Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

From the publisher:

A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this small-town love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.

Adalyn Reyes has spent years perfecting her daily routine: wake up at dawn, drive to the Miami Flames FC offices, try her hardest to leave a mark, go home, and repeat.

But her routine is disrupted when a video of her in an altercation with the team’s mascot goes viral. Rather than fire her, the team’s owner—who happens to be her father—sends Adalyn to middle-of-nowhere North Carolina, where she’s tasked with turning around the struggling local soccer team, the Green Warriors, as a way to redeem herself. Her plans crumble upon discovering that the players wear tutus to practice (impractical), keep pet goats (messy), and are terrified of Adalyn (counterproductive), and are nine-year-old kids.

To make things worse, also in town is Cameron Caldani, goalkeeping prodigy whose presence is somewhat of a mystery. Cam is the perfect candidate to help Adalyn, but after one very unfortunate first encounter involving a rooster, Cam’s leg, and Adalyn’s bumper, he’s also set on running her out of town. But banishment is not an option for Adalyn. Not again. Helping this ragtag children’s team is her road to redemption, and she is playing the long game. With or without Cam’s help.

https://amzn.to/466pe54

This book was a….long read. It took me days to get through it. I liked it enough to stick with it, but it was definitely slow going. This was my first read from this author.

The characters were well-developed, but their chemistry was unexplored for most of the book. I just felt like I was waiting for something to happen.

The best parts of the book were the kids and the animals. The setting was a small town in North Carolina, and one of the running gags was that Adalyn insisted on wearing her Florida clothes and heels, despite the dropping temperatures of late fall.

Both main characters had interesting backstories, but again, it took too long to piece it all out. Maybe it was me? If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear from you!

9/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE LONG GAME by Elena Armas. Atria Books (September 5, 2023). ISBN:  978-1668011300. 384p.

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From the publisher:

USA Today Bestseller!
One of Amazon’s Best Romances of August!

She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn’t on it—yet somehow he’s become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that’s always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it’s ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it’s a fun place to work, even if “fun” isn’t exactly Lauren’s middle name. 

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World—whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn’t know how to enjoy herself, he’s surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn’t serious about anything, she’s surprised by how seriously he seems to take her. 

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

“With this swoony enemies-to-lovers rom-com, Thompson gets in well ahead of the annual slew of Christmas romances, taking readers to Florida’s Cold World amusement park, where the winter holidays are celebrated year-round….This will have readers dreaming of sugarplums at any time of year.”—Publishers Weekly

https://amzn.to/3YJKCe3

Since I live in Florida, I am quite familiar with all the theme parks that abound here. And while there isn’t a “Cold World,” there is ICE! at the Gaylord Palms Hotel. It is not year-round, but rather a holiday event that is very popular with tourists and locals alike. My family visited several years ago, and I get the appeal for sure. They do a beautiful job, and to be honest, it seems lightyears better than Cold World, but that is at the heart of this story. (There is also an Icebar in Orlando, but I haven’t been, and it is open year-round.)

Cold World is in trouble. The owner has kept it going for many years, but she really needs an infusion of cash to keep it going. To that end, she asks her son, vice president in name only, her long-time employee Asa, and her bookkeeper, Lauren, who’s been there for just a few years to try and come up with some ideas about ways to increase the business.

While Lauren has a bit of a crush on the good looking VP, her and Asa have been butting heads since she started work there. He teases her endlessly, and she tries to ignore him and most of her co-workers; she’s a head down, all work and no play kind of girl, while Asa is her extreme opposite. While Lauren jumps at the chance to spend time with VP, she blows off Asa, until the night they get accidentally locked in to Cold World.

Asa is bisexual and open about it, and Lauren isn’t quite sure what to think about that. But as they get to really know one another, their differences seem to fall away. They both have had difficulties in their past and have learned to deal with it in very different ways, but together they are stronger and can more easily deal with their pasts.

