THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT by Farrah Rochon

July 8, 2020

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From the publisher:

A witty rom-com that explores the “unique joys of strong female friendships and the particular struggles of Black women in the workplace, all within a great love story.” —Jasmine Guillory, bestselling author of Party of Two
 
Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other “girlfriends,” London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men and no dating.
For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?
*O, The Oprah Magazine: Must-Read Black Romance Novels
*Cosmopolitan: Best Summer Reads 2020
*Book of the Month selection
*LibraryReads selection
*Buzzfeed: Romances to Read This Summer
*PopSugar: Best New Books
*Bookpage: Most Anticipated Romance of 2020
*SheReads: Most Anticipated Reads of Summer 2020

Whenever I see a book get this much positive attention, I expect a lot. Understandably so. I am so happy to report that The Boyfriend Project lived up to my expectations!

Samiah is a Black woman at the top of the tech pyramid, and trust me, she had no easy climb. As I have repeatedly heard, it is a tough battle for any woman to get into the tech industry, even harder to move up to a position of authority, and almost impossibly difficult when that woman is Black. But Samiah doesn’t complain, she just has confidence in her own abilities and pushes on.

But this brilliant woman is somehow fooled into dating a man who is dating other women as well. He uses different names, but he has his regular date night restaurants. Samiah’s sister tells her to jump on Twitter, some woman is live-Tweeting a bad date right in her neighborhood. As Samiah watches in real-time, she quickly realizes this is the same jerk she’s been seeing.

Samiah shows up at the restaurant, along with another woman in the same situation. Naturally, a video is immediately uploaded and goes viral. Who wouldn’t want to watch three women turn on a sleazy guy?

The three women decide to get together and quickly become friends. They decide to spend the next six months working on bettering themselves, and not spending any of their valuable time on men.

When Samiah goes back to work, all of her co-workers have seen the video but she just puts her head down and gets back to work, despite being the highlight of office gossip. There is a new guy starting there, Daniel Collins, and he is adorable. And when he approaches Samiah with compassion about the incident, she is very much taken with him. Working together, they become friends and then more. But what Samiah doesn’t know is that Daniel is not who she thinks he is. He knows he should not be getting involved, but when you fall so hard for someone it’s difficult for logic to enter into the relationship.

Of course, everything blows up when Samiah realizes that Daniel has been lying to her. But no worries, this is a romance so a happy ending is in store.

This was one of the best romances I’ve read in a while. I loved how smart the characters were and how real they felt to me. I was totally invested in their story and was sorry to turn the last page. Don’t miss it!

7/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT by Farrah Rochon. Forever; 1 edition (June 9, 2020). ISBN 978-1538716625. 356 pages.

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THE SUMMER DEAL by Jill Shalvis

July 5, 2020

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From the publisher:

From New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis comes a friends-to-frenemies-to-lovers story… Add in a few secrets. Shake. Stir. Then read on a lazy summer day at the beach…

Brynn Turner desperately wishes she had it together, but her personal life is like a ping-pong match that’s left her scared and hurt after so many attempts to get it right. In search of a place to lick her wounds and get a fresh start, she heads back home to Wildstone.

And then there’s Kinsey Davis, who after battling serious health issues her entire twenty-nine years of life, is tired of hoping for . . . well, anything. She’s fierce, tough, and she’s keeping more than one bombshell of a secret from Brynn — her long-time frenemy.

But then Brynn runs into Kinsey’s best friend, Eli, renewing her childhood crush. The good news: he’s still easy-going and funny and sexy as hell. The bad news: when he gets her to agree to a summer-time deal to trust him to do right by her, no matter what, she never dreams it’ll result in finding a piece of herself she didn’t even know was missing. She could have real connections, possibly love, and a future—if she can only learn to let go of the past.

As the long days of summer wind down, the three of them must discover if forgiveness is enough to grasp the unconditional love that’s right in front of them.

Jill Shalvis is one of my go-to authors; she is prolific, creates interesting, well-defined, realistic characters, and just tells a good story, whether it’s a romance or women’s fiction. I have enjoyed every one of her books that I’ve read, and there have been a lot. This one is no exception.

Brynn, Eli, and Kasey go back a long way, to summer camp. Kasey was the mean girl, Eli was a sweet boy, and Brynn, well, Brynn always felt like the odd man out. When Brynn and Eli run into each other, it seems like it was meant to be. He has a room to rent, and she needs to move out from her family home and exert a little independence. But her income is sketchy, so Eli’s offer works. Until she finds out that one of her other roommates is Kasey.

