A sweet and sizzling summer romance about a woman who takes a job at a bookstore in Nantucket and gets involved with the man who turns out to be her boss: a billionaire bent on knocking the store down.
When book lover Jade Taylor applies to manage the Little Bay Book Shack on Nantucket Island over the summer, the last thing she needs is the distraction of billionaire resort owner, Liam Haven.
But things take an unexpected turn when Liam becomes Jade’s boss—a man who only reads contracts for pleasure….
In a bid to save the bookshop from being absorbed into the Haven resort, Jade is determined to teach Liam that there’s more to life than acquiring real estate. And if she can make him realize happily ever afters do exist, might she be able to save the island’s bookshop in the process?
Jade, stuck in an entry-level publishing job doing grunt work, jumps at the chance to run a bookshop for the summer on Nantucket—a world away from her small English village. While her loving family supports her American adventure (even if she feels like the family disappointment), she secures a leave of absence and sets off for what promises to be the experience of a lifetime.
Her first encounter on the island is with Liam, whom she assumes runs the ferry service. She quickly discovers the “ferry” is actually his private yacht—because Liam is a billionaire, albeit a grumpy one. Where he’s all sharp edges and cynicism, Jade radiates pure sunshine and optimism. Their instant chemistry leads to a passionate one-night stand, but their summer fling takes a dramatic turn when Jade learns that Liam has purchased the bookstore from her boss. His plan? Tear it down and replace it with luxury cottages for his resort.
Both characters carry emotional baggage, with Liam particularly struggling to overcome childhood trauma. Despite being on opposite sides of the bookstore battle, their magnetic attraction proves impossible to ignore—this is pure, electric insta-lust rather than gentle romance. Jade convinces Liam to give her a chance to boost the shop’s sales, and he reluctantly agrees. But as he gets to know her better, the thought of losing her becomes unbearable. If he closes the bookstore, she’ll have no choice but to return to England.
The central tension drives the story forward: Jade finds herself torn between her undeniable physical attraction to Liam and her disgust at his plans for the bookstore. This internal conflict ultimately forces both characters to confront their feelings and work toward their well-earned happily ever after.
Mary Jane Wells delivers an exceptional narration that elevates the entire story. Her ability to create distinct voices makes it effortless to follow the dialogue between characters. Most impressive is her seamless transition between Jade’s British accent and Liam’s American accent—never once breaking the spell of the story. Wells’ skilled performance transforms the book from a simple read into a vivid, immersive experience that makes for thoroughly engaging listening.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
BOOKED FOR THE SUMMER by Kathryn Freeman.Narrator: Mary Jane Wells. HarperAudio. July 29, 2025 Listening Length: 9 hours and 59 minutes.
Swoon-worthy romances with lovable characters, loads of humor, and a healthy dose of drama on the way to a happily ever after.
The Blue Moon series by Lucy Score is a contemporary romance series set in the small town of Blue Moon Bend, in upstate New York. Each book features a different couple finding love amidst the quirky, close-knit community, often involving second chances, matchmaking meddling, and plenty of small-town charm. The series is known for its heartwarming, humorous, and steamy romance stories with engaging characters facing real-life challenges.
Blue Moon Bend is a character in itself, with its gossipy, but ultimately loving, residents and a strong sense of community. Rumor has it that a bunch of hippies got lost after leaving Woodstock and settled in Blue Moon Bend, creating a town that many years later is full of aging hippies and every stereotype you can think of associated with that time: VW buses abound, vegetarians, nudity, astrology, vintage clothes, and more.
Each book focuses on a different couple, but they are interconnected through the town and recurring characters and are best read in order (see author’s note about book 7). The series balances lighthearted humor with heartfelt moments, exploring themes of family, forgiveness, and finding love.
“She’s a woman, not the last piece of f**king pie. And yes, I’m calling dibs if it keeps your hands off her.”
Carter Pierce wants to spend his days tending the family farm he inherited, and that’s about it. After a tour of duty and a few bullet holes, he’s looking forward to some peace and quiet in his hometown. Unfortunately, Blue Moon doesn’t believe in peace and quiet. And his nosy neighbors sure as hell don’t know how to mind their own business.
As it turns out, neither does the big city journalist who arrives to interview him for a magazine article. Summer Lentz is out of place with her designer wardrobe and workaholic schedule. She asks too many questions and gets under his skin with her smart mouth and those denim-blue eyes. She’s also typing his family’s story a mile a minute at his kitchen table and sleeping in the bedroom across the hall. Carter’s only chance for peace is to scare her away from farm life so he can go back to his comfortable, solitary existence.
But Summer’s got a stubborn streak and secrets of her own. And once Carter starts pulling at those threads, he’s not so eager to send her packing. Will a nudge from the matchmaking Beautification Committee result in a happily ever after or a homegrown disaster?
From the BookBitch: This is a wonderful introduction to the kooky town and its inhabitants, along with a smart, sexy romance. It was so good I immediately started reading the next book, and the next – I ripped through this series in about a week, and with my vision problems, that was no small feat! These romcoms bring the sweet and the heat, and I was all in. This first book is a close proximity, opposites attract romance and it worked.
“Your kids are great,” he said, changing the subject.
“Don’t be sweet. I can’t resist sweet,” Gianna warned him.
“Your kids are monsters, and I hate your face.”
Beckett Pierce is the most eligible bachelor in the nosiest small town in upstate New York. But after his last girlfriend handcuffed herself to his porch and set his welcome mat on fire, he’s not looking for any more romance.
Especially if it lands right in his own backyard. And has miles of red hair.
Gianna Decker has her hands full—no, overflowing—with problems. With two kids, a useless ex, and a brand new yoga studio, the last thing on her mind is finding a man who’ll demand more of her time.
Fantasizing about her hot, broody landlord? Mistake. Lusting after the sexy mayor of her new town? Terrible idea. Getting naked with the “favorite” son of her father’s new lady friend? N-O. Getting involved with Beckett has disaster written all over it.
