Book Review: "Half His Age" by Jennette McCurdy

“How does one know their worth? What constitutes worth? I’m seventeen with bad grades. I live in a nine-hundred-square-foot apartment with a single mom. Most of the things I ingest are sold in a 7-Eleven. And I know people say worth is a thing you’re born with, a thing you just intrinsically have by nature of being a human being, but I’m not so sure. People are too precious about what it means to be human. We’re just people.”

Waldo is a high school senior who is in many ways wise beyond her years, but in other ways she is a needy 17-year-old desperate for love and to be noticed. She practically raised her own mother, whose emotional ups and downs correlated with whether or not she was in a relationship. But Waldo never lets anything stand in the way of getting what she wants.

And what she wants is Mr. Korgy, her writing teacher. He’s 40, married with a young son, has a bit of a paunch, and definitely is showing signs of aging, but none of that matters to Waldo. Mr. Korgy makes her feel seen, and that intensifies her desire for him.

Waldo sets about her plan to seduce her teacher. But it’s not just about sexual conquest—she feels that she can learn so much from him, and he can help her feel better about herself. And while he tries to resist her flirtatious advances, he starts to see her as an oasis from his exhausting life.

Will they get caught in the throes of passion? Will he abandon his wife and son for Waldo? And is this really what she wants from her life?

Obviously the main concept of this book is a bit troubling, since Mr. Korgy is an adult and should know better. But this is a powerful look at how it feels to get what you want at someone else’s expense. Is the grass always greener?

Book Review: "Cubs & Campfires" by Dylan Drakes

There’s something about feeling seen when you read a book. I read a lot of M/M romance and for the most part, the main characters are usually gym-toned and muscular. But that’s not me. Which is why Dylan Drakes’ new book resonated so much for me, apart from being romantic and steamy as hell.

Luca has always wanted to be a journalist. But in 2005, news outlets have become more conservative, and they’re not comfortable publishing the sex-positive, queer-friendly type of work Luca has been best at. So he makes a deal with a newspaper: he’ll write a column about staying celibate for the entire summer. The catch is, he has to live what he’s writing, or he’ll get fired.

Since he’s taken a summer job as a fire lookout in a remote part of a forest in Washington State, he feels fairly confident he can avoid temptation and get his article written. But within a day or two, he’s caught in an awkward situation by Artair, a handsome, bearish musician who is camping in the woods nearby.

The attraction between Luca and Artair is immediate and intense. Luca is determined to resist the temptation that Artair presents—a difficult challenge, considering that every time they encounter one another, one of them is barely dressed.

While remaining celibate is tough enough with Artair around, Luca is enjoying his company and flirtation so much. Does he give into temptation and lose the newspaper gig, or embrace the possibilities that Artair presents? And given Artair’s wandering ways, will this just be a summer fling?

I absolutely loved this. It’s a sexy, emotional, body-positive romance with two amazingly appealing characters and an adorable fox. I can’t wait for the next book in this series. Thanks so much to Dylan Drakes for the advance copy!

Book Review: "An Exaltation of Larks" by Suanne Laqueur

This was one of my favorite books of the last decade, but when I was given the opportunity to receive a free copy of the book from Red Clover Digital and Suanne Laqueur, I wanted to reshare my review.

To borrow from a language spoken periodically in this book, Madre de Dios, este libro! (Mother of God, this book!)

"Second chances are given or made."

In 1973, 11-year-old Alejandro Penda is living in Chile in the midst of a military coup. Both of his parents are arrested, and Alejo doesn't know if he'll ever see them again. With the help of family friends, he escapes to America, to live with his uncle in the upstate New York town of Guelisten. Although the trauma of what he lived through, and his grief over his parents, is tremendously difficult for him, he finds himself becoming very close to the Larks, a large, active, warm family that is friends with his uncle.

Alex becomes best friends with Roger Lark, and he and the Larks' oldest daughter, Valerie, have a love/hate relationship which turns into infatuation when Valerie returns home from college. But although she and Alex are drawn to each other, they give each other the freedom to live their own lives for a while, with Val becoming a successful costume designer in New York, and Alex studying veterinary medicine in Colorado.

