Book Review: "I Love You Don't Die" by Jade Song

“It’s a privilege to love. To love is to build a life.”

Of course, it was the title of this book that drew me in. I found the book really thought-provoking (and a bit sad), so I’m glad I’m so impressionable!

Vicky is obsessed with death. She has been since she was young. Part of this obsession manifests itself as nightmares about those close to her meeting a tragic end. But she also lives in a 6th-floor walk up above a Chinese funeral parlor, and she decorates her apartment with zhizha, paper creations which are meant to be burned for the dead.

To top it off, she works for Onwards, a celebrity-founded startup which produces bespoke urns and tries to make death less difficult and mysterious for the living. Even though working for Onwards was her dream, she never feels particularly motivated to work, or do much of anything, really. Other than periodic trips to the office, the only person who can get her out of bed and into the world is her best friend, Jen.

Vicky is also desperate to be loved. She matches with a couple seeking a third, and Angela and Kevin provide comfort and love. But she forgets that the course of love—or friendship, for that matter—never runs smoothly. At the first sign of conflict or being driven to question her own motives, she’s quick to destroy rather than communicate. This leads to disastrous consequences and she wonders whether life is worth it.

This book may be a bit triggering for some. It’s part social commentary, part a story about searching for the things and people who make life worth living. Vicky isn’t the most sympathetic or likable character, but her feelings and questions are definitely familiar and powerful.

Book Review: "Served Him Right" by Lisa Unger

I do love it when a thriller or mystery keeps me guessing until the end! I’ve been seeing this one all over the place and I finally had to see what the buzz was about.

Ana is through with her ex, Paul. So through, in fact, that she and her friends are going to gather for an “ex-orcism,” where they all delete him off all of their social media and every other form of communication. In the middle of their girls’ brunch, the police show up. It seems that Paul has been found dead.

It’s not long before the police find out that Ana definitely had motive to murder Paul. But she swears she is innocent, and it appears that Paul had a long list of people who might’ve wished him harm. Yet when Ana’s best friend Iggy, who was also at the brunch, becomes seriously ill as a result of poison, everyone—including Ana’s older sister Vera—starts to suspect Ana.

It turns out, however, that lots of people are hiding secrets. As the police start closing in on Ana, she and Vera are both working on trying to clear her name. But their investigations put them both at risk, and stirs up tensions with a secret group of people with their own axes to grind.

There are a lot of characters who narrate the book, and the story shifts between Vera and Ana’s childhood and the present. I liked learning about natural methods of healing and enjoyed the book’s message about how much harder women have to work and how “perfect” they must be in order to succeed.

Book Review: "Nothing Serious" by Emily J. Smith

“We like to chalk things up to chance. But most things, if you dig deep enough, aren’t chance. Not really.”

Peter and Edie have been best friends since college, when Peter rescued her from a situation beyond her control. In the years since then, Peter has become an ultra-confident, handsome multimillionaire, while Edie feels like her life is stagnating.

Even though Peter has been dating his girlfriend for a number of years, Edie is still a big part of his life. He spends more time texting with Edie than talking to his girlfriend. Edie hopes that maybe he’ll come to his senses and realize he’s been in love with her all along.

When Peter breaks up with his girlfriend, Edie is ready to swoop in. But instead of wallowing in loneliness like she does, he quickly gets on the apps. He meets Anaya, a feminist professor and writer who definitely can hold her own with Peter. He invites Edie to meet Anaya—on their first date—and she realizes that Anaya is an amazing catch. She feels a connection with Anaya and they start to become friends.

And then Anaya is found dead in her apartment, the morning after a date with Peter. It’s all too easy for Edie to get obsessed with things, and she starts becoming more and more suspicious of Peter. She decides to do her own digging to find out whether Anaya’s death really was a suicide or if it was murder.

Edie is a wild character, just a little bit unhinged. But it’s easy to understand one’s obsessions when you feel you don’t have much in your life. I liked the concept of this book more than the execution, and found the pacing uneven.

Book Review: "Thirty Love" by Tom Vellner

You may not know, but I’m a huge sports fan. I’m in heaven now that March Madness is underway and the Masters tournament is in a month or so. But my favorite sport is tennis. I’ve been a fan since I was young, and I religiously watch all of the Grand Slams as well as lots of other tournaments along the way.

Needless to say, I was excited to read Tom Vellner’s debut novel. He captured the intensity of watching tennis matches, especially the Grand Slams, so well.

