Lisa Montanaro is true to herself...plus a book giveaway

Introduction by Melissa Amster

I met Lisa Montanaro online when she started following CLC a while back. I've always known her to be kind, friendly, and someone with great book recommendations. So when I found out that she had written a book and that it would be published soon, I couldn't wait to learn more about it and get my hands on a copy! Everything We Thought Was True sounds really interesting and I'm excited to read it in the near future. I had a great time interviewing Lisa for CLC and I hope you will enjoy her answers as much as I do. Lisa has one ebook of her debut novel to share with a lucky reader!

Lisa Montanaro is part no-nonsense Italian American New Yorker and part sunny Californian. She has a unique background as a performer, teacher of deaf students, lawyer, coach, speaker, and author. Everything We Thought Was True is her debut novel. Lisa is also the author of The Ultimate Life Organizer, published by Peter Pauper Press. 

She serves as webinar host for the Women's Fiction Writers Association and is a member of its diversity & inclusion committee. She is also the facilitator of the Retro COLAGE group for adult children of LGBTQ parents. When not writing, Lisa enjoys cycling and hiking with her veterinarian husband, tending to her garden, and chasing after her rescue dogs. Lisa has enjoyed living snow-free since 2012 in Northern California, where she's made it her mission to sample the wines of the region. 

Visit Lisa online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram * BlueSky

Synopsis:
A secret that forever shapes a family… 

New York, 1983: When an argument erupts during dinner and Teresa Antinori, a typically docile wife and mother, hurls plates filled with pasta e piselli at her husband, Frank - the future of their Italian American family is changed forever. Frank has found a safe harbor with Teresa, but longs to truly be himself, while Teresa struggles with the startling discovery that her husband is gay and living a lie. 

Los Angeles 2015: Thirty-two years later, their daughter Lena is still picking up the pieces. When her father calls with unexpected news, it throws her right back into her least favorite place - the past. Lena is torn between supporting her father and her enduring loyalty to her mother, who once demanded secrecy at all costs. 

Told in alternating points of view - Frank and Teresa in the past, and Lena in the present - Everything We Thought Was True is the story of a family trying to reconcile their past, understand the secret at the heart of the family’s rupture, and embrace the future. Brimming with love and loss, heartache and hope, this multigenerational family drama weaves a tapestry of identity, healing, and forgiveness. 

"A masterfully written 'love is love' story told during a time when freedom came with rules. Everything We Thought Was True is a love story but also a story of fear and disbelief. Everyone pays a price in this family that loses almost everything before they find not only themselves, but each other. A story of secrets, lies, triumph, and joy by a debut author who bears watching." 

~ Barbara Conrey, USA Today bestselling author of Nowhere Near Goodbye and My Secret to Keep

 

"Lisa Montanaro's carefully drawn characters are our neighbors—they are us—and they demonstrate a path to face and overcome the types of challenges that threaten to tear us apart. Refreshingly empathetic and self-reflective, Everything We Thought Was True is a novel of family and forgiveness perfect for our time." 

~ Jennifer Klepper, USA Today bestselling author of Unbroken Threads and The Last Road Trip

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
It’s been a long and winding road, but an exciting one—started drafting in 2016, submitted to publishers in 2022, got my publishing deal in 2023, and am now releasing in January 2025.

How is Lena similar to or different from you?
On paper, the protagonist, Lena, and I share multiple identities: Italian American, married, native New Yorkers who moved to California (her to the LA area, me to the Davis area), lawyers (although I left the practice of law many years ago), and are the child of an LGBTQ+ parent. Yet, we are very different in many other ways. Lena is someone who hasn’t fully processed her emotions. She’s living in the aftermath of her family's secrets and decisions and hasn’t dealt with her childhood trauma. The characters in my novel are all trying to live their lives while the world and the truth are encroaching.

Many families have secrets that shape future generations. I hope readers resonate with what it’s like for a person and family to suffer emotional trauma or loss, and how it affects their lives.

If Everything We Thought Was True was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I love this question, especially because I’m a theater performer, and I love film adaptations of books. For Lena, I would cast Linda Cardellini, and for her husband Kevin, I would cast Justin Hartley (who ironically played the character of Kevin on This Is Us!). For Frank in the past story, I would cast Milo Ventimiglia. For Teresa, I’ve racked my brain researching who would play her and come up short, so I would hold auditions. ☺ I have a feeling I’d cast an unknown actress who would capture that Italian American look and the empathy of the character. Readers have said that Teresa is the heart of the story. If any readers can think of the perfect match for Teresa, please let me know!