These characters were complex individuals, and I really wanted both of them to find their happily ever after. This was a fun read and surprisingly fast for a 400-page book! If you like the opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers themes in your romance, then this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

WITH LOVE, FROM COLD WORLD by Alicia Thompson. Berkley (August 1, 2023). ISBN: 978-0593438671. 400p.

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From the publisher:

“Look, you’re a nice girl but I don’t think we should see each other anymore.” The voicemail ends and I freeze in the dentist’s chair as I realize… I’ve just been dumped on live radio.

It took the most humiliating break-up for me to see that my life is in serious need of a do-over. Cue my anti New Year’s resolutions that even I can’t fail at:

1. Stop dating. (Men are the worst.)
2. Stop trying to lose weight. (I’m never giving up chocolate.)
3. Stop working so hard. (Selling mortgages is not my dream career.)
4. Stop trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. (Start living my best life.)
5. Stop trying to please my mother. (It’s not possible.)

But it turns out number five is harder than I thought, as she begins her campaign to get me back with my ex. So, what’s the perfect solution to keep her out of my love life? An imaginary boyfriend—at least he was supposed to be imaginary until I blurted out my neighbor’s name…

Nate, the bad boy next door with gorgeous hazel eyes, a razor-sharp jawline and a mysterious scar, might be hot, but he’s definitely not my boyfriend. Now all I need to do is stick to my resolutions while also keeping my interfering family away from my non-existent lover who has no idea that we’re fake dating. What could possibly go wrong?

A completely addictive, feel-good rom-com perfect for fans of TikTok sensations The Love Hypothesis, The Unhoneymooners, and Sarah Adams. An absolutely hilarious page-turner for anyone who feels they need to start living life to the fullest.

https://amzn.to/3rNhSow

I read Peterson’s second book, The Fake Out, and loved it so I hunted this one down. It is available on Kindle Unlimited so I grabbed it!

Perci, like a lot of young women, has many insecurities which are being fed by her well-meaning mother. She works for her father, her boyfriend is her boss and her dad’s favorite employee, and her mother constantly points out everything wrong with her, and as an added bonus, tells her where to get her hair done, picks out her clothes, and, well, you get the idea. But Perci isn’t happy. Especially when her boyfriend, the one her mother was convinced was about to propose, instead dumps her on a live radio talk show.

Her best friend, Mathias, is always there to help pick up the pieces, and he’s her strongest cheerleader. He makes a list of resolutions for her, and they hang it on her fridge, but it’s not easy for a people pleaser like Perci to stand up to anyone, much less her mother. But nonetheless, having that list in plain sight gives her a certain amount of courage as she works to change herself into someone she truly wants to be.

Nate is the hottie that lives next door, and in a moment of panic, Perci lies and says he’s her new boyfriend. Much to her surprise, when she admits to him what she did, he agrees to play the part for her family. While Perci thinks he is just being nice and couldn’t possibly be truly interested in her, we all know what happens when you fake date someone!

Perci’s grandmother, Mimi, loves her for herself and constantly shares her “mimi-isms;” adulterated sayings we all know. She adds some comic relief to the story and is another cheerleader for Perci. I loved watching Perci grow and learn to assert herself. While this is definitely a romance, it is also about learning to love yourself, which really got me invested in these characters. This was a fun read, and I’m sorry it took me so long to get to it! Sharon M. Peterson is a new author to watch for me, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DO-OVER by Sharon M. Peterson. Bookouture (July 27, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1803146386. 328p.

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The Sunrise Cove Series, Book 3

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Sunrise Cove with a heartwarming tale of three people who are brought together when they’re bequeathed an old Wild West inn that has the potential to pull their lives apart, but instead turns into the gift of a lifetime.

When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home—and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history—and secrets— causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace—rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for—acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love.

https://amzn.to/3QzbrzO

This is the third book of the series, but there are no cross-over characters, so it easily stands alone. In fact, I read the fourth book before this one – no harm, no foul.