Leo was at the U.S. Open in 2003, the last time an American man won the tournament. His dad, Johnny, had been a finalist years before. At that moment he knew he wanted to make tennis his life—and he definitely wanted to win the U.S. Open.

Now, nearing 30 years old, Leo has had some success winning tournaments but not a Grand Slam, although he made the semifinals the year before. And while he’s the top-ranked American man, that’s a lot of pressure, not to mention the fact that his father (who is also his coach) has MS, which is starting to affect him more.

The other obstacle Leo has to deal with is Gabe, a rival American player. He seems to have Leo’s number and knows just what to say—and what shot to hit—to get under his skin. Leo has feelings for Gabe he won’t admit, feelings that magnify when Gabe comes out of the closet. Leo admires Gabe for that but doesn’t feel he’s ready to share his truth, until it all bubbles over one game night. Can Leo have Gabe and make his tennis dreams come true?

I enjoyed this so much. Damned if I didn’t get choked up a few times, too! I’ve often wondered why there are no out male tennis players, and this book made me long for the day when it’s not that big of an issue. Chalk this up to my first M/M tennis romance!

Book Review: "Life: A Love Story" by Elizabeth Berg

I would give this book 500 stars if I could! If I were to describe the kind of book that fills my heart, it would be this absolutely beautiful one.

“‘I think it means you can never really get to the bottom of knowing a person,’ Teresa says. ‘There’s so much inside each of us. But you can get a strong sense of certain fundamental qualities. You can come to a point of knowing enough.’”

Flo is 92 years old and she doesn’t have much longer to live. She plans to leave her house and all of its contents to her friend Ruthie. Flo and her late husband lived next door to Ruthie and her family when she was a child, and they doted on her like she was their own. When Ruthie became an adult, she and Flo became close friends.

Flo writes Ruthie a letter explaining the meaning of various possessions—why she keeps a rubber band in a box tied with a ribbon, where a single coffee mug came from and what it meant, etc. In the letter, she shares simple and extraordinary moments in her life and her marriage. She also gives Ruthie advice about love, loss, friendship, and generosity.

I found Flo to be an utterly unforgettable character, and I’m taking some of her advice to heart. This book was profoundly thought-provoking and immensely moving. Elizabeth Berg’s prose is gorgeous and paints indelible pictures in my mind.

“Terrence told her once about a language where there is no word for ‘hello.’ Rather, people greet each other by saying, ‘You are here.’ And the response is ‘Yes, I am.’”

Book Review: "The Best Little Motel in Texas" by Lyla Lane

This cozy mystery featuring the unlikeliest band of amateur detectives was such fun! I hope this is the start of a series.

Cordelia is completely shocked to receive a call from her old hometown of Sarsaparilla Falls, Texas. She and her mother fled the judgmental small town and rebuilt their lives in Dallas, and Cordelia hasn’t thought of the place—or of her childhood, getting her mother home from bars—in years.

It turns out her great-aunt Penelope (whom Cordelia didn’t know existed) passed away, and named her as the owner of the Chickadee Motel. Cordelia can’t imagine working at a motel, but apparently she can’t sell it unless the residents agree. So she reluctantly heads back to Sarsaparilla Falls to see what she’s been stuck with.

Much to her surprise, she finds out that the Chickadee isn’t a motel: it’s a brothel. The “residents” are Daisy, Belinda Sue, and Arline, three women who have been, umm, working with, the men in town for 40 or so years. (Mostly with their wives’ approval.) So Cordelia is the new madam.

The first thing she wants to do is get out of town and away from the motel. But when the town’s pastor dies in Daisy’s bed, and it appears he has been poisoned, Cordelia knows she needs to help her “chicks.” They begin their investigation in order to clear Daisy’s name, but they don’t realize what a tangled web they’ve stepped into.

I could only imagine what a film or television adaptation of this book would look like. Picturing the “chicks” in their outfits made me smile, and Cordelia was a fun character to watch develop. This really was a fun one!

Book Review: "The Night We Met" by Abby Jimenez

“Maybe that’s how you learn truths about yourself, when you’re withered down to nothing so it’s easy to see what’s left."

Abby Jimenez has done it again! Ever since I read her first book back in 2019, each year I eagerly anticipate her next one. I always know she’ll make my heart swoon and she’ll definitely get me choked up, at the very least. Thanks so much to Forever and Abby for the complimentary advance copy!