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros. It left me with such a book hangover! This was my first book by Rebecca Yarros, but it won't be my last. I loved this dual timeline novel, with one story set in present day, and the other during WWII. There was so much to weave together, and the author did it beautifully. There's a story within a story—one of the characters is an author and unearths letters from the past. Meanwhile, the reader is experiencing what is happening in those letters through the characters in the past. Very cool! There's love, romance (with some surprisingly hot sex in both the past and present stories), heartbreak, history, and surprise. I cried some tears of sadness and happiness while reading this one.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?

Marisa Tomei comes to mind immediately. She captures my physical look, is Italian American (we are paesana with ancestors from the same areas of Italy!), and I respect her work as an actress. Plus, I stood behind her on the red carpet for a movie premiere in New York City years ago and she seemed like a lovely person. 

If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
California Wine Country for sure. I’ve made it my mission to sample the wines of the region since relocating to Northern California from New York in 2012. Other favorite spots are Lake Berryessa and the charming town of Winters, Sea Ranch and Point Reyes on the gorgeous Pacific Coast, Mount Shasta and Yosemite for their stunning natural beauty, Muir Woods for the majestic redwoods, and Lake Tahoe, which is one of the most stunning places in the world.

Thanks to Lisa for chatting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

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 February 4th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Mask of the Deer Woman

By Melissa Smoot

At rock bottom following her daughter’s death, ex–Chicago detective Carrie Starr has nowhere to go but back to her roots. Starr’s father never talked much about the reservation where he was raised, but the tribe needs a new marshal as much as Starr needs a place to call home.

In the past decade, too many young women have disappeared from the rez. Some have ended up dead, others just…gone. Now local college student Chenoa Cloud is missing, and Starr falls into an investigation that leaves her drowning in memories of her daughter—the girl she failed to save.

Starr feels lost in this place she thought would welcome her. And when she catches a glimpse of a figure from her father’s stories, with the body of a woman and the antlers of a deer, Starr can’t shake the feeling that the fearsome spirit is watching her, following her.

What she doesn’t know is whether Deer Woman is here to guide her or to seek vengeance for the lost daughters that Starr can never bring home. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This book was incredible. The storyline is a dark one, but a necessary one. As an Indigenous woman myself, the discussion of missing and murdered indigenous women and children is widely known in Native communities. The jurisdictional issues with state and county law enforcement and the federal government makes it almost impossible to get most of these cases the attention they deserve. I really appreciated how Dove explained these issues in a way that any reader can understand. 

The pace of this story was perfect. I have not read such a brilliant page turner in a while. I was completely captivated. The story takes us through only a span of days, but the urgency of needing a certain outcome makes it feel even too long for what the main character, Carrie Starr, is trying to accomplish in these few days.

Throughout the book, I never knew who I could trust, if anyone. I was surprised at who some characters turned out to be and not so surprised at others. I loved the inclusion of certain beliefs and traditions within the Native community, it added so much depth and personality to the story. Dove does a great job of putting a spotlight on the reality of reservation life. The poverty and high unemployment rate, as well as the domestic abuse and drug use, keeps some tribes in an unfortunate socioeconomic space. Add to this that some of these tribes do not have their own police force, and it is a recipe for disaster and tragedy for these missing girls. 

If there is ONE book you read in 2025, make it this one. You will not be sorry.

Thanks to Berkley for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase Mask of the Deer Woman here.

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Spotlight: Wedding Dashers

Ada’s little sister is getting married. Which should be a happy thought, right? But the once close sisters have been in a year long fight, the wedding is all the way in Ireland, and Ada is so broke that she just barely managed to get a ticket on a budget airline. And as if things couldn’t get worse, said airline just cancelled her connection. Which means Ada is stuck in London with no way to make it to the wedding.

Surely she’s hit rock bottom?

So, there’s no reason for her not to spill her heart out about the over-the-top wedding, her sister’s worryingly quick engagement, and the womanizing best man she’s dreading meeting to a handsome also-stranded stranger at the bar. Until she realizes the stranger is headed to the same wedding. Oh, and he’s the infamous best man.

Now, Jack and Ada must put their simmering attraction behind them to make it to Belfast before they miss the nuptials. But between flat tires, missed trains, and suspect hostels, Jack and Ada start to question whether their feelings are worth going the distance, or just a distracting detour along the way.