Eleanor was a retired actress when she passed away. She left her famous Wild West inn in the small town of Sunrise Cove on Lake Tahoe to three young people she cared about. Only Lauren was related, but they were estranged even though Lauren was the only one who stayed in town (as a librarian!) Alice pretty much grew up at the inn, and she and Lauren were best friends, but that was a long time ago before she lost her brother and moved away. Knox had a troubled childhood, and Eleanor took him under her wing. Alice had a huge crush on Knox, but it went unrequited. The three of them haven’t seen one another in years, but this bequest came with strings attached; they have to agree to work together to restore the dilapidated inn or lose out on their inheritance.

Knox and Alice both feel the chemistry between them, and Lauren finds herself interested in a newcomer to town, a single dad with a precocious daughter. But the romances almost take a back seat to the three becoming friends again. It takes time and a lot of hard work, both physically and emotionally, to get to their happy endings. It was a joy to go along for the ride!

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BACKUP PLAN by Jill Shalvis. Avon (January 17, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-0063095557. 384p.

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From the publisher:

In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.

When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.

It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.  

When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?

“Newton skillfully combines pathos and humor in a first-rate small-town romance. … Newton handles heavy topics—including PTSD, death, and grief—with grace, and readers will be utterly sucked in by her lovable and believably flawed leads. This deeply felt love story proves irresistible.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Hilarity and heartwarming moments… a charming, candid romance.”―Kirkus

“Big on tenderness, and readers looking for depth and substance in their romance will find much to delight in here. Highly recommended.”―Library Journal, starred review

https://amzn.to/3rNhSow

This is the third book of an unnamed series (which I found odd) and I didn’t know that. I didn’t read the first two books but I will hunt them down! I really loved this story and these characters.

Ryker Matthews is a former Marine who lost part of his leg and suffers from PTSD. He meets the completely overwhelmed Bryce in the supermarket. After her brother and sister-in-law perished in an accident, Bryce had to quit her sous chef job at a prestigious restaurant to move to this small town and care for her nieces – all three of them. Talk about going from the frying pan into the fire!

Bryce is barely holding it together between working full-time at a bakery and taking care of the kids, all of whom are still grieving. She doesn’t have time for romance, yet something about Ryker and his steadfastness and kindness really draws her in. Ryker hasn’t felt comfortable with anyone until he meets Bryce; something about her honesty and empathy draws him in – not to mention their physical attraction to one another!

I loved all these characters with their baggage and their insecurities and how raw and real they felt, even the kids. This is a terrific small-town romance with a lot of laughs despite all the tragedy. Highly recommend.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CHANGE OF PLANS by Dylan Newton. Forever (August 1, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1538703724. 368p.

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Paws in the City, Book 3

From the publisher:

Can you ever really forget the one who got away?

August Merriweather has always been good with animals. In fact, she’s known as Manhattan’s Dog Whisperer. Men, on the other hand? Not so much. She’s been falling for the wrong guys ever since her regrettable crush on Keaton Sax, older brother of her best friend, Leah, and the biggest jerkface this side of the Hudson.

Now an emotionally closed off widower, Keaton has become one of the most formidable men on Wall Street, but August knows his secret. He’s not driven by sales targets and bonus checks—Keaton just wants to give his family the security they never had. So when Leah asks Keaton to wrangle her over-the-top, dramatic husky at a weekend talent competition, Keaton says yes…and begs August to help him win the event for Leah.

Between obstacle courses, Molly’s husky temper tantrums and a cabin with just one bed, August is having a blast. Away from the pressure to have a “perfect life” with the “right guy,” she finds herself relaxing and getting to see the softer side of the man she once loved. Is this just a temporary truce? Or could Keaton finally be the right guy at the right time?

https://amzn.to/3q27I2P

August has had a crush on her best friend Leah’s older brother Keaton since high school. But the one time he kissed her, she bolted and lived to regret it – he married someone else a short time later. Now he’s a widower and has closed himself off from love, other than for his family. Leah has Multiple Sclerosis, and he is always there to help her out. So when she has a relapse just before an important event, she asks him to fill in for her.

