What's in the (e)mail

Melissa:

Karaoke Queen by Dominic Lim from Forever (NetGalley)

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis from Dutton (NetGalley)

The Three Lives of Cate Kay by Kate Fagan from Atria (NetGalley)

Second Chance Romance by Carol Mason from Bookouture (NetGalley)

The Space Between Secrets by Sheri Langer from Red Adept (ebook)

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat by Lauren Appelbaum from Forever (NetGalley)

The Best We Could Hope For by Nicola Kraus from Little A (NetGalley)

Like Cats & Dogs by Lizzie Shane from Forever (NetGalley)

More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova from Gallery (NetGalley)

Sara:

Hush Little Baby by J.A. Baker from Rachel's Random Resources (NetGalley)

Redeemed by/from Penny Lane (ebook)

Dirty Diana by Jen Besser and Shana Feste from Random House (NetGalley)

Melissa S:

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke from St. Martin's Press (print)

The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava from Berkley (print)

Becky:
Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay from Berkley (print)

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Book Review: Hate to Fake It to You

By Melissa Smoot

Everyone gets a glow-up on social media, but Libby Lane's online persona is the fakest of fakes. Cooked up as a joke by Libby and her best friends, Lillibet is the affluent, healthier-than-thou opposite of her glam-free life on the side of Oahu most tourists never see. The phony fronting is all in good fun, until a real influencer stumbles onto the Love, Lillibet Instagram feed and starts making waves.

When Hildy Johnson, the ambitious junior member of a media dynasty, travels to Hawaii to talk to Lillibet about parlaying her lifestyle brand into a job, Libby and her friends scramble to take the make-believe to a new level. Complicating the charade even further is Hildy’s handsome companion, a wildlife photographer named Jefferson Jones, whose keen eye sees more than he lets on.

Between the pretend husband, borrowed goats, a made-up holiday, and Libby’s very real attraction to Jefferson, it’s anyone’s guess which lie will blow their cover first . . . especially since Lillibet isn’t the only one with something to hide. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This was a great read. It was fun, witty, and playful. I laughed out loud too many times to count. The crazy antics that the main character, Libby, gets herself into are hilarious, as is the banter between Libby and her best friend/roomie, Jean. I loved the setting on the Island of Oahu as Hawaii has always been a special place for me and my family. Any chance I get to read a great story that is set in the Islands, I jump at it.

The plot of Hate to Fake it to You centers around the world of social media and the idea of curating the perfect life for the camera, whether it is real or not. It was an intentionally (and hilariously executed) unrealistic take on how far social media influencers will go to make their followers believe they lead a perfect storybook existence. I liked how Sellet was able to weave the local culture and food into the storyline. I also enjoyed the relationship that Libby has with two of the characters she grew up with, Jean and Keoki. The loyalty and love between them all were palpable in the book.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful read and would recommend to anyone looking to add some humor and silliness with a heaping side of romance to their lives. 

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Amanda Sellet:
By the Book
Belittled Women

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Road Trips

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are currently in our fifth year!

This month, we are talking about road trips. There are a lot of fun novels about road trips and we can relate, having been on some of our own over the years. (Cue the song "Holiday Road". Yeah, we're Gen X!)

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:

June was a very active time for me where road trips are concerned. In fact, I don’t think I was home for a full day more than a few days until the later part of the month! Looking back, I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to spend time with my friends and family, but I think going forward I’d probably space the trips out, because it was just too much traveling in a short amount of time!

It all started with a trip to Vegas. A close friend of mine who I have known since the age of three, and is like a niece to me, had plans to stay in Vegas to support her fiance, who was in town for a conference. My family (plus the dog) made the decision to road trip it to Vegas, which worked out fairly well–even with the five hour drive there. One of the highlights for me, other than spending time with my friends, was having a late lunch at Hell’s Kitchen. It’s been a bucket list item of mine for years. (If you ever dine there, might I suggest the lobster risotto? It was amazing!) Really, everything there was delicious. I still think about the food. We also toured Omega Mart, known as “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” with hidden passageways and crazy items for sale that you would never find anywhere else. It was a crazy wild experience. The Blue Man Group was a lot of fun, too, and my sons raved about the in-your-face interactive experiences with the performers–at one point, one Blue Man stood in our aisle in order to “pick on” another attendee in the row in front of us–which meant standing right in front of my older son; the Blue Man kept looking back at my son in an effort to get him to crack up. Which he did. It was a blast! Another highlight consisted of spending time at my friend’s hotel, where we lounged around at the hotel pool and spent the day relaxing in the bright sunshine. It was well worth the road trip.