These three dance around their history and try to resolve some major issues, but it takes most of the book to get there, but it’s such a fun journey. Eli and Kasey have a brother/sister type relationship, but what Eli feels for Brynn is not brotherly in the least. They have a lot of hurdles to get through before they can reach their happy ending.

This was a terrific read, perfect for summer. Enjoy!

7/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE SUMMER DEAL by Jill Shalvis. William Morrow Paperbacks (June 2, 2020). ISBN 978-0062897916. 384 pages.

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28 SUMMERS by Elin Hilderbrand

June 27, 2020

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From the publisher:

A “captivating and bittersweet” novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Summer of ’69: Their secret love affair has lasted for decades — but this could be the summer that changes everything (People).

When Mallory Blessing’s son, Link, receives deathbed instructions from his mother to call a number on a slip of paper in her desk drawer, he’s not sure what to expect. But he certainly does not expect Jake McCloud to answer. It’s the late spring of 2020 and Jake’s wife, Ursula DeGournsey, is the frontrunner in the upcoming Presidential election.
There must be a mistake, Link thinks. How do Mallory and Jake know each other?
Flash back to the sweet summer of 1993: Mallory has just inherited a beachfront cottage on Nantucket from her aunt, and she agrees to host her brother’s bachelor party. Cooper’s friend from college, Jake McCloud, attends, and Jake and Mallory form a bond that will persevere — through marriage, children, and Ursula’s stratospheric political rise — until Mallory learns she’s dying.
Based on the classic film Same Time Next Year (which Mallory and Jake watch every summer), 28 Summers explores the agony and romance of a one-weekend-per-year affair and the dramatic ways this relationship complicates and enriches their lives, and the lives of the people they love.

Elin Hilderbrand writes stories that just drag you in and keep you turning pages. Her characters feel as real as the people you know. I stayed up late into the night to finish this book, had a good cry during the last chapter and beyond, and finally fell asleep curled up with my husband. He slept through all that, which was just as well. He hates seeing me cry, even over a book.

The book starts off at the end, the 28th summer, then moves to the beginning. If you haven’t seen the movie, Same Time, Next Year, it may not have the same resonance. You can watch it after, too, but there are some spoilers in the novel. This is not a retelling of the movie, but a decades-long romance based on the same premise. Mallory and Jake meet, have a long weekend fling, then repeat every year on the same weekend.

In the meantime, Jake marries his childhood sweetheart. He loves Ursula, but he can’t give up Mallory. On the other hand, Mallory has a few long term relationships, has a child from a one night stand, but always comes back to Jake, year in and year out. Intellectually, I really detest the premise of a married man cheating annually, but somehow Hilderbrand had me rooting for them to keep it going.

The book is divided into parts by decade, then each chapter is a new year, a new summer. I loved how each chapter started with a page or so of what was happening that year; all of the major headlines of the year, the hot books and TV shows, cultural references, and more. And I especially loved that there a completely fictitious president elected in 2016. Thank you, Elin!

28 Summers is a completely engrossing, beautiful summer read. I loved it.

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

28 SUMMERS by Elin Hilderbrand. Little, Brown and Company (June 16, 2020). ISBN 978-0316420044. 432 pages.

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HEAD OVER HEELS by Hannah Orenstein

June 24, 2020

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From the publisher:

Named a best beach/summer read by O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Parade, PopSugar, Marie Claire, Bustle, and more!

From the author of the Love at First Like and Playing with Matches, an electrifying rom-com set in the high stakes world of competitive gymnastics, full of Hannah Orenstein’s signature “charm, whimsy, and giddy romantic tension” (BuzzFeed).

The past seven years have been hard on Avery Abrams: After training her entire life to make the Olympic gymnastics team, a disastrous performance ended her athletic career for good. Her best friend and teammate, Jasmine, went on to become an Olympic champion, then committed the ultimate betrayal by marrying their emotionally abusive coach, Dimitri.

Now, reeling from a breakup with her football star boyfriend, Avery returns to her Massachusetts hometown, where new coach Ryan asks her to help him train a promising young gymnast with Olympic aspirations. Despite her misgivings and worries about the memories it will evoke, Avery agrees. Back in the gym, she’s surprised to find sparks flying with Ryan. But when a shocking scandal in the gymnastics world breaks, it has shattering effects not only for the sport but also for Avery and her old friend Jasmine.

Perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jasmine Guillory, Head Over Heels proves that no one “writes about modern relationships with more humor or insight than Hannah Orenstein” (Dana Schwartz, author of Choose Your Own Disaster).

I read Orenstein’s Love at First Like last year, and I wasn’t a fan, mostly because I didn’t like her main character. But I received this new one, it looked interesting, her publicist raved, so I gave it a try. I am happy to report I liked this book a lot.

It might have something to do with the Olympics being postponed; I feel like that gave me even more empathy for these characters, even though they are living in a parallel universe. In their world, there is no Covid-19, the Olympics are in Tokyo this summer, and all the events leading up to it are right on schedule. That may have been the thing I liked most about it – seeing characters living a normal life!

I really liked Avery; she has had a hard life, even though it was from her own choosing. I really enjoyed learning about how an Olympic athlete trains, the way they live, and the work they put into it. I loved how this summed it up: “That’s the gold standard in gymnastics: making the impossible look not just possible, but easy.”

Avery and her best friend Jasmine trained under the abusive, old school, trainer, Dimitri. But Avery had a career-ending injury during Olympic trials, and found herself depressed and at a loss as to how to live her life. Meanwhile, Jasmine ended up with gold medals, the television career, and married to Dimitri. All of that caused a bit of a rift in the friendship, and they haven’t spoken in years.

The Olympic gymnast that both girls had a crush on, Ryan, is training an Olympic hopeful, Hallie, in Avery’s home town. When the professional football star she is living with dumps her, she goes home to her parents and the shrine they have built to Avery’s past glory. That doesn’t help with her depression. So when Ryan calls and offers her a job coaching his prodigy on the floor exercise, where Avery excelled, she is unsure but gives it a try. That first day she realizes this is what she wants to do.

This book addresses some important problems; there is a scandal involving the top doctor in gymnastics when several girls come forward, stating he sexually abused them. The emotional abuse that some trainers heap upon their gymnasts is also addressed. The tension and pressure that an Olympic-level gymnast is under is excruciatingly portrayed, adding yet another layer to this story.

To be honest, the romance between Ryan and Avery feels like more of a subplot, but that works here. This was a really interesting story, especially now that there are no Olympics to look forward to this summer. I read this in one night, and it was a really good read. I highly recommend it.

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

HEAD OVER HEELS by Hannah Orenstein. Atria Books (June 23, 2020). ISBN 978-1982121471. 336 pages.

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ELIZA STARTS A RUMOR by Jane L. Rosen

June 23, 2020

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SPOTLIGHT REVIEW

From the publisher:

The author of Nine Women, One Dress delivers a charming, unforgettable novel about four women, one little lie, and the big repercussions that unite them all. 

It wasn’t supposed to happen this way. When Eliza Hunt created The Hudson Valley Ladies’ Bulletin Board fifteen years ago she was happily entrenched in her picture-perfect suburban life with her husband and twin preschoolers. Now, with an empty nest and a crippling case of agoraphobia, the once-fun hobby has become her lifeline. So when a rival parenting forum threatens the site’s existence, she doesn’t think twice before fabricating a salacious rumor to spark things up a bit.

It doesn’t take long before that spark becomes a flame.

Across town, new mom and site devotee Olivia York is thrown into a tailspin by what she reads on the Bulletin Board. Allison Le is making cyber friends with a woman who isn’t quite who she says she is. And Amanda Cole, Eliza’s childhood friend, may just hold the key to unearthing why Eliza can’t step out of her front door.

In all this chaos, one thing is for sure…Hudson Valley will never be the same.

Funny, romantic, raw, and hopeful, this is a story about being a woman and of the healing power of sisterhood.

Nine Women, One Dress was one of my favorite books back in 2016, so I’ve been waiting a long time for a new one. I am happy to say it was worth the wait.

This story is told via the four women, and I admit I had a bit of trouble remembering who was who for a while. But eventually it all clicked and the rest of the book just flew by.

I really liked the characters. Two of the women are older, with almost grown children, and two of them are young, with new babies. They all become friends when Eliza starts a rumor on her bulletin board about what she sees next door, plus a healthy dash of imagination. Eliza is afraid her bulletin board isn’t relevant anymore when she learns about a newer, hipper bulletin board targeting pretty much the same audience, the women of this NY suburb. When the rumor goes viral, she is satisfied until she learns about the havoc she’s created.

