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NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG by Julie Soto

July 26, 2024

From the publisher:

Ali Hazelwood promises “the cello scene in this book will change your life” in this Reylo-inspired grumpy-sunshine romance full of sharp banter, deep emotion, and irresistible humor.

When professional—and self-taught—violinist Gwen Jackson plays, she disappears into the peaks and valleys of each song, a quiet passion that never quite explodes into pure emotion. Xander Thorne is the exact opposite. A cellist and a rock star, he’s all about big emotion, but not even his six-foot-four frame can contain his skill, his genius . . . and an attitude that borders on jerkitude.

Not only did it take Xander a year to notice that he and Gwen both play in the Manhattan Pops, but he also always seems to have the perfect cutting criticism about her technique. When Gwen is offered the role of first chair of the orchestra, something Xander has secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. Yet, despite her best efforts, Gwen can’t ignore the sizzling chemistry between them.

Forced to work more closely with each other, they can’t help exploring their attraction. As they begin to compose and play songs together, it’s clear that their powerful connection could make for a performance that would blow everyone’s minds. Suddenly, they’re box office dynamite, and the fragile romance growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt.
https://amzn.to/3y419kh

Gwen is an orphan who was raised by her grandfather, and now he’s gone, too. She is a violin prodigy, started playing when she was a child and her teacher owned a music store. While she is trying to decide if she wants to audition again for Julliard, she is playing in the Manhattan Pops orchestra. The first chair, Ava, is married to the conductor and the two of them run the Pops. When they lose a major grant, they decide that Ava will retire and they audition Gwen for first chair. At 22, she would be the youngest first chair in the history of first chairs, and the board decides the publicity alone would garner them enough money to keep the Pops going.

One of the cellists is Xander, who is known for playing original rock music on an electric cello along with a few other bandmates. They are owned by their manager in one of those contracts that seem like something out of The Godfather.

Gwen and her roommate. a gay pianist, are hired to play a weekend wedding. But when she gets there. the wedding planner realizes she wanted a cellist. Xander happens to be in the wedding party, and get gives Gwen his cello to use. Since Gwen once played the cello, no problem! I get the sight reading at a concert – my daughter is a talented musician, and it was amazing to me to see her high school orchestra get a piece of music, read it once through, then perform it so I know that can easily be done by decent musicians, never mind professionals. And I’ve seen my daughter switch instruments to ones she’d never played when they needed her to fill in, so I know that is plausible as well. I mention this because some of the negative reviews I’ve seen of this book just couldn’t buy these things happening, but I know it is entirely possible and have seen it myself. But I digress!

Turns out Xander is a truly gifted musician, plays cello and violin, and composes. When he and Gwen start playing together. the heat is palpable even if we can’t hear the music. There is a lot of drama between them and the Pops and Xander’s rock band, but eventually they reach their happy ending. and it was a treat getting there. Even if you know nothing about music, this is still a wonderful glimpse into that world and a terrific romance. Don’t miss it! I actually have this author’s first book, Forget Me Not, on my Kindle so will be reading and reviewing that one shortly.

Note: I had no idea what a “Reylo-inspired grumpy-sunshine romance” was but it turns Reylo is “a nickname for the romantic relationship between Star Wars characters Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey Skywalker (Daisy Ridley.)” Apparently, there is a ton of fanfiction about them, some of which have become bestselling novels, including Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis. It is her blurb at the top of this page that sent me down this particular rabbit hole.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NOT ANOTHER LOVE SONG by Julie Soto. Forever (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1538740910. 384p.

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SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan

July 26, 2024

From the publisher:

AN INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER

The romantic and hilarious story of a professional organizer whose life is a mess, and the summer she gets unstuck with the help of someone unexpected from her past, by the bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script.

Benefits of a summer romance: It’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

Ali Morris is a professional organizer whose own life is a mess. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her…by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. He looks at her like she’s a younger, braver version of herself. The last thing newly single mom Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little summer romance. Is there?