Larissa and Chris didn’t quite have a meet-cute. They met at the end of a concert, she needed a ride home. She felt like Chris seemed a little grumpy, so she chose to ride home with Mike, Chris’ best friend. Larissa and Mike start dating shortly thereafter.

But as Larissa and Chris get to know each other better, they quickly discover how perfect for each other they are. They both love to eat (especially bread), they love to read, and soon Larissa is co-parenting Woofarine, the overly active dog Chris rescued.

While Chris definitely has feelings for Larissa, she’s his best friend’s girlfriend. He knows he can’t cross a line or he’ll destroy a long-standing friendship. And while Larissa is attracted to Chris, she’s happy with the way Mike treats her. But the truth is, anything that makes her happy, Chris actually does for Mike—and not always with his knowledge. How can Chris stand idly by and let the woman he’s falling for be with someone else who doesn’t have the capacity to take care of her the way she wants and needs?

There are a few issues in the book that could be triggering; check out the author’s note at the beginning to be sure. I found this really emotional yet also hopeful in places, and as always, the dog is adorable but completely manic! I loved this.

The book publishes 3/24.

Book Review: "Bloom" by Robbie Couch

Robbie Couch has been one of my auto-buy authors since I fell in love with his debut, The Sky Blues, several years ago. His previous books have all been YA, so I was excited to read his first adult novel. And it was full of as much heart as his earlier books.

Morris is grieving the sudden death of his husband, Fred. He and his cat mostly stay in the house, as Fred was always the social butterfly of the couple. Morris has lost his passion for everything, and doesn’t want to get together with his former teacher colleagues or anyone.

Fred had had a green thumb, and cares for numerous plants both inside and outside the house. But Morris can’t care for them, and gave most of them away to a science teacher friend. The three remaining plants are dying, much to their chagrin. One plant, Jade, knows her end is nearing but wants to find a way to save herself and her plant friends.

Meanwhile, Morris’ stepdaughter (and former student), Sloan, has been struggling with her father’s death. She’s excited to marry her boyfriend but can’t stand how her mother keeps forcing them to make choices they don’t want. And she’s tired of her mother’s anger toward her father and Morris.

Sloan decides to get to know Morris better, a decision that could rattle her family, as Morris is considered “the enemy.” But Sloan likes seeing her father through Morris’ eyes, and the more she thinks about it, the more she wants him in her life. How will this sit with her mother?

I found this book to be all kinds of adorable and a bit emotional, too. It’s a beautiful reflection on how grief impacts each of us differently, and how harmful it can be not to tell someone when they’re hurting you, or you’re afraid of hurting them. I found myself smiling so many times while reading this!

Book Review: "I Came Back for You" by Kate White

One of the best things about reading a new-to-you author is when you enjoy their work, they often have a backlist to dive into. I really enjoyed Kate White’s newest book and can’t wait to read some of her previous ones!

Ten years have passed since Bree’s daughter Melanie was brutally murdered while at college. Since then she’s moved on with her life in many ways—she relocated to Uruguay with her new partner and she’s become a freelance editor. It’s a peaceful, idyllic life, a welcome respite from the grief that had nearly crushed her.

She is shocked by an unexpected visit from her ex-husband, Logan. Apparently the man convicted of Melanie’s murder confessed to his attorney about two additional murders, and confirmed details of the two young women killed before Melanie. But he did not confirm that he killed Melanie. He died shortly thereafter.

Bree and Logan can’t believe that the killer was telling the truth. But as the police start looking further into Melanie’s case, inconsistencies emerge. Could her real murderer still be out there? Will the police really do their due diligence?

Left with no other choice, Bree returns to Cartersville, the upstate New York town where Melanie was killed. She begins to do a little investigating of her own to try and find who might have actually killed her daughter. As new information emerges, Bree has to decide how far she wants to go with finding the truth. And can she live with the truth if she finds it?

This was a really compelling mystery, with believable twists and turns. White really gave space to Bree and Logan’s unresolved grief as well as Bree’s uncertainty about what she wants next. I loved the combination of suspense and emotion.

Book Review: "Once and Again" by Rebecca Serle

In the Acknowledgements of her powerfully thought-provoking new book, Rebecca Serle said, “[This] is the first book that does not ask the question ‘How will it turn out?’ but instead ponders: ‘How do I sit with what has happened?’” I feel like that really sums up the core of this story.

