Book Review and Giveaway: The Naysayers

By Melissa Amster

At Naysay Inc., rising star Megan’s job is to whisper negative thoughts straight into the minds of clients in the Real World. It’s all in a day’s dirty work in Naysayland, the parallel reality where your negativity is manufactured and self-doubt is a commodity.

But when she is assigned to sabotage a romance between lifestyle influencer Lily and author Jasper, Megan’s carefully constructed reality begins to unravel. The project teams her with Ben, the smug but cute whisperer in the next cubicle. As they work to tear down Lily and Jasper’s situationship, Megan and Ben are catching feelings for each other. And it’s making them lose their negative edge.

As their empathy grows, and they start rooting for the relationship they’re tasked with destroying, dreaded HR is sniffing around. Now they’re facing a choice: keep crushing dreams for a paycheck, or risk everything for their own fairy tale. Who knew professional pessimists could be such hopeless romantics? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I've always enjoyed Liz and Lisa's books and their surreal stories are my favorites. So I'm glad they went that route again with The Naysayers. If you ever wondered about the voice in your head telling you negative things and making you doubt yourself, Liz and Lisa have created a world where the inhabitants are the reason for that voice. 

I love books (and movies) where a different but somehow parallel world is created. Naysayland was very interesting and well thought out. A lot of this novel had a Good Place vibe, but it also made me think of Severance, based on what people have told me about that show. It was even giving Office Space and Inside Out at times. 

This story contains an important message that people need to hear. I really liked that message. The concept is thought-provoking and hits close to home at times. I liked all the banter, especially between Megan and Ben. I would have liked more chapters from Ben's perspective, but it was nice to also get Lily's perspective. There were parts of the story that were definitely anxiety-provoking, especially when the stakes were raised.

I wouldn't mind being a naysayer for people who are really full of themselves. (I am sure we all know at least one person like that.) However, I'm all for trying to uplift people's spirits and build their confidence, so I wouldn't last long in Naysayland for that reason alone.

Great work, Liz and Lisa! (I would get kicked out, just for saying this...)

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:

Megan: Sami Gayle
Ben: Pierson Fode
Lily: Grace Van Dien
Jasper: Nick Robinson
Jacqueline: Carla Gugino
Genevieve: Sally Field
Karla: Jessica Paré

Thanks to Little A for the book in exchange for an honest review and to Liz and Lisa for sharing a copy with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends February 2nd at midnight EST.

More by Liz and Lisa:
The Year We Turned Forty
How to Save a Life
The Two Lila Bennetts

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TW: Parent being forcibly separated from their child. Stalking by a corporation. Emotional abuse. Cyberbullying.

Wendy Walker lands another perfect twist...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Bill Miles

We are thrilled to have Wendy Walker at CLC today to talk about her latest psychological thriller, Blade, which releases next week! It is currently available as an Amazon First Reads pick (free for Prime, $1.99 otherwise on Kindle). If you've ever done competitive figure skating or just enjoy watching it, this is the book for you. We enjoyed learning more about Wendy and we hope you will too. Thanks to Megan Beatie Communications, we have one copy to give away!

Wendy Walker is the USA Today bestselling author of psychological suspense novels. Her work has been translated into over twenty-three foreign languages and has been optioned for television and film. She is a former attorney and investment banker and trained for competitive figure skating. She lives in Fairfield County, CT. 

Visit Wendy online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Watch a video of Wendy figure skating in 1981. 

Check out this exclusive personal story Wendy wrote for People magazine.

Synopsis:

Ana Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At age sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she’s a successful defense attorney who’s revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began—and abruptly ended—The Palace, an internationally acclaimed skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado. 

Ana’s returned to defend Grace Montgomery, the young skater who’s been accused of the brutal crime. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace’s guilt, and she’s days away from facing charges of first-degree murder. Ana’s investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home. 

With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover what really happened—even if it means exposing her own dark secrets from long ago.

"Blade pairs intricate plotting and a winning protagonist with an insider’s take on the fierce pressures placed on young women in competitive ice skating. Wendy Walker always delivers.”
— Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of The Note

“Set in the world of elite figure skating, Walker‘s latest thriller is as chilling as it is propulsive. Raw, emotional, and razor sharp, Blade kept me breathless until the final page.”
— Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage

“Wendy Walker is an auto-buy author for me—I’ll read anything she writes. Her books are smart, compelling, and packed with tension from start to finish. Every story is a masterclass in suspense, and Blade is her best yet.”
— Liv Constantine, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I love when readers say they couldn’t put the book down. Obviously, I’d like the reason to be something that doesn’t involve a mishap with SuperGlue! Other than that - whether they couldn’t part with the characters, needed to know the ending, or found something emotional that resonated, I’ll never grow tired of hearing this!

