Romance | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

HIGHLAND BEAST by Heather McCollum

May 26, 2023

Sons of Sinclair, Book 4

From the publisher:

Bàs Sinclair is the cold and brutal hand―and sword―of justice across the Highlands. He has one destiny: to bring fear into the hearts of guilty men. But when he is called to execute a midwife for her crimes, he cannot raise his weapon. For Bàs already knows this lovely, part-wild creature. After all, she gave him his first and only kiss…

Shana Drummond will do anything to protect her beloved sister. Now her cruel, merciless brother-in-law has called upon Bàs to have Shana killed for crimes she didn’t commit. She can’t reconcile the cold, lethal warrior before her with the gentle one she met―nay, kissed―only days before.

But mercy from Bàs can only lead to one thing: war among the clans. A war that will test allegiances, tear families apart, and challenge everything Bàs knows about himself and his heart. Because once this Highlander knows love, nothing will stop him from keeping Shana safe…even if it means destroying his own destiny.

Each book in the Sons of Sinclair series is a STANDALONE:
* Highland Conquest
* Highland Warrior
* Highland Justice
* Highland Beast

Coming Oct 2023: Highland Surrender

https://amzn.to/3Ll3udk

I really enjoy the setting of this series and they can each be read as a standalone. That said, the stories are built around these four brothers, whose father has named as the Four Men of the Apocolypse. There is a sister, too, and I guess her story will be the last book in the series.

This book focuses on Bas, who name means Death. He was named Death because his mother died when he was born, not an unusual circumstance in the 16th century. He is the executioner of the family. He has been brought up to kill those who have been found guilty and condemned to death. It’s his job, and he is very good at it. But because he is feared by everyone who sees him, he has never met a woman who didn’t cower or hide from him. Until Shana.

Bas discovers Shana as she enters his property with a newborn baby in her arms. Turns out it is her sister’s baby, and they think the father is going to kill the newborn because he found out his wife was cheating on him. There is much more to the story than that, and it takes a lot of finagling before the whole story comes out. Meanwhile, Bas is determined to keep them safe.

Bas has been with a woman, his brothers paid for the privilege, but Shana is the first woman who seems unafraid of him. In fact, she is really drawn to the gentle giant. She has no knowledge of his job, only sees that is kind and good natured and takes care of all sorts of animals in his care. He adopts any kind of stray and as long as he names them, they will be safe with him.

They have a lot of hurdles to get over in this story, and there is a lot of action and fighting before they reach their happily ever after. I love the way the family are always backing each other up, even when Bas declares war, which is not his role in the family. Nonetheless, they all fall in behind him.

Shana and Bas make a perfect couple; if he’s death, then she is life as she is a midwife and Bas loves that about her. All in all, this was a very fast paced story and the main characters are brought to life on the page. Another excellent entry into this Scottish series.

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HIGHLAND BEAST by Heather McCollum. Entangled: Amara (April 25, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1649370778. 384p.

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Spotlight Review: MRS. NASH’S ASHES by Sarah Adler

May 23, 2023

From the publisher:

A Most Anticipated Book by BookRiot ∙ Culturess ∙ and more!

A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love.

Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process.

She just didn’t expect to have a living travel companion.

After a computer glitch grounds flights, Millie is forced to catch a ride with Hollis Hollenbeck, an also-stranded acquaintance from her ex’s MFA program. Hollis certainly does not believe in happily-ever-afters—symbolic or otherwise—and makes it quite clear that he can’t fathom Millie’s plan ending well for anyone.

But as they contend with peculiar bed-and-breakfasts, unusual small-town festivals, and deer with a death wish, Millie begins to suspect that her reluctant travel partner might enjoy her company more than he lets on. Because for someone who supposedly doesn’t share her views on romance, Hollis sure is becoming invested in the success of their journey. And the closer they get to their destination, the more Millie has to admit that maybe this trip isn’t just about Mrs. Nash’s love story after all—maybe it’s also about her own.

