Book Review and Giveaway: The Shippers

After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wingman. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.

Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Allyson Bales:

I am a BIG Katherine Center fan. 

I read Happiness For Beginners in 2015 and immediately fell in love with her writing and her imperfect and lovable characters. Ever since then her books always end up on my favorites list of the year. 

The Shippers is no exception and dare I say in my top three favorites of Center's. 

I ship this book and all its characters so hard! I knew immediately that I was going to love JoJo. She’s quirky,  teaches math and is just that heroine you root for. I found myself laughing out loud at so much that she did in this story. She has such awkward moments but Center writes them in such a relatable way that I found myself thinking of myself or my best friend in so many of the story's hilarious moments. I also really really loved so many of her family members.  Her sister stole my heart pretty early on but so does another family member as the story progresses. You’ll know exactly who I’m talking about. 

You also get to meet Cooper, JoJo’s childhood bestie and he really steals the show. 

I loved the cruise ship setting, the way Center explores deeper, more vulnerable topics, and the heartfelt messages so many of characters represent along the way. 

I was lucky enough thanks to Macmillan Audio to get to listen to this one as well and if you can, I really REALLY recommend the audio. Patti Murin narrates and she does an amazing job of bringing JoJo and the whole amazing story to life! 

This will definitely be one of THE rom-coms of the summer! 

Melissa Amster:

I adore Katherine Center's novels. They are fun and uplifting and her main characters have conversations with us, like they are inviting us into their world. Her latest rom-com, The Shippers, is so entertaining and enjoyable. You will want Cooper as a book boyfriend by the time you get to the middle of the story. 😍 

This story is basically a virtual vacation on a cruise. I felt like I was on the ship with JoJo and her family the entire time. Such a fun adventure! 

I loved the banter between JoJo and Cooper. You could tell there was chemistry between them but it was such a "will they, won't they" type of situation. Especially since Cooper was supposed to be JoJo's wingman to help her get together with Finn, who barely acknowledged her presence.

Cleithrophobia is mentioned in this novel. I had never heard this word before but it is definitely a phobia of mine. It's also the reason I gave up on a show I was watching for a long time. Look it up. I'll wait...

One part of the story felt a bit far-fetched for me (it has to do with the trigger warning), but it wasn't a huge issue in the grand scheme of things and it didn't take away from my enjoyment one bit. 

This delightful novel will be available tomorrow and it's perfect for kicking off your summer reading. Katherine loves love, and it truly shows in her writing!

Movie casting suggestions:
JoJo: Lisa Gilroy
Cooper: Tyler Courtad
Finn: Hunter Parrish 
Ashley: Julianne Hough
Harmony: Taylor Ortega

(Trigger warning below.)

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. They have one copy to give away!

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends May 25th at midnight EST.

More by Katherine Center:

The Bodyguard

Things You Save in a Fire

Hello Stranger

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TW: Someone gets trapped someplace while trying to escape a dangerous situation.

Book Review: The One Day You Were My Husband

By Sara Steven

2010. Carrie and Johan, madly in love, marry on the beach in Thailand, five months into their whirlwind romance. Carrie, a British surgical intern, knows she’s being uncharacteristically impulsive but is too happy to care. But as the wedding festivities stretch into the night, armed men swarm the beach and arrest Johan for crimes unknown. In police custody, Johan refuses to see or speak to Carrie. She never sees him again.

2022. Carrie is settled in the English countryside with her husband, Robin, and their six-year-old twins. After a difficult entry into motherhood, Carrie has given up her career as a physician and has convinced herself that life as a mother and wife is enough. Until she stumbles across an online post that makes her realize Johan is out of prison—has been out for years. As the memories of their intense, passionate relationship return to her, she becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about what happened on that beach all those years ago—even if that means putting her marriage and family in jeopardy.