Hell’s Kitchen…and the back of my husband’s head 🙂

Omega Mart with my family

Hanging at the pool

The drive...and the dog

Just a few short days after returning from Vegas, my sister and nephew flew out to Arizona to spend a week with us. I’d made plans to go on a road trip to Palm Springs with my sister–I know it sounds silly, but an episode of Sex and the City had inspired me to do that. I figured it would be a nice sisterly experience, and it was! Unfortunately, neither of us took photos. We’re both so bad at remembering to chronicle the moments. But I can tell you that the time we were there, with just two short days to explore the city, we’d really made the most of it. We spent time in downtown Palm Springs, visited their weekly street fair, and poolsided it at the resort we stayed at. 

Upon our return to Arizona, we didn’t even get a full day of rest before we drove out to Flagstaff, for a visit with my parents. They were very excited to see my sister and nephew, and we made plans to hike Call of the Canyon, a special hiking experience in Sedona. My nephew (14), who is only a year older than my youngest (13), is literally a whole foot taller, at 6 feet, 2 inches! I couldn’t believe how much he’s grown.  

My son, and his cousin

I think they were less enthused than the rest of us to go on the hike, but we made it. On our last day in Flagstaff, we spent our time downtown, checking out the tea shops and knick-knack stores. 

In a few short weeks, I spent so much time on the road. From Arizona to Vegas. From Arizona to Palm Springs. And then to Flagstaff. It was a lot. But ultimately, I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’m so glad I spent time with my loved ones over the summer, and who knows? We’ll see how it goes for next year…

My sister, our dad, my nephew, me, my husband, our stepmom and Panda, their dog

Melissa Amster:

When my family and I go on road trips, it's usually to the Chicago suburbs to visit family and friends. We break up the trip by stopping in Cleveland (usually Beachwood) and staying there overnight. (Somehow my parents do not do this and drive the whole twelve hours in one day.) The only other road trip we went on over the past year was to Pittsburgh to visit a close friend of mine. Road trips are pretty standard for the most part. Instead of talking about the experience, I want to share a few must-do items from our various road trips.

Sheetz: This gas station mini-mart in Breezewood, Pennsylvania, is the best! It's like Wawa, if that gives you any idea. We have to go to Sheetz every time we drive to/from Chicago or Pittsburgh. 

Courtesy of Mapquest

Our playlist: Since we're all Broadway fans, we usually listen to a LOT of show tunes. Sometimes Olivia Rodrigo is included in order to change things up a bit. We take turns choosing the cast album so that it's fair to everyone. Musicals we all agree on include Newsies, Heathers, Mean Girls, Legally Blonde, In the Heights, Something Rotten, Beetlejuice, Avenue Q, and The Last Five Years (just to name a few). 

Staying at hotels: The enjoyment of breaking up the trip into two six-hour drives is staying overnight at a hotel. Especially when there's free breakfast the next morning. I have an inside joke with one of my friends about hotel amenities. We went to one where they had this "Deluxe Beauty Kit", but it was just a tiny nail file, a cotton swab, and a flat piece of cotton. Real deluxe, don't ya think?!? My friend and I were laughing about that for quite some time. I also get annoyed when they attach hair and body wash containers to the shower instead of having little bottles available to take home. What is the fun in that?!?

Board games: We usually bring at least one board game with us if we're staying someplace overnight. It's a fun family bonding activity. Our favorite is always Loaded Questions and we can play that one for hours. We end up laughing a lot!

Starbucks: On every road trip, we have to stop at Starbucks at least once! It's a moral imperative.

Does this make you want to go on a road trip with me and my family? I won't be offended if you say no. 😅

Tell us about a memorable road trip experience.

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Book Review: It Had to Be You

By Sara Steven

Two contract killers, each with a hit out on the other, must fight their growing attraction as they face off in an epic game of lust and murder across Western Europe.When Eva and Jonathan hook up on the sleeper train from Florence to Paris, they think they’ll never see each other again. Which is too bad, because neither has ever felt a spark like this for another person. But love isn’t on the agenda in their line of work. 

Six months later, they run into each other in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. This meeting is not by chance, because Eva has been hired to kill Jonathan. She’s a contract killer, but what she doesn’t know is that he is too.Their meeting kicks off a high-stakes cross-continent adventure across Western Europe. There will be tourism. There will be bodies.  Eva and Jonathan might even fall for each other.

As the two get closer to completing their assignments, it becomes clear that they are also being hunted—by something even more dangerous than love. . . (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

It Had to Be You is very Mr. and Mrs. Smith in all the best ways! I loved the pairing of Eva and Jonathan–two characters who have never felt as though they fit in and are the oddballs of society. Both have had pasts that have led them to fall into a contract killer lifestyle, and it was refreshing to read their perspectives on that from a simplistic, to-the-point kind of way. No one is offering up apologies or making excuses. It is what it is, regardless of what society may think.