“Debut author Adler combines heat and sweet in this charmingly offbeat rom-com….Adler’s well-drawn characters leap off the page, and she handles difficult topics with grace. She also shows off her comedy chops in some laugh-out-loud road trip mishaps…This delightful debut is sure to find fans.” —Publishers Weekly

“With a road trip, only one bed, and giant misunderstandings, Adler perfectly deploys her novel’s abundant romance tropes. Alternating between Millie’s and Mrs. Nash’s stories, this laugh-out-loud funny contemporary will have readers swooning over and cheering for Millie and Hollis….Adler’s delightful opposites-attract debut is perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Christina Lauren.” —Library Journal (starred review)
https://amzn.to/3M6vUI9

This was one of the best debuts I’ve read in a while; great characters, interesting settings, and a double storyline that moves seamlessly from one to the other.

Millie is a former child star that hasn’t worked in the business since she was a teen, but she still gets recognized fairly often. She has learned to deal with it, but some of the encounters can be off-putting, to say the least. One such meeting occurs at the airport when a computer glitch cancels all the flights. To her surprise, a friend of her ex is there and rescues her from an uncomfortable situation. Hollis is a bit of a grump while Millie provides the sunshine in this opposites attract, forced proximity romance.

Hollis ends up driving from Washington D.C. to Florida, and Millie goes along for the ride. She is under a real time crunch. She is taking some of the ashes of her best friend, an elderly woman, Mrs. Nash, who passed away recently to Key West to reunite her with the love of her life. Mrs. Nash was a WAVE during the war, stationed in Key West. There she met Elsie, a nurse on the base. They fell in love, but there was no way for them to be together at that time. When the war ended, Elsie sent her back to the boy she was supposed to marry, and to live the life she was supposed to live. But neither of these women ever forgot the other.

The reason for the rush is that it’s taken Millie quite a bit of time to locate Elsie, and she’s in hospice so her days are numbered. Millie is determined to reunite the two women, and Hollis gets invested in the journey as well. The more time Millie spends with Hollis, the more she realizes what a fine man he is, despite his curmudgeonly ways. Meanwhile, Hollis is fighting his attraction to Millie. He has been badly burned by romance and is not looking for any more trouble. He has decided there is no such thing as everlasting love, but of course, Millie is going to change that.

This book is laugh out loud funny, despite the underlying drama of the separated lovers’ reunion that is planned. The road trip makes for great romcom fodder and the happily ever after is just the icing on the cake. I love finding new authors and Sarah Adler is now firmly on my must-read list. Don’t miss this sparkling debut!

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MRS. NASH’S ASHES by Sarah Adler. Berkley (May 23, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593547793. 352p.

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WHAT THE HEX by Jessica Clare

May 19, 2023

The Hex Series, Book 2

From the publisher:

One of Amazon’s Best Romances of April!

Enemies-to-lovers has never been more enchanting in this witchy romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of Go Hex Yourself.

Penny Roundtree wants nothing more than to be a familiar to a witch. She’s been a member of the Society of Familiars ever since she was old enough to join the Fam. There’s just a small problem—no one’s hiring. Witches and warlocks are so long-lived that there are far more familiars available than witches to train them. So when an unorthodox arrangement to apprentice under the table to a forbidden warlock presents itself, she takes it.

Willem Sauer is banned from having a familiar due to past transgressions, thereby limiting his magic-casting abilities. Unfortunately for the surly, Prussian warlock, he has no choice but to work with enthusiastic Penny as a familiar. They immediately clash like dried roan horsehair and honeycomb gathered by moonlight (it’s a terrible spell combination, ask anyone).

Casting spells has delightful perks Penny never could have dreamed of, but also greater dangers. Someone is targeting Penny. Willem and Penny must work together to catch their enemy, and if their ploy requires a little kissing on the side, who is to question the rules of magic?

