A new Anne Tyler novel destined to be an instant classic: a socially awkward mother of the bride navigates the days before and after her daughter’s wedding.
Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit.
But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past.
Told with deep sensitivity and a tart sense of humor, full of the joys and heartbreaks of love and marriage and family life, Three Days in June is a triumph, and gives us the perennially bestselling, Pulitzer Prize–winning writer at the height of her powers.
“Sweet, sharp, and satisfying. . . . Tyler’s touch is as delicate, her empathy for human beings and all their quirks as evident in her 25th work of fiction as it was in her first, published an astonishing 60 years ago.” —Kirkus Reviews
This story is literally set over three days in the life of Gail Baines. It doesn’t start off too auspiciously; she finds out her boss is retiring, and instead of the promotion she is sure she deserves, she is told that someone from outside the school is being hired, and bringing their own assistant. Her job is now redundant.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Gail’s daughter, Debbie, is getting married the next day. Gail is a bit of a prickly person, and when her boss tells her she doesn’t have the people skills for the job, she clearly demonstrates that her boss is right. Gail isn’t especially close with her daughter, but even so, she appears to be hurt that she wasn’t invited to the spa day before the wedding that Debbie’s future mother-in-law had arranged. Her in-laws are also hosting the wedding at their private club, leaving Gail to feel like a guest at her daughter’s wedding.
To complicate things further, her ex-husband, Max, shows up at her door with a foster cat. He was supposed to stay with Debbie, but her fiance is highly allergic to cats, so Gail takes in both her ex and his cat. Then he tries to convince her to keep the cat.
There is a lot happening in these three days in June. The day before the wedding, Debbie comes over and tells her parents that she thinks her fiance cheated on her – at least, that’s what her future sister-in-law has told her. Nevertheless, the rehearsal dinner goes more or less smoothly. The day of the wedding, Debbie decides her father needs to wear a suit, and takes him shopping. The wedding goes as well as these things usually go, and the day after the wedding there is a family reckoning of sorts.
It’s amazing how much Tyler can pack into such a short book (it’s under 200 pages.) The characters are well-drawn and interesting, the timeline moves things along rapidly, and there is enough drama to keep the pages turning. Another excellent read from one of America’s most treasured writers.
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THREE DAYS IN JUNE by Anne Tyler. Knopf (February 11, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593803486. 176p.
With his tight leather pants and a sharp edge that makes him dangerous, Jet Keller is every girl’s rock and roll fantasy. But Ayden Cross is done walking on the wild side with bad boys. She doesn’t want to give in to the heat she sees in Jet’s dark, haunted eyes. She’s afraid of getting burned from the sparks of their spontaneous combustion, even as his touch sets her on fire.
Jet can’t resist the Southern Belle with mile-long legs in cowboy boots who defies his every expectation. Yet the closer he feels to Ayden, the less he seems to know her. While he’s tempted to get under her skin and undo her in every way, he knows firsthand what happens to two people with very different ideas about relationships.
Will the blaze burn into an enduring love. . . or will it consume their dreams and turn them to ashes?
This second book of the Marked Men series is just as compelling a read as the first. “The Marked Men” series is based around a group of friends, most of whom work in a tattoo shop in the Denver area and have various body modifications. This book centers around Jet and Ayden, neither of whom works there but are part of the friends circle.
Ayden is from Kentucky, and no one, not even her closest friends, knows much about her background, and she likes it that way. She is a college student and cocktail waitress at the bar where they all hang out, mostly because of the live, heavy metal music that is featured there. Jet fronts one of those bands, but his real love is in finding new talent and helping them create the best album they can in his studio. When Ayden first sees him perform, she is immediately drawn to him. But she is determined to change her past, and that includes dating bad boys. Instead, she’s been dating a classmate who is a really nice guy, despite his preppy clothes. Sadly, Ayden just doesn’t feel any kind of attraction to him, even though he is everything she has decided she needs; kind, steadfast, smart, and driven to succeed. Best laid plans and all that…
Despite all the drama in their lives, Jet and Ayden eventually realize that they are made for each other, and find their happy ending, but there are some crazy obstacles along the way. These characters have really interesting backstories, which lends a lot of depth to the story. Another excellent addition to this series – I’m looking forward to the next book for sure.
