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BookBitch Diary: December 1, 2023

December 1, 2023

How did we get to the end of 2023 so quickly??? I like to take this time to say thank you to all my readers. I post several times a month and sometimes it feels like I’m sending my thoughts out into the void – I don’t really know who is reading or if anyone really is. But I am too opinionated to keep thoughts about books to myself. Especially when I love a book, then I want everyone to read it!

Thank you to everyone who reads my thoughts, gets notified every time I post, and subscribes to my woefully neglected newsletter. Thank you for your comments, your emails, for reaching out in whatever way works best for you. I love hearing from you all!

Whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with laughter, love, and of course, good books! See you in 2024!

Best Books of the Year!

I’m working on my list and hope to have it posted by mid-month. I think there may be some surprises – well, I’m surprised at some of the books I enjoyed most this year, so maybe you will be too. I’d love to hear about your favorites, so please feel free to leave a comment! Meanwhile, here are a few lists to get you started:

The Washington Post: The 10 best books of 2023

Amazon: Best Books of 2023

The New York Public Library: Best Books of 2023

Barnes & Noble: Best Books of the Year

The New York Times: The 10 Best Books of 2023

Food News

Regular readers will recognize the name Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen fame. I am a long time fan, and have introduced her to many of my friends, relatives, and readers. My friend Nora was one, and she became as big a fan as I am! When my daughter-in-law was pregnant a few years ago, I mentioned her blog to my son, specifically her recipe for Broccoli Slaw (which I’ve mentioned here before) because I remember reading her blog post about it in which she mentions how she was eating it every day while she was pregnant. He made it for his wife, she loved it, and they’ve both been fans ever since.

A couple of months ago, my son sent me a link to vote on which South Florida city Deb Perelman would visit on her upcoming book tour. The choices were Boca Raton (where I live) or Palm Beach Gardens, about an hour north of me. PBG was way ahead in the poll, and it stayed that way. Then I forgot about it. I do subscribe to Deb’s newsletter, but I don’t always read it the second it appears. Luckily for me, my friend Nora does. She texted and asked if I wanted to go to see her in PBG for a book signing and a Thanksgiving cooking class. We signed up immediately. It was $50 per person for the cooking class and that included a copy of her latest book, Smitten Kitchen Keepers.

I already had a copy of the cookbook, courtesy of her publisher, but I checked with my son to see if he thought my daughter-in-law would like a signed copy. He thought she’d be into it, so I was happy to do that for her (one Hanukkah gift down!) A day or two later, we found out that the cooking class was sold out – actually, all the cooking classes on this leg of her tour were sold out! Nora had already purchased several copies of the cookbook for herself and some family members, but none had been signed, so she was delighted to get a signed copy.

Deb partnered with Williams Sonoma for this Thanksgiving tour. Williams Sonoma served us some sort of pomegranate drink and a piece of pie while we waited for Deb, both of which I assume were made from the cookbook, and both were appreciated! I didn’t know Williams Sonoma did cooking classes, and it turns out they do not. It was more of a demo than a cooking class, as Deb was the only one cooking. She demoed turkey gravy and her pie crust, and best of all, she was as chatty and friendly as I always imagined she would be. She is just like she is in her videos. She encouraged questions and was kind and super friendly to everyone.

Nora and I had a blast until we were told we needed to get to the back of the line for the book signing. All the people who didn’t sign up for the cooking demo were already in line for the book signing by the time we were ready for that. Williams Sonoma is not a bookstore, but still, I would think they would have been savvy enough to know that the people who paid extra for the cooking demo should have been able to get their books signed without going to the end of the line. But we did it anyway – actually, Nora waited in line while I rested my knee (I’ve been having some knee issues since walking up a steep hill in NY a few weeks ago), and standing on it for more than an hour was about my limit. I rested for fifteen minutes or so and got back in line.