“Fans of Clare’s Go Hex Yourself will be happy with this follow-up in which Willem and Penny continue the enemies-to-lovers arc, with their own twist. Hand to readers who love witty banter, the fake-dating trope, and couples who fall hard fast.”—Library Journal

“Clare makes it easy to see why these two characters work together—and Penny’s feisty pet squirrel adds some laughs. Series fans will be pleased.”—Publishers Weekly

“Clare continues her delightful Hex series, introducing Penny, who is ultra-girly in “ruffles and pink,” with a “bubblegum and glitter” energy and an overwhelming desire to become a familiar for a witch or warlock…Willem’s iciness and aloof nature are belied by how he cares for Penny with cookies, milk, and great sex.”—Booklist
https://amzn.to/3Mty311

I really enjoyed Go Hex Yourself, so I was ready to love this next book in the series, and I did! The publicist had told me that the books stand alone, and she was right. You don’t need to read the first book to thoroughly enjoy this new one, but it was so good that you should probably read it anyway.

This one is an opposite attracts romance. Willem is a curmudgeon for sure, and Penny is a ray of sunshine. All Penny wants is to become a familiar, like her parents. But those jobs are really hard to come by, so she is working in a shop that sells ingredients for spell casting while she waits. When her good friends ask her if she would be willing to work as a familiar, but in secret, she jumps at the chance.

It seems that Willem has had some trouble in his life, and his punishment is another decade of no spell-casting or familiars. But he has work to do and decides to ask his friends for a recommendation. It’s all hush-hush, but these are people who know how to keep a secret and while Penny is way too flashy and outgoing for him, Willem knows his options are severely limited. If they get caught, neither one of them will escape the wrath of the witches’ council.

Penny loves her new job, but because it is a secret, she must keep working her other job. Spell casting is exhausting work, and Willem isn’t thrilled that he has to work around Penny’s schedule, but he has no other options. There is an interesting side effect to his spells, and Penny doesn’t know if it’s normal or not and keeps it to herself.

Meanwhile, they have to come up with some sort of ruse as to why they are spending time together. Willem has a reputation as being standoffish, to say the least. He is not well liked by his community, but doesn’t really care what anyone thinks. On the other hand, Penny is going to have to somehow convince her friends that she has fallen for the aloof warlock, and that’s not easy either. But the more time they spend together, the more they start caring about one another.

There is enough drama to keep things interesting in this steamy romance, and of course there’s a very happy ending. This was a fast, fun read and while I am not always enamored of paranormal romances (in fact, I rarely read any) I am thoroughly enjoying this series.

Note: New York Times bestselling author Jessica Clare writes under three pen names. As Jessica Clare, she writes erotic contemporary romance. As Jessica Sims, she writes fun, sexy shifter paranormals. Finally, as Jill Myles, she writes a little bit of everything, from sexy, comedic urban fantasy to zombie fairy tales.

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WHAT THE HEX by Jessica Clare. Berkley (April 4, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0593337585. 336p.

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Spotlight Review: THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT by Christina Lauren

May 16, 2023

From the publisher:

Sparks fly when a romance novelist and a documentary filmmaker join forces to craft the perfect Hollywood love story and take both of their careers to the next level—but only if they can keep the chemistry between them from taking the whole thing off script—from the New York Times bestselling authors of The Soulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners.

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

The True Love Experiment is the book fans have been waiting for ever since Fizzy’s debut in the New York Times bestselling The Soulmate Equation. But when the lights come on and all eyes are on her, it turns out the happily ever after Fizzy had all but given up on might lie just behind the camera.

