Many thanks to my friends at @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted copies. 

 

90’s rom-coms are still my fav.  I’ve watched My Best Friend’s Wedding approximately 9.25 million times.  Want me to quote the crème brulee/jello scene word by word?  I digress…

 

Kann has taken the premise of that beloved classic… a love triangle between two best friends and a new love interest… and modernized it with two black, asexual characters.  I think Julia Roberts would approve.  

 

What I loved:

☀️The fake dating/only one hammock trope (oh that hammock!)

☀️Joy is bold, brazen, and unapologetic.  I couldn’t help but cheer for her.  She knows who she is and won’t settle.  

☀️Fox  <swoon>  Gruff yet soft and tender.  With the most gentle (even when eager) touch for Joy.  

But where this book really shines…  the asexuality representation.

This was my first book with an asexual main character, and the look at the spectrum of asexuality was so well handled and very enlightening.  This was a different type of love story for me, yet still so deeply satisfying.  

 

My only hang up was the best friend relationship between Malcolm and Joy.  So codependent.  So unhealthy.  But towards the end, they confront those dynamics in order to grow into the future that awaits, and that I found fulfilling.  

 

Much like the main character, this book is filled with joy (and puns…lots of great puns).  It’s perfect to throw in your bag for a weekend getaway.  

🎧I found myself easily lost in this audiobook. Narrated by Adrienne Walker, she gave a distinct voice to joy, and I felt as though I was immersed in Joy’s thoughts and emotions.

Thank you to my partners at @avonbooks and @harperaudio for the #gifted copies. 

 

Two grumps.  Not enough sunshine.

 

Duke Actually was my favorite holiday read last year.  It was full of magic and atmosphere and sparks.  So I went into this one with high expectations.  

 

And there were parts of this novel that charmed me.  Once I got past our main characters’ rough exteriors, I was reminded of the magic Eldovia holds, even on the gruffest.  

 

Yet the allure wasn’t as strong as in Duke Actually.  I liked this one.  But I had hoped to fall head over heals for another Eldovian couple.  And that wasn’t to be.

 

Many thanks to @prhaudio for the #gifted copy. 

 

Campy horror mixed with a dysfunctional family in the throes of grief.  

 

My mom has a creepy old doll.  (Actually, creepy might not be a strong enough word.)  It has always given me the heebie jeebies.  I’ve given her explicit instruction to make sure the doll is given to someone who will appreciate it because it’s never ever coming to my house. 

 

So the premise of this horror book, where my mom’s creepy doll is exchanged for an even creepier puppet, should’ve really peeked my interest.  It should’ve easily freaked me out.  Yet.  

 

While there were parts of the story that I couldn’t look away from and parts that made me laugh,  the overall story progressed at a snail’s pace and just didn’t hold my interest. Much of the storyline deals with family dysfunction rooted in generational trauma, which I often read and enjoy. Yet here, I was bored.  And maybe most telling… when horrendous things happened to the characters, I found myself not really caring.    

 

It’s obvious I’m an outlier on this book.  Maybe I’m getting too old for campy horror?   Maybe Hendrix isn’t the right fit for me?  Maybe I’ve been spoiled by Catriona Ward’s (exceptionally plotted) horror style?  

 

🎧One thing that worked… the audiobook narration.  Jay Aaseng and Mikhaila Aaseng bring Louise and Mark to life with their depiction.    

Many thanks to @prhaudio for the #gifted audiobook.  

 

Swoon worthy!  A complete and total delight.  

 

“Have you ever felt like you’re disappearing? he asks.  Like you’re sure one day you’re going to wake up and find that the truest parts of yourself have been replaced by someone else’s plans?”

 

Most of the time, I grab rom-coms for an uplift.  I want to laugh.  I want to fall in love.  And many times, I just want to escape from real life.  

 

And that is nice.  But you know what’s even better?   A rom-com that lets you laugh and fall in love while also being in the middle of the hard parts of real life.  

 

Nora might write the perfect love stories for others to adore. But her own life took a very different turn, and now she’s muddling through the unexpected with her two kids.  Leo Vance, Hollywood hunk, is adored by millions. But in reality, he’s unfulfilled and lonely.  

 

But those early morning sunrises (7 of them) that Nora and Leo share on her front porch… they suddenly put both of them on a different (exciting) trajectory.  

