Review: Gone Tonight

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Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 8/1/2023

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the free copy on NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Catherine Sterling thinks she knows her mother. Ruth Sterling is quiet, hardworking, and lives for her daughter. All her life, it’s been just the two of them against the world. But now, Catherine is ready to spread her wings, move from home, and begin a new career. And Ruth Sterling will do anything to prevent that from happening.

Ruth Sterling thinks she knows her daughter. Catherine would never rebel, would never question anything about her mother’s past or background. But when Ruth’s desperate quest to keep her daughter by her side begins to reveal cracks in Ruth’s carefully-constructed world, both mother and daughter begin a dance of deception.

Review: Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen explores the intricate dynamics between Catherine Sterling and her mother, Ruth. With Catherine’s aspirations for independence conflicting with Ruth’s desire to keep her close, their relationship is tested as a web of deception begins to expose long-held secrets and vulnerabilities.I found the premise of Gone Tonight intriguing, but it turned out to be a slow burn without much mystery, leaning more towards suspense. I found the pacing of the book to be extremely slow. The dual perspectives of Ruth and Catherine added depth, but I was more captivated by Ruth’s narrative and the flashbacks to her high school days. Unfortunately, Catherine’s perspective felt lacking and didn’t contribute much to the overall story. I was disappointed that the author didn’t delve deeper into a particular relationship in the flashbacks as it left some confusion regarding what goes in the present towards the end of the book. One of the characters felt severely underdeveloped and should have been explored further considering their importance in the book. Regarding the format, I wouldn’t recommend the audiobook due to the single narrator reading both perspectives. It became confusing and distinct voices for each character would have been preferable. The narrator’s voice was also monotonous which caused me to zone out from time to time so I ending up switching to the ebook. Reading the ebook enhanced the experience as the alternating chapters were clearly distinguished, making it easier to spot the clues leading to the conclusion. Considering my mixed feelings about this book and giving it three stars, this isn’t one I would recommend. However, if it’s on your TBR, you may still give it a try.

Review: Will They or Won’t They?

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Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 6/27/2023

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free paperback copy and PRH Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love— at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, they spent years pining for each other on-screen… until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a film star. With no such luck, she’s back to film the much-hyped ninth and final season, in which their characters will get together at last.

But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of the first season, the two of them have despised each other.

Now back on set together for the first time in years, with the world’s eyes on them and their post-show careers on the line, they’ll have to grit their teeth and play nice. But under pressure to give Intangible’s fans the happy ending they’ve been waiting for, Lilah and Shane are forced to get closer than ever. And if they’re not careful, they just might get blindsided by one final twist: a real-life happy ending of their own.

Review: In Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder, Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy, once deeply in love onscreen, must confront their past animosity as they reunite on the set of their hit TV show for its final season. With their post-show careers and the expectations of fans hanging in the balance, they’ll have to navigate their strained relationship, risking the possibility of a surprising real-life happy ending. I DNF’ed How to Fake It In Hollywood so my expectations for Will They or Won’t They were low. However, I was intrigued by the premise of actors, second chance romance, and enemies-to-lovers so I decided to give it a try. As I was reading, I found the alternating chapters from Lilah and Shane to be written well, allowing each character to have their own distinct voice. The choice of audiobook narrators also complemented the characters well. I appreciated how the glimpses of their past were woven into the alternating chapters, providing insight into their present-day behavior towards each other. Although I’m usually not a fan of miscommunication tropes, in this case, it worked well for the storyline. The author skillfully developed their relationship in the past, broke them up, and then gradually rebuilt their intimacy in the present. The author’s writing style kept my attention throughout the story. If you’re a fan of celebrity and/or second chance romances, I recommend reading Will They or Won’t They!

Review: A Twisted Love Story

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A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing
Publisher: Berkley
Pub Date: 7/18/2023

Thank you to Berkley for the free copy on NetGalley and PRH Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They’ve never felt anything like it. It’s the kind of romance people write stories about.

But what kind of story?

Because when it’s good, it’s great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears.

When it’s bad, it’s really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants.

But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconnections needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy–and she’s a detective.

There’s something Wes and Ivy never talk about–in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead.

If they can stick together, they can survive anything–even the tightening net of a police investigation.