“Another winning romance from Lauren, full of big laughs, a few tears, and some seriously steamy scenes.” — – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The authors gleefully play with romance tropes, blending the delight of the meet cute with smart critiques of more toxic dating habits and wrapping the whole in clever dialogue and refreshing sex-positivity. Readers will have no trouble rooting for Fizzy.” — –Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3MkelWl

Christina Lauren is the pseudonym for two writers, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, who have been writing together for years and are a must-read for me. Interestingly, Lauren Billings wrote her own romance, Scandalized, last year, but under another pseudonym, Ivy Owens. Which wouldn’t be a big deal, except that book was promoted as this incredible debut novel – of course it was incredible, it was hardly a debut and more like the 30th book she’d actually written! I am happy to blame the publisher for this; it seems doubtful that the author decided to parade herself around as a new writer, but nonetheless, it really pissed me off when I found out. I didn’t quite understand why they did it. I would think that the reputation of Christina Lauren would have propelled that solo effort up the bestseller list. But what do I know.

Putting that aside, this new book is terrific and exactly what I’d expect from this writing duo. This is a sequel to The Soulmate Equation, but easily stands alone. One of the secondary characters from that first book is our heroine in this new one. Literally. Fizzy is an uber-successful romance author who has hit a bit of a roadblock. So when she is approached to star in a new reality dating show, she agrees, but with some caveats. She works closely with the producer, Connor Prince, a former documentary maker, and they turn this reality TV show into a smashing success.

The premise of the show is that the heroine, Fizzy, will meet eight men, all of whom are a particular archetype of the romance novel & romcom industry. There will be the one who got away (one of fizzy’s exes,) the bad boy, the cinnamon roll, the vampire, and so forth. She will date them and the viewers will get to vote on which guy gets kicked off each week. There is also a subplot that the DNA dating app that was at the center of The Soulmate Equation, will be used to help select the men. I have never seen an episode of The Bachelor (or Bachelorette,) but I do watch Love is Blind and Married at First Sight so I am somewhat familiar with the genre. While it sounds like this is all the book is about, it is really a subplot, or more fittingly, a plot device to move the story along. And it works beautifully.

Almost the first half of the book is spent developing these characters and their romance. But how can Fizzy fall for the producer when he is providing her with all these men to date? It’s not easy on either of them, but the viewers are the ones voting so it doesn’t really matter how they feel.

Both of these characters are really well developed and so likeable. I couldn’t help rooting for them both, only I wasn’t sure how they were going to pull off the happy ending. Have no fear; in the hands of these writing pros, a happy ever after is guaranteed.

This is a beautiful homage to the romance genre in all its forms. The story is immediately engrossing, the characters flawed but so likable, and the storyline interesting and engaging. Christina Lauren once again provides us with what is sure to be a bestseller, and I, for one, am most appreciative. I love all their books (well, at least the 20 or so that I’ve read!) If you haven’t tried these authors, this is as good a place to start as any. Of course, reading The Soulmate Equation first would be my preference, but honestly I read it so long ago that I didn’t remember all the details, so you do you! Another book not to be missed by this terrific writing duo – kudos!

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE TRUE LOVE EXPERIMENT by Christina Lauren. Gallery Books (May 16, 2023). ISBN: 978-1982173432. 416p.

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FALLING HARD FOR THE ROYAL GUARD by Megan Clawson

May 5, 2023

A new and royally good debut rom com for Spring 2023, perfect for anyone who likes London, laughing out loud and love

From the publisher:

Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two.

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

A right royal rom com, perfect for fans of Red, White and Royal Blue and The Royal We.
https://amzn.to/3Ll3udk

This was such an interesting and fun read! The author, an influencer, actually lives in the Tower of London, as does our heroine. I have never been to the UK, and I have always assumed the Tower of London is just that; a tower. Turns out it is a castle with various buildings and tons of history.

Maggie’s father is a beefeater, and since her mother’s passing they live together in the Tower. Maggie works at the ticket counter selling entry to interested tourists. Her boss is a bit of a dick, and her co-workers are all mean girls, and her boyfriend of seven years was cheating on her. They’ve called it quits but he keeps sniffing around.