Javier Landes had a tumultuous childhood growing up in Queens. When a bout of teenage experimentation is discovered, he loses his family and is forced to make his own way. Through a chance meeting with an older woman, Jav becomes a successful male escort—he's always in demand, highly skilled, and well-versed to meet the needs of his clients. But the only thing that is missing is a love of his own, although he isn't sure exactly what he wants.

Alex and Val first meet Jav in New York City when they're in their 20s. These meetings leave indelible impressions on all three, and their interactions take on different dimensions and intensities before they go their separate ways. Through the years each experiences their own set of tragedies and challenges—Val and Alex together as a married couple, while Jav tries to find his way and his heart's true path.

Years later the three are reunited when Jav comes to Guelisten, after being named the guardian of his orphaned nephew. The three become inseparable, more like family than friends, and together they weather some difficult challenges, and learn some tough truths about one another. But it's the secrets they keep from one another, the feelings they try to keep hidden, the needs each person has that threaten to untie their bonds and unmoor them forever.

An Exaltation of Larks absolutely blew me away. This is a 500-page book and I literally stayed up until 1:30 a.m. because I desperately needed to finish it. This is a story about friends that become family as well as the often-blurred lines between friendship and love. It's a story about how we can never completely outrun the traumas we face, and some times our struggles are more difficult than others, yet life is worth living to the fullest, surrounded by those you love. This is also a book about the challenges of parenthood, the trust that is so key to the success of long-term relationships, and what it is like to feel like you keep missing your chance at happiness.

I absolutely loved these characters, every single one of them. Suanne Laqueur has such love and respect for them as well that she fleshed them out so skillfully and gave them so much complexity that I found myself feeling the same way about them that the other characters did. Yes, there are one or two coincidences that made me roll my eyes a tiny bit, but they didn't detract from the beauty of Laqueur's storytelling or the emotions she made me feel.

There are a few incidences of animals getting injured or dying, due to political unrest and accidents. Those scenes may be difficult for some to read or may make some avoid the book altogether, but I skimmed them and didn't miss anything.

This book, along with the two others in this series (A Charm of Finches and A Scarcity of Condors), are some of the best books I've read in years.

Book Review: "Good Girl Complex" by Elle Kennedy

Elle Kennedy's latest book is a sexy, fun romance that put me through the emotional wringer!

Mackenzie, or “Mac,” always does what’s expected of her. Even though her parents barely acknowledge her (they're both far too busy for parenting), they are quick to let her know if she steps out of line. Although she was raised in immense privilege, she actually made significant money of her own creating two popular websites. But despite her desires to simply concentrate on this digital empire she's created, her parents want her to get a college degree and then marry her wealthy boyfriend, Preston.

Cooper is a local in the college town of Avalon Bay. He and his friends hate the way the “clones,” or the rich people, take over their town between the college and tourism, but their livelihoods depend on them. He’s a bad boy with a heart, someone who’s seen a lifetime of hurt and rejection in a short period of time.

When Mac meets Cooper, she’s already aware of his and his twin brother’s reputation as bad boy players. But there’s something more about Cooper that she can’t resist beyond his sexiness. It’s his combination of arrogance and vulnerability that makes her want to shake up her carefully ordered life. And the more Cooper gets to know Mac, the more he realizes she’s not just another rich clone, but she’s someone he can’t live without.

Cooper has a secret that could destroy Mac and her feelings for him. But even without it, can two people from such different worlds have any chance at happiness?

I thought Good Girl Complex was a really good read. I loved the banter between Mac and Cooper, and loved some of the side stories with Cooper’s brother and their uncle. As it often happens with romances, I knew exactly what would happen, but that didn’t matter. I just would’ve liked an epilogue, as the conclusion seemed a bit rushed.

I'm a fan of Kennedy's writing, as I've read a number of books she's written with Sarina Bowen, but this was my first book of hers that she wrote alone. I can’t wait for the next book in this series, Bad Girl Reputation, due out in the fall!

