Book Review: "Fail Sons" by Adam Wilson

Scott and his younger brother Nick have to fly to Arizona to pick up their father’s body, which has been cryonically frozen since his death in the 1990s. The plan is to take him back to the cryo company’s headquarters and they will attempt to reanimate him in a few years.

So they’re driving across the country with their father’s body on dry ice in a trailer. They’re both obsessed with the app that tracks the body’s temperature, since if it thaws it will no longer be viable. Scott and Nick don’t get along well, and they couldn’t be more different. Scott is a lazy stoner whose wife is about to have their first baby; Nick is uptight but in excellent physical shape.

“I’m here because I’m going through what may, in fact, be a midlife crisis on the cusp of fatherhood, and though the nominal purpose of our journey is to transport our father’s frozen corpse across this fair nation under the delusion that he might rise again—like the South, like Christ on Easter, like Rocky after twelve rounds with the Russian—what I really want is a drunken send-off before my firstborn arrives, and I’m disappointed that you’re not the right companion for the job.”

Nick insists on wearing a KN95 mask, as it’s 2022 and he never contracted COVID during the pandemic. But of course, as they drive through red states, his mask immediately gets peoples’ hackles up.

Their road trip sees them interacting with hippies, visiting Nick’s old girlfriend, taking various drugs, and mostly avoiding talking about their father. Meanwhile, Scott is worried about his wife and dealing with back and prostate problems, but he views the trip as a bit of a last hurrah.

This was darkly funny and very thought-provoking. It certainly was an adventure I never imagined reading about! I found both of the brothers to be amusing, quirky characters in their own way, and I was really curious about what would happen to their father’s body.

Book Review: "Kiss Slay Replay" by Rachel Harrison

Over the last few years, I’ve become a huge fan of Rachel Harrison’s books, despite the fact that I don’t read much horror. But her upcoming book, Kiss Slay Replay, may be my most favorite yet. Thanks so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Being a wedding guest can definitely be stressful, even when your best friends are getting married. Willa is dreading her friends’ wedding because she recently ended her own engagement, and her ex will be there, too. She knows that breaking up with Ravi was the right thing, but why is she so conflicted?

Despite her misgivings, she drives up to the wedding. It’s being held at a posh summer camp-turned-wedding venue, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. All of her best friends are there and they quickly fall into old behaviors and routines. And then she finds out that Ravi has brought a date to the wedding.

Before she can completely spiral, she meets Danny, an old friend of the groom’s. They flirt and mess around a bit, and plan for more—but then a masked killer comes out of the woods and starts murdering everyone. Willa and Danny try to rescue people but nearly everyone has been killed—and then the killer comes after them. And just as she gets killed…

…she wakes up in her apartment, having had the craziest nightmare. But it turns out it’s the morning of the wedding again. She’s freaked out but knows she has to try and save her friends this time. No luck, however. She’s fallen into some type of murderous time loop, and each time she relives the wedding, the killing gets more and more brutal. Can she escape and stay alive?

This is definitely bloody and more than a bit disturbing. But apart from the horror, this is a poignant look at how our lives take different paths from our friends, and what do you do when things don’t go the way you planned? I loved this.

The book will publish 9/1.

Book Review: "Bridget and Gabe Are Not Okay" by Lex Croucher

It’s time to return to Camelot for the sequel to Gwen & Art Are Not In Love. Thanks so much to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!

All is not happy in Camelot. With the death of the king, his son Gabriel has (reluctantly) assumed the throne, and he’s so ill-at-ease that it’s starting to cause a crisis in the kingdom. And since he became king, Gabriel has ended his relationship with Arthur, despite how much he loves him.

Meanwhile, Gabe’s sister Gwendoline is also having a romantic crisis. Bridget, the only female knight in the kingdom, left several months ago and hasn’t responded to any of Gwen’s letters. Bridget, who has always been unshakable when a challenge arises, suddenly can’t win a joust.

In a move to engender goodwill among his subjects, King Gabriel convenes a new round table. He and his knights will travel throughout the kingdom, investigating the rumored sightings of the questing beast and the green knight, and determining whether the holy grail has been found. Of course, Gabe’s anxiety increases at every appearance he makes, and he’s rapidly coming unglued.