There are rotating teams of Royal guards at the castle and Maggie meets Freddie and their chemistry just lights up on the page. Except he comes and goes and can be a bit standoffish. Even when he invites her around, he lets his friends entertain her. Eventually, they spend a bit of time together and Maggie finds herself falling for him. She isn’t sure about his feelings though – all that British stiff upper lip makes it hard to get a read on him.

His friends help her set up a profile on a dating app, and she promises them she will try five dates. One is more horrible than the next, and anyway, no one really compares to Freddie. Except it turns out he may not be as available as she would like.

This is a laugh-out-loud funny British romcom with enough details about the Tower to make me want to visit. A super fun read – don’t miss it.

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FALLING HARD FOR THE ROYAL GUARD by Megan Clawson. Avon (May 2, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0008554415. 384p.

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PLAYING IT TOUGH by Amy Andrews

May 5, 2023

Sydney Smoke Rugby Series, Book 8

From the publisher:

Cosmetic tattoo artist Orla Stewart doesn’t do anything in half measures. She went from being the ultimate party animal to living a life that’s ridiculously straight and narrow. Turns out, cancer can change a girl. A lot. Adios to delicious cheeses, boozy dance parties and easy men. Hel-lo to celibacy and a sweet house-sitting gig with a massive pool. Until one very hot, very unwelcome intruder turns things upside down.

American rugby import Ronan Dempsey’s partying is trashing both his reputation and his game—and risking his chances for making the US Olympic team. He needs to clean up, and the pool house belonging to a family friend is the perfect place to hideaway. No. More. distractions. Which is exactly when a gorgeous, pink-haired hellion knocks Ronan on his ass…

The chemistry is instantaneous, charged, and absolutely, completely, totally off-limits. Proximity makes temptation nearly impossible to resist. Now it’s a deliciously torturous game of pushing boundaries and holding out. It’s just a matter of time before someone breaks…

Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is a STANDALONE:
* Playing By Her Rules
* Playing It Cool
* Playing the Player
* Playing With Forever
* Playing House
* Playing Dirty
* Playing It Safe
* Playing It Tough
https://amzn.to/3UzBZk8

I’ve read a few of Andrews’ books and enjoyed them all, but she is so prolific I can’t keep up! This is the eighth book in this series, but the first one I’ve read; I’ll be looking for the earlier books for sure.

Orla is housesitting when a strange man shows up and looks like he is trying to break into the pool house. Orla is one tough cookie and she doesn’t play. Before he knows what hit him, Ronan, a profession rugby player, is flat on his ass. Turns out his mom is friends with the property owner, and offered him the pool house for a while.

Ronan has been enjoying the spoils of professional athletes – one night stands, one after another. But his game is suffering for it, and he really wants to go home and make the American Olympic rugby team, which means he has to get his act together. He is being scouted and he can’t afford to mess up.

Orla is not thrilled with her new houseguest, even though they are in separate buildings as it were. But beggars can’t be choosers, and she loves where she is staying and he is awfully cute. Ronan has made a bet of celibacy with his teammates, and even though he is madly attracted to Orla, he is determined to keep his game strong and his libido in check. If you’ve read any forced proximity romances, you know how this is going to end, but who cares? It is so much fun to get there.

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PLAYING IT TOUGH by Amy Andrews. Entangled: Brazen (April 17, 2023). ASIN:‎ B0BYX1YSMY. 260p.

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THIS BIRD HAS FLOWN by Susanna Hoffs

April 28, 2023

From the publisher:

A delightfully funny and steamy debut novel about music, fate, redemption, and love from beloved songwriter and Bangles co-founder Susanna Hoffs that is “part British romcom, part Jane Eyre, and one hundred percent enjoyable” (Tom Perrotta).

