Book Review: "Ship Happens" by Mason Deaver

Breakups are never easy. Owen and Jacob’s relationship ended when Jacob got an offer to move to the UK and work on a research team. Owen, who isn’t great with traveling, couldn’t fathom moving to another country, no matter how much he loved Jacob. So he let him go.

A year has passed, and Owen is still hurt and angry. It would be easier to hate Jacob, but he misses him too much. Yet when Jacob returns to San Francisco for the holidays, his presence is almost too much to bear for Owen, although he’s left with a huge jumble of emotions.

Then their best friends surprise the group with a 7-day, all-expenses-paid Alaskan cruise as an opportunity to bond. Owen’s first thought is to pass—can he really stand being in such close proximity to Jacob for a week without going crazy? But he knows this is important to his friends, so he agrees to go.

They both try to be nice to each other, and there are times when the memories of what they used to be confront them. They agree that neither is good at being an ex, and Jacob proposes that they try to be friends. Isn’t that better than not having each other in their lives?

Owen feels a bit lost, that all of his friends are moving on with their lives while he is stagnating. On top of that, he’s never stopped loving Jacob, but knows that when the cruise is over, they’ll go back to their regular lives. Then what?

I really enjoyed Owen and Jacob’s relationship. You could tell how much they cared for one another, and particularly, how protective Jacob was of Owen. But I could understand the struggles they had deciding what to do with their feelings. I’ve been a fan of Mason Deaver’s since their debut, and I love how easily they can shift from YA to adult romance.

Book Review: "25 Days in Athens" by Jack Strange

Will and Ollie broke up more than three years ago, after Will rejected Ollie’s second marriage proposal. But even though they clearly wanted different things, Will still pines for Ollie and believes they are soulmates, despite the fact that Ollie has moved on.

Ollie’s announcement on social media that he and his boyfriend Alec have gotten engaged throws Will into a spiral. And then Will gets invited to their wedding in Athens. Why would Ollie invite him?

Even though he’s not sure it’s the right idea, Will decides to attend the wedding. But he plans to arrive in Athens earlier than others, so perhaps he can tell Ollie how he feels and maybe they can be reunited. No one thinks this is a good idea.

When he arrives in Athens, Will runs into Sam, his childhood best friend, who moved away years ago. They were once totally inseparable, and Will is pleasantly surprised to see that Sam grew up to be absolutely gorgeous. Reconnecting feels amazing, and there’s definitely some serious chemistry between them. But Will is in Greece to get Ollie back.

Sam agrees to be Will’s plus-one at the wedding, and they pretend to be a couple. But the closer the two of them get, the more Will considers telling Ollie how he still feels. Will he throw away a chance at happiness for a glimpse of what might have been?

The book was a mashup of some of my favorite romance tropes: friends to lovers, fake dating, and second chance. I loved the pairing of Will and Sam, and thought that the supporting characters were a lot of fun. And don’t get me started on the setting of the book!

Book Review: "Wasp's Nest" by Kat Stoddard

Tess is getting ready for her second marriage. She’s marrying Warren, an old friend of her family’s. He’s running for the state senate and he’s a dependable, serious, steady man who loves her.

Warren is quite different from Peter, Tess’ first husband. They met while Peter was a talented art student and Tess had just graduated from college. She had family money, he worked as a cater waiter to make ends meet. But Tess was intrigued by his talent and soon after, they fell into a tempestuous relationship which led to an impulsive marriage.

The marriage ended when Peter got out of rehab for alcoholism. Both have tried to put their past behind them. But Peter is shocked to receive an invitation to Tess’ wedding, and an opportunity to bring a plus one.

There’s really no reason Peter should go to the wedding, but if Tess has seemingly moved on, shouldn’t he show that he has too? He decides to bring Mitch, a handsome young man and aspiring writer, and they’ll pretend they’ve been dating for a while. Mitch is excited to find inspiration in the wedding and the reunion of exes. He’s also hoping that Peter will be interested in him romantically.

