ARC Review: The Christmas Competition by Zoe Allison

The Christmas Competition
Author: Zoe Allison
Publication: Berkley (October 20, 2026)

Description: Long time nemeses and rival neighbors butt heads in a fierce competition for first place in their neighborhood’s Christmas house-decorating competition in this high-spirited holiday romance.

The local rumor mill in Nisa Ansari's small highland town is swirling about the downfall of her marriage, and in desperate need of a distraction, she enters her town’s Christmas house-decorating competition. The competition comes with the added bonus of getting on neighbor Kerr Murdoch’s last nerve. It’s the least she could do, considering her ex-husband left Nisa for Kerr’s girlfriend. And maybe if Kerr smiled or cracked a joke—just once!—his girlfriend would’ve stayed, and Nisa wouldn’t find herself alone during the holidays.

Introverted Kerr has trouble feeling comfortable around people he doesn’t know well. Newly single, he decorates his house in remembrance of his mother, who always had a soft spot for Christmas lights. But when Nisa's and Kerr’s decorations end up nearly identical, he incurs Nisa’s wrath.

This means all-out war, complete with gaudy wreaths, twinkle lights, and too many reindeer to count. Never mind that Nisa can’t keep her eyes off Kerr’s toned forearms. Or ignore that he’s a pet-loving veterinarian with a heart of gold. After conceding to her husband’s wishes for years, Nisa is determined to get her way. But as Christmas draws near, Nisa must decide what she actually wants: the familiar rivalry she’s had for years with Kerr, or opening herself up to the chance to fall in love with someone new.

My Thoughts: This enemies-to-lovers romance was an entertaining story. Nisa Ansari is a nurse who is getting over the fact that her husband left her for another woman. She isn't ready to start again since she hopes this is just a blip in their relationship until she gets a text from him announcing that the new girlfriend is pregnant.

Kerr Murdoch is a vet who lives across the street from Nisa. He is also the ex-husband of the woman Nisa's husband left her for. Nisa also blames him for an accident that injured her beloved cat Izzy since her ex said Kerr was the one whose car hit her. 

Nisa gets the idea of decorating her house and entering the town decorating contest at the same time Kerr gets the idea. Their designs are very similar and only inflame the conflict between them. Pranks and sabotage ensue.

When Kerr saves Izzy after a fire starts in Nisa's living room from overloading circuits to power more lights, the tensions turn to romance. Nisa has not only dimmed down her exuberant personality to conform to her ex's wishes she is also the one who shoulders all the blame for everything in her family. Kerr is really introverted as a result of his childhood and is very concerned that he isn't enough for anyone as evidenced by the number of people who have left him including his mother and his ex-wife.

A big part of the romance concerns acceptance of all their personality quirks by their new partners. She can be her exuberant self with Kerr and has the patience to let him talk about his needs when he feels safe and ready. He is ready to support her and take some of her burdons rather than piling on more like her family does. 

A large subplot concerns a woman with dementia who is one of Nisa's patients. She is determined to find the woman's family and has to patch together clues from the little the woman remembers. 

Fans of holiday romances will enjoy this one. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Matchmaker's Cottage by Kat Sloane

The Matchmaker's Cottage
Author: Kat Sloane
Publication: Berkley (August 11, 2026)

Description: A cozy fall romance wrapped in small-town charm reunites the owner of a bed-and-breakfast with her childhood sweetheart for a celebrity matchmaking scheme which has them both seeing stars

Julia Schaeffer might run the most romantic little bed-and-breakfast in Upstate New York, but as far as that infuriating Ethan Duchamp is concerned, this older, wiser Julia has a strict “no vacancy” policy. Sure, she’s teetering on the edge of a financial cliff, and his half-baked plan to pair up his celebrity clients at her inn will undoubtedly be good for business…but how much forced proximity with the man who abandoned her is she supposed to take?

Ethan needs this to work. The dreamy, autumnal—and blissfully secluded—cottage from his childhood summers is the ideal setting for playing matchmaker to Hollywood’s next power couple. It’s the only way to save his PR career from the tabloid toilet. He knew that the inn and Julia’s warm, comforting homemade touch would inspire real feelings—he just didn’t expect them to be his. Again.

But as old wounds reopen, and their connection rekindles, Julia and Ethan are forced to confront the truths they’ve both tried to bury. In a town where nothing stays hidden for long, they’ll have to decide if they can rebuild what was lost—or if their second chance will be derailed by scars that have yet to heal.

My Thoughts: Best friends from childhood through college reunite in this romance set in a bed-and-breakfast in Upper New York State. 

Julia Schaeffer has purchased the summer camp where she and Ethan Duchamp spent most of their childhood summers. She's turned it into a B&B but is drowning under the bills that have piled up. She's always suffered from anxiety attacks, but they are definitely getting worse with the current stress.

Ethan works for a PR firm and, after a PR disaster, needs a win. He chooses Julia's inn as the place to publicize a PR romance between two young stars - Katy and Noah - who have their own reasons for PR to distract from problems in their lives. 

Katy and Noah became friends while working on a movie together and are scheduled to star again in the sequel. They are good buddies, but there is no romance between them. The romance that grows at the B&B is that between Julia - called Gem by Ethan since they were kids - and Ethan. Each has mental health issues of various kinds and a great fear of ever beginning something again with the other. 

Add in a new romance between Katy and Julia's cook/housekeeper and the arrival of a former client of Ethan's who has fabricated a romance between the two of them and you have a tense and twisty sort of romance. 

