… especially when family revelations start pushing Loni to question her loyalties.

Now a round of “keep your enemies close” might be flipped on its head in bestselling author Jennifer Shirk’s sparkling and stirring story about reconsidering the past in order to shape the future. Because sometimes it takes one last resort to find the place―and people―that truly feel like home.

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I liked the premise of this story about a family owned resort being put up for sale by the family patriarch. There are three sisters whose mother died several years earlier, and now their father is engaged to be married and none of them have met their step-mother-to-be. And to make things even worse, the sisters are convinced he wants to sell their beloved resort to pay for his wedding, for some reason. There is some confusion about everything that is happening in this book, but it all plays out with good results in the end.

The story focuses on Loni, the middle daughter, who is the only one who left the resort. She became an attorney and is up for partner at her Los Angeles law firm. She is engaged as well, so life is looking good for her. But when she heads into the partnership meeting, it does not go as she was expecting. She is accused of emailing a client a half finished contract, making the firm look incompetent. She doesn’t remember sending it, but has been working so many hours she thinks that maybe she did. This plot point really irked me – would a bright attorney not even look into the allegation? Check her email? See when it was sent? To make matters even worse, her finance is offered the partnership, and he dumps her. Loni goes home to North Carolina to help her sisters with the resort and see what is happening with the possible sale.

Ian is known as “the predator” for both his business dealings and I think for the way he treats women. As his business partner points out, he has never passed seven dates with any woman. He has been befriended by the girls father, who asks him to take a look at the resort and see if he would want to buy it. Ian arrives and the girls basically torture him with horrible food, drink, and accommodations. But Ian is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy, and he is able to keep his eye on the prize. Until he meets Loni.

Lots of family issues need to be resolved here. Ian and Loni form an uneasy relationship based on mistrust, but this is a romance so something has to work out. I obviously had some issues with some of the plotlines here, but I liked the characters enough to stick with it until the happy ending. There were some laughs along the way, which always helps, and some real emotional drama. In the end, I did enjoy this story.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RESORTING TO ROMANCE by Jennifer Shirk. Entangled: Amara (July 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-1649376503. 352p.

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From the Publisher:

From the author of The Book Club Hotel, a widow’s plan to spend the summer in Cape Cod is upended by an unexpected guest and a secret that could change everything… Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Jennifer Weiner.

Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her seventy-fifth birthday party to return to the remote Cape Cod cottage—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron. But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one.

After dropping out of medical school, aspiring artist Lily is cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, Dune Cottage seems the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites.

Then Todd, Cecilia’s grandson—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship. Will Lily find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

https://amzn.to/3VZaZNs

I’ve read most of Sarah Morgan’s books and she is a reliably good storyteller. This is a story about an unlikely friendship and romance.

Lily had a crush on her friend’s brother, Todd, and they even kissed once. She never forgot that kiss and no man has lived up her expectations since. Unbeknownst to Lily, Todd was also a fan of that kiss. They haven’t seen each other in a very long time though.

Lily was enrolled in medical school before dropping out and disappointing her parents. Her guilt leads her to run far away, and she ends up on Cape Cod, earning money by taking care of the beautiful summer homes that have absent owners. One of them is Dune Cottage, and she has no idea whose home it is. No one has visited in many, many years so Lily decides to crash there. Island living is very expensive and she cannot afford to pay seasonal, ridiculously high rents. She has a key, she takes care of the place, so it doesn’t feel entirely wrong. Until someone shows up.

An elderly woman, Cecilia, is the unlikely visitor. It turns out that Lily has met her before – she is friends with her granddaughter and has that huge crush on her grandson, Todd. Cecelia is sharp as a tack and she quickly realizes that Lily has been living in the home, and she intuitively understands why. When Lily confesses she dropped out of medical school and wants to be an artist, Cecelia is intrigued. Cecelia’s husband was a world famous artist, and at one time, Cecelia wanted to be an artist, too, but her husband’s success planted her squarely in the muse/helper role.

Cecelia has some secrets, and when her favorite grandson shows up, she eventually shares some of them with him. Meanwhile, Todd and Lily are spending time together, and Cecelia is trying to help Lily with her painting career. Lots of intrigue and surprises make this a compelling read, and the romance is a nice cherry on top. I loved it.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER SWAP by Sarah Morgan. Canary Street Press; Original edition (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-1335474940. 336p.

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From the Publisher:

An Indie Next and a Hall of Fame LibraryReads Pick!

A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

“The chemistry leaps off the page and Eli’s intelligence and thoughtfulness toward Rue will have readers swooning. Crafting a relationship that is both raunchy and emotionally nuanced, this is Hazelwood at her best.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Hazelwood fills the plot with tension and stress and employs a dual point-of-view that allows intimate access to both Rue and Eli’s roller-coasting emotions. It is less quirky-charming than some of her past work but showcases much of what her readers love.”–Library Journal

“The politics of scientific and engineering development along with the rewards and piracy of intellectual property provide a fascinating backdrop for Hazelwood’s latest smart and sexy page-turner. The queen of STEMinist rom-coms is at the top of her game.”–Booklist

I’ve read many of Hazelwood’s romances and they are all excellent, including her latest. Rue has some issues but she is a brilliant scientist working on new technology to prolong the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Her boss is a woman she admires greatly, and her best and only friend works there as well. She doesn’t do relationships, but she is on a hook-up app, and her primary rule is one and done. Until she meets Eli.

