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ONE-STAR ROMANCE by Laura Hankin

June 21, 2024

From the Publisher:

A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man.

Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it.

When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again. But, as they slip from their twenties into their thirties, they’re forced together whenever their fast-track best friends celebrate another milestone. Through housewarmings and christenings, life-changing triumphs and failures, Natalie and Rob grapple with their own choices—and how your harshest critic can become your perfectly imperfect match.

After all, even the truest love stories sometimes need a bit of rewriting.

“Hankin performs a magic trick with this book, turning the most unlikeable (and relatable) of characters into flawed protagonists worth rooting for. Natalie and Rob are the definition of “right person, wrong time,” and because the story spans multiple years, we get the pleasure of seeing them make mistakes, grow up and grow together. It’s real, refreshing and romantic.” —The Washington Post

“Fans of not only romance but women’s fiction as well will enjoy this multilayered, realistic novel from Hankin.” —Library Journal
https://amzn.to/3KG70ii

This is the ultimate slow-burn romance, but also a testament to friendship. Natalie and Gabby have been best friends since freshman year of college through sharing a ratty NYC apartment. Rob and Angus have been best friends since middle school, when Angus befriended the new kid, Rob. Angus and Gabby are engaged, and that’s how Rob and Natalie meet. And meet again. Several times, over several years of parties, the wedding, weekend getaways, and more.

Initially, there is some attraction there, but then Natalie figures out that the one-star review on Goodreads of her first novel was turned in by, you guessed it, Rob. That starts a hate relationship between them that occasionally veers towards a less than platonic relationship, but never quite gets there. At least not for many years.

Natalie’s first novel features a main character loosely based on Angus. Natalie is jealous of her friend spending more time with him, but more than that, she just can’t understand what her beautiful, brilliant, kind friend sees in this man she thinks is mediocre at best. Gabby realizes it halfway through reading the novel, and never finishes it. Rob instantly recognizes Angus, hence the one-star review. Luckily, Angus never even reads it. It takes Natalie quite a few years to realize it was probably a mistake to use Angus like that.

Eventually, Rob gets engaged to Zuri, and Natalie is on the fence about moving in with her boyfriend. Ultimately, she decides to break up with him instead – she is self-aware enough to realize that she is not in love with him and won’t ever be – thanks to a frank chat with Rob.

Then Natalie and Gabby have a huge blow-up and stop speaking for over a year. The only good side of that is she no longer has to endure Rob. But then Angus sends an email that Gabby is sick, and Natalie drops everything to show up for her friend, as does Rob. This time, Rob and Natalie are both single, and things take a turn towards romance, even while they both are heartsick about Gabby’s illness.

There is a very happy ending for everyone, but I have to say this book touched a little too close to home for me. I was bawling for the last quarter of the book.

I, too, had a best friend for many years. We met when my husband, son and I rented half a duplex from her husband. Shortly after we moved in, they moved into the other half. We were inseparable for many years, considered ourselves to be Lucy & Ethel, and the biggest fight we had was over who was Lucy and who was Ethel.

Eventually, we each bought a home a few miles apart, but we stayed close. Our kids were friends, and we spent many holidays together. Then, one Easter dinner, she made a remark about my husband and our marriage that he took great offense to. I thought she was kidding, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that while I wanted her to be kidding, she wasn’t, and we stopped speaking for many years, other than to say hello if we ran into each other.

One day she came to see me at work and told me she had breast cancer. I was shocked, but she was very upbeat and positive that she would beat it – most women do. She was one of the healthiest women I knew, ate mostly organic, and ran miles every day. Turned out that she had a very aggressive form that had already spread to her lymph nodes. She had a full mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and many, many holistic treatments – her husband was constantly researching and taking her wherever they could find a glimmer of hope.

After several years of struggling with sickness and surgeries and horrible drugs and pain, she finally begged me and her other friends to talk her husband into stopping all these treatments. She was ready to go, but he wasn’t. It was just about impossible for him to do that, but she eventually prevailed. We lost her in 2005, this beautiful, generous, kind 46-year-old mother of three.