Deb signed the book for my daughter-in-law, and when I mentioned the broccoli slaw story and that she was pregnant again and having a lot of morning sickness, she recommended freshly made lemonade with seltzer. I think she was on to something – my daughter-in-law had mentioned that sour gummies were helpful, and she loves seltzer, so that lemonade sounded like a win to me. And Williams Sonoma was kind enough to mail the book for me! It was a really fun time and made this Thanksgiving special.

Other News

I spent a few days in New York last month visiting my kids. My daughter came with me, and we left my husband at home to take care of the cat. My beautiful Loki is 15 years old and is having some serious health issues. My daughter and I headed up north for her first autumn! We saw some gorgeous trees but surprisingly, a lot of the trees were still green. It was colder than I expected – it went down to 38 our last morning there.

I love spending time with my grandson. I don’t get to see him often enough – if it was up to me, I’d move next door to them! But that is an impossibility, so I do the best I can (a lot of tears are involved.) Even though airfare is manageable, NYC has recently banned all Airbnb, VRBO, etc.; shockingly, hotel prices have skyrocketed. We usually stay at the Sheraton in downtown Brooklyn, as it is a half-mile walk to my son’s apartment, so very convenient. Their rates have gone from the ridiculous, averaging about $350/night, to completely unaffordable at over $500/night. I don’t know how I’m going to manage that. If anyone has a spare bedroom or couch in the NYC or Brooklyn area and wouldn’t mind a couple of people crashing there, I’d be eternally grateful!

As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.

Thanks to The New York Times and The Washington Post for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

Spotlight Review: CHRISTMAS AT THE SHELTER INN by RaeAnne Thayne

November 28, 2023

From the publisher:

Get cozy with this heartwarming holiday story!

“[Thayne] engages the reader’s heart and emotions, inspiring hope and the belief that miracles are possible.” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Come home to Shelter Springs this Christmas, where hearts are warm and hopes are bright…

Growing up at the Shelter Inn hotel, Natalie Shepherd envied guests who could come and go as they pleased. So when it was time to finally leave for college and put the lush green mountains around Shelter Springs—along with the cloud of loss that seemed to follow her family—behind her, she swore she’d never come back. But now her sister McKenna needs a favor. On pregnancy bed rest at doctor’s orders, McKenna needs a helping hand with her two young daughters and someone to take over the inn during the hectic holiday season, and Nat can’t refuse. And just when things can’t get worse, she runs into her late brother’s best friend, Griffin Taylor…

Griff has mixed feelings about Natalie’s return. She’s just as beautiful and full of life as he remembered, but there’s a secret he’s carried for years about her brother—and the guilt is eating away at him. Still, Christmas in this small town is filled with treasured traditions and new adventures that hold the promise of something sweet and lasting. From matchmaking seniors to rambunctious nieces, it seems everyone is hoping Nat and Griff will put loss behind them and find a happy new beginning…

“The magic of the Christmas season comes alive in bestseller Thayne’s poignant latest holiday romance…Thayne’s depiction of the Christmas season is timeless, complete with marshmallows and a Christmas Eve snowstorm, while her characters’ emotions feel authentic and often painful. The result is a good balance of light and dark.” —Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3Rey5gK

This is my favorite kind of Christmas romance – some laughs, some drama, an impossible romance that leads to the inevitable happy ending. A sweet romance touched by the holiday is like a gift for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I can’t imagine growing up in a hotel, but Natalie and her sister McKenna did just that. Now their parents are gone, Natalie is a digital nomad, pet-sitting around the world, and her sister has turned the hotel into a home for seniors. But McKenna’s young daughters can be a handful, and after a couple of miscarriages, her doctor has put her on bedrest for her latest pregnancy. Her husband is forced to work overtime through the holiday season, so McKenna sends Natalie a plea for help. Without giving it a second thought, Natalie heads home to help out.

Natalie doesn’t know her nieces very well beyond Facetime chats but is quickly thrust into her new parenting role. Meanwhile, her late brother’s best friend, Griffin, is now a family doctor practicing in the small town. After an unfortunate jingle bell up the nose incident, Natalie is drawn to the doctor she always had a crush on growing up. And he is drawn to her as well.