Book Review: "Frat Wars: King of Thieves" by Saxon James

How can you resist a book with a quote like, “We’re basically Romeo and Juliet. But dudes. And without all the dying.” I certainly couldn't pass up Frat Wars: King of Thieves.

I was intrigued when my friend Phil reviewed this a little while back, and I’m so glad I did. The book was the perfect combination of humor, romance, and steam which was, in the words of one character, “frat as f—k.”

Sigma Beta Psi and Rho Kappa Tau are rival fraternities. The brothers are always pranking each other, with the stakes getting higher and higher, and they compete against each other all year long, with one frat being named King of Thieves. Perhaps no one gets more into the rivalry and mischief than Sigma VP Chad Doomsen—he’s a football player, supreme prankster, and bro—but he’s secretly bisexual.

When he meets Bailey Prince at the first Sigma party of the year, he falls completely. Bailey recently transferred for senior year but is legacy in the Kappa fraternity. He is immediately attracted to Chad but how can he sleep with/date someone from his frat’s biggest rival?

Of course, they can’t keep away from each other, and as much as a relationship was the last thing they were looking for, their feelings for one another are far too strong. But what happens when their relationship is discovered? Which frat will reign supreme this year?

I really enjoyed this. It was much sweeter, more sensitive, and more romantic than I expected—and damn, it was hot!! I’m all in for the next book in the series!!

Book Review: "The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy" by Robin Bielman

Sweet romance, beautiful setting, and cowboys? Yes, please. I'll take The Wedding Crasher and the Cowboy for all three.

The last thing Kennedy was expecting was a drunk, late-night call from her soon-to-be-married ex, saying that he isn’t sure he wants to get married. Kennedy knows that his fiancé is the right one for him. She has only one choice: grab her best friend Andrew and head to the picturesque California town of Windsong to crash the wedding and convince Reed to get married.

And there she comes face-to-face with HIM. Maverick Owens. Her college nemesis and academic rival. They competed for everything, and he used to call her “Shortcake.” Of course the wedding festivities would take place on his family’s ranch, and of course he’s gotten more handsome since college. He knows she wasn’t invited to the wedding and is keeping his eye on her…

Crashing a wedding isn’t easy when your best friend is an actor with a crush on the best man, and he keeps telling guests more outlandish stories about him and Kennedy. To top it off, Kennedy and Maverick keep getting thrown together. But for some reason, it doesn’t seem to bother either of them as much as it should, although both have their guardrails way, way up.

Can sworn enemies find their way to something else, something more serious? Can Kennedy convince Reed to get married without her cover getting blown? And will they all survive the hoedown?

I thought this was just so much fun and so romantic. And I always live by the philosophy, “save a horse, ride a cowboy.”

My thanks to TLC Book Tours, Entangled Publishing, and Robin Bielman for inviting me on the tour and sending me a complimentary advance copy of the book as well as some great swag!! I could definitely see this as the start of a series—some of the supporting characters are just fantastic!

Book Review: "Top Secret" by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

With Top Secret, my favorite duo delivers again, with a super-hot, M/M, enemies-to-lovers, frat romance.

Keaton is a football player and fraternity member at Darby University. When his girlfriend suggests she’d like to have a threesome with another guy, Keaton is far more intrigued than he thought he’d be. And when he starts chatting with a potential participant on a hookup app, he realizes he may be more interested in the other guy than his girlfriend is.

Luke is one of Keaton’s fraternity brothers, who has to work multiple jobs just to stay in school. His decision to challenge Keaton for fraternity president is more out of economy—he’d get a free room—than actual desire to run the fraternity. But speaking of desire, he’s intrigued by this guy he’s been chatting with on a hookup app who is looking for someone to join him and his girlfriend in a threesome.

Hmm...

Bet you know where this one goes!! Even though it’s predictable, I loved the combination of steam, romance, and strong character development. Keaton starts realizing more about himself and his need to take control of his life rather than let his father dictate what he should do. He knows what he wants most, though—if only he can convince the other person.

I cannot get enough of Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy’s books. They’re compulsively readable and they leave me with all the feels and a little red-faced from the steam.

Book Review: "Him" by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

Him is the hot, sexy, emotional M/M hockey romance I didn’t realize I’d been missing all my life.

