A sizzling, feel-good, opposites-attract holiday romance from Tessa Bailey, #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer and Wreck the Halls!
Two weeks before Christmas and all through Manhattan, shop windows are decorated in red and green satin. Stella is standing alone outside a famous department store, when a charming man asks her opinion on the décor.
It’s a tragedy in tinsel, she says, unable to lie. Then he asks for a better idea, with a twinkle in his eye. She didn’t know he owned the place, when he put her on the spot, and now she’s working for that man, trying to ignore that he’s hot.
But as a down-on-her-luck girl with a difficult past, Stella knows how to make a good opportunity last. So she gives it her all, working without stopping. Trying to resist temptation, because she’s just window shopping.
I love Bailey’s books, and this one is a reissue of a book originally published a couple of years ago. Maybe it was self-published? Not sure of the whys or hows, but I’m sure I enjoyed reading it!
Stella has served her sentence for armed robbery and is looking to start over. Easier said than done when every job application has a little box to check off if you’re a felon. But Stella is lucky; while her parents don’t really want anything to do with her, her uncle is letting her stay in his empty apartment in New York City, so at least she has a roof over her head.
While wandering through the city, she stops at a fancy department store, horrified by their Christmas window displays. Window dressing is something Stella has always dreamed of doing, and took several classes in design while she was in prison. But what retail store would hire a felon? A man approaches her and asks what she thinks of the window display. Stella holds nothing back, and the man seems to agree with her. Then he asks her what she would do differently. Turns out that man owns the department store and is looking to hire someone to redo their windows.
Stella gets the job despite human resources not liking her application. As she spends more time with her new boss, they start developing feelings for one another, but there are rules about subordinates dating their supervisor, and for good reason. But this is a romance, so they overcome all the obstacles including his overbearing family and HR to find their happily ever after.
Bailey is known for her steamy sex scenes and she does not disappoint here, so if that makes you uncomfortable, you may want to skip those pages or find another book. This is a fast-paced story with interesting characters that have unusual backstories, and it was a really fun holiday read.
Susan Mallery, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Boardwalk Bookshop, returns with the joyful and utterly irresistible story of a mother who couldn’t love her kids more but hopes that, just this once, they please don’t come home for Christmas. Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews and Julie Murphy!
Julie Parker’s kids are her greatest gift. Still, she’s not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. Her son, Nick, is taking a belated honeymoon with his bride, Blair, while her daughter, Dana, will purge every reminder of the guy who dumped her. Again. Julie feels practically giddy for one-on-one holiday time with Heath, the (much) younger man she’s secretly dating.
But her plans go from cozy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie’s ex. She can’t refuse, even though she dreads their reactions to her new man when they realize she’s been hiding him for months.
As the guest list grows in surprising ways, from Blair’s estranged mom to Heath’s precocious children, Julie’s secret is one of many to be unwrapped. Over this delightfully complicated and very funny Christmas, she’ll discover that more really is merrier, and that a big, happy family can become bigger and happier, if they let go of old hurts and open their hearts to love.
“It’s refreshing to read about a slightly older heroine, and her relationship with Heath is both hot and supportive . . . Mallery does a great job capturing both the chaos and the joy of a family Christmas. Readers will be heartened.” –Publishers Weekly
I love all the holiday books that are out this time of year, and this is a good one! Julie’s been divorced for many years, and she had a good relationship with her ex, which was a good thing since they share two kids who are now grown, but he passed away earlier in the year.
What her family doesn’t know is that she is dating Heath, a man twelve years her junior. Julie isn’t entirely comfortable with the age difference, and fears being ridiculed when people find out. So when her kids end up having plans over the holidays, Julie is secretly thrilled. Heath is divorced and his ex has their much younger kids for the holiday this year, so he is having some work done on his house since they won’t be around. Julie invites him to stay with her for the two weeks the work will take.
But Julie’s kids have a sudden change of heart, and want to spend Christmas with their mom up at the cabin they own where they have spent summers and holidays for many years. They are missing their dad and they feel like this would honor his memory and maybe give them the peace and closure they need. Julie acquiesces, and impulsively invites Heath, too, meaning she has to tell her children about him. Then his ex asks if he could take the kids; her boyfriend has planned a trip away for the two of them. Heath is thrilled to have his kids over the holiday, and while Julie hasn’t met them yet, she invites them to the cabin as well. Her daughter-in-law, who she adores, then tells Julie that her mother has moved to town and asks if she can come along, too. The daughter-in-law and her mother have a terrible relationship, and that really makes things difficult for everyone.
