Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Chateau on Sunset

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Chateau on Sunset 

Natasha Lester

Expected publication date: June 2, 2026

Epic Love. Tragic Loss. Beautiful Friendship. The entrancing story of an orphan who grows up surrounded by the beautiful and the broken in the world's most infamous hotel.

After her parents' deaths, Aria Jones is sent to live with her reclusive starlet aunt at the Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Hollywood Boulevard with a notorious reputation.

Left alone to wander the hotel, Aria sees everything-all the ways people wheel and deal for fame. But the Marmont isn't meant for young girls with big hearts, and Aria discovers an insidious secret that will haunt her childhood.

As she matures, she finds solace in the hotel's library. Her sole goal is to be as inconspicuous as possible. Until one day, the hotel is sold to mysterious rock star Theo Winchester and his troubled daughter, Adele. Will Aria realise there's more to life than being invisible?

Captivating from its very first page, The Chateau on Sunset blends the beloved Jane Eyre story with the rich and colourful history of the entertainment industry from the 1950s to the 1970s. - from Goodreads

Author Tea with Sally Hepworth

Michele and I recently attended our first book event of the year - an author tea with Sally Hepworth to celebrate the release of her new book, Mad Mabel!  The event was hosted by the Princeton Public Library and held on the grounds of the Historical Society of Princeton in their restored historic barn.  This was Sally's last event during her US book tour before heading home to Australia! 

The event consisted of Sally in conversation with local author Megan McCafferty.  They talked about all the usual stuff - the inspiration behind the book, the characters, and Sally's writing process.  Sally was super charming and very funny!  There was a short time allowed for an audience Q&A.

After the talk, we all lined up outside to meet Sally and get our books signed!

We were near the end of the line, but Sally still talked with us for a few minutes and got up to take a picture with us (she got up for everyone, which showed some serious commitment!).  She was so nice and made everyone feel so special.

I'm so glad we got to go to this event and look forward to the next one!

Blog Break!

 

Hi, all!  I'm taking a belated "spring break" from the blog to enjoy some family time and (hopefully!) good weather.  Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to talking books again soon!

Michele's Monday Picks #95

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

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Rebel Heiress

By Amalie Howard

Expected Publication: May 19, 2026

From Goodreads:

A young heiress must disguise herself to attend a prestigious, all-male university, where she unexpectedly falls for her handsome tutor, in this swoony historical romance by the USA Today bestselling author of Queen Bee.

Lady Rosalin Chen has a secret—she isn’t as vapid as she pretends to be. In fact, she’s a computing genius and smarter than most of her peers in the ton, including her own cousin, Ansel. It’s a secret she’s kept for years, not that hiding her intelligence has done her any favors in the marriage department. 

In fact, after several dismal social seasons in London, she’s practically considered a spinster. With little to lose, she decides to set her sights on getting a proper education rather than finding a husband. Disguised as Ansel, who truly could be her twin, she attends Cambridge University while he galivants around Europe on a secret Grand Tour.

There Rosalin crosses quills with the Trinity College’s mathematics prodigy and her tutor Tarik St. Clair. For the first time in her life, Rosalin is genuinely intrigued by a boy. His mind seems to be as sharp as hers. Unfortunately, as a commoner, Tarik doesn’t fit her parents’ expectations. But what if he could? What if she concocted one more audacious plan that could raise his station and finally take her off the market? She just has to hope that her lies don’t catch up to her.

I have loved this whole series so far and the cover is stunning! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Month in Review: April 2026

 