How is Ana similar to or different from you?
Much of Ana’s story follows the path I took in my own life. From the traumatic years training for figure skating, to moving on to become a lawyer – I needed to have some of myself in her story since the material is already so personal. But we are definitely not the same! I have found peace in my life after processing those years, and while I was interested in areas of the law involving children, my careers have not been driven so drastically by my past. Much of my life has been devoted to raising my own children as well, which is something Ana has not been able to navigate. In writing Ana, I started from a place of familiarity, but then moved into the fictional world created in the novel.

1981

If Blade were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
This is always such a hard question! I honestly don’t know. I never picture my characters’ physical appearances while I’m writing them. I know their minds inside and out, and sometimes I give them descriptions in the novel, but I don’t start to see them in my mind. As I’m writing this, I can’t even recall if I gave Ana and Grace hair or eye color! But ask me what they would do or say, and the answer is right there. So have at it, Hollywood!

What is your favorite move to do while ice skating (or to watch someone do)?
The layback spin. It was one of my favorite moves to execute, and my favorite to watch. It’s such a beautiful shape, and can be done in so many variations. If you tried to make that shape on the ground, you would fall backwards. The force of the spin is what allows you to bend back so far, and I find that incredibly freeing. Defying forces of nature through gliding, spinning and jumping is what makes the sport so joyful to me. And even the men do them now!

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
This one is easy! Julia Whelan. She has narrated four of my novels, including BLADE. Each time she narrates a book, she loses herself to the character, making that person come alive. Everything she does is magical, so I would trust her with my own life, so to speak!

If we were to visit you right now, what places would you take us to see?
My house, for starters, because that’s where I spend most of my time. But then we might take a drive to all of the local rinks where I first learned to skate. And then, perhaps, we would hop on a plane and fly to Colorado where I spent three years training away from home. I haven’t been back since I left as a teenager, so that would be quite an adventure!

Now

Thanks to Wendy for chatting with us and to MB Communications for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends February 1st at midnight EST.

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Book Review: A Shore Thing

By Sara Steven

From the moment Cleo met Lockie, her infuriatingly charming co-casting producer on hit reality show Welcome to Singledom, he’s been getting under her skin. Their job? Casting singles for the ultimate island romance. Their problem? They can’t agree on anything.

Now, the cameras are ready to roll, and the contestants—well, most of them—are en route. But when the threat of a tropical storm delays half the cast, launch night turns into a total disaster. With no Plan B, Cleo and Lockie are forced to step in as contestants. Just for 24 hours until the real stars arrive.

Simple, right? Except tensions are sky-high and sparks are flying for all the wrong reasons! All they have to do is couple-up and get voted off - but there’s a storm coming, so leaving the island might not be so easy. Cleo’s used to pulling strings behind the scenes, not falling headfirst into the drama.

But when the cameras stop rolling, will their fake fling fade with the credits—or could it be Cleo’s most unexpected plot twist yet? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

This is my favorite Portia MacIntosh read to date! I’m all about a reality TV show-type story, and A Shore Thing offered that up and then some. It felt like it was Survivor meets Love Island, but it offered up even more by giving background information on what happens behind the scenes on a show like Welcome to Singledom.

Cleo wants to take Welcome to Singledom in a direction that would include more “real” contestants; everyday people that the everyday person could relate to and identify with. But Lockie, the new co-casting producer, doesn’t agree. He thinks if it ain’t broke, there’s no reason to change the formula they’ve stuck to since the beginning of the reality show’s inception: bring in the hottest contestants who produce the most drama, creating an exciting environment that will keep a viewer’s attention. 

When both Cleo and Lockie are forced to become short-term contestants on the show, both theories are put to the test. Cleo sees herself as a regular, girl-next-door type of gal, while Lockie definitely fits into that “hottie” category. But despite who ends up coming out on top, it doesn’t change the fact that they have to survive the elements on a remote island, with strangers who are all vying to win the show, and the show’s prize money. 