This one was definitely a #Bookstagrammademedoit. My friend Abby and a few other Bookstagram friends have been talking about hockey romances, so I, as a fan of hockey and, well, hockey players, figured I’d give this one a try.

Wes and Jamie had an intense friendship when they were teenagers, playing at an elite hockey camp in upstate New York. Their rivalry made them better players and Wes was constantly involving Jamie in dares and pranks. Then after the summer they were 18, Wes just walked away and cut off their friendship. Sure, things got a little weird one night when they were drinking that last summer, but so what?

Four years later, their college teams are both in the Frozen Four championship. Both have been drafted by the NHL. But what Wes wants more than anything is a chance to see his old friend again, a chance to explain why he felt he had to end everything.

The minute they see each other, they slip back into their old routines. But Wes, who is gay, knows that what he feels for Jamie can’t be reciprocated, although he’s mostly okay with that because he missed his friend so much.

They wind up spending the summer between college and heading to their NHL teams working at the same camp they went to as teenagers. It seems like old times, and as they grow closer, Jamie realizes he has a lot to learn about his old friend—and himself. And both have key decisions to make about their future.

The steam factor is HOT in Him, but the romance factor is, too. The book touches on homophobia, self-esteem, and parental issues as well as the boundaries between friendship and love. I felt like there were so many times things could have become melodramatic and they didn’t, which made me love the book even more.

So now I’m a hockey romance fan! I’ll certainly be reading the sequel to this, called Us, very soon!!

Book Review: "The Layover" by Lacie Waldon

Enemies-to-lovers? Forced proximity? Tropical locale? Yes, please! You get all of that and more in this debut rom-com from Lacie Waldon, The Layover.

Ava has been a flight attendant for 10 years. But this is her last flight—now that she’s engaged she doesn’t want to be gone all the time.

She’s looking forward to this flight, which includes a layover in Belize—it’s a nice farewell gift and a celebration of her engagement. And then she discovers he's on her flight—Jack Stone, the sexy pilot-turned-flight attendant. Her nemesis. The one person she truly humiliated herself in front of one night.

Of all the people…but Ava is determined to make it work. And when the Belize layover turns into a longer stay at a resort because of mechanical difficulties, she can’t believe she’s trapped with him. Why is it he doesn’t seem to understand why she hates him?

Rom-com fans, you know the drill. As Ava and Jack team up for a little matchmaking on behalf of their colleagues, she starts to realize that maybe he’s not the devil she’s always thought he was. Maybe the hyper-organized, routine life she’s about to embark on with her ego-driven fiancé isn’t the one she really wants after all?

As I’ve said before, part of the charm of rom-coms for me is their predictability. I love that you mostly know how The Layover will go, I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, and because Waldon is an actual flight attendant, it’s full of authentic details.

I’ll admit Ava is a bit annoying at the start with her hatred of Jack, and I felt like her emotional arc was a little rushed, but this was still such a fun, cute, romantic story. (And as if I didn’t already check out all the sexy male flight attendants?)

Book Review: "Bath Haus" by P.J. Vernon

Bath Haus, P.J. Vernon's upcoming book, is a taut and twisty thriller about truth, trust, and the cost of secrets.

Oliver and Nathan have been together a while now. They have a solid, stable relationship, even though there is a difference in their ages and their income. Nathan is a successful surgeon from a wealthy family, while Oliver's upbringing in rural Indiana was quite the opposite.

One night while Nathan is out of town on business, Oliver decides to go to Haus, a gay bathhouse. He knows he shouldn’t do what he’s gone to do, he knows there’s a significant risk Nathan will find out, but he gives in to his urges. He goes with a handsome man into a private room, where things go completely awry, and Oliver has to fight for his life.

He is able to escape and runs out of Haus, afraid, shaken, with angry bruises already forming around his neck. He gets home and realizes he’s in a quandary—how can he explain this to Nathan? So he does the only thing he can think of: he lies.

“When it comes to lying, there’s a golden rule: tell as much truth as you can. The truth is, after all, the easiest to remember. It’s the most consistent with inarguable fact.”