Because one more breakup might just be their last…

Review: In A Twisted Love Story by Samantha Downing, Wes and Ivy’s intense love affair alternates between euphoria and destruction. Their rollercoaster relationship takes a dark turn when they realize they share a secret involving a deadly incident from their past, and now they must navigate a police investigation while desperately trying to keep their volatile bond intact. A Twisted Love Story was one of the most anticipated summer reads! This book reminded me a bit of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but A Twisted Love Story is so much better. The author’s fast-paced writing style had me hooked from the very beginning. The characters in this book are extremely flawed which added an extra layer of intrigue to the story especially in Ivy and Wes’s toxic on-again, off-again relationship with its unhealthy patterns. The presence of multiple subplots kept me engaged and everything eventually came together in a satisfying way. While it may not be my personal favorite among Samantha Downing’s works, I recommend giving it a chance!

Review: Hello Stranger

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Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: 7/11/2023

Thank you to SMP Romance for the free ebook copy on NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the free advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

Review: Sadie Montgomery, a talented portrait artist, is suddenly diagnosed with face blindness after achieving a major milestone in her career. As she navigates her new reality of seeing faces as jumbled puzzles, Sadie also grapples with family issues, pursues her artistic dreams, and unexpectedly finds herself torn between two men. Despite the challenges, Sadie discovers that sometimes we find what we need when we least expect it and that there are different ways of seeing beyond physical appearances. As a fan of Katherine Center, I was eagerly looking forward to reading Hello Stranger which is one of my most anticipated summer reads! I devoured the book in just one day! Center’s writing style never fails to provide a comforting and engaging reading experience and the pacing was just perfect. I was particularly touched by Joe’s unwavering understanding and support for Sadie throughout her journey with facial blindness. The author skillfully portrayed Sadie’s struggles and doubts, while also emphasizing the importance of kindness, hope, and overcoming obstacles. I couldn’t help but fall in love with Sadie’s quirky and lovable complex character. I highly recommend picking up Hello Stranger if you’re a fan of Katherine Center’s work or are a romance reader!

Review: Business or Pleasure

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Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 7/4/2023

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free advanced copy on NetGalley and PRH Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Chandler Cohen has never felt more like the ghost in “ghostwriter” until she attends a signing for a book she wrote—and the author doesn’t even recognize her. The evening turns more promising when she meets a charming man at the bar and immediately connects with him. But when all their sexual tension culminates in a spectacularly awkward hookup, she decides this is one night better off forgotten.

Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Her next project is ghostwriting a memoir for Finn Walsh, a C-list actor best known for playing a lovable nerd on a cult classic werewolf show who now makes a living appearing at fan conventions across the country. But Chandler knows him better from their one-night stand of hilarious mishaps.

Chandler’s determined to keep their partnership as professional as possible, but when she admits to Finn their night together wasn’t as mind-blowing as he thought it was, he’s distraught. He intrigues her enough that they strike a deal: when they’re not working on his book, Chandler will school Finn in the art of satisfaction. As they grow closer both in and out of the bedroom, they must figure out which is more important, business or pleasure—or if there’s a way for them to have both.

Review: Weather Girl was an absolute favorite of mine and I couldn’t wait to dive into Business or Pleasure which was one of my highly anticipated summer reads! The story captivated me as it unfolded solely from Chandler’s perspective, with intriguing articles and tidbits sprinkled between chapters. Chandler, her loving family, Finn, and the people in his life were all wonderfully crafted characters that I adored. This was a quick read for me and I was throughly engaged with the storyline from start to finish. Rachel Lynn Solomon skillfully addresses heavy subjects such as abortion, mental illness, bullying, and emotional abuse with sensitivity. A standout aspect of the book was the emphasis on the importance of communicating your needs. The budding relationship between Chandler and Finn was both sweet and touching with just the right amount of steamy scenes that perfectly suited their dynamic. I highly recommend picking this one up if you’re romance reader or a fan of Rachel’s work!

