When Harper Shaw’s life falls apart, she knows it’s time for a change. She removes everything that doesn’t spark joy—from her soul-sucking job to eating kale to making lists—and sets off for the last place she was happy, Lake Tahoe (who wouldn’t feel good there, right?) to fulfill her dream of opening her own bakery.
With her Sugar Pine Bakery in between a tavern, owned by sexy, grumpy Bodie Campbell, and a bookstore, run by her new BFF, she feels a peace she’s never experienced since…well, forever.. Then she meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, who barrels into her heart. She sees a lot of herself in Ivy and takes her under her wing, but the teenager has secrets…
When those secrets explode, it changes Harper’s new world, and she’ll learn, it’s never too late to start over, it’s never too late to figure out your life, and best of all, it’s never too late to let yourself believe in love.
“This charming tale is just as welcoming as the cozy small-town community within which it’s set, and Shalvis hits the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Readers will be thrilled.” — Publishers Weekly
This is the fourth book of a planned five-book series. I read the first two and somehow missed the third, but I found it on my Kindle and will get to it shortly. I now have over 6000 books on my Kindle, so I’ve gotten much better at keeping it organized, but I’m sorry to say I have let some books fall through the cracks. Each of these books stand alone beautifully.
Harper has had some serious losses in her life. The worst was losing her mother. She inherits a nice chunk of change and decides to open her own bakery. She wants to return to Sunrise Cove in Lake Tahoe, where she and her mom spent several summers together when she was young.
Harper arrives to a freak July snow, and her car gets stuck, and while she’s trying to figure out how to put the chains on her tires, a bear lumbers along and starts eating the popcorn that fell on the seat of her car. A man comes over, chases off the bear, and offers to help, but she is determined not to rely on a man for anything. She is a strong woman and can take care of herself. Brodie owns the bar next door to her bakery-to-be, and there is chemistry right from their inauspicious start.
Determined not to spend a penny she doesn’t have to, Harper is sleeping in the store even though the utilities aren’t on yet. During the night, she hears a noise and finds a young woman who has come in through the back door, looking for a place to sleep. Ivy claims she’s an emancipated minor, and she reminds Harper of herself, so she takes her in.
It turns out Brodie and his brothers are actually her landlords, and Harper and Brodie start spending a lot of time together getting the bakery ready to open. They quickly determine that neither of them is looking for a relationship, but nonetheless, they end up in one.
This is a heartwarming family story and a sweet romance set in a small town on Lake Tahoe. The main characters are fully realized; the secondary characters are interesting and often add humor to the story. I didn’t know there were small towns on Lake Tahoe – I’ve never been, and always just thought of it as a resort area.
Personal note: The epilogue was extremely touching to me – it turns out that Brodie had helped Harper climb down a wall at the summer camp she attended. They ran into each other for the four summers or so that Harper spent there, until her mother passed away. This was so meaningful to me because it mirrored something from my own childhood. Helayne was my best friend in elementary school. Her parents owned a fabric store in the town where my husband grew up. His mother, like Helayne’s mother, was an excellent seamstress and made a lot of clothes for her family. I hung out in that store on occasional Saturdays with Helayne, and we often played with the other kids who came by with their moms. I can’t say I remember playing with a boy who was a couple of years older than us, but the odds are pretty good…
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A small-town sweetheart and an emotionally unavailable bad boy try to find some common ground in this chemistry-filled romance from the author of The Cheat Sheet and When in Rome.
Annie Walker is on a quest to find her perfect match—someone who complements her happy, quiet life running the local flower shop in Rome, Kentucky. But finding her dream man may be harder than Annie imagined. Everyone knows everyone in her hometown, and the dating prospects are getting fewer by the day. After she overhears her latest date say she is “so unbelievably boring,” Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Is it too late to become flirtatious and fun like the leading ladies in her favorite romance movies? Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will Griffin.
Will—the sexy , tattooed, and absolutely gorgeous bodyguard—is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie Walker and any other possible attachments to this sleepy town. But no sooner than he gets settled, Will finds himself tasked with helping Annie find the love of her life by becoming the next leading lady of Rome, Kentucky. Will wants no part in changing the sweet and lovely Annie. He knows for a fact that some stuffy, straitlaced guy won’t make her happy, but he doesn’t have the heart to say no.
Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. As the lines of their friendship become dangerously blurred, Annie reconsiders her dream guy. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be real.
This is the sequel to When In Rome, which I adored. This one stands alone just fine, and it hits several romance tropes that I love, like opposites attract, small town, and fake dating.