What Oliver doesn’t realize is what a ripple effect his lies will have. More and more, he finds himself enmeshed in a game of cat and mouse, fearing for his life and his relationship and his future, but he doesn’t know whom to trust or what to expect next.

We’ve seen this scenario before but almost never with a gay couple, so that brought an added dimension to this terrific, tense thriller. There’s a lot at play here—issues of trust, communication, addiction, secrets, lies, infidelity—and it all makes this story so compelling.

I’ve seen a lot of people on Bookstagram rave about this, so I felt a little like the last gay in the village to get my hands on an ARC, but it definitely lived up to the hype. Congrats to Vernon on creating such a fantastic thriller, one I’ll definitely think about for a while!

NetGalley and Doubleday Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Bath Haus publishes 6/15.

Book Review: "A Girl Like You" by Cari Scribner

A Girl Like You, the debut novel by Cari Scribner, is an entertaining and poignant look at starting over again and figuring out what you want.

When Jessica Gabriel’s second marriage ends, she finds herself wondering whether happiness is possible for a woman on the downward slope toward 60. And what does she even want the third time around?

“I’d grown up on Cinderella and Snow White fairy tales, without question believing there was a prince out there for me. I never really got behind the idea of being saved by that prince, because I was always quite certain I could save myself, but that wildly romantic notion of having a soulmate? I’d bought into it big time.”

Lonely, craving sex and companionship, and sadder than she expected about her marriage ending, she knows it’s time to start over. Armed with a new haircut and a gym membership, she gets a job, learns to fix things around the house, and, with the convincing of her two adult kids and her best friend, she decides to take a tentative step into the world of online dating.

What she quickly finds is a motley crew—some men who are more emotionally damaged than she is, some whom she thinks might have promise (but only briefly), and some whom are wrong from the start. And then there are a few for whom she lets her guard down, emotionally and sexually, only to discover that they aren’t what they seem.

I really enjoyed A Girl Like You, and the characters were all really appealing. It’s nice to have a story with an older woman as the main character when she's not portrayed as a doddering idiot or a burden, and have her explore her sexuality as well as her vulnerability. The book is funny, sometimes sad, and definitely a bit steamier than I anticipated. And you’ll never look at clothespins the same way again!

Cari Scribner provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Book Review: "Destiny" by D.D. Larsen

The first book in D.D. Larsen's Academy series, Destiny, is a sexy, mysterious combination of romance, family secrets, and some magical elements.

At age 18, Jamie fled her small Colorado hometown, feeling stifled and needing to make a fresh start. She cut all ties to her friends, figuring it was easier that way than feeling the pull of home. After college she landed a job with a top biotech company and started to pursue her dreams.

Now, seven years later, her career has fallen apart and her last romantic relationship crashed and burned as well, so she decides it’s time to go home. While it’s good to see her parents, she quickly finds out it’s hard work to rebuild relationships with people you’ve neglected for so long.

Not long after her return home, she meets Wren, a ruggedly handsome park ranger with whom she feels an immediate, intense connection. He always seems to be around when she is in need of help, but otherwise he’s brooding and pushing Jamie away.

Meanwhile, people in her town are reportedly seeing wolves for the first time, and everyone is worried. And in a few cases, some creatures are harming people. Are the wolves to blame? Why does Jamie keep having dreams in which wolves appear, even one where she is a wolf? Is she safe, or is she in danger?

Little by little, Jamie realizes her town—and her family—is full of secrets, secrets of epic and almost magical proportions. She is drawn into a world she had never imagined, one that will change her life and her destiny.

This was a really fascinating read, with a brooding Twilight-esque vibe, although I don’t mean that in a negative way. Destiny had an interesting mix of romance and fantasy and even a little bit of the paranormal, and this was so compulsively readable. Can’t wait for Book 2 of the series!!

Kate Rock Book Tours and D.D. Larsen invited me on the tour for the book and provided me a complimentary advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Destiny publishes 4/20!!

Book Review: "People We Meet on Vacation" by Emily Henry

Emily Henry's upcoming rom-com, People We Meet on Vacation, is funny, emotional, romantic, and thought-provoking—this book hit me on all fronts.