Whew, April was so busy!  My birthday was at the beginning of the month - not gonna say how old I am now (I cringe!), but it was a good day with my guys, despite having to work a bit!  My in-laws came over for Easter and Henry had a fun time doing his egg hunt.  For Henry and his cousins, their big joint Christmas gift was to see a movie in the theater together, and when The Mario Galaxy Movie came out, we knew it would be perfect!  We were actually able to get a private AMC theater - I thought it was going to be a tiny room since it was only meant for up to 20 people, but it was actually huge!  Like, at least 60 seats and looked just like a normal theater.  The kids all had a great time, even if they didn't sit for the whole movie, and it was Henry's first time in a movie theater, so that was exciting!  The April 15 tax deadline came and went, and my company generously gave us the two days off after the deadline, so we got a nice 4 day weekend.  Tom and I decided to officially join Kiwanis, so we attended a couple events and meetings.  Tom ran his first 5k, which was really fun!  Henry and I were at the finish line to cheer him on.  Henry started tball this month; I have to admit, the first couple practices were stressful for me.  Henry's attention span is like nonexistent, so he didn't participate that much, and I am "that mom" on the sidelines trying to get him to pay attention.  I want him to join in with the other kids and have fun, but also be safe!  Wandering the infield kicking dirt is unfortunately a good way to get hit with the ball!  But, he did much better at his first game, got some good hits and even played the field a little, and Tom did a great job coaching!  I enjoyed the game much more than practice - it was nice hearing all the parents cheering for everyone!

The Books

An American Beauty // Royal Heirs Academy // The Wicked Widow // The Weekend Crashers

The Guest in Room 120 // 59 Minutes // Party of Liars // Southern Rain

The Posts and Reviews

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #92

Recent Reads: The Time Travel Edition

Indie Bookstore Spotlight: Monty and Milo

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #93

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #94

How are you doing?

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Michele's Monday Picks #94

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

*********************************************************************

 

Agatha Harness: Fall of the Coven

By Sara Shepard

Expected Publication: May 5, 2026

From Goodreads:

When Agatha Harkness finds herself yanked out of her mysterious past and plopped in a modern-day high school, the race is on to find the key to saving her coven while discovering first love and battling an ancient foe.

Agatha Harkness is a powerful witch stuck living amongst an untalented group of witches in 1690s Salem, Massachusetts. That’s all right—the dreary coven meetings and fake herbal potions will all be worth it once she finally gets her hands on one of the most magical artifacts in the Darkhold, a book of extraordinary power. But just as it’s within her grasp, disaster strikes the coven! 

Agatha is about to reluctantly save the day when she is rebuffed by the nosy, stuck-up Martha. Now, thanks to the interference, Martha, Agatha, and the Darkhold have been unceremoniously dropped in one of the most terrifying locations a witch has ever encountered—modern-day high school.

Armed with just her smarts and her spells, Agatha embarks on a quest to recover the Darkhold and an incognito Martha. Along the way, she encounters a meddlesome crow, a potential first crush, and a new coven. She almost starts to feel like she’s found her home, until Martha returns from the shadows—this time with dire consequences.

I love anything Marvel related! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Recent Reads

 The Weekend Crashers by Jamie Brenner (2025)

Maggie and her daughter Piper travel to charming New Hope, PA for a knitting retreat but their weekend is interrupted by a bachelor party at the same inn.  Relationships are tested as the weekend continues.  Ugh, I wanted to love this one!  It sounded so cute - I love New Hope, PA, and I really felt like the book transported me there, but the characters were a bit of a downer for me.  Maggie is a single mom who had her daughter young - while on the surface their relationship seems good, Maggie desperately wants more for Piper than the life she had, and Piper is always doing things that will make her mother happy instead of herself.  Maggie just felt a bit overbearing.  There were too many extraneous side characters to keep track of, and a whole lot of unnecessary drama.  I did enjoy the character of Belinda, the inn keeper, though.  She and her husband have contrasting ideas on their next steps in life - keep the inn or retire?  The ending was underwhelming, unrealistic, and rushed, unfortunately.  3 stars

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon (2025)

When southern England receives a nuclear bomb alert, giving people just 59 minutes before the attack, three women find themselves willing to do anything to get to their loved ones.  Carrie is a young mother trying to get across London to her daughter and girlfriend.  Frankie, who just found out she's pregnant, is on vacation when she's separated from her boyfriend.  Mrs. Dabb is an older woman who realizes her daughter is missing during the alert.  This premise is absolutely terrifying to me - knowing you only potentially have minutes to live and desperately wanting to be with your family or other loved ones.  What would you do to get to them?  This was a quick, absorbing read - short chapters kept the rapid pace, and I couldn't read fast enough to see how each woman would fare as the minutes counted down.  I was heartbroken for them as they faced insurmountable odds and had to make unimaginable choices.  But, I was shocked further when I realized there was a twist, and the story definitely ends in an unexpected way!  4.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you,