Can Gabe become the king he was born to be? Can Bridget recapture her jousting skills? And can love return to Gabe and Arthur, and Gwen and Bridget?

I really love these characters so it was great to have a sequel. This book is a lot more serious and less playful than its predecessor, dealing with grief and anxiety and recovery. But the found family and the romance at the book’s core warmed my heart and made me smile.

Book Review: "Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It" by Brooke Avelar

I believe the last few years have seen more phenomenal debut novels than ever before. I love reading books from my auto-buy authors, but I get so excited when the book I’m loving is a debut. Add this one to the list—it was great!!

“There were approximately one hundred and fifty boys in my grade at Manhasset Central Middle School. By the time I turned twelve, I had been in love with at least one hundred and twenty-five of them. If I didn’t have a crush, I didn’t see the point of getting out of bed in the morning.”

Phoebe is in love with love. She’s been reading romances since she was young, hiding the smuttier ones under her bed. In seventh grade she was more than ready for her first kiss—but the expectation led to anxiety, which led to, well, a disastrous reaction. Since that moment, getting close to a guy makes her so nervous that she usually cancels dates.

But now, a month from her 30th birthday, Phoebe is still a virgin. She’s determined to change that, so being the overly organized teacher that she is, she puts together a checklist on losing her virginity in 30 days. (And she laminates it.)

As she starts making her plans, she unexpectedly winds up with three potential suitors. There’s Finn, the hot new 4th grade teacher; Matthew, a former high school classmate with whom she competes in Wordle and Words with Friends; and then there’s her roommate, Jonathan, who has been one of her best friends since college. Will one of these men help her achieve her goal?

This was a fun book, with lots of banter between the characters. And while Phoebe’s plight is definitely amusing, I loved the way this book dealt with her anxiety and other mental health issues. As Brooke Averick says in her author’s note, we rarely see this side of a character in a romance, and I’m so glad that we did!

Book Review: "The Open Era" by Edward Schmit

I love that I’m still in my sports romance era. But while hockey romance started the fire, I’ve become super-athletic over the last year or two. (I’ve read baseball, soccer, sailing, and tennis romances, among others.) Thanks so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advance copy of this one!!

Austin has worked so hard to fulfill his dream of being a professional tennis player. He’s played challenger tournaments all over the world. And now, he’s made it to the main draw of the U.S. Open.

But while the realization of this dream is exciting, there’s an extra level of history being made. Austin is the first openly gay male tennis player to compete in a Grand Slam tournament. While he’s been out since high school, this is a big deal for the tennis world, and it imbues Austin’s matches with an extra something.

He’d like to just focus on his tennis, but the media wants to talk more about his sexuality. It’s not helping his anxiety—while practicing before his first big match he has a panic attack, which sends him tumbling on the court. His team says Austin’s collapse was due to the heat, so no one asks questions. No one except Diego Cruz, the second-ranked player in the world, who helped him back up. Handsome Diego, with the 8-pack.

Much to Austin’s surprise, Diego wants to become friends. Austin believes Diego is straight, but their flirty banter and deep conversations confuse him a bit. While the two may meet in the fourth round of the Open, Austin’s anxiety starts to intensify the more he falls for Diego. Can he put those feelings aside to go after his tennis dreams?

While there are definitely romantic elements and some steam in the book, I loved the way Edward Schmit focused on Austin’s anxiety and other issues. There’s lots of tennis action but nothing too technical, just some great play-by-play to get your adrenaline pumping. I really enjoyed this debut novel.

The book publishes 6/2.

Book Review: "Star Shipped" by Cat Sebastian

Over the last few years, Cat Sebastian has become one of my favorite romance writers. Her last two books, We Could Be So Good and You Should Be So Lucky, both made my year-end best-of lists, so I was really excited to read this, her first contemporary romance.

Simon and Charlie are two of the stars of a long-running sci-fi show. They have terrific onscreen chemistry, which is interesting considering they can’t stand each other in real life. Simon is talented, and has awards to prove it; Charlie came to show fresh from a reality show. Each has the uncanny ability to make the other one mad.

Charlie is definitely a golden retriever; he’s tremendously good-looking, is tremendously social, and is well-liked by cast and crew. But Simon, on the other hand, is a black cat. He comes across as cold and often condescending. Not all of it is intentional, though. Simon has been dealing with anxiety issues for a number of years, not to mention OCD.

