Book Reviews | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

Spotlight Review: DUKE SEEKS BRIDE by Christy Carlyle

September 12, 2023

Love on Holiday, Book 3

From the publisher:

In the swoon-worthy finale of her Love on Holiday series, Christy Carlyle takes readers to the breathtaking coast of Ireland where a pretty, young countess’s secretary agrees to impersonate her mistress to help a duke appease his fortune-hunting family…until he falls for her instead.

Miss Evelyn Graves has never had a holiday. She is much too busy as the personal secretary to the Countess of Waverly. But the Duke of Ballymore Castle in Connemara, Ireland, has invited the countess to visit—and as the countess cannot travel, she has insisted Evelyn go in her stead. Except when Evie arrives, everyone mistakes her for the countess—and it’s clear the family who owns crumbling Ballymore were hoping to match the widowed countess with Alexander Pierpont, Duke of Rennick. Though Alex knows the truth of Evie’s identity, he has an unusual request. He’ll happily show her hospitality if she’ll agree to let others think she’s the countess during her visit.

There’s just one problem: as time runs out on their arrangement and Alex increasingly fears he must in fact marry an heiress to save his family’s fortunes, he finds that his heart now belongs to Miss Evie Graves…and he can’t bring himself to let her go.

“Carlyle completes her Love on Holiday trilogy (after Lady Meets Earl) with characters fans will adore. Hand to readers who love the fake-dating trope and the hijinks of a romantic comedy.” — Library Journal

“With its charming Cornish setting, lively writing enhanced by a blithe sense of wit, and a memorable cast of characters, Duke Gone Rogue, which kicks off Carlyle’s Victorian-set Love on Holiday series, blossoms into an absolute delight.” — Booklist
https://amzn.to/3NKW4lU

I’m not sure how I missed the first two books in this series, but this third one was so much fun to read that I will hunt down the first two. I always enjoy Carlyle’s books and this is no exception.

I love the setting in Ireland; I’m not sure I’ve ever read a historical romance set there. Usually, it’s England, sometimes Scotland, and occasionally America. I also like the Duke falling for a commoner trope, which is so popular that it has become a subgenre of historical romance, as far as I’m concerned.

The Duke was actually a second son, and he never planned on becoming Duke, but when his eldest brother and his father died, he inherited the title. Unfortunately, his father was a terrible steward of the family fortune, and they are now in dire straights. The only solution is for the Duke to marry someone with a large dowry. Except he really doesn’t want to. But there is stipulation in the will that says if he isn’t married within six months, his uncle will inherit the castle in Ireland, and that is the only place the Duke really cares about.

His family set about matchmaking but he isn’t being too cooperative until he accidentally meets Evelyn Graves in the garden at a ball. They have a strong connection, but he doesn’t know who she is and she takes off. He next sees her when she appears at his home instead of her employer, a rich widow his family is trying to matchmake for him. Confusion soon ensues, but while parts of their story may be fake, their feelings for one another are very real.

I really enjoyed this story; there were a lot of laughs, some heart-wrenching scenes, and some heat as well, making this a terrific read. Now I’m off to find the first two books in this trilogy!

Book 1: Duke Gone Rogue

Book 2: Lady Meets Earl

9/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DUKE SEEKS BRIDE by Christy Carlyle. Avon (August 22, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063054516. 368p.

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THE ROOMMATE PACT by Allison Ashley

September 8, 2023

From the publisher:

All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.

The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but in the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…

Just as things begin to heat up way before the proposed deadline, Graham’s injured in a serious rock climbing accident—and he needs Claire’s help to heal. She’ll do whatever it takes to nurse him back to health…even if it means moving in to Graham’s bed and putting up with his little dog, who hates her. But with this no-strings arrangement taking a complicated turn, keeping “for now” from turning into “forever” isn’t as easy as they’d planned.

“Claire and Graham’s chemistry jumps off the page…Friends-to-lovers fans are sure to be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3swBkpK

This was my first read from this author, and it was really good! I was surprised to learn it is the second book of the series, so I will have to go back and read the first book, Would You Rather.

This books turns the time-honored tradition of “if we’re still single by 40, we’ll get married,” into if we’re still single, we’ll hook up; a friends with benefits situation. The friends are Claire, an emergency room nurse, and Graham, a firefighter. Graham is also a thrill seeker – when he’s not fighting fires, he’s off rock climbing and participating in any kind of risky, dangerous outdoor sport. They share an apartment with another roommate and Graham’s little dog, who seems to hate Claire.

