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VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Eloisa James

August 2, 2024

Accidental Brides, Book 1

From the publisher:

Two eccentric orphans bring together a grumpy viscount and the free-spirited heroine who steals his heart in the first novel in Eloisa James’s new Accidental Brides series, in which haughty aristocrats find themselves married to the wrong women.

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny.

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

“The first in James’s (Not That Duke) new “Accidental Bride” series takes readers on a journey to find love, with a plot that takes shape quickly, even as the dynamic cast of characters are more slowly developed and carefully crafted… James’s latest book is a must-read for fans of historical romance.” — Library Journal (starred review)

“Launching her new Regency-set Accidental Brides series, James (Not That Duke, 2023) once again displays her usual perfect sense of literary aplomb by first creating a uniquely appealing pair of protagonists (including a heroine who is not about to let not being able to read or write hold her back) and then setting them loose in a wit-infused plot enhanced by a wildly entertaining cast of secondary characters.” — Booklist

“An unusual dyslexic heroine provides depth to a solid Georgian romance.” — Kirkus Reviews
https://amzn.to/4dcNerz

It’s always a happy day when James starts a new series, and this one is set in the Georgian era. Torie can’t read or write, and not for lack of trying. She has some sort of dyslexia that her governesses tried to unsuccessfully beat out of her. What she does have is a fantastic memory, so her older sister would read to her at night and she could answer the governess the next morning. Torie’s sister is engaged to Viscount Dominic Kelbourne, but it’s been over a year and she hasn’t set a date. Now the Viscount’s sister and brother-in-law have died, so they can’t marry until the year of mourning has passed. Meanwhile, his fiancee is out galivanting with someone else and eventually elopes.

Part of the reason for her elopement is that the Viscount is now guardian to his sister’s twins, a young boy and girl, who have had little to do with their parents and consequently a very poor upbringing. On the other hand, Torie loves how unique their personalities are, and they adore her. The Viscount finds himself strongly attracted to the lush-figured Torie, the opposite of her tall, skinny, proper sister. Torie has been called a fool or worse for most of her life, including from her own father, a drunken gambler, due to her illiteracy. The Viscount is determined to have her, and due to some financial shenanigans, is able to talk her father into the match.

On the other hand, Torie isn’t so sure. She is strangely attracted to the man who is built, in her mind, like a farmer – thick and muscled. But he is known for his temper in the House of Lords, and she doesn’t want any part of that. But she does adore those children.

Torie’s passion lies in painting. Since she can’t read, it is what occupies most of her childhood and she is quite good. The Viscount doesn’t know much about art, but he knows his lust for her knows no bounds, and hers for him as well. There are some definite bumps in the road and some heat as well until they reach their happily ever after. I love Eloisa James and always learn something from her books, and this one was a terrific start to this new series. Looking forward to book 2!

Note: I hate the cover and the trend of putting obviously 21st-century men on the covers of historical romances, especially when they don’t match the descriptions in the book. I must be alone in this as it has been happening for a while now.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Eloisa James. Avon (July 23, 2024). ISBN: 978-0063347410. 384p.

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BARELY EVEN FRIENDS by Mae Bennett

August 2, 2024

From the publisher:

A grumpy, rich recluse meets his match in this steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling—with a Succession twist. Fans of fairy tale adaptations, and readers of Julie Murphy and Falon Ballard, will adore Mae Bennett’s debut romance.

Bellamy Price has just been offered the job of a lifetime: lead contractor on the restoration of the mysterious and sprawling Killington Estate. If she meets the owner’s ridiculous timeline, she’ll finally make a name for herself in this male-dominated industry. But when she rolls up her sleeves, slips on her suspenders, and shows up at the crumbling mansion, Bellamy finds the estate very much occupied.

After a traumatic car accident that left his parents dead and himself injured, Oliver Killington, heir to the Killington empire, took up residence as the grumpy caretaker of his grandfather’s mansion. None too pleased by the presence of the hammer-wielding woman who’s moved into his house, Oliver tries to block her at every turn.

But when Bellamy discovers Oliver’s facing his own ultimatum from his grandfather, the two form a cautious truce, which leads to flying sparks that are definitely not from faulty wiring. As Bellamy restores the gleam to the Killington Estate, she’ll have to decide if the walls she’s built around herself are worth knocking down to make space for someone else.

Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey, this clever, steamy debut novel will have readers rooting for this Beauty and her Beast until the very last page.

https://amzn.to/3WbLfMI

Bellamy has been working for her father in his contracting business for years, and now she finally has a job of her own – and it’s a big one. As lead contractor, she has been hired to restore an old historic home that could make her career. The budget is good, but the timeline is tight, and things get more complicated when she arrives on-site to find the owner is still living in the home and has no plans to leave.

