Recent Reads

 Dream Girl Drama by Tessa Bailey (2025)

Sig and Chloe's immediate attraction to each other faces a big problem when they soon realize they're about to be stepsiblings.  Knowing a relationship between them would be seriously taboo and may have serious consequences for their careers, the two try to stay away from each other, romantically at least.  But can they truly fight their feelings?  I didn't really feel the "forbidden love" aspect of this - being related by marriage is way different than being related by blood, and especially when I figured out how Bailey was going to get around the issue, it seemed like it was making too big a deal out of the stepsibling deal.  I loved the way Sig was so protective of Chloe and wanted to help her become independent from her mother, but Chloe was a bit frustrating at times - she knew NOTHING about how to live on her own.  Like, stop buying eye cream and pay your rent!  You seem like a shopaholic who has no regard for actual life responsibilities.  In any event, I also enjoyed the interactions with Sig's fellow sports guys - always good for a laugh!  And Bailey is killing it with the epilogues in this series - I love the glimpses into the future - they make me feel all warm and cozy! 3.5 stars

A Gentleman and a Thief: The Daring Jewel Heists of a Jazz Age Rogue by Dean Jobb (2024)

During the 1920s, conman and thief Arthur Barry executed many heists, eventually stealing millions of dollars' worth of jewels.  His preferred method was to slip in and out of a house through an upper window, sometimes while the residents were downstairs eating dinner or even while they were sleeping just feet away.  Eventually, he was caught and sentenced to prison, but when his wife Anna became sick, he broke out so he could be with her.  This was an interesting, although sometimes repetitive, book.  It tells the life story of Arthur Barry in great detail and the many crimes he admitted to (and others he was suspected of).  Despite being a criminal, Barry came across as quite a gentleman, often dressing in a dapper suit and speaking politely to his victims.  Violence was a rarity for him.  His victims included some of the most famous people of the time; he was even accused of kidnapping the Lindbergh baby.  Fans of narrative nonfiction, true crime, and the Jazz Age will enjoy this book.  4 stars

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

Release Event with Hazel Gaynor

Last week, my sister and I headed to Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, New Jersey, to attend a release event celebrating Hazel Gaynor and her newest book, Before Dorothy.  Hazel was in conversation with Kate, the store manager, and they talked all about Hazel's Wizard of Oz inspiration for the book, the research she did into the Dust Bowl to bring the setting to life, and what she's working on next (spoiler: nothing!  She's taking a much-deserved break to be with her family for awhile).  

The event took place in the store, and there were no more than 30 or so people in attendance, making it an intimate evening.  I like small events like these because they feel so personal.  Hazel was so lovely and charming and funny; her passion for this book really came through!  The audience was given time to ask some questions, as well.

After the interview, we were all given a chance to meet Hazel, chat for a minute, get the book signed, and snag a picture!  I always get a little star-struck and tongue-tied when meeting my favorite authors, and this was no exception.  But, I managed to squeak something out that was hopefully coherent!

We had a great time at this event and look forward to hopefully attending more there someday!

Michele's Monday Picks #72

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!

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Seven Brides for Beau McBride

By Amy Barry

Expected Publication: July 2, 2025

From Goodreads:

From the beloved author of Kit McBride Gets a Wife and Marrying Off Morgan McBride comes a ‘sweet, hilarious and totally delicious’ love story (Hannah Grace). Beau McBride wants a wife, and his meddling little sister Junebug is itching to find him a mail-order bride. But why stop at just one?

Beau McBride reckons he’s ready for marriage. But his ego is bigger than his brain, and his little sister Junebug can’t trust him to find the right woman. So they make a bet, both placing ads in the Matrimonial News to find the perfect bride. Junebug is set on winning, but there’s a hitch: Beau has made his pick, and she’s beyond beautiful. Junebug knows looks ain’t everything, so to even the odds she invites six more women to meet her brother.

Ellie Neale doesn’t expect much from life. Which is good, since life hasn’t given her much, except a head full of daydreams and her beautiful best friend Diana. But after answering an ad to be a mail-order bride, Diana is leaving for Montana. Ellie is happy for her, really she is ... after all, she was the one who wrote Diana’s letters for her.