They both have a lot of pain in their pasts that they deal with as best as possible. Together, they feel stronger but Natalie makes it clear she has no intention of staying in town once her sister’s baby is born. And Griffin has too many ties to this small town to consider leaving, so their romance seems doomed.

As Natalie gets to know her nieces and the seniors who live in Shelter Inn, as well as all the people in this small town, it becomes clear that leaving will not be as easy as she originally thought, and Griffin is a big part of that.

If you like sweet holiday romances, this is the book you’ll want to read this holiday season – don’t miss it! I loved it.

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CHRISTMAS AT THE SHELTER INN by RaeAnne Thayne. Canary Street Press; Original edition (October 10, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335009258. 304p.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

November 22, 2023

I’m taking the week off from reviews, but I’m still reading!

See you next week!

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ONE THING BETTER by Jessica Sherry

November 17, 2023

An Anxious Feel Good Romance

From the author:

A feel-good story of love and reinvention at the worst time…

Lena Buckley’s not like other people—ones with awesome careers, relationships, and health insurance. She’s thirty-five and has nothing to show for it but a dilapidated family farm and an anxiety disorder worsened by her mother’s death. Starting over, again, means major decisions ahead, so she relies on the simple mantra that kept her going during her mom’s care—make one thing better—hoping it leads to the successful, independent life she wants.

Ben Wright has his life together. A disabled army veteran and local cop, Ben’s the type to have all the required insurance, health or otherwise. When Lena needs help, he’s quick to say it’s no trouble. Though he’s hard to read and not one for chitchat, an odd but endearing friendship builds on the one thing they have in common—brokenness. A sad but funny love story grows from their unique hardships, forging a deep connection that makes everything better.

But reality supports what her anxiety tells her—good things don’t last. When the COVID-19 pandemic steals her few opportunities and her home verges on unlivable, she must choose between love and survival.

A real romance with a quirky heroine, One Thing Better is a warm, funny, and, best of all, honest first person love story featuring broken people, (actual & metaphorical) fireworks, tears, bad words, the occasional mouse, and a delightful better-ever-after.

“A complex and hugely satisfying contemporary romance between genuine, flawed people.” – Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
https://amzn.to/3MDheBh

This book had a slow start, but I quickly got into it because these characters were so flawed and interesting. Lena was her mother’s caretaker in the last years of her life, and when she passes Lean still feels guilty, like she could have done more. Money is tight, and the farmhouse she inherited is literally falling apart. She does the repairs as best as she can with the little bit of money she has, but life is really difficult for Lena. She suffers from severe anxiety and has plenty to be worried about.

Ben meets Lena when he pulls her over for a driving infraction. She breaks down and bares her soul, but Ben is stoic, to say the least. He listens, then hands her some papers. She thinks it’s her ticket, but instead, he’s given her some words of support. One of the ways Lena gets through life is by focusing on making one thing better each day, or as often as she can. It is excellent advice.

Ben and Lena keep bumping into one another, and the more time they spend together, the more Lena learns that she is not the only one with trouble. Ben has war wounds that he has to deal with, and as the two of them talk about their lives, they start to lean on one another for support. Eventually, it becomes more than just friendship.

I loved watching these characters grow and help one another heal. It is a beautiful story, and I am looking forward to more from this author, who was new to me. This book was self-published and probably could have used a bit of editing, but all in all, it was a very good read. I hope you’ll try it!

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE THING BETTER by Jessica Sherry. Publisher: ‎Jessica Sherry (October 24, 2023). ISBN: 979-8988725411. 408p.

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THE DANCE DECEPTION by Becky Ward

November 17, 2023

From the publisher:

There’s about to be fire on – and off – the dance floor…

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Kate Wareing is astonished when she secures a place in a televised dance competition. Especially as it means she’ll be paired with a professional dancer to compete for a life-changing cash prize.