Because of the lifestyle, neither character feels they can ever open their lives up to love, so when a chance encounter on a sleeper train triggers a series of events that eventually has them colliding into one another, full force, it seems like fate (or something even deeper) is at play. It was dark and sensual and sexy, with plenty of hot scenes spread out over the Western European canvas, sprinkled with kills and potentially deadly scenarios that at times made me question if they could make it–not just as a couple, but to make it out alive. 

I had no clue who the ultimate culprit is–the person who is pulling the strings and putting Eva’s and Jonathan’s lives in jeopardy. I liked that! I had a few ideas on who I thought it could be, so it was surprising at the end when the culprit was finally discovered. I didn’t know if our wild couple would survive that discovery, or how it would all end, but that was a large part of the fun crazy ride the reader goes on while diving deeper into It Had to Be You. So many great twists and turns, in the game of assassin love. A definite five-star read! 

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

More by Eliza Jane Brazier:
If I Disappear
Good Rich People
Girls and Their Horses

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Book Review: People Will Talk

By Allyson Bales

When the Frank family throws their annual clambake at their gorgeous beachside home on Cape May, the seafood is always delivered to white-clothed tables on fine bone china. And Peter Frank, the beloved son and perennial heartbreaker, will make the rounds, charming every woman on the guest list.

Top of that list this year are Maya, his tennis star girlfriend just coming off the high of winning Wimbledon; Catherine, his high school sweetheart turned wildly successful wedding planner and influencer; and Leanne, the fiercely protective aunt and legal guardian of his only son. When Maya, Catherine, and Leanne arrive expecting an extravagant feast, they’re instead lured into a room together by a mysterious text to find Peter and…Tilly. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

If you’re a fan of Big Little Lies and soap operas, you’re going to love People Will Talk! 

This is my first Kieran Scott read, and what a wild ride! Here’s another perfect beach read that’s going to keep you guessing until the very end. 

I love a good mystery whodunnit story told from multiple viewpoints that’s fast-paced and jam-packed with drama. This was so bingey too, with short chapters. To say too much would completely ruin it for you, so here’s the key points in my opinion:

* Maya, Katherine, and Leanne were well developed characters that I loved and also suspected in equal measure. Scotts writing really sucks you in and I found myself completely unaware of what was going on around me while I read this story.  There are so many twists and turns! 

* I’m also a Jersey girl so I really, really enjoyed the Cape May setting. I wanted to be at the clambake so badly! If you haven’t been to Cape May, I highly suggest you go! 

* The themes of love, betrayal, and the lengths those will go to protect really captivated me. I love when a story is layered and makes you think. This story did that for me and I think it will for you too! Please reach out to me once you’ve finished so we can talk about Peter. 

I’m really looking forward to reading Scott’s backlist, and if her other books are anything like this one, I know I’m in for a real treat! 

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

More by Kieran Scott:
Regrets Only
Wish You Were Gone 

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Book Review: The Windsor Conspiracy

By Jami Denison

An English ruler gives up his throne and his country to marry a divorced American. The nation blames her. The division tears apart two brothers; their wives at permanent odds. Is this Prince Harry and Megan? Yes, but it also describes former King Edward VIII and his wife, Wallis Simpson. What kind of woman would force a man to give up his kingship for her?

According to historical fiction author Georgie Blalock’s latest novel, The Windsor Conspiracy, the kind of woman who would do that is a ruthless, self-centered social climber who wanted to see a country destroyed for rooting against her. 

Luckily, Wallis Simpson is not the protagonist of The Windsor Conspiracy. That honor goes to Simpson’s fictitious cousin Amelia, whom Wallis hires as a private secretary after Amelia has a fall from grace in their native Baltimore. Amelia knows Wallis’s reputation… but Wallis was the only one who offered help after Amelia’s husband was arrested for embezzlement, and then killed himself. Maybe she’s not that bad after all?

The novel kicks off at Wallis’s Paris wedding to the former king, and Amelia describes to readers how angry Wallis is about the number of guests who haven’t shown up, and why. Amelia gets advice from her aunt and from Wallis’s best friend on how to be a good social secretary: Who’s Who in society, and who sits where at a dinner party? Even though Wallis is harsh with other staff members, she’s kind to Amelia, and she even helps her upgrade her wardrobe. Amelia is loyal, having been burned by social and familial scorn after her husband’s death (they eloped against her stepfather’s wishes). Wallis’s kindness—and her need to keep her job—make Amelia excuse Wallis’s behavior again and again. But when Wallis cozies up to a high-ranking Nazi, and as Germany makes moves threatening a peaceful Europe, Amelia realizes that more is at stake than reputations.