And just when Carrie thinks she knows what she must do, a shocking twist confirms the truth found in every Rosie Walsh novel: Everyone has something to hide. The One Day You Were My Husband asks listeners what—and whom—they would give up to return to a first love, and to the people they once were. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

One of the aspects I loved most about The One Day You Were My Husband is how caught up the reader gets in Carrie’s perplexities. I felt just as blindsided by Johan’s arrest, and felt just in the dark as to why it even happened. Carrie can’t believe the stories and knows deep in her core that he is truly innocent, but when Johan cuts off all ties with her, she’s forced to move past the man who is her first love and continue on in life.

When Carrie discovers Johan is free and has also moved on with his own life, I trusted in her pain and introspection. It changes everything. There is a lot of struggle in trying to decide what is best for herself, and what is best for her family. Over chapters we get to see what really happened with Johan, why he made the choices he did, and the ultimate truth behind a time in Carrie’s life when she thought she knew where she stood. I fully supported her decisions and could understand why she had to gain more clarity on the most difficult time in her life. I think it would have driven her mad otherwise.

There is a major twist that I did not see coming! The points of view from Carrie, with the past bleeding into the present, really set the tone and set up the twist so effortlessly, my mouth literally dropped open. The biggest question becomes: Where does Carrie go from there? And really, I had no clue what she would do. It is such a difficult situation and there is no easy answer for her going forward. The twist created such a fast-paced thrilling moment into obscurity. 

Ultimately, I really liked what she decided to do in the aftermath. Some of it was expected, but I can’t see it ending any other way than how it did, and it felt right. The One Day You Were My Husband could be a miniseries or made-for-TV movie, and if that ever really happens I am there for it. It was a five-star experience!   

Thanks to Viking for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Rosie Walsh:
Ghosted
The Love of My Life

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Love at first chapter with Katie Holt...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Leah Holt

We're excited to have Katie Holt visiting us today to talk about her latest novel, The Last Page. This indie bookstore romance is sure to have readers swooning. We loved chatting with Katie and her answers to our questions are so much fun to read. Thanks to Alcove Press, we have TWO copies to give away!

Katie Holt is a New York City resident but a Tennessee native. She studied English with a concentration in creative writing at NYU and fought with every professor to prove that romance novels were worthy of their time. She’s a Nora Ephron fanatic, Swiftie, and warm chocolate chip cookie enthusiast. Katie is also the author of her highly-acclaimed debut Not in My Book.

Visit Katie online:
Website * Instagram * TikTok

Synopsis:
Ella has grown up at The Last Page, a charming local bookstore in New York City where she now works. Her first kiss was in the women’s health section. A boyfriend dumped her in comedy. The owner is like a second father to her and has begun training her to take over the store. So when he unexpectedly dies and his estranged grandson is left everything in the will, Ella is devastated.

Henry doesn’t know the first thing about running a bookstore. With his aging mom back in Tennessee, he plans to stay in New York just long enough to ensure things are running smoothly and then head back home. What he never could have counted on was the beautiful, funny bookseller who loves The Last Page more than any place in the world—and who sees him as the villain who’s come to ruin her life.

But when it becomes evident that the store is in deep financial trouble and Henry and Ella are both at risk of losing everything, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and team up—despite the inconvenient chemistry blossoming between them. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Holt expertly injects their romance with humor while crafting a love letter to book lovers and New York City. This is a charmer.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Holt’s novel has so much to savor: a large cast of lively characters, laugh-out-loud banter, a whimsical bookshop setting, an excellently executed slow-burn enemies-to-lovers storyline, and a bustling backdrop. Recommended for fans of emotional, steamy, bookish romances with strong Latine leads.”
—Library Journal, starred review

