Spotlight and Giveaway: Insignificant Others

We're excited to celebrate the publication of Sarah Jio's latest novel, Insignificant Others! Melissa has been a fan of Sarah's writing for a long time and loved this novel, calling it "heartfelt and imaginative". (Reviewed here.) Thanks to William Morrow, we have THREE copies for some lucky readers!

What if you could have a second chance to say “yes” to the one who got away?

Lena Westbrook, a perfectionist and workaholic, has carefully planned and orchestrated every detail of her life. So when her boyfriend of two years breaks up with her on the night she expects him to propose, she’s heartbroken and confused. Lena flees to her beloved aunt’s home on Seattle’s picturesque Bainbridge Island to lick her wounds but when she awakens the next morning, she is shocked to find herself in Paris—in bed with a handsome French man who seems to think that Lena is his wife.

From the elegant neighborhoods of Paris to the charming landscape of Kinsale, Ireland, to the sparkling skyline of New York City, and many other unexpected destinations in between, each time Lena awakens, she finds herself somewhere else with someone else. In each experience, she’s given a glimpse of what life might have looked like had she chosen the “road not taken.” And as she becomes more clear-sighted about her past decisions, Lena begins to wonder, were any of these former romantic encounters actually...significant?

Enchanting and surprising, Insignificant Others is a lively, heartfelt novel that explores the relatable and resonant “what ifs” of life, but most especially, love. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“An ingenious and heartfelt love story. I absolutely adored this novel!” 
— Emily Giffin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Pact

“A fantastical, fun, fast-paced romantic novel where you’ll meet cute ... and cute ... and cute in a Groundhog Day loop as Lena, our leading lady, explores life after life with all the ones who got away.”  

— Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid and The Mystery Guest

“What ifs, magical realism, and a whole lot of heart—Insignificant Others has all the ingredients I look for. I adored it.” 
— Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year

Credit: Brandon Ebel

Sarah Jio is the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels and a journalist who has contributed to the New York Times, Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, and Marie Claire, among others. She has also appeared as a commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition. Her novels are translated into more than 25 languages. Sarah lives in Seattle with her husband, three sons, three stepchildren, and two puppies.

Visit Sarah online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

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 April 6th at midnight EST. 

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Reviews at Amazon--January - March 2025

We're posting some reviews at our Amazon (or Goodreads) accounts, as either they've been sitting in our queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!

Sara:

Ruby's Revenge by Christine Gallagher

The Widow's Web by Susan Moore

Melissa:

The Rugelach Road Trip by Jessica Topper

The Menorah Matchmaker by Amanda Usen

The Whisper Sister by Jennifer S. Brown

Hello, Juliet by Samantha M. Bailey

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady

Name Your Price by Holly James

Good Moms Say Bad Words by Jenifer Goldin

The Things We Cannot Say by Kelly Rimmer

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister

Never Planned on You by Lindsay Hameroff

Hello, Molly! by Molly Shannon

Sandwich by Catherine Newman

Insignificant Others by Sarah Jio

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Book Review: The Library of Lost Dollhouses

By Allyson Bales

When a young librarian discovers historic dollhouses in a hidden room, she embarks on an unexpected journey that reveals surprising secrets about the lost miniatures.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses.

After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, hidden history, but also a future for herself—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This is my first Elise Hooper read and I really, really enjoyed it.

This story weaves together historical fiction, mystery and a bit of women's fiction with a deep dive into miniatures!  There is a dual timeline with two female protagonists, Tilda from 2024 and Cora from many decades of the 1900s, and how they both learn about themselves and grow is very compelling.  It really had me thinking, what would I do if I found a hidden room at my job filled with secrets that could potentially save the place?!  The opening of this book really sucks you in and keeps you baited the entire read! I also especially loved the focus on the miniatures! 

I remember receiving my first dollhouse from my grandmother when I was young and I was so in love with it.  I also remember getting older and making dioramas for class projects with my dad and really enjoyed the process of creating little tiny decor and intriguing detail for the viewer to marvel at.  As an Art Therapist, I was in awe of all the detail Hooper gives of the dollhouses and the secrets hidden in them really had me so invested!   

There is such deep character development and I really could not find out what happened fast enough.  I love stories like that.  I found so much hope in this story and will miss the characters so much.  If you are a fan of libraries, relatable and lovely characters, and complex and engaging plots, read this one- you won’t be disappointed.

I can’t wait to read more from Hooper’s backlist! 

Thanks to William Morrow for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Library of Lost Dollhouses here.