Loosely based on “Beauty and the Beast,” Oliver is definitely the beast, roaring at Bellamy to keep out of his rooms. Determined to get this job done on time and within the budget, Bellamy has no choice but to put up with Oliver and hope for the best. Oliver is the survivor of a tragic accident that took his parents ten years earlier, and he is barely surviving at that. He’s become a recluse, but Bellamy and her crew bring life back to the estate.

The tight timeline ends with a glamorous affair, revealing the restored home so Bellamy is under a lot of pressure. This job can make or break her career, and she is not letting Oliver stand in her way. The longer she works, the more they get to know one another but things don’t start changing for a while. Eventually, Oliver is impressed with the work she is doing and lets her into his rooms. They go from enemies to almost friends with a touch of sexual tension, that really ratchets up towards their happy ending.

This book is being publicized as a debut novel, but I’ve been burned so many times by that assertion I am merely mentioning it here because who knows for sure. It was an enjoyable read, although a bit slow at times as the relationship between Bellamy and Oliver builds. I will definitely look at whatever comes next from Mae Bennett.

8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BARELY EVEN FRIENDS by Mae Bennett. Alcove Press (June 4, 2024). ISBN:‎ 978-1639107797. 336p.

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THE EX VOWS by Jessica Joyce

July 19, 2024

From the publisher:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scroll down to read an excerpt!

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

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

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

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

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

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

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Excerpt:

This wedding is cursed

“Not again,” I mutter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Great sign.”

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

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

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

Not that I believe in curses at all.

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

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

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

Adam’s texts tumble over one another:

Georgia

Our fucking DJ

BROKE THEIR HIP

LINE DANCING AT A BACHELORETTE PARTY

IN NASHVILLE

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

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

That was rhetorical, Woodward, DON’T

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

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

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

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

For now, anyway.

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

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THE MISTRESS EXPERIENCE by Scarlett Peckham

July 12, 2024

Society of Sirens, Book III

From the publisher:

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

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

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

But the winner is not who he seems.

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

And love is never for sale.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

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

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RESORTING TO ROMANCE by Jennifer Shirk

July 5, 2024

From the Publisher:

Love checks in―even if it’s an unwelcome guest―in this delightful smalltown romance from USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Shirk…

It was supposed to be L.A. attorney Loni Wingate’s perfect day. Instead, she got only chaos and heartbreak. Her fiancé stole her promotion and ended their engagement, leaving her career and her future dangling by a thread. Then when Loni tries to go to her safe place, her family’s quaint North Carolina resort, she finds it’s up for sale.

But Loni didn’t get to where she is without a fight. So if a developer is coming by to assess the property, the place she feels most connected to her long-gone Mama…well, Loni and her sisters will serve up a taste of Southern hospitality he’ll never forget.

Ian Hollowell hasn’t experienced “Southern hospitality” firsthand, but he’s pretty sure this is not it. Between the storage room accommodation, the all-sugar sweet tea, and a lethally hot pepper omelet, he’s getting the sense his welcome is anything but. Still, he didn’t get his ruthless reputation by quitting when the game gets interesting.

And Loni is one adversary Ian can’t resist… especially when family revelations start pushing Loni to question her loyalties.

Now a round of “keep your enemies close” might be flipped on its head in bestselling author Jennifer Shirk’s sparkling and stirring story about reconsidering the past in order to shape the future. Because sometimes it takes one last resort to find the place―and people―that truly feel like home.

https://amzn.to/4eLmNKK

I liked the premise of this story about a family owned resort being put up for sale by the family patriarch. There are three sisters whose mother died several years earlier, and now their father is engaged to be married and none of them have met their step-mother-to-be. And to make things even worse, the sisters are convinced he wants to sell their beloved resort to pay for his wedding, for some reason. There is some confusion about everything that is happening in this book, but it all plays out with good results in the end.

The story focuses on Loni, the middle daughter, who is the only one who left the resort. She became an attorney and is up for partner at her Los Angeles law firm. She is engaged as well, so life is looking good for her. But when she heads into the partnership meeting, it does not go as she was expecting. She is accused of emailing a client a half finished contract, making the firm look incompetent. She doesn’t remember sending it, but has been working so many hours she thinks that maybe she did. This plot point really irked me – would a bright attorney not even look into the allegation? Check her email? See when it was sent? To make matters even worse, her finance is offered the partnership, and he dumps her. Loni goes home to North Carolina to help her sisters with the resort and see what is happening with the possible sale.