One thing leads to another and Julie has a very full house for Christmas. Luckily, the “cabin” is in actuality a massive house, so there is plenty of room for everyone. Things get more complicated when her daughter’s ex gets shot while working and ends up recuperating at the cabin as well. Then Heath’s ex gets dumped the night before her trip, and Julie ends up inviting her to the cabin too. There is so much drama going on here that it’s a wonder whether anyone will have a good Christmas, but they do, and there are even a couple of happily ever afters.
This was a really engrossing read with characters I couldn’t help but care about. The romances are sweet and there is a lot of humor, despite all the drama. Another excellent read from one of my favorite authors, and a terrific start to the holiday season!
ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Susan Mallery. Canary Street Press; Original edition (October 1, 2024).ISBN: 978-1335008404. 320p.
Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.
A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.
In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.
Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.
“This book is sweetly cozy and charming in a way that you won’t ever want to stop reading it.”—BookRiot
I read the fourth book in this series, then realized I’d never read any of the others, so here I am, starting with the first book. The central romance here is between Stella and Luka, who have been best friends for years. But Luka has no idea that Stella is actually in love with him, and there is no way that Stella would ever believe that Luka is in love with her.
Stella had purchased a Christmas tree farm the previous year and is in a bit over her head. She didn’t know that the farm came with huge debt (is that even legal??) Worse yet, someone has been vandalizing her farm all year long. Desperate for a cash infusion, Stella enters an online contest held by a social media travel influencer with millions of followers and a grand prize of $100,000. The only problem is that Stella lied on her application and said that she and her boyfriend had purchased the farm. A little romance is always good in these situations. When Stella becomes a finalist with the influencer planning an in-person visit, she panics, and we get that beloved romance trope, the fake boyfriend. And Luka is it.
There are a lot of laughs here and a lot of steamy sex before Luka and Stella reach their happy ending. The romance part dragged on a bit or at least it felt that way to me, but I’m definitely up for book two in this series.
Swoon-worthy romance with lovable characters, loads of humor, and a healthy dose of drama on the way to a happily ever after.
From I’ve Read This: Instant bestsellers, Consider Me, Play With Me, and Unravel Me were all published in December 2023 after reaching massive success as e-books via their popularity on TikTok. Now that they are in print, they’re reaching an even wider audience to great success. Each is a romance that follows a different hockey player on a fictional NHL team closely modelled after the Vancouver Canucks, and not surprisingly, each book results in true love found. You don’t need to necessarily read them in order, but there are ‘relationship spoilers’ if you don’t. With each being 500 pages, it is a commitment, but one that many are clearly diving into anyway.
From Goodreads: There appears to be a fifth book coming in this series, Breathe With Me. No information on it from my usual sources though, and trust me, I did my research. There is a barely-there mention of it on The Bookseller, simply stating that book 5 will be out in 2025 in the UK, and I assume, in the US. Obviously, I am a tiny bit obessed with this series!
I did a full review of the first book in the series, Consider Me, and here are my thoughts on the rest of the series.
I believe these were self-published, but Simon & Schuster published book 4, Fall With Me, and started up their publicity machine. I managed to get hold of all the books in the series thus far, and despite their long length, I read them in a few days. I loved them all! These books are full of well-defined characters that come to life on the page, lots of steamy sex, some real problems, and enough humor that I was laughing out loud. Plus, they are set in Canada in professional hockey with a fictional team, and even the hockey stuff all rang true. Being that the author is Canadian, that’s not a surprise. Canadians live and breathe hockey like Americans do with football, basketball, and/or baseball. Or hockey, for that matter.
Carter Beckett is the NHL’s best player—both on and off the ice. His career is at its peak, his friends are performing better than ever, and there’s no shortage of women to spend the night with. What more could he want?
Olivia Parker isn’t new to professional hockey players, thanks to her best friend’s boyfriend, but she has no interest in dating one herself—no matter how hot he is. And anyway, she loves working as a teacher and hanging out with her best friend, drama-free. Why would she want to spend her time stroking the ego of an arrogant athlete?