 

This was a special story.  It had all the things I love (witty banter and steamy chemistry).  But it went beyond that.  The scenes around the dining room table.  The grocery store trip.  The late night texts filled with longing.  The afternoons spent with the kids.  

 

The way Monaghan wrote “real life”… it showed the *beauty* in the mundane.  It showed the real, heart exploding in your chest, fulfilling type of love that we all long for.  The kind that lets you grow as a person while also growing as a couple.  The kind of love that lasts.  Oh Nora and Leo! 💗

 

I was smiling from ear to ear as I finished this one.  I absolutely loved it.  

 

🎧This audiobook was narrated by Hillary Huber, and boy was it excellent.  I stuck my headphones on as I was packing away Christmas décor, and I found myself immediately lost in the story.  Huber’s portrayal of Nora was exactly exceptionally executed.   

 

 

 

Many thanks to my partners @simon.audio and @libro.fm for this #gifted audiobook.  

 

Three convicts and an ex priest.  A flood of historic proportions.  A levee with the potential for cataclysmic failure.  When it comes to man versus nature, which will prevail?

 

There is no one that captures the power and presence of the Mississippi River like Krueger.  After sailing down its current with those unforgettable vagabonds in This Tender Land, I knew Krueger had painted a picture of that river that would always stick with me.  

 

And in this newest look at the mighty Mississippi, we find another adventure.  Yet this time, the river finds itself in opposition to man as it forces a battle for power.  Nature verses man.  And while both have potential for dominance, it might be the essence at each’s very core that proves most surprising. 

This story’s roots began some 40 odd years ago.  Inspired by the historic 1927 Mississippi flood and Faulkner’s cynical short story titled “The Old Man,”  Krueger scratched out his own version. Years later, he dusted off the long set aside story and reworked it.  

 

But it wasn’t until the pandemic, four decades removed from his original, when new inspiration struck and Krueger created this new adventure.  One more hopeful than that of its inspiration or previous iterations.  

 

Krueger’s conundrum between man and the natural world delves into deeper themes and maintains his quintessential charm even in this shortened format.  

 

J.D. Jackson narrates this audio novella.  It’s obvious from the first notes of this story that Jackson has well-honed his craft.  His distinct, gravelly voice drew me in and kept me engaged through the very end.  

Many thanks to my partners 

Grand Central, Novel Suspects, Hachette Audio, and Libro.fm

for the #gifted copies.

Unsettling and provocative. What a WILD ride!!!  I flew through the pages of this unique, genre bending book with an intense need.  

Katrina’s life is a mess.  She is a broke, college dropout estranged from family with a tentative grasp on reality.  With a deep obsession for a co-worker and often lost in a favorite childhood story, Katrina’s life spirals out of control at a time when she needs clarity most.  

Dong has created a truly chaotic tail that adeptly wavers between what is sensible and what is beyond reason.  And yet, while much of the book felt (purposely) upended, the order that is found in the end was satisfying.       

The thriller aspect is well executed, but it’s the mental health representation that makes this book truly shine.  Counting steps.  Drawing symbols.  Escaping to the safety of an imaginary world.  

Being deeply entrenched in Katrina’s mind was a true exploration of the challenges mental health can create.  Wong well explores the juxtaposition between (Katrina) knowing what is real verses finding comfort in what isn’t. 

It’s important to note that the thriller aspect of the novel stood on its own veracity, aside from the “craziness.” And that allowed the mental health portrayal to create understanding and empathy rather than fall into the standard “crazy female” trope.  

Katrina’s unhinged life led me to make many, many unhinged theories.  And while fun, it also led to a bit of let down at the end, mostly of my own doing.  So I warn: don’t overthink as I did.  Lean in to the wildness within this story and simply enjoy the ride.  

This book made for a great discussion with my buddies!  I highly recommend reading this one with friends or a book club.  

🎧As I often do, I partnered the audio and print versions.  The audiobook is excellently narrated by Hannah Choi, but I suggest starting out with the print version as you get to know Katrina and her turmoil.

“We teach them to be pretty and kind and nice right before we set them loose in a world filled with wolves. Then act surprised and horrified when some of them get eaten.”

Powerful, compelling, and deeply resonate. 