“A cute literary-themed romance.”
—Kirkus 

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
This is honestly hard to narrow down! I love when people tell me they've laughed out loud in certain scenes or cried. Or that New York City felt like a character. But, I had one reader send me a DM on Instagram gushing over Not in My Book. She told me she'd always felt too much and that the kind of love she wanted didn't seem to exist, but Rosie and Aiden changed her mind. That's exactly what I wanted to get across with Not in My Book--that your romantic standards aren't too high, you're just not meeting the right partners yet, and that you are never too much for the right person. That one lingered for days. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing The Last Page?
This one was definitely challenging to write in a lot of ways!! I felt a lot of pressure after Not in My Book and hoping I could somewhat live up to my debut. But, this is a larger cast of characters and a wayyyy slower burn. It was honestly challenging to write a relationship where friendship really needed to be the base. The biggest reward has been readers' responses so far, though! I try my best not to look at reviews...but somehow I always get too curious and poke around online. This is a romance, obviously, but there's a lot of discussion on grief here! To see that resonated with people and again, that people saw themselves in Ella. 

If The Last Page were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
This question is always so hard!! I try not to imagine actors/actresses when I write (though this is based off of Leslie Knope x Ben Wyatt) and I feel like I never know any celebrities when I'm asked this question. A lot of people fancast Isabela Merced as Rosie (for Not in My Book), but she's wayyy more Ella to me! I think she nails that sickly sweet and deadpan line really well. For Henry, I imagined a young Adam Scott (if he was a football player), but Leo Woodall comes to mind!!

What is your go-to independent bookstore?
My girl The Strand!!! So much of this book was based on my time as a bookseller there. I absolutely loved working there and often return to wander around. It's a reader's paradise. But, when I'm home, I love going to Good Girl Books in Knoxville, TN. I would've done anything to have a romance only bookstore when I was growing up and I love that romance readers have a space to connect!

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
HA I love this question!! Tina Fey came to mind immediately! She has such a sharp mind and I think she'd give me the kind of brutal honesty that John McEnroe gave Devi in Never Have I Ever. 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
There's so much to do in New York! I feel like I'd have to take you to get some Peruvian food. Pio Pio and Don Ceviche are wonderful choices. I've been obsessed with this game bar in the West Village, Cellar Dog, recently. There's live jazz and ping pong tables, shuffle boards, pool tables, and game boards. And Little Island! I love walking along the West Side Highway and meandering around there. And, naturally, a trip to the Strand!

Thanks to Katie for chatting with us and to Alcove Press for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends May 19th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The May House

By Melissa Amster

No matter what’s going on in the May sisters’ lives, the one thing they can rely upon is seeing each other for one week in May at their grandmother’s beachside home in gorgeous Coronado. As adults, Julia, Emily, and Nora aren’t particularly close, their homes spread out across the country and the sisters busy with careers, relationships, and the minutiae of life, but their promise to return each year keeps them anchored together.

Until one May when Julia, the oldest and most dependable sister, doesn’t show. Suddenly Nora and Emily start to question how much they truly know about their sister’s life. Told in alternating points of view, spanning from their time together with Grandma Vera as kids into their adult lives, The May House explores how a decades-long family secret has unknowingly shaped each sister and, ultimately, how it brings them closer together.

Funny, poignant, and brimming with heart, The May House is an irresistible story about the special bond between sisters who are figuring out what matters most in life, in all its ups and downs. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I have read and enjoyed many of Jillian Cantor's historical and contemporary novels. Her latest, The May House, is different from her previous writing, but still wonderful in so many ways. 

I loved getting to know Julia, Emily, and Nora over the many years this story takes place. The annual setting in Coronado was cozy and beautiful. I also liked seeing what was happening for them outside of their yearly gathering. During an author chat on Facebook last week, I had asked Jillian what influenced her to pivot from her darker novels to one of a lighter nature. She said that The May House has some darkness too. I see where she's coming from in terms of certain aspects (see the trigger warnings), but her previous novels went from historical to suspense. This one is more of a cozy read following the lives of three women, but they do face their share of sadness. 

This was an enjoyable story overall and I like this new direction Jillian has ventured into with her writing. I was engaged the entire time, wondering what would happen for the sisters. All three have interesting lives that include problems to resolve. There's even a small mystery to figure out, when Julia doesn't show up for the annual week at the house.

