From the publisher:

Named a Best Beach Read by Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, New York Post, Bustle, Country Living, Parade, Fortune, and more.

Beach Read meets Sweetbitter in this laugh-out-loud and ultimately heartwarming debut of a good friend’s very bad decision and the summer job that stands to ruin or make her life.

What if you could be someone else? Just for the summer…

Birdy has made a mistake. Everyone imagines running away from their life at some point. But Birdy has actually done it. And the life she’s run into is her best friend Heather’s. The only problem is, she hasn’t told Heather.

The summer job at the highland Scottish hotel that her world class wine-expert friend ditched turns out to be a lot more than Birdy bargained for. Can she survive a summer pretending to be her best friend? And can Birdy stop herself from falling for the first man she’s ever actually liked, but who thinks she’s someone else?

One good friend’s very bad decision is at the heart of this laugh-out-loud love story and unexpected tale of a woman finally finding herself in the strangest of places.

Birdy offers to help out her best friend Heather by cancelling her summer job as the sommelier at Loch Dorn for her. Heather is chasing some guy across Europe, and Birdy likes free drinks so she attends a party in Heather’s stead by using her name.

The lies start there but really get out of control when Birdy doesn’t cancel Heather’s job, but shows up in her place. Free room and board for the summer seems like the best deal she’s going to get, but with one small hitch; Birdy knows nothing about wine.

James is the sous chef and is kind to the newcomer. Birdy finds him very attractive and before you know it, a romance is born in a bed of lies. No good can come of that, at least not without a lot of trouble and that is half the fun of this story.

I couldn’t help but like Birdy, despite all her lies, and wanted her to get her happy ending. James is a good guy, and their romance starts off slowly but builds as the summer flies by. I loved the Scottish setting and the characters, and there is a lot of humor, too. This was a really fun read, especially for a debut, and I look forward to more from this new author. Rumor has it that a TV adaptation is in the works!

THE SUMMER JOB by Lizzy Dent. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (May 18, 2021). ISBN: 978-0593328118. 384 pages.

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From the publisher:

A woman desperate to turn a new page heads to the Scottish coast and finds herself locked in a battle of wills with an infuriatingly aloof bookseller in this utterly heartwarming debut, perfect for readers of Evvie Drake Starts Over.

Thea Mottram is having a bad month. She’s been let go from her office job with no notice—and to make matters even worse, her husband of nearly twenty years has decided to leave her for one of her friends.

Bewildered and completely lost, Thea doesn’t know what to do. But when she learns that a distant great uncle in Scotland has passed away, leaving her his home and a hefty antique book collection, she decides to leave Sussex for a few weeks. Escaping to a small coastal town where no one knows her seems to be exactly what she needs.

Almost instantly, Thea becomes enamored with the quaint cottage, comforted by its cozy rooms and lovely but neglected garden. The locals in nearby Baldochrie are just as warm, quirky, and inviting.

The only person she can’t seem to win over is bookshop owner Edward Maltravers, to whom she hopes to sell her uncle’s book collection. His gruff attitude—fueled by an infamous, long-standing feud with his brother, a local lord—tests Thea’s patience. But bickering with Edward proves oddly refreshing and exciting, leading Thea to develop feelings she hasn’t experienced in a long time.

As she follows a thrilling yet terrifying impulse to stay in Scotland indefinitely, Thea realizes that her new life may quickly become just as complicated as the one she was running from.

I have never been to Scotland, but ever since I read Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, I’ve wanted to go. Reading books set in Scotland is as close as I’ve gotten. While this book is set in Scotland, it feels more like Any Small Town Anywhere. I’m not complaining exactly, I like books set in small towns. A little more definitive Scotland would have added to the story for me.

This is a very slow moving romance. Thea meets Edward when she applies for a job in his bookshop. He has never hired a woman because he is afraid of relationships basically. They butt heads a lot but slowly become friends. Thea would like something more but neither of them are in any kind of hurry.

I didn’t really understand Thea. Her marriage falls apart because her husband decides he’s in love with her friend, yet she seems very calm about the whole thing. Stiff upper lip and all that. Edward is another cipher. I didn’t really understand either of them and just wasn’t invested in their happiness.

This was just too slow for me. While there is some charm here, there is not much humor. I did enjoy the book aspects of the story but that just wasn’t enough. The “will he or won’t he” takes pretty much the entire book before they very rapidly decide they are in love and finally get their happily ever after.

6/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BOOKSHOP OF SECOND CHANCES by Jackie Fraser. Ballantine Books (May 4, 2021). ISBN: 978-0593355657. 448 pages.

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From the publisher:

In the spirit of Ruth Hogan and Adriana Trigiani, bestselling British author Debbie Johnson brings us the ultimate in “happy tears”: a heartfelt story about a woman seizing the chance to reconnect with her lost love.

The truth changes everything.

For years Jess believed that Joe—the father of her child and the only man she ever loved—had abandoned her during her greatest time of need. That belief nearly destroyed her. Seventeen years later, when cleaning out her mother’s house, Jess unpacks a box of cards and letters hidden in the attic and makes a discovery that changes everything about life as she knows it.