When she’s matched with gorgeous French dancer Merle it quickly becomes clear that he’s just as keen to work on their chemistry as their routine. But when the competition is rocked by a scandal, Kate’s forced to switch to a new partner, Aleksis, who is just as devastatingly attractive as Merle – but seems to hate her.

With the odds stacked against them, Kate and Aleksis embark on a showmance to try and win over the public. But what happens when Kate’s feelings for her fake boyfriend become all too real? And how far will Merle go to sabotage her chances – both in the competition and in love?

Tropes:
• Enemies-to-lovers
• Fake Dating
• Spicy romance

Funny, feel-good and oh-so-steamy, this is the perfect read for the Strictly-obsessed and anyone who loved The Spanish Love Deception and The Love Hypothesis
https://amzn.to/3QXJxx2

This was a riff on Dancing With the Stars, but instead of D-list celebrities competing, anyone can audition. Kate is accepted even though she isn’t much of a dancer, which seems to be the point. Out of all the “regular” people competing, only one has real dance experience. They are each paired up with a professional dancer, and Kate ends up with Merle, a super hot dancer that quickly leads them into an affair. And it is an affair, as it turns out Merle is married.

The scandal forces the producers to swap out Kate for another partner, Alexis. He is cold and really seems to hate Kate, but she pushes through and eventually they find a way to get along – and then much more. The relationship helps because viewers get to vote on who stays and who goes, and the prize money at the end is a very big deal to Kate, and most of the contestants. The professionals, especially Merle, want the win for their resumes.

This was an enjoyable read with enough tension in the dance competition plus the romance to make it a real page turner. I’ve never watched DWTS, although I’ve seen clips over the years, so while I had a bit of an idea of how the show works, I don’t know how far off this book veers from that model. If you are a fan, I’d love to know what you think in the comments.

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DANCE DECEPTION by Becky Ward. Avon (October 24, 2023). ISBN: 978-0008609344. 384p.

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Spotlight Review: THE ROM CON by Devon Daniels

November 14, 2023

From the publisher:

A modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her professional rival, in a rom-com perfect for fans of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

After a particularly brutal breakup, Cassidy Sutton has had it with dating. So when her grandmother gives her a 1950’s dating guide entitled 125 Tips to Hook a Husband, she decides to turn the retro advice into an ironic “What not to do” article for Siren, the popular online women’s publication she writes for. And who better to secretly test the old-fashioned tips on than Jack Bradford, chauvinistic creator of rival men’s site Brawler? She’ll write an article that will entertain female readers everywhere and embarrass their sexist nemesis at the same time. Two birds, one stone.

But her perfect plan soon proves to be anything but. Those vintage courtship tips Cassidy was so quick to poke fun at? They actually seem to work, calling her most closely-held beliefs into question. Even worse? Jack isn’t falling for any of her tricks—and it’s not long before their ‘fake’ relationship starts to feel like the realest one of her life. As her cat and mouse game starts to spiral out of control, Cassidy has to decide if she’s playing to win, or if she’s willing to lose it all for love.

“Full of likable characters, bizarre and antiquated dating tips inspired by real lifestyle magazines and books, examples of healthy relationships, and ample steam, Daniels’ tale will find fans among readers who recall those crazy Cosmo tips or who have seen the sour side of dating apps.” —Booklist
https://amzn.to/46a4fxU

I loved the Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey romcom How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days, so when they used that comparison in the publicity, I was all in. The author even references it in the book!

Cassidy is a senior editor at Siren, a women’s focused website filled with clickable content. She writes several articles each day and assigns several more to the dozens of writers who report to her. She loves her job but secretly wishes to write a book.

Cassidy is dating Brett for a few months, until she invites him to her grandmother’s 90th birthday party. He turns her down, citing “sacred Saturdays”, a bro term embraced by the misogynistic men at rival website Brawler. She dumps him and complains to her grandmother who in turn, presents her with an old article from the 1950’s on how to “hook a husband.”