Claire lost her father fairly young, and she is averse to any kind of risk-taking because of that. That’s why she won’t agree to marrying Graham. But when he is seriously injured in a rock climbing accident, she immediately jumps into her caretaker role, even though the dog doesn’t want her around. As they spend time together, Graham realizes he is falling in love with Claire, and as much as Claire is attracted to Graham, she is more afraid of losing him to another accident and refuses to get more involved. She may be guarding her heart, but the heart wants what it wants, and rest assured, Claire & Graham find their happily every after.

If you are a fan of first responders, (and really who isn’t?!) and sassy dogs, this is your book. There were a lot of laughs in this sweet rom-com, and it was a very enjoyable read.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ROOMMATE PACT by Allison Ashley. MIRA; Original edition (August 1, 2023). ISBN: 978-0778334248. 320p.

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Spotlight Review: AMAZING GRACE ADAMS by Fran Littlewood

September 5, 2023

From the publisher:

Bernadette, Eleanor Oliphant, Rosie, Ove . . . meet Amazing Grace Adams, the funny, touching, unforgettable story of an invisible everywoman pushed to the brink―who finally pushes back.

Grace Adams gave birth, blinked, and now suddenly she is forty-five, perimenopausal and stalled―the unhappiest age you can be, according to the Guardian. And today she’s really losing it. Stuck in traffic, she finally has had enough. To the astonishment of everyone, Grace gets out of her car and simply walks away.
Grace sets off across London, armed with a £200 cake, to win back her estranged teenage daughter on her sixteenth birthday. Because today is the day she’ll remind her daughter that no matter how far we fall, we can always get back up again. Because Grace Adams used to be amazing. Her husband thought so. Her daughter thought so. Even Grace thought so. But everyone seems to have forgotten. Grace is about to remind them . . . and, most important, remind herself.
https://amzn.to/3NKW4lU

Tales of extraordinary women abound, but the title character of Littlewood’s debut novel is a seemingly relatable everywoman. The timeline bounces around between the Grace of her 20s, 30s, and 40s, and the story begins as Grace spends the day trying to deliver a birthday cake to Lotte, her estranged 16-year-old daughter. She abandons her car in gridlock and starts hoofing it, taking off on a deeply personal pilgrimage of sorts. Her journey takes her to the bakery where she ordered the overpriced cake to an incident with the police and other assorted encounters. Grace is obviously troubled, and her journey to her daughter is also one of insight into her own life. Perimenopause rears its ugly head, divorce seems imminent, and unemployment all contribute to what appears to be Grace’s break with reality, but it is all underscored by the worst tragedy a parent can face. Although the story seems inconsistent at times, it only enhances the surreality that is Grace’s life. Despite this, we can’t help but root for her.

Verdict: An utterly charming debut, sure to appeal to readers who loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman and Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

©Library Journal, 2023

9/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

AMAZING GRACE ADAMS by Fran Littlewood. Henry Holt and Co.; International Edition (September 5, 2023). ISBN: 978-1250857019. 272p.

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Spotlight Review: THE BREAKAWAY by Jennifer Weiner

August 29, 2023

From the publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a warmhearted and empowering new novel about love, family, friendship, secrets, and a life-changing journey.

Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. True, she still has gig jobs instead of a career, and the apartment where she’s lived since college still looks like she’s just moved in. But she’s got good friends, her bike, and her bicycling club in Philadelphia. She’s at peace with her plus-size body—at least, most of the time—and she’s on track to marry Mark Medoff, her childhood summer sweetheart, a man she met at the weight-loss camp that her perpetually dieting mother forced her to attend. Fifteen years after her final summer at Camp Golden Hills, when Abby reconnects with a half-his-size Mark, it feels like the happy ending she’s always wanted.

Yet Abby can’t escape the feeling that something isn’t right…or the memories of one thrilling night she spent with a man named Sebastian two years previously. When Abby gets a last-minute invitation to lead a cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, she’s happy to have time away from Mark, a chance to reflect and make up her mind.

