Book Review: "Tart: Misadventures of an Anonymous Chef" by Slutty Cheff

I’ve been wanting to read this for a few weeks, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I was today years old when I realized this is a memoir and not a novel! (That realization didn’t affect me; I clearly didn’t pay close attention to the blurbs I read!)

“There are two things in my life that are a constant reminder that pleasure exists: food and sex. And I am learning about the different forms they may come in.”

Anonymous chef and columnist Slutty Cheff quit her marketing job after a workplace relationship went sour. She decided the thing she enjoyed most was cooking, so she went to culinary school and eventually did a trial run at a London restaurant. The energy, the camaraderie, even the stress captivated her, and the trial run turned into a job.

She is quickly enamored of her job and craves more responsibility. While it’s hard to be the only woman working in the kitchen, she more than holds her own. But the 60+-hour workweek, coupled with late nights fueled by alcohol and drugs with her colleagues, exhausts her both physically and emotionally.

The book follows her love/hate relationship with being a chef and the whole restaurant culture. She gets overwhelmed by the pressure and the lifestyle, but misses cooking when she’s not doing it. At the same time, she gets involved with several men over time, and realizes that sex gives her the same high.

You know how much I like books about chefs, cooking, restaurants, etc., so this was definitely right up my alley. This is one of those books you shouldn’t read on an empty stomach, and at times, it’s quite steamy, so be prepared. It’ll make you think twice about staying until a restaurant is nearly empty, too!

Book Review: "Flirty Dancing" by Jennifer Moffatt

I don’t know about you, but I can’t resist a book that has this as its title! Thanks so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this fun book.

Archer was an accountant in Ohio who quit his job to move to NYC and pursue his dream of being on Broadway. But the auditioning isn’t going well, and maybe his mother is right: 27 is too old to chase your dreams. Still, he goes on one more audition, vowing to head back to Ohio if he doesn’t succeed.

He lands a job as a performer at Shady Queens, an LGBTQ-friendly resort in the Catskills. It’s not quite what he was hoping for, but you never know where your big break can come from. Much to his surprise, he learns that one of his co-stars is Mateo Dixon, once a Broadway star and Archer’s teenage crush.

After Mateo’s time on Broadway flamed out in spectacular fashion, Shady Queens is one of the only jobs he can get. He’s not thrilled to have been the target of Archer’s teenage worship (which has maybe carried over into his 20s), but all he wants to do is dance. Maybe he’s a little standoffish, but he’s still sexy as hell in Archer’s eyes.

Archer tries to build a friendship with Mateo but always seems to say and do the wrong things. And when a relationship with Caleb, one of his castmates, turns sour, it adds to the drama and tension among the performers. The show starts to suffer, and it’s up to the performers to buckle down and try to leave their emotional issues offstage.

As a huge fan of musical theater and romance, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun, emotional, and overly dramatic, much like you’d imagine performers to be. I loved the chemistry between Archer and Mateo, and at times it felt like Shady Queens reminded me of Kellerman’s from Dirty Dancing.

The book will publish 5/27/2025.

Book Review: "Change of Heart" by Falon Ballard

When you find an author whose books you love completely, you jump on each new one right away. Or at least I do! That’s been the case with a number of authors since I joined Bookstagram, including Falon Ballard. I’ve loved every single one of her books!

Cam is an attorney whose entire life revolves around work. She is a partner in her grandmother’s law firm and expects to take over someday. So what if she has no work/life balance? She’s a kickass attorney and that’s all that matters.

But Cam’s grandmother wants her to find a suitable partner, so she sets her up on dates. One night Cam goes out with Ben, a handsome doctor, and although he seems nice and smart, she can’t be bothered with getting to know him. She’d rather deal with her work emails. So she’s rude to him and the friendly waitress who believes there’s a connection between Cam and Ben, whether or not they see it.

The next morning, Cam wakes up in an unfamiliar place: Heart Springs, a town straight out of a Hallmark movie. Her hair and makeup are always perfect, the clothes in her closet are far from the power suits she’s used to. Ben is her next door neighbor, and he doesn’t know how they got there either.

It turns out that Cam will be trapped in Heart Springs until she finds a job she’s passionate about, becomes a valued part of the community, and experience true love. Which should be interesting, given she doesn’t believe in love. Can she change her life—and her heart?