Fans of romances with real-life touches will enjoy this story. I found the relationships among the various characters to be interesting and complex enough to make the romance between Julia and Ethan sort of secondary to the story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Fossil Feud by Maggie North

Fossil Feud
Author: Maggie North
Publication: Dell (July 28, 2026)

Description: The hunt for fossils—and love—is on in this steamy, STEMinist romance about two opposing paleontologists who join forces to prevent a fraudulent dinosaur discovery, but accidentally dig up feelings for each other along the way.

Renegade paleontologist Ripley Adams is this close to digging up a fossil treasure and vindication. She’s spent the last three years in academic exile after her ex-boyfriend stole her work, betrayed her trust, and broke her heart in one fell swoop. If she can unearth a complete specimen of her newest discovery—a never-before-seen missing link between dinosaurs and birds—it will put her back on the map and finally restore her ruined reputation.

But when unfairly hot Oxford professor James Smithson crashes Ripley’s dig site, she realizes she’s not the only one searching for redemption in the Montana dirt. James is convinced a splashy new fossil is a fraud, and he needs Ripley’s help to prove it. She’d tell the buttoned-up Brit where to stick his suspicions, but the fake fossil is eerily similar to hers . . . and the fraudster is her ex.

The race is on to reveal a T-rex-sized discovery. Polar opposites Ripley and James will have to find common ground if they’re going to take down a hoax that could ruin them both. And as they dig deeper into their unlikely attraction, Ripley’s excavation boots won’t be the only things getting a little dirty. . . .

My Thoughts: This contemporary romance is buried in the world of paleontology. Ripley Adams is a citizen scientist on the hunt for the fossil link between dinosaurs and birds. She was forced out of her PhD program when she refused to put her boyfriend's name on her groundbreaking paper. She withdrew the paper, was ditched by the boyfriend, and had her reputation ruined by him. 

Ripley has been working with her friend Cara on Cara's grandmother's land. She has found something and is desperate to keep it secret until the right time. But James Smithson, who is an Oxford professor and leading light in the field of paleontology, comes to her asking for help. He had turned down her plea for help three years earlier when all the scandal was going on, so she's reluctant, very reluctant, to help him.

It seems that someone is ready to introduce his discovery of a fossil very similar to the one Ripley is unearthing, but James believes this man is getting ready to commit fraud. Ripley is willing to believe that since the fraudster is her ex. But she has a limited time to finish her excavations before her lease and her sponsor's patience run out. 

As James and Ripley work together to complete both their missions, they fall in love. But Ripley is based in Montana and James in Oxford. He has an excellent reputation in the field of paleontology while hers was trashed by her treacherous ex. 

This was an engaging story. I liked the characters very much and enjoyed the information about paleontology. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz

Summer in Eclipse Bay
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Gail Shalan
Series: Eclipse Bay (Book 3)
Publication: Tantor Media (September 5, 2023)
Length: 8 hours and 40 minutes

Description: Summer has arrived in Eclipse Bay and things are definitely heating up between the Hartes and the Madisons. It seems that the mysterious new gallery owner, Octavia Brightwell, is thinking about having a scandalous fling with that rogue Nick Harte before she leaves town. As far as Nick is concerned, a short-term affair sounds perfect. But it isn't going to be easy.

One big obstacle is Mitchell Madison. For reasons of his own, Mitchell has taken it upon himself to play guardian to Octavia. He's made it clear that if Nick fools around with her, there will be a price to pay. And then there's Nick's young son, Carson, who has his own agenda where Octavia is concerned. He doesn't want his father messing up his plans.

Summer in Eclipse Bay is going to be eventful this year. Some long-buried secrets from the infamous Harte-Madison feud are about to surface. The past and the present are on a collision course.

My Thoughts: Nick Harte has come back to Eclipse Bay with his almost six-year-old son Carson. Nick is a successful novelist. In fact, a running joke through the story is that no one in Eclipse Bay admits to reading his books. 

Octavia Brightwell is a newcomer to Eclipse Bay. She has opened a successful art gallery. She also has a hidden agenda. She wants to help resolve the feud between the Madisons and the Hartes. Only she's too late. The Hartes and Madison have found their own resolutions in the romances between the grandchildren. Octavia is planning to sell the gallery and move on.

When she meets Nick, she's intrigued but he has a reputation for having only short-term affairs since his wife's death. Nick is also intrigued by her and more than willing to have an affair although he isn't the one who wants a short-term affair. Rather than giving her "the talk," it is Octavia who sets the ground rules. 

The conflict in the story revolves around a newly discovered and very valuable painting discovered in the estate of a local recluse. It is stolen from Octavia's gallery and the locals are spreading the rumor that she is the one who has stolen it. 

At Octavia's request, Nick channels his fictional detective to find the painting and the source of the local rumors. 

This was a nice romance and a nice conclusion to the Eclipse Bay trilogy. 

I bought this one December 3, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Rules of the Game by Nora Roberts

Rules of the Game
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Kate Rudd
Publication: Brilliance Audio (December 29, 2013)
Length: 6 hours and 36 minutes

Description: A story of stubborn wills and impassioned hearts from number-one New York Time best-selling author Nora Roberts.

Television director Brooke Gordon thinks that baseball player Parks Jones is an insufferable cad with an inflated ego. Unfortunately, he's also brilliant and her client's spokesman. Brooke is determined to ignore the intense attraction she feels while directing Parks in a commercial. But Parks is willing to break a few rules to convince Brooke that love isn't just a game to him. It means forever....