Simon has finally made the decision not to renew his contract. He’s very excited, as he plans to go to New York and do some experimental theater. He also can’t wait to be rid of Charlie. However, when the media starts hinting there is tension between the two men, they decide to embody a very public friendship.

They start to realize they enjoy each other’s company more than they thought. When Charlie needs to go out of town for a family emergency, Simon goes with him, and little by little, the walls between them come down. But if Simon goes to New York, what does that mean for this burgeoning relationship?

I loved this book for so many reasons. This is such a beautiful love story between two people who are so skittish about being vulnerable, and who desperately need to be needed. The banter between them is playful and a little sarcastic at times, the steam is quite steamy, and the mental health representation is so fantastic.

Book Review: "George Falls Through Time" by Ryan Collett

“Did I want to go home? And which one was that?”

George has it bad. He’s lost his job, the rent and other bills are due, and his boyfriend broke up with him and moved out of their London flat. Desperate to make money, he works as a dog walker, but he cuts corners in order to walk more dogs at a time than he’s supposed to.

On a walk with six dogs owned by immensely high strung people, George looks up to discover two of the dogs are missing. How is he going to explain this to their owners? In the midst of trying to rescue one of the dogs, he trips and falls.

When he comes to, he’s in the middle of Greenwich Park, as he was when he fell. But the park is much quieter and emptier, and nothing looks familiar. As he discovers, somehow he’s wound up in the year 1300. Uh-oh.

Life in 14th-century London isn’t much better for George. He finds himself imprisoned, starved, and tortured. But his luck turns when one of his captors, Simon, helps him escape and they run off together and fall in love. But then there’s this thing with the King and a dragon…

This book was certainly wacky and really creative. But George isn’t the most appealing character, and at least at the start of the book, his dialogue is written as a stream of conscious marathon, full of run-on sentences. I liked the themes of rediscovery and anxiety about wanting to be loved, but it just took a long while to get there.

Book Review: "Recipe for Trouble" by Dylan Morrison

As I was reading this fun, sweet, and swoony rom-com, I really wished it was adapted into a movie. The chemistry between the two main characters was adorable and intense.

Ben is a video editor for a multimedia company. He’s good at his job, although he hates it and his colleagues don’t make him feel like he’s a part of the team. He’s a fairly solitary person and he’s tried to convince himself that’s fine.

One day he gets a request from someone in another part of the company to help with a video. Apparently Ben is told it’s a disaster. And that couldn’t be more accurate. It’s a cooking demonstration, and while the chef is clearly knowledgeable (and very hot), he’s an absolute mess in front of the camera.

Ben makes Pete, the chef, look like an expert. He does such a good job that the powers that be want Pete to host more videos. Pete does not want to, but he has no choice, so Ben starts to collaborate with him to help Pete adjust. The more time they spend together, Ben starts to understand what makes Pete tick, and Pete can somehow charm cranky, cynical Ben.

As the chemistry between them intensifies, the videos they produce garner more and more viewers. But when outside forces threaten to sabotage their work and their burgeoning relationship, both will need to prove what they’re made of—and whether the two of them together can truly be a recipe for success.

There was so much I loved about this book—the banter, the cooking, the supporting characters, and, of course, Ben and Pete. I will admit I didn’t quite understand Pete’s major hangup which seems to hang over them, but I was rooting for both of them to stop flailing about. This really made me grin like an idiot.

Book Review: "One Week to Win the Chocolate Maker" by Timothy Janovsky

My favorite movie of all time is Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC of a spicy M/M romance retelling of the story, I was excited and nervous. Thanks so much to Harlequin Books and NetGalley for the opportunity!

The Amorina Chocolate Factory has been in Dario Cotogna’s family for generations. Since his beloved grandfather died, Dario has been running the business, paying close attention to sustainability issues. But when his grandfather’s will is read, Dario is shocked: if he doesn’t marry before his 32nd birthday, the business will pass to his younger brother.

Dario isn’t dating anyone, but his grandfather thought of everything. A global competition is launched, and five contestants will be chosen. They’ll fly to Italy and stay for a week, to get to know Dario and the chocolate business, and then he will choose which one he wants to marry.

