Book Review: The Close-Up

By Melissa Smoot

When Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is...not.

She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to wonder: Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second?

But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her... (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This is definitely one of my top reads of 2024. I love a good thriller/suspense story, especially one that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I really enjoyed how Drysdale set the storyline up, by giving us enough background on the main characters, before jumping into the heart-racing meat of the book.

The author did not go overboard with the scenic descriptions, but I still felt like I was in the middle of every scene and could see it clearly. I could picture the streets of Los Angeles and the way the light softened everything just before sunset. I am not sure how she did it, but it was brilliant. 

Throughout the story I tried to figure out who the antagonist was, and I never could. Every time I thought I had someone pinned for it I was wrong, which is a good thing. There were so many surprises in this book, including the ending. If you are looking for something you can devour in one day, look no further. This book was amazing, and I will certainly be checking out any other books by Pip Drysdale!

Thanks to MB Communications for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Close-Up here.

More by Pip Drysdale:
The Strangers We Know

The Sunday Girl

The Paris Affair

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Designs on You

Today we are celebrating the publication of Jaci Burton's latest rom-com, Designs on You. This sounds like a fun story and we are loving the cover. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!

Natalie Parker is in her mid-thirties, divorced, and firmly focused on her newly resurrected career and her two children. When her sister asks her to help design the backyard in the new home she shares with her boyfriend, Linc, Natalie’s more than happy to take on the project. What she isn’t prepared for is Linc’s younger brother, video game designer Eugene Kennedy. He’s smart, incredibly good-looking, and constantly flirts with Natalie. He’s also too young for her, which makes him totally off-limits.

Eugene is intrigued by Natalie’s beauty, smarts, and especially her sarcastic wit. When he teases her, she throws it right back at him. Besides that, they have an instant chemistry, but she keeps trying to get rid of him despite the sparks that fly between them. And Eugene never backs down from a challenge.

Natalie is running out of reasons to think being with Eugene is a bad thing. Her kids adore him, her sister loves him, and even her always negative mother does, too. The only person holding her back is...her. Maybe it’s time she take that leap and design herself a love for the ages. After all, if she can create the perfect home, she sure as hell can design a happily ever after.

© Claudio Marinesco

Jaci Burton is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Boots and Bouquets series, the Brotherhood by Fire series, the Hope series, and the Play-by-Play novels.

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Giveaway ends December 8th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: P.S.: I Hate You

By Allyson Bales

In this splendidly bittersweet romantic comedy, enemies forced together by a mutual loss are led on a cross-country journey toward a second chance.

Maddie Sanderson would be proud to honor her older brother’s dying wish, that she scatters his ashes over eight destinations that the adventurous 29-year-old never got to visit before he died from cancer. But in his will, Josh assigned her an impossible partner to help complete the mission—Dominic Perry. Seriously, if Maddie weren’t already at her brother's funeral, she would have killed him for this.

Sure, Dom was Josh’s life-long best friend. He’s also the infuriating man who broke Maddie’s heart back when she was naïve enough to give it to him. But since Dom insists on following the rules and Josh didn’t leave much room for Maddie to argue the matter, they embark together on a series of farewell trips that span thousands of miles, exploring new places and revisiting their complicated history along the way. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This is my first Lauren Connolly read and I honestly don’t know what I’ve been doing with my life not knowing about her. Thank goodness for holiday shopping because I’ve already added some of her books to my cart and I can’t wait to read them. 

This story took me completely and pleasantly by surprise. This time of year is always so busy.  I’ve been working all Thanksgiving weekend long, but every single spare minute I’ve had, I’ve been glued to this story.  I loved meeting Maddie. She might just be my spirit animal. She loves puzzles and reading, has a bit of an anxious brain, and is just a down-to-earth girl that reminds me of my best friends. She’s going through a lot with the loss of her brother, and the grief she is grappling with is just so…moving. The way she’s dealing is so…vulnerable.  Her brother Josh really leads this story with his letters and encouragement of his sister and best friend. I also love the way Maddie is with The Perry family and especially Dom. 