Thanks to the TV series The Crown and the recent internet theories about Princess Kate, I’ve gotten more interested in the history of the royal family. Still, until I read The Windsor Conspiracy, all I knew about King Edward VIII (in the book, Wallis calls him David) and Wallis Simpson was that he abdicated to marry her, and that he seemed sympathetic to Nazis. Blalock fleshes out that knowledge with her well-researched novel. Her Wallis is so obsessed with the crown that she constantly snipes at David for giving it up to marry her. It’s clear that she’s only with him for the status, and they are both obsessed with getting King George to grant her the “extra-chic” title of Her Royal Highness. Even worse, as the war progresses, Wallis actively roots for Germany to defeat England, believing that Hitler will put her and David back on the throne. “The country deserves it,” she tells Amelia, “for the way they treated me.” 

Amelia is a terrific stand-in for the reader. Her doubts about Wallis—should I trust this person that everyone’s warned me about but has been really nice to me personally?—are the kinds of questions everyone has had about someone in their life at some point, and give the story a universal appeal. She’s also hard-working and kind, an easy protagonist to root for. 

The Windsor Conspiracy is centered around World War II and gives readers an angle on that conflict that isn’t usually seen. As the book progresses, Amelia finds herself in physical danger, but most of the danger in the book is psychological. The novel’s biggest revelation is character-based: What drives a person to sell out their own country? Blalock portrays David as spoiled and lazy; he and his wife are both narcissists. Their story had an unhappy ending for them, but a good one for the fictional Amelia and the rest of the world. It’s a good reminder that when narcissists are put in positions of leadership, people will suffer. That people who are cruel to others but nice to you have their own agenda and won’t hesitate to hurt you if it helps them. Read, and vote, accordingly. 

Thanks to William Morrow for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Georgie Blalock:
The Last Debutantes
The Other Windsor Girl
An Indiscreet Princess

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Book Review: It's All Sun and Games

By Sara Steven

When Robin finds out she's going on a work trip to Italy she can't wait for a week away in the sunshine, away from the daily grind. So what if there's a client pitch to do while they're there? The thing Robin is most excited about is the chance to show her work crush, James, what she's really like outside of work, and divert his attention from Liz, her work rival.

To make things even better, Robin realises that the town they're going to in Italy is the same place that her childhood penpal, Andrea is from. So it's the perfect time to re-connect and finally meet her old friend over some delicious Italian food and wine (between work obviously...) But when Andrea doesn't turn out to be the person Robin thought, things get a little complicated… (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

It’s All Sun and Games is the perfect summer read! It’s mostly lighthearted due in large part to Robin, the plucky can-do protagonist who appears to face the daily grind with as much joy as she can–given she feels like she’s continually up against her work nemesis, Liz. I don’t know how Robin can stay as composed as she does, but she does it. The reader gets the impression that it’s par for the course for Robin. She doesn’t feel as though she’s appreciated at work, and it’s hard for her to get her boss’s attention with James and Liz at the wheel. I loved Robin’s approach to life, though, despite those circumstances. 

Along with the bad, Robin will take the good where her work life is concerned. A work trip to Italy is just what she needs to break up the monotony of her world. I thought the introduction of Andrea and the background and story behind that friendship was very cute and a nice twist. It really added another layer of fun and potential, while also throwing a nice wrench into things for Liz. I found Liz to be annoying, but that made for the perfect antagonist. 

Robin has vied for James’s attention for a very long time, yet he’s never reciprocated it. But when she has the chance to really see where that relationship might go, the line between what she really wants and more importantly, who she really wants, becomes incredibly blurry. It irritated me that James seemed to only step up when Robin appeared unavailable, making James look like he wouldn’t be a great choice where a romantic relationship is concerned. Yet Robin has a tough time seeing that. All she seems to focus on is that fact that he’s giving her what she’s wanted for so long, she might be willing to push aside the red flags she sees on the horizon.

Overall, Robin has to learn that she’s good enough–she’s an asset to her job. She is worthy of love. It felt like Italy really helped to open her up a lot more, changing her viewpoint on so many things! I thought this latest book by Portia MacIntosh was a really great addition to her ever-expanding list of romantic comedies, and worth the read! 

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

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple * Barnes & Noble

Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.

From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.

Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.

Visit Portia online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Sign up for Portia's newsletter.

Visit all the stops on Portia's blog tour:

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Book Review: The Summer Pact

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. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Allyson Bales:

“Remember there’s a difference between your history and your legacy.  Your history is what happened.  Your legacy is what you set in motion.”

Emily Giffin will always be a favorite author of mine because her stories always hit that sweet spot of deep and thought-provoking and also fun and uplifting. 