Purchase The Wedding Dashers

"The swoony banter, the hilarious travel mishaps, the close proximity—Wedding Dashers has it all. I was hooked from the very first page!”
—Lynn Painter, New York Times bestselling author of Happily Never After

"Did Heather McBreen write Wedding Dashers for me specifically? This book has everything my heart desires in a travel romcom—plans gone awry, perfect banter, and multiple instances of only one bed. It's funny, heartfelt, and hot as heck; I couldn't decide whether to laugh, swoon, or fan myself. A true delight!"
—Sarah Adler, USA Today bestselling author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes and Happy Medium

"Heather McBreen brings all the fun, all the feels, and all the chemistry with her debut Wedding Dashers, a romcom in its truest form that kept a smile on my face from the first page to the last. Ada and Jack's mishap travel adventures are side-splittingly funny and the tender moments in this book will stop you in your tracks. This is a book you'll want to read again and again." 
—Meredith Schorr, author of As Seen on TV and Someone Just Like You

Heather McBreen currently lives in Seattle, WA, 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 * X

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Book Review: The First Love Myth

By Sara Steven

Liz Madden has a storybook romance—high school sweethearts, second chances, and a happily-ever-after. But when she finds out that her husband cheated on her, she is forced to make the hard decision and walk away. Unable to reveal the betrayal to those closest to her, Liz instead takes refuge with her father and half-sister, Zoey.

Zoey is nursing her own broken heart after a devastating end to her first love. But true to Reid-sister heritage, she’s courting disaster with a no-strings-attached affair with her ex.

Liz's marital discord also brings their older sister, Cecilia, back to town. But Cecilia has complicated relationship issues of her own. She’s never forgiven their father for the affair he had seventeen years ago, and she’s also never accepted Zoey as part of the family.

As their respective heartbreaks draw Liz and Zoey closer together, Liz finds she is getting tired of walking the line between her two sisters.

The Reid sisters are each in over their heads. To make it through the summer, they'll have to heal the fractures between them. Sometimes, forgiveness isn’t always a straight line, and letting go is the only way forward. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I loved learning about the Reid sisters! All three have varying degrees of obstacles and hurdles they need to overcome, but it all stems from their familial pasts. Liz has allowed her husband to come and go for most of their relationship, seemingly due to his fears of long-term commitment, while Cecilia can never commit–she never feels safe enough to let down her guard, for fear of getting hurt. Zoey can’t seem to let go of her destructive first love, even though she knows he’s done too much for them to come back from, seeing many similarities to big-sister Liz. If Liz always forgives her husband, shouldn’t Zoey forgive her ex, too?

My favorite aspect to it all is the relationship shown between the three primary characters, the struggles in forgiveness, and when to let go of something that no longer serves the soul anymore. I felt like the pain Liz feels when deciding on whether to stay in her marriage or not is honest and real, deciding whether a relationship decades in the making is worth salvaging, and her sisters are there as support and guidance, as best as they can. Cecilia is afraid of letting the past in, which involves Zoey in ways Cecilia can’t come to terms with, but with tough love maybe she can get there, because the family bonds are so important and worth fighting for.

Zoey discovers that as much as Liz has been a role model for her, sometimes it’s OK to venture out into uncharted territories and make her own path that delineates from Liz, even if that means possible failure. I really felt like Zoey had a coming-of-age experience within this story, growing into herself and trusting her own gut more. She discovers she can’t make anyone love her, whether that’s her ex or in some sense, her own sister Cecilia.  

Really, each primary character had some serious growth happen, which was pretty amazing to see.  It seemed like the overall message was to highlight how change is inevitable and that it's OK when it happens, because sometimes the most beautiful things come from letting go. The First Love Myth was masterful and important, a definite five-star read!

Thanks to Red Adept Publishing for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Casey Dembowski:

When We're Thirty

The Corey Effect

Get a Room

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What's in the (e)mail

All (or most) of these books can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Apple, Kobo, etc.

NG = NetGalley

Melissa:
We Would Never by Tova Mirvis from Avid Reader Press (NG)

The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor from Gallery (NG)

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold from Harlequin (NG)

The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig from HarperCollins (print)

Again, Only More Like You by Catalina Margulis from Rising Action (NG)

The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream from Dutton (NG)

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro from St. Martin's Press (NG)

Thrill Ride by Amy Ratcliffe from Kensington (NG)

I Might Be in Trouble by Daniel Aleman from Grand Central (NG)

Everything's Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh from Thomas Nelson (NG)

The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman from Amazon (NG)

The Last Road Trip by Jennifer Klepper from Red Adept (ebook)

Trial Run by/from S.M. Levine (ebook)

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein from Dutton (print)

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor from Berkley (NG)

Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross from Harlequin (NG)

Rush Week by Michelle Brandon from William Morrow (NG)

Get What You Need by/from Jessica Topper (ebook)

You Make My Heart Stop by Becky Hunter from Forever (NG)

Rewind to Us by Molly Morris from St. Martin's Press (NG)

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings from St. Martin's Press (NG)

Off Menu by Amy Rosen from ECW Press (NG)

Maid for Each Other by Lynn Painter from Berkley (NG)

Right Back at You by Carolyn Mackler from Scholastic (NG)

Just Emilia by Jennifer Oko from Regal House (NG)

Good Moms Say Bad Words by/from Jenifer Goldin (ebook)

Sara:

Hook, Line, and Single by Phoebe MacLeod from Rachel's Random Resources (NG)

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey from Angela Melamud (NG)

Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West from Berkley (NG)

The Night Shift by Gemma Rogers from Rachel's Random Resources (NG)

My Son's Girlfriend by Kerry Wilkinson from Bookouture (ebook)

Intersections by Karen Uhlmann from BooksForward (ebook)

Melissa S:

The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis from HarperCollins (print)

Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey from Angela Melamud (print)

Jami:

The Nanny Share by Emily Shiner from Bookouture (NG)

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Book Review: She Doesn't Have a Clue

By Melissa Smoot

A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it’s more like a nightmare.

Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift.

When the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hostralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.

As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have a clue. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I loved this storyline. It was so well written and thought out, it flowed perfectly. I really enjoyed how the author wove the main character's current life into what has happened in the murder mystery books the character has written. I recently read another book that used this method and I find it to be such an incredible, yet intricate way to build the narrative of the story.

The setting on the private island during a major rainstorm was also perfect. It really set the mood for the macabre tone of the book, but also added to the mystery. The grand old manor that the cast was staying in for an exclusive blue blooded wedding weekend, was so easy to imagine and I loved all the details that were included in the descriptions of the home. It added so much to the overall feel of the setting. 

All the characters were so different, yet I could not figure out who the antagonist would turn out to be. There were so many reasons to believe it was one person, and then boom, it turns out it couldn’t have been them. This one definitely kept me guessing until the very end. I could not read this book fast enough to find out which of the “suspects” actually turned out to be the killer.

I also enjoyed all the humor and wit in this book. The author did such an amazing job of creating well developed characters, it made it easy to get sucked in from the start. For the entirety of the story, I had a hard time deciding whom to trust and if I liked certain characters or not, which was kind of fun!

If you are looking for something that will keep you fully entertained from beginning to end, this is it! I will be adding this one to my list of favorites for 2025!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase She Doesn't Have a Clue here.

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Come sail away with Cindy Dorminy...plus a book giveaway

With Jethro

We're pleased to have Cindy Dorminy at CLC. She's no stranger here, as Sara has read and enjoyed a bunch of her rom-coms. (See her review of The Foster Wife from 2023, as just one example. Put Cindy Dorminy's name in the search bar to see her other reviews.) Today Cindy is talking about her latest rom-com, The Loathe Boat, and she has some print copies and ebooks to give away!

Cindy Dorminy grew up on a steady diet of popcorn (the kind you pop in a sauce pan), Tab (pre-Diet Coke), and movies for teenagers. She can't let a day go by without quoting a line from one of her favorite films, so quirky dialogue is a must in her stories. Cindy enjoys writing funny love stories, walking her dog, and slinging iron the old-fashioned way.

When she's not tucked away in her she-shed, Cindy shares her house with her musician husband and her awesome daughter (oh, and her adorable dachsie).  She resides in Nashville, TN, where live music can be heard everywhere, even at the grocery store.

Visit Cindy online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:
The Loathe Boat is about to set sail! All aboard!

Chrissy Parks already has one failed marriage under her belt, and despite being on good terms with her ex, she has no desire to put another ring on her left hand anytime soon. Life is good with Deacon, her amazing boyfriend, so there’s no need to rock the boat.

Deacon Youngblood has other plans. He pops the question just days before they plan to set sail on a role-playing-themed cruise. When Chrissy flips out and turns down his proposal, he begins to think that she may not be over her ex.

The situation escalates into a breakup, but neither will relinquish their cruise ticket. Chrissy climbs aboard the Sovereign of the Sea with the goal of clearing her head and enjoying all the cruise has to offer. Deacon follows with the hope of winning her back.

Chrissy has a nagging feeling that Deacon is hiding something from her. And he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Chrissy must search her heart and decide who she wants. Or maybe she should abandon ship.

Cindy Dorminy did it again! The Loathe Boat is an impossible-to-put-down, action-packed rom-com that delivers all the feels. The characters are terrific, the setting is spectacular, and the story has the perfect amount of tension and spice. This story featured some of my favorite tropes: second -chance love, forced proximity, and love triangles. I've never had any desire to go on a cruise, but after traveling with Chrissy and Deacon, my entire thought about sailing has changed....

~ Hilary Grossman, author of Mom Com

 

"In Dorminy's classic voicey style, The Loathe Boat takes readers on a hilarious and wild adventure on the high seas. You'll laugh, cringe, and swoon right along with Chrissy and Deacon as they LARP their way towards an ending that's as funny as it is surprising. This is a read not to be missed!" 

~ J.R Luis, author of Unfortunately Karen

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?
I work in a large department at a major medical center for my day job. I was walking by the front desk one day and heard one staffer tell the other “That’s Cindy, the writer.”  The other staffer said, “I love your books.” She received a massive bear hug because no one (other than my family who is required to shower me with praises) has ever done that before. It made my year.