A Parade Best Beach Read
A Today Show Best Summer Read
A BookBub Best Romance of the Year
A PureWow Best Beach Read of the Summer
A Brit & Co Perfect Beach Read
A Southern Bride Best Beach Read
A Marie Claire Beach Read to Devour While Soaking Up the Sun This Summer

“The ideal beach read.”—Publishers Weekly (starred)

“The romance strikes the perfect balance of stomach-butterflies and the realities of dating with kids. Sweetly satisfying.” —Booklist (starred)

“May as well have been created in a laboratory to be the perfect beach read.” –Seattle Times

“Easy, breezy, and big-hearted, Summer Romance is quintessential poolside reading.” —theSkimm
https://amzn.to/4cSrv7O

Monaghan writes crazy good romances with interesting, well-developed characters and believable plotlines. This is another terrific read.

Single mom Ali is struggling to find her footing after losing her mom and then her husband. Her best friend is pressuring her to join the living and put on actual clothes rather than the sweats she’s been living in. Overalls it is, and when she heads to the dog park, she is completely embarrassed when her dog pees on Ethan, this gorgeous young guy. He’s probably too young for her, but maybe a fling would be helpful?

Turns out Ethan is the last person she should be dating, but the attraction is real on both sides. But this book is about more than just the romance; we see Ali growing into herself and recovering from two of the most devastating losses a woman can have. Her three kids add some levity and lightness, and there is some serious flirting going on, along with a bit of heat. The relationship dynamics are all part of the overarching themes here, from parenting to friendship to romance, and I couldn’t help but root for Ali to find her happy ever after. And it was a joy getting there!

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (June 4, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593714089. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: THE HIGHLANDERS WILD FLAME by Heather McCollum

July 23, 2024

Brotherhood of Solway Moss, Book 1

From the publisher:

The only thing more dangerous than his sword is the flame-haired enemy who’s stolen his heart…in this gripping Highland romance from USA Today bestselling author Heather McCollum.

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. But taken as prisoner―in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird―is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom. But instead of returning to the welcoming warmth of home, Rory steps into a blazing trap…

Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.

Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara―unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane―they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.
https://amzn.to/4bShCG2

This new series is set in the aftermath of the battle of Solway Moss, in which the English soundly defeated the Scots. Four Highlanders from different clans have been imprisoned, and their families have chosen not to pay for their release for a variety of reasons. These four men form a brotherhood and eventually escape their prison with the help of hidden tools delivered in blankets. We never learn who sent the tools and we only learn about two of these four men, Rory MacLeod, second son to the Laird of his clan, and Kenan Macdonald, first son and heir to his clan.

The clan chiefs have arranged a marriage between Rory’s older brother and heir to the clan chiefdom, and Kenan’s sister, Seraphina, who prefers to be called Sara. Told that this will forge peace between the clans, both agree to the match. But Sara feels like something is off while in the church for the ceremony, and sure enough, her father and his men lock everyone else into the church and set it on fire. Sara escapes and leads the rest of the MacLeod’s out of danger, enraging her father. And a new clan war has begun.

The man she was to marry is as crazed as her own father, and has a mistress who is not taking well to his marriage. He is near death from the fire, and since the marriage was not consummated and was entered into under false pretenses, the priest agrees to an annulment. Good thing, too, because Sara is strongly attracted to Rory, and it seems to be mutual.

A few years earlier, Rory was in love with another woman who turned out to be a spy for the Macdonald clan, and his father slit her throat in front of Rory. He has serious trust issues, to say the least, and the fact that Sara is a Macdonald makes him very uncomfortable. But the more time they spend together, the more confused Rory gets. He is really falling for her but is also afraid of what it could mean for their clans. Rory is ruled by his head over his heart, and that means pain for Sara. But eventually, they find their happily ever after and the next book is set up as well.

I really enjoy McCollum’s books. I started reading them while waiting impatiently for the next Diana Gabaldon book. Her Outlander series is a favorite, but the books are enormous (usually at least 700 pages or more) and several years elapse from one book to the next. McCollum’s books are set a couple of hundred years earlier than the Outlander series, and I find the history and especially how people lived in the 1500s fascinating. This is a terrific start to a new series.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HIGHLANDERS WILD FLAME by Heather McCollum. Entangled: Amara (July 23, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1649376497. 384p.