Poppy and Alex met during college orientation. Ironically, while they met in Chicago, they found out they were from neighboring small towns in Ohio. But Poppy couldn’t wait to flee her hometown (although she loves her family) while Alex likes his and plans to return after graduation.

The two couldn’t be more opposite. Poppy embraces everything with gusto while Alex is more reserved; Poppy dresses vibrantly while Alex is all about the pressed khakis, for every occasion. But somehow they hit it off and build an intense friendship through college and beyond.

Poppy becomes a travel blogger and social media influencer, known for traveling cheaply. She finds a willing travel partner in Alex, and they take a trip each summer, no matter where they are in their lives or relationships with others. And while Poppy definitely feels more for Alex than friendship, she knows they want different things out of life, so she's willing to keep everything in the friend zone.

Two years ago, everything fell apart during a trip to Croatia and they’ve not spoken since. Now a writer for a high-end travel magazine, Poppy has achieved her career dreams, but she’s not happy. She realizes she hasn’t been happy since she and Alex stopped talking. So she sees if he’d be willing to take one more trip together.

Surprisingly, Alex agrees, so Poppy is determined to try and recapture the magic of their friendship. Both have changed in two years, but have their feelings changed? Is that line between friendship and love still dangerously tempting to cross? Would they even work as a couple?

Much as she did in her terrific debut, Beach Read (one of my favorite books from last year), Henry creates a multi-layered rom-com that delivers so much more. There’s some real emotional complexity here and I truly felt seen more than a few times in some of their issues and emotions. I just love the way she writes!!

What a terrific book, and it definitely lived up to the hype for me. People We Meet on Vacation will be published 5/11!

Book Review: "Every Vow You Break" by Peter Swanson

One of the core messages of Peter Swanson's newest thriller, Every Vow You Break, is pretty simple: lying gets you every time.

I have loved a number of Swanson’s thrillers, so I was eagerly anticipating his newest one. But wow, this one just didn’t work for me in the slightest.

Abigail is set to marry Bruce, a wealthy man a few years older than she is. She never thought she’d marry someone with that much money, but that’s not what attracted her to him—it’s his stability.

While in California for her bachelorette party, she meets a man and winds up spending the night with him. They gave each other fake names and she chalked it up as one last fling, nothing to mention to Bruce. And then the guy shows up in New York, claiming he felt something for Abigail and believes she felt the same.

How can she get rid of this guy without confessing her infidelity to Bruce, who prizes fidelity above almost everything? And how did this guy find her in the first place? His reappearance in her life sets off a chain of events that has her questioning whom she can trust, and what is real and what is her imagination.

I don’t want to give anything away so I’ll stop the plot summary at this point. I felt like the setup of the book took a lot longer than it needed to—I was more than 100 pages in and I was wondering when everything would get going—and while the pace definitely picked up, so did the crazy factor. I’m not really good with suspending my disbelief in thrillers and I felt parts of this were preposterous.

A few people whose opinions I often agree with really loved this book, so don’t let my review dissuade you. I will still read Swanson’s next book and hope it’s more like the previous ones of his I’ve loved.

William Morrow Books provided me with a complimentary copy of Every Vow You Break in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Book Review: "Love by Design" by Effie Kammenou

As we learn in Effie Kammenou's Love by Design, sometimes the biggest obstacle to happiness is our fear of being hurt.

Effie Kammenou returns with Book 2 of her Meraki series featuring the Andarakis sisters. Once again she brings us romance and drama and a little steam, as well as some beautiful imagery and some fantastic-sounding recipes!!

Mia has been dreaming of ultimately becoming creative director for a magazine. When she is tapped to work on Opul, a new luxury magazine, she’s so excited to be a step closer to her professional goal, and she’s more excited when she learns she’ll be working directly for Nick Aristedis, the handsome man she’s been swooning over from afar.

But her excitement is quickly dashed when every encounter with her new boss ends with them fighting with each other. He doesn’t seem to respect her talent or want to work with her, and why is it that everything he says and does seems to rub her the wrong way? (Well, we all know the answer to that even if they don't!)