Those stolen kisses were accidental. A few moments of strings-free, sizzling passion couldn’t possibly cause any trouble. At least, not until tempers flare when their families complicate things and the interfering citizens of Blue Moon step in with their special brand of chaos.
From the BookBitch: Blue Moon’s “Beautification Committee” is, in essence, a group of busybody matchmakers whose ideal is the pairing off of everyone in town so they all can live their best lives. They often go too far with their shenanigans, but everyone is always forgiven because you can’t argue with results. Great character development throughout the series hooked me, but the romances are what kept me coming back for more.
There are two things Joey Greer is great at: Raising horses and holding grudges. Eight years ago, her high school sweetheart abandoned her, skipped out on his family, and fled to Hollywood of all places. She vowed never to forgive or forget.
Now big-shot screenwriter Jackson Pierce is back in Blue Moon demanding another chance. No place is safe from him. Not the stables. Not the only bar in town. Not even the clawfoot tub on her own deck.
No matter how good it feels when he sneaks past her defenses to land a kiss or a compliment, she is determined to pretend he doesn’t exist. Except maybe when he’s naked in her bed.
Jax can’t tell Joey the truth about the night he left. It would ruin far more than just their relationship. All he can do is sweep her off her reluctant feet with orgasms, flowers, bacon, and a rescue dog. Oh, and maybe handcuff himself to her for charity too.
The Beautification Committee has a few tricks up its devious sleeve where Jax and Joey are concerned. Tricks that will either leave the past in the past or ensure these two lovebirds can never be in the same room again.
From the BookBitch: This is a second chance, enemies-to-lovers romance, and Score nailed it.
“He’s the kind of man who would talk you into dropping your panties in a coat closet at a party, dole out orgasms like after-dinner mints, and then never call you again.”
Photographer Nikolai Vulkov is a love ’em and leave ’em bad boy with a leather jacket, motorcycle, and sexy-as-sin grin.
He is not Emma Merrill’s type. The feisty brewery manager isn’t impressed by Niko’s charm or his “no strings attached” offer. She’s the kind of girl a man settles down with. And the small town of Blue Moon is where she and her sisters have decided to put down roots.
In Niko’s experience, relationships only lead to heartache. Besides, he’s only in town until he finds a way to get his creative mojo back. He and Emma are completely wrong for each other. Even the matchmaking Beautification Committee agrees. They should definitely stay in the friend zone.
Okay. So maybe they gave in to their attraction that one time. Fine. Five times. Who’s counting? But once Emma’s ex-boyfriend shows up in town, she’ll come to her senses, and Niko will go back to New York. Right?
From the BookBitch: This book centered on a newcomer to town, but the Beautification Committee is on top of it. While Niko may have spent years as a man whore, he’s fallen hard and isn’t quite sure how this whole relationship thing actually works, but it’s so much fun watching him figure it out.
“I want to be upfront with you. No surprises, no secrets. I want you, Eva. And I think you might be it for me.”
Romance novelist Eva Merrill is a hot mess running from her past. She doesn’t mind telling a fib or two to protect her secrets and her family. It’s too bad that she moved to the nosiest small town in the world with Sheriff Sexy—the tall, built, human lie detector. He’s showing way too much interest in her and treating every conversation like it’s an interrogation.
Maybe that’s because she accidentally showed him her boobs in the middle of downtown Blue Moon. Or maybe it’s because he thinks she’s about to commit a crime. It’s definitely not that he’s attracted to her. That only happens in her novels.
Donovan Cardona loves his nice, quiet hometown, and he’s got some pretty strong feelings when it comes to a certain klutzy redhead too. But his gut says she’s hiding something. Just when he starts to peel back those layers to get to the naked truth, the entire town loses its collective mind—and inhibitions.
Can he save the girl from her past and the town from itself?
From the BookBitch: This was my least favorite book in the series. It actually reminded me of Takedown Twenty by Janet Evanovich, where she has a giraffe roaming the streets of New Jersey. This book was equally silly. The premise is that once every thirty-something years, the whole town goes bonkers, due to astrological phenomena and Uranus (but more for the fun of saying it.) Silly, but I did love the romance at the heart of it.
Davis Gates. Naked. Tossing her a handful of orgasms like he was on a lust-themed parade float.
Innkeeper Eden has got it all. Well, mostly. She’s cornered the hospitality market in Blue Moon offering visitors a place to stay in her hippie-dippie hometown. Business is booming, she’s close—but not too close—to family, and she’s got her dogs and her friends to keep her company.
Unfortunately, she also shares a property line with the crush who broke her teenage heart.
Davis spends his days wrestling control of the family winery from his father’s semi-retired hands. He doesn’t have time for things like dating or dealing with his grudge-holding next-door neighbor. Besides, they’re just the latest generation to participate in their families’ fifty-year feud.
When the Beautification Committee resorts to an unprecedented—and disastrous—matchmaking scheme, enemies Eden and Davis join forces to take them down. These two frenemies can survive being fake lovers for a few weeks if it means teaching their neighbors all’s not fair in love and war.
From the BookBitch: Another second chance romance with some forced proximity thrown in, and once again, a terrific read.
“This would be a lot easier if you had a sense of humor.”
“This would be a lot easier if you were a man.”
John Pierce has plans for these two hundred rundown acres. He sees a farm, a family, a future here. He’s not about to drag someone in on the ground floor. Not before he’s put in the work to turn rubble into a home. But his nosy neighbors have other ideas.
Now, he’s saddled with a grad student who was supposed to be a he. But the curvy, opinionated Phoebe is a smart-mouthed woman who seems to do nothing but question his every move. She’s ruining his nice, quiet life. And if she doesn’t finish her thesis and get out of his guest room soon, he’s going to have to scare her off.
Phoebe desperately needs this degree and the money it will bring. What she doesn’t need is this stubborn farmer’s attitude and his pathological need to avoid her. She’s trapped in this tiny hippie town, trying every trick in the book to get the stalwart John to open up. Her future is on the line. Her family needs her. And she’s not going to let a stubborn farmer stand in her way.