Ellie can’t bear the thought of losing Diana, so she answers an ad from a man in the same town her friend is headed for. But when they arrive, Ellie and Diana discover they’ve answered an ad for the same husband. Along with five other women.

With seven brides vying for Beau’s attention, he needs to make a decision – fast. The only problem is, his heart is pulled to the one woman who wants nothing to do with him.

I have loved this series so far and highly recommend the audiobooks! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Overruled

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

Overruled

Lana Ferguson

Expected publication date: July 1, 2025

Two divorce lawyers determined to share only beds but not hearts discover that love is something that can’t be overruled in this steamy contemporary romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Game Changer.

Danica Pierce has one great love in her life: work. As one of the top divorce lawyers in Austin, Danica lets her caseload keep her warm at night and has no problem being married to her job, not when love only ends in hurt. When the biggest case of her career gives her a shot at making partner, it seems like nothing could possibly stand in her way...except for her infuriating secret: she's sleeping with the enemy.

Ezra Hart is known for charming his way in and out of a courtroom. In the matter of winning Danica Pierce's heart, however, he's been far less successful. With her verdict to keep things purely physical with no chance of appeal, Ezra struggles to show Danica he's more than the insufferable playboy she's pegged him to be--especially since they find themselves on opposing sides of Danica's most important case to date.

While Dani and Ezra battle it out in the courtroom, the real trial is the one happening between them. When Dani realizes that everything she knows of Ezra might be hearsay--and that she's not the only one with emotional baggage--she must choose between her fear of trusting again and the feelings blossoming between her and the man she thought was her worst enemy. - from Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday: My Summer TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our summer TBR.  I've picked a mix of new and older titles, trying to hit both my unread shelf and my library!  Have you read any of these?  Where should I start?

Recent Reads

The Ship Beneath the Ice by Mensun Bound (2024)

Ever since I learned about Ernest Shackleton and his crew of 27 being marooned on the ice near Antarctica in 1914-1915 following the sinking of their ship, Endurance, and ultimately all surviving the ordeal, I have been fascinated.  I was so happy to come across this book by Mensun Bound, which details his two expeditions to the site of the sinking to attempt to locate the Endurance at the bottom of the Weddell Sea.  Bound is an incredible storyteller, setting up the book in a sort of diary format of each day of the voyages, giving background on Shackleton and his voyage mixed with happenings from Bound's own.  Even if you don't know the entire Shackleton story, Bound does a great job of providing you with details both big and small.  He also explains the technology and science behind his own expedition in an easy-to-read way.  Readers will feel his disappointment at not finding the Endurance during the first trip and elation at the discovery during the second.  Overall, a must-read for Shackleton enthusiasts but also a great read for those new to the subject.  4.5 stars

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez (2025)

After a not-so-meet-cute and an unforgettable first date, Samantha and Xavier decide a relationship between them can go no further, as Samantha is moving 2,000 miles away to help take care of her mother.  But, the two can't seem to forget each other and commit to making it work.  This was a rough one for me, not in that it was a bad story at all, but it was just so heavy and often sad.  I loved Samantha and Xavier together, and the way Jimenez juxtaposed their desire to make lasting memories and create a life together with the way Samantha's mom was being lost to dementia was especially poignant.  But their time together was often pierced with hardship, and it made me wonder if, despite their love for each other, it was really worth it.  It just seemed like hardly anything went right for them, and that made it a tough read.  I felt like Xavier was perhaps a little too perfect - yes, he had a terrible childhood, but as an adult, he always seems to say and do the right thing at all times and it felt unrealistic.  And with Samantha's family, I was a little confused at the beginning; we were just kind of dropped into their situation with not much explanation.  3.5 stars

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

Little Free Library Sightings: The Jersey Shore Edition, Part 4

It's always fun to see a Little Free Library "out in the wild!"  I love to spot them, browse their selection, leave a book if possible, and then look them up on the official website, because sometimes they have interesting stories to go along with them!  There's also an app you can download to find local Little Free Libraries where you can even "check in" to keep track of the ones you've visited!  We recently took a visit to Cape May, and I came prepared with a bag of books I wanted to donate and a list of the LFLs I wanted to see.  On previous trips to the area, I've checked in at a lot of the LFLs, but there were some I hadn't seen yet and a couple new ones, too!