Although it seems this working relationship is doomed, they keep trying, and little by little Nick not only realizes how talented Mia is, but he also can’t deny his feelings for her. And for Mia, the last thing she needs is a relationship with her boss, but she feels an unbelievable connection with Nick...until the next time he says or does something to drive her away.

What is causing Nick to act this way toward Mia? Should she try and see if there’s a possibility for a relationship with him or should she just keep things professional? Both have secrets they’ve kept tightly guarded, causing them to be more afraid of moving forward than ever before.

"Tragically, people die. Lovers break up, sometimes shattering our hearts. But when the right person comes along, they not only glue those shards back together, they also penetrate your soul in a way no one else can."

It’s great to be back amongst the Andarakis family again after reading Love Is What You Bake of It. I enjoy all of the characters and their relationships so much, and I liked getting more insight into a familial mystery that was touched on in the first book. I'm definitely looking forward to Book 3!

Kate Rock Book Tours and Effie Kammenou invited me on the tour and provided me with a complimentary copy of Love by Design in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much!!

Book Review: "Back in the Burbs" by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn

Back in the Burbs, a new collaboration between Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn, is a fun, sexy, emotional rom-com about finding the strength to start over and take control of your life.

Mallory hasn’t had a great run of luck lately. Her marriage has ended, she lost her job (never a good idea to work with/for your husband), and she has had to move back in with her parents, who keep denigrating her and make her believe she’s a failure.

When it turns out that her beloved aunt Maggie left Mallory her house in her will, Mallory is floored. The house, with at least 47 HOA violations, is in desperate need of an immense amount of work, and it certainly makes sense to sell it, especially since Mallory has no money for repairs. But despite everyone telling her what to do, for the first time in her life she does what she wants, and moves in to the house.

Of course, the house is even worse than she imagines, and she isn’t prepared for the (incredibly sexy) neighbor across the street to immediately start harassing her to cut the grass. But little by little, Mallory starts to find her way, even when more bombshells explode in her face. (A hunky young handyman doesn't hurt matters either.)

How do you find the courage to start over when so many people—including your family—tell you that you can’t? How do you allow yourself to trust again when your trust and your self-worth have been so damaged? Are you willing to let a good thing pass you by because you’re too afraid of the risk?

I really enjoyed Back in the Burbs and read it in one sitting. It combines all of my favorite elements of rom-coms with family dysfunction and a little bit of steam, and some great characters. I’d go back to the burbs again!!

Book Review: "Accidentally Engaged" by Farah Heron

Accidentally Engaged, Farah Heron's new book, is a fun, sexy, sweet rom-com about trying to make your own way despite what your parents want. (Like that's easy?)

Reena’s parents want what’s best for her, and in their eyes, finding a man for her to marry is best. Sure, it’s not worked any of the previous times they've tried this, but it looks like this candidate, Nadim, definitely has his pluses—he’s handsome, he has a great body and a sexy British accent, and he loves food as much as she does. (Of course, his negatives include the fact that he works for her father and lives in her apartment building.) But she flat-out refuses to be with anyone her parents set her up with, no matter how good he may look.

When Reena learns about a television cooking competition open only to couples, she starts to think things through. An avid baker always looking to perfect her bread recipes, winning this competition might give her that chance. So what would be wrong with asking Nadim to pretend to be engaged to her for the sake of the program, as long as they keep it a secret? (It turns out that's not the only secret she's keeping, and Nadim has secrets of his own as well!)

Ah, dear fellow rom-com readers, what happens when secrets are kept in a story? And what happens with fake engagements? Yes, you know, but Accidentally Engaged is a delicious, sexy, romantic one, full of family dysfunction and yummy-sounding food! I couldn't resist even though I knew where things would go.

I loved this book. Don’t read it on an empty stomach, especially if like me, carbs are your spirit animal, and/or if you love Indian food. And maybe it was just me, but for some reason the title of this book had me singing the Counting Crows’ Accidentally in Love. (Sorry not sorry if that gets stuck in your head, too!)

Book Review: "Too Good to Be True" by Carola Lovering

Carola Lovering's newest book, Too Good to Be True, is a twisty domestic thriller that keeps you guessing!