The article inspires Cassidy to try out some of these dating tips to see how they fare more than a half-century later, figuring it will be a fun series of articles. Her co-worker/best friend/roommate is all in on the idea, as is their boss. First up: a party for a celebrity cologne launch where Cassidy literally bumps into Jack, the co-founder of Brawler. Cassidy decides to narrow her dating tips to him, hoping to bring him and his frat-boy website down. But a funny thing happens while she is implementing the old-fashioned dating tips; Jack isn’t falling for any of it, and he seems like a really great guy. The kind of guy Cassidy has been waiting to meet all her life.

Three dates later, Cassidy is done with the idea of the article and taking Jack down. She wants to keep dating him, and as they get closer, they fall in love. Until Jack finds out what started their relationship – and his humiliating way of ending it.

This was such a fun read! I loved these characters and all they went through to find their happy ending, and all the secondary characters did their part to round out the story. There is so much to enjoy here. Lots of laugh-out-loud moments, some serious chemistry bringing the heat, and all the vintage clothes are just an added bonus. Don’t miss it!

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE ROM COM by Devon Daniels. Berkley (November 7, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593199237. 384p.

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Spotlight Review: RESURRECTION WALK by Michael Connelly

November 10, 2023

Lincoln Lawyer, Book 7

From the publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly: Lincoln Lawyer Mickey Haller enlists the help of his half-brother, Harry Bosch, to prove the innocence of a woman convicted of killing her husband.Defense attorney Mickey Haller is back, taking the long shot cases, where the chances of winning are one in a million. After getting a wrongfully convicted man out of prison, he is inundated with pleas from incarcerated people claiming innocence. He enlists his half brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, to weed through the letters, knowing most claims will be false.

Bosch pulls a needle from the haystack: a woman in prison for killing her husband, a sheriff’s deputy, but who still maintains her innocence. Bosch reviews the case and sees elements that don’t add up, and a sheriff’s department intent on bringing quick justice in the killing of one of its own.

Now Haller has an uphill battle in court, a David fighting Goliaths to vindicate his client. The path for both lawyer and investigator is fraught with danger from those who don’t want the case reopened and will stop at nothing to keep the Haller-Bosch dream team from finding the truth. Packed with intrigue and courtroom drama, Resurrection Walk shows once again that Michael Connelly is “the most consistently superior living crime fiction author” (South Florida Sun Sentinel).

“The most richly accomplished of the brothers’ pairings to date—and given Connelly’s high standards, that’s saying a lot.”―Kirkus Reviews (starred)

“A stunning combination of police and legal procedural. . . As always, Connelly makes the tedious work of investigation fascinating as he shuttles between Mickey’s and Harry’s hard-bitten points of view.”―Booklist (starred)

“Another solid series installment from Connelly. This Lincoln Lawyer/Harry Bosch crossover is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats as Mickey absorbs each legal setback. A brief appearance by Renee Ballard, as well as a few other familiar faces from the Harry Bosch universe, will delight fans.” ―Library Journal
https://amzn.to/47o2Btz

As regular readers know, I generally do Spotlight Reviews on Tuesdays. I am making a rare exception for this extraordinary book. Count on this book topping my best books list of 2023!

The new Michael Connelly book is always one of the highlights of my reading year, and this book is truly exceptional; in fact, it may be one of his best. When someone writes as well as Connelly does, book after book, it becomes difficult to parse, but seeing how he has brought both his beloved characters, Mickey Haller and Harry Bosch, to share pretty much equal billing here makes this a winning read for any fan. All of Connelly’s books can stand alone but are so much better and richer for having read the others.

When we last saw Harry, he was in dire straights, suffering from cancer and refusing treatment. But being Maddie’s only living parent has induced him to try an experimental treatment, courtesy of Mickey Haller, the Lincoln Lawyer, and Harry’s half-brother. By putting Harry on his payroll, Mickey gets him health insurance and a way into this new treatment.