#179685 - This LFL is called "The Library Across the Street From the Zoo," and that's exactly where it's located!  This was an easy stop after our trip to see Henry's peacocks (and the other animals, LOL!).

#194535 - This LFL is located in the parking lot of the Museum of Cape May County and was another easy drive from the zoo.  It had quite a few children's books in it!

#151169 - This was a cute little library in West Cape May.  Another well-stocked library!

#79479 - This library is called Lily & Sadie's Little Free Library and it has a lovely story associated with it: "Cape May, NJ is a wonderful beach community where people walk, bike, say hello to their neighbors and slow down to enjoy a good book. I wanted to share my love of reading with all who have the good fortune of spending a day, week or summer in our beautiful town."

#91966 - This LFL is located just a block or two away from the previous one and also has a great story: "We are voracious readers and I wanted a way to share my numerous books with other people especially visitors to Cape May who may be on vacation and forgot a book for the beach. This library is dedicated to my mother who loved reading and loved her local library and instilled a love of reading in her children and grandchildren. I am excited to have the opportunity to build our little library and enrich the lives of others in our community."

#186987 - A couple years ago, there was only one LFL on the island containing the towns of Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and North Wildwood - now there's five!  We were able to visit two more of them on this trip, including this one.  I love the flags and the fact that they want everyone to have a book to read on the beach!

#188161 - This is another newer LFL in Wildwood Crest and I love the story behind it: "This Handmade Library was handmade for my birthday by my grandddaughter, Ginny Teufel. I encourage everyone to take anything that interests them and maybe bring something to donate."

Recent Reads

Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows (2023)

Millie is vying for a director position in her department at the museum when she starts taking notice of Finn, a coworker in a different department.  The two start spending more time together, leading Millie to wonder if she can have it all.  Although I loved the museum setting of this one, it was unfortunately a bit of a forgettable read for me.  Each time I picked it up, I really had to think hard about where I left off.  Millie and Finn each had some hard things going on in their lives (Millie coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship, Finn taking in his nieces after his sister passed away) and it was nice to see them support each other, but... I don't know.  The story felt overly long and yet not a lot happened.  The spicy scenes were very repetitive.  Ultimately, while there were some cute moments and good elements, this wasn't a winner for me.  3 stars

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb (2024)

Cassidy lands a job as a personal assistant to an actress and her director husband but finds herself in a precarious position as the lines between their professional and personal boundaries blur.  Loved the idea of this one, the look at how the "other half" lives combined with a murder mystery, but the execution was seriously lacking.  The main character is so immature and the dialogue is absolutely cringe.  She's supposed to be a writer, but she sounds and acts like a teenager.  And this is yet another mystery/thriller where I found the reveal to be completely lackluster. I guess in theory it was a good twist, in that I didn't figure it out, but it came from so far out in left field that it was quite unbelievable.  Cassidy might be somewhat of an unreliable narrator, but the gaslighting and secrets involved were unfair to her.  3 stars

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

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Before Dorothy

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

Before Dorothy

Hazel Gaynor

Expected publication date: June 17, 2025

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

Chicago, 1924: Emily Gale and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago behind for the promise of their own American dream. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have made a life in the warmth of the community of Liberal, Kansas, and among the harsh beauty of the prairie. Their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and their much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the what is the true meaning of home? - from Goodreads

Month in Review: May 2025

 

May was so busy for us!  Tom and I went to see Thunderbolts, which we thoroughly enjoyed.  We met my sister and her family for a day at a Strawberry Festival.  The weather wasn't really great, but we at least got to explore some local shops and play some lawn games.  My mom came from Oklahoma for a visit and it was so nice to be able to catch up with her in person.  She was here for Mother's Day, which was extra special.  After that, we took our 3rd annual trip to Cape May for a long weekend with some of Tom's family.  We went to the zoo, walked along the promenade, flew a kite on the beach, visited the lighthouse... it was a jam-packed weekend!  We had some family over for Memorial Day, and it was a beautiful day to spend outside.