Very intense author note: John and Phoebe’s story is a prequel to the Blue Moon series. It follows the heart-warming, hilarious story of how they met, fell in love, and raised their boys together. But do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT read this book first. Read it sometime after book four. I’m protecting your reader experience here. I promise.
From the BookBitch: Totally agree with that author’s note! I was a bit trepidatious about reading this prequel because I don’t always love them, but this turned out to be my favorite book of the series and left me bawling more times than I care to think about. I am the first to admit that I rarely read a series in order, not because I don’t want to, but usually because I hear about a new book and I don’t realize that it is part of a series. That said, this series is best read in order, including this prequel coming in at book seven.
“Just because I don’t run around with a stupid grin on my face all day every day doesn’t mean I’m grumpy.”
Ryan Sosa, grumpy former corporate accountant, has had it up to here with surprises. He didn’t see getting fired coming. And he certainly didn’t anticipate flying across the country to the world’s hippie-est, happiest, most annoying town to save his great-uncle from some mysterious emergency.
Not only is there actual snow on the ground, it also appears that elves on psychedelics have decked Blue Moon’s halls. But he doesn’t have time to be snarky about the impending Winter Solstice and Multicultural Holiday Celebration—whatever the hell that is. Not when he’s got a farm to save, a free-range sheep that he may or may not have nudged with his stupid microscopic rental car, and some small-town veterinarian telling him she can’t take the animal off his hands.
Dr. Sammy Ames has a practice to manage and a fundraising crisis to attend to. She doesn’t have time to deal with a big-city grouch who doesn’t remember being her first kiss ever. Especially not since he wants to dump a sheep named Stan on her. So not happening. No matter how cute—and pantless—Ryan is when he’s drunk.
Besides, as soon as he solves his uncle’s problem, he’ll be on the first flight out of Blue Moon, never to return again.
It will take a Winter Solstice Miracle or perhaps some matchmaking interference from the Beautification Committee to get these two to see eye-to-eye under the mistletoe…unless he’s the wrong Ryan after all.
From the BookBitch: Just what this series needed, a holiday-themed book! I loved how all the holidays were celebrated and how, once again, the Beautification Committee struck gold. Loved it!
From the author: Go back to Blue Moon to find out how our favorite hippie dippy small town was handling the pandemic. And of course I threw in a hilarious little romance… and goats. I also included your suggestions. Deputy Layla and Guidance Counselor Huck are trapped together. Layla is on the verge of being kicked out of her rental for rescuing too many pets. Huck was just given news meant for someone else!
NOTE: This is a fun short story/novella (50 pages) and is available to read for free on the author’s website. I linked to it in the title above.
If you haven’t read the series and want a tiny taste, you can start here, but it is probably better to read it last. That said, this entire series is available through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited subscription. I got a three month free subscription during Amazon’s Prime Days last month. It doesn’t pay for me to purchase a subscription as I have access to review copies for free, but when they offer a free subscription, I almost always take them up on it and find something good to read, like this series! For a monthly fee ($11.99/month), subscribers can borrow up to 20 titles at a time, enjoying unlimited reading and listening without due dates, as long as their membership is active. It’s a good deal if you like the books they have, many of which are new, bestsellers, etc. I haven’t tried any of the audiobooks – I can’t figure out how that works exactly, and I’m not a magazine reader, so I haven’t bothered with those. But I can see this being a worthwhile subscription if you read at least a couple of books a month.
A Steamy Small-Town Rivals-to-Lovers Romance Filled with Witty Banter and Unlikely Romance at a Destination Wedding
Alone and Looking to Bone! Loudmouthed Mountain Man Seeks Fiery Woman to Grow Old With.
I might look like a tall, tattooed, bearded neanderthal…but like an onion, I have layers. Swipe right if you like a proud cat daddy who catches feelings after direct eye contact.
All I wanted was a casual plus-one to my brother’s destination wedding, but those idiots on my family tree hacked my dating profile and sabotaged my quest for the perfect weekend fling. Now I’m stuck on a tropical vacation with only my hand to keep me company.
Until I’m forced to share a room with the bane of my existence: my sister-in-law’s best friend.
Dakota has hated me for the past seven years. I wasn’t losing much sleep over her screaming rants because she was some other guy’s problem. Or she was, until she got divorced.
Being stuck in paradise with a woman who loathes your very existence doesn’t sound hot, but after an unexpected moment in our shared palapa, she starts screaming at me in a different way.
What happens in paradise stays in paradise. That is, until Dakota shows up on my mountain with a proposition: be her wingman to help her regain her pre-divorce confidence.
Suddenly, Dakota’s not just the person I love to fight with. She’s the woman I want everything with.
After enjoying the first book in this series, Nine Month Contract, this sequel was a disappointment. While that book was a bit far-fetched, I was able to suspend my disbelief and get swept up in the story. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case here.
Calder is the brother of the mountain man from the first book. Seven years ago, he met Dakota when he did renovations on her home—his first solo job, which didn’t go smoothly. Dakota was incredibly hostile toward him during the project, but since her best friend is now his sister-in-law, they’re forced to maintain contact. When his other brother plans a destination wedding in Mexico, circumstances force Calder and Dakota to share a palapa* with only one bed.
After a night of passionate sex, they return to ignoring each other. This arrangement works until they’re back home, where Dakota—fresh from a painful divorce—decides to visit a sex club to rebuild her confidence. When things go badly, Calder, who happens to be a member, comes to her rescue. From there, these two can’t keep their hands off each other until they eventually find their happy ending.
The problem is that this book felt like 80% sex scenes and only 20% actual plot development. I never got to know either character well enough to invest in their relationship, which for me, is a fatal flaw in a romance novel. Without that emotional connection, even the steamiest scenes fall flat.
The same narrators from the first book returned, and while I thought they did excellent work previously, I found their performance here deeply frustrating. I had to pause the audiobook multiple times before finally pushing through to the end. Mallon delivered a sing-songy reading that became increasingly irritating, while Hamilton sounded perpetually angry throughout the entire book. Their performances did nothing to elevate the weak material.
While this wasn’t my favorite, I’m still willing to give the next book in the series a chance. Sometimes authors hit rough patches, and I’m hoping the series will get better.