A washed-up country music cowboy on the run, a songwriter without a song, and a double-booked ranch guesthouse with both their names on it… What could possibly go wrong?
Ash Murphy sneaks home to the family ranch to escape the scandal that follows his successful country music career everywhere. He plans to rest up, get in his fair share of work on the ranch, connect with the new horses his brothers have taken in, and lay low for as long as it takes for the newest tabloid interest to blow over. Except when he arrives, his brother’s guest house isn’t empty; its current occupant is none other than Willow Morgan, country singer on the rise, hoping to finally finish the last song on her sophomore album―the one her label says must be a hit. But her small problem with writer’s block is nothing compared to her large problem: Ash Murphy broke her heart once before, and if she’s not careful, he just might do it again.
I have read many of Pine’s cowboy romances but somehow missed this series until this third entry. This book spotlights country music sensation Ash Murphy, whose high-profile divorce forces him to seek refuge in his hometown. Ash has been on the road for a few years but seeks solace with his family. When he finally gets home late in the night, he retreats to his brother’s guest house, where he unexpectedly finds his former flame and rising country star Willow Morgan already in residence.
Morgan is hiding out herself, fighting her sophomore slump. Her first album was a hit, but she is having a hard time finishing her second album, especially because her producers are expecting a hit song, like that’s easy. She makes Ash sleep on the couch and wonders how she will protect her heart. Four years earlier, she was humiliated and heartbroken when Ash left her to marry a beautiful tennis star from the UK, and she hasn’t seen him since.
Ash’s manager proposes a strategic collaboration – a duet that could salvage Ash’s reputation while boosting Willow’s career. As they navigate close quarters and creative partnership, their old feelings begin to resurface. Then Ash admits that every song he has written since their breakup has been about Willow, and she starts letting her heart thaw towards the cowboy.
While Pine’s previous series delivered compelling narratives, this new one fell short of my expectations. The character development lacks depth, and certain plot elements strain credibility. Although the premise holds promise, the execution doesn’t quite hit the right notes. It was fairly obvious that this was part of a series, and maybe if I had read the first two books, I would feel differently. Not my favorite.
A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle–inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she believed. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final decision between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
“A wonderfully tender and sexy story full of swoon-worthy lines and perfect moments that will elicit smiles, sighs, and tears and keep readers thoroughly invested in the happily-ever-after.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“Lucie and Aiden are perfectly imperfect together and will have eager readers rooting for their romance. Quirky supporting characters… add depth, while Borison’s skillful plotting keeps the pages flying. This first-rate tale will resonate with true romantics.”—Publishers Weekly
“Warm-hearted and thoroughly delightful, Borison’s winning latest will likely expand the fan base that fell for her Lovelight series.”—Booklist
Downloaded this so fast when I saw the comparison to “Sleepless in Seattle,” one of my favorite romcoms that I re-watch regularly, and I may have liked this book even more than the movie!
Lucie is a single mom who got pregnant the first time she had sex. Her baby daddy is married to his own husband, and they live next door. It’s an ideal situation, especially for their daughter, Maya, and everyone is great friends. One night, Lucie is lying in bed and hears voices. It turns out to be Maya on the phone with the local Baltimore radio station. Aidan Valentine is the host of the late-night romance talk show Heartstrings. Maya has never seen her mom go on a date, and she’s all of twelve years old. She calls in to get advice for her mom. Once Lucie realizes what is happening, she gets on the phone with Aidan and spills her guts, talking long after Maya has fallen asleep.
Within days, the broadcast, which is also a podcast, went viral, and the station manager seized it as an opportunity to save the station, which was being threatened with a hostile takeover. Lucie is invited to join Aidan in the studio a few nights a week, and all of Baltimore is now invested in finding her a date.