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THE EX VOWS by Jessica Joyce

July 19, 2024

From the publisher:

Estranged exes must stick close together to save their best friend’s wedding after a string of disasters in this swoony and steamy second-chance romance from the USA Today bestselling author of You, with a View.

Georgia Woodward lives by her lists, none more so than the one about her ex, Eli Mora. It’s full of the ironclad dos and don’ts they’ve been following since she returned to the Bay Area after their cataclysmic breakup five years ago.

With the wedding of their mutual best friend, Adam, looming, and them about to step into their roles as best woman and man, Georgia’s never needed it more. She refuses to threaten their tight-knit friend group with her messy—and still very present—feelings. The rules on that list will keep her cool, calm, and compartmentalized.

What’s not on her list? Eli arriving from New York with a new rule-breaking attitude or the all-inclusive venue burning to the ground, leaving the bride and groom in dire straits. Nor does she anticipate Adam asking her and Eli to help him make a miracle happen. Together.

As Georgia and Eli rush up to Napa Valley to pull off the perfect wedding, their old chemistry comes back in technicolor. Somewhere between cake tastings gone wrong, disastrous DJ auditions, and Eli’s heated attention, Georgia starts recognizing the man she fell in love with before. And if she lets herself break her rules, she might find what they’re building isn’t the something old that ruined them—it’s a chance at something new.

“Touching, full of complicated emotions, and expertly written, romance fans will thoroughly enjoy this latest from Joyce.”—Library Journal (starred review)
https://amzn.to/3YbhTAC

Scroll down to read an excerpt!

This is the very definition of a swoony romance! Georgia, Adam, and Eli grew up together as best friends. They all had difficult childhoods but were always there for one another. When Adam meets “the one” his friends become his best man and best woman, so when the wedding venue burns to the ground a couple of weeks before the event, Eli and Georgia spring into action.

There’s only one little hitch; Eli and Georgia had fallen in love, and even lived together in New York. But Eli’s financial insecurities had him working 24/7 and eventually, Georgia couldn’t take it anymore and moved back to the west coast. They never really broke up or fought, she just left and he let her. Eventually, Eli gets help and now that Georgia can barely look at him without feeling so much pain, he’s showing up.

As they plan a whole new wedding, their old feelings are constantly simmering below the surface until they can’t stop themselves. Georgia is trying very hard to guard her heart, but she doesn’t know how Eli feels and he is afraid of hurting her again. Things get really intense, but have no fear, a happy ending is guaranteed, and I loved it.

On a more personal note, I think this story moved me so much because I, too, had my wedding venue burn to the ground – metaphorically, at least. My husband and I had to plan a new wedding in less than two weeks. We had no venue, no music, no photographer, no money, nothing. Our parents were in Florida, we were in New York, and we were so young and didn’t know anything. Luckily, my mother had some really great friends, one of whom took us in and helped us plan the whole thing. She had planned her daughter’s bat mitzvah that year, so she took us in hand and saved our wedding. Another of my mom’s friends gave us piles of cash to pay for everything until our parents could get there. This book brought back a lot of those memories, and I’m happy to say that my husband and I recently celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary!

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE EX VOWS by Jessica Joyce. Berkley (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593548424. 400p.

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Excerpt:

This wedding is cursed

“Not again,” I mutter.

To the untrained eye, this text probably looks like a joke, or the beginning of one of those chain emails our elders get duped into forwarding to twenty of their nearest and dearest, lest they inherit multigenerational bad luck.

In actuality, it’s been Adam’s mantra for the past eight months.

Adam is the brother I never had and I’m truly honored to be along for the ride on his wedding journey. But had sixth-grade Georgia anticipated I’d be fielding forty-seven daily texts from my more-unhinged-by-the-minute best friend, I would’ve thought twice about complimenting his Hannah Montana shirt the day we met.

My Spidey senses tingle with this text, though. It hasn’t been delivered in aggressive caps lock, nor is it accompanied by a chaotic menagerie of GIFs (my kingdom for a Michael Scott alternative). Whatever has happened now might actually be an emergency.