My Thoughts: Brooke Gordon has come from an impoverished childhood being shuffled from home to home in the foster care system to a very successful producer of commercials. Parks Jones was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but decided to be a professional baseball player instead of entering the family business. 

Brooke isn't eager to work with Parks when he is chosen as the spokesperson for a line of men's clothing but knows that she can get the best out of whatever talent he may have. She doesn't know anything about baseball and hasn't heard of the award winning third basemen. 

Parks is nearing the end of his career since he had already decided to retire by 35. With his team contending for the World Series, he is at the pinnacle of his career. When he first meets Brooke, he doesn't know that he'll soon be working for her and she doesn't enlighten him. 

Sparks fly when they work together but they make an excellent product and fall in love. Brooke is afraid to trust in him since she's been betrayed before, but Parks convinces her to take a chance on him since he's already completely fallen for her. 

A whirlwind marriage leads to some conflicts as they try to mesh their strong, stubborn personalities. It takes a California wildfire to let them see what their priorities really are. 

I bought this one March 13, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Dawn in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz

Dawn in Eclipse Bay
Author: Jayne Ann Krentz
Narrator: Gail Shalan
Series: Eclipse Bay Trilogy (Book 2)
Publication: Tantor Media (July 25, 2023)
Length: 8 hours and 33 minutes

Description: From New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz comes the second novel in a dramatic trilogy set in breathtaking Eclipse Bay, a town filled with rivalries as fierce and compelling as the rugged Oregon coast . . .

Nothing was ever simple between a Madison and a Harte. The feud that had divided their families still simmered. Now, only months after their siblings' wedding, Lilian Harte and Gabe Madison are at each other's throats.

Successful CEO Gabe had insisted on becoming a client of Lilian's matchmaking service. And after five disastrous dates, Lilian is at her wit's end. If she hadn't already decided to close her business and move home to Eclipse Bay, Gabe would have been the final straw. But when she finds Gabe at her door demanding she fulfill their business contract, the sparks between them suddenly turn personal. Once again, Eclipse Bay will witness a showdown—between a relentless Madison and an irresistible Harte . . .

My Thoughts: The second book in the Eclipse Bay trilogy stars Rafe Madison and Lilian Harte. Rafe has made himself into the successful CEO of a venture capitalist firm. Lilian runs a successful computer matchmaking business. 

After meeting again at their siblings' wedding, Rafe comes to Lilian to try to find a wife who meets his criteria just as Lilian is preparing to close her business and give being a full-time artist a try. Since Rafe has lied on most of the questionnaire Lilian had him complete, Lilian is not successful in finding him a match before her business closes.

He follows her to Eclipse Bay ostensibly to have Lilian find him his sixth contracted match. But sparks are flying between them and a romance grows. Lilian also seems to have attracted a stalker. 

Romance flourishes despite interfering grandfathers, old girlfriends, and political intrigue in this engaging romance. 

I bought this one December 3, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

The Escape Game
Author: Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss
Publication: G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (April 7, 2026)

Description: It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master; and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of all: who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride, filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

My Thoughts: This YA mystery tells the story of four teens who are chosen to take part in season five of The Escape Game where they need to pit their skills against other teams who are trying to solve the puzzles and escape first. 

Season four ended in tragedy when Sierra Angelos found her sister's body in a prop coffin at the finale. Since Sierra had been arguing with Alicia earlier, she's the prime suspect but there isn't evidence to arrest her. She's back to try to solve what she is certain was her sister's murder.

Beck has joined the cast. He's trans and has the goal of becoming a game master himself. He's created many escape rooms on his own. Carter has also joined the cast. She's a math wizard and an influencer who is big in her persona as Kick It Carter on the online community built around the show. In person, she's looking for friends who are like her and lacks the confidence of her online person. 

Finally, there is Adi. Adi has a broad base of knowledge and is a cryptographer. He's also the son of a has-been actress who is more than willing to use him to force her way back into show business. He'd like to know more about his absentee father who is one of the show's backers. 

As the four try to learn to be a team and solve the puzzles of the various escape rooms, they are also dealing with other clues that someone who calls themself the Real Game Master is leaving inside the puzzles that will guide them to Alicia's killer. 

The story is filled with intriguing puzzles, suspicious characters, and dangers for our heroes. This is the first book in a series. Sierra's mystery is solved giving her resolution. The other three main characters still have dangling threads left to unravel. 

I enjoyed this story where smart kids were looking for, and finding, their people and learning more about themselves along the way. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts

Blue Dahlia
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Susie Breck
Series: In the Garden (Book 1)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (June 10, 2008)
Length: 10 hours and 46 minutes

Description: Against the backdrop of a house steeped in history and a thriving new gardening business, three women unearth the memories of the past in the first novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts’ In the Garden Trilogy.

A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night…

Trying to escape the ghosts of the past, young widow Stella Rothchild, along with her two energetic little boys, has moved back to her roots in southern Tennessee. She isn’t intimidated by Harper House - nor by its mistress. Despite a reputation for being difficult, Roz Harper has been nothing but kind to Stella, offering her a comfortable place to live and a challenging new job as manager of the flourishing In the Garden nursery.

As Stella settles comfortably into her new life, she finds a nurturing friendship with Roz and expectant mother Hayley and a fierce attraction to ruggedly handsome landscaper Logan Kitridge. He’s difficult but honest, brash but considerate - and undeniably sexy. And for a sensible woman like Stella, he may be just what she needs...