Charlie has never been out of his Pennsylvania hometown, let alone the country. He lives in a dilapidated house with his parents and grandparents, and he’s just found out the bank is about to foreclose. When Charlie reads about the contest, he realizes this could be his ticket to save his family and perhaps pursue his own dreams.

Charlie’s competitors are all very different: Selina, a trans supermodel; Beau, a musician always up for adventure; Ansel, a German watch expert; and Michelle, a design student. As the week progresses, Charlie and Dario’s connection deepens, but both are hiding their vulnerabilities. Will true love (and chocolate) win?

I loved that while this book was similar to the original story, it wasn’t a true retelling. (Spoiler alert: no Oompa-Loompas.) But Dario and Charlie were terrific, sympathetic characters, and their encounters were quite spicy. Timothy Janovsky never disappoints me!

The book will publish 1/27/2026.

Book Review: "Tilt" by Emma Pattee

Wow. This was such a powerfully written book, one which filled me with anxious tension.

It’s the first day of Annie’s maternity leave, as she’s nine months pregnant and ready to give birth. She decides to go to IKEA to buy a crib for the baby, as she and her husband haven’t gotten around to that task yet. In the middle of shopping, a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon, throwing the city—and Annie—into utter chaos.

“Last I checked, your father and I have $836 in a checking account at Wells Fargo, a Subaru with 160,000 miles on it, and a two-bedroom apartment we can only afford because the landlord feels too guilty to raise our rent or kick us out. And here I am, thirty-seven weeks pregnant at IKEA. On a Monday. With a credit card I’ll probably die before I pay off.”

With no way to reach her husband because phone lines are down, and with the streets either wrecked or clogged with traffic, Annie decides to walk to the cafe where her husband works.

As she walks through the streets and witnesses the destruction first-hand, Annie reflects on her life, her marriage, and her anxieties over the impending birth of her baby. Her emotions spiral through fear, anxiety, grief, and anger, and she grows more uncomfortable physically.

Along the way she encounters examples of human kindness as well as the chaos that occurs during natural disasters like this. She’s not fully sure that she and her husband are ready to be parents (or adults, for that matter), especially as she witnesses the anxieties of parents.

Emma Pattee is a climate journalist, and that expertise is truly evident in the imagery she uses. I felt like I was walking beside Annie, seeing the same destruction and feeling aftershocks along the way. This book really made me think how I’d handle being in this situation.

Book Review: "Wedding Dashers" by Heather McBreen

This book was exactly what I needed! What a fun, sexy, and surprisingly emotional debut this was.

Whenever her sister Allison was sad or in trouble, Ada fixed it. She was there to pick up the pieces every time Allison’s relationships would go bad. But when Allison gets engaged after only knowing her fiancé for a short time, Ada keeps waiting for the other shoe to drop. And she might have told Allison that marrying Collin wasn’t the best idea.

The relationship between the sisters is definitely strained, which is why Ada is taking a budget airline to Allison’s fantasy wedding at a castle in Belfast. Of course, the travel gods are not on her side—her flight is canceled and there’s not another one for at least several days, which means she’ll miss the wedding.

As her travel karma goes from bad to worse, a meet-cute with a handsome man helps ease the pain. It turns out this stranger, Jack, happens to be the best man at Allison’s wedding, so the two plan to travel together—a plan that is fraught with roadblock after roadblock. They can’t deny their obvious attraction to one another, but Ada and her boyfriend of 8 years are on a break, and Jack has a reputation for being a bit of a player.

“I wish there was a word for it. The space between longing for someone but not quite loving them.”

Wedding Dashers is definitely a slow burn, and Ada’s early indecision is a little irksome, but the chemistry between her and Jack is excellent. Are there surprises? Not really. Did it matter? Not with the banter, the steam, and the emotion, not to mention the setting!!

Book Review: "More or Less Maddy" by Lisa Genova

“She’s bipolar. That word gets thrown around without a medical license all the time, mostly by boys to describe girls as crazy. It’s a derogatory dart meant to demean and dismiss its target. But those boys aren’t doctors, and Dr. Weaver isn’t hurling names.”