No one is counting on all of the drama that will ensue. Peter’s appearance dredges up a lot of past hurts and recriminations, and forces both him and Tess to re-examine their relationship and their feelings for each other. Mitch starts to fall for both Peter and Tess. And as other secrets emerge, no one is quite sure what the actual wedding will bring.

I thought this was a really well-told story and an exploration of a fascinating set of relationships. Tess wasn’t particularly likable but as she starts to spiral out of control, she becomes (slightly) more sympathetic. I’m a big fan of family dynamics and dysfunction, and this book gave me lots of both!!

Book Review: "Play It Again" by Georgia Clark

As teenagers they were inseparable. Four friends—Annie, Lola, Vicky, and Dylan—took their hometown by storm when they starred in a gender-swapped adaptation of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. It was an incredible summer, but the night the show closed the four were torn apart, and went their separate ways.

Twenty years later, they all have very different lives from what they dreamed of. But when their hometown of Rhodes, NY, gets a less-than-impressive write up in a tourism magazine, the town gets closer to dying out completely. Given that Annie owns a pet grooming place in town, she’s definitely concerned.

All four of them get summoned back to the now-closed playhouse where their fondest memories reside. Jazz, their director, wants to revive their production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead to hopefully bring some life (and money) back into the town and the theater. Of course, it will only work if all four agree.

The pleasantries of their reunion quickly fade as the memories of the show’s end 20 years ago are revisited. There’s no doubt that the feelings both couples had for one another still linger, but so do secrets, misunderstandings, and emotional wounds. Can they put the past aside to not only save Rhodes and put on a show, but also to see if a second chance is possible?

This was a mostly fun and lighthearted story, full of nostalgia and emotion. I was a theater kid so I definitely enjoyed those aspects of the book. I felt like the pacing got very slow in the middle and I also thought at times the characters’ actions were a little more petty and childish than they should have been.

Book Review: "Nerve Damage" by Annakeara Stinson

“Is it love if it does more harm than good in the end?”

Clarice and her boyfriend have had a rocky one-year relationship. There certainly have been good times but there have been a lot of fights as well. Clarice has broken up with P.T. more than a few times, but she’s always taken him back.

One night he admits that he cheated on her when he was angry at her. This was the last straw. She broke up with him and told him to never contact her again. But shortly thereafter, P.T. started bombarding her with texts from burner phones and emails from fake accounts. He apologized and begged her to take him back. When she refused, he started sending gifts, hanging outside her office with flowers, and showing up everywhere she went. She had no choice to get a restraining order, and then moved across the country to escape.

Three years later—the day the restraining order expired—Clarice swears she sees P.T. at a bar in Los Angeles, where she lives now. Her best friend thinks she must’ve hallucinated it; her therapist is worried about all the anger and anxiety she’s kept bottled up; her mother is planning her fourth wedding; and her father, from whom she’s been estranged, keeps calling.

She really doesn’t know what to do. If it really is P.T., should she ignore him? Confront him? Go back to court? As she gets more and more anxious, she decides to track him down. But her methods are a bit, well, stalkerish…

This was definitely a tension-filled book because I had no idea what was going to happen. The narrative shifts between different incidents in the past and the current time. Clarice is a fascinating, slightly unhinged character, and I could totally see her causing trouble.

Book Review: "It Had to Be Him" by Adib Khorram

Oh, I loved this book so much! Ever since I read Adib Khorram’s debut Darius the Great Is Not Okay seven years ago, I’ve been a huge fan. I’m grateful to BookSparks for the complimentary copy of his newest book as part of #FRC25!

Ramin plans to propose to his boyfriend Todd at dinner. He’s so ready to start the rest of their lives together. But rather than say yes to the proposal, Todd breaks up with Ramin in the middle of the restaurant. Worse, he tells Ramin he’s too boring.