Annie Rose is reeling after being told she is too boring to date. There are not a lot of options in the small town where Annie owns a flower shop, so she decides she needs to up her game. And the best person to help her with that is Will Griffin, her soon-to-be sister-in-law’s bodyguard. He has a lot of downtime, plus he’s seriously hot with those bad boy vibes, and she knows he would never really be interested in her, so he feels safe. Best laid plans…
Will is convinced to be Annie’s fake dating coach, but he has some personal issues with that – mostly, he thinks she is perfect just as she is. And he has an overwhelming urge to annihilate the guy who called her boring. But date her he does, and it takes most of the book for them to admit to their feelings. It is worth the wait – this was such a light, charming read, I truly hated for it to end. A perfect summer read!
6/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT by Sarah Adams.Random House Publishing Group (May 2, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593500804. 352p.
Joshua Sinclair was once the fiercest and most notorious warrior of the mighty Sinclair clan of Northern Scotland. But now there’s nothing and no one that can make him take up arms again. Except a beautiful woman, it seems.
When Kára Flett, daughter of a fallen Norse chief, finds herself unexpectedly sheltering the strongest, most brutal warrior in the land, she throws together a risky and outrageous plan to bring him to her side. Threats of violence bounce right off him. Offers of gold seem to entice him even less. Desperate enough to use the pleas of the village children to sway him, she’s shocked when he’s completely unmoved. There’s only one tactic left for her: seduction.
Her hasty proposition falls completely by the wayside, though, as she and the Highlander come together in a carnal inferno. But bringing him into her life also brings his enemies to her clan’s doorstep―the very clan Kára is trying to protect. And as their feelings deepen, Joshua will have to decide between duty and love once and for all.
I really enjoy the setting of this series and they can each be read as a standalone. The stories are built around these four brothers, whose father has named them after the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Their sister will probably be the heroine in the last book of the series.
This book focuses on Joshua, the Warrior. He has been fighting for most of his life, but the last battle he fought was terrible, with too many losses on both sides. He is especially affected by a young man who was just too young to die. So instead of warring, he is training the men in this small isle on how best to defend themselves from attack, and the best way to fortify their castle.
As he is heading home, he passes through the small village where he learns that the men he was training were actually tormenting and enslaving these people. They fear their chief is dead, as he was taken by force to the castle. His daughter, Kára, is now head of these people and desperate to keep them safe.
Kára became a widow when her husband was killed, and she was almost killed herself. Somehow, she survived along with her baby, who is now about 9 years old. But her people are starving and scared, and she begs Joshua to help them defeat the men he just helped train. He refuses, and she seduces him, hoping to get him to change his mind.
Joshua wants to help but knows this small village will be massacred if they attack the castle. Then Kára’s son is kidnapped and held at the castle. Desperate, he agrees to help get him back and devises an intricate plan that just may work.
There are some politics involved, adding to the tension, and as Kára and Joshua work together, they become very close, to the point where Joshua can’t imagine living his life without her. Some real obstacles are in the way, but they eventually reach their happy ending.
I missed this book in the series, so I hunted it down. These truly can be read in any order, so if you like historical Highland romances, grab any book in the series and hunker down for a good, sexy read.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back in Napa Valley with this hilarious rom-com about a down-on-her-luck heiress who suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.
After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember?
But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him—and kiss him, in equal measure.
August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door.
Natalie has haunted August’s dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults. Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways—assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be?
There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.
“This enemies-to-lovers, fake-marriage romance is brimming with witty banter and sizzling with chemistry. The protagonists are fully realized, with painful backstories and emotional growth throughout the novel… Bailey’s fans won’t be disappointed with this hilarious, heartfelt follow-up to Secretly Yours.” — Library Journal
“The latest addition to the author’s Vine Mess books, which follows Secretly Yours (2023), is vintage Bailey with heady notes of earthy sensuality and smoldering sexual chemistry neatly balanced by deliciously dry hints of sassy humor.”— Booklist
Tessa Bailey is one of my must-read authors; if you haven’t read her, this is as good a place to start as any. Yes, it is the second book of the series after Secretly Yours, but I think this book stands alone beautifully. But I loved the first one, so read that one too!
The setting is a vineyard in Napa, so what’s not to like about that! The winery at the center of the story is owned by August Cates. He is a new, struggling winemaker whose wine is so bad he can’t give it away. But he is nothing if not determined. His best friend from the military was killed in service, and it was always his dream to own a winery, and August is determined to fulfill his friend’s dream.