Haller has started a new innocence-type project, and Bosch is the perfect man to handle it. After Haller gets a conviction overturned and wins a mammoth lawsuit against the city, every convict in California is pleading for a chance at the same. Harry is put in charge of reviewing the letters and, if any spark interest, delving into the cases. There is one letter that jumps out at him from a woman who pled no contest and took a plea deal in the murder of her ex-husband. The deeper Harry gets into her case, the more he is convinced that something went very wrong there.

Haller is quickly on board after meeting the woman, but the other factions involved here make this a difficult case. Most of the legal wrangling takes place in front of a judge but no jury, making Haller’s usual charm pretty much irrelevant here but still a delight to read. There are plenty of twists in this legal procedural, but what I really loved was the writing – Haller is in first person, Bosch in third, making it easy to tell whose point of view we are in and how these two very independent men come to rely on each other. Another incredible read from the master of crime fiction.

Note: I love the TV series based on Connelly’s characters. Since Bosch first aired on Amazon Prime, Titus Welliver has taken the Harry Bosch space in my brain. It has continued with Bosch Legacy on FreeVee (also Amazon Prime.) But it didn’t happen when the horribly miscast Matthew McConaughey played the Lincoln Lawyer in the movie, but the Netflix series is so good that I now have Manuel Garcia-Rulfo in my brain as Mickey Haller.

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RESURRECTION WALK by Michael Connelly. Little, Brown and Company (November 7, 2023). ISBN: 978-0316563765. 416pp.

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SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS by Jaqueline Snowe

November 10, 2023

From the publisher:

Fans of Christina Lauren and Maggie Knox will adore this fun and festive romcom featuring a grumpy/sunshine duo who find themselves stuck together over the holidays, where the weather outside is frightful—but inside, things are heating up in this sexy holiday story.

Sorority mom Becca Fairfield is used to guys not taking her seriously. She’s too blond, too quirky, or Just. Too. Much. So she’s ditched dating to focus on her job and a house filled with drama and plenty of tea. Now with the holidays and a major blizzard on her doorstep, Becca has everything she needs to survive the next two weeks on her own. Hot cocoa, plenty of books . . . and the memory of a steamy kiss with a certain sexy, grumposaurus next-door neighbor to keep her warm.

Only Becca’s seriously underestimated this Snowpocalypse. So when the power goes out and Harrison Cooper—football coach, master crank, and the guy who acted mega-awkward after said steamy kiss—offers her shelter, it only makes sense to accept. They’ll just be Blizzard Buddies. Hang out, stay safe, and maybe indulge in a little R-rated cuddling. Becca knows that Harrison isn’t the dating kind, and what happens during the storm lasts only as long as the storm. But are they keeping warm . . . or playing with fire?

“A superbly satisfying holiday romance with lots of witty banter, adorable protagonists, and expertly choreographed romantic moments.”―Booklist

“Snowe’s grumpy/sunshine pairing delves beyond stereotypes and offers up a sweet story of growth and understanding, interspersed with plenty of hot moments.”―Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3ucfGYE

This is such a fun holiday read! Becca is a house mother in a sorority house, and she loves her job, the girls, and all the peccadillos they get into. She doesn’t have much of a social life since her date with the coach next door. It was a great date followed by a great kiss, and then he ghosted her – not easy to do since he lives a few yards away. Nonetheless, they haven’t spoken since that night.

As the holidays draw near, the girls are all packed up and heading home for the holidays. Becca is staying and keeping things in order at the sorority house, except a blizzard is heading their way. When Harrison, the coach next door, offers her shelter in the storm, Becca gratefully accepts. They lose power almost immediately, but Harrison has cut up enough wood to see them through the storm if they huddle in front of the fireplace.

As they spend more time together, their attraction comes rearing back. Becca is scared of getting hurt again, but eventually, they talk about what happened and why, and decide to be “blizzard buddies” and have some fun during the storm. Afterward, everyone will go back to their neutral corners. But best laid plans and all that lead to a very happy ending, and make this a super fun, sexy Christmas read. Snowe is turning into an author not to be missed!