Ian is known as “the predator” for both his business dealings and I think for the way he treats women. As his business partner points out, he has never passed seven dates with any woman. He has been befriended by the girls father, who asks him to take a look at the resort and see if he would want to buy it. Ian arrives and the girls basically torture him with horrible food, drink, and accommodations. But Ian is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy, and he is able to keep his eye on the prize. Until he meets Loni.

Lots of family issues need to be resolved here. Ian and Loni form an uneasy relationship based on mistrust, but this is a romance so something has to work out. I obviously had some issues with some of the plotlines here, but I liked the characters enough to stick with it until the happy ending. There were some laughs along the way, which always helps, and some real emotional drama. In the end, I did enjoy this story.

7/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RESORTING TO ROMANCE by Jennifer Shirk. Entangled: Amara (July 2, 2024). ISBN: 978-1649376503. 352p.

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THE SUMMER SWAP by Sarah Morgan

June 28, 2024

From the Publisher:

From the author of The Book Club Hotel, a widow’s plan to spend the summer in Cape Cod is upended by an unexpected guest and a secret that could change everything… Perfect for fans of Rebecca Serle and Jennifer Weiner.

Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her seventy-fifth birthday party to return to the remote Cape Cod cottage—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron. But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one.

After dropping out of medical school, aspiring artist Lily is cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, Dune Cottage seems the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites.

Then Todd, Cecilia’s grandson—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship. Will Lily find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

https://amzn.to/3VZaZNs

I’ve read most of Sarah Morgan’s books and she is a reliably good storyteller. This is a story about an unlikely friendship and romance.

Lily had a crush on her friend’s brother, Todd, and they even kissed once. She never forgot that kiss and no man has lived up her expectations since. Unbeknownst to Lily, Todd was also a fan of that kiss. They haven’t seen each other in a very long time though.

Lily was enrolled in medical school before dropping out and disappointing her parents. Her guilt leads her to run far away, and she ends up on Cape Cod, earning money by taking care of the beautiful summer homes that have absent owners. One of them is Dune Cottage, and she has no idea whose home it is. No one has visited in many, many years so Lily decides to crash there. Island living is very expensive and she cannot afford to pay seasonal, ridiculously high rents. She has a key, she takes care of the place, so it doesn’t feel entirely wrong. Until someone shows up.

An elderly woman, Cecilia, is the unlikely visitor. It turns out that Lily has met her before – she is friends with her granddaughter and has that huge crush on her grandson, Todd. Cecelia is sharp as a tack and she quickly realizes that Lily has been living in the home, and she intuitively understands why. When Lily confesses she dropped out of medical school and wants to be an artist, Cecelia is intrigued. Cecelia’s husband was a world famous artist, and at one time, Cecelia wanted to be an artist, too, but her husband’s success planted her squarely in the muse/helper role.

Cecelia has some secrets, and when her favorite grandson shows up, she eventually shares some of them with him. Meanwhile, Todd and Lily are spending time together, and Cecelia is trying to help Lily with her painting career. Lots of intrigue and surprises make this a compelling read, and the romance is a nice cherry on top. I loved it.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE SUMMER SWAP by Sarah Morgan. Canary Street Press; Original edition (May 7, 2024). ISBN: 978-1335474940. 336p.

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NOT IN LOVE by Ali Hazelwood

June 28, 2024

From the Publisher:

An Indie Next and a Hall of Fame LibraryReads Pick!

A forbidden, secret affair proves that all’s fair in love and science—from New York Times bestselling author Ali Hazelwood.

Rue Siebert might not have it all, but she has enough: a few friends she can always count on, the financial stability she yearned for as a kid, and a successful career as a biotech engineer at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. Her world is stable, pleasant, and hard-fought. Until a hostile takeover and its offensively attractive front man threatens to bring it all crumbling down.

Eli Killgore and his business partners want Kline, period. Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through—and he’s a man who gets what he wants. With one burning exception: Rue. The woman he can’t stop thinking about. The woman who’s off-limits to him.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline: the day one of their companies will prevail. But the heart is risky business—one that plays for keeps.

“The chemistry leaps off the page and Eli’s intelligence and thoughtfulness toward Rue will have readers swooning. Crafting a relationship that is both raunchy and emotionally nuanced, this is Hazelwood at her best.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Hazelwood fills the plot with tension and stress and employs a dual point-of-view that allows intimate access to both Rue and Eli’s roller-coasting emotions. It is less quirky-charming than some of her past work but showcases much of what her readers love.”–Library Journal

“The politics of scientific and engineering development along with the rewards and piracy of intellectual property provide a fascinating backdrop for Hazelwood’s latest smart and sexy page-turner. The queen of STEMinist rom-coms is at the top of her game.”–Booklist

I’ve read many of Hazelwood’s romances and they are all excellent, including her latest. Rue has some issues but she is a brilliant scientist working on new technology to prolong the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. Her boss is a woman she admires greatly, and her best and only friend works there as well. She doesn’t do relationships, but she is on a hook-up app, and her primary rule is one and done. Until she meets Eli.