Skye Starling has finally found happiness. After suffering through some horrible relationships and dealing with her OCD, she met a handsome older man, Burke Michaels, who loves her for all that she is and isn’t put off by her compulsions.

Despite the fact that they’ve been together less than a year, and despite the concerns and warnings expressed by Skye's best friend and her father, Skye and Burke first move in together and then get engaged. But Burke isn’t who he says he is, as letters to his therapist reveal the secrets Burke is hiding.

Juxtaposed with Skye’s story and Burke’s letters is a narrative from 30 years earlier following Heather, a poor teenager whose life is turned around by a wealthy woman when she begins babysitting for the family. The woman convinces Heather she is worth more than her ne’er-do-well boyfriend and a lack of belief in her future.

The book is full of twists—some surprising and some very evident (at least to me)—so it’s best you go into the book not knowing much. (The plot summary in the book itself gives a little more away than I did.)

Apart from one twist that surprised me, I felt a lot of the plot was fairly predictable. But Lovering knows how to tell a story, so I was completely hooked and needed to know what was going to happen here.

I’m fairly tough on thrillers so I’m kind of cynical about surprise twists. But Too Good to Be True was a compelling thriller, and having enjoyed Lovering’s last book (Tell Me Lies), I’m definitely a fan of her writing.

Book Review: "100 Boyfriends" by Brontez Purnell

100 Boyfriends, Brontez Purnell's new short story collection, is raunchy and frank, poignant and powerful. These short stories look at sexuality, race, lust, addiction, inequity, and the need for connection, be it fleeting or permanent.

With this new book, Purnell hits the ground running on page 1 and doesn’t let up the pace until the very last word. His characters are all Black men of various ages and in various states of fitness—physical, emotional, and psychological. In some cases these men are fully aware they’re a mess and continue to self-sabotage; in others they’re totally (and, at times, blissfully) unaware.

“There are periods of my life that roll through me hazily. Not like an apparition, more like that moment a cartoon villain gets hit in the head with, say, an anvil or whatever, and all he sees is stars — my life was all flashbacks that never materialized.”

The characters in these stories are often searching. Sometimes it’s for their next fix or their next hookup, sometimes it’s for something more, something deeper. At times they find fulfillment—temporary or otherwise—but at other times, they’re still searching.

These stories are often explicit, so they’re not for those who are uncomfortable with graphic language or sexual content. But even when he shocks you, there’s an underlying note of poignancy or emotion in many of the stories, which only increases their power.

100 Boyfriends is definitely not a collection for everyone, but Purnell’s storytelling is a talent to behold.

Book Review: "Much Ado About You" by Samantha Young

Samantha Young's Much Ado About You is a steamy, emotional rom-com that confronts lots of issues, plus it features a book-loving protagonist, so how can you lose?

After one last attempt at dating fails and she gets a disappointment on the job front, Evie Starling has had it. She needs to get away from Chicago for a while. And she finds the perfect escape—she can run a bookshop in the English countryside for four weeks and rent the owner’s flat. For a voracious reader, this is a dream come true. (It would be for me, too!)

She heads across the pond, ready to recharge herself and avoid dating for a month. And wouldn’t you know she has a run-in with gorgeous country farmer Roane Robson within a day of arriving? After she saves his dog, Roane is totally smitten, and as much as Evie feels herself falling for him, she is determined that they just stay friends.

But as Evie’s time flies by, she quickly gets acclimated to life in the small village and can’t really imagine going back to Chicago, despite friends and family being there. As she fights her growing attraction to Roane, and starts getting involved in helping (or meddling) some neighbors with their problems, has she found home? And can she let her guard down enough to trust her heart?

Much Ado About You is a sweet, fun, sexy book with lots of steam, and it takes some inspiration from Much Ado About Nothing, but it isn’t a retelling by any means. Along with being a rom-com the book also confronts serious issues like racism, sexuality, abusive relationships, and being the child of an alcoholic, so there’s definitely some poignancy and emotional weight thrown in.

This is definitely another good rom-com to add to your list!!