My Thoughts: BLUE DAHLIA begins the In the Garden trilogy by Nora Roberts. Stella Rothchild is a widowed mother of two young boys who transplants herself to Southern Tennessee to be nearer to her father and his wife. She takes a job as manager for Roz Harper who owns the In the Garden nursery. 

Stella and her boys live with Roz as they begin their new lives. Stella finds the job challenging and just what she needs for her new start. One fly in the ointment is Logan Kitridge who is the landscape designer associated with the nursery. They butt heads immediately but fall in love too which comes a surprise for the organized, plan ahead Stella. 

However, she loves working for Roz and with Hayley who is a young sort of relation of Roz's who has come looking for a job while pregnant. Hayley has recently lost her father and is also looking to build a new life. 

Things would be great for all of them except for the existence of the Harper Bride who is a ghost. She is especially concerned with young children. It is Stella's boys who see her first as she sings to them in their bedroom. Roz has long been familiar with the ghost but is now eager to find out who she is. 

This was an excellent story. All of the characters were well-defined. The romance fit in nicely and the ghost was an added bonus. 

I bought this one January 25, 2026. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan

Maybe This Once
Author: Sophie Sullivan
Series: Rock Bottom Love (Book 3)
Publication: St. Martin's Griffin (February 10, 2026)

Description: From the “queen of sweet romance” (Falon Ballard) Sophie Sullivan, comes a small-town, opposites-attract romance about two people who end up with more feelings than they bargained for after pursuing a summer fling.

Tired of living in the shadow of her famous parents, Charlotte Ashford gladly left behind a life of glitz and glamour to pursue her true passion: becoming a counselor. However, when a viral video upends Charlie’s plans, she wonders if the real key to discovering herself is through her late father.

Grayson Keller has finally settled in one place, surrounded by family, and secure in his business. By his third summer as owner, Get Lost Lodge is thriving. Whatever happens, Grayson is perfectly content with his quiet life and careful heart. That is, until he meets Charlie, whom he can’t seem to get out of his head.

On the surface, Charlie and Grayson have nothing in common, but they can’t fight their attraction to each other. They’ve both been hurt before, and they’re not looking for anything serious. The solution is easy: they’ll date, have some fun, and walk away unscathed. Right? Or, maybe this once, they can see past the hurt to what, or who, is on the other side waiting for them.

My Thoughts: Charlotte Ashford is on the run from scandal and winds up with her great uncle in Northern Michigan. She's lost her dream job as a play therapist before it has even begun. Grayson Keller has built a new life for himself as the owner of Get Lost Lodge after a bitter divorce. Neither is looking for a new relationship. 

Charlie and Gray's romance is a slow building one. Neither is eager for more heartbreak in their lives. And Charlie is only in the area for a while. She's taken a job as a college professor while she finds out what she wants for the rest of her life. 

This is the third book in a series and the characters from the first two books have major roles in this one. Their romances are sort of settled with marriages coming soon. There is a strong bond between Gray and his brother and sister. They are a welcoming blended family who have taken Charlie's great-uncle in as a family member and are welcoming to Charlie too. 

But Charlie's troubles seem to be following her to the Get Lost Lodge when an ex-boyfriend who wants to use her celebrity to advance his own career and a producer who wants to center a reality TV show around either Charlie and her ex or Get Lost Lodge arrive to plead their cases. 

This was an engaging story about two people who have been battered by events in their lives but who are willing to take another chance at love and the lives they want to have. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Entranced by Nora Roberts

Entranced 
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: MacLeod Andrews
Series: The Donovan Legacy (Book 2)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (August 23, 2023)
Length: 7 hours and 11 minutes

Description: The Donovan Legacy continues in Entranced, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts’ mesmerizing novel about a headstrong detective expanding her mind to paranormal possibilities while opening her hardened heart to love.

Tough and tenacious, Mary Ellen Sutherland is a private investigator who never gives up on a case or a friend in need. When her friend’s baby is abducted and every clue leads to a dead end, Mel reluctantly turns to Sebastian Donovan, a psychic reputed to possess extraordinary abilities. Despite her skepticism, Sebastian proves to be amazingly gifted—especially when it comes to enchanting Mel, body and soul.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Donovan Legacy stars Sebastian Donovan. He is a psychic who can find people and things and read people's minds. Mary Ellen Sutherland is a private investigator who comes to him when her friend's baby is abducted. Even though she doesn't believe in psychics, Mel agrees to work with Sebastian if it will help her find young David. 

Using a combination of her skills as a PI and Sebastian's gifts, David is found and a baby selling ring is discovered. Mel and Sebastian team up along with the FBI to break up the ring. While they are undercover as a wealthy couple looking to do anything to finally have a baby of their own, Mel and Sebastian fall in love. 

This was another excellent paranormal romance. It was also excellent romantic suspense. 

I bought this one from Chirp May 12, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: If It Makes You Happy by Julia Olivia

If It Makes You Happy
Author: Julia Olivia
Publication: Berkley (September 2, 2025)

Description: Grab your favorite fall candle, cuddle into a comfy blanket, and travel back in time to 1997 in this cozy, slow-burn romance set in the autumn glow of small-town Vermont.

Now with exclusive bonus content!

My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.

I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out. Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe. Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards. So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.

My Thoughts: IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY was a nice romance. Goal-driven Michelle travels from her fast-paced life in Seattle after her mother's sudden death to take over the bed & breakfast that was her mother's life dream. 

The timing isn't perfect. Even if the time running the inn is only a couple of months, it will mess up her fast track in her advertising career. But the trip will give her a chance to come to terms with her divorce from Allen. 