Aidan is quite cynical about love and romance, which Lucie finds odd as he hosts a romance podcast. But he has his reasons, most of which are based on his childhood growing up with a mother who has cancer, which returns time and again. Aidan is afraid to love anyone for fear of losing them. He has distanced himself from his parents, too, for the same reasons. But something is happening between Aidan and Lucie, and he fights it as hard as he can.
Unlike “Sleepless in Seattle”, this story is pretty much contained within the Baltimore city limits, making it much more intimate. People who know Lucie are listening, including her co-workers in the garage where she is a mechanic, her ex and his husband, and her daughter. A sponsor takes on the show, increasing revenue for the station, and Lucie even gets a couple of dates out of it. Those dates cause her to realize her feelings for Aidan, and eventually,y he can’t fight it his attraction to Lucie anymore. But he soon panics, pushing her away.
I could not put this book down. I know Borison has tons of fans from the Lovelight Farms series, and I’m one of them, but I loved this book so much more than those. I was so invested in these characters that I hated to leave them. Luckily, this is the first book of a new series, and I’m all in.
Star-crossed lovers learn that practicing romance leads to the perfect happy ending in this steamy reimagining of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Since heartbreak entered the scene, Juliet Wilmot, once a hopeless romantic, has sworn off love. But when she’s presented with the chance to revisit romance—purely for practice—with the gorgeous, off-limits guy she keeps serendipitously running into, it feels like a sign from the universe.
Quiet, shy Will Orsino knows happily-ever-after isn’t on his horizon. Problem is, for the sake of the family business, marriage is. Resigned to the inevitable, but with no confidence he can woo a wife, he can hardly say no when fate hands him the alluring, unattainable woman he keeps crossing paths with, offering to help him learn the ropes of romance.
Neither of them looking for love, Jules and Will agree they’re the perfect pair to practice romance. Except that practicing to perfection leads to an irresistible attraction. Their once smitten hearts, though still twice shy, might have happily-ever-after written in the stars for them, after all.
AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER!
“Liese continues her brilliantly conceived, wryly witty Wilmot Sisters series with a beguiling romance inspired by Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night….Liese writes with thoughtful insight about living with a chronic disease and neurodiversity.”—Booklist
This was an unusual romance in that the main protagonists never have a crisis or breakup of any kind. Instead, it’s a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn romance with interesting characters that we really get to know.
Jules has a debilitating illness that causes her pain and weakness at times, but that’s not her real problem. Her more significant issue is that she had a nasty breakup and has become extremely guarded and protective of her heart. Will is on the spectrum and doesn’t pick up on social cues, so he has difficulty dating. They meet briefly in Scotland when Jules is hiding out there, mending her broken heart. She knows she is in no position to start a new relationship, no matter how attractive she finds Will.
Will lives on his family’s farm and runs their distillery, but his sister schmoozes the customers, so at least he doesn’t have to socialize. He visits his best friend in the States and falls asleep in the greenhouse next door. He awakens to Jules attacking him, thinking he is stalking her. They eventually figure out that Jules’s next-door neighbor and good friend (who treats her like a sister) is Will’s best friend, and it’s smooth sailing after that. As they get to know one another, they each admit to their weaknesses with dating and are determined to help one another by pretend dating and practicing romance so they can be more comfortable with it. Will needs a wife who will be able to help him with his business but has no expectations of any kind of love story. Jules wants the romance but is afraid of getting hurt again.
The more time they spend together, the more they enjoy each other’s company, but Jules wants true love and is afraid Will isn’t looking for it. Eventually, they realize they are both exactly what the other needs, and they get their happy ever after.
This is a sweet romance with a bit of heat, but it’s the romance that truly carries the story. I loved Will’s habit of inadvertently saying his thoughts aloud; it added some lightness. This is the third book of a series that I haven’t read, and as far as I can tell, it stands alone beautifully. Happily, I have the first two books in the series on my Kindle.