But once Carter meets Olivia, he can’t think of anything else. Too bad for him, Olivia is hellbent on keeping him at arm’s length, with no intention of giving into his charms. Perhaps it’s time for Carter to up his game…after all, nobody said he had to play fair.
Sparks will fly as Carter does whatever it takes for Olivia to consider him.
From the BookBitch: Consider having plenty of Oreos around for this delicious read! Full review
In the sizzling hockey romance that has taken TikTok by storm, a dedicated player struggles with the number one team rule: don’t go near the captain’s sister.
He’s found the perfect person—but she’s the only one he can’t be with…
Garrett Andersen knows that playing professional hockey requires absolute dedication to the rules. There’s just one rule he’s finding difficult to follow: stay away from his captain’s younger sister.
As a professional dancer, Jennie Beckett knows what it takes to excel. She prides herself on being every bit as confident and bold as her brother, sassy as hell, and the only person in charge of her pleasure. No wonder Garrett can’t stay away from her—even if he forgets how to form sentences whenever she’s around.
Jennie would rather avoid her brother’s teammate, especially after several embarrassing run-ins, but suddenly they’re neighbors. And as the connection between them grows, Garrett and Jennie decide to have some fun, no strings attached. Between their busy schedules and her brother’s disapproval, they know keeping things casual and low-key is the smartest play.
But what if their feelings get in the way? After all, they’re only supposed to be playing with each other…
From the BookBitch: Forbidden love is always a fun trope, and family relationships come into play here when team captain Beckett’s sister moves into the same building as his teammate, Garrett. Garrett is tasked with watching out for Jennie, and he does, happily. But as they grow closer, their friendship soon turns into a more physical relationship. When big brother finds out, that happy ending seems in jeopardy.
In the sizzling hockey romance that has taken TikTok by storm, the star goalie discovers the family he’s always wanted when he falls in love with a single mother.
Can he leave the past behind to forge the future he’s always wanted?
When it comes to dating, Adam Lockwood wouldn’t know luck if it hit him in the face. After a failed relationship and a string of dates gone wrong, the thought of being vulnerable with someone is terrifying—most women only see his fame. But when his dog runs into Rosie Wells, a beautiful woman with a blush as pink as her hair, she doesn’t seem to have a clue who he is, and Adam seizes the opportunity as a chance to finally be himself.
Rosie has her hands full as a single mother and fourth-year veterinary student, and she certainly wouldn’t know a hockey player if she ran into one. She doesn’t have time to date, and she’s fiercely protective of her little family. But when a chance encounter leads her to Adam, she knows it’s worth risking her heart.
The only problem? Adam is used to wearing a mask—he’s a goalie, after all. And as he holds onto a secret that threatens to unravel him and destroy his new family, they’re both at risk of losing more than ever before.
NOTE: Unravel Me contains emotional references to the past death of parents and its surrounding grief, as well as brief discussions of foster care, depictions of child neglect (not by the main character), and the death of an animal (minimal descriptions and as it pertains to the FMC’s training as a veterinarian student; not main character’s pet). If you are sensitive to these subjects, please use this information to make an informed decision about whether to proceed with this story.
From the BookBitch: I loved this story! After a bad breakup with a woman who wanted Adam for everything he has monetarily, and a string of one-night stands with puck bunnies, Adam is done dating. He is a genuinely nice guy, and all he wants is a woman who loves him for himself. Convinced that is never going to happen, he meets Rosie while out walking his dog. She is a single mom, a veterinerary school student, and helps out at the local animal shelter. And best of all, she has no idea who he is other than this really sweet guy who also loves animals, and kids. Especially hers. Theirs is a rocky road to their happy ending, but I loved every page on the way there. This may be my favorite book of the series.
From bestselling author and TikTok sensation Becka Mack comes the next book in her sizzling hockey romance series about a playboy defenseman and the team photographer who reforms him.
It was supposed to be a one-night stand. But what if they can’t leave it in the past?
Jaxon Riley is exceptional at three things: starting fights on the ice, picking up women post-game, and going home to fulfill his role as the world’s best cat dad. Relationships, unfortunately, missed the list.
Lennon Hayes is supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she’s alone and single, vacationing next door to a surly tattooed man who ran his date off the resort. When a run-in at the bar results in a night of bickering and cocktails, she finds herself tumbling into bed with the enemy next door, then sneaking out before the sun comes up.