Lately, Henry is obsessed with balloons, bubbles, and peacocks - he likes to pretend he's a peacock by screeching and "opening his feathers," it's adorable!  He has also gotten really good at posing for pictures! 

The Books

Wild and Wrangled // The Indifferent Stars Above // Middle of the Night // So This Is Love

A Hundred Summers // Part of Your World // Lady Macbeth // Give Me Butterflies

The Hollywood Assistant

The Posts and Reviews

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #69

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #70

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Atmosphere

Indie Bookstore Spotlight: The Lahaska Bookshop

Michele's Monday Picks #71

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Slow Burn Summer

Recent Reads

How are you doing?

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

Recent Reads

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager (2024)

Thirty years after his best friend disappeared from their backyard tent, never to be seen again, Ethan is back in his childhood home, and when strange things start happening, he hopes that the police can find out what happened to Billy once and for all.  This was a mixed bag for me.  I enjoyed what appeared to be the supernatural elements - was Billy really leaving messages for Ethan?  And the mysterious nearby Hawthorne Institute - what was going on there, and did it have something to do with Billy's disappearance?  The story felt a bit repetitive, though, and the final reveal felt really lacking to me, considering all the side tangents that Sager took with the plot.  3.5 stars

So This Is Love by Elizabeth Lim (2020)

This installment of the Twisted Tales series focuses on Cinderella and imagines what might have happened to her had she never had the opportunity to try on the glass slipper after the ball where she meets the prince.  She eventually gains a position in the castle, serving as a maid to the prince's aunt, and she and the prince do find their way back to each other, while trying to stop a plot to overthrow the king.  I thought this was an interesting addition to the Cinderella story - there's political intrigue, romance, and, of course, magic.  It's always fun to see where the authors in this series take the stories, away from the known and beloved plots.  4 stars

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

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Slow Burn Summer

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

Slow Burn Summer

Josie Silver

Expected publication date: June 10, 2025

A talent agent hires an actress to play the part of “novelist” on a book tour for his agency’s publicity-shy client

She’s playing the part of romance author, but has she found her own real life love story?

Talent agent Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication. The book is a surefire hit, if only his agency can find someone to “play” author on its summer book tour.

Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.

When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script? - from Goodreads

Michele's Monday Picks #71

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!

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The Beautiful Maddening

By Shea Ernshaw

Expected Publication: June 3, 2025

From Goodreads:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Shea Ernshaw comes a haunting romantic contemporary fantasy about a teen navigating her family’s love curse that blooms with their enchanted tulips every year.

Seventeen year-old Lark Goode wants only one to escape her small town of Cutwater and the history of her family name. It’s a history that began during the Dutch tulip mania of 1636, when Lark’s ancestor stole the last remaining tulip bulbs and fled to America. But when the tulips bloomed on American soil, madness sprouted from their snowy white petals.

The madness was love. 

Now, generations later, the Goodes remain cursed—the unnatural flowers outside their home causing locals to fall helplessly in love with anyone carrying Goode blood in their veins. While her brother embraces the strange power, Lark wants nothing more than to be free from it. 

But when she meets a boy who seems unaffected by the family curse, Lark finds herself falling headlong into a feeling she’s spent her whole life trying to avoid. Yet, all curses and magic come with a price, and the town of Cutwater soon sinks into a dangerous sickness tied to Lark and the ill-fated tulips.

To save the town, Lark will need to sacrifice everything—even true love—to break the spell. Because in the Goode family, love has a way of destroying everything.