She isn't really prepared for what she is going to find in a small town in Vermont. Least of all is she prepared to meet Cliff, the divorced guy who lives next door with his two daughters. But Cliff is a friendly sort who had promised Shell's mother that he'd be around to help. His friendly manner and delicious baked goods and wacky sense of humor all appeal to Shell.

But can two very different people find a way to make things work? With her in town only until her younger sister finishes college and takes over the inn and him content to live and work in the small town forever, they have lots of things to work out. 

The story had a great cast of characters including Rocket the dog Michelle gained custody of in the divorce. Cliff's daughters were great characters too. And the assorted friends who want to help add to the interest. Even Cliff's ex-wife had her role to play.

Fans of romances with grown-up characters with busy lives will enjoy this story.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Heart Marks the Spot by Libby Hubscher

Heart Marks the Spot
Author: Libby Hubscher
Publication: Berkley (July 22, 2025)

Description: A treasure hunter and the bestselling adventure novelist who broke her heart after one successful expedition reunite for a summer to search for lost riches.

Treasure hunter Stella Moore dreams of having it all—wealth, love, and a flourishing career—but knows she’ll never be that lucky. Every summer she and her childhood friends travel to search for hidden treasure, but she can barely manage her bills, let alone a relationship. Then, a chance encounter with alluring novelist Huck Sullivan during an expedition in Iceland has Stella thinking maybe her fortune has changed.

After his last book bombed, Huck hasn’t written a word. Joining Stella and her crew on an adventure seems like the perfect distraction from his problems, and when the crew finally uncovers hidden treasure, he is certain that he’s found more than just inspiration for his next novel. Huck and Stella’s undeniable connection gives way to an unforgettable night on a black sand beach.

After Huck disappears without a goodbye, Stella vows to put the heartbreak behind her—but that’s easier said than done when, a year later, every bookstore has a life-size cutout of her ex-lover next to stacks of his latest record-breaking bestseller. Good thing it’s time for another summer treasure hunt. Stella throws herself into mapping the path to a shipwreck off Key West, but the last thing she expects is an extra crew member showing up in search of material for a sequel and a second chance.

Stella and Huck are prepared for storms, sharks, sea sickness, even a tentative truce. But facing the feelings they buried and confronting the devastating truth about why Huck left is the only way to find what their hearts have been searching for all along.

My Thoughts: This dual viewpoint romance introduces two interesting characters. Stella Moore is a treasure hunter. Huck Sullivan is a best-selling author. 

Stella was abandoned by her treasure hunting parents when she was a teenager. It left her with the sure knowledge that everyone she loves will abandon her sooner or later. She is hoping that if she manages to find the treasure that her parents will come back because she has proven her worth. 

Huck doesn't have abandonment issues, but he does have a deeply rooted sense of insecurity since he had spent most of his life being berated by his father for what his father perceived as "failures". While Huck did write a very successful series of adventure novels, the last tanked while he was dealing with the death of his father and abandonment by his fiancée who was only in it when he was at the top of the food chain.

The two meet in Iceland. Stella is on the hunt for a particular treasure along with her friends Ted, Zoe and Gus. Huck was sent there by his friend/agent in hopes that a new place will inspire his creativity and clear up the writer's block that has plagued him for more than a year. 

Introduced by Ted who went to boarding school with Huck and who has been partners in adventure with Stella for a number of years, the two fall in love. But Huck leaves Stella in the night for reasons that aren't explained until a year and a half later. She's managed to patch over a broken heart, and he's written a new instant best seller starring a treasure hunter who greatly resembles Stella.

They meet again in the Caribbean when the four friends are on their annual treasure hunt looking for a lost Spanish treasure ship and all the secrets come out. 

This was an engaging romance but not a light and fluffy one. Both main characters have serious therapy worthy issues which is not helped by the presence of Ted who has been keeping secrets of his own. I recommend this one because the struggle to reach a "happily ever after" was real in this story. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Just Beachy by Wendy Wax

Just Beachy
Author: Wendy Wax
Publication: Berkley (June 3, 2025)

Description: A former actress in need of a reset reunites with her grandmother, her first crush, and the ladies of Ten Beach Road in this escapist novel from USA Today bestselling author Wendy Wax.

After losing her long-time acting gig on the hit show Murder 101, Sydney Ryan decides she needs a break from Hollywood politics. She heads to Treasure Island, Florida where her grandmother has been visiting and now refuses to leave. Sydney’s plan to lie low for a bit quickly goes awry though, as she is swept up in her grandmother’s now flourishing social life—Grand not only bought a new house in Casas de Flores, she’s also helping her neighbor Myra open a bookstore in Pass-a-Grille. But when someone breaks into Grand’s house repeatedly Sydney realizes her grandmother is keeping something from her.

Determined to ferret out the truth and protect her grandmother, Sydney enlists the help of the Ten Beach Road ladies and Luke, a local police officer who was once her high school crush. While Sydney puts her television crime-solving skills to the test, she decides to act on the sizzling chemistry between herself and Luke. And as Sydney spends more sunsets toasting to true friends and new romance, she begins to wonder if the sun is setting on her time in Hollywood and if this town could be the dawn of a new chapter.

My Thoughts: Sydney Ryan has lost her acting gig as Cassie Everheart on Murder 101 because she has run afoul of an A-List actress. She decides to visit her grandmother in Florida while she tries to decide what to do with the rest of her life. The A-Lister has made it impossible for Sydney to get another job in LA, but she's opening that her reach doesn't extend to Florida.