Eli rescues her from unwanted attention in a bar, and Rue thinks that will be the end of it. Except the next day at work, she meets him again, along with the co-founders of a company that buys up startups not to sell off the parts, but to bring tech to market better and faster. Nonetheless, Rue’s boss is very upset about the possibility of a hostile takeover and starts looking for ways around it.

Meanwhile, Rue and Eli are spending time together in her lab, and she is surprised to find that he is as good in the lab as he is everywhere else. A relationship starts building, but Rue is torn between loyalty to her boss and the undeniable attraction she feels for Eli.

Things get pretty complicated as the various factions start revealing their truths, but I’m happy to say that, much to Rue’s shock, she and Eli reach their happily ever after. This was a fun read (and trust me, I am no science nerd!) but even I could understand all the implications and motivations happening here. The characters are well-defined, even the secondary ones, the sex is hot, hot, hot, and the plot moves along at breakneck speed. I loved it!

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NOT IN LOVE by Ali Hazelwood. Berkley (June 11, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593641040. 400p.

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From the Publisher:

A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man.

Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it.

When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again. But, as they slip from their twenties into their thirties, they’re forced together whenever their fast-track best friends celebrate another milestone. Through housewarmings and christenings, life-changing triumphs and failures, Natalie and Rob grapple with their own choices—and how your harshest critic can become your perfectly imperfect match.

After all, even the truest love stories sometimes need a bit of rewriting.

“Hankin performs a magic trick with this book, turning the most unlikeable (and relatable) of characters into flawed protagonists worth rooting for. Natalie and Rob are the definition of “right person, wrong time,” and because the story spans multiple years, we get the pleasure of seeing them make mistakes, grow up and grow together. It’s real, refreshing and romantic.” —The Washington Post

“Fans of not only romance but women’s fiction as well will enjoy this multilayered, realistic novel from Hankin.” —Library Journal

https://amzn.to/3KG70ii

This is the ultimate slow-burn romance, but also a testament to friendship. Natalie and Gabby have been best friends since freshman year of college through sharing a ratty NYC apartment. Rob and Angus have been best friends since middle school, when Angus befriended the new kid, Rob. Angus and Gabby are engaged, and that’s how Rob and Natalie meet. And meet again. Several times, over several years of parties, the wedding, weekend getaways, and more.

Initially, there is some attraction there, but then Natalie figures out that the one-star review on Goodreads of her first novel was turned in by, you guessed it, Rob. That starts a hate relationship between them that occasionally veers towards a less than platonic relationship, but never quite gets there. At least not for many years.

Natalie’s first novel features a main character loosely based on Angus. Natalie is jealous of her friend spending more time with him, but more than that, she just can’t understand what her beautiful, brilliant, kind friend sees in this man she thinks is mediocre at best. Gabby realizes it halfway through reading the novel, and never finishes it. Rob instantly recognizes Angus, hence the one-star review. Luckily, Angus never even reads it. It takes Natalie quite a few years to realize it was probably a mistake to use Angus like that.

Eventually, Rob gets engaged to Zuri, and Natalie is on the fence about moving in with her boyfriend. Ultimately, she decides to break up with him instead – she is self-aware enough to realize that she is not in love with him and won’t ever be – thanks to a frank chat with Rob.

Then Natalie and Gabby have a huge blow-up and stop speaking for over a year. The only good side of that is she no longer has to endure Rob. But then Angus sends an email that Gabby is sick, and Natalie drops everything to show up for her friend, as does Rob. This time, Rob and Natalie are both single, and things take a turn towards romance, even while they both are heartsick about Gabby’s illness.

There is a very happy ending for everyone, but I have to say this book touched a little too close to home for me. I was bawling for the last quarter of the book.

I, too, had a best friend for many years. We met when my husband, son and I rented half a duplex from her husband. Shortly after we moved in, they moved into the other half. We were inseparable for many years, considered ourselves to be Lucy & Ethel, and the biggest fight we had was over who was Lucy and who was Ethel.

Eventually, we each bought a home a few miles apart, but we stayed close. Our kids were friends, and we spent many holidays together. Then, one Easter dinner, she made a remark about my husband and our marriage that he took great offense to. I thought she was kidding, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that while I wanted her to be kidding, she wasn’t, and we stopped speaking for many years, other than to say hello if we ran into each other.

One day she came to see me at work and told me she had breast cancer. I was shocked, but she was very upbeat and positive that she would beat it – most women do. She was one of the healthiest women I knew, ate mostly organic, and ran miles every day. Turned out that she had a very aggressive form that had already spread to her lymph nodes. She had a full mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and many, many holistic treatments – her husband was constantly researching and taking her wherever they could find a glimmer of hope.

After several years of struggling with sickness and surgeries and horrible drugs and pain, she finally begged me and her other friends to talk her husband into stopping all these treatments. She was ready to go, but he wasn’t. It was just about impossible for him to do that, but she eventually prevailed. We lost her in 2005, this beautiful, generous, kind 46-year-old mother of three.

I finished this book right before bedtime and woke up every hour or so all night long. It’s been almost twenty years since I lost my friend, and I still have a lot of regrets that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Sorry I veered so far off in a book review, but obviously, this book touched a nerve. It is a wonderful, emotional read and I loved the premise, these characters, their friendship, and the slow burn of romance. Highly recommend!

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE-STAR ROMANCE by Laura Hankin. Berkley (June 18, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593438213. 400p.

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