What is one thing you would tell the debut novelist version of yourself? 
That’s a tough one. Even though I am publishing my tenth novel (gasp), I still feel like a newbie most days. I guess one thing I did do correctly is contact some authors that I admired. These may not be on the NYT bestselling list, but indie authors or mid-level authors. They (we) love it when people contact us. One in particular is still a good online friend today and I cherish her encouragement and our commiseration sessions. Also, don’t get too settled on only one path to publication. The industry changes on a dime and you may need to pivot. You might think you want a traditional (big 5) publishing deal with an agent at some point, but later, you might want to be independent and have total control over your writing career. Or you may want to choose a smaller traditional press like I did. All paths are valid and each one has definite pros and cons.

If The Loathe Boat were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles? 
This is an easy one. Kellan Lutz was always the picture in my mind for Deacon.  He’s very easy on the eyes but doesn’t really know it. Megan Fox is Angela. She’s drop dead gorgeous, so it’s hard not to like her. Theo James is Elliot. Tall, handsome, and incredibly sure of himself. And starring Olivia Holt as Chrissy. She’s cute as can be, perky, and very lovable. Plus, she’s from Tennessee!

If you could cosplay anyone, who would it be?
I’m such a nerdy girl, Velma from Scooby Doo would be my go-to character. And who doesn’t love Scooby?

Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
I think I would love Jennifer Aniston to narrate my life, especially if she uses that adorable Texas accent she had in Dumplin’.

If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
I live in Nashville, TN (a/k/a Music City) and like my bio states, there is live music everywhere, even at the grocery store. I wouldn’t take you to Kroger, obviously, but we would go to the Grand Ole Opry. Everyone must experience that at least once in their life. Also, we’d go to The Bluebird Café. It’s this hole in the wall (away from downtown) where singer-songwriters showcase their songs. You might not recognize them on the street, but you would definitely know their songs. One caveat to the Bluebird – shhhhh. No talking, no woo-hooing. Speaking of ‘woo-hooing’ I would NEVER take you downtown to the honky tonks. You’ll never get me on one of those pedal taverns (otherwise known as woo-hoo wagons).

Thanks to Cindy for chatting with us and for sharing her book with our readers.

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. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends January 28th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey

By Jami Denison

My taste in reality TV is more Golden Bachelor and Selling Sunset than shows where women scream at each other and scratch with their fake nails. But when I see clips of some Real Housewives or restaurant servers going at it, I always wonder, when will one of these women snap and kill someone? Apparently author Astrid Dahl thought the same thing, as that’s the concept of her second book, The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey. And even if you don’t know the difference between Bravo and E, you’re going to love it.

Producer Eden Bennett has a killer idea for her reality show Garden State Goddesses – cast her naïve cousin Hope, who just married Leo, brother-in-law of the show’s star. Hope, the product of a Northern California Bible-thumping family, will be the perfect foil for Carmela, the long-nailed, hot-tempered, proud Italian married to Leo’s brother Dino, a rumored member of the Mafia. 

But no one told Hope she was cannon-fodder, and she hates it when Carmela attacks her for no reason. At least the other women in the show are nicer: There’s rich drunk Birdie; bisexual Renee whose teen daughter wants to be the next Ariana Grande; and Leo’s sister Valerie. As the show takes its toll on Hope, it wears away at her marriage to Leo. But even Leo doesn’t know about the secrets Hope is hiding from her past. Will Carmela be the one to dig them up? And what happens when she does?

Wives begins with a lengthy cast list, a warning that the reader is going to have trouble keeping track of all those characters. I was confused at first, and since the book starts with a prologue from the middle, it took me a while to settle in about who was who. There are a lot of ancillary characters as well, such as Birdie’s son and Renee’s daughter. 

While the tone is a little uneven, swerving from intrigue to farce, the structure matches the season of a reality show, from those fake girl trips to the on-camera confessionals. With such a sprawling cast list, Dahl does justice to the three point-of-view characters, giving depth to Eden, Hope, and Renee. Eden reminded me a lot of Rachel from the Unreal TV show that ran on Lifetime ten years ago. Beyond the reality TV genre, Eden is a stand-in for anyone who has had to compromise relationships and even personal integrity to move ahead in their dream careers.

The pacing is a little slow in the beginning, but Dahl hits her stride midway, and the deaths come fast and furious (and sometimes funny). The ending wraps up everything nicely while dangling enough loose threads for a sequel. 

Reality TV fans should definitely add The Really Dead Wives of New Jersey to their TBR pile. Dahl is a talented-enough writer that Really Dead could spawn its own franchise, too. 

Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Renée Rosen can do anything...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Julie Kaplan Photography

Introduction by Melissa Amster

We're thrilled to have Renée Rosen at CLC again today. I love her historical fiction novels and her latest, Let's Call Her Barbie, is no exception. In fact, it's her best one yet! (See my review.) Renée is lovely both online and on Zoom calls (for book clubs). I hope to meet her in person one of these days. She's here today to talk about her latest novel and about Barbie. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy of Let's Call Her Barbie to share with a lucky reader!

Renée Rosen is a USA Today bestselling author. Her novels include Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl, The Social Graces, Park Avenue Summer, Windy City Blues, White Collar Girl, What the Lady Wants, and Dollface as well as the young adult novel, Every Crooked Pot.

She is a native of Akron, Ohio, and a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. She now lives in Chicago and is at work on a new novel. (Bio courtesy of Renée's website.)

Visit Renée online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:
When Ruth Handler walks into the boardroom of the toy company she co-founded and pitches her idea for a doll unlike any other, she knows what she’s setting in motion. It might just take the world a moment to catch up.

In 1956, the only dolls on the market for little girls let them pretend to be mothers. Ruth’s vision for a doll shaped like a grown woman and outfitted in an enviable wardrobe will let them dream they can be anything.

As Ruth assembles her team of creative rebels—head engineer Jack Ryan who hides his deepest secrets behind his genius and designers Charlotte Johnson and Stevie Klein, whose hopes and dreams rest on the success of Barbie’s fashion—she knows they’re working against a ticking clock to get this wild idea off the ground.

In the decades to come—through soaring heights and devastating personal lows, public scandals and private tensions— each of them will have to decide how tightly to hold on to their creation. Because Barbie has never been just a doll—she’s a legacy. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Renée Rosen's research and deft writing bring Barbie - and those who brought her into the world - to vivid pink life and make Let's Call Her Barbie a riveting read for anyone who loves historical fiction, strong women (real and otherwise), Barbie the doll, Barbie the movie, or stories about the American dream. The first must-read of 2025! It's DOLL-ing!"

—Viola Shipman, USA Today bestselling author of The Page Turner

"Impossible to put down, this is a riveting portrayal of a flawed yet awe-inspiring visionary. I thought I knew Barbie’s story, but Rosen’s unflinching portrayal of the doll’s meteoric rise, and the players behind it, proves there’s much more to this tale. An absolute must-read."

—Karma Brown, #1 international bestselling author of What Wild Women Do

“A fresh and fun take on Barbie lore…clever and satisfying.” 

—Shelby Van Pelt, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Remarkably Bright Creatures

What is one thing you'd tell the debut novelist version of yourself? 

Don’t take yourself or life so seriously. Lighten up and enjoy the experience because it all goes by so quickly. 
 

What is something new you learned while doing research for Let's Call Her Barbie?
I don’t even know where to begin. I learned so much about what went into the creation of the world’s most iconic doll.  First of all and most surprising was that Barbie was based on a German prostitute gag doll for men. Secondly, Ruth Handler, the Mother of Barbie, never played with dolls as a little girl. Thirdly, Barbie was a big flop when they first introduced her at Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. Those are just a few things that come to mind, but there are many, many more. Barbie has often been criticized for her body but people will be surprised to learn that Barbie’s extreme measurements were all driven by her wardrobe and not some misogynistic fantasy. 

If Let's Call Her Barbie was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles and what songs would be on the soundtrack?
I’m so bad at questions like these, but here goes… I think a younger Robert Downey Jr. would be a perfect Jack Ryan and I can see Jennifer Lawrence as Charlotte Johnson. I think Tom Hiddleston could be a great Elliot Handler.  As for Ruth, that’s trickier to cast, there’s a few possibilities—Sandra Bullock, Sigourney Weaver or Zooey Deschanel. 

The soundtrack would be everything from Elvis and Little Richard in the 1950s to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones (the whole British invasion) along with protest songs in the 1960s and 1970s. The book references quite a few songs that I hope people will remember or Google!  
            
Which was your favorite Barbie when you were growing up?
I had a Bubble Cut Barbie that once belonged to a relative and I cherished her. I still have her along with my original Ken, Midge, and Julia dolls. 

In one sentence, what are your thoughts on the Barbie movie from 2023?
I didn’t know what to expect when I went into the theater that day and I have to say, I was very charmed and very pleasantly surprised. 

If you could come up with a new Barbie for the 21st century, how would she dress and what objects would she come with? Bonus: What would you call her?
I don’t know! That’s impossible to say, especially knowing what goes into creating a new doll. I suppose I would come up with a spiritual Barbie who is all about embracing the present moment since that’s all we ever really have. Her accessories could include a yoga mat, a candle, a copy of Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, and Rhonda Bryn’s The Great Secret. I’d call her Enlightened Barbie. 