Sydney is also glad to spend time with her Grand in Florida and reconnect with a high school crush who is now a police officer. And it is lucky that she has met Luke again since Grand's house has become the target of a number of break-ins and searches. Grand has a secret that she is trying to keep from Sydney.

Meanwhile, Grand, Sydney and another friend are getting ready to open a beachside bookstore with space for Sydney to conduct story hours and give acting lessons while Grand offers art lessons. Sydney is able to put the skills she learned as a television detective to use when she is able to protect her grandmother from the villains who want a painting that she has kept hidden for many years. 

Sydney also has time to wonder if she really wants to go back to acting or if she wants to build a new life with Luke and her Grand in Florida. 

This was an engaging romance with more than a touch of mystery. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: This Is Not a Dead Girl Story by Kate Sweeney

This Is Not a Dead Girl Story
Author: Kate Sweeney
Publication: Viking Books for Young Readers (August 6, 2024)

Description: A dark and powerful mystery perfect for fans of Courtney Summers and true crime podcasts, in which a teen girl must do whatever it takes to find her missing cousin—who everyone else thinks is dead.

Remy Green is missing. Eight days after the death of her boyfriend, River O’Dell, the magnetic, golden-haired girl disappeared in the dead of night.

Jules Green, Remy’s cousin, is her opposite in every way: awkward, shy, and a bit strange, never feeling at home in the small town of Black Falls, NY. The only place she has ever belonged is with River and Remy. Now she’s on her own—and everyone around her believes that Remy is dead.

But Jules can still hear Remy’s voice in her head, urging her to keep looking. With the help of River’s cousin Sam, a troubled and mysterious boy, Jules starts untangling the truth of what exactly happened. Through her search, Jules must delve into the dark corners of her hometown—unearthing family secrets and hidden truths about the two people she thought she knew most.

Who was Remy, really, behind the popular-girl façade she wore? What trouble was she involved in? And can Jules find a way to save her from it? Or is this a dead girl story after all?

My Thoughts: THIS IS NOT A DEAD GIRL STORY was an interesting Young Adult mystery. While it includes a few of the YA tropes, it handles them well.

Jules Green is dealing with lots of trouble. She's sixteen and in high school. She grew up with River O'Dell and her cousin Remy Green. The trio was inseparable and was quite a triangle. Jules has been in love with River since they were small. He's the school's golden boy: a straight arrow and athlete. But River loves Remy who is the school's golden girl. Her sparkling personality draws people to her in droves. Jules has always felt like the weak third of their triangle with her quiet nature and unobtrusive appearance. She and Remy were best friends and didn't keep secrets from each other. At least that is what Jules believed.

But when River dies in what was either an accident or a suicide, the world falls apart for Jules. Then, a few days later Remy disappears. The town thinks she's dead and organizes searches for her. Jules can't believe that Remy is dead and determines to find her.

Jules isn't quite alone in her search. Joining her is Sam who is River's cousin. He got in some trouble with drugs and fighting and his parents have sent him to live with his aunt and uncle for a while. He physically resembles River which gives Jules quite a start when she first sees him at River's funeral, but he is a very different personality. 

Together the two begin looking for Remy and trying to come to terms with River's death. Along the way, Jules discovers that the two people she loved the most were keeping secrets from her. As she investigates, she learns those secrets and discovers that she has the strength to step out of the shadows and be her own independent person. 

This was an engaging story with an intriguing protagonist. Jules isn't good at self-evaluation. Like a lot of teens, she's focused on her flaws and doesn't have a strong self-image. She does have strong parental support in her single mother who gets out of the way so that Jules can act by being a midwife working long shifts in nearby Albany. 

Fans of YA mysteries and drama filled stories will enjoy this one. 

I bought this one January 11, 2025. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: A Proposal to Die For by Molly Harper

A Proposal to Die For
Author: Molly Harper
Publication: Berkley (April 8, 2025)

Description: A fast-paced, witty, and delightful new mystery about a marriage proposal planner whose biggest job yet is threatened by a dead body (or two).

Jessamine Bricker loves a plan. Contingency plans and pros-and-cons lists are her love language, and because of that, her proposal planning business is thriving. But with rent costs rising at her office building, Jess jumps at the chance to plan a proposal between her snobby high school classmate, Diana, and her very wealthy boyfriend, Trenton Tillard…the Fourth.

Roped into joining Diana’s ”pre-bridal” retreat at the exclusive Golden Ash resort, Jess hopes to fade into the background, get some work done, and maybe find some time to unwind. Their first day is anything but relaxing: Diana is furious about the mountain spa’s lack of cell phone reception, the couple next door argues constantly, and Jess swears she just saw a drug deal go down. To top it all off, she’s warned to stay out of the woods by the gruff and sexy chef, Dean Osbourne. Is this a retreat or a horror movie?

As Jess tries to do her job while placating the bride-to-be and her increasingly over-the-top demands, she spends more and more time with the resort owners, finding herself much more in tune with the laid-back Osbourne family than her social climbing “boss.” Between a meditation garden-related drowning and Jess’s discovery of a body in a sauna, it's clear that deadly secrets abound at the Golden Ash. Now it’s up to Jess to unravel the mysteries here in the mountains—before all her plans are cancelled…permanently.

My Thoughts: Jess Bricker is a proposal planner. She helps people find just the right place, time, accessories, etc. to create a memorable proposal of marriage. However, planning for her latest client could be the death of her. 