Natalie Vos is Napa royalty; her father is a much-revered vintner, but he divorced her mother and took off for Italy. Natalie’s mother and brother run the winery, and Natalie, always feeling like a third wheel, took off for New York to work in the hedge fund industry. Unfortunately, she flames out in a big way and loses her fiancé, so she’s back in Napa again, still feeling unworthy and ignored by her family. She hopes to convince her mother to release her trust fund but can’t. Her father made two conditions for her to collect her money – she must be employed and married. His best friend is a banker and the trust administrator, and he will stick to the exact terms, as he should.
August and Natalie have a contentious relationship at best. They really drive each other crazy, and can’t have a civil conversation. But they each have something the other needs. Natalie wants her trust money, and August needs a loan from the bank. The banker will not approve a loan for the struggling winemaker.
Natalie approaches August with a proposition; they should marry. If they are married, she can go with him to the bank, and her presence will be enough to secure him the loan he needs. If they are married, she will gain the proceeds of the trust and can return to NY to start her own hedge fund. A bargain is made for these two enemies to have a fake marriage.
Natalie’s mom instantly realizes the sham marriage for what it is, but nevertheless plans a wedding for her daughter. But something is shifting between August and Natalie, and pretty soon their attraction to one another, despite the bickering or perhaps even because of it, leads them to add sex to the marriage. And with sex comes feelings.
They had decided to stay married for a month, long enough for Natalie to get her trust fund and August to get his loan. But they are both keeping secrets about their businesses, their money, and their growing feelings for one another. There is a lot of drama going on between the laughter and the sex!
This was another terrific read from one of my favorite authors. If you love a good romcom, this one is laugh-out-loud funny, along with steamy sex and a happy resolution. Don’t miss it.
A kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise!
And a huge surprise it is.
It’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad.
It’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He’s moved back to town, three-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things.
When Matthew walks into Harlow’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there’s no limit to a mother’s love.
“An uplifting story of love and gratitude—not to mention frustration, fear, and failure—in all forms of family.” —Kirkus Reviews
Higgins returns with her signature writing style that will make readers laugh, possibly cry, and think deeply about the role of family and motherhood… [This] is a perfectly done novel. Higgins tackles what it means to be part of a family and how family can look very different from person to person. Her signature humor sprinkled into a heavy topic makes this a must-read.” —Library Journal
“Higgins returns to Cape Cod in this multigenerational story about the enduring bonds of family…Higgins deftly navigates her characters’ complex emotions, including both Harlow and Monica’s points of view throughout the book. The women’s inner lives are presented authentically, allowing the reader to understand the mixed feelings of joy, fear, love, and guilt that both women experience. Side stories and romantic subplots add depth and humor, but the emotional journey is the star of this comforting-as-a-cozy-sweater story. Hand this one to fans of Susan Wiggs and Jennifer Weiner.” —Booklist
When Harlow was a 17-year-old college freshman, she accidentally got pregnant. Her boyfriend of a few weeks was horrible to her, so she had him sign away his parental rights, she had the baby, and gave it up for adoption. She didn’t take this decision lightly; she worked with an adoption agency, viewing over a hundred videos of prospective parents, and when she saw Monica and Sanjay’s video, she just knew these were the people she wanted to raise her baby. The adoption was closed, but she allowed the agency to pass along her information if he wanted it, after he turns 18. She never told her family, and it was Rosie, her best friend, who helped get her though it.
Harlow has spent every day since thinking about her son, hoping he is healthy and happy. Higgins explores what it is like to give up a child with great sensitivity here, and neither the birth mother nor the adoptive mother are portrayed in a negative light.
Harlow is one of the owners of a family-run business, a bookstore, and she loves her job. She lives above the bookshop and shares the space with her grandfather, who she adores. He is also a part owner along with Cynthia, who is his goddaughter. Cynthia is a bit of a cold fish, but they all get along reasonably well. One day a teenager comes into the store with his father. Harlow starts feeling a bit woozy; the young man looks exactly like her brother. She passes out, and when she comes to, she realizes her son has found her.
Mathew is not quite 18 yet and never told his parents what he was up to. They live in California, where his mother, Monica, works in tech security and makes a very healthy income, and his father is an elementary school teacher with summers off. The family has rented a home on Cape Cod for the summer, but they didn’t know Mathew was seeking his birth mother when they made these plans. Monica will have to commute back to California several times over the summer to keep her job, and she is devastated when she finds out what Mathew has done without even discussing it with them.
This book explores how each family deals with the adoption and the current situation, plus a bit of romance for Harlow. It is, at times, a heartbreaking, sometimes funny, but always a heartfelt story. I especially loved how the birth mother and the adoptive mother handled everything, emotions and all. This is an engaging read and the perfect book for someone wanting a bit more substance from their beach read.
6/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE by Kristan Higgins. Berkley (June 6, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593547601. 512p.