I finished this book right before bedtime and woke up every hour or so all night long. It’s been almost twenty years since I lost my friend, and I still have a lot of regrets that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Sorry I veered so far off in a book review, but obviously, this book touched a nerve. It is a wonderful, emotional read and I loved the premise, these characters, their friendship, and the slow burn of romance. Highly recommend!

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE-STAR ROMANCE by Laura Hankin. Berkley (June 18, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593438213. 400p.

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THE SUMMER ESCAPE by Jill Shalvis

June 14, 2024

The Sunrise Cove, Book 6

From the Publisher:

Secrets are revealed and forbidden sparks ignited in this sizzling Sunrise Cove standalone, a tale of enemies to lovers, redemption, missing treasures, and love—by romance superstar and New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest—especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything—so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace?

It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their departed dad’s name. Owen, though, is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together Anna and Owen go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot).

On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen—their hearts have been as well.
https://amzn.to/4e9GnA1

I adore this series, and this latest entry is a real pageturner!

Anna and Wendy are as close as two sisters can be. But with Wendy pregnant with triplets and on bed rest, she is living vicariously through Anna via an ear piece for her phone, which adds a lot of humor to the story.

They lost their father a few years earlier, and while cleaning out some things, they find an old and valuable coin. That opens a Pandora’s box as their father was considered a suspect in the robbery of the set of coins and a ruby necklace. No one was ever arrested, and the stolen items were never found, until this one coin.

The items were stolen from Owen’s great-aunt, who is now suffering from dementia. Owen is devoted to her, and thinks if the necklace could be found, maybe it would give her some peace of mind. He approaches Anna and they agree to work together to try and find the rest of the stolen items. This lends some suspense to this romance, and it is a heartstopper of an ending. Meanwhile, as Owen and Anna work together, real feelings emerge and Wendy is loving listening in on it all.

This was a fun read, and the suspense and the romance built naturally. I loved how Anna and Wendy got along, and how Anna and Owen moved from distrust to love. This book stands alone beautifully, as do all the books in the series, although I do recommend reading them all – I highly recommend this series and this book.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER ESCAPE by Jill Shalvis. Avon (June 11, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063235816. 336p.

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FOR THE LOVE OF SUMMER by Susan Mallery

June 14, 2024

From the publisher:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable beach read about the unbreakable bond between mothers and daughters and finding friendship with the unlikeliest person, perfect for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Emily Giffin…

As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.

All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.

Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?

“Beautifully illustrates the power of female friendship and the importance of reaching for one’s dreams”-Publishers Weekly
https://amzn.to/3XgXsll

Erica has the career of her dreams, and she’s worked damned hard to get it. As the owner of Twisted, a small chain of high-end, full service spas that include hair salons, she is big on giving back, especially to single moms. Top-tier stylists at her salons make six figures, and many of them came through her scholarship and training programs. But her personal life isn’t quite as full as her professional life.

Divorced for many years, she had pushed her ex-husband to start his own accounting business. And when he shocked her by demanding a divorce that she never saw coming, she pulls her business from his firm. Eventually, he meets and marries Allison, and fills her head with tales of his horrible ex-wife. But when she gets a call from him that he’s in prison, she is completely lost. All their bank accounts have been frozen, she’s six months pregnant and has a toddler. With no formal education, Allison works part time at the day care center to earn enough to cover daycare while she works her other job as a grocery store cashier. Both jobs are becoming more difficult as the physical aspects of her pregnancy make it hard to be on her feet all day or to get up and down from the floor at the preschool.

Erica’s daughter, Summer, is a pretty good kid for a sixteen-year-old. Erica doesn’t know her ex’s wife, but Summer adores her and her little half-brother. So when Summer finds out what happened to her dad, she goes into savior mode and convinces her mother to let Allison and her little boy move in with them. She has no family and no other resources, and Erica reluctantly agrees.

Erica and Allison slowly get to know one another, and while their worlds are completely different, they were both married to the same man, so they have that in common. As her pregnancy progresses, Erica starts doing more for Allison, from buying nursery furniture and having her mother, Summer’s grandmother, help out with the little boy. As the days move on, they become pretty close friends.

Erica has a boyfriend, or rather a man who takes her out for lovely dinners, and she accompanies him to business social events. And they have sex. But after being burned by her ex, Erica has refused to put her heart on the line. Eventually, everyone can see that he is besotted with her, but she is burying her feelings so deep she can’t even find them.