She is approached by a former schoolmate who is disappointed by the way her boyfriend Trenton Tillard the Fourth proposed. Diana sees herself as a social media influencer and didn't find his sincere proposal acceptable to her brand. Diana was not a friend of Jess's when they were in school, and she hasn't heard from her in years. But with the building where she lives and has her business is in danger of being sold out from under her, a lucrative contract - and she can charge Trenton through the nose - is just what Jess is looking for.

Jess finds herself hauled to an exclusive spa retreat in the mountains of Tennessee for what is supposed to be a planning session. Diana has also brought along her wedding planner and an add-on cousin named Kiki who is supposed to be one of her bridesmaids.

Jess finds herself trying to stay sane and calm among the bride-to-be's outrageous demands and the wedding planner's sniping and finds refuge with the Osbournes who own and run the spa. She needs her new friends because almost the first thing she does upon arrival is find the body of another guest drowned in a meditation pool.

More chaos is added when Trenton and his two best buddies arrive at the spa too. And soon Jess is discovering another body - that of Clay who is Trenton's best friend and who was going to be Trenton's best man. 

There is also a romance with Dean Osbourne who is the spa's executive chef and a total curmudgeon. He suffered a loss as an early adult which has made him the man he is. His cousins are really pleased that he seems to be developing a relationship with Jess.

This was quite an enjoyable mystery/romance. I liked Jess's snark and her attitude. The bridezilla also added some humor to the story.  

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Audiobook Review: Born in Shame by Nora Roberts

Born in Shame
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Fiacre Douglas
Series: Born In Trilogy/Concannon Sisters Trilogy (Book 3)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (November 3, 2008)
Length: 9 hours and 17 minutes

Description: Shannon Bodine’s life revolves around her job as a graphic artist at a New York ad agency. But her world turns upside down when she learns the identity of her real father: Thomas Concannon.

Obeying her late mother’s wishes, Shannon reluctantly travels to County Clare. There, amid the lush landscape steeped in legend, she meets her half sisters and their families, but she’s wary of opening her heart to them—or to their charming neighbor…

Murphy Muldoon is a successful farmer and horse breeder with a romantic streak that can turn the most trite sentiment into poetry. Soon, his striking good looks and unpretentious ways have Shannon discovering the possibility of a love that was meant to be.

My Thoughts: This is the finale of the Born In/Concannon Sisters trilogy. Shannon Bodine learns at her mother's deathbed that her father was Tommy Concannon not Colin Bodine as she had always believed. She also learns shortly after her mother's death that her half-sisters and their husbands have been searching for her and her mother. 

Even though she has a successful career as a graphic artist in advertising, the facts of her birth are haunting her. Obeying her mother's dying request, she travels to County Clare to meet her half-sisters. While Brianna is welcoming, Maggie is not. And Shannon doesn't have any good thoughts about Tommy Concannon either. 

However, things really begin to change when she meets Murphy Muldoon who is a great friend of the Concannon girls and their husbands. Murphy takes one look at Shannon and is gob smacked. She is the woman he's been dreaming of since he was young. He's all-in with his desire to court her and make her his wife. She thinks he's crazy - stunningly handsome and very talented, but crazy. 

It is in Ireland that Shannon rekindles her artistic side and begins to paint. Maggie's husband Rogan is gently steamrolling her to take up a career as an artist with him representing her. But Shannon is holding on to her career and career goals and both Rogan and Murphy have a hard road convincing her to change her plans and build a new life in Ireland. 

I loved the strong connections that exist or grow between the sisters. And I love how their circle has grown with the addition of husbands and children. I also loved the sense of community and the way they were quick to welcome Shannon. 

This was another excellent romance from one of my favorite authors. 

I bought this one from Chirp November 12, 2024, for $3.99. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: The Big Fix by Holly James

The Big Fix
Author: Holly James
Publication: Kensington (March 25, 2025)

Description: Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard meets The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling in a modern blend of screwball action and romantic attraction when a case of mistaken identity lands a college professor on the run with a mysterious—and dangerously hot—fixer . . .

When bookish Penny Collins reluctantly lets her sister drag her to an estate sale at a neighbor’s house, she’s hoping for a little diversion rummaging through dusty antiques. Instead, she ends up in a public squabble over candlesticks with the deceased owner’s nephew, Anthony—right before a dead body tumbles out of a closet.

Penny’s plan for the summer involved finalizing tenure at the university where she’s a computer sciences professor. Instead, she’s suddenly on the run with a man she barely knows, scaling walls, evading bullets, and accidentally stabbing henchmen. It seems the wrong people have got it in their heads that she’s Anthony’s girlfriend and, by association, in possession of something they desperately need—and will do anything to get.

As for Anthony, he has a top-secret occupation as a fixer, but a recent fix went dangerously awry, and now he and Penny are dodging both a ruthless billionaire and the FBI. And it’ll take all of Penny’s plentiful savvy and common sense, in addition to Anthony’s particular set of skills, to survive long enough for her to see the next semester . . .

My Thoughts: This romantic thriller finds Penny Collins on the run with Anthony Pierce after innocently attending a house sale and discovering a body in the closet. Penny's sister Libby had some matchmaking in mind. All Penny wants is to finish up all the requirements for tenure at the university where she teaches computer science.

When the erroneous news spreads that Penny is Anthony's new girlfriend, she finds herself on the run from people who want to use her in order to get Anthony to tell what happened to a billionaire's missing wife Portia. 

Portia has been Anthony's friend since childhood. He promised her brother that he's take care of her when her brother died. They had gone their separate ways with Portia reinventing herself in California and marrying a tech billionaire and Anthony becoming an Econ major at Penn before joining his uncle's firm. His uncle was a highly successful and somewhat shady fixer. 