Then again, the wedding is ten days away. At this point, anything that isn’t objectively awesome is a disaster.

I pluck my phone off my desk, typing, What’s the damage?

A bubble immediately pops up, disappears, reappears, then stops again.

“Great sign.”

It’s nearly four p.m. on Wednesday, the day before my week-long PTO for the wedding starts, and I still have half a page of unchecked boxes on my to-do list, plus a detailed While I’m Away email to draft for my boss. I can’t leave Adam hanging in his moment of need, though. What kind of best woman would I be?

No better than the largely absent best man? comes the uncharitable punchline. I slam the door on that thought. It’s not like I’ve minded executing most of the best-people activities; it’s been a godsend for multiple reasons. It’s just so typical of him to-

I catch my own eye in the computer’s reflection, delivering a silent message with the downward slash of my dark eyebrows: Shut. Up. I’d rather think about curses than anything tangentially related to the subject of Eli Mora.

Not that I believe in curses at all.

Except . . . deep down, I do worry that Adam’s been hounded by bad vibes since he proposed to his fiancée, Grace Song, on New Year’s Eve. Their plans have involved a comedy of errors that have escalated from bummer to oh shit: the wrong wedding dress ordered by the bridal salon, names misspelled on their printed wedding invitations twice, and-the one that nearly got me to believe-their wedding planner quit three months ago because his Bernedoodle had amassed such a following on social media that he was making triple his salary as her manager.

For Adam, whose natural temperament hovers somewhere near live wire, it’s been a constant test of his sanity. Even Grace, who’s brutally chill, the perfect emotional foil for Adam, has been fraying.

But then, she would’ve been fine eloping. Every new disaster probably only further solidifies the urge to book it to Vegas.

Adam’s texts tumble over one another:

Georgia

Our fucking DJ

BROKE THEIR HIP

LINE DANCING AT A BACHELORETTE PARTY

IN NASHVILLE

I need to know what I’ve done in my 28 years on this dying earth that is causing this to happen

I start to type, but he beats me to it.

That was rhetorical, Woodward, DON’T

Clearly Adam’s shifting out of his panic fugue, so I shift into fix-it mode. It’s the reason he came to me out of everyone-he knows I’ll step up without hesitation.

Deep breath. Nothing’s burned to the ground, right? I text back. This is problematic but not fatal. We’ll come up with a new list.

The bubbles of doom pop up again and I wait. Again.

I wish I could say my eagerness to jump into this shitstorm is fully altruistic, but since I got back from a six-month work stint in Seattle three months ago, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Adam, all wedding-related. This has been the only way to reliably stay in his orbit.

For now, anyway.

Excerpted from The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce Copyright © 2024 by Jessica Joyce. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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THE DESIGN OF US by Sajni Patel

July 19, 2024

From the publisher:

One impulsive lie leads to a weeklong adventure of fake dating for two bickering coworkers in this swoony destination wedding rom-com by Sajni Patel, author of The Trouble with Hating You.

Sunshine incarnate Bhanu brings big UX energy to whatever she does, including going for the promotion where her only serious competition is her work nemesis, AKA Sunny, the grump with the Denzel voice. She expected to get a reprieve from him while visiting her family in Hawai’i, but the universe has other plans. When Bhanu runs into Sunny at the hotel and witnesses his ex criticizing him about being single, Bhanu does the first thing that comes to mind: she impetuously claims to be Sunny’s girlfriend just to get some peace and quiet. Except Sunny is on island for a friend’s wedding and his ex has already texted the entire wedding party about this mysterious girlfriend.

Bhanu truly is the bane of Sunny’s existence. But the last thing he wants to do is cause tension during his friend’s wedding festivities, much less be the object of their pity. He has no choice except to play along, if only he and Bhanu can put aside their quarreling and act like a real couple.Between Bhanu’s hilariously meddling family and Sunny’s ecstatic friends, the two are pushed closer together, even as stress mounts over the impending promotion.

They say what happens on island, stays on island. But as Sunny and Bhanu let their guards down, will either of them be able to resist this romantic getaway without crossing the line?