More by Elise Hooper:
Fast Girls
The Other Alcott 
Angels of the Pacific

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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:

The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry from Simon & Schuster (print)

Always the Quiet Ones by Jamie Lee Sogn from Lake Union (NG)

Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? by Sarah McCoy from William Morrow (NG)

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover from Berkley (NG)

As You Wish by Leesa Cross-Smith from Dutton (NG)

What's Yours Is Mine by Jennifer Jabaley from Lake Union (NG)

I Know How This Ends by Holly Smale from Harlequin (NG)

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle from Harlequin (NG)

How to Fix a Broken Heart by Nicola May from Storm Publishing (NG)

I Did Warn Her by Sian Gilbert from HarperCollins (print)

Don't You Want Me by Derlys Maria Gutiérrez from Post Hill Press (NG)

P.S. You're the Worst by Chloe Seager from William Morrow (NG)

Sara:

A Showgirl’s Rules for Falling in Love by Alice Murphy from Union Square (NG)

This Thing Called Love by Debbie Howells from Rachel's Random Resources (NG)

Murder at the Ponte Vecchio by T.A. Williams from Rachel's Random Resources (NG)

Roll for Romance by Lenora Woods from Random House (NG)

Jami:

Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman from Berkley (NG)

Our Secrets Were Safe by Virginia Trench from Crown Publishing (NG)

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao from HarperCollins (NG)

At Last by Marisa Silver from Simon & Schuster (NG)

Melissa S:

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda from Simon & Schuster (print)

Smoke on the Wind by Kelli Estes from Kaye Publicity (print)

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

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Book Review: I Knew You Were Trouble

By Sara Steven

Kate Whitaker has always believed in love, but when a stranger named Willem shows up on her doorstep, the news he has to share isn’t as exciting as his god-like looks might suggest. He’s come to tell her that Kate’s fiancé is also engaged to his sister.

Kate doesn't know how she didn’t see the red Jon’s work as an airline pilot having him flying around the globe, the postponed dates, the huge rock of an engagement ring that isn’t her style at all.

Overcome with fury – and entranced by the Nordic god’s piercing blue eyes and quiet allure – Kate agrees to accompany Willem to his hometown of Amsterdam to help break the news to his sister. Yet what begins as a simple gesture of support soon twists into a deliciously devious plan to get back at Jon.

Kate is drawn into a world of retribution, revenge and – unexpectedly – romance. Because sometimes the best way to get over someone is to get under someone else… (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

This was a great addition to the Ever After Agency series! 

The philandering fiance angle has been done before, but not like this: What do you do when you find out your fiance is not only engaged to you, but is engaged to another woman…while working on an engagement proposal to another…and is trying to woo someone else to join in on the party, too? That’s what Kate has to decide. How to handle the situation, particularly because she has usually behaved in such a level-headed way and would never dream to rock the boat. But given the situation, she feels it is more than warranted.

She never expected to feel drawn to Willem in all the mayhem. He was the one who broke the news to her; the one who persuaded her to meet him in Amsterdam to break the news to his sister. She isn’t sure if developing even a mild crush on Willem would be too soon, or if it could be just what she needs to move past the hurt and betrayal she recently experienced. It was fun seeing them travel together and end up in potential compromising situations, and witnessing how they attempt to navigate it. 

There are some familiar characters who show up from previous books in this series, becoming part of the retribution plot. It was nice to see them in different roles, all in an effort to make things right for Kate and the other women who have been duped by Jon. There’s a pretty epic scene towards the end of the book and let’s just say, I fully understand the expression, “revenge is a dish best served cold.” 

Sometimes it’s okay to let go and do something that’s outside your comfort zone, and that really fit for Kate. Not just with the plans to seek revenge, but in also deciding what’s best for her heart, and her future. I Knew You Were Trouble was a fun, engaging experience!

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

Purchase I Knew You Were Trouble here. 

Sandy Barker is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic.

Sandy’s first novel, One Summer in Santorini, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by her own real-life love story with her partner, Ben, was published in 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins), launching the 5-book Holiday Romance series. Also with One More Chapter are her Christmas Romance series, celebrating her favourite time of year, and The Dating Game, a stand-alone romcom set in the world of reality TV.

Sandy’s new five-book romcom series with Boldwood Books is about the Ever After Agency, a bespoke matchmaking agency based in London, with a brilliant cast of characters and settings around the world.

Visit Sandy online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Sign up for Sandy's newsletter.