Maddy’s first year at NYU was definitely stressful, but isn’t that the case for most college freshmen? There’s dealing with a roommate, dealing with all of the work and exams, as navigating her emotions after her high school boyfriend broke up with her just before college.

She often feels like the black sheep of her family. Her sister and brother excel at everything, her mother cares tremendously about appearances, and it’s no wonder Maddy is always sad or anxious. But it all seems rather innocuous until her mood swings blossom into a full-blown manic episode, and she is diagnosed as bipolar.

“But this chose her. Without her consent, like an arranged marriage, till death do they part. She wants an annulment, a divorce, an open window onto a fire escape, a new doctor, a time machine. Some way out of this.”

Despite her doctor’s advice to lead a more tranquil life, Maddy decides what she wants is a career as a stand-up comedian. Of course, the pressure and the constant fear of rejection doesn’t count. And at times she’s convinced she’s writing Taylor Swift’s biography or being involved with one TV show or another.

This was a tremendously powerful, emotional book. It really captured the rawness of depression and bipolar disorder. But at the same time, there are touches of humor which lessens the heaviness of the book. Lisa Genova always tugs at my heartstrings with her books, and this one is no exception!!

Book Review: "PS: I Hate You" by Lauren Connolly

“Arguably, hiding myself in a closet is in everyone’s best interest. These strangers want to watch me cry prettily. (But is that even physically possible? Who can have saltwater leaking out of their eyes and not look like a flushed, snotty mess?)”

Maddie’s older brother Josh died of cancer before he turned 30. He was the adventurous one, always trying to get Maddie to try new things and have fun. And this didn’t stop with his death: in his will he requested that she spread a portion of his ashes in each of the 8 states he never visited.

But Josh had one more trick up his sleeve, in that he assigned her a partner for her trips—Dom, his best friend. Maddie was in love with him for as long as she can remember, until one thing sent her running across the country to get away from him. Dom has always been a stickler for rules, so he’s not letting Maddie handle the ash-spreading herself, no matter how much vitriol she sends his way.

As they make each trip, there are awkward moments and emotional ones, as well as times when all Maddie wants is to be as far from Dom as possible. Along the way, they discover things about one another and each of their relationships with Josh, and Maddie realizes she must come to terms with her other fears and issues. She also must realize that her feelings for Dom have never dissipated; they’ve just grown stronger.

I’m a sucker for the found family trope, and I loved Maddie’s relationship with Dom’s family. Her mother and grandmother were written as one-dimensional monsters, and it broke my heart to see the way they treated her.

I wanted to love this book but it felt so schizophrenic to me. At times it was so moving and powerful; other times, Maddie was difficult to sympathize with and the miscommunication between her and Dom drove me crazy. It also got sooo steamy and it felt odd to me. But even with all that, I still cried, so…

Book Review: "The Backup Plan" by Eden Finley

Y’all know I love my sports romances. Well, Eden Finley is one of the writers who have stoked that love!

Thad dreamed of nothing more than becoming a professional baseball player. He spent so much time playing and practicing, but when it came time for the draft, he was hit with the realization that he just wasn’t good enough. Dream: dead.

Now, angry and bitter, he’s pursuing his backup plan of becoming a sports agent. He’s interning at King Sports, one of the biggest firms working with queer athletes. He’d probably like the job and be good at it if he weren’t so mad. But dealing with athletes who are living his dream isn’t easy.

Kelley is a rookie pitcher and he’s on his way to becoming a superstar. He’s also under a lot of scrutiny: his fathers were the first out football players to win a Super Bowl and his brother is a star quarterback. While news of Kelley’s coming out is met with the usual mix of support and derision, his need for approval and his worry about what people are saying about him is only exacerbating his anxiety.

Thad is assigned to watch over Kelley on a two-week stay out of the public eye and off social media. At first, Thad resents that Kelley, who has everything Thad has ever wanted, is acting this way. But then he realizes how tough the pressure is and how much it feeds into Kelley’s other issues, and then Thad shifts into protector mode. And, of course, the animosity between them shifts into something intense, something deeper.

This was a good story, full of memorable characters, great steam, and terrific banter. It’s also a real examination of anxiety and fear of disappointment and disapproval, and how debilitating they can be. I’ll be waiting for book 2 in this series!