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS by Jaqueline Snowe. Forever (October 3, 2023). ISBN: 978-1538739815. 336p.

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Spotlight Review: DIRTY THIRTY by Janet Evanovich

November 7, 2023

Stephanie Plum, Book 30

From the publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author and “most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times) Janet Evanovich is in top form as she sends Stephanie Plum on the trail of a stolen cache of dirty diamonds.

Stephanie Plum, Trenton’s hardest working, most underappreciated bounty hunter, is offered a freelance assignment that seems simple enough. Local jeweler Martin Rabner wants her to locate his former security guard, Andy Manley (a.k.a. Nutsy), who he is convinced stole a fortune in diamonds out of his safe. Stephanie is also looking for another troubled man, Duncan Dugan, a fugitive from justice arrested for robbing the same jewelry store on the same day.

With her boyfriend Morelli away in Miami on police business, Stephanie is taking care of Bob, Morelli’s giant orange dog who will devour anything, from Stephanie’s stray donuts to the upholstery in her car. Morelli’s absence also means the inscrutable, irresistible security expert Ranger is front and center in Stephanie’s life when things inevitably go sideways. And he seems determined to stay there.

To complicate matters, her best friend Lula is convinced she is being stalked by a mythological demon hell-bent on relieving her of her wardrobe. An overnight stakeout with Stephanie’s mother and Grandma Mazur reveals three generations of women with nerves of steel and driving skills worthy of NASCAR champions.

As the body count rises and witnesses start to disappear, it won’t be easy for Stephanie to keep herself clean when everyone else is playing dirty. It’s a good thing Stephanie isn’t afraid of getting a little dirty, too.

“Those who don’t yet know sassy, spunky New Jersey sleuth Stephanie Plum simply must meet her…An uproarious, crazy, laugh-a-minute caper”—Booklist, starred review

“This is fast-paced and laugh-filled fun.”—Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3tOwIff

Like millions of others, I loved this series but finally stopped reading at book 23. They really started to go downhill around book 20, with ridiculously far-fetched plot lines, including giraffes wandering the streets of Trenton, New Jersey, but once the zombies arrived, I was done. Oh, and please, please skip the movie of One for the Money, it was so miscast and awful.

Then the other day, I received my Book Club email from the Washington Post (highly recommend!) and I read about Evanovich reaching this milestone, the thirtieth book of an uber-successful series. I decided to take a look at it. And I enjoyed it! Things seem to have gone back to where they started, without forcing me to strain credulity and just enjoy the ride. Thank you, Janet!

Some things never change, thank goodness. Stephanie Plum hasn’t aged a day; she’s still a bounty hunter working for her cousin. Her best friend is the former hooker Lula, Connie is still running the office with a loaded gun in her desk, and Grandma Mazur is still kicking and staying on top of all the gossip in the Burg. And somehow, she is still torn between two men – her childhood sweetheart and Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and form Special Forces, current security expert Ranger.

This time Morelli is headed out of town to testify in a case in Miami. While he’s gone, he asks Stephanie to watch his dog, Bob, a loveable mutt who will eat anything, including furniture and car interiors. Stephanie has a few skips to pick up, but is having some trouble and if things don’t turn around, she won’t be able to pay her rent. When a local family-owned jewelry store is robbed, the owner hires her to find his security guard, who he suspects of stealing a tray of diamonds out of the safe the same day as the robbery.

The usual antics ensue, but it finally seems as if Stephanie has gotten at least a bit better at her job. Lula is as feisty as ever, and with Morelli out of town, things start heating up with Ranger again, despite her being in a committed relationship with the cop. There are several surprises along the way, and some nice twists towards the very shocking ending. Maybe taking a few years off helped, but I thoroughly enjoyed this latest Plum adventure, and look forward to whatever comes next.