*Palapa was a new word for me, which came in handy while I was playing the NY Times Spelling Bee!
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitchSEVEN YEAR ITCH by Amy Daws.Narrators: Erin Mallon & Teddy Hamilton. Harlequin Audio. June 17, 2025. Listening Length: 10 hours and 47 minutes.
Help Wanted: Grumpy mountain man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only. Surrogate must be impervious to grunting as the form of communication and nosy brotherly neighbors. Rustic mountain range housing available upon request.
I wanted to pummel my irritating brothers when they posted their own version of a wanted ad to help me with my life. But I can’t fault the results once the right woman lands in my lap. Becoming a single father is not a decision I made lightly. In fact, it’s the biggest decision of my entire life.
Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. Which is why when I interview Trista, I know she’s perfect. She’s the exact type of person I was holding out for.
And to my great horror, I realize on our first night of attempting this baby-making dance—when the lights are low, the cheap wine is flowing and the home-insemination supplies are laid out on the kitchen counter—I want to do a lot more than just make her my surrogate. I want to make her mine.
This romance offered a premise I hadn’t encountered before. At 38, Wyatt has sworn off relationships after experiencing romantic trauma. He lives on a mountain near his brothers, and his devotion to his teenage niece, Everly, sparks a desire for a child of his own. However, with no interest in finding a traditional partner, he decides to pursue surrogacy.
Wyatt approaches a reputable agency but finds none of their candidates appealing. When his brothers place an ad that proves equally fruitless, his enterprising niece takes matters into her own hands. While visiting the agency, she literally runs into Trista, a 28 year old woman the agency had rejected because she weighs over 200 pounds, despite being otherwise healthy.
When Everly tells her about Wyatt, Trista agrees to meet with her uncle. Trista herself has no interest in relationships or children. Her true passion is rescuing wild animals, and her dream is to open a wildlife refuge—but she needs money to make that happen. Surrogacy offers the perfect solution: she can help Wyatt while funding her dream.
Facing eviction along with her pet potbellied pig, Trista gratefully accepts Wyatt’s offer of an apartment above his barn. His lawyer draws up the paperwork, and everything is set—Trista just needs to get pregnant. She suggests using her own egg instead of a donor’s, and they opt for the “turkey baster” method she’s read about in lesbian forums. The process adds some humor to the story, and it works.
Once pregnant, Trista thrives, gradually adopting more animals despite Wyatt’s lack of enthusiasm for her menagerie. His soft heart prevents him from refusing either the animals or Trista’s requests. As they spend more time together, both develop feelings they’re determined to resist. However, their hearts ultimately override their heads, leading to their happily ever after.
My one concern involved Trista’s frequent self-references as a “cow.” While clearly intended as breeding terminology rather than body-shaming, I found it uncomfortable despite her supposed body positivity. The author introduces what’s apparently called a “breeding kink”—new territory for me in romance—but the backstory and rationale were well-developed enough that I could embrace this element.
The narration enhanced my enjoyment significantly. The readers effectively drew me into the story and brought both characters to vivid life. I’m looking forward to the next installment in this series.
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
NINE MONTH CONTRACT by Amy Daws.Narrators: Erin Mallon & Teddy Hamilton. Harlequin Audio. October 29, 2024. Listening Length: 10 hours and 50 minutes.
Sleeping with the best man at my cousin’s wedding felt right at the time—he was a hot, available firefighter, and I was the tipsy maid of honor. It’s a rite of passage.
No regrets… until two pink lines flipped my world upside down.
Now I’m wildly unprepared and trying to hide my pregnancy in my small Alaskan town where privacy is a myth and gossip spreads faster than frostbite.
But wait, it gets worse.
Baby Daddy just came back to town—with a fiancée in tow.
And guess who she wants to plan their wedding?
Me.
Keeping the secret was hard enough.
Keeping my distance from the father of my baby? Impossible.
Just when I think I have it all figured out, he reveals his own secret that changes everything.
Authors Note: There is no cheating in this book. Gasp! We would never.
Harper Bailey runs a thriving wedding planning business in the small Alaskan town of Lake Starlight. After serving as maid of honor at her cousin’s wedding, she has an unforgettable one-night stand with Finn, the best man. Despite taking precautions, Harper discovers she’s pregnant. With Finn living thousands of miles away in Vermont, Harper knows she has to tell him, even though she expects nothing in return.
While summer keeps her busy with destination weddings, Harper never expected fall and even winter to become so popular for Alaskan weddings, with couples choosing Alaska’s scenic beauty over traditional sunny destinations. When a new client arrives for a consultation, Harper is stunned to see that the woman’s fiancé is Finn. Unable to risk losing clients in her growing business, Harper decides to stay quiet about their situation for now.
During the couple’s return visit to tour venues, only Finn shows up—his fiancée is swamped with work and has left the wedding decisions to him. As Harper guides him through potential locations, she finally reveals her pregnancy. Finn’s reaction is far more supportive than she anticipated from what was supposed to be just a one-night encounter.
After returning to Vermont and telling his fiancée the truth, Finn’s engagement ends. The relationship had complications from the start, involving a family inheritance and his family’s struggling ski resort that needed financial help. Determined not to be an absent father, Finn decides to relocate to Alaska. As a firefighter, he’s confident he can find work there.
Harper is amazed when Finn expresses his desire to be actively involved in their child’s life. Though the attraction between them remains strong, they agree to focus on friendship and co-parenting rather than complicate things further. In tiny Lake Starlight, Finn struggles to find long-term housing, so Harper offers her guest room as a temporary solution. She also asks her uncle, an Anchorage firefighter, to recommend Finn to both his station and the local Lake Starlight department.
Living under the same roof intensifies their connection and the undeniable chemistry between them. Pregnancy hormones add fuel to the fire, and eventually, they give in to their physical attraction. When Finn gets hired at the local fire station, a colleague mentions his rental property becoming available. As they tour the place together, Harper impulsively admits she doesn’t want him to move out.
In the end, Harper and Finn choose to be together and find their happily ever after.