Book Review: "Drop Dead Sisters" by Amelia Diane Coombs

“If you have an older sister, there’s a good chance that she’s almost killed you at least once since childhood.”

Remi doesn’t see her family often, and that’s not really a problem for her. Her parents are hippies and ever since she was young, she’s had the sense that her two older sisters, Eliana and Maeve, don’t like her very much. So she’s kept her distance, physically and emotionally.

But her parents have planned a camping trip for family and friends, to mark their anniversary and serve as a family reunion of sorts. Remi is definitely not looking forward to any of it, including the camping part, but she doesn’t want more grief for skipping it.

Remi begins arguing with, and feeling slighted by, her sisters not long after the trip starts, and she wishes that she could just head for home. But when a dead body is found at their campsite—and then disappears—the sisters start to bond as they try to figure out what happened and who was responsible. (There’s nothing like a dead body to mend fences.)

As Remi tries to reconcile her desire to become closer to her sisters with the lingering hurt and resentment she’s felt through the years, she’s also dealing with some other big issues. She’s considering quitting her job to work with a college friend at her start-up, and there’s a handsome park ranger who keeps showing up to chat with her.

The premise of this was cute, but the book tried to be a version of Knives Out, and that didn’t work. Instead of quirky, the whole missing body thing just felt silly. Oh well…

The book will publish 11/1.

Book Review: "Bi-Partisan" by Dallas Smith

This was all kinds of sweet and romantic! It’s also the start of a new series called District Love, and I’m always excited when books take place here in Washington, DC.

Jamie is a first-term congressman from North Carolina. He really feels like he’s making a difference, even though he hates the constant pressure to go after supporters so he can raise money for re-election. He’s not even assured a second term, with his district being redrawn.

Lately, Jamie has been coming to the realization that he is bisexual, even though he’s never been with a guy. But with an election on the horizon—and the possibility his opponent might be ultra-conservative, it’s probably not a good time to come out. However, he agrees to go to a trendy queer bar with his friends.

Adrian is a handsome veterinarian and cat dad. His social anxiety keeps him from dating, and makes crowds a bit challenging, but he’s not above going out dancing with friends. And when his eyes meet Jamie’s across the crowded bar, the two of them are quickly drawn to each other, to the delight of their friends, all of whom think both men could use some romance.

Of course, a photo of Jamie and Adrian leaving the bar is quickly leaked online. Rather than turn this into a crisis, they agree to pretend they’re in a relationship, so that no one thinks Jamie’s sleeping around. We romance readers know what happens with fake dating, but would a real relationship with a politician be the right prescription for Adrian, who’d rather spend time alone or with animals?

Thanks so much to Pride Book Tours for a copy of the book and for inviting me on the tour. I loved the combination of emotions, humor, and a dash of steam in this book, and really appreciated the discussions about social anxiety and chronic illness, which doesn’t usually happen in a rom-com. I’m all in for the next book!!

Book Review: "You Had Me at Happy Hour" by Timothy Janovsky

My second book in a week featuring a bartender/mixologist…this is the best way to experience cocktails without a hangover!

Julien is a certified sommelier working in a bar/restaurant owned by his aunt and uncle. He dreams of becoming a master sommelier, which will help him write his ticket out of small-town Bethlehem, PA.

In an effort to attract more business to the restaurant, Julien’s aunt and uncle decide to hire Greg, a tremendously handsome mixologist who had gained some notoriety on TikTok. They believe with Greg’s cocktail-making skills and Julien’s expertise about wine, a huge flow of customers should be imminent.

But after Greg and Julien’s initial meeting fizzles awkwardly and their subsequent interactions go awry, business is flowing…away from the restaurant. So the two are tasked with creating new happy hours at the restaurant which can feature fun cocktails and excellent wine. That means they have to overcome whatever issues they have with one another and work together. Or else.

Of course, the awkwardness hides the strong mutual attraction between the two at first, but it’s not long before their feelings for each other intensify. But with Julien’s OCD and Greg’s anxiety and ED issues, the road to casual sex isn’t as smooth as it should be. And as their relationship heads towards love, both panic in their own ways.

I’ve read all of Timothy Janovsky’s books and this may be my favorite. I loved how he balanced the banter and the incredible steam with the serious emotional issues both Julien and Greg were dealing with. It turned what could have been a typical M/M rom-com into something more complex, and I loved it.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the advance copy. The book will publish 7/23.