But things get complicated fast. First, Abby spots a familiar face in the group—Sebastian, the one-night stand she thought she’d never see again. Sebastian is a serial dater who lives a hundred miles away. In spite of their undeniable chemistry, Abby is determined to keep her distance. Then there’s a surprise last-minute addition to the trip: her mother, Eileen, the woman Abby blames for a lifetime of body shaming and insecurities she’s still trying to undo.

Over two weeks and more than seven hundred miles, strangers become friends, hidden truths come to light, a teenage girl with a secret unites the riders in unexpected ways…and Abby is forced to reconsider everything she believes about herself, her mother, and the nature of love.

Incredibly fun . . . A lovely, compulsively readable story about finding your path and believing in your own worth.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“This is a winning combination of a light read with serious emotional depth, the very mix Weiner’s many fans have come to expect from her. Weiner’s annual summer release is a welcome (and highly anticipated) treat for readers of relatable relationship fiction.” —Booklist, starred review

“Charming…lively banter reels the reader in…this breezy outing goes down easy.” —Publishers Weekly

“What do women get to do with their bodies? may be the central question of “The Breakaway,” and Weiner answers it brilliantly…sexy and suspenseful and so much fun”—New York Times
https://amzn.to/3LmFKq3

I was working for Borders Books & Music when Weiner’s first book, Good in Bed, came out and I was smitten. That has turned into a deeper love for her writing over 20+ books, and I’m happy to say that I absolutely loved The Breakaway! I even loved the movie based on In Her Shoes, and let’s face it, it’s rare when a movie does justice to a book.

Abby is in her early thirties but still trying to find herself. She’s walking dogs to pay the rent and has been in a two-year relationship with Mark, a Jewish doctor, and now he wants her to move in with him. They met at fat camp, and he was her first love, so everything should be great, right? It kind of is, but Abby feels a little overwhelmed about moving in with him. He’s a good man, he’s kind, he’s crazy about her, all the good things, but Abby feels like maybe there should be more. And then she feels guilty for thinking that.

Mark had surgery to get the weight off, and now he’s half the size he used to be. He’s determined to stay thin, too, by eating all lean protein and running six miles a day, no matter what. On the other hand, Abby is fairly comfortable in her body, which her doctor calls obese, and she just calls fat. She loves to ride her bike and belongs to a bicycle club in Philadelphia. When one of her friends begs her to lead a two-week bike trip through New York State on the Empire State Trail, she decides it’s the perfect way to get out of her head and think about her future.

Two years earlier, before she was in a committed relationship with Mark, she went barhopping for a friend’s bachelorette party. She met Sebastian at a club and spent the most memorable, fulfilling night of her life with him. But he lives in NY, she lives in Phillie, and she snuck out at dawn before either of them could exchange any info. So, it is no great surprise that one of the two single men on the bike ride is Sebastian.

Weiner never takes the easy way in any of her books. Relationships are complicated, people are complicated, and such is the case here. I loved Abby and wanted her to be happy – one of Weiner’s gifts is getting us so involved with her characters that you just can’t put down the book, and you can’t stop thinking about it when you finally do. This was a book that tempted me to call in sick to work just so I could finish it! But, ugh, I am way too responsible to do that. Unfortunately, it did keep me up half the night, and I was very happy when I finally turned that last page. That’s the best possible outcome from reading a book, don’t you think?

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BREAKAWAY by Jennifer Weiner. Atria Books (August 29, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1668033425. 400p.

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AN EARL TO REMEMBER by Stacy Reid

August 25, 2023

Unforgettable Love, Book 2

From the publisher:

Miss Georgianna Eleanor Heyford may be naught but a gentleman’s daughter, but even she’s heard the rumors about the Earl of Stannis’s exceptional charm and good looks. Surely she can cater his luxurious yacht party without getting swept away. But a terrible misunderstanding leaves Georgianna fired, furious, and with little recompense. Which is precisely when her opportunity for vengeance washes ashore…

Daniel Rutherford, the Earl of Stannis, has absolutely no memory of who he is. They tell him he must have fallen overboard, and the only person he seems to recognize is the lovely Georgianna―who strikes a chord of familiarity…and the faintest memory of heating his blood. Only now this inelegant, poorly dressed woman claims to be his wife!