Thanks to Renée for chatting with us and to Berkley for sharing her book with our readers!

Just for fun, check out the post Sara and Melissa wrote about Barbie in 2023.

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 January 26th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: One Day and Forever

By Sara Steven

Kara McIntyre is supposed to be jetting off to her destination wedding in Hawaii. However, a last-minute hitch appears to have left her without a job, home and, more importantly, a fiancé.

TV sensation Ollie Chiles and Kara always have each other’s backs. But when his wife goes viral in a compromising clinch with another man, Ollie must choose between supporting his best friend in her hour of need or going home to save his marriage.

Alice Brookes is flying away to a new life after surviving a horrendous marriage and a very public scandal... until a stranger brings a letter from the past that could change everything.

After saying goodbye to someone he loves, Zac Conlan should be heading back to Dublin. Now a shocking discovery is threatening to change his plans and his future.

When weather delays their flights, Kara, Ollie, Alice and Zac discover that storms are brewing… and the turbulence is about to shake their worlds. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I’ve read another book by this author, One Day with You (reviewed here), and I remember what really drew me to the experience was the interconnectivity of the characters within. That same concept is at play in One Day and Forever, with Kara, Ollie, Alice and Zac eventually coming together in the most unexpected of ways. 

Kara really doesn’t want to go to Hawaii for her sister’s wedding. It was meant to be a double wedding, with her own fiancé in tow, but given recent events, nearly everything in her life has changed. The only constant is her best friend, Ollie, who is obviously going through his own ordeal and isn’t sure if he should continue to be Kara’s constant at the risk of potentially damaging his marriage. 

Alice doesn’t realize that attending a former friend’s funeral could mean even more heartbreak. There appears to be a lot that has happened in the last several decades, possible indiscretions that involve her ex, and she isn’t sure how to handle that or how to rectify the past. Zac has never met Alice before and never realized just how much he might come to rely on the kindness of strangers, solving mysteries he himself has just come to recognize. 

The airport was the perfect backdrop for much of the book, the spider web middle that lends a hand in answering the burning questions that plague the characters. I think my favorite explanation was represented by Zac and Kara, two contrasting ships in the night who consistently keep missing what they are ultimately looking for. I think it really helped to deepen the missed opportunity experience. Sometimes it boils down to mere seconds that can change the course of someone’s life, and ultimately, you might still never know what you’ll get until it’s there, staring you in the face. I really enjoyed One Day and Forever, another five-star experience from me, for this author!   

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

Purchase Links: 
Amazon US  * Amazon UK 

Shari Low is the #1 bestselling author of over 30 novels, including My One Month Marriage and One Summer Sunrise and a collection of parenthood memories called Because Mummy Said So. She lives near Glasgow.

Visit Shari online:
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Book Review: Better Than Friends

By Melissa Smoot

When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.

So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward? (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I have enjoyed everything I’ve read by Jill Shalvis. There is always so much heart and a deep level of introspection by each character. I love to watch the characters go through the process of growing and learning the underlying reasons for the way they are. 

Better Than Friends pulled me in from the beginning because there was something different from previous stories I have read by the author. There were the usual Shalvis trademarks, but this one felt like it went to a much deeper place for the characters. The past was darker and more complicated, while still being easy to relate to. I don’t know how she does it, but I always fall in love with the main characters and want them to win.

I liked that the book was set back in Sunrise Cove in the Lake Tahoe area. It is such a great setting and I have not come across it in any books by other authors. Having spent time in Tahoe, while living in San Francisco as a child, I can easily picture the beautiful blue of the alpine lake and pine covered peaks surrounding it. 

This story will suck you in and make you want to race to the end. If you are looking for something that will make you smile, laugh, cry, and root for the usual “Shalvis style” cast of colorful characters, this is the perfect book for you.

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

More by Jill Shalvis:

The Family You Make

The Backup Plan

The Sweetheart List

(All are from the Sunrise Cove series - standalones)

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Hobbies from our Past

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are going into our sixth year!

This month, we are reflecting upon hobbies we had a while back. 

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:

I recently discovered a show on Max called Roller Jam.

I felt absolutely compelled to watch it.

I spent the majority of my childhood and teen years roller skating. My dad worked as the DJ at a roller rink, which meant easy access before the rest of the crowd would show up, free entry to all of the sessions each day and/or night, including the coveted all-night skates, and I’d get to stick around while my dad cleaned up after the night would end.

Skate Palace

It was a really interesting lifestyle. I lived at the rink. A bonafide rink rat. I was there at least five days a week. At one point I attempted to participate in what is known as “art skate,” or artistic skate, but I don’t think I had enough concentration to stick with it in those days. I much preferred the fun of skating the way I wanted to, without being told how to do it. My dad and sister preferred speed skating, participating in competitions that would ultimately take my dad to various states to compete in regionals. 