Lennon’s plan to start over in a new city is going great, until she starts her new job. The job? The Vancouver Vipers’ new photographer. And the defenseman scowling at her from across the room? The one-night stand she wasn’t supposed to see again. Good thing neither of them are looking for anything serious… right?
Jaxon may not be used to falling, but if he’s going to go, he refuses to go alone. If he falls, he wants Lennon to fall with him.
From the BookBitch: Jaxon is the newest team member, but after being traded pretty much every year of his hockey career, he knows better than to grow attached to his teammates. But their captain, Beckett, his close group of teammates, and their wives happily ignore his standoffishness and embrace him as their newest family member. Lennon, thinking she is starting over in a new country after a bad breakup at her wedding rehearsal, is shocked to see the one-night stand she had on her “honeymoon.” But the WAGS (wives and girlfriends of the team) really love her and are including her in all their fun, keeping Jaxon and Lennon together whether they like it or not. And it turns out they like it, a lot.
“The author masterfully blends heat and sweet in a fast-paced plot helmed by a charming hero and heroine. The result is exactly the heartwarming happily ever after that Foster’s fans expect.” —Publishers Weekly on The Little Flower Shop
How did her love life become a community affair?
Since her divorce, Emily Lucretia—affectionately known as the flower lady to the people of Cemetery, Indiana—has been focused on her flower shop and taking care of her aging aunt and uncle. Her love life is hardly the centerpiece of her busy days.
Saul Culver, the town’s favorite bachelor and owner of the local barbecue joint, has been interested in Emily for a while. But as much as Emily knows about flowers, she can be a little oblivious to her own appeal. Saul is determined to show her just how special she is.
Saul isn’t the only one trying to get Emily out of her shell. Well-meaning locals have started tagging photos of Emily with #theflowerlady on social media—and now the entire town is involved in finding her Mr. Right. Saul won’t give up easily. He’s finally caught her attention, and he’s determined to convince Emily—and the town—that this is the real deal and not just some passing trend.
Don’t miss The Love Shack, an all-new heart-stirring romance from New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster about Berkley Carr, who, while running her animal haven, must confront her past and the undeniable chemistry she shares with her neighbor in a small town determined to play matchmaker.
“The author masterfully blends heat and sweet in a fast-paced plot helmed by a charming hero and heroine. The result is exactly the heartwarming happily ever after that Foster’s fans expect.” —Publishers Weekly
I’m filling in the gap here – I read the first and third books of this series before hunting this one down. I didn’t have it on my Kindle for some reason, so in the spirit of chasing my audiobook dreams, I listened to it – thank you, Hoopla! And I really enjoyed it; no surprise, if Lori Foster writes it, I like it. It is narrated by Marni Penning, for those keeping tabs, and she did an excellent job. Didn’t lose me for a minute.
This is set in the small town of Cemetery, Indiana, named for the family that founded it. Saul runs the local BBQ joint, and is one of the town’s most eligible men. But he only has eyes for Emily, the flower lady. Emily owns the flower shop in this small town. She is “perfect” to everyone in town, but she really hates that descriptor. She earned that reputation easily by being friendly, nonjudgmental, and most of all, kind. She is also somewhat oblivious to Saul’s growing interest in her.
Emily had been married before, and it hadn’t lasted. Her ex did a number on her self-esteem, and she hasn’t dated since. But when Saul starts coming around, she realizes she may have feelings for him as well. Things go really fast, emotionally anyway, for this couple but it takes a while for them to become a couple. Meanwhile, rumors are abounding about Emily and her employee, another very good-looking man who she thinks is way too young for her, and she would never date an employee. But this small town likes butting in, and they have a lot of fun in the process.
There’s a secondary romance here as well, and some fun times with Kathleen, the town mascot – a mannequin that various people “kidnap” and dress up, moving her around the local businesses downtown. This is a fairly sweet romance, and while I would have liked more buildup to the Emily-Saul story, in a way, it made sense that it moved so quickly since Emily is 40 years old, with no time or inclination to play games. It was another very enjoyable read by this reliable author.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE LITTLE FLOWER SHOP by Lori Foster.Canary Street Press; Original edition (May 9, 2023). ISBN: 978-1335506382. 336p.
Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?
Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.
Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.
That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?
When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…
But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.
“A laugh-out-loud funny romance with depth and heart, readers will love this spellbinding novel!” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Meltzer’s timely exploration of antisemitic propaganda is sensitive while never overshadowing the cute romance that blossoms between Faye and Greg. This is Meltzer’s best yet.” —Publishers Weekly
“Meltzer’s (Kissing Kosher) latest is a page-turner, and readers won’t be able to stop until they have all the answers.” —Library Journal
“The slow burn of their romance along with plenty of humor amid the serious concerns make Meltzer’s latest an excellent blend of Jewish culture and romance.” —Booklist
I have really enjoyed all of Meltzer’s books, and as serious an issue as this one covers, it is my least favorite. The story revolves around Faye, a “Jewitch”, and Greg, the perfect man for Faye except for one tiny flaw – she believes she created him from a Golem. If you are not familiar, a Golem is a Jewish mystical creature created out of clay or mud and brought to life, usually to protect Jews from antisemitism.
Faye is upset when the small, upstate New York town where she lives is the subject of an antisemitism campaign. Antisemitic flyers are plastered all over the streets, and the flyers include names and addresses of Jewish people and their businesses. Faye is a ceramicist, and owns a small store where she sells her wares. Frightened, she breaks into the wine and ends up creating a clay man that she buries in her garden. The next day, she is riding her bike when she hits a man. He goes down hard, ends up in the hospital, and has a case of amnesia. Feeling guilty, Faye decides to take him home with her so he can convalesce until his memory returns.
Greg and Faye form a strong bond, but they are leery of getting too close because they don’t know if he has a family, a wife, or someone else. The antisemitism problem starts escalating, as does the romance, but I found the book slow going and somewhat repetitive for the first couple of hundred pages. I was tempted to put it down more than once, but because I’ve always enjoyed her books, I stayed with it. It does pick up in the second half, with a somewhat unbelievable ending to the antisemitism plotline and a happy ending for Faye and Greg.
This was the first contemporary romance I’ve read that addresses the rising antisemitism in this country, so I believe it is an important story woven into the romance. It never felt preachy at all, but rather showed how these acts make people feel and some of the consequences of these actions. There are so many Christian romances that Meltzer’s books always feel special to me, especially since there is a dearth of Jewish romance novels out there. I wish there were more.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
MAGICAL MEET CUTE by Jean Meltzer.MIRA; Original edition (August 27, 2024). ISBN: 978-0778334415. 400p.
The #SpicyTok favorite GAME ON series by New York Times bestselling author Kristen Callihan brings the heat. Are you ready for it?
The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone and above all…no falling in love.
Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is most definitely not on her to-do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy, right?
Football has been good to Drew—two National Championships and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turn him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.
That is…until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives. Anna wants it to remain a hook up, but Drew sees the possibility of something great. Now it’s up to him to persuade her. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning. As the saying goes, All’s fair in love and football… Game on.
The GAME ON series by Kristen Callihan:
Book 1: The Hook Up Book 2: The Friend Zone Book 3: The Game Plan Book 4: The Hot Shot Book 5: Only on Gameday – Coming 2026
I liked another book from TikTok! Or BookTok! Or SpicyTok?? I never even heard of that one but it is enshrined in the blurb. And I get it – this is another very sexy read, so if you don’t like a lot of explicit sex in your books, look elsewhere. I was also surprised that I liked this as much as I did because the main characters are in college. I’m a librarian at a small, private university, and I supervise all the student workers. I am privy to a lot of their drama and I understand how serious it can get, so I don’t always want to read about more of it.
Callihan did a good job, got me involved with these characters and determined to see their happy ending. But there was so much angst before they got there! Drew is the star of the football team, the Heisman trophy winner, and most likely to go on to the NFL. He’s also a really good student, works hard, and apparently was a bit of a player but has come to use his time more wisely. Until he meets Anna.
Anna walks in to his class, sits near him, and there is magic in the air. At first, their relationship is purely physical. Anna has a lot of insecurities and is sure this man is going to use and then abuse her. She is wrong, but it takes Drew hundreds of pages to convince her, with a lot of sex along the way. Both of these characters are well-developed and more than the stereotypes one might assume. Their discord is serious at times, but eventually, they reach their happily ever after.