Review: The Seven Year Slip

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The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 6/27/2023

Thank you to Berkley for the free paperback copy and PRH Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone–she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

Review: The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston tells the story of Clementine, who, after a tragic event, strives to live a safe and predictable life in New York. However, when she encounters a man from seven years in the past, she faces a dilemma of falling in love with someone who exists in a different time, challenging her notions of love and timing. I absolutely loved The Dead Romantics so I was very excited to read The Seven Year Slip. From the moment I started reading The Seven Year Slip, it reminded me of two movies that involve time travel, The Lake House (featuring Sandra Bullock & Keanu Reeves) and Just Like Heaven (featuring Reese Weatherspoon and Mark Ruffalo). I adored Clementine and wanted to give her a big hug throughout the book. While the sweet connection between Clementine and Iwan developed beautifully, I craved more insight into the present day outcome. The storyline goes beyond light romance and dives into Clementine’s grieving for her late aunt along with her journey to figure out her career goals. Some may argue that the book leans more towards women’s fiction and magical realism than typical romance, but the way it’s written works for the narrative. I appreciated that the author was able to capture the struggle of figuring out one’s life path when feeling unhappy and in need of a change, the solace found in memories, and the importance of embracing new beginnings. While The Dead Romantics remains my personal favorite, I still found The Seven Year Slip to be an heartwarming read and would recommend to romance readers who are a fan of Ashley Poston’s work.

Review: The Only One Left

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The Only One Left by Riley Sager
Publisher: Dutton
Pub Date: 6/20/2023

Thank you to Dutton for the free copy on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: At seventeen, Lenora Hope
Hung her sister with a rope

Now reduced to a schoolyard chant, the Hope family murders shocked the Maine coast one bloody night in 1929. While most people assume seventeen-year-old Lenora was responsible, the police were never able to prove it. Other than her denial after the killings, she has never spoken publicly about that night, nor has she set foot outside Hope’s End, the cliffside mansion where the massacre occurred.

Stabbed her father with a knife
Took her mother’s happy life

It’s now 1983, and home-health aide Kit McDeere arrives at a decaying Hope’s End to care for Lenora after her previous nurse fled in the middle of the night. In her seventies and confined to a wheelchair, Lenora was rendered mute by a series of strokes and can only communicate with Kit by tapping out sentences on an old typewriter. One night, Lenora uses it to make a tantalizing offer—I want to tell you everything.

“It wasn’t me,” Lenora said
But she’s the only one not dead

As Kit helps Lenora write about the events leading to the Hope family massacre, it becomes clear there’s more to the tale than people know. But when new details about her predecessor’s departure come to light, Kit starts to suspect Lenora might not be telling the complete truth—and that the seemingly harmless woman in her care could be far more dangerous than she first thought.

Review: I’m a huge Riley Sager fan and have read all his books so I was super excited to snag an e-ARC of his latest thriller, The Only One Left. In 1983, caregiver Kit McDeere is tasked with caring for Lenora, the mute and elderly woman believed to be responsible for the 1929 Hope family murders. Lenora offers to reveal the truth about that fateful night, but as Kit assists her in writing the story, she begins to suspect that Lenora may be hiding darker secrets, especially when she uncovers unsettling details about her predecessor’s sudden departure. Kit realizes that the seemingly harmless woman under her care may be more dangerous than she ever imagined. I was completely blown away by Riley Sager’s latest thriller, The Only One Left! It has easily become my second favorite book by the author, right after The Last Time I Lied. The characters were incredibly well-developed and I found myself engrossed in the alternating perspectives of Kit and the haunting events of the past. Just when I thought I had the twists figured out, Sager expertly threw curve balls that left me pleasantly surprised. The journey to the end was an intense and unexpected ride, and I highly recommend diving into this book without knowing too much about it. If you’re a fan of Riley Sager, don’t miss out on picking up The Only One Left!

Review: Love, Theoretically

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Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Pub Date: 6/13/2023

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free paperback copy and PRH Audio for the free audiobook copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

Review: In Love, Theoretically, Elsie Hannaway leads a double life as a struggling adjunct professor and a fake girlfriend for hire. However, when she encounters Jack Smith, the older brother of a client and the experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career, her carefully constructed world begins to unravel. As they navigate their complicated connection, Elsie must decide whether to embrace her true self and put her theories on love to the test. When it comes to Ali Hazelwood’s books, I’ve come to expect certain elements in her stories like the enemies-to-lovers trope, a small girl and big guy dynamic, and a STEM setting. Love, Theoretically follows that formula and while I enjoyed it, I wished we could have had Jack’s perspective as well. Elsie’s people-pleasing personality made sense, but there were moments when her decisions and thought process grated on me. Nonetheless, I appreciated how the author developed the relationship between Elsie and Jack. The cameo appearance of Olive and Adam from The Love Hypothesis was a sweet touch. If you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood or enjoy the enemies-to-lovers trope, this book is worth a read!