This was such a good read! I loved all these characters and all the little moments that made up their lives. The romance takes a back seat to the women’s burgeoning friendship, but in the end, everything works out the way it is supposed to. Another terrific read by one of my favorite authors.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FOR THE LOVE OF SUMMER by Susan Mallery. MIRA; Original edition (June 4, 2024). ISBN: 978-0778305521. 400p.

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LOVE, LIES, AND CHERRY PIE by Jackie Lau

June 7, 2024

From the publisher:

Jackie Lau, author of the “full of heart” (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) The Stand-Up Groomsman, returns with a charming rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.

But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly: convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.

Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

“Heartfelt and hilarious . . . Lau brings the goods.” ― Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Lau’s books have some of the best effort-to-emotional-payoff ratios in romance.” ― The New York Times Book Review
https://amzn.to/4c0Hgsy

I loved Lau’s last book, Donut Fall in Love, so I was super excited to get this one, and it was a heartwarming, joyous and rollicking read!

Emily is the last of her sisters to remain single, and her over-the-top pushy mom is determined to fix that pronto. She talks up Mark Chan until Emily can barely stand hearing his name, then seats them together at the youngest sister’s wedding. Mark and Emily do not get along at that wedding, so when her mom asks her to brunch the following week, Emily figures she’ll go and tell her to lay off. But when she shows up for brunch, her mother isn’t there but guess who is? Mark Chan, of course.

This time things go a tiny bit better than at the wedding, but Emily is convinced he is so not the man for her. But to get her mother off her back, she asks Mark if they could fake date to keep her mother happy for a while. But by fake date she means to just tell her mom they are dating but not actually go anywhere together. Mark reluctantly agrees, but things get complicated when her mother’s network of spies/friends/relatives report they haven’t seen Emily and Mark together anywhere. Emily caves and asks Mark if they can fake date for real, by which she means meet up for dinner or whatever just so they can be seen together. Pictures are taken and shared, but her mother is still somewhat suspicious.

Then something odd happens. Emily realizes she is starting to really like Mark, even though he is not her type and really, what does her mother know. As it turns out, her mother knows quite a lot about her daughter and what she needs. After several fake dates, they decide to really date but things come to a head when her older sister accuses her of faking the relationship and spills the beans. Emily is humiliated and ghosts Mark, but their feelings are strong enough that she decides to stop cutting off her nose to spite her face (one of my mother’s favorite expressions!) and just live with the controversy, as long as she gets to do it with Mark.

There were many, many laugh-out-loud moments here, but I also wanted to wake Emily up to the possibility she was missing out on. Luckily, she figured that out for herself, and they got their happy ending. This was such a fun, compelling read that I couldn’t put it down and finished it in one night. Another terrific read from Jackie Lau and Emily Bestler books.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

LOVE, LIES, AND CHERRY PIE by Jackie Lau. Atria/Emily Bestler Books (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-1668030769. 352p.

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ONE SWEET SOUTHERN SUMMER by Janice Maynard

June 7, 2024

From the publisher:

Two lives spent searching. One summer to never forget.

Life in Blossom Branch hasn’t always been sweet for Leah Marks. Growing up in the shadow of her overachieving siblings, the shy psychology grad has struggled to find her own place in the world. So when she inherits a long-forgotten summer camp, Leah sees an opportunity to help other kids who are struggling—and maybe find happiness for herself.

Her plan takes an unexpected turn, however, after a scorching encounter with the local fire chief, Lucas Carter. He’s brave, he’s kind…and he’s not quite ready to settle down. Leah is drawn to the rugged firefighter—but she fears she’ll be burned if she gets too close.

Still, Leah and Lucas can’t help but fall harder for each other, until the ill-fated uncertainty of their future can no longer be ignored. As another sizzling summer unfolds in Blossom Branch, will they both finally find the home—and the love—they’ve been searching for?