My dad is in the middle

I stopped roller skating in my early twenties, a byproduct of moving away from my hometown and the lack of interest from the people surrounding me at the time. I would get outside and rollerblade, but even that fell away after a while. My sons took up the hobby themselves when they were smaller, and even during Covid, I purchased new skates for both of them so we could find new ways to get in some exercise and hang outdoors. But it seems it’s now become a passing fad for them.

   

Roller Jam reignited my passion for roller skating. It’s amazing to me how diligent the teams can be, how dedicated the skaters are to their craft, and how amazing they are in their skates! I can’t help wondering where I would be if I’d kept with it. If I had pursued the lessons. The last time I put on my ratty old skates, I could feel just how rusty I was. But I think I could get back into it, if I practiced more.

I live in a state of perpetual sunshine–no, really. I live in Arizona, where even the winters, albeit super cold in the mornings, develop into some pretty spectacular 70-degree days by the afternoon. Roller Jam reminded me of the joys of roller skating, indoors and out, and how fun it can be. It’s something I really want to get back to and possibly fall in love with again, and while I doubt I’ll ever reach such epic flexible heights as some of the pros do on the show, I know I’ll reconnect with my younger self in the process and uncover those old feelings of mine for the sport.

As my dad used to say: Skate or die, you’re the skater! (From the old Atari game, Skate or Die)    

Melissa Amster:

Before I started CLC, I started a personal blog to just share my thoughts on a variety of topics. The last time I posted in that blog was last May. I will be posting soon that I am not going to be blogging over there anymore, but just haven't gotten around to it yet. (I'm not getting rid of the blog unless Blogger somehow makes me, and that would actually be painful.) In the meantime, I will still be posting, with Sara, about a variety of fun and interesting topics over here. This is the first post of 2025 and it made me think of hobbies and activities I haven't done in a long time. I'm even including some past posts from my personal blog in this post (and possibly other ones in the future). 

The first thing that came to mind when Sara brought up this topic was bowling. I was in bowling leagues in my mid-twenties and even met my husband because of my love for the sport. Over time, we would go bowling together and even show our kids how to do it. Since the pandemic started, we've barely gone. Maybe once a year, if that. Right before the pandemic, my bowling shoes (that I've had since the early 2000s) fell apart. This happened during my turn while we were bowling with friends. I have not purchased a new pair due to how infrequently we go bowling. We did go a few weeks ago for the first time in almost two years (at least that's the last time I remember going prior to this time) and I actually did pretty well. I also got to see my toddler nephew try to bowl and it was really cute.

When I was a kid, I used to draw all the time, whether it was in my notebooks in school or on a big drawing pad on my desk at home. I had fun and it was a nice diversion for me. Seeing how much my daughter loves drawing made me think of how I abandoned that hobby. I also thought of it while watching the movie White Bird. I wouldn't say I was as good at drawing as my daughter is, but it felt freeing at the time.

In my mid-twenties, aside from bowling, I also took improv comedy classes at Comedy Sportz. I had such a great time with that and it really helped me with my confidence. After I met my husband, I didn't continue with it. (I was still bowling at that time though.) I've been living vicariously through watching my older son do improv shows at his college. His troupe is hilarious and entertaining! I'm thankful we live close enough that we can catch some of their shows.

In a show from Comedy Sportz class (2001)

My son in an improv show at his college

Somewhat related to that is my past involvement with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I talked about it here a while back. It was definitely a big part of my life in my late teens and early twenties, mostly when I was in college. After the movie theater I went to regularly decided to stop showing it, the shadow cast kept moving to different theaters and things just felt different. I still went every once in a while, but it was few and far between, compared to the early days of going. I took my older son to see it a few times in 2022 and 2023 and he had a blast. I don't think it's something he pursues on his own like I did, but it's nice that we got to share that experience.

Just like Sara, I used to go roller skating a lot. Mainly when I was in middle school. There was a place near the theater that showed Rocky Horror called Village Skate and I'd go there every week. I'd also spend hours skating in my basement. Eventually, I lost the skill and just haven't done it since. My husband and kids like to roller skate sometimes. My kids also enjoy ice skating, which I've never been able to do. 

Finally, there's dancing. I was playing Loaded Questions recently and one of the questions was about how we look when we dance. I wrote down "Elaine from Seinfeld." I honestly feel that way nowadays. I used to love dancing and would blast music and make up dance routines in my basement when I was growing up. I took dance class instead of P.E. in high school for three years and had such a great time. I also used to love going dancing with my husband when we were dating and then every so often after we got married. The last time we danced together was at my sister's wedding in 2021 and I was feeling somewhat awkward at that time. Nowadays, I'd probably sit on the sidelines unless it was a slow dance. 

So there you have it! 

What are some hobbies you've had in the past? 

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