I felt like I was part of the reality show chaos. Usually I watch that kind of drama on my tv, but this felt just as exciting and in-depth. From the various contests the contestants have to participate in, to the absolute disconnection from anything in society, it was believable. A Welcome to Singledom show could really exist. While there are plenty of twists and turns that change the outlook Cleo and Lockie have when it comes to their career choices and their time on the island, the formula I have come to enjoy with my reality shows never faltered–it was all there, just as it should be. A Shore Thing was a sure thing, and a five-star experience!

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase Links: 
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple

Portia MacIntosh is the million copy bestselling author of over 20 romantic comedy novels. Whether it’s southern Italy or the French alps, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages. Formerly a journalist, Portia lives with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

Visit Portia online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Sign up for Portia's newsletter.

Visit all the stops on Portia's blog tour:

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Book Review: When We Were Brilliant

By Sara Steven

In 1952, Norma Jeane Baker follows documentary photographer Eve Arnold into a powder room on the night they first meet. She has a proposition for her. Norma Jeane created Marilyn Monroe to be photographed, and she wants Eve to do it. Eve is better than anyone she’s seen at capturing a person’s inner truth. Together they can help each other. Together, she says, they can make something brilliant.

Skeptical of this cipher of a young woman, Eve demurs. She’s looking for more serious subjects than this ambitious starlet. But she keeps getting drawn back into Marilyn’s orbit, and the women come to recognize something in each other—something fundamental. Nothing will get in the way of what they want, and when Marilyn’s star takes off to teetering heights, neither will ever be the same.

A lavish and transporting novel, When We Were Brilliant captures the halcyon days of an icon and the grit of women determining their own futures as it explores the exceptional and complicated friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Eve Arnold. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

You know a story is good when you feel compelled to do some research after you’ve read it. I didn’t know about Eve Arnold, nor the relationship she had with Marilyn. That alone is fascinating. Yet combining that aspect with an historical fiction nod really elevated and brought both Norma Jean and Eve to life. 

One of the biggest draws is how unlikely their friendship had been. And how true-to-life Marilyn presented herself when she was around Eve. I felt the author really captured the essence of Marilyn, particularly with her public persona and who she was behind closed doors. Marilyn was the intelligent blond bombshell who really was ahead of her time; she was smarter than she let on, bending and twisting her way through the twists and turns of society, in order to try to succeed and be successful. Unfortunately, no one could see the split between Marilyn and Norma Jean, and that she ultimately was a human being, not an object that belonged to the people. 

The author captured that “butterfly in a jar” imagery perfectly. Eve’s background and story provided a nice leveling to that, but really, there is common ground between the two characters. Both are women trying to do their best in their respective careers, while fighting against the patriarchy. At the time, Eve was the only woman working for Magnum Photos, and Marilyn was consistently given commands in order to dictate the path of her career, whether they were good options for her or not. Eve has to try to navigate juggling her career and family, something Marilyn yearns for. Marilyn just wants someone who loves her for her, and Eve is ultimately looking for the same thing.

When We Were Brilliant was a riveting experience. The background of that mid-century modern glow, the epic icons that are identifiable of that era, along with the struggles that both women face which would only later help to pave the way for the women who have come after them, really made this book a must-read experience. It was five-stars for me!  

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

More by Lynn Cullen:
The Woman with the Cure
Mrs. Poe
The Sisters of Summit Avenue

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Setting sail with Heather McBreen...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Heather McBreen to CLC today, to talk about her upcoming novel, Sunk in Love. We featured her debut novel last year and we're excited to be chatting with her today. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy for a lucky reader!

Heather McBreen currently lives in Seattle, Washington, but spent the best year of her life living in London, where she completed an MA degree in arts and cultural management. When she's not writing or reading books about kissing, she can be found surfing the web for travel deals and plotting her next adventure. Wedding Dashers is her debut novel.

Visit Heather online:

Website * Instagram 

Synopsis:

Roslyn and Liam met nine years ago and have been the perfect couple ever since. Through every up and down, every milestone—from Liam’s residency to the publication of Roslyn’s debut romance—they’ve been each other’s rock. Until now.

Pulled apart by the untimely death of Roslyn’s mom and the undertow of grief, they’re now navigating the final wave in their marriage: divorce.