Leah has entered her dog Molly into a social media contest. There is no way she will be able to drive upstate for a few hours, then show off her dog for the next three days. Keaton just can’t say no to her, despite how much he and Molly don’t get along. He gets inspired to beg her best friend August, dog groomer to the stars in New York City, to help him out, and she can’t say no either. So off they go to the contest.

By the time they get there, there is only one cabin with one bed still available. Forced proximity, anyone? Leah has been trying to set them up together on several occasions, without much luck. They quickly figure out that Leah never reserved a second cabin for them. These two are so competitive that they deal with it like a contest, only neither is sure what winning will look like. But we know!

It looks like this may be the last book of the series, and it was so much fun to read. I’m looking forward to whatever London does next!

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CONFESSIONS OF A CANINE DRAMA QUEEN by Stefanie London. Canary Street Press; Original edition (August 1, 2023). ISBN:‎ 978-1335498212. 320p.

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Paws in the City, Book 2

From the publisher:

The perfect romcom for dog lovers! Pets of Park Avenue is the story of a self-confessed hot mess who learns that life is more fun when things don’t go according to plan.

What do you do when The One is also the one who broke your heart?

Self-proclaimed hot mess Scout Myers is determined to prove she’s finally got her act together. Raised by grandparents who saw her as her wayward mother’s wayward daughter, Scout’s used to being written off. So when the opportunity for a promotion arises at Paws in the City, the talent agency where she works, Scout is desperate to rise to the occasion. With shared custody of her little sister also on the line, Scout can’t afford a single mistake…like suddenly needing a canine stand-in for an important photoshoot. Luckily (or not) she knows the owner of the perfect pup replacement: the estranged husband she walked out on years ago.

On the surface, it appears Lane Halliday’s life has been blissfully drama free without Scout, but she suspects her handsome-as-ever not-quite-ex-husband doth protest too much. Working together even feels like old times—except for all that lingering, unresolved tension. But Scout’s not sure she’s ready to confront the reasons she left Lane, and when their plans to finalize the divorce become very real, Scout starts to wonder whether second chances might be worth a little hot mess.

“London pairs…satisfying romance with a deep dive into dysfunctional family dynamics, the corrosive power of secrets, and the importance of communication. This is sure to win hearts.” —Publishers Weekly 

https://amzn.to/453T1eb

This is such a fun series! You can tell from the title of the series, Paws in the City, that this will especially appeal to readers who love animals. In this second book of the series, the focus is on Scout, the best friend and employee of Isla, who was featured in the first book. Isla has opened her own social media company for pets, and Scout is her only employee.

Scout has a terrible work history; losing so many jobs has fed into her low self-esteem. But Isla is more than willing to give her a chance and Scout is determined to do the best job possible. When she has to step in for Isla at the last minute, everything that can go wrong does, and Scout feels awful. She is determined to make it up to Isla and she knows exactly how to do that.

After accidentally dying the fur on their biggest doggie star hot pink, Scout quickly realizes that her husband’s dog is a dead ringer for the now pink one. The only drawback? Scout snuck out in the middle of the night just one month after getting married – five years earlier. She hasn’t had any contact with her husband, Lane, since, and neither one has bothered filing for divorce. They are both brokenhearted, but this may be a chance for them to get closure.

Lane agrees to help Scout out by subbing in his dog for the up-and-coming star. Turns out there are several events scheduled, and before you know it, they are spending a lot of time together, revisiting their past and possibly creating a future. But Scout has other problems she is dealing with; the grandparents that raised her and threw her out of the house when she turned 18 now have custody of her much younger half-sister, and they severely limit the time the sisters can spend together. Scout is afraid that if she doesn’t do exactly as she thinks they want, she’ll lose all visitation rights. This is a pretty serious hurdle to get over, but the happy ending is worth it all.