When a woman who’d rather do anything than read meets a swoon-worthy bookworm, sparks fly, making for one hot-summer fling in New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s new rom-com.
For Samantha Gale, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tiny cottage was supposed to be about resurrecting her career as a chef, until she’s tasked with chaperoning her half-brother, Tyler. The teenage brainiac is spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition, and there’s no place Sam, who has dyslexia, likes less than the library. And because the universe hates her, the library’s interim director turns out to be the hot-reader guy whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.
Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father, whose identity he’s never known. He’s taken the temporary job on the island to research the summer his mother spent there when she got pregnant with him. Ben tells himself he isn’t interested in a relationship right now. Yet as soon as Sam knocks his book into the ocean, he can’t stop thinking about her.
An irresistible attraction blossoms when Ben inspires Sam to create the cookbook she’s always dreamed about and she jumps all in on helping him find his father, and soon they realize their summer fling may heat up into a happily ever after.
“Add to this McKinlay’s flair for capturing just how family and friends can make us feel both vulnerable and strong, conveyed in breezy writing buoyed by quippy banter and sizzling sexual chemistry, and you have a book that is pure reading bliss in any season.” —Booklist(Starred Review)
“With a picturesque setting and plenty of entertaining storylines and well-developed characters, this fast-paced, steamy rom-com from McKinlay will enchant book lovers and foodies looking for an upbeat beach read.” —Library Journal (Starred Review)
The title caught my attention (of course!) as did the author – I enjoyed a couple of her previous books, Wait for It and Paris is Always a Good Idea, so I was excited for this one and it really delivered.
The meet-cute happens on the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard when Sam, a chef who recently quit her job after being passed over for promotion, accidentally knocks the book Ben is reading into the sea. This great looking guy is a librarian, and Sam doesn’t read. Ever. Sam is dyslexic and embarrassed about it.
Sam is not only licking her wounds after the job debacle, she is going to the Vineyard to take care of her younger half-brother while their parents take a long vacation. Sam and Tyler don’t really know each other very well as Sam has been out of the house while Tyler was growing up. Now he’s in high school and is planning on spending his summer in robotics camp, which, much to Sam’s chagrin, is located in the land of endless books, the library. On the other hand, her best friend works there and so does the hot guy from the ferry.
Ben is the interim director, helping out for the summer until they find a more permanent solution. Ben is also there because he is trying to find out who his father is. There is nothing on his birth certificate, and his mother, a famous artist, refuses to discuss it.
Sam has this secret dream of writing a cookbook – her Portuguese grandmother had shared many recipes from her home country (several included in the back of the book!) Ben and Sam keep bumping into one another and the next thing you know, they are helping one another pursue their goals and having a fine time getting to know one another. Meanwhile, Sam is enjoying spending time with Tyler, and they form a much-appreciated strong sibling bond.
I loved the neurodivergent subplot, especially when Ben started reading to Sam – even recording the rest of the book for her when he knows he won’t be around to finish it. A note in the book explains that the publisher chose a dyslexic-friendly font, and used bold type instead of italics, so kudos for that!
Like many romances, this follows the basic formula of boy meets girl, they fall in love, then boy loses girl over his stupidity, and eventually, they make up and have their happy ending. This was a fun summer read with some serious issues, and I liked that it wasn’t just another fluffy read yet still gave me the happily ever after I wanted.
The highly acclaimed author of Accidentally Engaged delivers a delightful rom-com of one woman trying to shed her perfect image at a destination wedding with hilarious—and moving—results, perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory.
Jana Suleiman has never really fit in—everyone always sees her as too aloof, too cool, too perfect. The one time she stepped out of her comfort zone she ended up with a broken heart and a baby on the way. Aaaand lesson learned. Now she’s a bridesmaid for a destination wedding in Serengeti National Park, and almost everyone she knows will be there. Her five-year-old daughter. Her mom. Her friends. Even her potential new boss. And of course (because who doesn’t love surprises!) her gorgeous-but-not-to-be-trusted ex.
Fortunately, Anil Malek is a great dad, even if Jana hasn’t quite forgiven him for lying to her all those years ago. Determined to show he has no effect on her whatsoever, she and the bridesmaids concoct a go-wild list to get Jana through the week. Sing karaoke? Sure. Perform their high school dance routine in front of strangers? Okay. But the more she lets down her guard, the less protection she has against her attraction to Anil. And Jana soon realizes it’s one thing to walk on the wild side . . . and quite another to fall for her ex all over again.