There are cases of mistaken identity which add to the fun (and occasional confusion!) but the story moves fast as things progress. Eliza suffers from agoraphobia (and let me tell you, I can relate right now!) and has been hiding it from her family with the help of her best friend, Mandy. They grew up together but Mandy has been living in California with her famous producer husband until he becomes part of the #metoo movement. She takes the kids and moves back east, just in time to rekindle the dormant relationship between the friends.

I couldn’t help but root for all the characters, and there was even a touch of romance which I very much enjoyed. Rosen really knows how to write a charming story, but still manages to touch on some important topics.  This is another terrific read from an author I wish would write faster!

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

ELIZA STARTS A RUMOR by Jane L. Rosen. Berkley (June 23, 2020). ISBN 978-0593102084.
320 pages.

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SUNRISE ON HALF MOON BAY by Robyn Carr

June 20, 2020

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From the publisher:

Sometimes the happiness we’re looking for has been there all along…

Adele and Justine have never been close. Born twenty years apart, Justine was already an adult when Addie was born. The sisters love each other but they don’t really know each other.

When Addie dropped out of university to care for their ailing parents, Justine, a successful lawyer, covered the expenses. It was the best arrangement at the time but now that their parents are gone, the future has changed dramatically for both women.

Addie had great plans for her life but has been worn down by the pressures of being a caregiver and doesn’t know how to live for herself. And Justine’s success has come at a price. Her marriage is falling apart despite her best efforts.

Neither woman knows how to start life over but both realize they can and must support each other the way only sisters can. Together they find the strength to accept their failures and overcome their challenges. Happiness is within reach, if only they have the courage to fight for it.

Set in the stunning coastal town of Half Moon Bay, California, Robyn Carr’s new novel examines the joys of sisterhood and the importance of embracing change.

I haven’t read a new Robyn Carr book in what feels like a long time. I love her series, and when I discovered her, I read all of her series books and a few standalones. I recently watched the Netflix series based on her Virgin River books, and it was a bit of a disappointment. I loved those books and I thought enough time had passed so that I wouldn’t notice any egregious changes. I was wrong. But I was very happy to find this new standalone book.

Carr’s books fall into the romance and/or women’s fiction genres, and while this one has a bit of romance (I think most women’s fiction books do) that is not the focus. Instead, it is on the sisters and their relationship with each other. It is understandable that they are not especially close due to the twenty year age difference. Addie is the younger sister and has spent many years taking care of her sick parents. Once they pass, she is at a bit of a loss as to what to do with her life. She is still young, but never finished college.

Justine is a successful, workaholic lawyer, has children who are cared for by their stay-at-home dad. He works a bit in sales, but their income is largely based on Justine’s career. This has worked for them, until Addie spots her brother-in-law making out with a woman that is definitely not her sister. Justine is forced to face her husband’s infidelity and hires a private detective to find proof.

The sisters end up living together and form a new relationship and that twenty year difference doesn’t seem so important anymore. I enjoyed watching them grow and change, and was very glad for their happy endings. Carr is just a terrific storyteller. This was a quick read, and I recommend it.

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUNRISE ON HALF MOON BAY by Robyn Carr. MIRA; Original edition (April 14, 2020). ISBN 978-0778309482. 336 pages.

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DANCE AWAY WITH ME by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

June 19, 2020

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From the publisher:

At long last, the legendary New York Times bestselling author returns with a heartfelt novel of womanhood, a wild heart, and the healing power of love.

Run, run, as fast as you can!

When life throws her one setback too many, midwife and young widow Tess Hartsong takes off for Runaway Mountain. In this small town high in the Tennessee mountains, surrounded by nature, she hopes to outrun her heartbreak and find the solace she needs to heal.

But instead of peace and quiet, she encounters an enigmatic artist with a craving for solitude, a fairy-tale sprite with too many secrets, a helpless infant, a passel of curious teens, and a town suspicious of outsiders, especially one as headstrong as Tess. Just as headstrong is Ian North, a difficult, gifted man with a tortured soul—a man who makes Tess question everything.

In running away to this new life, Tess wonders— Has she lost herself . . . or has she found her future?

It has been way too long since Susan Elizabeth Phillips has graced us with a book, and the book she finally delivered is terrific, albeit different than her usual; no Chicago Stars, not much in the way of laughs either, but strong characters living their lives, no matter how complicated, and taking us along for the ride.