As someone who’s struggled with self-esteem his entire life, Ramin is devastated. He’s determined to prove—at least to himself—that he’s not boring, so he plans an 8-week trip to Italy, where he can sightsee, shop, and sleep with lots of Italian men.

But the day he arrives in Italy (without his luggage, of course), he runs into Noah, his high school crush. Noah looks fantastic. Although it’s been years since they’ve seen each other, Ramin quickly realizes the crush is still there. He worries that Noah won’t be attracted to him or he’ll think he’s too boring.

Noah can’t believe he’s seeing Ramin again. He really enjoyed their friendship—which he now realizes was something stronger. He’s in Italy with his ex-wife and son, but all he wants to do is spend time with Ramin. Noah has always put everyone else’s happiness first; can he concentrate on his own for once?

Italy is at the very top of my travel bucket list, so the book had me at “buon giorno.” But Ramin and Noah are such appealing characters so I was hooked on rooting for their happy ever after. There’s some great steam and fun banter, and if you read Khorram’s last book, I’ll Have What He’s Having, you’ll recognize some characters!

Book Review: "Cross My Heart" by Megan Collins

”…the beginning was so blindingly beautiful, it kept me from seeing the end.”

Rosie believes in love, in happy endings. After a broken engagement, she works in her parents’ bridal shop, helping others achieve their dream weddings. But she wholeheartedly believes there’s someone out there who’s right for her.

After receiving a heart transplant, Rosie is grateful to be alive and is grateful to the donor whose heart she now has. With the help of a friend who works in the hospital, she’s figured out that her heart donor was Daphne Thorne. Daphne was a college professor and the wife of famed thriller author Morgan Thorne, a local celebrity in Rosie’s town.

Rosie follows Morgan on social media and has read his books. The two begin corresponding via an anonymous service for transplant recipients and donor families. The more Rosie learns about Morgan and Daphne, the more she becomes convinced that she is the right person for Morgan. She has his wife’s heart, after all.

As she becomes more infatuated with Morgan and feels he understands her, she also starts hearing rumors from those who believe Morgan might’ve been responsible for his wife’s death. She’s determined to figure out the truth before letting herself fall for Morgan completely. But nothing is quite what it seems.

I was hooked on this book from the very first page. The concept of the book and the shifting perspectives were both really compelling, and I loved how Megan Collins kept me guessing. While I did figure out one twist pretty early on, I couldn’t wait to see how everything was tied up. It was quite a read!

Book Review: "Marshmallow Mountain" by A.J. Truman and M.A. Wardell

An M/M romance that’s part of a series called “Big Boys, Small Spaces,” and the characters are both Jewish? I couldn’t have loved this any more than I did.

Marshall and Marshall (aka “Data”) were together for eight years, when Marshall unceremoniously ended their relationship, saying he needed time and space. Marshall is an aspiring comedian and Data is an accountant.

The two haven’t spoken in six months, so Data is shocked to get a phone call from Marshall. He suggests the two of them travel up to Maine to pack up the cabin they co-own, so they can sell it. Data is still angry and hurt, so he’s determined to pack everything up over the weekend, and then he won’t have to see Marshall again. But of course, neither of them are counting on a snowstorm which strands them together at the cabin.

“I’m not good. I’m stuck in a cabin with my ex who broke my heart six months ago and is now attempting to pick his way inside to do more damage by having amazing sex with me multiple times before we pack up and sell the damn place. I should write a country song.”

Between multiple rounds of breakup sex, the two talk about where things went wrong; each of their anxieties about life, work, and family; and keep getting distracted from finishing the packing. But how could you not root for two guys with the same first name?

Both Truman and Wardell are great authors in their own right, but this first collaboration hit the spot. It’s super steamy, emotional, romantic, and funny, and you can bet I’m ready for Book 2 in the series!

