Let's jump right into it: I loved The Candid Life of Meena Dave. Like, really loved it. As in, I give it all the stars! You guys know my fondness for the "unexpected inheritance" trope, so when Kaye Publicity asked me if I wanted an ARC of The Candid Life of Meena Dave, I was like, You had me at "inherits a Victorian brownstown in historic Back Bay, Boston." I love Boston, and, like most people, my favorite area of the city is Back Bay...
A (Not So) Lonely Planet: Italy by Karina Kennedy is the crazy, sexy, fun-filled Eurotrip-esque romp that most women dream of but will probably never experience. Because let's be real, ladies -- most of us don't have the balls (or figa) to let ourselves actually have THIS. MUCH. FUN. What's A (Not So) Lonely Planet: Italy about? This feisty travel comedy follows writer Marina Taylor on her solo adventure around Italy. Marina's main...
Sunrise by the Sea is the fourth installment of the Little Beach Street Bakery series, and boy, was it worth the wait. Much like one of the “red thinks” (a.k.a., strawberry tarts) from character Polly’s bakery, I devoured this Jenny Colgan novel that brought me back to the fictional Mount Polbearne, a quaint and remote fishing village on an island off the Cornish coast. A note about the Little Beach Street Bakery series If you’re...
J. Courtney Sullivan is one of my “auto-buy” authors (okay, “auto-borrow,” since I use the library), so the minute I heard about Friends and Strangers, I added it to my “must read list”. What's Friends and Strangers about? Friends and Strangers is about the powerful but transitory nature of relationships, which has always fascinated me. I’m so intrigued by how people can go from being strangers to being friends to...
Ugh. I can’t believe I’m writing a DNF review of a Liane Moriarty book… But, I am. I totally am. **face palm*
What's Apples Never Fall about? Apples Never Fall is the newest release from this highly talented writer, who is usually one of my favorite authors. I will read anything she puts out. Generally, I’ve liked all of Moriarty's books, and I’ve absolutely loved some of them (see below). As with most Moriarty...
Christmas Joy by Nancy Naigle is the perfect book to sink into over the holiday season. Last year, I basically swiped right on a bunch of Christmas books available from my local library. My six weeks leading up to Christmas were spent reading about nothing but candy canes, cookies, holiday décor, and small-town romance. There were some hits and some misses, but Christmas Joy is definitely one of the highlights from that book stack. ...
Calling all Janeites! I’m here to tell you that not only is The Other Bennet Sister worth your time, but that it’s one of the best Jane Austen-inspired novels I've ever read. And I’ve read a lot of them. What's The Other Bennet Sister about? The Other Bennet Sister is about Mary Bennet, who's Elizabeth Bennet's "least eligible" sister in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The Mary Bennet that author Janice Hadlow...
Do yourself a favor and step into the enchanting novel that is The Gown. What's The Gown about? The Gown is a behind-the-scenes story that shines a spotlight on the regular ol' folks responsible for creating the grandeur of then-Princess Elizabeth II's wedding dress, as well as many of the ensembles donned by the regency and aristocrats of that time. Author Jennifer Robson's gorgeous writing draws you immediately into The Gown. It...
I'm pretty sure that Party of Two is not author Jasmine Guillory's best work. I know, I know: that's a pretty bold statement to make right off the bat. Guillory’s first book, The Wedding Date, made huge waves when it published a few years ago, but I never got around to reading it. I picked up Party of Two because it was the only Guillory title my library had on hand during COVID quarantine. Given all the fuss surrounding the author and her...
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe is as wonderful and lovely as its book cover. Please read it. There. DONE! Book review complete. Oh, okay. I suppose I should tell you a little more about why I blazed through this utterly charming novel by Heather Webber.
What's Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe about? Anna Kate Callow unexpectedly inherits her grandmother’s adorable Blackbird Café, on the stipulation that she uproot her life and move to...