8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PETS OF PARK AVENUE by Stefanie London. HQN; Original edition (December 6, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335498199. 336p.

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Paws in the City, Book 1

From the publisher:

How do you start over when the biggest mistake of your life has more than one million views?

Forget diamonds—the internet is forever. Social media consultant Isla Thompson learned that lesson the hard way when she went viral for all the wrong reasons. A month later, Isla is still having nightmares about the moment she ruined a young starlet’s career and made herself the most unemployable influencer in Manhattan. But she doesn’t have the luxury of hiding until she’s no longer Instagram poison. Not when her fourteen-year-old sister, Dani, needs Isla to keep a roof over their heads. So, she takes the first job she can get: caring for Camilla, a glossy-maned, foul-tempered hellhound.

After a week of ferrying Camilla from playdates to pet psychics, Isla starts to suspect that the dachshund’s bark is worse than her bite—just like her owner, Theo Garrison. Isla has spent her career working to make people likable and here’s Theo—happy to hide behind his reputation as a brutish recluse. But Theo isn’t a brute—he’s sweet and funny, and Isla should not see him as anything but the man who signs her paychecks. Because loving Theo would mean retreating to his world of secluded luxury, and Isla needs to show Dani that no matter the risk, dreams are always worth chasing.

“London’s characters leap off the page… It’s a delightful start to a series that promises to be good fun.”—Publishers Weekly

https://amzn.to/3XWGFlN

Stefanie London is on my must read list – this rom-com is a prime example of why. Camilla is a long-haired dachshund with a serious attitude. Her owner was a famous, wealthy New Yorker who has passed away, leaving her beloved Camilla to the grandson she raised and loved – but neglected to tell him. Camilla is none too fond of Theo, to say the least, and her behavior has gone from bad to worse in her grief. Theo is a famous New York City recluse who has no patience for, well, much of anything. He likes his hermit status and has no plans of changing it.

After losing so many dog walkers that the agency refuses to help him anymore, he dons a disguise – hat, sunglasses – and takes Camilla on a walk through Central Park. There he runs into Isla and her sister. Isla was a professional social media influencer, or rather she worked for a management company that helps influencers raise their standing and their income. When she accidentally broadcasts her latest client, an underage Disney princess, drinking champagne, voicing some terribly un-Disney-like words with the grand finale of vomiting all over herself, that video goes viral, and Isla is fired.

Theo is amazed that Camilla goes right up to Isla and seems to like her – the dog likes no one, unless she is biting them. He offers Isla the dogsitting job on the spot. Desperate for some income, she jumps on the opportunity to restock her coffers while figuring out her next step.

There is something about Isla that gets under Theo’s defenses and he finds himself incredibly drawn to her. They both realize it isn’t the greatest idea, the power imbalance alone is a huge hurdle. But they can’t stop their feelings and they take things to the next level.

Meanwhile, slightly bored with her dogsitting job, Isla starts taking pictures of Camilla – not anything where she or Theo could be identified, and creates a social media account for the dog she calls “C” online. She is amusing herself and a few others, that is until the number of followers starts climbing and climbing. Inspired by her success, Isla sees this as the opportunity she has been looking for. She will start her own influencer marketing company for animals. Then she can quit dogsitting for her boss/lover and their relationship can move forward.

Of course, nothing goes quite the way Isla was hoping. Theo finds out about the social media account before she can tell him what she’s been doing, and he feels completely betrayed. The happy ending seems to be completely out of reach, but nonetheless Theo and Isla get their happily ever after. And we get a whole lot of laughs along the way. Looking forward to the next book in the series, Pets of Park Avenue, which I found through my library. I have the third book, Confessions of a Canine Drama Queen, ready to go – it comes out August 1.

7/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DACHSHUND WEARS PRADA by Stefanie London. HQN; Original edition (May 3, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1335639837. 336p.

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