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
ONCE SMITTEN, TWICE SHY by Chloe Liese.Berkley (January 14, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593441541. 384p.
A Cozy Romance with a Touch of Suspense, Perfect for Winter 2025, Snuggle Up and Fall in Love!
Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.
When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.
As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.
So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward?
Bestseller Shalvis returns to Sunrise Cove (after Summer Escape) for an irresistible enemies-to-lovers romance . . . The drama pairs with tenderness and plenty of steam to keep the pages turning. Series fans and new readers alike will be drawn in by the clever plotting and buoyant prose. It’s another winner from Shalvis. —Publishers Weekly
Jill Shalvis has once again delivered a delightful tale in Better Than Friends, the seventh installment in her beloved Sunrise Cove series. This romance easily stands alone yet takes readers back to the charming small town near Lake Tahoe, where love, family, and second chances intertwine beautifully.
The story centers on Olive Porter, a PR firm owner who returns to Sunrise Cove under pressing circumstances: her best friend’s husband, Joe, is hospitalized and in a coma after an accident, then her off-the-grid parents mysteriously disappear. To find them, she must turn to Noah Turner, the man who still holds her heart despite their complicated past.
Noah, now a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, is recovering from a job-related injury that has left him temporarily sidelined and blames himself for Joe’s accident. Staying with his twin sister Katie while recuperating, he’s unprepared for the emotional whirlwind Olive’s return brings. Their chemistry is undeniable, and Shalvis masterfully weaves their shared history into the present-day narrative, revealing glimpses of their high school friendship and romance while unraveling the mystery of why Olive left him years ago.
The novel excels in its exploration of relationships—romantic, familial, and platonic. Olive’s bond with the Turner family, forged during her teenage years living next door to them, is heartwarming. Katie’s quirky personality and unfiltered honesty add humor and depth to the story, while Noah’s adorable nephew Joey steals scenes with his innocent charm (and his knack for catching Olive and Noah in compromising moments). Shalvis also introduces lovable animal companions—a dieting elderly dog and a stray cat named Pepper—who bring additional warmth and laughter.
As secrets from the past come to light and emotions run high, Better Than Friends delivers all the hallmarks of a great romance: second chances, forced proximity, and sizzling chemistry. Fans of these tropes will be captivated by Olive and Noah’s journey toward healing and love.
Whether you’re new to the Sunrise Cove series or a longtime fan, this book is a must-read. It’s sweet, heartfelt, and filled with character growth. I couldn’t help but root for Olive and Noah to finally find their happily ever after!
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
BETTER THAN FRIENDS by Jill Shalvis.Avon (January 21, 2025). ISBN: 978-0063353435. 336p.
A steamy chance encounter between a professional hockey player and the manic pixie dream girl he just can’t seem to forget takes a turn when the pair realize that their parents are engaged—in an all-new rom-com by #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey.
When professional hockey player Sig Gauthier’s car breaks down and his phone dies, he treks into a posh private country club to call a tow truck, where he encounters the alluring Chloe Clifford, the manic pixie dream girl who captivates him immediately with her sense of adventure and penchant for stealing champagne.
Sparks fly during a moonlight kiss and the enamored pair can’t wait to see each other again, but when Sig finally arrives to meet his dad’s new girlfriend over dinner, Chloe is confusingly also there. Turns out the girlfriend is Chloe’s mother. Oh, and they’re engaged.
Sig’s dream girl is his future stepsister.
Though the pair is now wary of being involved romantically, Chloe, a sheltered harp prodigy, yearns to escape her controlling mother. Sig promises to teach her the ins and outs of independence in Boston—but not inside his bedroom. They both know there can never be more than friendship between a famous hockey player and his high-society, soon-to-be stepsister. But keeping their relationship platonic grows harder amid the developing family drama, especially knowing they were meant for so much more…
A Spicy Sports Rom-Com with an Unconventional Love Story, Perfect for Winter 2025: Heat Up Your Winter Nights!