Heartbroken and unsure how to tell her family she’s called it quits with everyone’s favorite son-in-law, Roslyn keeps the impending split to herself. But when Roslyn’s grandparents ask if Liam can officiate their vow renewal ceremony aboard a Hawaiian cruise during their annual vacation, Roslyn needs to tell the truth or figure out a way to keep her secret. A week trapped at sea with her ex isn’t ideal, but neither Roslyn nor Liam want to rock the boat, so they concoct a plan—they’ll fake it.

After five years of marriage, they can figure out how to pretend for jungle hikes and mai tais, right? But when reality and make believe starts to blur, and old feelings begin to resurface, Roslyn and Liam have to decide whether it’s sink or swim for their marriage. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Readers, look no further for the perfect second chance romance from an author at the top of her craft. I’ll read anything she writes!”

—London Sperry, author of Passion Project

“Sunk in Love is a poignant story of two imperfect people learning to do their best for one another—and a beautiful reminder that the bravest thing we can be is hopeful. This book aches in all the best ways, and has a permanent spot on my favorites shelf.”

—Ellen O’Clover, author of The Heartbreak Hotel

“Heather McBreen has set the gold standard with her sophomore novel, Sunk in Love. An absolute must read for all romance lovers!”

—Amy Buchanan, author of Let’s Call a Truce

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?
Any time someone tells me my male leads are hot! That feels like the best compliment because I’m always unsure if what is hot to me will be hot to other people. It’s so nice to have my freak matched. 

How is Roslyn similar to/different from you?
Like Roslyn, I’m very emotional and I overthink absolutely everything. Unlike Roslyn, I can’t go to bed angry. If there’s conflict, I HAVE to talk it out until it’s resolved. Which is why it would have taken me all of three minutes to call Liam and beg him to come back after he left. 

If Sunk in Love was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
Theo James for Liam and Molly Gordon for Roslyn

Tell us about your last memorable vacation.
My husband and I went to Italy for our honeymoon and had the best time. We are constantly talking about going back to Rome, especially for the food. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I think Jennifer Coolige would bring the exact right vibes to my life 

If we were to visit you right now, what places would you take us to see?
I live in Seattle, so probably to Hot Cakes for a sweet treat, then to Beguiled Books, my favorite romance bookstore in Seattle, then to Kerry Park for the best view of the city.

Thanks to Heather for visiting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Giveaway ends January 27th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Things We Are Optimistic About in 2026

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now starting our seventh year!

This month, we are talking about the top five things we are optimistic about in 2026. We'd love to hear what you are optimistic about this year. Feel free to share in the comments! 

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. 😊 We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Sara Steven:

It’s tough to focus on optimism right now, especially with everything going on in our world. It was hard for me to sit down and pinpoint what I’m looking forward to this year, but I strongly believe that even the smallest glimmers of hope and goodness can help. 

The five things I’m optimistic about for this year:

1. A new job: I feel like for so long, I can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to my employment. For the last three years, I’ve been working in environments that are borderline toxic, which seems to be a pretty standard experience in the line of work I’m in (property management.) I don’t know if it's the location I’m in–when I worked in property management in Nebraska, I had some really great experiences. Or maybe the industry has changed so much and this is the new norm, but I’m really hoping it’s not. I am hopeful that the impending opportunities I have that could allow me to change employers might be a much better, less toxic, fit. 

2. My relationships: I’m trying to work on bettering my relationships with people; my husband, my kids, my friends. My family. I’m optimistic that I can work on improving communication and letting the people who I care about know that they are important to me. With so many disjointed, confusing experiences in the world, having a solid support system and reciprocating that for others is the only thing that is going to get us through the craziness right now. 

3. My health: Despite my increasing age and dealing with a lot of physical changes since entering my late forties, I’m focusing on making my health and wellness a huge priority this year–maybe even the number one priority. It’s so easy to slide back into old habits, which for me means making sure everyone else is OK first, then making my own health and well-being dead last. I see improvements and feeling better overall in my near future, as long as I stick to my goals and plans. 

4. Don’t laugh, but: I see guinea pigs in my future. I love guinea pigs. I’ve had two piggies as pets, and they are just so cute. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to my cat Chance late last year, which was pretty devastating to all of us in my family. The only tiny sliver of a silver lining to that, was that my allergies have improved–he was my only allergen. I’m such an animal lover, but I know I have some limitations. I’d love to have a pet again at some point, one that I’m not allergic to, and a pet that won’t be super time consuming. Is it crazy that I want three guinea pigs? 