This premise sounds so unique! Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Indie Bookstore Spotlight: The Lahaska Bookshop

We recently took a trip to Peddler's Village in Lahaska, PA, for the Strawberry Festival, and of course we had to stop at the Lahaska Bookshop while we were there!  The original store opened in Doylestown in 1998 and this sister store opened in 2017.  They are currently owned by local residents.

Two entrances flank a large picture window.  

When you enter the store, you're greeted by a light, bright, inviting space.  There are lots of display tables for special collections and items.

The store is actually quite large, and this room extends down a couple stairs.

I couldn't explore as much as I wanted because I had my little tornado with me, but we had fun!  He picked out a book about Spiderman, so he was happy.  Besides books, they also have some toys, games, puzzles, and gift items.  If you ever find yourself in Peddler's Village, I highly recommend stopping by!

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Atmosphere

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

Atmosphere
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Expected publication date: June 3, 2025

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones & The Six comes an epic new novel set against the backdrop of the 1980s Space Shuttle program about the extraordinary lengths we go to live and love beyond our limits.

Joan Goodwin has been obsessed with the stars for as long as she can remember. Thoughtful and reserved, Joan is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s Space Shuttle program. Suddenly, Joan burns to be one of the few people to go to space.

Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond and scientist John Griffin, who are kind and easy-going even when the stakes are highest; mission specialist Lydia Danes, who has worked too hard to play nice; warm-hearted Donna Fitzgerald, who is navigating her own secrets; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer, who can fix any engine and fly any plane.

As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, Joan begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Fast-paced, thrilling, and emotional, Atmosphere is Taylor Jenkins Reid at her best: transporting readers to iconic times and places, with complex protagonists, telling a passionate and soaring story about the transformative power of love, this time among the stars. - from Goodreads

Michele's Monday Picks #70

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!

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The Whisperwood Legacy

By Jo Schulte

Expected Publication: May 27, 2025

From Goodreads:

Knives Out meets The Hazel Wood in this twisty contemporary fantasy about an amusement park shrouded in dark secrets—and the family desperate to inherit it at any cost.

Welcome to Whisperwood, a sprawling theme park nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, where thrilling rides and picture-perfect scenery bring cult-classic fairy tales to life. Or at least they did until eighteen months ago, when the family matriarch, Virginia Strauss, suddenly shut Whisperwood’s gates and the beloved park was left to wither away along with the family’s dwindling fortune.

  

For seventeen-year-old Frankie Strauss, Whisperwood's closure has been a blessing in disguise. After seeing three generations of wealth’s corrupting influence, she is more than ready to shed the Strauss-family's gilded handcuffs.

  

But when Virginia goes missing, Frankie realizes that her family might be guilty of something much worse than mere dysfunction. With the help of the mysterious and handsome groundskeeper, Jem, Frankie sifts through a web of near truths and outright lies, uncovering a reality where nothing is as it seems and fairy tales aren’t just real—they’re deadly.

Anything being compared to Knives Out is going to catch my interest. Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Recent Reads

 How To Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin (2024)

Frances spent her entire life anxiously waiting for her fortune to come true - that she would someday be murdered.  Now, in order to inherit her great-aunt's estate, Annie must figure out who killed Frances.  This was a fun, cozy little mystery.  I liked how we got to know Frances through her old diary entries, and Annie is a great amateur detective, being a writer herself.  The small-town setting leaves the suspect pool small, but I was still surprised.  It did take some time to keep all the characters straight, especially since there are multiple generations of each family.  4 stars

Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage (2025)

When Cam is left at the altar, her high school ex-boyfriend is there to help her pick up the pieces - but as friends or something more?  I've enjoyed the Rebel Blue Ranch series and this was a nice ending to it.  I admit, I was a bit surprised that Cam got a story, as she's not technically a Ryder, but this finale definitely brought everything and everyone together.  I liked the flashbacks to Cam and Dusty in high school and how they first fell in love, and their reasons for eventually breaking up felt so real and deep.  I'm not always the biggest fan of second-chance romances, but I make an exception for Cam and Dusty, because they really did need to grow and mature, and when they finally come back together, it makes sense.  Although there's some spice, I thought this had less than the previous installments - it really was more about their feelings.  I also really enjoyed Cam's journey to being self-sufficient and content - her parents were pretty infuriating, though!  4 stars

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

Michele's Monday Picks #69

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!