Note: This is the first book in a series, and right now, it is only available as an ebook or through Audible.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE HOOK UP by Kristen Callihan.Canary Street Press (July 2, 2024). ASIN: B0CQD3LYX3. 354p.
The Dundee series is a small town contemporary romance series consisting of eight full-length books and a novella to cap it off at the end. Because these are older books, the first connected books Brenda ever wrote, the covers have been updated and so have some of the titles. [For some reason, the audiobooks have not been updated.] Currently, the series goes like this:
This series became an experiment, of sorts, in my ability to listen to audiobooks. I found them all on Hoopla, a library app, so they were all free (my favorite kind of books!) Interestingly, they all had different narrators, so that was another test for me. There are many devoted audiobook readers who stick with specific narrators and will read anything they narrate. I get that, some are definitely better than others, but in this series, I pretty much liked them all, other than the last book, which was read by a man. He wasn’t great but I still managed to listen to it and not have my mind wander off. It is also the weakest story (other than the novella at the end,) so that didn’t help either.
Because this series is so old, originally published from 2002-2007, there are some things that really jumped out at me, like some of the characters smoked and they weren’t bad guys, which is a thing now; generally, anytime a character smokes in a movie or book or whatever, that hints at some negativity about that character, but not here. There were other things that I wished had also been updated, like a woman who has to lose ten pounds before the guy realizes he likes her, and in an early book, calling a guy in a wheelchair a cripple. That was tough to listen to, but I persevered and the fifth book actually featured that guy, who was no longer called that, thank goodness.
All in all, I really enjoyed this series and listened to the whole thing. I even found the final novella, A Dundee Christmas, also available on Hoopla but as an ebook. As usual with novellas, I didn’t love it and it didn’t tie up the series at all. In fact, Amazon calls it a short story, and as far as I’m concerned, it was a weak link if anything, to the series.
Book 1: A Baby of Her Own Carly Robins (Narrator)
What Delaney wants is a baby. A baby of her own. At 30 she longs to break away from the constraints of her life, longs to reach out for her heart’s desire. She’d prefer marriage as well, but there’s no man in Dundee, Idaho, she’s interested in marrying.
Then one winter night, she and her best friend, Rebecca, go to Boise with the intent of finding a man for Delaney. She meets a handsome stranger named Conner, a man who might be able to provide her with the solution she needs – and the baby she wants!
Afterward, she thinks she must have been out of her mind. But it’s too late. Because she’s pregnant. And because the stranger isn’t a stranger anymore. Conner Armstrong is now living on a ranch just outside Dundee.
Book 2: A Husband of Her Own Amy McFadden (Narrator)
Rebecca Wells desperately wants to overcome her reputation. She’s finally trying to put an end to her 24-year rivalry with the perfect Josh Hill, a rivalry that began when she was a kid and the Hills moved in across the street. Great looking, popular, a successful horse rancher, Josh is Dundee’s golden boy – and the son her father always wanted. But even when her father insists they call a truce, it’s hard for Rebecca to drop her resentment of Josh. She refuses to acknowledge that she feels more for him than she’s ever let on. The man she loves to hate is also the man she’d hate to love!
Book 3: A Family of Her Own Andi Arndt (Narrator)
Pregnant…and alone?
When Katie Rogers returns to Dundee, Idaho, it’s not because she wants to. It’s because she’s disillusioned, broke – and pregnant. She was going to make something of her life in the big city. Instead she’s paying a high price for trusting the wrong man.
Booker Robinson is the man she didn’t trust, the man she’d left behind in Dundee…and the first person she sees when she comes back. But despite Booker’s notorious past, he now has a successful business and a home of his own.
He’s also spent two years getting over Katie. She’s the last person he wants to see. But when her parents refuse to take her in, she doesn’t have anywhere else to go, and Booker soon finds himself with a roommate – one who needs a father for her baby….
Katie’s vowed she’ll never trust the wrong man again. But sometimes a man isn’t everything he seems. And sometimes he’s more….
Book 4: A Home of Her Own Rachel Fulginiti (Narrator)
When Lucky Caldwell was 10, her mother, Red – the best-known hooker in Dundee, Idaho – married Morris Caldwell, a wealthy and much older man. It didn’t last, of course, but Morris’ kindness was the highlight of Lucky’s life.