“A beautiful, compelling romance celebrating second chances and forgiveness.”―Kirkus, starred review
“The unique setting and delightful dynamic within the rest of the wedding party add to the charm. This is a treat.” ―Publishers Weekly
“This satisfying second-chance romance offers a big-hearted, clear-eyed examination of parenting and rekindling of old flames.” ―Library Journal, starred review
I loved the setting of this book, it was super interesting and almost felt like another character; a wedding in Tasmania. The only thing I knew about Tasmania was based on the Tasmanian Devil, a cartoon character that may or may not be based on an actual animal. I am a great reader but, I’m sorry to say, geographically ignorant. So anytime I get to learn about someplace new to me is always going to heighten my interest. But let’s face it, if it was just a book on Tasmania I never would have picked it up. It’s the romance and the family drama here that made this book unputdownable for me.
A few years earlier, Jana had a relationship with Anil, that ended when she found out he was married. That wasn’t the worst of it, though – she had a child and was managing on her own with some family help. She interviews for a new job with much less traveling that seemed like it would be a great place to work, plus she really liked the man who interviewed her, her potential boss.
While waiting to hear about the job, she packs up herself and her daughter and heads off to Tasmania, where she is a bridesmaid in a destination wedding, and her daughter is the flower girl. To her shock, Anil is one of the groomsmen, and her potential new boss is also attending the wedding. What Jana doesn’t know is that her mother has been telling everyone, all her friends and relatives, that Jana is divorced when the truth is, she never married.
The more time Jana spends with Anil and her boss-to-be, the harder it is to protect her mother from her own lies. It turns out Anil may not be the bad guy Jana believes him to be, and she’s never really sure if this wedding will help or hinder her chances at that new job. But it is so much fun to find out!
This is a terrific story with warm, engaging characters, a lot of laughs, some steamy bedroom moments, and of course, the happy ending. I loved it.
6/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
JANA GOES WILD by Farah Heron. Forever (May 2, 2023). ISBN: 978-1538725450. 352pp.
A random connection sends two strangers on a daylong adventure where they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects, in this breathtaking new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After.
Fern Brookbanks has wasted far too much of her adult life thinking about Will Baxter. She spent just twenty-four hours in her early twenties with the aggravatingly attractive, idealistic artist, a chance encounter that spiraled into a daylong adventure in the city. The timing was wrong, but their connection was undeniable: they shared every secret, every dream, and made a pact to meet one year later. Fern showed up. Will didn’t.
At thirty-two, Fern’s life doesn’t look at all how she once imagined it would. Instead of living in the city, Fern’s back home, running her mother’s lakeside resort—something she vowed never to do. The place is in disarray, her ex-boyfriend’s the manager, and Fern doesn’t know where to begin.
She needs a plan—a lifeline. To her surprise, it comes in the form of Will, who arrives nine years too late, with a suitcase in tow and an offer to help on his lips. Will may be the only person who understands what Fern’s going through. But how could she possibly trust this expensive-suit wearing mirage who seems nothing like the young man she met all those years ago. Will is hiding something, and Fern’s not sure she wants to know what it is.
But ten years ago, Will Baxter rescued Fern. Can she do the same for him?
“Fortune (Every Summer After) shines in this beautiful tale of love, loss, and forgiveness. This searing story of hard-won second chances is not to be missed.” —Publishers Weekly
“This contemporary romance is an immersive second-chance love story that will transport readers with its dual evocative settings of stunning rural Ontario and thrilling Toronto.” —Library Journal (starred review)
A Most Anticipated Book by Today ∙ Oprah Daily ∙ Katie Couric Media ∙ BuzzFeed ∙ SheReads ∙ Zibby Mag ∙ PopSugar ∙ BookRiot ∙ Culturess ∙ Her Campus ∙ The Everygirl ∙ and more!
Do you believe in love at first sight? That is where the story begins. Fern and Will meet, then spend 24 amazing hours together. They both have things to take care of, so they agree to meet again in one year. Will needs to end his current relationship, and Fern is working towards opening her own cafe. On the appointed date, Fern shows up, but Will does not. This is where you really have to suspend your disbelief; Fern yearns for him for ten years, never meeting anyone else that could erase Will from her heart.
The story moves between present day, the magical day they spent together ten years earlier, and her mother’s diary, which all helps to keep those pages turning. Fern is on the brink of owning her own business when her mother suddenly passes away, leaving the family business, a resort, to Fern. She returns home and finds that the resort is not doing well financially. To her surprise, Will shows up and offers to help. He tells her he had made arrangements with her mother to consult on how to improve the business.