“The latest sensually hot and sweetly heartfelt addition to Bailey’s Hot Shots hockey series rewards readers with an ingeniously inventive cast that not only includes some memorable secondary characters, including a fierce and fabulous harp mentor, but also a perfectly matched pair of protagonists, whose combustible sexual chemistry provides the fuel for several incendiary love scenes.”— Booklist
“Readers who don’t like the instalove trope may not buy into the immediate connection between the leads, but Bailey backs it up with thoughtful characterization and red-hot sex scenes. This is a winner.”— Publishers Weekly
“This love-at-first-glance romance between a gruff cinnamon-roll hero and a naive dream girl is swoon-worthy. The tension between the characters is palpable, and readers will be on a knife’s edge waiting for it to break.”— Library Journal
I love Tessa Bailey and this series is one of my favorites. This latest entry was unputdownable for sure, but I had a hard time suspending my disbelief with the reason these two couldn’t be together.
Let me backtrack. Sig is a professional hockey player coming to the end of his first contract. This was more real-life than almost any sports romance I’ve read; his salary is not in the millions of dollars, and that is a reality for most rookies. Sig was brought up by a single mother who told him his father had married her for her money, taken that money, and disappeared. She came from a wealthy family, but refused to lean on them for support, so they were dirt poor. Sig got in touch with his father as he became an adult, and they had an understandably strained relationship.
Chloe grew up in the wealthiest enclave in Connecticut and has been a harp prodigy since she was a young girl. But she never really studied her instrument, and only did performances at her mother’s request. She lives the life of a socialite, for the most part.
Sig and Chloe meet when his truck breaks down on his way to meet his father for dinner. He manages to get it into a parking lot of a very exclusive country club. His phone has died, and he has no way of getting help, so he goes into the club where the very snooty concierge tries to send him away. Chloe spots him from across the room and rushes in to help, telling the concierge that she’s been waiting for him. She shmoozes her way past him and takes Sig into the bar. It is love at first sight for both of them. They hang out while his phone charges and share a very heated kiss. Then she needs to get home, and he needs to go meet his father and they part.
It turns out that his father is getting married and he wants Sig to meet his fiancée. He hears the most beautiful music he’s ever heard coming from the next room. It turns out Chloe is the musician, and his father’s soon-to-be step-daughter, and even worse, Sig’s soon-to-be step-sister. The rest of the book is about Sig & Chloe becoming best friends who can’t be lovers, and the tension between them is excruciating. I have read thrillers that didn’t have this amount of tension! So kudos to Bailey, she really knocked it out of the park in that regard.
The only problem is that step-siblings have no blood relation, and no real taboo about being together, except in this book. The hockey team dangles an eight-figure salary and team captaincy for Sig, and Chloe has the opportunity to study with the first chair of the Boston Symphony, who is retiring and wants her to take that spot. But both of these incredible opportunities hinge on Sig and Chloe never seeing one another again.
The matter is settled by the end of the book, and of course, there is a happy ending. But plan on putting aside everything else once you pick up this book – I read it in one very late night. It truly is unputdownable!
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
DREAM GIRL DRAMA by Tessa Bailey. Avon (February 4, 2025). ISBN: 978-0063380776. 320p.
Paperback: This deluxe paperback features gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled artwork and colored illustrations on the inside cover, with fan favorite tropes!
Sparks fly when an interior designer and a game designer cross paths, but they must learn if they can design a happily ever after in this heartfelt romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton.
Natalie Parker is in her mid-thirties, divorced, and firmly focused on her newly resurrected career and her two children. When her sister asks her to help design the backyard in the new home she shares with her boyfriend, Linc, Natalie’s more than happy to take on the project. What she isn’t prepared for is Linc’s younger brother, video game designer Eugene Kennedy. He’s smart, incredibly good-looking, and constantly flirts with Natalie. He’s also too young for her, which makes him totally off-limits.