Shaken but empowered, Jess—and her two stalwart best friends—set out on a remarkable journey to follow a set of faded postmarks around the world. Is Joe still alive? Does he know that Jess never forgot him? Maybe their love story isn’t over.

Maybe one day they’ll find each other again…

A comparison to Adriana Trigiani always grabs my attention (Note to Ade: babe, you are way overdue for your next book!)

This was such an emotional read. There is so much heart to this story and sorrow and even some laughs that it just feels completely captivating. I couldn’t help but get involved with these characters.

Having parents do something despicable is very much in my world view having lived that, so it was not at all far fetched for me to believe the basic premise of the story. The road trip to romance was appropriate and really well done. The characters come to life on the page and their story was terrific. This isn’t a light read, but a well thought out plot with believability, always a good combination, and a lot of heart. I loved it.

I didn’t recall reading this author before, so I dug around on my Kindle and found one of the books from an earlier series, The Comfort Food Cafe, but I need the earlier books. I think I’d like to read them in order. I love finding new authors, even if they are only new to me!

6/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MAYBE ONE DAY by Debbie Johnson. William Morrow Paperbacks (March 2, 2021). ISBN: 978-0063003651. 384 pages.

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A new, sexy standalone from #1 New York Times Bestseller, Vi Keeland.

The first time I met Hudson Rothschild was at a wedding. I’d received an unexpected invitation to one of the swankiest venues in the city.

Hudson was a groomsman and quite possibly the most gorgeous man I’d ever laid eyes on. He asked me to dance, and our chemistry was off the charts.

I knew it wasn’t a good idea to get involved with him, considering the wedding I was at. But our connection was intense, and I was having a great time.

Though the fun came to a screeching halt when Hudson figured out I wasn’t who I’d said I was. You see, that unexpected invitation I received? Well, it hadn’t actually been addressed to me—it was sent to my ex-roommate who’d bounced a check for two months’ rent and moved out in the middle of the night. I figured she owed me an expensive night out, but I guess, technically, I was crashing the wedding.

Once caught, I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. As I bolted for the door, I might’ve plucked a few bottles of expensive champagne off the tables I passed, all while the gorgeous, angry groomsman was hot on my tail.

Outside, I jumped into a taxi. My heart ricocheted against my ribs as we drove down the block—but at least I’d escaped unscathed.

Or so I thought.

Until I realized I’d left my cell phone behind at the table.

Take one guess who found it?

This is the crazy story of how Hudson Rothschild and I met. But trust me, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

This author was new to me but I am so glad I found her! I loved this story. It was completely captivating; I couldn’t put the book down until I (sadly) turned the last page. Not your usual romance trope either, but closest to the enemies-to-lovers plotline. Usually that involves a lot of history between the characters, but not here. Stella meets Hudson when she crashes a fancy wedding. He’s one of the groomsmen, she’s stolen her ex-roommate’s invitation after she ghosted her. Their relationship has a ton of potential if Stella can worm her way out of what she did.

This is a charming, terrific romcom, with a lot of heat. The story was believable and romantic, and these characters were interesting and fun. I will be looking for more of Keeland’s books. I got this one through my public library after I read a glowing review, and I’m so glad I did. I love finding new authors and Keeland is now on my radar.

6/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE INVITATION by Vi Keeland. C. Scott Publishing Corp. (January 18, 2021). ISBN: 978-1951045401. 300 pages.

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The Friend Zone, Book 3

From the publisher:

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“A hilarious, tender, and altogether life-affirming gem of a book.” –Emily Henry, bestselling author of Beach Read

A brilliant and touching romantic comedy about two polar opposites, one adorable dog, and living every day to its fullest. 

When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn’t expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn’t just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn’t want to take anything for granted. 

But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from “daily adventure” to “next-level bad” (now with bonus baby vomit in hair).

The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she’d be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua. 

Now she’s feeling things she’s vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see. 

Letting your hot neighbor help you out with a crying baby in the middle of the night doesn’t seem like the best idea Vanessa has, but she is desperate and out of options. She got to take a much needed shower, plus he got the baby to stop crying. And he is hot, so there’s that.

Vanessa has some serious baggage. She lost her mom and her sister to a horrible, debilitating disease, and she is too scared to even get tested for it. Instead, she lives her life as if each day may be her last, traveling the world and entertaining her millions of followers. But her drug addicted half-sister is in no shape to take care of her baby, and Vanessa can’t say no so her life has taken a drastic turn here.

Adrian is amazing, and Vanessa is no fool so it is no surprise that they fall in love. But Adrian doesn’t understand her family medical history, mostly because she hasn’t told him. Vanessa has lived with it all her life, so she knows the difficult decisions that most likely lay ahead of her but she’s not sharing that with Adrian either. In a way, it reminded me of Jojo Moyes’ Me Before You, but a slightly more upbeat version.

While this novel does have a more serious undertone, there are still a lot of laughs in this emotionally charged romance. The characters are well defined, and their relationship believable. Bottom line is that Jimenez writes excellent stories that really draw you in and this is no exception.

6/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

LIFE’S TOO SHORT by Abby Jimenez. Forever (April 6, 2021). ISBN: 978-1538715666. 384 pages.

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