Eli rescues her from unwanted attention in a bar, and Rue thinks that will be the end of it. Except the next day at work, she meets him again, along with the co-founders of a company that buys up startups not to sell off the parts, but to bring tech to market better and faster. Nonetheless, Rue’s boss is very upset about the possibility of a hostile takeover and starts looking for ways around it.

Meanwhile, Rue and Eli are spending time together in her lab, and she is surprised to find that he is as good in the lab as he is everywhere else. A relationship starts building, but Rue is torn between loyalty to her boss and the undeniable attraction she feels for Eli.

Things get pretty complicated as the various factions start revealing their truths, but I’m happy to say that, much to Rue’s shock, she and Eli reach their happily ever after. This was a fun read (and trust me, I am no science nerd!) but even I could understand all the implications and motivations happening here. The characters are well-defined, even the secondary ones, the sex is hot, hot, hot, and the plot moves along at breakneck speed. I loved it!

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

NOT IN LOVE by Ali Hazelwood. Berkley (June 11, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593641040. 400p.

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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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SUMMER AT MOUNT JOY by Ophelia London

June 21, 2024

From the publisher:

She’s determined to save her family’s ranch—but there’s a cowboy hitch in her plans…in this engagingly endearing romance from USA Today bestselling author Ophelia London…

In a family made almost entirely of successful overachievers, Roxy Elliott is the odd woman out. Yet she’s determined to save her family’s old, run-down ranch from being sold and razed to the ground and, in the process, to prove that she has more heart—and ambition—than her family expected. The only problem? In a town as small as Mount Joy, there’s just one guy who can help her with the ranch’s transformation…and he’s a complete pain in her backside.

Had he known firecracker Roxy Elliott would be his new boss, ex-soldier-turned-cowboy Josh Manning definitely would have taken a hard pass on the town’s new job. He has his own memories from the last time they were together, and he’s not about to let her off the hook a second time. But Josh will do anything to save his family home from foreclosure, even sell his soul to the last woman he ever would have wanted to be partners with. But Roxy Elliott might just surprise him yet…

At first, nothing goes according to plan. The pipes are all rusted, the hideous wallpaper is impossible to remove, and the front porch is one rotten board away from swallowing someone whole. Now the dude ranch is showing some serious potential for not only transforming the community, but both their lives, as well. But while Roxy Elliott is still the loveliest thing to ever cross paths with a grump like Josh, summer romances never last forever…and history has a tendency to repeat itself.
https://amzn.to/3XrXt5U

This author was new to me, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a sweet, second chance, small-town romance with a hot cowboy and the richest girl in town.

Roxy and Josh were in high school together; in fact, he asked her to the homecoming dance. But the night of the dance, something happened that caused him to leave before knocking on the door, and her to assume she’d been stood up. They never spoke to one another again.

Roxy is the youngest member of a large family; she has four older, successful brothers and her father owns an enormous company. Everything Roxy has tried she’s either failed at or given up, so when she asks to renovate the family’s ranch instead of her brother plowing it under to create a parking lot, her father reluctantly agrees. She’s on a tight budget and a tight timeline, and the first thing she does is hire a foreman to oversee the renovations.

Normally, I’m fine with suspending my disbelief but the fact that she hires Josh and doesn’t recognize his name was just a step too far for me. Yes, he had a nickname, but they went through years of school together, there was no way she never heard his real name. Teachers taking attendance?? So I sighed and moved on.

They both have the wrong idea about what happened back in high school, but Roxy needs someone and he was her only applicant. His family farm is on the verge of bankruptcy, and he needs the paycheck to pay off the lien against the property. They both put their differences aside and find out they work really well together.

The project takes on a life of its own, growing and changing as do these characters. Josh has a lot of baggage; PTSD from his army stint in Afghanistan, aggravated by bull riding in rodeos, both of which push him into drinking and drugs. It’s taken a long while to get his act together, but he has and this ranch is the better for it. Roxy and Josh still have strong feelings for one another, and they keep tamping them down to work together without any added drama. Roxy has a string of bad boyfriends behind her, and she is not looking for more trouble this close to home.

Eventually, they have a major conflict over the renovation, and a huge blowout. Josh disappears for days, and Roxy finally realizes that she is in love with him. They reach their happily ever after, and it was an entertaining read to get there.

6/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMER AT MOUNT JOY by Ophelia London. Entangled: Amara (June 10, 2024). ASIN‏ : ‎B0CJ82488P. 337p.

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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.