I love rom-coms and I love magical realism, so this book was right up my alley. There’s great banter, great steam, and fun characters—it feels like a cross between a Hallmark movie and The Truman Show. Once again, Ballard has charmed me completely.

Book Review: "I Think They Love You" by Julian Winters

Julian Winters is one of my auto-buy authors, so when I saw he had a new book coming out I was definitely excited. And as much as I’ve loved all of his YA books, learning this would be his first adult novel was even more exciting!

As the son of the CEO of 24 Carter Gold, Atlanta’s most prominent event planning company, Denz has always been expected to make a good impression. He’s tremendously conscious that someone is always watching him, which as an adult has translated into social media success for the company.

When his workaholic father announces his retirement and a search for the company’s new CEO, Denz decides to become a candidate. His family questions his seriousness and his commitment to things, so he tells them he has a boyfriend to prove them wrong.

Of course, now he has to find a boyfriend, or at least someone who’ll pretend to be one. The person to fill the role is the last person Denz is expecting: Braylon, his college boyfriend, who took a job in London after graduation and broke his heart. (Braylon needs Denz’s connections, so it’s not a one-sided fake relationship.)

As Denz jumps through hoops to try and prove his worthiness to be CEO, he and Braylon go all in on fake dating. Of course, there’s always some truth in every pretend relationship, but can either of them admit their true feelings before it’s too late?

I loved how much heart this book had. It’s not only a story about second chances; it’s also about family, friendship, ambition, fear, and trying to figure out what you want out of life. This is a sexy, romantic, emotional story, and proof that Julian Winters succeeds no matter what genre he’s in.

Book Review: "The Close-Up" by Pip Drysdale

“Am I the unreliable narrator of my own life?”

Zoe moved to Los Angeles after her first novel was sold and plans were made for its adaptation into a movie. But her best intentions of revising the book went awry, so she lost momentum and another aspiring author got the break that was supposed to be hers. And with one flop to her name, the pressure on her to knock her second book out of the park is definitely intense.

As she tries to come up with an idea for her second book, she works at a florist’s shop. And much to her surprise, she encounters Zach, a guy who ghosted her three years ago, just before he got his big break as an action movie star. She attempts to convince herself not to fall for Zach again, but shortly after pictures of the two appear online, he dumps her again.

“Because everything dangerous starts with warmth: fire, hope, love. Even hypothermia feels warm before it kills you.”

The pressure from her agent mounts, and to top it off, she apparently has a stalker, who is replicating incidents from her first book. She knows the book doesn’t end well for her protagonist, and doesn’t want the same thing to happen to her. But Zach and his security chief say they’ll get to the bottom of everything, and that she’s safe. Yeah, okay…

This started slowly but before I knew it, the tension ratcheted up, the suspense grew, and the book raced toward its conclusion. I have been waiting to read this for a few weeks, and I thought it was absolutely excellent!!

Book Review: "Unromance" by Erin Connor

This was excellent!! I love how authors can take familiar elements and weave them together into something that feels new and fresh. Erin Connor definitely did that with her debut rom-com, Unromance.

Sawyer is a bestselling romance author who has been dealing with writer’s block since her girlfriend left her. Ironically, she’s also sworn off love, as it only seems to bring complications and pain.

One snowy night, she has a meet-cute with a handsome man in an elevator. Unbeknownst to her, the man is Mason West, a soap opera actor known for his love life as much as his talent. They flirt up a storm and Sawyer decides to go home with him. A one-night stand should do the trick, or it would if they could stop running into each other!

For Mason, running into Sawyer repeatedly is a sign, a sign that they can help each other. He can help Sawyer find inspiration that will lead to her next book, and she can help hopeless romantic Mason become desensitized and stop falling in love with the slightest romantic gesture. And all they have to do is follow two rules: they can’t fall in love with one another, and they can’t have sex. Super easy, no?

Of course, the decision to avoid having sex and/or falling in love never quite goes according to plan. They might not be able to outrun their feelings, and do they really want to?

The chemistry between Sawyer and Mason is off the charts, and so is the steam! I loved the way he treated her in particular, and Sawyer’s take-no- no prisoners attitude was awesome.

Thanks so much to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy. The book will publish 1/14/2025.