“Patel (Isha, Unscripted) makes computer coding sexy in this winning enemies-to-lovers romance…. The supporting cast of Indian aunties charms, and the saltiness between the protagonists loses none of its oomph when it turns into sweetness. Readers will cheer for these two to find their well-deserved happily ever after.”—Publishers Weekly

“Patel (Isha, Unscripted) expertly designs a modern beach read and a sassy rom-com filled with fun tropes and a gratifying slow burn.”—Library Journal

“The lushly detailed Hawaiian setting provides a vivid backdrop to their delicious slow-burn romance.”—Booklist
https://amzn.to/465psdY

This was a very enjoyable read as I’ve come to expect from this author, and she never disappoints. I know less than nothing about computer coding and UX (luckily, an explanation is woven seamlessly into the story) yet it didn’t matter. Those are just jobs, and this is a romance!

This story encompasses some of my favorite romance tropes – enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and fake dating all rolled up into one good read. Sunny and Bhanu only know each other from all the online work calls they have together. They work in different departments but on the same projects, and their antagonism towards one another has led to betting pools among their co-workers. Bhanu’s sister lives in Hawaii and is the general manager of a large, luxurious resort where she gets amazing discounts. Bhanu flies out to spend a couple of weeks with her sister, but her peace is disturbed when Sunny shows up in the bar, his ex-girlfriend just ragging on him something awful.

As much as she dislikes Sunny and is very sorry he has shown up in the same hotel during her vacation, nonetheless, she can’t let this woman ruin her afternoon, so she takes her down a peg, claiming to be Sunny’s new girlfriend. Sunny and his ex are there for a mutual friend’s destination wedding, and the next thing you know, Bhanu is now part of the pre-wedding fun. Of course the more time they spend together, the more they realize everything they have in common and how much they actually like one another.

There is a job promotion waiting for one of them, lending another layer to their toxicity, but that resolved pretty much as I thought it might. This was a terrific beach read with some heat and some laughs, and I highly recommend it!

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DESIGN OF US by Sajni Patel. Berkley (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593547854. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan

July 16, 2024

From the publisher:

On a secluded bluff overlooking the ocean sits a Victorian house, lavender with gingerbread trim, a home that contains a century’s worth of secrets. By the time Jane Flanagan discovers the house as a teenager, it has long been abandoned. The place is an irresistible mystery to Jane. There are still clothes in the closets, marbles rolling across the floors, and dishes in the cupboards, even though no one has set foot there in decades. The house becomes a hideaway for Jane, a place to escape her volatile mother.

Twenty years later, now a Harvard archivist, she returns home to Maine following a terrible mistake that threatens both her career and her marriage. Jane is horrified to find the Victorian is now barely recognizable. The new owner, Genevieve, a summer person from Beacon Hill, has gutted it, transforming the house into a glossy white monstrosity straight out of a shelter magazine. Strangely, Genevieve is convinced that the house is haunted—perhaps the product of something troubling Genevieve herself has done. She hires Jane to research the history of the place and the women who lived there. The story Jane uncovers—of lovers lost at sea, romantic longing, shattering loss, artistic awakening, historical artifacts stolen and sold, and the long shadow of colonialism—is even older than Maine itself.

Enthralling, richly imagined, filled with psychic mediums and charlatans, spirits and past lives, mothers, marriage, and the legacy of alcoholism, this is a deeply moving novel about the land we inhabit, the women who came before us, and the ways in which none of us will ever truly leave this earth.
https://amzn.to/47l5yuF

This highly anticipated novel from J. Courtney Sullivan (Friends and Strangers) was worth the wait. Our protagonist, Jane, is a Harvard archivist who is also an alcoholic, like her mother and sister. After getting blackout drunk at a work event, she finds her job in jeopardy, as well as her marriage, making this the perfect time to escape from all her troubles. She heads up to Maine to settle her mother’s estate, which is complicated by the fact that her mother was a hoarder.

As a teenager, Jane found an old abandoned Victorian house up high on a cliff nearby, which became her refuge. As an adult, she is surprised to learn that a wealthy young family has bought the house and turned it into a typical beach McMansion. The owner hires Jane to research the house’s history, as she fears the house is haunted, possibly due to some unsavory work she had done. That research is at the heart of this novel that spans generations, Colonialism, Native American history, spiritualism, the Shakers, and so much more.