The narrators brought this story to life brilliantly and kept me engaged throughout. It’s an entertaining tale with just the right amount of heat, and now I’m eager to find the earlier books in this series. Piper Rayne never disappoints!
8/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE COMPLICATION WITH THE BEST MAN by Piper Rayne.Narrators: Scott Rose & Willa Jaymes. Piper Rayne Inc. June 20, 2025. Listening Length: 7 hours and 32 minutes.
Legally Blonde and Jury Duty meet The Real Housewives in this high-stakes courtroom love story—a sexy and sweet but heartfelt novel about friendship, romance, and reality television from the acclaimed author of Love Buzz and In a Not So Perfect World.
Sydney Parks thinks she might be the first person in the world to look forward to serving jury duty. When Margot Kitsch, an OG cast member of the hit reality show Authentic Moms of Malibu is arrested after the untimely death of her cast member husband, Joe, Sydney knows being selected for the jury is the most interesting thing that ever happened to her.
However, it doesn’t take long for Sydney to realize that being part of a sequestered jury in a high-profile case is not at all what legal dramas had led her to expect—especially when she learns that her childhood best friend, Damon, whom she hasn’t seen in ten years, is also a jury member.
As the trial wears on, Sydney realizes there’s a lot more to the case than she first thought. And there’s also a lot more to Damon—she soon finds herself falling under his spell despite the court’s instructions not to fraternize. His tendency to break the rules and find adventure is hard to resist in their otherwise dull juror’s world. But getting close to Damon also means having to face the complicated reasons their friendship abruptly ended just when they were on the precipice of something more.
With all the drama in and out of the courtroom, how is Sydney supposed to ignore the fraught history between them? How is she supposed to avoid him when he’s sitting next to her in the jury box every day with his broad shoulders and intoxicating smell? And how is she supposed to ensure Margot gets a fair trial if her unfinished business with Damon causes the mistrial of the century?
“Taking the forced proximity trope to the limit, Tubati Alexander (In a Not So Perfect World) delivers a wildly entertaining romance between two members of a sequestered jury. . . . Tubati Alexander impressively drives forward both the murder trial and the romance, conjuring real chemistry between her leads and soapy, salacious intrigue in the courtroom. This is pure popcorn.” — Publishers Weekly
“A good pick for all romance collections, Alexander’s (In a Not-So-Perfect World) funny and moving novel is likely to be popular with reality television fans and those who enjoy the estranged friends-to-lovers trope.” —Library Journal
Sydney Parks is obsessed with Authentic Moms of Malibu, a reality TV show in the vein of Real Housewives. When one of the show’s stars, Margot, gets arrested for murdering her husband Joe, Sydney can hardly contain her excitement to see how the drama unfolds.
That excitement reaches new heights when Sydney receives a jury summons and discovers she’s been selected for Margot’s murder trial. But the biggest surprise comes when she spots a familiar face among her fellow jurors: Damon, her childhood best friend who mysteriously vanished from her life years ago without explanation.
As the trial progresses and her old friendship rekindles, Sydney finds herself torn between loyalties. She desperately wants to believe in Margot’s innocence, but the mounting evidence begins to shake her faith. Meanwhile, being sequestered with the other jurors in an abandoned hotel gives Sydney and Damon plenty of time to reconnect and uncover the secrets that drove them apart. Their renewed friendship quickly blossoms into romance, but they must keep their relationship hidden to avoid causing a mistrial. As tensions rise both in the courtroom and between the sheets, Sydney faces increasingly difficult choices about justice, loyalty, and love.
This compelling blend of courtroom drama, reality TV satire, and forbidden romance creates an irresistible page-turner that keeps readers guessing until the very end. A super fun read!
7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
COURTROOM DRAMA by Neely Tubati Alexander.Harper Perennial (May 20, 2025). ISBN: 978-0063428287. 352p.
A MOST ANTICIPATED READ BY PASTE • THE NERD DAILY • BOOKBUB • TODAY.COM • & MORE!
From the international bestselling author of You Had Me at Hola and A Lot Like Adiós, the exciting third and final book in Alexis Daria’s bestselling Primas of Power series
No strings
After Ava Rodriguez’s now-ex-husband declares he wants to “follow his dreams”—which no longer include her—she’s left questioning everything she thought she wanted. So when a handsome hotelier flirts with her, Ava vows to stop overthinking and embrace the opportunity for an epic one-night-stand.
No feelings
Roman Vázquez’s sole focus is the empire he built from the ground up. He lives and dies by his schedule, but the gorgeous stranger grimacing into her cocktail inspires him to change his plans for the evening. At first, it’s easy for Roman to agree to Ava’s rules: no strings, no feelings. But one night isn’t enough, and the more they meet, the more he wants.
No falling in love
Roman is the perfect fling, until Ava sees him at her cousin’s engagement party—as the groom’s best man, no less! Maintaining her boundaries becomes a lot more complicated as she tries to hide their relationship from her family, but Roman isn’t content being her dirty little secret. With her future uncertain and her family pressuring her from all sides, Ava will have to decide if love is worth the risk—again.
“This ultra-steamy, feel-good, and funny romance is filled with a large and lovable cast of characters and emotional family dynamics and is lovingly rooted in Latine culture… [A] sensational final installment” —LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)
“[A]n emotional roller coaster of a finale that will leave readers exhilarated.” —PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)
This is the third and final book in Alexis Daria’s Primas of Power series, arriving nearly four years after the previous installment. This novel centers on Ava, a recently divorced schoolteacher, and Roman, a wealthy hotelier. Their romance starts as a no-strings-attached fling but soon deepens into something more serious. As in the earlier books, their path to a happy ending is filled with twists, secrets, and family drama.
Ava is struggling with the aftermath of her divorce and ongoing emotional abuse from her toxic extended family—her judgmental grandmother, neglectful father, and a stepmother who treats her like a servant. The book thoughtfully addresses Ava’s trauma and therapy, highlighting her issues with abandonment and her tendency to become her family’s emotional punching bag.