Mike Hill, Morris’ grandson, doesn’t feel too well disposed toward Red or her kids. He believes they alienated Morris from his family. Even Morris’ Victorian mansion, on the property next to the Hill ranch, wasn’t inherited by one of his grandchildren. Instead the house went to Lucky, who left it sitting empty for years.
Now that Red and Morris are both dead, Lucky has finally come back to Dundee. She plans to restore the derelict place – and to look for her real father, who has to be one of three men named in her mother’s diary.
That means Mike has a new neighbor. One he doesn’t want to like….
Book 5: Stranger in Town Molly Elston (Narrator)
Old grudges become new loves in this enchanting contemporary romance
The car accident was Hannah Price’s fault—a tragic mistake that changed Gabe Holbrook’s life forever, destroying everything he’d been or ever wanted to be.
He was a man who’d had it all. Intelligent, handsome, talented, rich, he’d been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Now he’s come home to Dundee, the small town where he was raised, but he’s a stranger to the people who once knew him. He’s bitter and withdrawn and entirely focused on recovering. But thanks to Hannah Price, there are some things that can’t be fixed.
Hannah has been struggling to recover from that fateful night, too. Unlike Gabe, she sustained only minor injuries. But she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to forgive herself for what happened. Especially when Gabe becomes her son’s football coach, and she begins to fall in love with the man she nearly destroyed…
Book 6: Big Girls Don’t Cry Amy Rubinate (Narrator)
Sometimes Mr. Right couldn’t be more wrong…
Thanks to a devastating revelation about her husband, Reenie Holbrook’s once-perfect marriage is over. For 11 years she had the life she wanted – and now it’s gone.
Sometimes Mr. Wrong couldn’t be more right…
Reenie decides that the first step in recovering from her ordeal is to find work; after all, she has three young children to support. She’s thrilled when she lands a job at Dundee High teaching history – until Isaac Russell, the man who triggered the unraveling of her marriage, accepts a temporary position teaching science. Then she’s tempted to quit. Reenie doesn’t care if the whole town admires Isaac…and she won’t admit that secretly she admires him, too. She doesn’t want to see him or his sister in her town.
Book 7: The Other Woman Tara Sands (Narrator)
A second chance doesn’t mean second best!
Elizabeth O’Connell has survived one of the worst betrayals a wife can imagine. Finding out that she wasn’t the only woman in her husband’s life meant the end of her marriage and a year of personal hell. Now she’s focusing on her new business and raising her two kids.
Carter Hudson isn’t part of her plan. When he’s introduced to Liz by well-meaning friends, her dislike is instant. But as she spends time with him, Liz realizes she likes having Carter in her life. More than likes it. However, Carter has secrets in his past that he can’t seem to escape, secrets that apparently involve a woman. Liz is sure of one thing: She’ll never be the other woman again!
Book 8: Coulda Been a Cowboy Adam Verner (Narrator)
Grandpa Garnier used to say love is like a bucking bronco. It takes guts and determination to hang on, but it’s worth the ride.
If only Grandpa was around now to help Tyson Garnier out of this mess. The famous pro football player is suddenly saddled with a very public scandal – and an illegitimate child. Tyson needs a good nanny now if he’s going to salvage his career. And plain, no-nonsense Dakota Brown is the ideal candidate.
Dakota doesn’t care for football – or for a man who doesn’t seem to want his own son. But she needs this job, and that precious little baby needs her.
Dakota isn’t Tyson’s kind of woman. But the more he sees of her – and the more he sees of his son – the harder he wants to hang on.
Down on her luck, Cierra Santos is seeking refuge in the small town of Dundee during a snowstorm when she is taken in by a man who helps her discover a new sense of home. But Ken Holbrook provides more than safety and comfort because, with him, she also finds love.
9/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
Dundee, Idaho Series by Brenda Novak.Harlequin Audio. 2202-2007.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In the wake of tragedy, a group of friends makes a pact that will cause them to reunite a decade later and embark upon a life-changing adventure together—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Meant to Be.
Four freshmen arrive at college from completely different worlds: Lainey, a California party girl with a flair for drama; Tyson, a brilliant scholar and aspiring lawyer from Washington, D.C.; Summer, an ambitious, recruited athlete from the Midwest; and Hannah, a mild-mannered southerner who is content to quietly round out the circle of big personalities. Soon after arriving on campus, they strike up a conversation in their shared dorm, and the seeds of friendship are planted.