But the truth is, Georgianna is finally getting her revenge. The dashing earl will work off the money he owes her and no one will be the wiser. Except the longer he stays with her and her younger sisters, the more it feels like he belongs there. And that perhaps he’d find a forever place in Georgianna’s heart…at least, until his memory returns…

Each book in the Unforgettable Love series is STANDALONE:
* A Matter of Temptation
* An Earl to Remember
https://amzn.to/44nbFNI

This is a historic rendering of the film Overboard. This book is closer to the characteristically-reversed remake with Anna Faris and Eugenio Derbez rather than the original with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, but either way, it is a fun read.

Georgiana has lost her parents and is basically parenting her younger sisters and running the household. Money is very tight, but Georgiana loves to cook and decides to try it as a paid position. She lands a gig for the Earl of Stannis, cooking for a hedonistic party aboard his yacht. Unfortunately, he is very attracted to her, which his mistress notices. She insists that he fire the chef, and he does, and in the ensuing argument with his mistress, she pushes him overboard. He bangs his head on the ship, and the next thing you know, he floats ashore in the small town where Georgiana lives. When he wakes up, he has amnesia.

Georgiana had been promised £300 to cook for the weekend, but only receives a small portion of the money. She is quite upset as that money would have carried her family for a year. So when she realizes who the man is who washed up on shore, she claims he is her husband. She takes him home with her and puts him to work, fixing up the house that had fallen into disrepair. Earls don’t work with their hands, or work much at all, but with no memory, all the Earl can go on is his gut feeling that something isn’t adding up here. But the more time he spends with Georgiana and her family, the more he feels like he belongs there.

When his memory suddenly returns, the Earl leaves for London and his home. There his mother and grandmother are bound and determined to get him married, but he shocks them when he says he is married. Yes, they are in love, but there are so many deceptions and other obstacles to overcome that it just feels impossible. They get their happy ending, and I can’t wait for the next book in this series. I loved it.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

AN EARL TO REMEMBER by Stacy Reid. Entangled: Amara (August 22, 2023). ISBN: 978-1649372727. 400p.

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THE SWEETEST REVENGE by Lizzy Dent

August 25, 2023

From the publisher:

Bridesmaids meets Emily in Paris—in London—in this hilarious and heartfelt story of one handsome neighbor, one no-good ex, and the summer Amy Duffy makes the comeback of her life.

Her past is a mess. But her present is about to get delicious.

Amy is more than one disastrous night of drunken revenge on her boss/ex-boyfriend’s Audi—the night that tanked her rising TV producer career and led to a hasty move to London for a fresh start. She is thirty years of awesomeness. At least, that’s what Amy tells herself every morning before trekking to her mediocre job making trailers at a failing British TV channel.

Two years later, she’s finally starting to believe it. Sparks are flying between her and Jake, her handsome new downstairs neighbor, and there’s a competition at work that just might get her career back on track while bringing her and Jake even closer. But then, in a twisted turn of fate, the ex-boyfriend who wrecked her life is hired as her new boss and past and present are about to epically, hilariously collide.
https://amzn.to/3QRIdMo

Amy was on the fast track as a television development producer until her boyfriend/boss gave her some bad news. Instead of going to her cousin’s wedding and standing up for her as a bridesmaid, Amy gets drunk at a local watering hole and gets her revenge on the now ex’s car. Someone videos the whole thing, it goes viral, and Amy is humiliated and out of a job. She escapes across the pond and lands a job several rungs below where she was, but at least she has an income.

Amy’s co-workers are all abuzz with the latest reality TV show, Fantasy Island, and she’s hooked, too. Then a bombshell drops at work; her new interim boss is none other than her ex. She takes off from the office only to bump into Jake Jones, her new neighbor. Amy doesn’t know Jake; she just knows him as the guy who humiliated himself on Fantasy Island and got kicked off and has all his packages delivered to her apartment for some reason. She has a bit of experience with public humiliation herself, not that she is going to share that with Jake.

When her ex announces a contest at work to come up with a new reality TV show, Amy teams up with Jake, a writer, to put together something that will get her back on top. But can she trust her ex? Would you?

I enjoyed this light-hearted romp through England and the very happy ending. The language is a bit coarse, so if that sort of thing bothers you, look elsewhere for your next read. But you will be missing out!

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SWEETEST REVENGE by Lizzy Dent. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (July 25, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593545478. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD by Alicia Thompson

August 22, 2023

From the publisher:

USA Today Bestseller!
One of Amazon’s Best Romances of August!

She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn’t on it—yet somehow he’s become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name.