Eugene is intrigued by Natalie’s beauty, smarts, and especially her sarcastic wit. When he teases her, she throws it right back at him. Besides that, they have an instant chemistry, but she keeps trying to get rid of him despite the sparks that fly between them. And Eugene never backs down from a challenge.
Natalie is running out of reasons to think being with Eugene is a bad thing. Her kids adore him, her sister loves him, and even her always negative mother does, too. The only person holding her back is…her. Maybe it’s time she take that leap and design herself a love for the ages. After all, if she can create the perfect home, she sure as hell can design a happily ever after.
I enjoyed this steamy romance with an older woman/younger man dynamic. Natalie is divorced from a very demanding husband and trying to find her own footing. She is not looking for a relationship, but she can’t deny the chemistry she feels when she meets her sister’s boyfriend’s brother. Eugene is five years younger than Natalie, and she has a hard time with the age difference. He doesn’t care; he is instantly smitten with the young mother. Yes, Natalie has two children who feature prominently in this story, as they should.
Luckily, Natalie’s sister and her kids think Eugene is great, so that eases the way for her to tiptoe into the relationship. She fights it for as long as she can, but eventually, they start heating up the pages. Natalie isn’t sure she wants more than just a fling, but Eugene wants forever and figures out a way to get Natalie on board. This was a fast, fun read and like all of Burton’s books, it is sexy as hell. It’s not especially memorable but it is very entertaining, and I enjoyed it.
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
DESIGNS ON YOU by Jaci Burton.Berkley (December 3, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593439616. 352p.
A wedding planner and her grumpy ex must work together to plan a celebrity event in this deliciously spicy and funny novel from Ali Hazelwood’s “favorite writer.”
Ama Torres is an optimistic wedding planner who doesn’t believe in marriage. But weddings? They’re amazing. Elliot Bloom is a brooding florist who hates owning a flower shop…until a certain bright-eyed, donut-loving workaholic shows up at his door.
Once upon a time, they collaborated on events by day, and by night, Ama traced the intricate flower tattoos etched along his body. Then Ama shattered his heart and never spoke to Elliot again.
Now they’re working on an event that could make or break both of their careers—except neither of them has gotten over what happened two years ago. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. But as the wedding takes on a life of its own, Ama and Elliot are about to discover that some things can survive a complete catastrophe . . .
Smart and hilarious, Forget Me Not is about two people giving themselves—and love!—a second chance.
I read this author’s second book, Not Another Love Song, and I liked it so much that I hunted down this one. There are a couple of characters who cross over, but both books stand alone just fine.
This book is about a wedding planner, Ama, who worked for one of the most successful wedding planners in town, but with her boss’s blessing, she’s gone out on her own. Her boss does strictly high end weddings, and Ama wants to work with brides on a budget. Her business is going pretty well, but she’s barely scraping by, using a myriad of relatives to help in lieu of paid full-time staff. But everything changes when a social media influencer wants Ama to plan her & her bride-to-be’s wedding, and money is no object. The brides also insist on using Bloom as the florist.
Little do the brides know, but Ama and Elliot Bloom have a history. The story spends a lot of time in the past, building up to the reason why they no longer work together and are “enemies.” But Ama knows that Elliot is very talented and is happy to swallow her pride and ask him to work on this wedding. The details of the wedding are so original, it added another layer of interest to the story.
Elliott is the strong, silent type – even rude to a point, but Ama understands him perfectly. With every hiccup in the planning, Elliot is there to back her up and help. His caring for Ama overrides any issues I may have had with his grumpiness (and I really didn’t have any,) and the second-chance romance leads to a happy ending.
I enjoyed this read and was so excited to see what Soto would do next that I checked, and boy, am I disappointed. She has two books coming out later this year; one is a Young Adult book, and the other is a romantasy, the latest trend in romance, and a subgenre I don’t particularly care for. I wish her the best with both books, of course, but doubtful I’ll be reading either. Lucky for me, there are still lots of terrific romance writers who haven’t been driven to the dark side, by which I mean romantasy.