The May House is now available and it's perfect for your summer reading list! (Be sure to have all the fixings for s'mores available, as you'll be craving them.) Fans of 28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand will especially enjoy this novel.

Movie casting suggestions (the book spans many years, so I just focused on the present):

Julia: Sarah Chalke

Emily: Clea DuVall

Nora: Autumn Reeser

Nate: Scott Foley

(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)

Thanks to Atria for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Jillian Cantor:
Beautiful Little Fools
In Another Time
The Fiction Writer

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TW: Death of parent, death at childbirth, death of grandparent, cancer, divorce, parental abandonment, infidelity, miscarriage

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Cupid Dilemma

We're excited to celebrate the publication of April Asher's latest rom-com, The Cupid Dilemma. It sounds like a fun fake dating story and we're loving the cover too. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have one copy to give away!

A lover of love and a champion for happily ever after. Those are two of many things people expect from Aphrodite’s daughter. To Adalyn Whitlock, ‘love’ pays the bills, and currently, not well. Business is dropping at Happily Ever Forever, with her latest wedding planning catastrophe ending in a negative social media storm and her sister Maxi’s matchmaking ability on the fritz. To top it off, there’s an ex-boyfriend calling her ‘the Anti-Aphrodite’ and paparazzi pics linking Addie to her new client’s older brother.

Phoenix "Nix" Cross―songwriter and drummer for the hot new band, The Stone Talons―is no saint, but he's far from the womanizer the band’s image rep bestowed on him. If anything, Nix is a romantic, hopeful he'll find a love like the one his parents share. With the band’s star quickly rising and the record label pressuring him to deliver their next hit, Nix’s writer’s block couldn’t have come at a worse time. But when he opens his door to his irate new next-door neighbor, Nix feels the brief flash of inspiration for the first time in ages. And it just so happens that his new Muse is none other than his little sister’s new wedding planner.

With Addie needing an end to her public-relations nightmare and the record label breathing down Nix’s neck, the pair agree to a fauxmance. But what happens when the emotions turned on for the cameras don't turn off? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

"A feel-good romance with good friends, loving family, an adorable three-heads-in-one dog, sparkles, and even a plushy unicorn!" 
- Booklist

"Plenty of banter... [and] delightful cozy chaos... Hand to readers who love the fake­-dating trope and rock-star romances." 
- Library Journal

Credit: Amie Otto

USA Today Bestselling Author April Asher was hooked on romantic stories from the time she first snuck a bodice-ripper from her mom's bedside table. By day, April dons dark blue nursing scrubs and drinks way too much caffeine. By night, she still consumes too much caffeine, but she does it with a laptop in hand. She pens rom-coms with a paranormal twist, but also writes high-octane romantic suspense as April Hunt. She lives out her own happily-ever-after in Virginia with her college-sweetheart husband and their two children.

Visit April online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends May 17th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Dangerously Ours

By Sara Steven

**Synopsis may contain spoilers for the previous books in the series**

Conning the rich and fleeing to new cities is all ex-grifter Phoebe Graves has ever known—until she started building real relationships in a small yet wealthy Connecticut town. But she’s worried these new bonds won’t hold fast as more than one big bad wolf threatens to blow down those she loves most.

And now more than ever, she has a reason to stay in one place. Among them is Brayden “Rocky” Tinrock, her best friend’s older brother, who’s been a partner to Phoebe during every daring and exhilarating con. And then of course there’s Hailey Tinrock, her best friend, whose precious secret they’ll do anything to protect. . . .

As Phoebe and her family team up with the Tinrocks to fight for a chance at a home, they confront the demons of their pasts and must do the impossible . . . deceive the most cunning con artist they’ve ever known. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I’ve read all three books in the Webs We Weave series, and I can honestly say this was my favorite installment, hands down! I’ve come to appreciate all of the primary characters in this series, which makes the last book bittersweet. The friendship between Phoebe and Hailey is strong and apparent, particularly when Hailey finds herself in a predicament she could have never predicted, and there is a moment when Hailey puts herself in harm's way to protect her best friend. The primary theme that runs within this tight-knit group is friendship and love, despite the odds. They were raised to con, but one thing they refuse to do is con each other.