The women of the Novak family have been given an extraordinary gift. Each has the opportunity to turn back time, once, to erase or redo something. When Lauren was 15, she learned about this gift, as her mother Marcella used hers to save Lauren’s father, who died in a car accident.

Once Marcella chose her moment to redo, although she felt relief, she also felt a great weight placed on her. Now she had no chance for a do-over, which made her more cautious and nervous about everything, particularly her husband’s actions. This definitely strains her relationship with Lauren.

Lauren and her husband Leo have been struggling with fertility issues. When Leo gets a job in NYC for the summer, he moves there, while Lauren returns to her childhood home on the Malibu shores. She misses Leo, although not the constant stress of IVF, and she enjoys surfing with her father and spending time with her grandmother, Sylvia. And Lauren still doesn’t understand why she and her mother can’t get along.

To her surprise, Lauren’s first love, Stone, returns home to care for his dying stepmother. As she watches his grief and reconnects with him for the first time in 10 years, Lauren’s feelings become jumbled. To rediscover her happiness, is there an opportunity to redo something?

Rebecca Serle always knows how to touch my emotions and get me thinking. I definitely cried a bit as I pondered what I would change if I had the chance—or would I? This really would be an excellent book club book, and it’ll certainly be on my mind for a long time!

Book Review: "Toe to Toe" by Falon Ballard

Ballet has been the core of Allegra’s life since she was a young girl. Although pushed by her mother, a former dancer who gave up her career for marriage and a family, Allegra loves ballet more than anything. And she desperately wants to become a principal ballerina.

When her ballet company announces it will produce a new ballet, Allegra desperately wants the lead role. But her director told her that he doesn’t think she has the sex appeal to land the part. She is determined to prove him wrong.

After attending her sister’s bachelorette party at an all-male dance club, Allegra is mesmerized by the show’s star, and the owner of the club, Cord. In addition to his obvious physical attributes, she’s impressed by his dancing ability and his overall sex appeal.

Allegra comes up with an interesting proposition for Cord. She’d like him to teach her to be sexier when she dances. Although he’s reluctant at first, he doesn’t want to let her walk away. And being the one to help her realize her own sex appeal is a powerful motivator.

The more they dance together, the stronger their attraction grows. Allegra knows she’s fallen for Cord, but she can’t let a relationship derail her career. Cord knows that Allegra will be pressured to choose between her career and a relationship. What happens if she chooses ballet? Where does that leave him?

While there weren’t too many surprises in the book, I really enjoyed Allegra and Cord’s banter and chemistry. I’m a sucker for stories about dancers and other performers, and juxtaposing ballet with male strippers was really an interesting twist. Once again, Falon Ballard utterly charms me!

Book Review: "This Story Might Save Your Life" by Tiffany Crum

We may be only one-quarter of the way into 2026, but I feel pretty confident saying that this is going to be another year of fantastic debut novels! Tiffany Crum’s book, a hybrid mystery/romance, definitely was a great read.

Benny and Joy are best friends and cohosts of a satirical survival podcast. Each episode envisions a somewhat improbable scenario, but inspired by real life—what happens if you get swallowed by a whale, for instance—and they have to brainstorm ways to survive.

The podcast is an enormous hit, thanks to the charm and humor of the hosts and the business strategy of Xander, Joy’s husband. Things are about to get even bigger, as they’re about to sign a lucrative distribution contract and publish a co-written memoir.

But one morning when Benny goes to Joy’s house to finish recording, it appears Joy, Xander, and their dog have disappeared. No one can figure out what happened, and as the police begin to investigate, it appears there are a lot of secrets that were hidden. And soon their attention turns to Benny.

The book shifts between the present and the chapters of the memoir that Joy wrote. Both narratives introduce just as many questions as they do answers.

Although the pacing ebbs and flows, I found this tremendously compelling. I don’t know if I was completely enamored of Joy as a character, but the banter between her and Benny was terrific. (Extra points for the Happy Days angle.) On the whole, I couldn’t put this down and can’t wait to see what Crum does next!

Book Review: "No Matter What" by Cara Bastone

“‘Don’t waste your energy over how you think things should be,’ Deb booms. ‘See things for how they actually are.’”

It has been a rough year for Roz and Vin. They were involved in a serious accident that upended their lives, causing injuries to both of them and Vin’s brother Raff. But even though their physical recovery has gone well, Roz and Vin haven’t slept in the same bed in nearly a year, and can barely stand to be in the same room.