Blossom Branch

Book 1: The Runaway Bride of Blossom Branch
Book 2: One Sweet Southern Summer
https://amzn.to/4e4U0jQ

I don’t recall reading this author before, and she has written over 80+ books! So I wasn’t sure what to expect here besides the clues from the cover and the title: I thought it would be a romance on the sweet side, but there was plenty of heat. I loved the premise of the story, too. Leah grows up with a bunch of overachieving brothers, and as the only girl with a less than prestigious degree in psychology, she is thrilled to find out her aunt has left her a home and a summer camp in the small town of Blossom Branch. She gets the idea to renovate the camp and turn it into a charity camp, taking in middle school aged kids who have bad home situations or have gotten into trouble.

Working with some foundations, she hires a staff and funds the camp with grants. Campers will come for two weeks, then the staff will get a week off before the next set of campers comes in. It’s a big project, but Leah’s heart is in it and she makes it a success.

Unfortunately, on the first night of camp, one of the troubled youths starts a small fire in the kitchen. The fire department keeps it controlled until they get it out, but there is quite a bit of damage to the dining hall. Fortunately, the oh-so-hot fire chief, Lucas Carter, is willing to help and gets friends to start on the cleanup and rebuild.

Lucas is immediately drawn to Leah, but he is not looking to settle down any time soon. Leah finds him very attractive as well, but her first priority are the kids in her camp. And she has no plans on staying in this small town all year round, so geography is not their friend either.

As Leah and Lucas spend time together, they are both falling in love. It takes a lot to get them together, but it is so much fun getting to their happily ever after. I really enjoyed this romance, and I love that this author has so many books – I’ll always be able to find something to read!

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ONE SWEET SOUTHERN SUMMER by Janice Maynard. Canary Street Press; Original edition (April 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-1335523068. 368p.

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SUMMER AFTER SUMMER by Lauren Bailey

May 31, 2024

From the publisher:

A woman returns to her family’s Hamptons beach house for a final time—and a final chance at the love she’s lost before, in this contemporary retelling of Persuasion, perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Rebecca Serle.

Olivia Taylor’s marriage is in a death spiral when she agrees to come home to the Hamptons to help her father and sisters pack up the family estate. If it looks like she’s running away from her soon-to-be ex, Wes, and New York City, well, she is. But someone has to take care of things and that’s always been Olivia’s role in the family. After years of financial trouble, someone’s finally bailing them out with a huge offer to buy their beachfront property, which is a good thing, although it means losing the home she grew up in, where her mother died, and where she first met Fred, the love of her life.

It’s been five years since the last time things blew up between Olivia and Fred, but much longer since the first time. At this point, Olivia fears it was never meant to be, so there’s no reason to feel butterflies in her stomach at the idea of seeing him again. They’ve already tried, and tried again…and again…but she’s newly single, and she isn’t the same person she was the last time–and Fred has changed too.

This time, things will be different. Maybe, just maybe, the fifth time’s the charm.

“Impressive debut . . . The cutthroat world of pro tennis and the glitz of the Hamptons create a fascinating backdrop for these multilayered characters.” —Publishers Weekly

“[Readers] will rejoice when their HEA is reached.” —Booklist
https://amzn.to/3wPZa2g

I love finding new authors, and this debut novel is a winner. I grew up on Long Island, so I’m familiar with the Hamptons and that is the setting of this story. It is a seasonal resort area comprised of several towns that make up the Hamptons, and there are some people who do live there year round, although certainly a minority. It is beautiful and lush and wild in areas, and congested and quaint in others.

Olivia’s family has owned their Hamptons home and huge, beachfront property for generations. But her father has mismanaged the family fortune to the point of bankruptcy – the only way out is to sell the property. Olivia has just left her husband after catching him cheating on her, and she goes out to the family home to help her sisters clean it out for the new owner.

Turns out the new owner is Fred, the love of Olivia’s life. The summers of the title refers to their relationship, which begins and ends multiple times over multiple summers. Olivia is a professional tennis player, just a dream when she meets Fred, and nearing retirement when the house is sold. The story moves back and forth between the current day and the various summers of Olivia and Fred.

There are some interesting twists here that I never saw coming, and as their story unfolds, the book is unputdownable. The setting is bucolic, the characters are three-dimensional, and the romance unfurls beautifully. I am looking forward to more books from this new author.

5/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMER AFTER SUMMER by Lauren Bailey. Alcove Press (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-1639106554. 336p.