There are new, unique relationships that form this go around, too. I found it refreshing and true to life. Hailey, Jake, and Oliver are forging their own path and I never questioned the honesty in it. It felt right. The Phoebe/Rocky relationship was sweet, too. If anything, the romantic relationships that form in this book series are never conventional, and the bond between Phoebe and Rocky fits in that vein. The best things in life are worth waiting for, and I could really feel that with those two.

The most cunning con artist who is mentioned in the synopsis is a villain that is unexpected. Emotions are split in two while the group decides the best course of action, and there are no easy answers. Overall, I could sense just how much everyone wants to get out of the con business, settling down in Connecticut and going legit. But there are obstacles in their way, whether it’s villains or in some cases, monsters, threatening their sense of security at every turn. 

What made this my favorite installment was how open and honest the writing felt with all of the characters involved. Love them or hate them, or falling somewhere in between, each character was their authentic self and I couldn’t help but feel entangled within their triumphs and fears. Out of all of the characters, I loved the Hailey angle. She genuinely loves fiercely and refuses to choose just one road to travel on, and why should she have to? It’s been a windy road for this group of changed con artists, and I only hope the best for all of them. Dangerously Ours was a dangerously addictive five-star read!  

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Krista and Becca Ritchie:
Addicted to You (Addicted series)
Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet)
The Failed Audition (Circus is Family series)

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Book Review: Lies to Forever

By Sara Steven

April Manning’s generous nature has always been a gift, and her greatest weakness. After being scammed out of her life savings by a trusted friend, April is left with an eviction notice and one last hope: reclaiming her position as an interior designer at her old architectural firm, even if it means a showdown with head architect Hunter Ellis, her cheating ex.

But that’s not the only hitch. When the owner of the firm turns up dead, the last thing April expects to find is the bloody murder weapon on her doorstep.

Now the killer sets a plan for April and suspicion flares at every turn…from the mysterious new handyman, to an estranged family member she’s tried to forget. Chased from her dream home and cornered like prey, April is hemmed by the wintry forests of Tennessee with few options. As chilling memories of childhood abandonment haunt her, it seems everyone has a hidden agenda to take April down.

Only one thing is certain. A monster is stalking Smoky Creek, and April must unmask them before they land the fatal blow. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon)

The stakes continually rose higher and higher for April. All at once, she discovers that her life savings is gone, she’s homeless, and there is no source of income to rely on, due to decisions made in an effort to support an ailing friend. Just when I thought that there might be an opportunity for some peace, she’d get hit again with a life-altering blow that firmly dictated her absolute need for job security. 

It makes sense that April would choose to go back to her old job. When she attempts to meet up with the former boss to see if it would even be an option for her, she discovers his body, and that’s where the instigating moment begins and all hell breaks loose. There is no safe space for her at every turn; not her home, or out in public. Not even far out within the Tennessee woods. Someone keeps finding her, putting her life, and anyone she associates with, in jeopardy. 

Lies to Forever was the best kind of suspenseful thriller. For most of the journey, I wanted to know why April has been targeted, and who the culprit(s) might be. The police begin to question her authenticity, whether everything that is happening to her is really someone else’s handiwork, or if it’s self-inflicted, and it even got me questioning her motives! The people April trusts become potential culprits. Family isn’t off limits, either. Can someone really be so unlucky? Or is there more going on beneath the surface? 

When the end unravels and the truth is revealed, everything is turned on its head. The experience is wild and risky, with April’s life hanging in the balance. I appreciated the mystery and intrigue, never really knowing what would come next for April or for any of the other characters that are there to support her–or are they? Everybody is questionable, and that’s what made Lies to Forever so much fun. 

Thanks to Marlene M. Bell for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Marlene M. Bell:
A Hush at Midnight
Stolen Obsession
Scattered Legacy

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