Book Review: "Funny Story" by Emily Henry

Emily Henry is an absolute auto-buy author for me. Her books have an incredible way of making me feel multiple emotions simultaneously. They fill my heart (and often fill my eyes with tears) and they definitely make me smile, if not all out laugh.

Daphne loves that her fiancé Peter loves telling the story of how they met and fell in love. She moved to his hometown of Waning Bay, Michigan, and loves the idea of becoming a part of his family. More than that, she loves her job as a children’s librarian.

The last thing she expects is that the night of his bachelor party, Peter breaks their engagement, telling Daphne that he and Petra, his childhood best friend, have fallen in love and want to be together. Oh, and Daphne has to move out of their house so that he and Petra can live there.

So now, Daphne is reeling from grief and anger, and she lives in an apartment with Miles, Petra’s ex, who also isn’t handling the end of his relationship too well either. The two peacefully coexist in their state of depression and anger, despite Miles’ penchant for sad love songs and an occasional joint.

One day, Daphne tells Peter that she and Miles are now together. To prove it, they start chronicling their “relationship” with photos on social media. Casual, friendly, generous Miles is everything Peter was not, so it’s not too long before Daphne finds herself wishing her pretend relationship was real. But both she and Miles have walls around their hearts, and it’ll take more than a fake relationship—and intense sexual chemistry—if they ever have a chance together.

Henry’s books always have lots of great banter, and this is no exception. I also really loved all of the supporting characters and Waning Bay was a terrific small town.

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy; the book publishes 4/23.

Book Review: "Good Material" by Dolly Alderton

Andy is a stand-up comedian whose career isn’t going anywhere. But that’s the least of his worries: he’s utterly devastated that Jen, his girlfriend of nearly four years, has dumped him. And he didn’t see it coming; it happened out of the blue.⁣

⁣ “‘Break-ups can be a good thing,’” Jane says. “‘They can teach us about who we really are.’”⁣

⁣ “‘Yeah, maybe, like break-up number one or two,’” I sigh. “‘But break-ups have depreciating gains. I’m thirty-five now. I know who I am. I am already sick of myself.’”⁣

⁣ Break-up stories are fairly common in fiction, but it’s very rare to get one written from the man’s point-of-view. Andy needs to start living for himself rather than what was. That’s the only way to move forward. But what if you don’t want to move forward? What if you were happy the way things were?⁣

⁣ Having Andy as the narrator makes you wonder why he’d even want to stay with Jen, given all the things about her that drove him crazy. But then you get a glimpse of Jen’s POV, and you realize there’s two sides to every story. This was thought-provoking, funny, emotional, and hopeful.

Book Review: "The Rewind" by Allison Winn Scotch

The Rewind is a cute second-chance rom-com about what happens when old college friends reunite for a wedding.

The last thing Frankie wanted was to be a bridesmaid at her college roommate’s wedding. And having to wear some horrible dress isn’t even the worst part—it’s that she will probably see Ezra, her college boyfriend. They had an angry breakup 10 years ago and haven’t spoken since.

Ezra is a little anxious about seeing Frankie, too, but he has a plan, anyway: his girlfriend Mimi is coming to the wedding and he intends to propose to her right after, as the clock strikes midnight and 1999 turns to 2000.

And yet the morning before the wedding Ezra and Frankie wake up in bed together in their freshman dorm. They both have pounding headaches, Frankie is wearing the engagement ring Ezra intended for Mimi, and he’s also wearing a wedding ring.

Of course, neither of them have any idea how they got there or what happened the night before. Did they get married? Why does Frankie's head hurt if she doesn't drink? As they try to figure out the events of the previous night, both are also reminded of everything that went wrong—and what was right—with their relationship in college. Have they changed enough to want a second chance with one another, or is there too much baggage from the past?

This was a fun, sweet book, infused with late-90s nostalgia. I felt like the “figuring out what happened” piece took longer than anything else, but I’m definitely a fan of second-chance love stories!