Now, Portia is missing, and her billionaire husbands isn't willing to let her go. She knows too much about his shady dealings.

Penny and Anthony fall in love while trying to elude the bad guys and find a way for Portia to begin a new life. 

This was an entertaining story. The cover which looks to me to be cartoonish and promising a light read doesn't really do justice to the more serious nature of the story inside. While there are some lighter moments, the book is more thriller than romance. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Code Word Romance by Callie Walker

Code Word Romance
Author: Callie Walker
Publication: Berkley (March 18, 2025)

Description: One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.

Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt, and happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen. Sofia is powerful, beautiful—and unfortunately, someone is trying quite hard to assassinate her.

When the CIA approaches Max with a deal, a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian vacation, Max packs her bags for the Amalfi Coast. The delicious food, the breathtaking views—this trip would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max, from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her, as old passions and assassins collide.

Losing herself in the role of a prime minister is one thing. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk she isn’t willing to take . . .

My Thoughts: This romance is the story of a young chef who lost everything in the pandemic, is vastly in debt, and guilty for losing the money of people she loves, who gets a chance to be the body double of the youngest Prime Minister in Europe who is facing assassination. 

Max finds herself in Italy with a CIA handler with whom she has a past. Flynn was the summer boyfriend she lost track of when she was a teen. They had a wonderful summer romance in Kennebunkport, Maine, and never saw each other again -- until now. 

It seems that neither the CIA nor Max are told the whole story since Max finds herself with a seeming horde of assassins on her trail. But while running from assassins and pretending to be a Prime Minister, Max finds what she has lost - love and a sense of optimism about the future. 

This was a fun story. Her roommate Kevin adds a lot of comic relief to the story and might be my favorite character of all. 

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Code Word Romance by Callie Walker

 Happy Friday!

Book Beginnings is hosted by Gillion at Rose City Reader. She asks that the first sentence is posted along with the author and title of the book and the reader's initial thoughts on the sentence, the book, or anything else it inspires. 

Carrie at Reading Is My Superpower.org also provides a linky for sharing first lines and connecting with others. This meme asks that the chosen books be PG or marked as Mature if they are not. 

Beginning:

Night air slaps my face. We're speeding faster on the motorcycle, swerving around a restaurant with patio tables, and I accidentally clip one, rattling several plates full of antipasti.

Friday 56:

"I've been thinking," I tell Flynn from the back seat, eyes almost watering at the corners. "If someone did get to the PM, what're they going to think when my face is splashed all over the papers? That I'm the decoy, or she's the decoy?"

This week I'm spotlighting Code Word Romance by Callie Walker. This book is on my stack of review copies. Here's the description from Amazon:

One fake prime minister, one ridiculously hot handler, and one Italian summer collide in this thrilling adventure rom-com.

Max is just your average girl. She works odd jobs, has a soul-crushing amount of debt, and happens to bear an uncanny resemblance to Europe’s youngest female prime minister, Sofia Christensen. Sofia is powerful, beautiful—and unfortunately, someone is trying quite hard to assassinate her.

When the CIA approaches Max with a deal, a life-changing amount of money if she pretends to be Sofia on the prime minister’s annual Italian vacation, Max packs her bags for the Amalfi Coast. The delicious food, the breathtaking views—this trip would be a dream if it weren’t for those pesky assassins and Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max, from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her, as old passions and assassins collide.

Losing herself in the role of a prime minister is one thing. But losing her heart to Flynn again? Now that’s a risk she isn’t willing to take . . .

Audiobook Review: Born in Ice by Nora Roberts

Born in Ice
Author: Nora Roberts
Narrator: Fiacre Douglas
Series: Born In Trilogy/Concannon Sisters Trilogy (Book 2)
Publication: Brilliance Audio (June 10, 2008)
Length: 10 hours and 38 minutes

Description: When the harsh storms of winter descend upon western Ireland, the locals stay indoors - and visitors stay away. Brianna Concannon's bed-and-breakfast becomes a cold and empty place. And that's fine with Brianna. She enjoys the peace and quiet, even when icy winds howl at her window.

This year, though, she's expecting an unusual guest: mystery writer Grayson Thane, from America. A restless wanderer with a dark past, he plans to spend the cold winter alone. Yet sometimes fate has a plan of its own. Sometimes a fire can be born in ice...

My Thoughts: Brianna Concannon runs a bed and breakfast in Western Ireland. She loves being an innkeeper and making a comfortable home for her guests. She sometimes regrets that she isn't making a home for a husband and children but tries to be content with her life. 

Grayson Thane is an American mystery author who comes to Brianna's bed and breakfast during the quiet winter season to write his latest mystery surrounded by the setting he has decided on for it. He's very successful as an author but doesn't have anything but a sense of wanderlust. He's always leaving people and places behind before he allows himself to get attached. 

They seem that they would be unlikely lovers, but a romance grows between them during their winter together. Brianna is willing to love even though she sees heartbreak in her future. Gray is much more reluctant to fall in love and decide that he has found a place to stay and a woman to love. 

While this is primarily a romance, discovered letters to Brianna and Maggie's father from a woman he fell in love with when Bri was an infant and the discovery of 10,000 shares of stock in a company Maggie's Rogan can't track down add plot threads of suspense to the story. 

I loved the setting, and I loved both Gray and Brianna whose damaged and empty spots found filling in each other. 

I bought this one from Chirp November 12, 2024, for $3.99. You can buy your copy here.