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World—whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

“With this swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com, Thompson gets in well ahead of the annual slew of Christmas romances, taking readers to Florida’s Cold World amusement park, where the winter holidays are celebrated year-round….This will have readers dreaming of sugarplums at any time of year.”—Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3YJKCe3

Since I live in Florida, I am quite familiar with all the theme parks that abound here. And while there isn’t a “Cold World,” there is ICE! at the Gaylord Palms Hotel. It is not year-round, but rather a holiday event that is very popular with tourists and locals alike. My family visited several years ago, and I get the appeal for sure. They do a beautiful job, and to be honest, it seems lightyears better than Cold World, but that is at the heart of this story. (There is also an Icebar in Orlando, but I haven’t been, and it is open year-round.)

Cold World is in trouble. The owner has kept it going for many years, but she really needs an infusion of cash to keep it going. To that end, she asks her son, vice president in name only, her long-time employee Asa, and her bookkeeper, Lauren, who’s been there for just a few years to try and come up with some ideas about ways to increase the business.

While Lauren has a bit of a crush on the good looking VP, her and Asa have been butting heads since she started work there. He teases her endlessly, and she tries to ignore him and most of her co-workers; she’s a head down, all work and no play kind of girl, while Asa is her extreme opposite. While Lauren jumps at the chance to spend time with VP, she blows off Asa, until the night they get accidentally locked in to Cold World.

Asa is bisexual and open about it, and Lauren isn’t quite sure what to think about that. But as they get to really know one another, their differences seem to fall away. They both have had difficulties in their past and have learned to deal with it in very different ways, but together they are stronger and can more easily deal with their pasts.

These characters were complex individuals, and I really wanted both of them to find their happily ever after. This was a fun read and surprisingly fast for a 400-page book! If you like the opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers themes in your romance, then this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD by Alicia Thompson. Berkley (August 1, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593438671. 400p.

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THE DO-OVER by Sharon M. Peterson

August 18, 2023

From the publisher:

“Look, you’re a nice girl but I don’t think we should see each other anymore.” The voicemail ends and I freeze in the dentist’s chair as I realize… I’ve just been dumped on live radio.

It took the most humiliating break-up for me to see that my life is in serious need of a do-over. Cue my anti New Year’s resolutions that even I can’t fail at:

Stop dating. (Men are the worst.)

Stop trying to lose weight. (I’m never giving up chocolate.)

Stop working so hard. (Selling mortgages is not my dream career.)

Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. (Start living my best life.)

Stop trying to please my mother. (It’s not possible.)

But it turns out number five is harder than I thought, as she begins her campaign to get me back with my ex. So, what’s the perfect solution to keep her out of my love life? An imaginary boyfriend—at least he was supposed to be imaginary until I blurted out my neighbor’s name…

Nate, the bad boy next door with gorgeous hazel eyes, a razor-sharp jawline and a mysterious scar, might be hot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Now all I need to do is stick to my resolutions while also keeping my interfering family away from my non-existent lover who has no idea that we’re fake dating. What could possibly go wrong?

A completely addictive, feel-good rom-com perfect for fans of TikTok sensations The Love Hypothesis, The Unhoneymooners, and Sarah Adams. An absolutely hilarious page-turner for anyone who feels they need to start living life to the fullest.
https://amzn.to/3rNhSow

I read Peterson’s second book, The Fake Out, and loved it so I hunted this one down. It is available on Kindle Unlimited so I grabbed it!

Perci, like a lot of young women, has many insecurities which are being fed by her well-meaning mother. She works for her father, her boyfriend is her boss and her dad’s favorite employee, and her mother constantly points out everything wrong with her, and as an added bonus, tells her where to get her hair done, picks out her clothes, and, well, you get the idea. But Perci isn’t happy. Especially when her boyfriend, the one her mother was convinced was about to propose, instead dumps her on a live radio talk show.

Her best friend, Mathias, is always there to help pick up the pieces, and he’s her strongest cheerleader. He makes a list of resolutions for her, and they hang it on her fridge, but it’s not easy for a people pleaser like Perci to stand up to anyone, much less her mother. But nonetheless, having that list in plain sight gives her a certain amount of courage as she works to change herself into someone she truly wants to be.

Nate is the hottie that lives next door, and in a moment of panic, Perci lies and says he’s her new boyfriend. Much to her surprise, when she admits to him what she did, he agrees to play the part for her family. While Perci thinks he is just being nice and couldn’t possibly be truly interested in her, we all know what happens when you fake date someone!