“A total knockout . . . The smart, ferocious rock-star redemption romance you didn’t know you needed.” —New York Times Book Review

Jane Start is thirty-three, broke, and recently single. Ten years prior, she had a hit song—written by world-famous superstar Jonesy—but Jane hasn’t had a breakout since. Now she’s living out of four garbage bags at her parents’ house, reduced to performing to Karaoke tracks in Las Vegas. Rock bottom.

But when her longtime manager Pippa sends Jane to London to regroup, she’s seated next to an intriguing stranger on the flight—the other Tom Hardy, an elegantly handsome Oxford professor of literature. Jane is instantly smitten by Tom, and soon, truly inspired. But it’s not Jane’s past alone that haunts her second chance at stardom, and at love. Is Tom all that he seems? And can Jane emerge from the shadow of Jonesy’s earlier hit, and into the light of her own?

In turns deeply sexy, riotously funny, and utterly joyful, This Bird Has Flown explores love, passion, and the ghosts of our past, and offers a glimpse inside the music business that could only come from beloved songwriter Susanna Hoffs.

“Clever and entertaining . . . with an insider’s feel for the mixed blessings of pop fame.” —Los Angeles Times

“A sweet and tender romance—and a valentine to music.” —NPR

“In this sexy, page-turning treat, Susanna Hoffs writes as engagingly as she sings.” —Helen Fielding
https://amzn.to/3Vkehc7

The old adage, “write what you know” proves out here in this debut novel from Susanna Hoffs. If the name is familiar, that’s because she co-founded The Bangles, with monster hits like Manic Monday and Walk Like an Egyptian. (And they did a guest spot on the Gilmore Girls!) I always find it interesting that creative people in one field are also creative in others, like Tony Bennett and his painting, and now Susanna Hoffs and her debut novel.

The main character is Jane Start, who had a one hit wonder a decade earlier of a cover she did of a little known song from a huge star, Jonesy. She is on her way to England to meet with her best friend/manager, Pippa. But first she has to get through this flight – Jane is not a fan of flying. When her seatmate, Tom, realizes the issue, he is there for her, holding her hand. The more they talk, the more Jane finds herself totally into this Brit, and he seems pretty into her as well. Tom is a professor at Oxford and doesn’t really have a clue who she is, which Jane likes.

Jane doesn’t hear from him for a couple of weeks, but when she does, things start moving very fast – she moves in with him a couple of weeks later. Then Pippa tells Jane that Jonesy wants her to sing on the opening night of his new tour, Jane is almost paralyzed with fear. It’s been too long since she performed in a venue like that. And when Jonesy keeps putting off the rehearsal and there’s no sound check, she really is freaking out.

Meanwhile, Jane is getting to know some of his colleagues at Oxford, and finds out about his former girlfriend, who apparently was perfect. But she doesn’t want to discuss her past relationships, so things get a bit muddled and jealously rears its ugly head. Jane ends things with Tom, but he doesn’t give up that easily. Eventually they find their happy ending, just when I was ready to give up on them!

This was a fascinating look at the inside of the music industry, and a terrific romance as well. Highly recommend – don’t miss it!

5/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THIS BIRD HAS FLOWN by Susanna Hoffs. Little, Brown and Company (April 4, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0316409315. 368p.

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THE BACHELOR CONTRACT by Victoria James

April 28, 2023

From the publisher:

New mom May Peterson can’t believe she’s back in her hometown. She has eight weeks to fix up, and sell, her childhood home. Just enough to say hello to her best friend and goodbye to her painful past. But in the warm, tightly-knit community of Maple Hill, it’s impossible to avoid anyone—especially the cute “boy next door.” And while May is definitely over the idea of love, his irresistible smile still makes her toes curl…

When they were kids, Austin Merrick only ever saw May as his sister’s best friend. Over time, they’d become friends, sharing late-night chats over cheddar popcorn. Now May Peterson has returned with an adorable baby that quickly wraps him around her little finger. But after seeing the damage a broken heart can do, Austin and his brother made an agreement: to never, ever fall in love. No marriage. No kids. Ever.