Book Review: "The Ex Vows" by Jessica Joyce

It’s been a while since a romance hit me so hard in the feels that I sobbed happy tears. But Jessica Joyce’s upcoming book, The Ex Vows, caused a waterworks, and I loved every minute of it.

Georgia and Adam were childhood best friends, and when Eli moved to town, the group became a close-knit trio, as much family as friends. That closeness remained as they went to college. Then Georgia and Eli fell in love, moved in together, and slowly but surely, their relationship disintegrated, as much for what they didn’t say as what they did.

Now, Georgia and Eli haven’t seen each other in 5 years. She’s back home in the Bay Area, while he is in NYC. But with Adam getting married, and their both being his “best people,” it’s coming time for them to see each other again. They’re both determined not to fully reveal how far apart they’ve drifted; instead they plan to present a united front for Adam’s sake.

As disaster after disaster occurs in the week before the wedding—the venue burns down, they can’t find someone to make them a cake, their DJ fell through—Georgia and Eli band together to solve all of the crises. At the same time, they both realize how intense their feelings still are for one another, despite both dealing with their own crises and issues. Can they have a second chance, or will the same things doom them again?

I seriously loved this book, with its friends-to-lovers plot as well as chosen family. It’s emotional, seriously steamy, funny, and absolutely beautiful, and I love Joyce’s treatment of anxiety and fear. I could totally see this as a movie!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy! The book will publish 7/16.

Book Review: "The Prospects" by KT Hoffman

I am obsessed with hockey romances, and now I can add this baseball romance to the list of books I love. I seriously found myself grinning like an idiot while reading this.

Gene Ionescu is the first openly trans professional baseball player. It’s been his dream for as long as he could remember—his dad was a baseball player, too—but he never imagined that given who he is, he’d have the chance to make his dreams come true.

His happiness is upended when his former college teammate and close friend, Luis Estrada, is traded to Gene’s minor league team. For reasons Gene never understood, Luis just stopped being his friend one day, so their reunion is a bit awkward, even more so when Luis takes over for Gene at shortstop.

The two can barely have a conversation, let alone find a rhythm to play together successfully. But Gene is determined to make their on-field connection work, and after extra practices, they start to become friends again, too. Little by little, as the season moves on, they start to open up to one another, and Gene finds himself hoping—and yet fearing—that Luis’ interest in him is more than just baseball-related.

The closer they draw to one another, the more the line blurs between their relationship and their ambitions. Does love mean giving up your dreams for a safer path, or is love worth the risk of pursuing what you want? Can they have everything they want, personally and professionally, or is that too much?

I couldn’t love this more if I tried. It’s sweet, sexy, funny, and hopeful, and although this situation is more fiction than possibility right now, it’s fun to dream of this kind of world. KT Hoffman has made me a fan of his for sure!!

Book Review: "What Happened to Nina?" by Dervla McTiernan

Having read—and loved—Dervla McTiernan’s last book, The Murder Rule, this was one of my most anticipated books in the first quarter of this year. And wow, it blew my expectations out of the water.

Nina and Simon were childhood friends who started dating in high school. Although they went to different colleges—Simon to Northwestern and Nina to the University of Vermont—they were determined to make the long-distance thing work.

But since they both went away to school, Simon has become more possessive, more quick to anger, even a little bit violent. When they go to his parents’ vacation home in Stowe, Vermont, they hope to spend the week climbing (which they both love) and strengthening their relationship. But Simon comes back without Nina, telling everyone they broke up and that Nina went to meet another friend.

Nina’s parents suspect Simon had something to do with her disappearance, and they press the police for answers. But Simon’s father is rich and powerful, and both he and his wife are determined to protect their son at any cost.

It’s not long before guilt and innocence are muddied by rumors and innuendo, and both sides dig their heels in. Can Nina’s parents allow justice to take its time? Can Simon’s parents understand what Nina’s family is going through? Will anyone’s lives remain intact through the uncertainty, scrutiny, and despair?

This really was a fantastic book. McTiernan ratchets up the suspense and tension little by little until you need to race through the book to see how everything gets resolved. It’ll make you sad and angry, and keep you on edge.