Tag: Romance

Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.

Ali is a professional organizer whose life is a mess. 2 years ago she lost her mother to illness, a year ago she lost her husband when he walked out on her while she was still under the haze of grief, and much longer ago she lost herself to the chaos and upheaval of mothering three children.

Just about the time Ali decides she must do something to get her life in order – beginning with wearing hard pants again – she has a meet cute of sorts with a hunky man at the dog park. While he may not be Mr. Right, he’s Mr. Alright-For-Now and Ali is willing to add a little mess to her life in the form of a fun summer fling because she deserves a little fun!But Ali might just be in for more than she bargained for.

For the last 3 years I have had the pleasure of ushering in summer with an Annabel Monaghan book and in my opinion Summer Romance is her best yet! Ali is a heroine to cheer for with a relatable arc of struggling to find herself amidst the chaos of raising kids and managing a household. I always appreciate that Monaghan’s stories feature more mature MCs; middle aged moms deserve a little romance too!

I loved Ali and Ethan together and adored the coastal New England small town setting. This story has romance, redemption, cute dogs, a quaint setting, descriptions of highly organized pantries, and grown up skater boys – truly what more can one ask for in a beach read?!

Thanks to the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy.

Alexa, play “Smooth” by Santana featuring Rob Thomas.

Now that we’ve set the tone…

New York City, summer 1999. Sawyer, a lowly publishing assistant and recent NYC transplant is staring down the barrel of a summer filled with long, lonely weekends as office buildings empty early on Fridays allowing white collar workers to escape the heat of the city by decamping to beachier destinations. While her fiance works nights and weekends with his too-close-for-comfort co-worker Kendra, Sawyer spends a lot of time alone in their apartment waiting for life to begin. A chance encounter with Kendra’s boyfriend, Nick, leads Sawyer to unexpected summer adventures and an opportunity to reexamine her choices and future.

Summer Fridays is a nostalgic romance that captures NYC at the turn of the millennium. Sawyer and Nick correspond a lot over email and AIM and, as someone who spent much time during formative years chatting online I can assure, the dialog is pitch perfect. The chats beg for a You’ve Got Mail comparison and I don’t think that’s far off, Summer Fridays definitely lives in the same universe as your favorite Nora Ephron rom-com.

Messy and gray and a little angsty this story won’t be for every reader, but I found a lot to appreciate and I expect this book will find its way to many a reader’s tote or beach bag this summer!

Recommended for fans of Renee Carlino.

It’s rare that I rave about a romance book but here I am about to do just that!

After an anomalous one night hookup with Brooklyn bar owner, Ethan, Eve finds herself unexpectedly pregnant and though far from the adultiest of adults she wants to keep the pregnancy. This choice will have far reaching consequences for Eve and Ethan, obviously, but also the chosen family within Eve’s sphere, namely, siblings Willa and Shep who have been her chosen family for much of her life.

Ready or Not is a messy love story, but it is that, a love story, one brimming with love in many forms, including romance. With snappy dialog, perfectly imperfect characters, nuance, and so much warmth, Ready or Not shows what is possible when you open yourself to possibility.

I could not get enough of this book! Totally huggable and recommended for fans of Emily Henry.

I’ve heard Bastone’s backlist is also worthwhile so I’m going to have to check that out next!

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Complimentary review copy provided by publisher.

Daphne, like many women in their early 30s, is looking for love. Unlike many (all?) other women who might look to the Universe for a sign to help direct their love life, Daphne receives mysterious notes every time she begins a new relationship telling her just how long it will last. 3 days, 5 weeks, 1 night, 2 years, from the onset Daphne knows what to expect. But the night of a blind date she receives a blank note for the first time. This note will change everything for Daphne.

Expiration Dates is a solid and somewhat unexpected romance. Just when you think you know where the story is going everything changes. And Daphne’s journey is not just one of romance, it’s also about self-love and self-determination. I really appreciated the touch of magical realism and the tour of LA; I suspect people who know the area will recognize many of the places and locations mentioned.

Pub Date: 3/19

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Complimentary review copy provided by publisher.

This is the book everyone was most looking forward to from my March releases post . I just finished reading this morning and had to share my thoughts right away so you all know to prioritize this one!

After her husband detonates their life and marriage 41-year-old Soledad is blindsided, left to pick up the pieces and rebuild a life for herself and their 3 daughters. This Could Be Us is a story of healing, resilience, and love in many forms, including romance.

A satisfying story, Soledad is an admirable heroine to cheer for, but Kennedy Ryan adds a few meaty pieces that really add up to something great:

Complex family dynamics. Not only is Soledad navigating crisis with an eye toward helping her daughters stay whole and heal, she herself comes from not uncomplicated origins. Soledad’s love interest, Judah, has a beautiful, functional, blended family showing divorce doesn’t always mean the end of love and care for one another.

Autism representation. Judah is a parent to twin teen boys with Autism. It appears Ryan, herself a parent of a child with Autism per her Author’s Note, has provided an  accurate and nuanced representation of a family navigating Autism.

Domestic labor. Soledad did not work outside the home, her family was her work, so when her husband upends their lives he left his family reeling with no income. Part of Soledad’s journey of self-discovery is learning to use her skills and expertise to earn an income to support her family. I thought this was well done and appreciated the focus on the typically overlooked value of domestic labor.

This Could Be Us is something of a slow burn if you’re expecting a traditional romance, though once that spark ignites the wait is well worth it, but there’s really so much to appreciate with Soledad’s journey.

Though this is the second book in the Skyland series (beginning with Before I Let Go) both books can be enjoyed as stand alone novels with overlapping characters. I’ve read both and Kennedy Ryan is now an official auto-read author!

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