As tough as it gets, Roz still hopes that they’ll be able to work things out. Although the fact that neither will come out and say what they’re thinking or feeling certainly complicates matters. But when Roz finds that Vin has signed a lease for an apartment of his own, she is devastated.

The two are moving in separate orbits and living in separate rooms. To help absorb some of her time alone, Roz signs up for a figure drawing class. She finds herself inspired by this exploration of her creative side.

As the date for Vin to move out draws closer, they’re still drawn to each other, physically and emotionally. Vin agrees to serve as Roz’s model for her to sharpen her skills. And it is through the time they spend together, with Roz focused on every aspect of her husband’s body, that they start to see each other more clearly again. Is there a chance they’ll make it back to one another before it’s too late?

I wanted to love this book but for some reason it never quite clicked with me. I found their struggles very emotional and I wanted them to rebuild, but neither of them communicated clearly, which always drives me crazy in books. Still, the story was a powerful one.

Book Review: "Wait for Me" by Amy Jo Burns

Amy Jo Burns’ last book, Mercury, was one of my favorite books of 2024. Needless to say, I was looking forward to this and I’m grateful to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy.

Unfortunately, this book didn’t work as well for me as Mercury did, but it was an intriguing story. Marijohn is 18 years old in 1991, spending the summer working at her father’s gas station and writing songs she plays on her broken mandolin. Her best friend Lazarus is her cowriter, duet partner, and overall sidekick.

Marijohn’s father swears that he was the last person to see country music phenomenon Elle Harlow before she disappeared in 1973. He’s obsessed with keeping Elle’s legacy alive, and there’s a distinct possibility she could be Marijohn’s mother. She longs to know the truth.

The last night before Lazarus leaves for college, Marijohn is determined to tell him she loves him. But when a meteor strikes their town that night, it changes the course of everything, and brings secrets long hidden to the surface.

The book shifts to Elle’s story for a bit. We see her apprenticing to a healer, craving a musical career, and feeling unloved and unsupported. Her story shows that talent can flourish anywhere.

I felt like a lot of the dialogue in the book, particularly where Marijohn and Elle were concerned, was almost stream of consciousness. There’s a lot of miscommunication here, which is my least favorite trope to read about. But the central themes of loss, longing, and love really resonated with me.

Book Review: "Dear Monica Lewinsky" by Julia Langbein

Thanks so much to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book I was eagerly anticipating!

Sigh. I’m guessing this is more “it’s not the book, it’s me,” because I’m starting to realize that sometimes satirical books just don’t work for me. This may be why I struggled with the author’s last book, although like this one, I loved the concept.

When Jean receives an invitation to attend a former professor’s retirement ceremony in France, she is completely undone. She hasn’t communicated with this man since she studied abroad in 1998, and they had an inappropriate relationship. Jean believes this is what derailed her life all those years ago.

As she looks at her diaries and photos from that time, she realizes that her affair with her professor happened at the same time as the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Her life seems to be unraveling, so she decides to pray to Monica for guidance, as you would a saint. And Saint Monica answers.

I was living in the DC area during the whole Clinton/Lewinsky affair, and I always felt she got a raw deal. I really wanted to love the book, but it just didn’t work for me.

The book will publish 4/14.

Book Review: "Her Last Breath" by Taylor Adams

I stayed up until 2:00 am because I absolutely couldn’t put this book down. This was the same feeling I had when I read Taylor Adams’ debut thriller, No Exit.

Tess and her best friend Allie grew up together. In fact, when Tess finally got the courage to speak up about her mom’s abuse, she moved in with Allie and her family through high school. They took different paths—Tess went to law school and Allie became a popular travel influencer—but they’ve found their way back to each other.

After much persuading, Tess finally agrees to go caving with Allie. Yet as they start to make their descent down an immensely claustrophobic path, they realize they are not alone. An earlier confrontation with a fellow caver leaves them vulnerable.

Before she realizes it, Tess is stranded in a narrow passage with no way of getting back up safely—and her oxygen is getting depleted. She has to use every ounce of strength she has to fight for survival, against a killer determined to thwart her every move.

From her hospital bed, Tess recounts every painful and frightening moment of this horrible day. But the detective who is investigating her ordeal tells Tess that there are secrets that Allie was keeping, secrets which might mean this seemingly random attack might not have been so random.