1/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
FORGET ME NOT by Julie Soto.Forever (July 11, 2023). ISBN: 978-1538740880. 352p.
Lizzie Shane’s Pine Hollow series is a contemporary romance series about the residents of Pine Hollow, Vermont, and their love of animals. The series follows the characters as they adopt rescue dogs and find their happily-ever-afters.
I did a full review of the first book in the series, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas, and here are my thoughts on the rest of the series.See my comments below each book.
Pine Hollow has everything Ally Gilmore could wish for in a holiday break: gently falling snow in a charming small town and time with her family. Then she learns some Grinch has pulled the funding for her family’s rescue shelter, and now she has only four weeks to find new homes for a dozen dogs! But when she confronts her Scroogey councilman nemesis, Ally finds he’s far more reasonable – and handsome – than she ever expected.
As the guardian of his dog-obsessed ten-year-old niece, Ben West doesn’t have time to build a cuddly reputation. But he does feel guilty about the shelter closing. So he proposes a truce with Ally, agreeing to help her adopt out the pups. As the two spend more time together, the town’s gossip is spreading faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. And soon Ben is hoping he can convince Ally that Pine Hollow is her home for the holidays…and the whole year through.]
From the BookBitch: I really enjoyed this romantic romp. If you like your Christmas stories with a side of puppies, as I do, this is your book. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Full review
Opposites attract when a straitlaced lawyer and whimsical party planner must fake-date as co-parents of a rambunctious Irish wolfhound in the second book of this im-paw-ssibly charming small-town romance series.
Once upon a time, an unruly puppy was looking for a place to call home…
Connor Wyeth has a plan for everything. But when he adopts Maximus, an unruly Irish wolfhound mix, he gets more than he bargained for. The only person Max ever listens to is the volunteer who used to walk him at the shelter – a perpetually upbeat woman whose day job is planning princess parties for little kids. Connor can’t believe she’ll be able to tame such a beast as Max, but he’s desperate enough to try anything.
Deenie Mitchell isn’t looking forward to spending more time with uptight, rules-orientated Connor – no matter how attractive he is. But when her sister announces her engagement, Deenie realizes he’s the perfect person to impress her type-A family. When she learns he needs a plus-one for his law firm’s work events, an unlikely alliance is formed. But then playing the perfect couple unexpectedly begins to feel all too…real.
Opposites may attract, but can this rule-maker and rule-breaker find a way to each other’s hearts?
From the BookBitch: I loved this romcom that takes you back to the small town of Pine Hollow, and into the lives of the happy-go-lucky yet sassy Deenie, and the straight-laced yet impassioned Connor, as they find out that opposites do attract. There is definitely more to their relationship than dog training, fake dating, and office politics.
Sometimes a second chance at first love requires a little push…
The last person Elinor Rodriguez wants to spend time with is her first love, Levi Jackson. The quietly intense lawman broke Elinor’s heart once before, and she’s determined to never risk trusting him again. Unfortunately, her mischievous rescue dog seems to have other plans. Somehow Dory always manages to escape Elinor at the worst possible moment. And in the small town of Pine Hollow, Levi is the man to call when a dog is disrupting traffic.
As the kid who barely graduated – and still struggles to hide his dyslexia – Levi always believed that Elinor was way out of his league. Even though he ended their engagement all those years ago, Elinor continues to take Levi’s breath away whenever he sees her. Now, with a little help from a four-legged friend, Levi and Elinor may just get the second chance they deserve.
From the BookBitch: I love a second chance romance, and this was a good one. Levi and Eleanor were engaged, and a couple of weeks before the wedding, he called it off – with no reason. Living in a small town means there is no escape, and finding their way back to one another is a sometimes painful, yet promising journey.
In this fun small-town romance, a Jane Austen fan struggling to find her modern-day Mr. Darcy gets more than she bargained for when she swears off men and adopts an adorable puppy.
Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez is single—again—and she blames Jane Austen. She made brooding, aloof men sound oh so dreamy. But after years of failing to find her own Mr. Darcy, Charlotte decides it’s time to swear off dating. She’s going to lavish all her love and affection on someone who actually deserves it: her new puppy, Bingley.
And there’s no one better to give her pet advice than her neighbor and coworker George Leneghan. He’s quiet and patient and, best of all, way too sweet to ever be her type. But as their friendly banter turns flirty, the unimaginable happens—Charlotte starts catching feelings.
Just as Charlotte is trying to untangle what it is she truly wants, George announces he’s contemplating a cross-country move. Suddenly, Charlotte wonders if she’s kept her soulmate in the friend zone so long that she’s entirely missed her chance at a happily ever after. Dear Reader, could it be possible she’s had it wrong all this time?
From the BookBitch: This contemporary take on Jane Austen goes one step further with a family obsessed with everything Austen, including their names. George is so perfect for Charlotte but it takes them both a while to figure it all out. This was a sweet romance sure to please any Austen fan.
In this uplifting small-town romance, a rambunctious puppy gives two childhood friends a second chance at love.
When her Olympic downhill dreams were crushed by an injury, Kendall Walsh retreated to Pine Hollow to help her parents run the local ski resort—and watched from a distance as her childhood best friend took the winter sports world by storm. Now nearly a decade later, Brody James has suddenly retired and returned to Pine Hollow for his sister’s wedding, but he isn’t the same carefree daredevil Kendall remembers (and had a secret crush on as a teen).
Haunted by the recent death of his fiercest rival, and struggling to regain his footing in a life after sports, Brody finds himself trailing after Kendall at the resort as eagerly as her golden retriever puppy. Kendall had promised herself she wasn’t going to bother with things like romance until she’d proven herself as the ski resort’s new events coordinator, but Brody has always been her kryptonite and maybe they both need to remember how to be a little more daring…
From the BookBitch: Kendall was supposed to follow in her father’s footsteps and become an Olympic champion skier. She was well on her way when she had a terrible accident, and hasn’t been up on skis since. Her childhood best friend, Brody, did make it all the way but when his arch rival dies, it really throws him off kilter. He comes home and tries to figure out his next move, helping Kendall out at the ski resort her family owns. Lots of family drama ensues, but Kendall and Brody find their happy ending.
A small-town baker faces off against her longtime nemesis on a reality TV competition in this delightful romantic comedy.
Magda Miller’s feud with rival baker Mackenzie Newton is so old, folks in tiny Pine Hollow, Vermont forgot how it started. But Magda remembers: Ten years ago, she offered Mac her heart—instead, he ran off with her grandmother’s maple cake recipe. Now, Mac traipses all over Magda’s baking territory, just like his oversized tabby keeps sneaking into her house to claim her dog’s favorite bed. So, when Magda gets the call to compete on The Great American Cake-Off, she’s thrilled to finally shine in a Mac-free zone. But when she arrives on set, her devilishly handsome nemesis is already there . .
It turns out, Mac and Magda’s story has inspired the first ever Arch Rivals edition of Cake-Off, and of course Mac has to raise the stakes with a wager. The winner takes all—the Cake-Off title, the contested recipe, and control of the narrative. Magda is more than ready to kick Mac’s Bundt. But as they spar, on-screen and off, Mac and Magda reveal the best in each other…and the sizzling attraction fueling their rivalry. Only one of them can win, so why does it suddenly feel like they both stand to lose?
From the BookBitch: I think this may be my favorite book in the series, which is really saying something. Set in the world of a competitive baking reality TV show just amped up my interest for sure. Mac and Magda have been sworn enemies in the tiny town of Pine Hollow for years, so when they compete on TV things really take a turn – and then another turn, when they fall in love. This enemies-to-lovers romance was everything I wanted – relatable characters, slow-burn romance, and, of course, the happily ever after.
Posted by Stacy Alesi 
Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™ 