Maddie and Dom are on an adventure and it spans a few years but it goes by wayyyy too fast. This book clocks in at a little over 400 pages but it definitely reads like a breeze. I love the destinations that Maddie and Dom visit, especially the glow worms and cozy cabin. (Message me when you’re done reading this so we can moon over the places together!) I loved their character development, their angst, and the way they learn and grow together. From the minute I met Dom I really, really liked him. He’s a mystery. He’s responsible. He’s used to always putting people first. I love what Maddie brings out in him. 

This story has so much heart and I couldn’t wait to come back to be with the characters. It is such a heartwarming, thoughtful, tender read that I highly, highly recommend! 

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase P.S.: I Hate You here.

More by Lauren Connolly:
Rescue Me
Fire Magic & Ice Cream
You Only Need One

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Book Review: Still the One

By Sara Steven

Five years after their break-up, Eve still hasn’t found a reason to believe in true love. But when Foster has an accident and she discovers she’s still listed as his next of kin, Eve knows she can’t let him wake up in hospital with no one by his side. After all, those devilishly blue eyes have always been hard to say no to…

Foster isn’t sure if his poor battered brain is playing tricks on him when he sees the only woman he’s ever loved sitting next to his bedside. Maybe Eve never got over him like he never got over her? And when Eve agrees to him moving into her one-bedroom apartment to recover, it’s clear these exes have unfinished business.

Will weeks in close quarters be the making or breaking of this smouldering second chance love story? Up close and personal, old habits can be hard to break. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

There is a lot to love about Still The One, starting with where this story takes place–any time I have an opportunity to read a great book by a great author, and it takes place in Oregon, I’m even more excited! I appreciated the Portland nuances and various locales (like Voodoo Doughnut) that showed up and really made the plot pop. It made Foster’s occupation as a freestyle motocross rider (FMX) even more believable, given the terrain, especially when he finds himself in the hospital after his stunts have gone horribly awry. 

What are the chances that he’d end up in the trauma ward, where Eve works? And it is very telling that Foster still has her listed as his emergency contact, despite living apart for half a decade. The premise behind Foster ending up at Eve’s apartment was really clever, too, considering there really is no one else who can devote as much time and care to him while he’s recovering from his accident. It was pretty apparent that a lot could come from the two of them living in such close quarters, even with Eve’s self-imposed “no flirting” rule that she has created in order to ensure the two of them don’t go down any romantic roads ever again. 

It’s no surprise that Eve feels that way. Through a present timeline as well as a timeline shown to the reader from five years ago, we learn that priorities were never properly in place for this fledgling couple. Foster’s star was rising in the FMX world, and he didn’t want to compromise what was most important to him, and Eve wanted to pursue a nursing career in Oregon, which meant she had to set permanent roots there, no matter what. When Foster would travel, she felt left behind, and when Foster was around, he felt as though she didn’t understand his ultimate goal of achieving as much as he could in his career. Slowly, as Foster heals, both characters let their guards down, but there is still a lot of uncertainty. Could they ever start again, and if they do, are they doomed to end up in the same place they were five years ago? 

What seemed to be lacking the most and led to their demise was a lack of communication. Eve’s true feelings were never expressed to Foster, and he had an expectation that she would follow him anywhere but never really asked Eve if that was her intent. The author really fleshed out who Eve and Foster are at their very cores, so I really felt like I knew them inside and out, which made it even more worthwhile when I witnessed the steps they take to try to figure out their pasts and potential future. It was a really well written, sweet experience, a definite five-star read! 

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

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Kobo

Aimee Brown is the bestselling romantic comedy author of several books including The Lucky Dress. She’s an Oregon native, now living in a tiny town in cold Montana and sets her books in Portland. Previously published by Aria, her new series for Boldwood is full of love and laughter and real-life issues. The first book was published in January 2023.

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