Review: Drowning

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Drowning by TJ Newman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: 5/30/2023

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the free hardcover copy and LibroFM for the free advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review. 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: Flight attendant turned New York Times bestselling author T. J. Newman—whose first book Falling was an instant #1 national bestseller and the biggest thriller debut of 2021—returns for her second book, an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a commercial jetliner that crashes into the ocean, and sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside, and the extraordinary rescue operation to save them.

Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.

More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives.

Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.

There’s not much time.

There’s even less air.

With devastating emotional power and heart-stopping suspense, Drowning is an unforgettable thriller about a family’s desperate fight to save themselves and the people trapped with them—against impossible odds.

Review: In Drowning by TJ Newman, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff, leaving twelve passengers trapped inside the sinking plane. Engineer Will Kent and his daughter Shannon, who are waist-deep in water, must rely on an elite rescue team led by Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife, diver Chris Kent, to save their lives and the others on board. As time and air run out, the family faces unimaginable challenges and must fight against impossible odds to survive. Wow! 🤯 Drowning by TJ Newman definitely got me out of my thriller reading slump. This is the first book I’ve read from TJ Newman, but I can definitely say that TJ Newman is now a must read author for me. Drowning is an adrenaline-infused thrill ride that had me gripping the edge of my seat from start to finish. Not only was this just an action-packed thriller, but it’s also a book that shows empathy and heart. In between the heart-stopping moments of fear and suspense, Newman cleverly interweaves philosophical reflections on mortality, our reactions in desperate situations, and the essence of humanity. The alternating perspectives of Will and Chris’s added an engaging layer to the narrative that really brought the story to life. Highly recommend listening to the audiobook as the narration is exceptionally done! I was particularly impressed with the author’s ability to portray a wide array of characters and skillfully allow them to evolve within a relatively short span of time of just hours. Highly recommend picking up Drowning if you love action-packed thrillers! I’m definitely going to catch up on Falling, Newman’s previous work.

Review: The Celebrants

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The Celebrants by Steven Rowley
Publisher: G.P. Putnam
Pub Date: 5/30/2023

Thank you to Random House for the free advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: The night after one of their own is tragically taken away from them, a group of seven college friends form a pact: a promise to reunite every few years to throw each other “living funerals,” constant reminders that life is worth living, if not for them then for their late friend.

Now, twenty-eight years into the hard-worn lines of adulthood, their “funerals” only remind them of all the opportunities they missed. But when one member of the old gang receives an unexpected diagnosis, the pact takes on new meaning, and each friend is forced to confront old secrets, and weigh their now-middle-age lives against the idealistic dreams of their youth.

A deeply honest tribute to selfhood and the people who keep us going, The Celebrants, coupled with Steven Rowley’s signature humor and heart, is a moving tale about the false invincibility of youth, and all the beautiful ways in which friendship can transcend our deepest losses.

Review: The Celebrants was one of my most anticipated spring reads! I’ve been a fan of Steven Rowley’s work since Lily and the Octopus. The Celebrants is a touching story about a group of five college friends who make a pact to throw each other “living funerals” after one of them dies tragically. As they approach middle age, their reunions remind them of missed opportunities, but when one member is diagnosed with a terminal illness, they are forced to confront their secrets and the idealistic dreams of their youth. As I started reading The Celebrants, I braced myself for the tough subjects that the novel explores: suicide, drug abuse, death, cancer, and terminal illness. Despite the heavy themes, I was touched by the heartfelt nature of the book. I found myself crying at the end, which is an extremely rare occurrence for me when it comes to books, and wanted to hug Steven Rowley after reading it. I admired how the author was able to capture emotion, heart, and humor into the story despite the heavy topics. The character development was impressive and I appreciated the thought put into each character, as well as the chapters that delved into their past and present. Although the book started off slow, the ending was worth the wait. I highly recommend this book to Steven Rowley fans, but please read with care.