Verdict: A beautifully written, expansive novel sure to please readers who enjoyed North Woods by Daniel Mason, or books by Kate Morton or Susanna Kearsley.

©Library Journal, 2024

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE CLIFFS by J. Courtney Sullivan. Knopf (July 16, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-0593319154. 384p.

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THE MISTRESS EXPERIENCE by Scarlett Peckham

July 12, 2024

Society of Sirens, Book III

From the publisher:

The scandalous women of the USA Today bestselling author Scarlett Peckham’s Society of Sirens are back with the final stage in their fight for female rights—and this time the battle is to be waged in bed…

She’s the most infamous harlot in London…and she’s up for auction.

Thaïs Magadalene is a legend. The nation’s most notorious courtesan, she sells herself once a week, for one night only, and never to the same patron twice. Until now. To raise money for the cause of women’s rights, she has auctioned herself off for one month as mistress to the highest bidder.

But the winner is not who he seems.

Lord Alastair Eden is an earl, a radical politician, and a perfectionist in all things—except one. His confidence belies an unexpected secret: he doesn’t know how to please a woman in bed. He’s determined to change that before he marries. And who could be better than the most skilled lover in the country to teach him?

And love is never for sale.

Thaïs dreams of finding a man who will love her unconditionally, never mind her past and reputation. Eden dreams of finding a perfectly bred young lady to be his wife and helpmeet. But when a steamy month in the countryside breeds a connection both in and out of the bedchamber, the two of them must decide how much can be sacrificed for love—one’s dreams, or one’s reputation.

“This plot is a perfect match for Peckham’s mastery of erotic writing, providing multiple opportunities for breathtakingly intimate scenes and providing rich emotional development alongside the steam. Readers who like their historical romances big, bawdy, and over the top will be thrilled by the conclusion to Peckham’s Society of Sirens series, especially as it ties up some loose ends from the first two books. A scorching and compelling historical romance.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Peckham pairs polar opposites in a sexy, bawdy, fun, and yet deeply compassionate romance. A fitting end (after The Portrait of a Duchess) to the “Society of Sirens” series.” — Library Journal (starred review)
https://amzn.to/3XWRvu7

After reading Just Some Stupid Love Story by Katelyn Doyle, I wanted to try one of this author’s historical romances, written as Scarlett Peckham. I’m not sure which is her real name (and I’m not feeling well or I’d be doing a bit of research on that.) This book got rave reviews, so I gave it a try. It reminded me why I started reading historical romances back in the 1970’s – the sex! And lots of it.

Thaïs Magadalene is a renowned prostitute who has a complicated backstory. She is involved with a group of women who are determined to help other women by giving them options besides marriage or whoredom. They want to educate them, train them, and get them jobs, not an easy feat by any means in Regency England. They have raised a lot of money, and Thaïs decides that she will help put them over the top.

Thaïs has strict rules – she never sees a man more than once, and they are not allowed to spend the night. Her plan is to auction herself off as a mistress for one month to the highest bidder. Luckily, a man she knows wins the bidding for a hefty sum, and sends his carriage to take her to the country for their month together. Except when she arrives, it is at a tiny cottage, not an English country manor. And the man waiting for her is Lord Eden, not the man who won her. Eden explains that his friend did the bidding for him to keep his identity secret. Eden has a plan; he is almost 40 years old and has decided it is time to marry. But he has very little sexual experience, and what he had wasn’t great. Determined to be a perfect lover for his wife-to-be, he enlists Thaïs’s help.

Thaïs is touched and amused and agrees to help. Things start off slowly as Eden needs to feel somewhat comfortable with Thaïs before taking her to bed. Eventually, they get there and Thaïs teaches him everything he needs to know and more. The only problem is that she feels herself getting attached, a definite no-no in her line of work. Eden is also getting attached, but a whore is not suitable marriage material for an Earl.