This is a small town romance of sorts. Tess has lost her husband quite young, and when she finds a cottage to rent on Runaway Mountain, she feels like it must be fate. She deals with her grief by blasting her music and dancing like a maniac, in the yard of her cottage. When Ian, the prickly artist living nearby complains, Tess somehow forms a friendship with his wife. Or at least the women who she assumes is his wife, especially since she’s pregnant.

In her former life, before she lost her husband, Tess was a certified nurse-midwife. She has no interest in doing that again so she takes a part-time job as a barista in the small cafe in town. There she meets the odd assortment of townsfolk, and that is where the little bit of humor is derived. But this is a more serious book, and it takes a dark turn. There are difficult subjects explored here; death, grief, abuse, survivalists, and more.

I don’t want to say much more and spoil it, just know that this is not a light and fluffy read in the least, even though there is a happy ending. I hope we don’t have to wait another two years for a new SEP book.

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

DANCE AWAY WITH ME by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. William Morrow (June 9, 2020). ISBN 978-0062973054. 400 pages.

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BIG SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner

June 17, 2020

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From the publisher:

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A deliciously funny, remarkably poignant, and simply unputdownable novel about the power of friendship, the lure of frenemies, and the importance of making peace with yourself through all life’s ups and down. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good in Bed and Best Friends Forever, Big Summer is the perfect escape with one of the most lovable heroines to come to the page in years.

Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.

Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.

I’m not sure why, but two of my most favorite and reliable summer beach read authors have thrown a murder into the mix. First Mary Kay Andrews did it in Hello, Summer and now Weiner has as well. Is this a new trend? Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing gory here, and no one in their right mind would think of this as a thriller, and I even have a hard time thinking of this as romantic suspense, but there is a body, (which the publisher neglected to include in their synopsis,) so I feel I’ve done my job.

Drue and Daphne were unlikely friends in school; Drue was the uber-popular rich girl, and Daphne was the overweight girl with a few societal outcast type friends. Like high school for many people.  Think “Mean Girls.” Except this is the age of social media, so when Daphne has a very public meltdown in a bar and finally stands up to the mean girl, someone videos it and it goes viral. Just like that Daphne has a new career path as a social media influencer for plus size girls. She also cuts off all contact with Drue.

Years later Daphne is shocked when Drue reaches out and asks her to be her maid of honor. Drue still has that pull over Daphne, and she reluctantly agrees, assuming she will get some great social media numbers if she is posting pictures from the society wedding of the summer. But then that pesky body shows up, changing everyone’s plans.

Weiner has once again given us a great story with believable characters and a typical beach read setting on Cape Cod. I must admit, as a plus-size reader, it is always fun (and usually quite rare) to find a protagonist who looks like me. This is a fast read, often funny, and yes, Daphne also is a romantic heroine who gets her happily ever after. If you are braving the beach, tuck this into your beach bag and enjoy! (I have turned into a complete agoraphobic, and I enjoyed it in my own backyard.)

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BIG SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner. Atria Books (May 5, 2020). ISBN 978-1501133510. 368 pages.

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THE NEW GUY by Kathryn Freeman

June 13, 2020

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Kathryn Freeman Romcom Collection Series, Book 1

From the publisher:

Sam Huxton doesn’t do one-night stands, especially not with men she’s just met! But the hot guy at the bar was hard to resist and one night is all they share – no names, no numbers, just some much needed fun…

Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee.  Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits.  But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?

This book starts off with a one night stand but turns it on its head. They don’t even exchange names so the next morning when Sam gets to work, she is shocked to find her new software developer is none other than her one night stand. Ryan, too, is shocked, having assumed Sam was a man. Sam quickly decides that one and done will work for her, and she’s a total professional.

Ryan has a lot of baggage and quickly becomes the office curmudgeon. He is not big on the we-are-all-one-family, kumbaya kind of workplace and takes himself off to work alone in the meeting room. Sam’s ex has taken off and started his own company that is directly competing with hers, and she is in a panic as are her investors.

Can Ryan save her company? Can they get past the sexual chemistry between them and keep it work only? None of these premises are new, but these sorts of tropes work for a reason. This was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE NEW GUY by Kathryn Freeman. HarperImpulse (March 5, 2020). ISBN 978-0008365820. 400 p.