Roman enters Ava’s life as a secret escape, someone with whom she can truly be herself. Ironically, while she can set boundaries with Roman, she can’t do the same with her family. Their secret affair becomes complicated when Roman turns out to be the best man at Ava’s cousin’s wedding, where she’s the maid of honor. Despite Ava’s attempts to end things, she’s drawn to Roman’s kindness, attentiveness, and emotional maturity. He falls for her first and harder, and their chemistry is off the charts—the book is definitely steamy.
The real conflict lies in Ava’s struggle to believe she’s worthy of love and her inability to set boundaries with her family. While the story delivers a satisfying happy ending, Ava’s confrontation with her family feels somewhat rushed and forced by circumstance rather than her own choice. Some family members dismiss her feelings, which is frustrating, though it’s gratifying to see her half-sister defend her. There’s a bizarre scene involving Roman giving Ava’s mom a lap dance, which felt unnecessary and awkward, though it provided some comic relief.
While this isn’t my favorite book in the series (that honor goes to the first), I enjoyed it nonetheless. The epilogue, which offers a glimpse into Ava and Roman’s future, is a sweet way to wrap up the series. I’m looking forward to whatever Daria does next.
6/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
ALONG CAME AMOR by Alexis Daria.Avon (May 27, 2025). ISBN: 978-0062960009. 512p.
I started this series – which I read in order! – with The Nantucket Inn, and I reviewed that first one here. I was able to find the entire series on Hoopla, through my public library, and listened to them all. These are self-published, and I’m sorry to say it shows.
Since Elin Hilderbrand retired, I was so happy to find this series. Hilderbrand created a world in Nantucket that I loved, and Kelley continues that magical feeling about the place. Not magical like the inexplicable, but magical as in a lovely, peaceful community where friendships are easy and love happens for everyone open to it.
The books revolve around the Beach Plum Cove Inn on Nantucket, which is at the center of the first book in the series. The subsequent books introduce new characters to Nantucket who stay at the inn, and most usually end up moving to the island permanently. It works beautifully. It truly feels like an escape to listen to these books, and I really appreciate that.
There are a few drawbacks to this audiobook series. The original reader, Karissa Vacker, did a terrific job and I really loved the first five books. However, the last four books in the series are read by Leslie Howard, and honestly, if I wasn’t already invested so deeply into the series, I would have stopped with Nantucket Threads. Howard is a breathy whisperer. Every voice she does sounds like they are whispering, and I find it super annoying. It reminded me of Marilyn Monroe singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” which I guess is sexy for a two minute song, but becomes grating many hours in. I haven’t checked to see who is reading other Kelley books, but Leslie Howard is the first performer since I started my audiobook journey that is going on my “do not read” list.
They are self-published and, unfortunately, not carefully edited. One of the things I really like about this series is the constant food references, where the characters are dining, what they order, and what they prepare for dinner at home. I’m a foodie and enjoy this aspect. Except in this series, a character orders one thing at dinner, then a minute later are taking a bite of something else. There are little inconsistencies like that throughout this series, and most are just slightly annoying – they pull me out of the story for a moment. Maybe it wouldn’t have been so obvious if I hadn’t basically binged them all in order, but it became apparent that Kelley did not spring for a line editor. There are different types of editors in publishing, but a line editor is especially important in a series. They are responsible for pointing out repetition and inconsistencies in the story line.
This became a huge issue for me in the last book of the series, Nantucket Summer House. Like most romances, each book centers around one couple finding their happy ending. In the third book, Nantucket White Christmas, the romance centers around Angela and Philippe. Philippe is a minor character throughout the series until the third book when he took center stage. He was mentioned from time to time in all the books that followed until the last book, when inexplicably he became Pierre! I cringed every time I heard it and was thrilled this was the last book of the series. That is a major mistake, and I was shocked that no one pointed this out to the author. Or maybe someone did and she didn’t care? I don’t know, but as far as I’m concerned it is the height of hubris to think no one will notice or care if you change a character’s name after 8 previous books.
I have a few other minor quibbles. All the characters sound like fifty-something-year-olds, even the twenty and thirty-somethings, so the dialogue often feels stilted to me. I do love that there are successful writers living in Kelley’s Nantucket, as well as artists and photographers. I like to think that artists can make a living and afford the Nantucket lifestyle. On the other hand, everyone eats dinner at 6:00 pm and goes to bed early. Kelley has favorite wines that appear in every book, most of which are good (yay!) but I couldn’t help but think product placement?? If not, Kelley should definitely look into that. Everyone has “appetizer parties” on Nantucket, all of which feature cheese & crackers plus some interesting sounding dips and spreads – maybe that is really a thing? I don’t know.
Rant over. Bottom line is I did enjoy this series, and I’m continuing to read more of Kelley’s work – but with a jaded eye on the continuity of the books and making sure any audiobooks are performed by anyone other than the whisperer. I do love the sense of family Kelley creates with all these charaxters, and I couldn’t help but care about them, plus it’s fun to see what they are all up to with each book.
Right now, I’m reading the Kindle version of the first book of a new series, The Nantucket Restaurant (review to follow!) This book (and the sequel) were originally self-published, but the copy I have is published by Sourcebooks, a traditional publisher, so I feel comfortable that I won’t have to deal with any of the consistency issues that cropped up in the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series.
Lisa Hodges needs to make a decision fast. Thanks to her dead husband’s gambling addiction, their savings is almost gone. In her early 50s with a large, waterfront home on Nantucket to support, Lisa hasn’t worked in over 30 years, has no in-demand skills and is virtually unemployable.
Her only options are to sell the house and move off-island, or, she could use her cooking and entertaining skills and turn her home into a bed and breakfast. She desperately needs it to succeed because she has four grown children with problems of their own and wants to stay close to them. Her oldest daughter, Kate, has a fabulous career in Boston – working as a writer for a popular fashion magazine and engaged to a dangerously handsome, photographer, who none of them have met. Kate’s twin, local artist, Kristen, has been reasonably content with her on-again off-again relationship with an older, separated businessman. Her son, Chase, runs his own construction business and is carefree, happily dating here and there but nothing serious. Youngest daughter, Abby, is happily married to her high school sweetheart, and they’ve been trying to have a baby. But it hasn’t happened yet, and Abby wonders if it’s a sign that maybe their marriage isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks.