I’ve never gone caving before and have no desire to, ever. But Adams’ imagery made me feel like I was stuck right there with Tess. This was an absolutely heart-pounding book, and it took a while for my adrenaline to level off after reading!

Book Review: "We Burned So Bright" by TJ Klune

TJ Klune is one of my favorite authors of all time. Three of his books have been #1 on three year-end lists. His books leave me sobbing, smiling, and thinking, usually all at once. Thanks so much to Tor Books and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy of this book!

“‘Do we live to be remembered?,’ Don asked. ‘Or do we live to live?’”

Don and Rodney have been together for more than 40 years, and even got legally married in 2015. They’re both a little grumpy and stubborn at times, but the love they have for each other is fierce and beautiful. They’ve seen good times and bad, but they’ve faced everything together.

And while they take their vows seriously—even “‘til death do us part”—they’re not expecting the news that a black hole is headed for earth and the planet is going to be destroyed in a month. But they’re not going to wallow. They’re going to leave their home in Maine and drive to Washington State, to complete one final task they promised to do.

Along their drive across the country they encounter many different people. Some demonstrate great empathy and love despite their fears, but others definitely threaten the men’s sense of security. But as they reach their final destination, they realize how lucky they are to have shared each other’s lives.

This was absolutely beautiful. Of course it made me cry, but I also thought about what I would do in this situation. I highlighted so many sentences in this book; Klune’s prose always leaves me awestruck!

The book will publish 4/28.

Book Review: "Lake Effect" by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney

It’s 1977 in suburban Rochester, NY. A woman who has scandalized her neighborhood by getting divorced decides to buy her friends a copy of The Joy of Sex. What she views as a bit of a prank sets off some serious ripples.

Nina is married to Sam and they have two teenage daughters, Clara and Bridie. When Nina gets a copy of the book and hears her friends sharing details about their sex lives, she realizes how empty her own is. At that moment she decides she wants to have an affair, and when she lands on her neighbor, Finn, he’s all too willing to partake.

But the ramifications of an affair in their claustrophobic neighborhood quickly cause Nina to put the brakes on. Yet Finn, who is deeply dissatisfied in his own marriage, can’t imagine a life without Nina. To the surprise of everyone, Nina and Finn leave their families, get quickie divorces and marry each other, and head back to town.

The family members left behind each feel a different sense of betrayal. But her mother’s actions hit Clara in a different way: she was just falling in love with Finn’s son Dune, who now wants nothing to do with her.

The book spans from the 1970s to the 1990s, and traces the many ways the actions of Finn and Nina continue to cause issues for their families years later. There is a lot that occurs in this book and there’s definitely some weighty content, but it never felt forced or false.

Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney has a real knack for capturing the dynamics and dysfunctions of families. I was swept into the story of the Larkins and the Finnegans, and was amused, moved, and affected by them.

Book Review: "The Shards" by Bret Easton Ellis

“We were teenagers distracted by sex and pop music, movies and celebrity, lust and ephemera and our own neutral innocence.”

In high school and college, Bret Easton Ellis was an auto-buy author for me. Less Than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, and American Psycho definitely cemented his talent for me. I read another one or two of his books in the late 1990s and that was it, until in 2023 his first book in 13 years, The Shards was released. I was excited but 600 pages?

Anyway, the book has been glaring at me from my shelves so I finally picked it up. We find ourselves in 1981, at the prestigious Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, CA. Bret is a senior, and he and his friends have a singular plan: get as drunk, as high, as stoned as possible.

Surprisingly, a new student, Robert Mallory, joins the senior class. His effortless charms win over many of Bret’s friends, but not Bret himself. He’s suspicious of Robert and why anyone would go to a different school in their senior year.

As Bret’s resentments grow, so does his obsession with The Trawler, a serial killer who is going after young women. Bret gets totally engrossed in the search for the killer, and then he decides to make a timeline of the murders. He makes a shocking discovery: the murders seem to correlate with Robert’s arrival in California.

This is definitely a work of fiction, despite its connections to reality. It treads some of the same territory of Ellis’ early books—the rich, affected, drug-addicted students—but it also has its gruesome moments in describing the murders. The core of the story was really compelling but the plot meandered and the book didn’t need to be this long. I’m glad I finally read it though!

Book Review: "Feeding the Grump" by Jax Calder

“I’m fairly sure that when I’m on my deathbed, I’ll still be cursing Benji Gange’s name.”