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Lessons in Heartbreak

By Karla Sorensen

Expected Publication: May 20, 2025

From Goodreads:

A playboy football player. A shy librarian. When old friends reunite, opposites attract in a witty and lighthearted romance about taking chances and falling in love against the odds.

It’s an unwritten rule somewhere: small-town librarians shall not commit spontaneous acts, for fear of mortal embarrassment. I’d certainly just proved it true, though hiring an escort was perfectly logical. How else should I overcome my fear of intimacy without risking heartbreak?

Unfortunately, what came next wasn’t so logical.

Instead of a dating coach, Griffin King showed up. Yes, that Griffin King: my childhood neighbor and now, to my dismay, an obscenely handsome pro football player. He’s not actually an escort, but how was I supposed to know that?

Avoiding him after the mix-up is impossible. The man is everywhere—put in time-out by his agent after a PR snafu. Griffin might be an outrageous flirt determined to torment me until I snap, but he’s also the perfect man to help me.

The lessons aren’t what I thought they’d be. Neither is Griffin. Every time we touch, every time he shows me a different side to myself—and to him—I can’t help but wonder if we’re about to break another rule: the playboy and the good girl aren’t supposed to fall in love.

Karla Sorensen is one of my go-to authors for contemporary romance. Do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Recent Reads

 The Crash by Freida McFadden (2025)

Tegan, pregnant and stranded after crashing her car during a blizzard, is taken in by Hank and Polly.  At first she is grateful to them, but after more time goes on and they refuse to let her leave, Tegan becomes increasingly worried.  Will she ever escape their basement?  And what do they want with her?  This was a short audiobook and an intriguing premise, although unfortunately the writing became very bogged down with repetition.  I liked how McFadden told the story from both Tegan and Polly's points of view; it was interesting to see how they completely misjudged each other.  There were some twists at the end that were pretty surprising, but not necessarily in a good way, and I was kind of disappointed.  3 stars

Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin (2025)

Mylie loves her life in her small town, and now Ben, her childhood best friend and crush, is coming back to sell his family's home.  Even though he's planning on leaving soon, could there be something between them?  This book such an odd little duck - the cover is adorable and the blurb was catchy enough to make me grab this at the library.  But the more I got into the story, the more "meh" I felt about it.  The pacing is terrible - Mylie and Ben go from former friends to lovers in what feels like a matter of minutes, and the overall timeline seems so condensed and therefore a bit unbelievable.  We at least get some flashbacks to establish some sort of connection between the two.  There's a side character whose main job it is to add some tension, but it felt very out of place and too dark for the rest of the book.  3 stars

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

Month in Review: April 2025

 

April flew by!  My sister and I celebrated our birthdays, with a slightly belated family dinner.  Work was super crazy up until April 15 (I work at an accounting firm, but I'm not an accountant - this year, though, they got me involved in filing returns).  After the deadline passed, we had a little get-together and then the firm gave us all a day off!  Tom and I had to buy a new refrigerator, so that wasn't fun.  Finding one that would actually fit was a nightmare!  We had my in-laws over for Easter, and Henry had a good time.  He loved hunting for eggs so much that we had to do it a couple times!  He has been enjoying the spring weather and particularly loves seeing all the flowers blooming!  He is obsessed with dandelions (shh, don't tell him they're actually weeds!).

The Books

Ladies of the House // Is She Really Going Out With Him? // Force of Nature // A Novel Summer

White House by the Sea // What If... Loki Was Worthy? // Sunrise on the Reaping // Spring Fling

The Crash // How To Solve Your Own Murder

The Posts and Reviews

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Wild and Wrangled

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #67

Recent Reads

Can't-Wait Wednesday: What Happens in Amsterdam

Recent Reads

Michele's Monday Picks #68

Musing on Nine Years

Top Ten Tuesday: All You Need is Love

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