When I saw The Summer Pact was being released, I knew I needed to get my hands on it as soon as possible and am so glad I did.  This story is told from the different perspectives of friends from college, struggling with their hardships.  They come together to support each other and go on a pretty amazing journey.  I loved it.  While some of the story deals with deeper topics like grief and addiction, there is also grace, humility, and humor, and I found myself so invested in these characters.  I binged this one in two days!

While all of the characters really resonated with me, my favorite was Hannah.  She has no clue how strong she is, how much what she carries resonates with so many, how brave she is.  I really was rooting for all of them and really enjoyed the growth in all of the characters but Hannah the most.  

Thank you Emily Giffin for writing another amazing beach read!  Please go read this one and then let me know which character was your favorite!  

Melissa Amster:

I've read all of Emily Giffin's novels and her writing voice has really evolved over time. The Summer Pact is definitely on my list of her top three though!

The story was really engaging the entire time and I loved all of the main characters and cared so much about them. Getting to see each of their perspectives was helpful. There are some heavy topics, but Emily handles them in a sensitive and honest way.  I also loved the armchair adventure aspect and felt like I was in Italy with the friends. It was really easy to visualize people and places.

I was constantly surprised by everything that was happening and had no idea what would come up next. I maybe only guessed at a few things but they were hinted at early on. And Hannah's mother made me so angry on Hannah's behalf. Such toxic behavior! She reminded me a bit of Skeeter's mom in The Help (but also with a lot of Hilly's personality).

This is such a great summer (or even year-round) read and it will definitely make you laugh, smile, and even cry! Perfect for fans of Jane Green and Jill Santopolo, as well. 

(Trigger warnings below.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Tyson: Lucien Laviscount

Hannah: Elizabeth Lail

Lainey: Meghann Fahy 

Summer: Bella Thorne

Grady: Luke Kleintank

Olivia: Adelaide Kane

Thanks to Random House for the book in exchange for an honest review. Enter to win one of 20 copies on Goodreads! (US only. Ends July 31st.)

More by Emily Giffin:
Meant to Be
First Comes Love
Where We Belong

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TW: suicide, death of parent, alcoholism

Spotlight and Giveaway: You Shouldn't Be Here

Today we are pleased to feature Lauren Thoman's latest novel, You Shouldn't Be Here. This mystery thriller is sure to keep you guessing from beginning to end. It will be available in early August, but thanks to Megan Beatie Communications, we have one copy to give away!

You Shouldn't Be Here is also available as an Amazon First Reads pick for $1.99 (or free for Prime members), in case you don't win the print copy.

When sixteen-year-old Angie Stewart starts hearing a mysterious voice in her house, she’s thrilled at the possibility of a ghost. Finally, something interesting is happening in her boring hometown of East Henderson, Pennsylvania. But why is she the only one who can hear it? And what does it want from her?

Meanwhile, first-year teacher Madelyn Zhao just got the keys to her new home, which is located close to her job, within walking distance of a dog park—and, most importantly, in the town where her cousin went missing several years ago. No one in East Henderson wants to talk about what happened, but Madelyn is determined to find answers.

As the two strangers search for clues, their investigations begin to point toward the same dark place. But by the time they realize that the truth could be deadly, it’s too late to turn back. And someone out there will stop at nothing to make sure their secrets stay buried. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“A hip, fresh, mind-bending mystery with characters you’ll love to pieces. Madelyn is incredibly real, and her clever sleuthing skills bring to mind a modern-day paranormal Nancy Drew—righting serious wrongs and bringing justice to the land. Not to mention she’s the perfect foil to the jaw-droppingly yummy Alex. Loved it!” 
—J. T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author

“You Shouldn’t Be Here is the best kind of dual timeline story—where everything is connected, nothing is as it seems, and I never saw the final twist coming. Lauren Thoman’s latest is the perfect blend of authentic characters and page-turning mystery: unsettling, surprising, and deliciously satisfying.” 
—Jessica Strawser, USA Today bestselling author of The Last Caretaker

“You Shouldn’t Be Here will touch your heart in ways you could never expect. Thoman has created a charming but tense story that drew me in and wouldn’t let go. I was riveted from the first page.” 
—R. J. Jacobs, author of This Is How We End Things

Credit: Amanda McNeal

Lauren Thoman writes speculative fiction for teens and adults. Her debut novel, the timeslip mystery I'll Stop the World, was selected for publication in 2023 by six-time Emmy nominee Mindy Kaling through her eponymous imprint, Mindy’s Book Studio. Kaling said she was “dazzled” by the genre-bending novel, which she called “unputdownable.” 