Fern still feels that incredible attraction to Will, despite the fact he is no longer the dreamy artist she remembers but instead is some sort of business tycoon in a suit. The more time they spend together, the more they want to spend together. But Will is being a bit secretive, taking calls away from her, and acting a bit shifty in general. Something is going on, but Fern can’t determine what it is. Meanwhile, she is slowly turning the resort around, and is rethinking her original plan to sell it.
The drama arises in the form of secrets slowly revealed, but not to worry, there is a happy ending. This was a very enjoyable read, sure to be seen in many a beach bag.
6/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MEET ME AT THE LAKE by Carley Fortune.Berkley (May 2, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593638477. 336p.
Megan Frampton’s deliciously witty A School for Scoundrels series follows the adventures of five gentlemen who navigate life—and love—in London. Here, a dashing young businessman enters into a liaison with a widowed Duchess. Perfect for fans of Sarah MacLean and anyone who loves Bridgerton!
Alexandra, Duchess of Chelmsworth, is tired of pretending to mourn a husband who squandered a fortune and never bothered to give her the time of day, much less any attentions at night. So, the still-beautiful duchess cuts up her mourning gowns, deciding to experience the pleasures long denied her by daringly visiting the Garden of Hedon. It is there the ton anonymously gives in to their deepest desires, and where Alexandra finds herself in the arms of a mysterious man. She willingly gives in to the passion he offers her, fully believing she would never see him again.
But she is shocked to soon discover he is none other than Theo Osborne, who is continually being pushed forward as a husband—for Alexandra’s own daughter! While his wealth would save the family from financial ruin, his intentions are clear: he has no interest in anyone but Alexandra. And though he tempts and teases her, she is determined not to give her heart to any man. But what started as a sensuous game turns into something much more…
“Frampton serves up both spicy sex scenes and hefty emotions that will leave readers wanting more. This passionate love story keeps the series going strong.” — Publishers Weekly
“Frampton follows up the first “School for Scoundrels” book, Her Lessons in Persuasion, with another scorching pairing. Recommended for romance fans who like it hot, hot, hot.” — Library Journal
Frampton writes steamy historicals, and this one is no exception. The sex starts early on and continues, on and off, for what feels like most of the book. Not that I’m complaining – she writes great sex scenes.
Alexandra is a duchess who has been in mourning for two years since the death of her husband. Well, she looks and acts like she’s in mourning, but in actuality, she is glad to be rid of her arrogant, domineering, despot of a husband. Unfortunately, his son is now the Duke, and he learned well from his father. If anything, he is even worse because he has mismanaged the family’s money to the point where he is arranging a marriage for Alexandra’s daughter, his half-sister, based solely on finding someone willing to forgo a dowry and pay off his debts.
The day her mourning is up, Alexandra destroys her black clothing and her stepdaughter, who is older than she is, takes her to the Pleasure Garden for the evening. There, Alexandra meets Theo, and he introduces her to sex for pleasure. Theo is a self-made wealthy man who comes from humble beginnings. He was orphaned as a baby, and was eventually adopted by Mr. Osborne, who was alone and longed for a family. Theo is part of a group of men from similar backgrounds; they were children in the same orphanage and have stayed friends. He is also an owner of the pleasure garden and often spends time there.
Theo, who is 32, is completely smitten with Alexandra, who is 40. I loved that May-December aspect to this romance. Unfortunately, it is his last night at the pleasure garden, as he is going to be engaged soon and he is a most honorable man. Much to their surprise, it turns out that Theo is the man set to marry Alexandra’s daughter. Talk about a nightmare!
I don’t want to ruin the story, so I’ll just say that everything gets resolved with the requisite happy ending, but there are a lot of twists and turns, drama and more drama, plus all that sex before it gets there, and that is half the fun!
6/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
HIS STUDY IN SCANDAL by Megan Frampton. Avon (May 23, 2023). ISBN: 978-0063224223. 352p.
June first is the official start of hurricane season. I live in southeast Florida, and we have been very, very lucky the past several years – but other areas haven’t been as lucky. Storms have landed on the west coast of Florida or up the coast to South Carolina, North Carolina, and even up to New Jersey and New York. That being said, I’m so sorry that anyone has to deal with these massive storms. And even though we haven’t taken a direct hit these last few years, we always take precautions.
Several years ago, a new product came out – windows that are strong enough to withstand hurricane-strength winds and rain. But they are very expensive; a friend told me it cost her $70,000 to update her 6 sliding glass doors (I have 7!) plus windows last year. I’m a librarian, and my husband is an engineer; we do not have that kind of money lying around! My husband is looking into doing it himself, it brings the cost down considerably, and Home Depot and Lowes both sell the windows and sliding glass doors we need.