Perci’s grandmother, Mimi, loves her for herself and constantly shares her “mimi-isms;” adulterated sayings we all know. She adds some comic relief to the story and is another cheerleader for Perci. I loved watching Perci grow and learn to assert herself. While this is definitely a romance, it is also about learning to love yourself, which really got me invested in these characters. This was a fun read, and I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it! Sharon M. Peterson is a new author to watch for me, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DO-OVER by Sharon M. Peterson. Bookouture (July 27, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1803146386. 328p.

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Spotlight Review: REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt

August 15, 2023

From the publisher:

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow’s unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova’s son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it’s too late.

Shelby Van Pelt’s debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

NAMED A BEST BOOK OF SUMMER by: Chicago Tribune * The View * Southern Living * USA Today

“Remarkably Bright Creatures [is] an ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut. . . . Memorable and tender.” — Washington Post

“A debut novel about a woman who befriends an octopus is a charming, warmhearted read.” — Kirkus Reviews

“A unique and luminous book.” — Booklist (starred review)
https://amzn.to/3O7wmqB

What an incredible read! My friend Nora recommended this book to me while we were on a *mini-vacay, and I’m so happy she did! There are two main characters, Tova, an elderly woman who cleans the small town aquarium, and Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus.

Tova has had a hard life. She’s lost everyone she loves, including her husband and her son, but she keeps putting one foot in front of the other and keeps moving on. Marcellus has come to terms with his captivity, but he enjoys sneaking out of his tank after hours. Tova knows this but figures live and let live, and she doesn’t rat him out. In fact, she saves him one night after he becomes ensnarled in a bunch of cords beneath a table. Marcellus is quite bright, and his observations of the humans who enter his world are often thoughtful, snarky, and just delightful as the book meanders back and forth from his viewpoint to Tova’s.

When Tova’s son was lost at sea, it was assumed a suicide, but Tova never accepts that. Turns out Marcellus may have information that will help Tova only he has to figure out how to communicate this to her. When Tova has a nasty fall, she is put on bed rest and the aquarium hires a young man new to town to help fill in while she’s out. But she can’t stay away; as soon as she is somewhat mobile, she starts sneaking into the aquarium, helping out her replacement but keeping it all on the down low.

This was such a charming book, and I’m sure it will stay with me for a very long time. It is an incredible debut filled with memorable characters and an unusual yet believable storyline; Remarkably Bright Creatures is bound for my best books of 2023 list. Don’t miss it!

*mini-vacay: only visited two bookstores and no libraries (other than a Little Free Library)!

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt. Ecco (May 3, 2022). ISBN: 978-0063204157. 368p.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE BACKUP PLAN by Jill Shalvis

August 11, 2023

The Sunrise Cove Series, Book 3

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Sunrise Cove with a heartwarming tale of three people who are brought together when they’re bequeathed an old Wild West inn that has the potential to pull their lives apart, but instead turns into the gift of a lifetime.

When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home—and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history—and secrets— causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace—rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for—acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love.
https://amzn.to/3QzbrzO

This is the third book of the series, but there are no cross-over characters, so it easily stands alone. In fact, I read the fourth book before this one – no harm, no foul.

Eleanor was a retired actress when she passed away. She left her famous Wild West inn in the small town of Sunrise Cove on Lake Tahoe to three young people she cared about. Only Lauren was related, but they were estranged even though Lauren was the only one who stayed in town (as a librarian!) Alice pretty much grew up at the inn, and she and Lauren were best friends, but that was a long time ago before she lost her brother and moved away. Knox had a troubled childhood, and Eleanor took him under her wing. Alice had a huge crush on Knox, but it went unrequited. The three of them haven’t seen one another in years, but this bequest came with strings attached; they have to agree to work together to restore the dilapidated inn or lose out on their inheritance.

Knox and Alice both feel the chemistry between them, and Lauren finds herself interested in a newcomer to town, a single dad with a precocious daughter. But the romances almost take a back seat to the three becoming friends again. It takes time and a lot of hard work, both physically and emotionally, to get to their happy endings. It was a joy to go along for the ride!

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BACKUP PLAN by Jill Shalvis. Avon (January 17, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0063095557. 384p.