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THE MARRIAGE GAME by Sara Desai

June 9, 2020

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From the publisher:

One of Oprah Magazine’s Most Anticipated Romances of 2020

A high stakes wager pits an aspiring entrepreneur against a ruthless CEO in this sexy romantic comedy.

After her life falls apart, recruitment consultant Layla Patel returns home to her family in San Francisco. But in the eyes of her father, who runs a Michelin starred restaurant, she can do no wrong. He would do anything to see her smile again. With the best intentions in mind, he offers her the office upstairs to start her new business and creates a profile on an online dating site to find her a man. She doesn’t know he’s arranged a series of blind dates until the first one comes knocking on her door…

As CEO of a corporate downsizing company Sam Mehta is more used to conflict than calm. In search of a quiet new office, he finds the perfect space above a cozy Indian restaurant that smells like home. But when communication goes awry, he’s forced to share his space with the owner’s beautiful yet infuriating daughter Layla, her crazy family, and a parade of hopeful suitors, all of whom threaten to disrupt his carefully ordered life.

As they face off in close quarters, the sarcasm and sparks fly. But when the battle for the office becomes a battle of the heart, Sam and Layla have to decide if this is love or just a game.

This has got to be one of the best romance debuts I’ve ever read!

Sam is a man shouldering a lot of guilt. His sister is in a wheelchair after a possible altercation with her ex-husband, a prominent surgeon, and Sam’s mentor. Theirs was an arranged marriage, and Sam is the one who introduced them. The surgeon denies all, but Sam is bound to avenge his sister. Meanwhile, he feels like a failure as a son and a brother, and his way to deal with the guilt is to push away his family, his career, and his culture.

Like Layla, Sam is Desi-American, a term that was new to me. Their families are from India, and while they live in San Francisco, like most of us they brought with them their culture and their food. In fact, Layla’s parents own a Michelin starred restaurant, but it is struggling in their new location in a business district.

Layla has been living in New York, working at a job she doesn’t particularly like, and dating an Instagram influencer. Until she catches him doing blow off the bodies of two naked supermodels. She goes nuts, a video of her throwing his stuff off a balcony goes viral, she loses her job, her home, and her dignity. It’s time to move back with her family where she feels safe.

Layla tells her parents she wants to open her own business and they are eager to help. Her father tells her she can have the office above the restaurant, rent-free. He will let the new tenant know the deal is off. Layla eagerly accepts, except before her father can tell the new tenant to look elsewhere, he has a heart attack and is hospitalized.

In the only plot point in this book that I had a real issue with, Layla’s father gets a pacemaker but for some unknown reason is put into a medically induced coma. It’s convenient for the plot but makes no sense to anyone who has ever dealt with or had a family member deal with any sort of heart condition, especially a pacemaker. But it really is a minor thing, and I was so drawn into this story I tried to overlook it. (I guess I didn’t totally succeed because now I’m complaining about it!)

Sam is the new tenant, he has given up the practice of medicine since his sister’s accident and is now a corporate vulture. His company helps other companies downsize, and he spends his days firing people. His moral center is slightly askew at this point, but at least he still has one, unlike his partner and friends.

Sam and Layla immediately butt heads over the office. Then Layla is shocked when a young man arrives looking for her. He tells her he has set up a meeting with her father through a dating site. Apparently, her father put up her profile on an arranged marriage type dating site, sifted through hundreds of responses, and selected a list of ten men for Layla to meet. Sam agrees to help her with the dates she is going to have, and they make a game of it. If she marries, she will leave and he gets the office.

Enemies to lovers is always a popular trope in romance, and this one is done exceedingly well. Throwing in a big, extended, nosy family and the arranged marriage with its parade of kooky suitors adds a lot of laughs to this heartwarming and sexy story. I got so caught up in the story and with these characters that when the boy-loses-girl part came along, I could barely read it. I swear I had one eye closed! I kept putting it down and picking it back up because it was so painful to read. I was able to talk myself off the ledge and back into the book because it is a romance, and I knew the happy ending was coming.

I love it when I get that caught up in a book. I love learning about cultures that are different from my own. I especially love learning how many cultures are more similar than different – their foods and religious practices may differ, but family is still family and that is pretty much the same everywhere.

I loved this debut novel, and I hope everyone reading this will pick up this book and love it as much as I did. It is sweet and sexy and funny and a total escapist read. Don’t miss it!

6/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE MARRIAGE GAME by Sara Desai. Berkley; 1 edition (June 9, 2020). ISBN 978-0593100561. 352 pages.

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