Meanwhile, at least for this season, it looks like we will use the hurricane shutters we’ve used for years, if necessary. The good thing about hurricanes, if there can be a good thing, is that we always get advance notice that one is coming. It may or may not hit us, but we usually have enough time to store extra water, and canned goods, charge up the phones and portable phone chargers, gas up the grill and the cars and the generator, and, of course, clear the yard of everything and put up the shutters. It’s a big pain in the butt and worth it, even if the storm passes us by. Hell, some years, it’s the only way I can get my husband to clean out the backyard!
We were spared when Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992, but a week later, a small tropical storm blew through my neighborhood, and we were without power for almost a week! (Hurricanes are often followed by tropical storms, they are like the remnants of a hurricane.) My daughter was just a few weeks old, and my next-door neighbor had lent me a baby carriage – the kind the English call prams. It was bigger than the bassinet but on wheels, so I could always keep her with me. I remember the hospital had given me cases of formula & diapers, and one of my neighbors was collecting stuff to take to Miami, which was devastated by the storm. I sent everything I had. I could go to the store and get more; they didn’t have that option for weeks.
We had several hurricanes that came close after that, but we didn’t take a direct hit until 2005. Hurricane Wilma hit us dead on – we lost the roof of our house, the fence around our yard, the screening around the porches, and our power and water for several days. But the house stood, and we were luckier than many others. Hurricane Ian hit the west coast of Florida last year, and they are still trying to recover from it. I’ve lived through many hurricanes over the years, and I am so grateful I am still here to tell you about it. You just never really know what will happen, but at least we can be prepared. Here’s hoping for a mild storm season!
With a lawsuit filed last week, Pen America, Penguin Random House, authors, and parents began fighting book bans. Other publishers should help. (Scholarly Kitchen)
Collaborating on his memoir, “Spare,” meant spending hours together on Zoom, meeting his inner circle, and gaining a new perspective on the tabloids. Work with Prince Harry on the book proceeded steadily—until the press found out about it. In The New Yorker. By J. R. Moehringer
I subscribe to the Washington Post Book Club Newsletter, written by Ron Charles. They recently did an informal survey of their readers, asking them about “the best movie made from the worst novel.” I was happy to see my number one choice made the list: The Devil Wears Prada*. I loved the movie and hated the book. I quibble about The Godfather and Jaws – I loved both of those books and while The Godfather (I & II) are incredible films, I am not a horror movie fan. My husband, who was my boyfriend when the film came out, insisted I would love Jaws, the movie. I went and ended up hiding under a jacket, occasionally peering out through the sleeve, until I finally fell asleep. Not for me! I would never defend either of those books as great literature, but they were exciting, fast-paced reads. I read The Godfather several times, but I’ve seen the films even more – if I’m flipping channels and run across either Godfather movie or TDWP, I will watch it, no matter where in the story it is.
The other books that made the bad book, good movie list: Forrest Gump by Winston Groom, and Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick. Apparently, someone actually nominated Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, but that was just ridiculous, which Charles acknowledged. There have been many remakes/updates of the book and several films based on the book, and while I may enjoy the more modern-day versions, I also deeply respect the source. As Meg Ryan’s character noted in “You’ve Got Mail,” I, too, love the language. As far as I’m concerned, Austen invented the romance genre, but feel free to disagree!
Food News
The Food of Portugal!
In April, my husband and I visited Portugal. One of the things we were looking at was affordability for our retirement. We spent almost two weeks exploring Portugal from Lisbon north to Braga and east to Coimbra. We drove around the various towns that we had discovered online and in YouTube videos. I fell in love with Braga, about thirty minutes north of Porto. It was important to me that we be near a major city and airport. This is the downtown pedestrian walkway through the main street of Braga and one of the many cafes in the area.
My husband liked Castelo Branco, but it is over two hours from Lisbon and such a small town that when we tried to Uber back to our hotel after dinner, there were no drivers available! The hostess at the restaurant called us a cab, which was quick (and even cheaper than Uber,) but the fact there were no drivers made me uncomfortable. On the bright side, it was our best meal in Portugal, at AKASushi!
Many of the towns and villages we visited have amazing green markets with lots of local produce, fresh fish and meat, and flowers. I loved checking out the supermarkets, too. There are a few different chains there – Lidl, Aldi, and Continente are the biggest, and a new chain from Spain, Mercadona, is starting up in Portugal. I didn’t go to any Aldis because I go to them here, and while their prices are good, what they have in stock is always a crapshoot. I go there occasionally without a list because I cannot count on them to have what I need, like cucumbers or lemons or cornmeal or sugar. Instead, I view Aldi as a serendipitous shopping adventure; I go, wander around, and buy whatever looks good.