Now they’re working together to fix up her old home, and sparks of attraction are making it almost impossible to keep to their no-romance rules. But when it comes to love, hearts never play by the rules…especially when it comes to finding “the one.”
https://amzn.to/3nbyNz4

This author was new to me and I really enjoyed this book. I must admit I was surprised to find out it was only 260 pages – the author did a really good job of character development and plotting, especially for such a short book. It was a sweet and sexy second-chance romance, and I really enjoyed it.

May never wanted to come back to the small town of Maple Hill. She was bullied in high school, and humiliated herself by admitting she had feelings for her best friend’s older brother, Austin. But she’s inherited a house that needs some fixing up to get it ready to sell. She decides to give it six weeks. Austin’s family’s construction company is happy to take on the reno for her. But that puts her in constant contact with Austin.

May had given up on love and adopted a baby. She was an adopted child herself, but her parents were not great, to say the least. She is determined to give her baby all the love she never got. But the more time she spends in Maple Hill with Austin and his family, the harder it will be to leave.

You can pretty much guess how the happy ending goes, and it was a very enjoyable read getting there. If you want a fast, fun read with all the feels, pick up a copy of this terrific book.

THE BACHELOR CONTRACT by Victoria James. Entangled: Amara (April 17, 2023). ISBN:‎ 979-8391410676. 260p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

Spotlight Review: HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry

April 25, 2023

From the publisher:

A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2023 by BuzzFeed ∙ Paste Magazine ∙ Elle ∙ Southern Living ∙ SheReads ∙ Culturess ∙ Medium ∙ Her Campus ∙ Readers Digest ∙ Zibby Mag and more!

“Once again, Henry dazzles and delights by brilliantly deploying her considerable skills in comic timing and crafting characters with relatable, realistically messy lives. Effortlessly toggling between the present-day fauxmance playing out between her protagonists and the origins of their love a decade earlier, Happy Place is a romance that delivers on both style and substance.” —Booklist (starred review)

“A wistfully nostalgic look at endings, beginnings, and loving the people who will always have your back.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This sexy and profoundly romantic novel will satisfy fans of best-selling Henry’s thrilling trademark mix of witty banter and intensely emotional storylines.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“Exes must pretend they’re still together in this delightful Summery rom-com from bestseller Henry…This has the makings of a rom-com classic.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
https://amzn.to/40WPFIl

I’ve read Henry’s last few books, and all were excellent, but I think may be her best yet. It’s certainly her most emotional read to date.

Harriet and Wyn have been together for years, and got engaged several months prior to the start of the book. They have a group of friends they are close to; in fact, that’s how they met – Harriet’s best friend and Wyn’s best friends were roommates, and along with two other couples, they have been meeting at this beach house in Maine every summer for years. But the house is being sold, so their two best friends plan a last week-long party, culminating with their wedding.

What Harriet and Wyn haven’t told their friends is that several months earlier, they broke up. Harriet was devastated; she only got a four-minute phone call and a box of her stuff delivered a few days later. She ends up blocking him on her phone just so she can stop checking it every few minutes to see if he has changed his mind.

They met in college and moved to San Francisco when Harriet scored an internship in neurosurgery there. Wyn barely got through college and is working in a bookstore. Then Wyn’s dad dies suddenly, and Wyn is devasted and depressed for months. When his mom falls ill with Parkinson’s disease, Wyn moves home to Montana to care for her. Harriet & Wyn figure they’ll do long distance for a year or so until his sister finishes college and can come home to help out their mom. But not everything goes according to plan, and he dumps her. When the invitation to the last week at the house in Maine comes, their friends refuse to take no for an answer. They both agree to go and, as always, share a room – but this time, instead of the room with two single beds, they get the room with one big bed. Harriet is far from over him, but she doesn’t realize that Wyn isn’t over her, either. This week they are forced to spend together with their best friends will prove to be challenging in a myriad of ways.