As their college years fly by, their bond intensifies and the four become inseparable. But as graduation nears, their lives are forever changed after a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. Stunned and heartbroken, they make a pact, promising to always be there for one another, no matter how separated they may become by circumstances or distance.
Ten years later, Hannah is anticipating what should be one of the happiest moments of her life when everything is suddenly turned upside down. Calling on her closest friends, it soon becomes clear that they are all facing their own crossroads. True to their promise, they agree to take a time out from lives headed in wrong directions and embark on a shared journey of self-discovery, forgiveness, and acceptance.
In this tender portrayal of grief, love, and hope, Emily Giffin asks: When things fall apart, who will be at our sides, helping us pick up the pieces?
“Giffin is at her best when she’s delving into the hard and sometimes outwardly questionable choices that her characters make in their pursuit of happiness, and her latest harks back to her bold, layered debut, Something Borrowed (2004). This thirtysomething coming-into-one’s-own tale feels true to life, messy in all the best ways, and hopeful. A triumph.”—Booklist (starred review)
“Want to indulge in juicy, page-turning escapism? The Summer Pact is about a group of friends . . . [and] a reunion tour, a decade after college, inspired by a long-ago promise to turn to one another in times of need. [They] take turns narrating their trip to the Italian island of Capri, where closure may or may not await.”—The New York Times
I’ve been reading Giffin since her first book came out twenty years ago, but this one was a bit of a disappointment. There is a group of friends from college, and I would say spoiler alert, but one of them dies, and that happens pretty much at the beginning of the book. Then they deal with it.
I feel like I’ve read a few stories with similar plotlines that were done better than this. There was diversity in the characters and it wasn’t subtle, to say the least. Yes, it was messy, but was it true to life? I’m not so sure. Not my favorite from an author I’ve always loved.
8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
THE SUMMER PACT by Emily Giffin.Ballantine Books (July 9, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593600290. 352p.
Two opposites decide to test their chemistry with one steamy night together. But will once be enough?
Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations.
In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him.
And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.
“The way Borison softly weaves together a friends-with-benefits and opposites-attract romance, while also incorporating Charlie’s ADHD and people-pleasing and Nova’s perfectionism, will keep readers starry-eyed as they imagine visiting the beloved small town of Inglewild…This final and fourth book in the “Lovelight” series, after Mixed Signals, is a knockout.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“Charming, sexy, and cozy, Business Casual is both a gratifying series conclusion and a worthwhile novel on its own about love and the perennial beauty of finding (and making) a home.”—Shelf Awareness
I have every book in this series on my Kindle, but somehow, I never read any until this last one. I hate when that happens! Especially because this was such a good read. So now I have to go back and read the three previous novels in the series. (Something to look forward to, at least.) I used to be able to save all the good books I missed until December, because it was such a slow month for publishing, at least in genre fiction. But no more! I already have 32 books to read that are being published in December. I can’t read a book a day anymore! And this is what happens. I miss one, and the next thing you know, I’m reading the fourth book in a series and haven’t read any of the earlier ones. Ugh. Okay, rant over.
So let’s start; reading this I had no idea it was part of a series. Every character was introduced and made sense to the plot, so kudos to Borison for that. It’s not easy to write a series and yet make each book work on its own. Our main characters are Charlie, a wealthy New York investment banker prone to wearing three-piece suits and watches that cost more than most people make in this tiny hamlet, and Nova, a bit of a grump who is the proprietor of the only female-owned tattoo parlor on the East coast. Neither is looking for a relationship. Charlie escapes to this small town to see his friends and unwind from the life that he lives in the city. They have been friends for years, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a strong physical attraction to one another, and acting on it may be just the thing they need to get it out of their systems. As if that ever worked in a romance novel.
This is a very steamy novel, so if that is not your thing, read elsewhere. The sex is hot and well written, and that says a lot to Borison’s skills. The story moves along rapidly, and as these characters start exploring each other beyond the physical, real intimacy grows, leading to their happy ending. I can’t wait to read the rest of the books in this series!
8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
BUSINESS CASUAL by B.K. Borison.Berkley (July 16, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593641170. 384p.
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