We went to one Lidl and weren’t impressed. It didn’t have that great a selection of produce or fish or meat, and didn’t seem quite as clean as some of the other markets we went to. They have opened several stores in the US along the east coast from Georgia through New York, but not in Florida yet. If you have been to a Lidl in the US, I’d love to hear what you think!
Continente was definitely my favorite. They had a beautiful bakery, produce section, and fish and meats. At first, I thought the fish wasn’t priced as low as I had thought it would be. Shrimp were €8-15, depending on size, sea bream was €12, cod was about €8 fresh, less for the famous bacalhau (salt dried cod available everywhere) so maybe a few dollars less than here. But then I realized those prices weren’t per pound but were per kilo – 2.2 pounds, and that made a big difference.
They also love their canned fish there – not just tuna, anchovies. and sardines, but cod, octopus, squid, clams, mackerel, mussels, and more. They are often packed with more than just olive oil, too; some have tomatoes, spices, etc. You can get squid in a sauce based on tomatoes, onions, peppers, and olive oil in a can. The supermarket had an entire row of canned fish. We even saw some canned tuna with gold leaf in it for €20 a can, but that was in a touristy canned fish store.
This is an interesting little video about one of the canning fisheries in Portugal.
Bacalhau
There was a pretty large selection of wine (and hard liquor) and it was very well priced. I don’t think we spent more than $20 on a bottle of wine while we were in Portugal, and those were restaurant prices. The supermarket had lots of bottles for under $5! I fell in love with Vinho Verde, a lightly sparkling white wine that goes great with all the seafood. Other items of interest: the eggs and the milk are mostly shelf stable. They don’t process their eggs the same way we do in the US, so they don’t need refrigeration. They use a different type of pasteurization of the milk, which lets it last longer and doesn’t require refrigeration either. The only things that were comparably priced to the U.S. were paper goods (paper towels, toilet paper) and cleaning supplies, most of which are imported, I guess.
Most Portuguese follow what we think of as a Mediterranean diet – lots of fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, walnuts and almonds, and olive oil is king! It seems like most home gardens have a few olive trees and some fruit trees. It is amazing to me that the same garden can grow almonds, walnuts, oranges, apples, cherries, grapes, and olives, not to mention all the usual salad greens, herbs, and veggies. Oh, and lest you think it is an entirely healthy diet, pretty much every dish we ordered in every restaurant came with fries, and most came with fries and rice! They do love their carbs. They also love their pastries – there are bakeries and cafes everywhere. Their most famous dessert is the Pastel de Nata, which is delicious! Trader Joe’s sells frozen ones they call Portuguese Custard Tarts which come pretty close, especially if you heat them in the air fryer – get them while they last! It is not something they stock year-round.
They have lots of other pastries, too; croissants, brioche croissants, and something called travesseiro. It’s a cigar shaped pastry made from phyllo dough wrapped around a sweet egg filling. Not my favorite – I hate eggs! We didn’t notice many cookies though. Most bakeries also sell these savory stuffed brioche; some have ham & cheese, or just one or the other, or prosciutto, but my husband’s favorite was a “pizza” stuffed brioche. He said it was like the best “hot pocket” ever!
Portugal is also famous, especially in Porto, for the francesinha sandwich. Eater has a great little video about Porto, and included a good description of the francesinha: “the traditional francesinha sandwich manages to stuff two types of homemade sausage, ham, steak, bologna, and cheese between two thick layers of bread; that’s then topped with a fried egg and beer gravy” and served with fries intended for dipping. The sauce is a bit spicy and the sandwich truly requires a fork and knife to eat!
francesinhapastel de natatravesseiro
Other News
*I was assigned The Devil Wears Prada for review in Library Journal back in the day. Here is my review:
Part two, The Devil Wears Prada: I was working for the public library when I reviewed TDWP. Several months later, I was sitting at the checkout desk on a very quiet weeknight. I was reading a galley, an advanced reader copy of a book I would be reviewing. This couple came up to the desk to checkout, and I swiped their library card and proceeded to check out their books.
The woman says to me, “Is that a review copy?”
I said, “Yes, I review for my blog and for Library Journal.”
Then she says, “Oh, are you going to review the new Lauren Weisberger book?”
I replied, “Not if I can help it.”
Then the husband says to the wife, I don’t think she looked at the screen to see our name, so of course I looked. Sure enough, it was Weisberger – they were Lauren’s parents! That was one of my top two most embarrassing “reviewer” moments. If I had noticed the name, I would have been much more diplomatic (I hope!)
As always, thanks for reading, and stay safe.
Thanks to The New York Times for allowing me to “gift” my readers with free access to these articles, a lovely perk for subscribers.
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