Come visit Nantucket and see how Lisa’s new bed and breakfast has an impact on almost everyone in her family. It’s the first book in a new series that will follow the Hodges family, friends, and visitors to Nantucket’s Beach Plum Cove Inn.
Book your visit to the Beach Plum Cove Inn today…meet widow Lisa Hodges and her four adult children, friends, and visitors to the newly opened waterfront bed and breakfast.
In the first book, The Nantucket Inn, Lisa learned that her deceased husband had a hidden gambling addiction and had blown through their retirement savings. Since she’d been raising four children and hadn’t worked in years, she had no employable skills. Her only option if she wanted to stay on the island near her loved ones, was to rent out her second floor rooms. And she’s loving it so far. Lisa’s first guest, restaurant owner Rhett Byrne quickly became a close friend and then something more. In her early fifties, it sounds strange to her to call him her boyfriend, but that’s what he is.
Her daughter Kristen, finally ended things with Sean, the separated man that no one in the family was excited about. It wasn’t until she was beginning to move on, that he filed for divorce, and then begged her for another chance. So she gave him one, much to everyone’s dismay. But then the cottage next door is sold, and she discovers who her new neighbor is. Chase, the only boy in the family, has never been serious about anyone before. But he’s suddenly withdrawn and has been secretive about who he’s seeing, which only makes everyone that much more curious. When they learn who it is, the concern grows as no one wants to see Chase hurt, again. Lisa’s best friend, Paige, has a new neighbor too and it’s one she is most decidedly not enthused about. Violet was one of the women who stood up at town meeting and protested against Lisa’s inn being approved by the selectman. Because the house is right next door, Paige can’t help but notice the steady stream of traffic. Violet seems to be very popular with a lot of people.
The inn is doing well and bookings are up, but then one Friday night, a guest that prepaid for the weekend never shows up. And quite a few people, including the police, come asking questions.
Visit Nantucket’s Beach Plum Cove Inn this Christmas for a feel-good holiday story from the author of The Nantucket Inn and Nantucket Neighbors. Born on Christmas, Angela Stark has always hated the holiday. Bad things always seem to happen and this year is no exception when she is fired and evicted on the first day of December. She was living and working as a maid in San Francisco. Who will hire her at this time of year, especially if they learn why she was fired?
Her only family is Sam, an elderly and quite vocal orange cat. Her only option is to stay temporarily with her best friend Jane, but she is extremely allergic to cats. It’s not ideal, but it doesn’t look like she has a choice, until a certified letter arrives that changes everything. The next thing she knows, she and Sam are flying to Nantucket, a place they’ve never been before. It’s meant to be a temporary visit. But then Angela meets the Hodges family and friends and begins to question where home really is.
Everyone thought they had the perfect marriage. But things are sometimes not what they seem. Lisa Hodges has always thought her best friend Sue had a dream marriage. She’d married Curt, her high school sweetheart and current business partner. After 35 years of marriage, she never doubted him once – until Brandi Morgan joined their thriving insurance company. Brandi is 35, blonde and beautiful, and is also excellent at her account manager job. All the clients love her and business is up. Sue liked her quite a bit too – until the rumors started swirling.
And it all began with A Nantucket Affair, the island’s biggest charity gathering with a catered dinner and dancing on the beach. As usual, Curt is the chairman for the gala, and this year, he has a new second-in-command, Brandi. Sue didn’t give it a second thought, until Curt suddenly dropped the fifteen pounds he’d been whining about wanting to lose and a few well meaning friends started asking her what was going on. Meanwhile, Kristen’s boyfriend, Tyler is dealing with a devastating loss and Kristen wants to be there for him, but isn’t sure how best to support him, especially when she discovers a secret he’s been keeping, one that could have devastating consequences for both of them.
Abby is busy learning how to be a new mother, and Lisa is madly in love with her first grandchild. And Chase and Beth have discovered a new passion project – flipping houses. Beth does the research to find the undervalued homes and Chase works his magic to renovate them. But then they get in over their heads when a project requires more than they could ever have imagined.
Mia Maxwell used to have her dream job. She is a sought after wedding planner on Nantucket, with no shortage of business. But she is struggling a bit to get back to loving her job. It has been bittersweet to plan other people’s weddings – ever since her own fiance died two weeks before their wedding.
That was a year ago and she was just starting to feel better, when she came back from a vacation to find her house burned down. So she will be staying with Lisa at the Beach Plum Cove Inn for a while, until her house is renovated. Mia’s also worried about her younger sister and best friend Izzy – she has a serious boyfriend who has grown more controlling over the past year. As it turns out, there are several member of the Hodges family that may be in need of Mia’s services – she’ll be planning not one but two weddings. There are a few road bumps along the way however.
Lisa has another long-term guest that she eagerly introduces to Mia. She finds this temporary neighbor equally intriguing and frustrating and she makes it clear that she’s not even close to ready to date. She’s not sure if she ever will be.
Izzy’s life is about to change soon in the biggest way possible. She is excited and nervous and torn about whether or not to give her ex, Rick Savage, another chance. Rick has tried to be a better man. He’s gone through anger management classes and really seems to be making an effort. But is that enough? Does she owe it to him, to them, to try one more time? Or is it okay for her to move on and possibly even consider a future with someone else? Not that she is looking to do that, but there is someone else who she has known as a friend for a long time.
He’s a very good friend, and at times, she wonders if there could be something more there. But, she has bigger things to consider first. Someone other than herself, and it’s all new to her. But, her sister Mia is there to help. Izzy is now living with Mia since her condo was renovated. And Mia has a promising new romance. And there’s a lot going on with the Hodges family, too. Kate has a very big announcement, and Lisa learns that she has been violating a major rule for her bed and breakfast. So, changes are coming….