Born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Lauren now lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and two children in a chaotic household that includes a fluctuating number of rescue and foster dogs, and a somewhat alarming quantity of fish. 

Lauren also works as a freelance pop culture writer with bylines in numerous online outlets including Parade, Vulture, and The Wrap. When she's not writing, she's probably on the hunt for tacos or coffee, poking around her flowerbeds, or buried underneath a pile of dogs. 

Visit Lauren online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * TikTok

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

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Giveaway ends July 15th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Hollywood Assistant

By Jami Denison

May Cobb’s The Hunting Wives is one of my favorite domestic suspense novels (reviewed here), and I was thrilled to hear that Starz has commissioned a series from the book. Perhaps that was the impetus for her latest thriller, The Hollywood Assistant—although Cobb mentions in her author’s note that she also worked as an assistant. 

Cassidy Foster is reeling from a break-up when her best friend Lexie—a Hollywood producer—helps her find a dream job. Soon Cassidy has left Texas for LA and the chance to work for famous director Nate and his up-and-coming Spanish actress wife, Marisol. At first, it’s a dream-come-true—Marisol lets Cassidy raid her closet, and Nate asks her opinion on scripts. But their marriage is tumultuous, and Cassidy develops a crush on Nate. When Nate asks Cassidy to spy on Marisol, she can’t say no. As the tension builds among the three of them, it’s pretty obvious that someone’s going to end up dead. 

For me, The Hollywood Assistant started pretty slowly, and I had trouble getting into the book. It’s written in first person, present tense, and Cassidy spends a lot of time describing things, like her jazz albums, her plants, her garage apartment. But this slow start is a bit of a head fake on Cobb’s part. It lets the reader identify with Cassidy, perhaps pity her a little, before revealing that Cassidy … has some issues. 

The unlikeable protagonist is such a well-known criticism in novels with female leads that Cobb actually titled her last book  A Likeable Woman. This critique seems to be given to any female character who has the audacity to have a fault or perhaps an unkind thought. Cassidy has a few unpublished novels herself, and when she includes the rejection letters she’s gotten, the language hit home for me. “Couldn’t connect with the characters.” “Didn’t love it enough.”

It wasn’t until Cobb revealed Cassidy’s issues that I really got sucked into the book. Her crush on Nate makes Cassidy a little unhinged. She can’t understand why he’d stay with a woman he suspects of cheating. She obsesses on every word, every glance, every gesture that Nate makes. And Nate eats up her attention… when he’s not defending Marisol. 

Cassidy isn’t unlikeable. She’s every woman who’s ever been ghosted after three perfect months. She’s every woman who’s had a man lie to her when confronted with salacious texts. She’s every girl who ever got her friend in the office to give her her crush’s schedule so she could “accidentally” run into him after class. (That wasn’t just me, right? Right? Sorry, David. Your grades were really impressive, though!) 

Where does one draw the line between normal-but-weird behavior and behavior that’s disturbing? It’s a question that we sometimes ask about ourselves as well as the characters we read about. 

Other than the slow start, my only other quibble with the book was the ending. Domestic suspense has become a bit formulaic, and the villain was predictable for anyone who reads the genre. But perhaps if we readers didn’t demand that things wrap up so tightly, writers would have more freedom to leave loose ends and create unforeseeable plot twists. 

The most interesting women aren’t likeable. Like Cassidy, they’re a little unhinged. I’m glad authors like Cobb keep writing about them. 

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

More by May Cobb:

A Likeable Woman

My Summer Darlings

Big Woods

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Just One Taste

If anyone wanted to know what happened to Olive after Manifest ended, now's your chance! Just kidding. The main character of Lizzy Dent's latest rom-com, Just One Taste, shares her first and last name with that iconic Manifest character though. It will be on shelves next week to add to your mid-summer TBR. This sounds like a sexy, foodie love story that you will be devouring in no time. Thanks to Putnam, we have TWO copies to give away!

When Olive Stone and her Italian pseudo-celebrity chef father fell out fourteen years ago, annoyingly handsome Leo Ricci slipped right in as his surrogate son and sous-chef. No one is more surprised than Olive when her father wills her his beloved (and now failing) restaurant. Or that his dying wish was for Olive and Leo to complete his cookbook…together.