You can guess where this goes but it is so much fun getting there. As we get to know these characters, we can’t help but want a happily ever after for them. This is a very spicy novel, so if that is not your thing, look elsewhere. I loved it.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE MISTRESS EXPERIENCE by Scarlett Peckham. Avon (June 25, 2024). ISBN: 978-0062935656. 368p.

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Spotlight Review: TANGLED UP IN YOU by Christina Lauren

July 9, 2024

Meant To Be, Book 4

From the publisher:

A witty and deeply romantic modern reimagining of Disney’s Tangled, by the New York Times bestselling author duo Christina Lauren, part of the acclaimed and bestselling Meant to Be collection.

She has a dream. He has a plan. Together they’ll take a leap of faith.

Ren has never held an iPhone, googled the answer to a question, or followed a crush on social media. What she has done: Read a book or two, or three (okay, hundreds). Taught herself to paint. Built a working wind power system from scratch. But for all the books she’s read, Ren has never found one that’s taught a woman raised on a homestead and off the grid for most of her twenty-two years how to live in the real world. So when she finally achieves her lifelong dream of attending Corona College, it feels like her life is finally beginning.

Fitz has the rest of his life mapped out: Graduate from Corona at the top of his class, get his criminal record wiped clean, and pass himself off as the rich, handsome player everyone thinks he is. He’s a few short months from checking off step one of his plans when Ren Gylden, with her cascading blonde hair and encyclopedic brain, crashes into his life, and for the first time Fitz’s plan is in jeopardy.

But a simple assignment in their immunology seminar changes the course of both their lives, and suddenly they’re thrown out of the frying pan and into the fire on a road trip that will lead them in the most unexpected directions. Out on the open road, the world somehow shifts, and the unlikely pair realize that, maybe, the key to the dreams they’ve both been chasing have been sitting next to them the whole time.

“I dare you to not fall wildly in love with Ren and Fitz! Christina Lauren as a writing duo is a national treasure.” — Jesse Q. Sutanto

“This is a delight.” –Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3VI4gWE

I was surprised to see a new Christina Lauren book a month after the publication of The Paradise Problem. Then I realized that this new book is part of an unusual series, Meant to Be. It’s unusual in that each book in the series has been written by a different author. I’ve read three out of the four so far, and I’ve enjoyed them all. They are based on various Disney movies; this one is based on Tangled (which I must admit I haven’t seen, but probably should – my grandson is really into all the Disney movies now!)

Ren has grown up on a homestead; a farm where they worked and raised all their food, and she was homeschooled as well. But she is incredibly bright, fluent in several languages (all self taught) so when she decides to go to college, she isn’t sure how her parents are going to react. They agree that she can go, but she is under the same strict rules she had at home. She is not allowed to go off campus, use the internet or computers for anything other than classwork, and her parents will pick her up every Friday afternoon and bring her back on Sunday night. She has to continue to do all her chores on the farm, and Ren is happy to go along with it. Until her science professor asks them all to do a DNA test.

Fitz is the fair-haired boy of Corona College; an athlete, top of his class, good-looking, and rich. Except everything is not as it seems. When Ren shows up, he realizes she may edge him out as the top student, and without that, he won’t get his criminal record expunged. His childhood was not the idyllic upbringing that most people assume.

Ren returns to the lab late one night to double-check that her DNA test results are accurate. There is a match for paternity, but she knows there is no way her father would have ever done such a test. Flummoxed, she does a bit of research and finds out this paternal match lives in Atlanta, Georgia, clear across the country. When she catches Fitz in unsavory circumstances, she blackmails him into driving her to Nashville, where he is headed for spring break. Aggrieved, he can’t see a way out of it. That road trip leads to a lot of feelings that they both try to push away.

I have to say I figured out what was happening fairly early on, not that I was looking, but it didn’t lessen my enjoyment of the story. It’s a fast-paced, sweet romance with some serious family drama. Christina Lauren for the win!

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

TANGLED UP IN YOU by Christina Lauren. Hyperion Avenue (June 25, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1368100649. 320p.