Book Review: "Hungry Heart" by Jem Milton

Laurie is a young food writer in London. His best friend has gotten him an exceptional opportunity: the chance to interview Oryan Adjei, a handsome young chef who made a name for himself by winning a television cooking competition when he was 19.

As a young Black chef, Oryan has become a public fixture, appearing on television shows and in ad campaigns. He never seems to get the chance to cook anymore, however, and he’s beginning to wonder whether this is still the path he wants to follow.

When Laurie and Oryan meet for their first interview, Laurie is starstruck and a bit awkward. But the two strike up a genuine conversation, and Oryan feels, for the first time in a long time, like someone is seeing him for who he is rather than who they expect him to be.

As Oryan’s life becomes more complicated and he finds himself being tugged in multiple directions, what he really wants to do is talk with Laurie again. And Laurie not only wants to interview Oryan again because he’s getting paid to do so, but he definitely feels something for him beyond simple admiration. But why would a famous chef be interested in an awkward mess like him?

Jem Milton’s graphic novel is beautifully drawn and tells a sweet, poignant, and thought-provoking story. It examines how easy it is to let others dictate the path you should take, and how when you get caught up in obligations it can be easy to lose yourself. It also looks at how easy it can be to undermine your self-confidence and convince yourself you’re not worthy of what you want.

Many of you know how much I love anything about cooking, chefs, the food industry, etc., and also how much I love romance. Hungry Heart serves up a fantastic helping of both, full of characters I rooted for and a story I raced through.

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: "From Here to the Great Unknown" by Lisa Marie Presley and RIley Keough

I’ve been an Elvis fan for as long as I can remember. My parents used to play his music, I watched a lot of his movies while I was growing up, and I distinctly remember people being upset when he died. A few years after college, a friend and I even road-tripped down to Memphis and visited Graceland.

As an Elvis fan, Lisa Marie Presley also fascinated me. I enjoyed her music and was always fascinated by her life, and felt it was really tragic when she died. Needless to say, when I heard her memoir, which was finished by her daughter, was going to be published, I knew I needed to read it.

This book was an emotional one. Not only was it sad to read about how devastated she was to lose her father when she was 9, but she struggled her entire life with so many things. Addiction. Depression. Being such a subject of fascination for the public. Finding and keeping love. Grief.

While there wasn’t much in the book that necessarily surprised me (although I had forgotten she was briefly married to Nicolas Cage), it still was gripping to read her thoughts. The counterpoint and further details Riley Keough provided definitely deepened the story through her perspectives.

I often wonder if life in the public eye truly prevents a person from living a “normal” life and enjoying it. Certainly from this book you can see how Lisa Marie’s fierce parenting protected Riley from falling into many of the same traps that her mother did.

This was moving and powerful. I’m so glad Riley decided to ensure that her mother’s story didn’t remain untold after her death. And I feel grateful that the Presleys shared their talent with the world.

Book Review: "Book of the Month" by Jennifer Probst

This was a fun summer read as the season ends, meteorologically, at least. My thanks to Jennifer Probst, Get Red PR Books, and Blue Box Press for the complimentary advance copy.

Aspen’s first novel was an overnight success. But after writing two more books, all readers can still talk about is her first. Is she washed up already? Destined to be a one-book wonder?

What made her first book so good and so meaningful was that it was based on her own heartbreak and anguish and rage. But since she has barely dated since the breakup that inspired her to write, her subsequent books haven’t connected emotionally with her readers. She needs to write another hit. Fast.

Hoping a change of scenery will help, she travels to the Outer Banks to stay with her sister for the summer. Aspen believes that if she can find a man to romance her and then break her heart, she’ll tap into her literary mojo once again. And she finds the perfect man: Brick Babel, a handsome local with a reputation for hot sex and then emotional destruction. (There’s even a support group for women dealing with the aftereffects of dating him.)

Despite the fact that everyone—including her sister—warns her about Brick, she’s determined. It doesn’t help that he rejects her every advance. But when she offers him money to save the tour business he inherited, in exchange for some love and heartbreak, he reluctantly agrees. Yet when the sparks start flying for real, it becomes more difficult to distinguish truth from fiction.

I love fake dating romances, so this hit the spot. I didn’t always love Aspen’s character, but Brick and the supporting characters were so good, even Dug the dog. Crazily enough, I’ve yet to read any other of Jennifer Probst’s books, so I’m ready for more.