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DIRTY THIRTY by Janet Evanovich. Atria Books (October 31, 2023). ISBN: 978-1668003091. 336pp.

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Posted by Stacy Alesi

THE HOLIDAY HEARTBREAKER by Maisey Yates

November 3, 2023

Four Corners Ranch, Book 5

From the publisher:

A fresh start is all she wants this Christmas, but maybe a cowboy is all she needs…

It’s not the holiday season she’d envisioned. But moving back home with her son, Benny, is all single mom Elizabeth Colfax can do after her ex-husband’s infidelity left their life in pieces. A fresh start at Four Corners Ranch means Elizabeth’s dream career in equine therapy can become a reality, allowing her to share her love of horses with Benny. If only it didn’t also mean butting heads with Brody McCloud, the frustratingly attractive cowboy who sets sparks off inside her.

Brody doesn’t do complicated, and Elizabeth’s got more baggage than an airport. But there’s something about the woman that’s always gotten under his skin in a very welcome way. As the simmering tension between them grows harder to ignore, they’ll have to decide if their undeniable attraction can outweigh a shared loss of faith in forever. Maybe this Christmas, they can find a family worth fighting for.

In the bonus novella Wild Night Cowboy, can a cowboy with a dark past find his future with the one woman he shouldn’t touch?

Four Corners Ranch

Book 1: Unbridled Cowboy
Book 2: Merry Christmas Cowboy
Book 3: Cowboy Wild
Book 4: The Rough Rider
Book 5: The Holiday Heartbreaker
Book 6: The Troublemaker
https://amzn.to/3QkCm0r

I love me a good cowboy romance, and throw some Christmas into the mix, and I am one happy reader! Yates always writes good books, and this is a terrific addition to a really fun series. I started reading this last year with the Christmas book in the series, but the rest of the books are not holiday-centric, until this one. That said, they are all good and while I think it helpful to read in order, they all stand alone just fine. So if you want to start here, you will not feel like you missed a thing.

The setting is Four Corners Ranch, an unusual spread in that it is owned by four different families, each with their own type of business. This book is set on the McCloud family’s ranch, that specializes in equine therapy. Owned by a family of brothers, Gus, the eldest, hires Elizabeth Colfax to run the therapy side of the things. They offer her a small home on the property, and she is thrilled.

Elizabeth had a rough childhood, growing up in the foster care system. She met Carter in high school and never had another boyfriend. They married young and had a son, Benny, but by the time he was two years old, Carter had fallen in love with someone else – and she was pregnant. He dumped Elizabeth in a heartbeat and remarried the new baby mama. She was devastated, mostly because of her childhood of abandonment. She moves into a tiny apartment with Benny, and her ex blows off most of his weekends with his son over the next several years to concentrate on his new famlily. Finally, Elizabeth decides to do something for herself and with the court’s approval, takes the job three hours away on the ranch.

There she meets Brody McCloud, one of the younger McCloud brothers and one of two that are still unmarried. There is a strong attraction between them, but they both fight it – until they can’t. Despite their wealth, the McCloud brothers grew up with an extremely abusive father, and a mother who was so abused that she left them all. Weirdly, Brody was the only son that his father never abused, and he has survivor’s guilt, among other issues.

As Brody and Elizabeth get to know one another, they both realize they are revealing things to one another that they have never spoken aloud before. Their relationship deepens, but Brody has long decided that marriage isn’t for him. He is a one-night stand sort of guy and very up front about it. Elizabeth decides to go for it anyway since she has no other dating experience, and once they end up in bed, all bets are off.

There are more than the usual hurdles here with all the trauma in their backgrounds, but these two fall in love, fighting it every second of the way. It was rewarding to see Elizabeth learn about sex, too – her limited experience with her ex left much to be desired. I loved watching these characters help heal one another and form a blended family. I was very sorry to turn the last page, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

11/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE HOLIDAY HEARTBREAKER by Maisey Yates. Canary Street Press; Original edition (September 26, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335600790. 432p.