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JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY by Katelyn Doyle

July 5, 2024

From the publisher:

For fans of Emily Henry, a debut about a rom-com screenwriter who doesn’t believe in love and a divorce attorney who does, forced together at their high school reunion fifteen years after their breakup

Molly Marks writes Hollywood rom-coms for a living—which is how she knows “romance” is a racket. The one and only time she was naive enough to fall in love was with her high school boyfriend, Seth—who she ghosted on the eve of graduation and hasn’t seen in fifteen years.

Seth Rubinstein believes in love, the grand, fated kind, despite his job as, well…one of Chicago’s most successful divorce attorneys. Over the last decade, he’s sought “the one” in countless bad dates and rushed relationships. He knows his soulmate is out there. But so far, no one can compare to Molly Marks, the first girl who broke his heart.

When Molly’s friends drag her to Florida for their fifteenth high school reunion, it is poetic justice that she’s forced to sit with Seth. Too many martinis and a drunken hookup later, they decide to make a whoever can predict the fate of five couples before the next reunion must declare that the other is right about true love. The catch? The fifth couple is the two of them.

Molly assures Seth they are a tale of timeless heartbreak. Seth promises she’ll end up hopelessly in love with him. She thinks he’s delusional. He has five years to prove her wrong.

Wickedly funny, sexy, and brimming with laughs and heart like the best romantic comedies, Just Some Stupid Love Story is for everyone who believes in soulmates—even if they would never admit it.

“A flirty, sexy read…Fresh and fun as hell―Katelyn Doyle is absolutely an author to watch.” ―People Magazine

“Refreshing…A joy to read…Much like When Harry Met Sally but with way more angst (and sex). Doyle creates a strong, winning chemistry between Molly and Seth…A smart, slightly meta romance that plays out like the best movies.” ―Kirkus (starred review)

“Doyle, who writes historical romance as Scarlett Peckham (“Society of Sirens” series), pens her first contemporary, a unique, sizzling second-chance rom-com with an HEA that will leave readers cheering.” ―Library Journal

And this is fun – “Featuring bright purple sprayed edges!” on the hardcover edition.
https://amzn.to/4ck9YoZ

This is the author’s first contemporary romance, and as far as I’m concerned, she hit it out of the park. The timeline is occasionally bouncy, but it was done in a way that made it very clear, which is not always accomplished in fiction. The story takes place over five years, with a glimpse back fifteen years earlier when Molly and Seth were inseparable, and in love. But Molly dumps Seth with no explanation and ghosts him for the next fifteen years.

Molly has left Florida for the spoils of California; she has become a screenwriter, writing romcoms and hoping to the the new Nora Ephron. She has some success, but is sort of stuck lately. Her oldest friends convince her to attend their 15 year high school reunion, and she reluctantly agrees. Her doubts about this adventure come home to roost when she ends up sitting next to her ex.

Seth moved to Chicago and became a very successful family lawyer, AKA a divorce lawyer. Molly’s parents had divorced when she was a kid and he knew how devastating that was for her, so she is shocked to learn he is practicing in that area. So we have the woman who writes happily every afters, but who doesn’t believe in them, and the divorce lawyer who actually does.

Seth has dated a lot – he tends to rush his relationships to the next level in hopes of finding his soulmate. It never works out for him, maybe because he believes deep in heart and subconscious that you only get one soulmate, and Molly was his.

Molly and Seth end up having a very hot one night stand during the reunion weekend, and make a bet about the outcome of five couples currently in relationships. They are one of the couples. The next five years are a rollercoaster ride for both of them, and just when I was convinced that there was no way for this couple to ever get together and move forwards. the author takes me there.

This was a bit of an emotional read for me; my parents also divorced when I was a kid, and I still have issues with it. But it was also a fun and funny romcom – I wouldn’t mind seeing this on the big screen! I don’t think I’ve read her historical romances (written by Scarlett Peckham,) but I will be seeking those out.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

JUST SOME STUPID LOVE STORY by Katelyn Doyle. Flatiron Books (June 4, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1250328090. 336p.

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1 Comment | Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction | Tagged: Beach Read | Permalink
Posted by Stacy Alesi

RESORTING TO ROMANCE by Jennifer Shirk

July 5, 2024

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.

https://amzn.to/4eLmNKK

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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