She’s determined to sell the restaurant. Leo is determined to convince her not to. As they embark on four weeks in Italy, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany to Liguria, they’ll test each other as often as they test recipes. But the more time Olive and Leo spend together, the more undeniable their attraction grows. Olive finds herself wondering whether selling the restaurant might be running away, and what it might be like to try Just One Taste of Leo Ricci. Because he isn’t who she expected, and this trip might reveal more about who Olive is than she’s ready for. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“Follow Lizzy Dent to Italy and you will smell the oranges, feel the sunshine and taste the first perfect kiss. Just One Taste is a deliciously romantic and emotional exploration of love and loss, with Dent’s signature humor and sense of fun. Five big stars from me.”
—Annabel Monaghan, national bestselling author of Same Time Next Summer
 
"Dent's cozy, slow-burn romance is a heartfelt journey through Italian cuisine and culture. Readers will delight in the rich descriptions of food and dream of a summer holiday in Italy.” 
—Booklist
 
“In vivid prose, Dent brings the Italian countryside to life while building a simmering attraction between her leads. Hopeless romantics looking for an armchair vacation will want to check this out.” 
—Publishers Weekly

Credit: Kerstin Weidinger 2021

Lizzy Dent is the author of The Summer Job, The Setup, and The Sweetest Revenge. She (mis)spent her early twenties working in Scotland in hospitality and after years travelling the world making Music TV for MTV and Channel 4, and creating digital content for Cartoon Network, the BBC and ITV, she turned to writing. She now lives in Austria with her family. (Bio courtesy of Penguin Random House.)

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Giveaway ends July 14th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: This Used to Be Us

By Allyson Bales

After twenty-two years together, Danielle and Alex are getting a divorce. Once fiercely in love, they can barely stand the sound of each other’s voice. Instead of shuttling the kids between two broken homes, Alex and Dani decide to share a nesting apartment while swapping days with their two teenage boys at the family home.

In the apartment, Dani and Alex, on their own, begin to reflect on the last two decades—why they fell in love and why the marriage fell, spectacularly, apart. With the newfound space and time, they are given a chance to rediscover their autonomous selves again. They both get back in the dating pool. Dani finds major success at work as a showrunner on her own TV project, while Alex faces the challenges of a new relationship.

Still, they find that they just can’t stay away from each other, and somehow, the distance allows them to remember (for the first time in years) what each used to love about the other. When a family crisis draws them back into each other’s orbit, Dani and Alex are once again put to the test, which leads to a dramatic conclusion that will have readers weeping. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Renee Carlino has been an auto-buy author for me since 2016.  I read Before We Were Strangers and was immediately enamored with Carlino’s writing style.  Her way with words is truly captivating and I always love the depth of her characters.  Swear on This Life has been a favorite until This Used to Be Us.  

I loved this story so much. It was a raw and real depiction of a marriage running its course and all the baggage, vulnerability, good, and bad that comes with that chapter closing.

Danielle and Alex are characters who encapsulate so many important and thought-provoking themes. I loved how together they navigate the heaviness that we take on as we get older and live life.  How relationships can morph to a place we never imagined and what that opens up in us and also closes in us.  Also how children can be a mirror and teach us things even though we think we are older and wiser. I just loved this little family and all they navigate. 

If you’re married or in a serious relationship this book will speak to you and make you reflect, which are always the best kind of stories.  It is messy and heartfelt and one that I really recommend. 

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

More by Renée Carlino:
Wish You Were Here
The Last Post
Before We Were Strangers

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Book Review: It Started with a Book

By Sara Steven

When she’s ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears off dating for life. Who needs apps and blind dates when she has the perfect-in-every-way (apart from being fictional) heroes of her beloved romance novels?

That night Leigh finds a second-hand book on her TBR pile, which transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear shorty-shorts and the men drink bourbon. And as Leigh drifts off to sleep, she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair, who could win a gold medal for smouldering and bicep flexing.

For a while, Leigh finds it easier to stomach misogynistic supervisors, newly coupled friends, and extravagant bridesmaid duties knowing she can return to Lakeville Hills each evening. Until one day, she wakes up to find she’s brought a bit of Lakeville Hills back with the impossible sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Now Leigh must help Killian navigate the real world. But as she gets to know the man behind the trope, can she keep her heart safe, or does she risk falling in love with her book boyfriend in real life? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I loved the unique concept and vibe that surrounds It Started with a Book! There was a time in my life when I’d considered writing a short story that focused on my protagonist having two lives; the waking world, or what could be considered the “real” world, and another life that she lives while sleeping. This book brought that to life, and then some! A mysterious romance novel is the catalyst, and when Leigh falls asleep, she finds herself within its pages in Lakeville Hills, a fictional town where she manages her own bakery, wears short-shorts and clogs, and knows how to drive a stick shift pick-up truck.

The only problem? That’s not who Leigh really is. In her own “real” world in Chicago, she never uses her oven–or stove for that matter, she’d never be caught dead in short-shorts or clogs, and there is no way in hell she could ever shift manual gears with a stick shift. I thought the dream sequences were very well thought out and showcased just how out of her depth Leigh felt during the various transitions between her waking life and the dream one. When she falls back to sleep, it’s never where she left off, even when she wants it to be. And through it all, the book seems to hold all of the answers–a clever way to bring together both worlds.