Charleston native, Taylor Abbott, has just relocated to Nantucket for her dream job as a junior news reporter at the local paper. Ten years ago she was Abby Hodges’ college roommate and is looking forward to living near her best friend again. Until her rental cottage is available, she’s going to stay at the Beach Plum Cove Inn, Abby’s mother’s bed and breakfast.
Abby, meanwhile, is dealing with an issue she thought she’d resolved. Rhett discovers someone that works for him is a thief and tries to figure out who it is. Rumor is, there’s a celebrity or two on the island, and the media (including Taylor’s coworker, Victoria), is in hot pursuit to track them down.
It’s Fall on Nantucket—and change is in the air! There’s a new arrival to the island. Kay Johnson, a widow, was a friend of Lisa’s mother and is like an aunt to Lisa. Kay is excited to relax and enjoy Nantucket—she’s already signed up for a Needlepoint class. She’s not at all looking for romance, but she is happy to make a new friend in neighbor Walter Sturgess, a widower.
When the story begins, Walter’s son Travis, CEO of a tech company he founded in Silicon Valley, and his four-year-old daughter, Sophie, are living with Walter until Travis’s new home is ready for them to move in. That new home is being built by Chase Hodges, Lisa’s son, and is located on the ocean, next to the home where Victoria grew up—and is now living temporarily with her parents, since she and Sean—her long-term boyfriend and fiancé, broke up.
When she sees Travis for the first time in many years, Victoria realizes he is in a similar place, since his divorce. She didn’t even recognize Travis at first. He had to remind her that they’d once dated in high school, before she dumped him for Sean, the star quarterback. Travis is all grown-up now, but even if she was interested in dating, Victoria has never been anxious to have children, let alone take on someone else’s.
Lauren is up for the opportunity of a lifetime, to be the lead producer for a new reality show set in Nantucket. Nantucket Influence will follow a group of young influencers as they spend the summer at a gorgeous waterfront home. It is a concept that Lauren has worked on successfully before and the job is hers—as long as she doesn’t mind that one of the influencers is Billy—the ex that she caught cheating on her. Does she really want to spend the summer working with him every day? This is her first chance to run a show, though, and she can’t pass it up.
Hudson, runs a Nantucket based production company, with famous actress and new Nantucket resident, Cami Carmichael. Hudson is good friends with Billy, but Lauren finds herself drawn to him. But she knows they shouldn’t be more than friends since they are working together—and since Lauren will be heading back to LA when filming ends.
Meanwhile Angela is thrilled to see her college friend Lauren and has some exciting news to share. And Lisa discovers that her nemesis, Violet, who runs a competing inn is ready to declare herself as the top lobster quiche maker on the island. But not if Lisa has anything to say about it—she signs up for the local food festival as well and will let the people decide who makes the best quiche.
6/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
Nantucket Beach Plum Cove (9 book series) by Pamela M. Kelley.Audible Audiobook Edition. 2019-2024.
An extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in this riveting new thriller from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger
When the real game begins, who will make it to the count of 10?
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be.
Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.
“Unger plunges the reader right into a sense of dread, then skillfully ratchets up the physical terrors of the challenge while revealing one disturbing secret after another. The perils of the real and virtual worlds collide effectively in this relentlessly paced thriller.” —Kirkus, starred review
“Twists arrive relentlessly, keeping readers on edge and guessing until the final, breath-stealing twist.” —The Seattle Times
“Unger’s latest is a fast-paced, atmospheric, locked-room thriller…Readers of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware will surely enjoy this nail-biter.” —Booklist
This was an interesting premise for a thriller. Let me preface this by saying I don’t watch reality TV shows – I used to watch some, most recently “Love is Blind” and “Married at First Sight,” but I couldn’t get through their last seasons, so I just gave it up. I haven’t watched Survivor since the first season, or any of the Beast Games, or whatever else is out there, so I am not that familiar with how these things work lately. I pretty much went into this book just believing whatever the author told me, and that worked just fine. I also need to add that I really hated the title of this book; it’s too long, and while I understand the implication, I just didn’t care for it. On the other hand, I loved the cover.
Dylan Maverick is the star of the Extreme games that he produces for an online audience. He is a young white man, and his best friends and girlfriend all work with him. He cheats on his girlfriend quite a bit, and that becomes a problem. He slept with Chloe supposedly before he hooked up with Angeline, his girlfriend, but he actually slept with her a few times, ghosting her after each occasion. She ends up on one of his challenges, a Hide & Seek event where she hides and is never found. Chloe has gone missing, and while the Extreme team are all questioned, they are pretty much cleared of her disappearance. There are supposed sightings of the young woman, but none are proven, and she become fodder for a true crime podcast.
This new Extreme Hide & Seek event is set on Falcao Island, a fictional island owned by Portugal, loosely based on the Azores. There is an old abandoned hotel on the island, and that is where the event is taking place. There is an old woman who tries to warn them off, and they ignore her and her private security force. There are supposed to be four contestants: a wildlife animal TV star who has been canceled due to his supposedly killing a lion; a young woman with a large following on social media; a mystery contestant; and Adele, a single mom whose husband embezzled millions of dollars from his company and disappeared with all the money, abandoning his wife and children. Adele has created a social media channel following her rebuilding her life and her body. Her kids are in high school, and it is her son who finds out about the contest as he is a huge fan of Dylan and Extreme. He convinces his mom to enter the competition, and when she sees the prize is a million dollars, she decides to go for it. To her surprise, she is selected, and her kids convince her that they can take care of themselves for the few days she will be gone.
These characters are skillfully brought to life, and the setting is basically another character. There is a hurricane-type storm moving onto the island, making everything that much more difficult for the contestants and the Extreme team. Some weird things start happening, adding to the drama, and the tension becomes almost unbearable. There is a lot more going on than anyone realizes at first, and as the mystery deepens, so does the danger.
This is a fast-paced thriller with great characters and enough pressure and strain on them to take this to a very dark place. Fans of these types of reality shows will probably love this, and even if you aren’t (like me,) it is still an unputdownable locked-room thriller. Don’t miss it!
2/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO TEN by Lisa Unger. Park Row; Original edition (February 25, 2025). ISBN: 978-0778333364. 384p.
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.
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