5. Time to write: I have been making myself a note every day for the last year or so, to remind myself to write. But I haven’t been doing it. With a new job comes newfound energy, space, and prioritizing my need to write, and I think I will finally pull the trigger and get back into it. I definitely see free writing and journaling in my future.  

Melissa Amster:

I can't believe we're at the beginning of another year. I'm sure I've probably written the year as "25" when I put dates on something. Anyway, I am glad Sara limited us to five things for this list, as I don't really have a lot in mind just yet for reasons similar to what she said above. So, here goes...

1. Turning 50 this summer. I shouldn't be excited about aging, but it also means I've lived this many years already. I am hoping to do something fun to celebrate, even if it's a mini-vacation somewhere. I feel like that's all up in the air, so we'll just see what happens. Otherwise, I'll just take a huge spa day for myself. 😄 Also 50 is the new 40, so there! 

2. My younger son graduating from high school. Technically, he's already in college, but he's also a senior in high school. (He's in an early college program from the county.) He applied to a bunch of colleges and we're just playing the waiting game. As much as I don't want him leaving, I also know he has a lot of great things in store. He's really smart and talented and I'm so proud of him!

3. Any and all opportunities to see my kids perform or show off their talents. My older son wrote a play that is going to be performed in a playwriting festival at his school this spring! I also look forward to any shows my kids may be performing in this summer or later in the year. 

4. Finally getting on top of book reviews this year. I had a huge queue to review last year and was always behind. I'm almost caught up on my 2025 reviews (one more left!) and am trying to write reviews as soon as I finish the new books I've been reading. I'm hoping that will help my reviews be more robust as I tend to forget stuff from a couple months ago and those reviews are weaker as a result. 

5. Hopefully making more new friends. I made some new friends over the past year. A bunch were online, but I did connect more with a woman in my neighborhood last year and we've gotten together a few times and had great conversations. So I am optimistic about making more new friends this year, whether it's online or in person!

What are you optimistic about for 2026?

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Book Review: Dandelion is Dead

By Allyson Bales

Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.

When Poppy discovers unanswered messages from a charming stranger in her late sister's dating app, she makes an impulsive choice: She'll meet him, just once, on what would have been Dandelion's fortieth birthday. It's exactly the kind of wild adventure her vivacious sister would have pushed her toward.

Jake is ready to find something real—and not least because his ex-wife's twentysomething boyfriend has moved into their old family home. When he meets the intriguing woman who calls herself Dandelion, their connection is undeniable, and he can think of little else.

As their relationship deepens, Poppy finds herself trapped in a double life she never meant to create. Every moment with Jake feels genuine, electric, and totally right—despite the fact they're tangled in deceit. As the lines between grief and love blur, Poppy faces a choice: keep her sister's memory alive through her lies, or risk everything for a chance at her own happiness?

With sparkling wit and aching tenderness, debut author Rosie Storey gives us a modern love story about the courage it takes to live again after loss and finding hope in the most unexpected places. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Well, this was a very interesting read to start 2026 with!

When I saw the cover of this book and read the quick blurb of this debut I was immediately hooked and had to get my hands on it.  I mean, “Jake has fallen head over heels for Dandelion. The only problem? Dandelion is dead.” What a hook!  I am a huge fan of going into books blind and reading Dandelion is Dead was no different.  I am not sure what I was expecting but what this story delivered ended up being so much more.

This story read more like women's fiction than romance and that really, really worked for me.  You get to meet Poppy, a flawed and deeply loveable character that is navigating the loss of her sister.  You also get to meet Jake, a young father struggling with the end of his marriage.  You also get to meet Poppy’s mom and dad and her best friend and another man named Sam, but I’ll just let you read about him.  

All of these characters are struggling with something and the way that is explored in the book is deeply relatable.  There are themes of love and loss and how you have to move on and live life again. I don’t know a person on the planet that wouldn’t be able to relate to that on some level.  There are also themes of self discovery and self acceptance which was intriguing and really flushed out many of the characters.  I grew to really love Poppy and wanted to be her friend.   

If you are a fan of character driven stories with family drama and some romance, grab this one.  

I also really suggest the audio (thanks to @prhaudio). This story has dual POV and Laurence Dobiesz and Olivia Dowd really bring that to life.

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

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