And of course, there’s Killian. He’s perfection personified, the type of manly cowboy hero one can only dream of from a romance novel. There is no one who measures up to him, and gradually, Leigh begins to develop real feelings for him. She knows there is no hope for them, considering he’s not real and appears to be a figment of her imagination, but he seems so real. Not to mention his own feelings towards Leigh that factor into everything. 

Bringing Killian into the real world was a great move and added a fun element to this story. My only tiny gripe deals with the way he processes that change. I didn’t feel as though he felt as much trepidation as he should have. I would imagine a book character who leaves their hometown and magically appears within an environment that is so vastly different from their own might be dealing with some feelings of fear, or even disbelief. I didn’t feel that Leigh showed that as much as she should have, either. It felt too glossed over, but everything that happens before and after those moments really was perfection. I thought it was cute how they both had to sort of scramble along with finding a way to explain Killian’s existence and also, to find a way for Leigh to trust in a man who was a lot more trustworthy when he primarily existed within the pages of a book. It was a lot more safe. Like Leigh, I kept wondering if Killian would disappear one day, and I felt like that paralleled well with how I imagine a lot of us might feel in newfound relationships. Will this last? Is it forever? It Started with a Book was a fun, sweet experience, and well worth the read!

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

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Apple * Barnes & Noble * Kobo

Camilla Isley is an engineer who left science behind to enter the whimsical realm of romantic fiction.

She writes contemporary rom-coms. Her characters have big hearts, might be a little stubborn at times, and love to banter with each other. Every story she pens has a guaranteed HEA that will make your heart beat faster. Unless you're a vampire, of course.

Camilla is a cat lover, coffee addict, and shoe hoarder. Besides writing, she loves reading—duh!—cooking, watching bad TV, and going to the movies—popcorn, please. She's a bit of a foodie, nothing too serious. A keen traveler, Camilla knows mosquitoes play a role in the ecosystem, and she doesn't want to starve all those frog princes out there, but she could really live without them.

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What's in the (e)mail...plus a book giveaway!

Melissa:
Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia from Zando (NetGalley)

Anyone But Her by Cynthia Swanson from Columbine York (NetGalley)

The Time Keepers by Alyson Richman from Union Square & Co (NetGalley)

Summer on Butterfly Bay by/from Judith Natelli McLaughlin (print)

Group Living and Other Recipes by Lola Milholland from Spiegel & Grau (print)

Then, Again by Jaclyn Youhana Garver from Lake Union (NetGalley)

Melissa S:

What We Sacrifice for Magic by/from Andrea Jo DeWerd (print)

Allyson:

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage from Random House (print)

Going to Maine by Sally Chaffin Brooks from Kaye Publicity (print)

What could be in YOUR mail:

A Happier Life by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Thanks to Gallery, we have one copy to give away!

Synopsis:

The historic houses in the seaside town of Beaufort, North Carolina, have held the secrets of their inhabitants for centuries. One of the most enduring refuses to be washed away by the tide: What happened to Rebecca and Townsend Saint James on that fateful night of their disappearance in 1976?

Now, the granddaughter they never knew, Keaton Smith, is desperate for a fresh start. So when her mother needs someone to put her childhood home in Beaufort on the market, she jumps at the chance to head south. But the moment she steps foot inside the abandoned house, which has been closed for nearly fifty years, she wonders if she’s bitten off more than she can chew. Wading through the detritus of her grandparents’ lives, Keaton finds herself enchanted by their southern traditions—and their great, big love. As she gets to know her charming next-door neighbor, his precocious ten-year-old son, and a flock of endearingly feisty town busybodies, Keaton begins to wonder if the stories she has been told about her grandparents are true.

Keaton’s grandmother, Rebecca “Becks” Saint James’s annual summer suppers are the stuff of legend, and locals and out-of-towners alike clamor for an invitation to her stunning historic home. But, in the summer of 1976, she’s struggling behind the facade of the woman who can do it all—and facing a problem that even she can’t solve.

As Keaton and Becks face new challenges and chapters, they are connected through time by the house on Sunset Lane, which has protected the secrets, hopes, and dreams of their family for generations. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"If you love small towns, Southern charm, romance, family sagas, or murder mysteries, this novel needs to be in your beach bag. I loved it." 

—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author

"A Happier Life is that wistful, sparkling summer song whose notes will long linger in reader's memories."

—Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Summers at the Saint 

"Kristy Woodson Harvey has the voice of a best friend; a storyteller of the finest sort."

—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author

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

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Giveaway ends July 10th at midnight EST.

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