I loved the relationship between all six of these friends and how they formed their own family, especially as several of them come from unhappy homes. We learn their backstories and see how they coupled up. There is some humor throughout the book but more drama and angst, and I was so caught up in their lives that I could not put this book down. This is an engrossing romance with enough ups and downs and emotional entanglements to make me incredibly anxious until the requisite happy ending – I couldn’t figure out how they would work it out until they showed me. Another excellent read from a terrific author!

4/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HAPPY PLACE by Emily Henry.‎ Berkley (April 25, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0593441275. 400 p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE MATCHMAKER by Catherine Walsh

April 21, 2023

From the publisher:

Katie Collins has barely ever left her tiny Irish village of Ennisbawn. Why would she? With its tightknit community, friendly local pub, surrounded by glistening lakes and perfectly mysterious forests, it’s a place of peaceful beauty.

Or it was peaceful. Until Callum Dempsey turned up. Part of a hot-shot (and, Katie has to admit, hot is annoyingly apt for him…) development team with zero eye for beauty or charm, he’s not only building a hideous hotel just outside the village, he’s also just announced a plan to knock down Ennisbawn’s only remaining pub. To make way for a view from the golf course.

It’s the final blow to the village and the last straw for Katie, who refuses to let her home-from-home disappear. The pub is her life – her job, but also her last connection to her parents, who had met at Ennisbawn’s once-famous matchmaking festival that was held in the grounds.

But, after being laughed off the building site in her best flannel pyjamas for demanding the builders leave, Katie decides enough is enough and hatches a plan. She’s going to revive the matchmaking festival, save the pub, and single-handedly bring the town back to life again.

She might even help her two best friends find love as well. Since, heck, what’s another project when you’re taking on the world’s hottest, evilest man?

But what Ireland’s newest matchmaker doesn’t know is that even when someone’s really not your type on paper, love might be a little bit more than just a formula…

A gorgeously escapist and utterly hilarious small town romcom perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren.
https://amzn.to/3ZO9UXh

I’ve read a couple of Walsh’s books, and she is now firmly in the “must read” category. I loved the setting of this new book, a small village in Ireland. Katie is a bartender in the only pub in town, but that is about to change.

Someone has bought up all the land surrounding this village, and they are trying to buy the rest of it. The plan is a huge hotel and resort, and the story opens with construction underway, which means lots of loud trucks rumbling past Katie’s house way too early in the morning to suit her. Her late night job means she is not getting much sleep, and she finally cracks. She goes marching down to the construction site in her pajamas (!) to tell off the boss. Callum is the site supervisor, but he reports to Jack. She tells them both off and much to her surprise, the next day no trucks wake her up.

Turns out it was Callum who redirected the trucks to another entrance. The big boss, Jack is more interested in creating pretty brochures and making propaganda videos. Callum keeps showing up where Katie is, and eventually she softens towards him. Then she gets some really bad news from her boss at the pub; there is some weird kind of covenant on the property, and that means the pub is now being sold to the developer. Katie is incensed and decides to take matters into her own hands.

This small town used to be known for their matchmaking festival each year, but it has dwindled to pretty much nonexistent. The only thing remaining is the wishing well behind the pub. Katie starts corralling her friends and neighbors into helping create a big festival, in hopes of drumming up support to keep the pub from being torn down.

Callum and Katie form a friendship, but he wants more. She feels like she is too busy to get more involved, but the more he helps her, the warmer her feelings grow towards him. Eventually, Callum and Katie realize that this is a relationship worth keeping.

This is an enemies-to-lovers, slow burn kind of romance with a bit of steam and a lot of laughs. I really enjoyed this romcom, and if you like these kinds of small town romances, please pick up a copy! It’s a good read, entertaining, and the characters really drew me in. This was a one night read for me, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

4/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PS: Listen to a sample here: