Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

From the publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for. The “blockbuster” (Esquire) new Jack Reacher thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child, featuring “the best villain yet” (USA Today)!

First—a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing around. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can’t deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There’s no problem. Nothing is missing.

Second—a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climates. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help.

Third—wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy’s technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more . . .

“Exactly what fans of the long-running series want . . . features one of the series’ most interesting villains . . . it’s sure to please.”—Booklist

Don’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher!

https://amzn.to/4a9Md4S

The new Jack Reacher novel is more of the same, while I was hoping for more.

Reacher, the former Army cop turned perpetual drifter, is in Baltimore to catch a band. As usual, he stops for coffee—his most essential fuel—and while on his second cup, he notices what looks like a con targeting an elderly couple. Being Reacher, he follows the scammer outside and intervenes before the couple loses their money. A stranger bumps into him, a classic pickpocket move, but his money and toothbrush remain where they should.

Later, while buying a coat, Reacher discovers a note slipped into his pocket: a plea for help and a request to meet. Intrigued, he stakes out the location. What unfolds is a case of mistaken identity, but it still pulls him into a conspiracy—one he can’t walk away from once he realizes a fellow Army veteran is involved.

The villain here is one of the most despicable in the Reacher canon: a ruthless private military contractor with a twisted plan, aided by someone high up in government. The book includes grim, unsettling scenes meant to highlight his cruelty. As expected, it falls to Reacher to unravel the plan and stop him. But the investigation is convoluted, slow-moving, and—worst of all—boring, a cardinal sin for a thriller. Predictably, violence erupts before the finale, and Reacher departs on the next bus out of town.

I found myself repeatedly setting the book aside, searching for something more engaging. It lacked the spark and intensity I’ve come to expect from this series. At this point, I’m beginning to think Lee Child’s first instinct may have been right—kill off Jack Reacher and just end it. His brother simply isn’t doing the series justice. But money talks…

12/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

EXIT STRATEGY by Lee Child & Andrew Child. Bantam (November 11, 2025). ISBN:‎ 978-0593725849. 320p.

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From the publisher:

One bed. One (very awkward) shared past. What could go wrong?

With a fun and steamy twist on the only-one-bed trope, this debut contemporary romance will delight fans of The Love Hypothesis and The Paradise Problem.

Chemistry teacher Ashleigh Hutchinson knows better than anyone that love and lust don’t mix. The feelings come from different hormones, they trigger different responses, and they demand different reactions. Which is why she doesn’t date. She hooks up. No catching-of-feels required.

When Ashleigh is fired from her job without notice, she signs up to participate in a month-long sleep study, which will pay her enough to cover rent while she job hunts. It seems easy enough—until she walks into the clinic and finds herself staring right into the gorgeous eyes of Xander Miller, the only man to have ever tempted her to abandon her no relationships rule.

When Xander and Ashleigh realize the study is only looking for couples, they agree to pretend to be together—which means sleeping in the same bed every night for the next few weeks. How hard can it be to keep their cool under the covers?

With steamy “will they or won’t they” tension and plenty of hilariously awkward moments, Bed Chemistry is sure to appeal to fans of Christina Lauren, Ali Hazelwood, and Meghan Quinn.

“[This] debut takes the “there was only one bed” trope to new extremes . . . [With] witty banter and palpable sexual tension. It’s a promising start.” —Publishers Weekly

https://amzn.to/48OTSUS

Ashleigh, a chemistry teacher recently fired from her job, signs up for a month-long sleep study to cover her bills while she searches for new work. At her intake interview, she’s stunned to run into Xander—her college one-night stand whom she promptly ghosted. Xander is there because he struggles with insomnia, while Ashleigh can sleep through anything. When the doctor explains they’re now only accepting couples, the two reluctantly team up and pretend to be in a relationship.

Ashleigh carries a lot of emotional baggage. After her father’s infidelity destroyed her parents’ marriage, her devastated mother reinvented herself as a champion for sex without relationships, penning a bestselling self-help book and landing a Netflix series. Ashleigh adopted her mother’s philosophy, building her life around strict rules: no dating, no entanglements, and absolutely no falling in love. It’s how she keeps her heart safe—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

But spending so much time with Xander rekindles all the feelings she once ran from, and those emotions spill over into constant bickering. When their arguments begin skewing the study’s results, the researchers order them to start doing some fun things together – to date – something Ashleigh wants no part of. Still, she needs the money, so she goes along with the outings Xander plans for them. One thing leads to another, and soon they’re sleeping together again… which brings all of Ashleigh’s long-buried fears crashing to the surface.

Along their journey, the story delivers humor, steamy encounters, and heartfelt growth. The sleep study proves to be a quirky but effective plot device, making this debut both engaging and memorable. It’s a promising start, and I’m eager to see what comes next from this author.

12/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BED CHEMISTRY by Elizabeth Mckenzie. Alcove Press (December 9, 2025). ISBN:‎ 979-8892423779. 304p.

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From the publisher:

A secret romance writer discovers that the hottest story of summer might just be the one happening between her and the Prime Minister’s bodyguard, from the international bestselling author of Set On You.

Andi Zeigler lives a double life. By day, she’s the no-nonsense, steadfast personal assistant to the Prime Minister of Canada’s wife. By night, she slips out of her heels and writes romance novels under a top-secret pen name. But when her steamiest book, The Prime Minister & Me, unexpectedly becomes a bestseller, rumors of a real-life affair between her and the PM start swirling out of control.

Enter Nolan Crosby, the PM’s new close protection officer (aka bodyguard) – and Andi’s failed one-night stand from three years ago. Nolan’s in town very temporarily to care for his mother, who’s battling early-onset Alzheimer’s. But when the scandal erupts, Andi ropes him into a fake-dating plan.

As loyal employees, they’ll pretend to date for the summer, just long enough to put the scandal to bed and save their boss’s reputation. In an unexpected plot twist, Andi and Nolan discover that keeping their romance strictly fictional might be easier said than done.

“This contemporary romance features well-developed protagonists with realistic backstories and relatable fears, and there’s plenty of humor and chemistry to balance out the emotion-laden moments. Readers will love Lea’s latest.”—Library Journal

“Lea (The Catch) tugs at readers’ heartstrings with this sweet fake-dating romance…Lea is skilled at balancing heavy moments with light humor. Readers will have no trouble rooting for these two.”—Publishers Weekly

https://amzn.to/3KgIqb7

’Tis the season for fake dating! If there’s one standout theme in 2025—aside from romantasy—it’s definitely fake dating. Or maybe I’m just gravitating toward those stories myself.

Andi is the personal assistant to the Canadian Prime Minister’s wife, a people-pleaser to an exhausting degree. Her boss takes full advantage of that, but Andi doesn’t push back as long as she can carve out time to secretly write romance novels under a pseudonym. She’s completed three so far, and while she’s sold a few copies, it’s hardly a career she can rely on—until her latest book, The Prime Minister and Me, suddenly goes viral. Readers are desperate to know if she’s the author—and Andi is desperate to deny it.

A few years earlier, Andi had a one-night stand with Nolan—one that ended up becoming an all-night conversation instead. Nolan is the only person who knows the truth about her writing. Andi insists on keeping it secret, not only to protect her job but also to avoid any suspicion from the Prime Minister’s wife that she harbors romantic feelings for her husband. She is terrified of losing her job, especially since she has never had anything more than a professional relationship with the PM and hates the idea that his wife might suspect otherwise.

Nolan, now part of the Prime Minister’s security detail, has a complicated past. After years of military service, he returned home to care for his mother, who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer’s. His sister has shouldered the burden for years, and Nolan feels it’s his turn to step up. But his mother’s history as a neglectful drug addict makes forgiveness difficult, even as his sister has found peace with their past.

When Andi’s book explodes in popularity, Nolan agrees to pose as her fake boyfriend to deflect the growing attention. Their ruse works—until real feelings begin to surface. Meanwhile, all of Andi’s novels take off, and she finally starts earning real money from her writing. As agents and publishers come calling, she realizes this is her chance to embrace her dream. With Nolan by her side, she steps into her new life, and together they find their happy ending.

This story is not just fun—it has real depth. The portrayal of caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s is handled with real sensitivity, and Nolan’s painful childhood adds meaningful emotional layers. The behind-the-scenes look at the publishing industry feels authentic and engaging. Overall, it’s an enjoyable read with substance. Highly recommend!

12/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE BODYGUARD AFFAIR by Amy Lea. Berkley (December 2, 2025). ISBN:‎ 978-0593641781. 432p.

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Harlot’s Bay, Book 2

From the publisher:

A Heartwarming, Body-Positive Reunion Romance Novel in the Quaint Small Town of Harlot’s Bay 

In the second installment of USA Today bestselling author Olivia Dade’s Harlot’s Bay series, a mistaken obituary leads to the reunion of two former high school crushes. Sparks fly in this hilarious grumpy/grumpy romance, packed with Dade’s signature body positivity and a delicious amount of spice.

Karl and Molly were never together. There was a time, right after high school, where it seemed like they might finally cross the line from friends to lovers…but instead, a foolish misunderstanding meant they never spoke again. Molly went to LA and got married. Karl stayed in Harlot’s Bay and bought a bakery.

The only connection the pair has shared over the years is painfully one-sided: Now divorced, Molly narrates monster romance audiobooks, and Karl is an ever-diligent listener, clinging to his only piece of the one that got away.

Still, Molly hasn’t totally left Harlot’s Bay behind. When she hears that Karl’s obituary has run in the local paper, unexpected grief prompts her to hop on the next flight to Maryland…where she finds Karl very much alive, the victim of nothing but an accidental obituary.

As the pair reunite, they finally hash out their missed connection. True, Molly isn’t quite ready to trust again, but Karl is determined to prove himself worthy of her faith and devotion. And as her remaining time in Harlot’s Bay ticks down, Molly, the habitual cynic, just might find that Karl, the cranky town curmudgeon, is impossible to leave behind a second time.

“Dade maintains value and depth in the storyline about a curvaceous, sexy woman and accentuates the humanity in negative emotions common in clinical depression with therapy, laughter, and eroticism.” – Booklist

“Dade’s (At First Spite) grumpy/sunshine, second-chance romantic comedy features delightful protagonists who are believable, relatable, and sympathetic. Their chemistry is instantaneous, and the slow-burn plot keeps their sexual tension buzzing just beneath the surface. VERDICT Readers will be unable to put this book down.” – Library Journal

“Harlot’s Bay is alive with quirky characters… fans of the series will rejoice at returning to town” – Kirkus Reviews

“Amusing rom-com… Dade peppers the narrative with abundant humor from Harlot Bay’s residents; there’s even a running bit about the town’s dueling sex shops expressing their animosity for each other by commissioning elegant but insulting cakes. Series fans who met Karl as a colorful side character in book one will be especially glad to uncover his hopeless romantic streak. This is a charmer.” – Publishers Weekly

https://amzn.to/4o2kypK

Molly is a thriving audiobook narrator in California, best known for her monster romance performances. Once married and divorced, she’s content living independently. Two decades ago, she left her hometown of Harlot’s Bay with no intention of returning, though she still keeps tabs on local gossip through the town’s newsletter. One day, she’s stunned to read an obituary announcing the death of Karl—her closest friend from high school. Heartbroken, she rushes back for the funeral.

Her sorrow quickly turns to shock when she discovers Karl alive and well, albeit a bit grumpy, running his bakery. What Molly doesn’t know is that Karl has long found solace in her audiobooks, treasuring the intimacy of her voice. When she walks into his shop, that imagined bond suddenly becomes real. Persuaded to stay for their upcoming high school reunion, Molly and Karl rekindle their friendship—and soon realize it’s blossoming into something much deeper.

This novel is far from a typical rom-com. It’s refreshing to see plus-size protagonists nearing forty portrayed as romantic leads, with body size treated as a non-issue and their communication handled with genuine maturity. The banter sparkles, the chemistry sizzles, and the emotional connection is irresistible. Karl may be a stubborn grump, while Molly remains cautiously hopeful, but he is determined to prove they deserve their happily ever after. For fans of Olivia Dade, this latest installment—though perfectly enjoyable as a standalone—delivers everything you could want. I loved it!

11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE by Olivia Dade. Avon (November 25, 2025). ISBN:‎ 978-0063215979. 400p.

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Playing for Keeps, Book 5

From the publisher:

From bestselling author and TikTok sensation Becka Mack comes the final book in her sizzling hockey romance series about a couple who face an agonizing challenge that could bring them closer—or tear them apart.

Cara Hunter is a self-made woman. Driven and fearless, she’s never lost a battle. In fact, the only time she’s fallen to her knees was, well . . . for him.

Emmett Brodie might be one of hockey’s hottest players, but the moment he sees Cara, he’s reduced to a single word: hers. And he’ll stop at nothing to change her last name.

With a love as all-encompassing and fierce as theirs, they become the ultimate power couple and the backbone of their family. But when they decide it’s time to have a baby, they discover their journey to conceiving will be anything but easy. As they face off with infertility, a battle that strips them to their bones, they’ll see just how unshakable their foundation really is.

They thought they could survive anything together, but how do you survive when you’re barely breathing?

https://amzn.to/3MzXNJr

This final installment of the series delivered an emotional gut-punch that left me reeling—and not just because it’s the end. Cara and Emmett’s story takes an unexpectedly heavy turn that hit close to home.

Their relationship starts with instant chemistry. For Emmett, a notorious player who’s never met a puck bunny he didn’t take home, meeting Cara is a thunderbolt—love at first sight. Despite her attempts to resist, their connection is undeniable. Soon they are married, and life seems perfect.

Everything changes when they decide to start a family. While intimacy comes easily, pregnancy doesn’t. After more than a year of trying, they consult a fertility specialist who delivers devastating news: Cara has diminished ovarian reserve with poor egg quality. What follows is a grueling odyssey of treatments—hormone injections, embryo transfers, and month after month of crushing disappointment. For anyone who has experienced infertility (as I have), this was almost unbearably painful. I found myself putting the book down repeatedly to give myself emotional breaks. The author’s unflinching portrayal of this journey is both authentic and agonizing.

Cara’s struggle is raw and real. She becomes depressed, despondent, and barely recognizable to herself, yet refuses to give up. Emmett remains steadfast beside her, but even he can’t reach her anymore. She withdraws completely, and you begin to understand exactly how infertility destroys so many relationships. She tries to leave, but he cannot let her go.

Their eventual path to parenthood comes through fostering (not really a spoiler—you can see it coming). This helps them reconnect and find their way back to each other. Their hard-won happy ending feels earned after such a harrowing journey.

I finished this book emotionally drained yet deeply satisfied—and melancholy that the series has concluded. Despite the difficulty of this particular story, I loved every moment of this series.

10/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

BREATHE WITH ME by Becka Mack. Zando – Slowburn (October 28, 2025). ISBN:‎ 978-1638932451. 448p.

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