Miller’s searing ode to feminist rage is the most worthy battle cry, empowering middle-aged women to boldly claim their inner strength and beauty in order to shake up sexist society. 

Nessa, Harriet, and Jo… women of a certain age. After discovering teenage assault victims failed by local law enforcement, their inner fury and magical strengths fuel a fight for justice and a determination to take down any man that’s a part of the system. 

Themes exemplified in this read: 
-the inner strength of women 
-the beauty of aging and maturing 
-a celebration of the female bond and sisterhood 

Miller’s commentary, though obviously serious, is cultivated with wit and snark. Her creative solutions for the problems at play had me cheering. I closed the book proud to be a woman. Dare I say.. even proud to be a woman at this stage in life. 

This book made for a phenomenal discussion with some of my favorite fierce females @thats.one.for.the.books and @bookmarked.by.becky

Narrated by January LaVoy, this was a most excellent audiobook. 

Many thanks to @harperaudio @librofm for the #gifted copy of this book.

Many thanks to my partners at @stmartinspress for the #gifted copy. 

Beach reads and Mary Kay Andrews… synonymous.  So as I was heading to Mackinaw Island last summer, I queued up this book.  

 

Hattie’s talent, not the family ties, made her the star employee for Kavanaugh & Sons Restoration.  Or she was until, in the midst of grief and disarray, she invested in a condemned property that was bound to put the company in peril.  Determined to make things right, Hattie decided to partner with an HGTV style show and a hot-shot male co-host.  

 

I have to start by saying that this book is set in my old stomping grounds.  From Thunderbolt to Tatnall to Tybee, I loved the trip back home to Savannah.  As the story played out, I fondly reminisced about spending time with my grandparents at each story setting.  

 

The storyline was just what I’ve come to expect from Andrews’ books:  a mystery laden romance tinged with humor and heart.  And while I would’ve liked the romance to be a bit more firecracker than sizzle, the book proved to be a page turner perfect for my island vacation.  

“What is a game?” Marx said. “It’s tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It’s the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent, because nothing is permanent, ever.”

Quirky, immersive, and wholly unexpected. 

Drenched in hardship, this {non-romantic} love story was even more compelling because of its foundation in the need for evolution. 

I finished this book in July and have been thinking about it ever since. It has sat deeply in my soul in a way words cannot properly express… though I’ll try…

Tomorrow x3 is told at a meandering pace. It’s meant for contemplation. With stunning prose, the writing is richly detailed and multilayered. Deeply emotive, the novel journeys through pain, overcoming, grief, and loneliness, yet finds hope throughout. 

While I’ve never been much of a gamer, Zevin’s usage of it as a vehicle for storytelling was compelling. Gaming provided a unique platform of discovery and connection between Sam and Sadie that felt organic and authentic and not achievable otherwise. 

There’s so much more I loved about this book… 
-Dynamic side characters (Marx!!!)
-Coming of age focus that made me sentimental
-That 80s, 90s, 00s nostalgia
-Look at the evolution of relationships over decades

Hyped books are often hard to judge, but the hype is well earned in this one. This book will stay with me tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. 

I partnered the physical and audio version of this book. Narrated by Jennifer Kim and Julian Cihi, the depiction is well executed and adept. But overall, I preferred the physical book, particularly in game play sections. 

Many thanks to my partners @prhaudio and @librofm for #gifted audiobook. 

Many thanks to my partner @minotaur_books and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies. 

 

The “Prince of Poughkeepsie” is found in a pool of blood with his (much younger) wife covered in blood and holding a razor.  She did it, right?  

 

I devoured Little Secrets.  It was fast paced and disturbing.  But for some reason, this one didn’t hit the same way for me.  

 

Maybe it’s because this is more of a character driven suspense, and I was expecting a propulsive thriller. Maybe it’s because the story is heavy on flashbacks that slowed the overall pace.  Or maybe I couldn’t get past how unlikable and cringeworthy the characters were. 

 

While not what I expected, it’s worth noting that I was intrigued enough to finish it quickly.  And though I didn’t love it, I did like it and will be looking forward to what Hillier does next.  

🎧I went back and forth between my physical copy and audiobook.  Carla Vega’s narration for the audiobook was exactly what I expected for Paris.