Visit all the stops on Sandy's blog tour:

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Spotlight and Giveaway: If Tomorrow Never Comes

We are excited to feature Allison Ashley's latest novel, If Tomorrow Never Comes! The premise sounds so interesting and the cover is relaxing to look at. Thanks to BookSparks, we have one copy to give away!

On the eve of her stem cell transplant to treat her leukemia, Elliott Holland decides to live like it’s her last night on earth. It’s destiny when she crosses paths with a handsome and charming stranger, Jamie Sullivan. The chemistry is magic. So is a beautiful evening that ends with a bittersweet kiss goodbye and no expectations of ever seeing each other again.

One year later, Elliott’s future is hopeful. Her cancer is in remission. Her career in graphic design is taking off. And she’s finally met Carly, the young woman whose stem cell donation gave her a second chance. Then, in a blissful and unfair twist of fate, she meets Carly’s boyfriend: it’s Jamie, the man Elliott kissed like it was her last day on earth. Neither of them has ever forgotten it. Now, the most difficult decisions of all lie ahead.

“Ashley (The Roommate Pact) delivers big emotions in this swoony romance between two people who meet at a difficult moment…Ashley sensitively deals with the stress and fear associated with cancer diagnosis and treatment, and builds a realistic path for Elliott and Jamie to find a tender happily ever after.” 

―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“All in all, If Tomorrow Never Comes was a really cute second chance romance, this book is filled with heart and hope and definitely worth checking out for the feel good ending.” 

―Harlequin Junkie

Allison Ashley is the author of The Roommate Pact, Would You Rather, Home Sweet Mess, and Perfect Distraction. She is a science geek who enjoys coffee, craft beer, baking, and love stories. When Allison is not working at her day job as a clinical oncology pharmacist, she pens contemporary romances, usually with a medical twist. She lives in Oklahoma with her family and beloved rescue dog. 

Visit Allison online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

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 April 1st at midnight EST. Don't be a fool by missing out!

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Book Review: Lucky Night

By Jami Denison

A few years ago, I was on a 1970s movie kick. One of the movies I watched was the burning skyscraper flick Towering Inferno. Among its plotlines was the story of the building’s PR director and his secretary, who were too caught up in their night of romance to realize the tower was in flames. I’m not sure whether author Eliza Kennedy was inspired by this movie when she wrote Lucky Night (she does reference it), but she has definitely made the scenario her own.

For six years, neighbors Nick Holloway and Jenny Parrish have been engaged in an extramarital affair, stealing hours here and there in hotels around and near Manhattan. But tonight is special: It’s the first time the two will spend the whole night together, and Nick has gone big, booking a suite on the 42nd floor of a new luxurious midtown hotel. But as Nick and Jenny love, banter, argue, and drink, a smoke alarm quietly beeps from many floors down. Although the front desk assures them nothing is wrong, the unit in their room starts to crackle with static. Jenny wants to leave. But Nick has been looking forward to this night for so long, he convinces Jenny to stay. It’s a decision that could come back to haunt them.

Lucky Night isn’t structured like Towering Inferno, but it’s just as compelling. The story takes place almost entirely in that hotel room and in Nick and Jenny’s heads. Kennedy moves seamlessly from Nick’s words to his thoughts to Jenny’s thoughts and her words. Their relationship is based on sex, and neither of them are willing to be completely vulnerable with each other. But as the stakes get higher, they’re forced to admit things they never thought they would. Kennedy’s writing style gives readers a deep dive into both characters, showing how and why they ended up in an affair. They’re both believable, likeable, unlikeable, funny, sad, guilty, loving, and very scared. (The only detail I found unbelievable was Jenny’s trajectory as a writer: She’s motivated by love for Nick to write a YA novel, then its sequel—both books become bestsellers and now a movie’s being made while the third is about to come out. All in five years, in a publishing industry where it can take a year for an editor to even read a manuscript…) 

Even in the earlier chapters, the pacing is swift and the chapter breaks are well-timed. I read Lucky Night in a single day. And while I was completely caught up in Nick and Jenny’s relationship and their fate, I also saw the book as a metaphor for something bigger. When are the early warning signs an aberration, and when do they signal it’s time to evacuate? These are the questions Jewish people asked themselves in 1930s Germany, and they’re the questions that many Americans today are grappling with. In a way, we are all Nick and Jenny, listening to the weak sound of an alarm many floors below us while we’re caught up in our own emotional drama, and wondering if we should stay or go. 

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

More by Eliza Kennedy:
I Take You
Do This for Me

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