This rom-com was all kinds of adorable, fun, and steamy. I’m a huge fan of Jax Calder; she’s become an auto-buy author for me, so I was already sold on this—and then she threw in a little mischievous lamb.

David is a farmer in New Zealand. He’s very by-the-books, a stickler for traditional farming practices. Which is why Benji, who inherited the neighboring farm is such a nuisance to him. Benji isn’t interested in blithely following the way things always are done; he does research and tries new methods.

If there’s one place where David colors outside the lines, it’s his garden. He’s constantly experimenting with new varieties of fruits and vegetables, and given that he always has an overabundance of his crops, he usually shares them with Benji. It’s amazing how Benji can get under his skin so easily but David still wants to share his crops with him. And Benji usually uses the food to cook for David.

One day, the smallest of David’s lambs gets loose. He starts frantically searching for it, and Benji pitches in to help. When Benji gets tangled up in a bush, David has to help free him. And at that moment, he realizes that his feelings for Benji are far stronger than simply neighborly ones. Is it possible that Benji feels the same way? (Spoiler alert: he does.)

I couldn’t stop smiling when I was reading this. The chemistry between the characters was terrific, there was some hot steam, and their banter was so sweet. I know I can’t go wrong with a Jax Calder romance!

Book Review: "Collateral Stardust: Chasing Warren Beatty and Other Foolish Things"

Nikki Nash’s memoir was such a fun read. Take a healthy helping of Hollywood hijinks, more than a dash of family dysfunction, and a few cups of battling the demons of addiction and depression, and stir in some introspection. Lots of nostalgia and gossip, too!

In the 1970s, 14-year-old Nikki Nash saw Warren Beatty for the first time. She decided that she wanted him to love her and be hers. So she laid out a plan that once she was grown up (like 18 years old), she would find him.

“…my focus on Warren Beatty was absolute, and with him, I’d find a great love. It wasn’t some girly crush that would include posters on my wall or putting his photo in a secret diary. I wanted more. It was my mission to know him. Not to meet him, not to get an autograph, but to know him and have him in my life forever.”

Working as a hostess at an LA restaurant Beatty frequented, she waited to meet him. A year later, at 19, at a moment she felt unclean and unattractive, her wish came true. Once she and Beatty spoke, it was the start of something significant. It wasn’t quite the love affair she’d imagined, but the two had an on-again, off-again relationship of sorts which lasted for a few decades.

The celebrities with whom she came into contact through Beatty were fascinating. At the same time, she wanted to forge her own path, and in the book she tells of her experiences trying all sorts of things: acting, stand-up, writing, directing, and working for many television shows. She had lots of relationships and spent a significant amount of time dealing with drug and alcohol addiction as well as eating disorders. She also talks about her journey of recovery and self-discovery.

Nash swept me into her story immediately. Her voice is so approachable and fun, and even when things in her life were at their toughest, reading this was like talking to a friend. I’m so grateful she was willing to share her story!

Book Review: "Pinky Swear" by Danielle Girard

Another highly anticipated book exceeds my expectations! I really loved this thriller, both for the suspense and emotionally rich story. I love thrillers but it’s always a nice surprise when there’s emotional complexity as well.

They were inseparable best friends while growing up. Lexi, Mara, and Cate were always together, sharing gossip, secrets, and fierce loyalty. But a few weeks before graduation, tragedy struck, and the resulting guilt, anger, and hurt destroyed the friendships.

After no contact for 16 years, Mara shows up at Lexi’s door. She is hurt and frightened, on the run from an abusive, vindictive husband. Lexi is more than happy to provide Mara with a safe haven, and after a little time, it’s like there was no interruption of their friendship.

When Lexi confides in Mara about her fertility issues and the fact that her husband isn’t interested in having a baby, Mara steps in. She offers to be Lexi’s surrogate, and as Mara’s pregnancy continues, Lexi is full of joy and appreciation for her friend’s sacrifice.

Four days before Mara is due to give birth, she disappears. Lexi cannot believe what is happening. She is (fairly) sure Mara wouldn’t leave at this point in her pregnancy. Was she taken or did she flee? As Lexi tries to track her friend’s whereabouts, she realizes that there are lots of things about Mara that don’t add up. And some of these secrets date back to high school…

I’ve enjoyed Danielle Girard’s books before, but I was completely swept into this one. The suspense of figuring out whom to trust, along with the nostalgia of old friendships and the pull of motherhood, really made this an unputdownable read.