The book publishes 10/22.

Book Review: "The Hookup Mix-up" by Riley Hart

My second book by Riley Hart this week! Looks like I’ve found a new favorite romance writer!

Theo is a student at Franklin University and he’ll be the first in his family to graduate from college. But school doesn’t come easy for him, which causes him a lot of pressure, because he doesn’t want to disappoint his parents.

One night at a party he and his housemates are throwing, Theo gets quite drunk. He’s about to fall off a table when Perry catches him, which causes Theo to call him his knight in shining armor. They spend the rest of the party together, and Perry flirts with Theo, who is utterly oblivious to that fact.

When he invites Perry out to lunch to thank him, Perry thinks they’re going to hook up. Theo didn’t realize Perry is bi, which he is not, but they fall into an easy friendship and quickly become inseparable. The more time they spend together, the more Theo finds himself attracted to Perry, which is a shock to him. But he finds the courage to ask if they can be best friends with benefits, which Perry quickly agrees to.

Perry doesn’t do relationships, but he can’t stop thinking of Theo when they’re not together. And while the sex gets hotter and hotter, their feelings for another grow more intense, too, and they help each other deal with other issues that arise as well.

This book was the perfect combination of sweet, funny, and intoxicatingly steamy. I loved the chemistry between Theo and Perry and the banter with Perry’s brother and his partner. This is the start of a series written by different authors, and I’m all in!

Book Review: "Business Casual" by B.K. Borison

I’ve not really been wild about the last few books I’ve read, but luckily the slump didn’t last too long. All I needed was a return trip to Inglewild, and some time with the folks at Lovelight Farms.

Nova has always been fiercely independent and is used to getting things her way. But as she plans to open her own tattoo studio in Inglewild, she’s feeling the pressure to have everything perfect.

Charlie, whose half-sister Stella runs Lovelight Farms, is a hard-working businessman in NYC dealing with his pompous, power-hungry father, but he’s a frequent visitor in Inglewild. He loves joking around and flirting with Nova, although she mostly doesn’t take him seriously. He likes his job and likes living in NYC, but he's also really lonely.

Charlie is shocked when Nova flirts back with him, and she proposes they sleep together just once, to get it out of their systems. (Does that ever work?) With Charlie spending a month running the farm, it’s much harder for both of them to ignore the chemistry and the growing feelings between them. In the end, though, Charlie will head back to NYC, and everything can go back to normal.

I really love this series and the community B.K. Borison has created here. This is a fantastic story, romantic and seriously steamy, but full of complex emotions and the ways we make ourselves small because we don’t think we’re worthy of happiness. While this is the fourth (and apparently final) book in the series, each can be read as a standalone, but hopefully you'll fall in love with these characters, too. (B.K., please do a book with Dane and Matty at some point!)

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

Book Review: "Jaded" by Ela Lee

Jade, the daughter of a Korean mother and a Turkish father, is an attorney at a corporate law firm. She’s always felt tremendous pressure to succeed, to be the best, which as a woman and a minority, isn’t as easy as it should be.

“That Jade isn’t even my real name. That Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.”

One night at a fancy work event, she drinks too much, and the senior partner of the law firm acts a bit inappropriately toward her. Another colleague sees Jade in the awkward situation and offers to make sure she gets home safely.

The next morning, Jade wakes up naked in her bed with a horrible hangover. She has no clue how she got home but hopes she didn’t embarrass herself in front of her supervisors or colleagues. But little by little, she starts having flashes of memories, she notices bruises all over her body, and she’s experiencing pain and bleeding. Are her memories accurate?

Jade throws herself into her work, as she looks to the client on whose case she is working on as a bit of a mentor. Emotionally, however, she is a complete wreck. Telling her longtime boyfriend what happened causes friction between them. She doesn’t feel she can confide in her parents or anyone at work. She feels powerless, and doesn’t know how she’ll ever move forward.

This is a very powerful and thought-provoking book, but it may be triggering for those who have experienced similar situations. Jade is a very vividly drawn character, and the book is full of insightful commentary on power, race, identity, and sexism in the workplace.

Book Review: "Really Cute People" by Markus Harwood-Jones

While I definitely have a fondness for books about family drama and dysfunction, what I love more are books about chosen family. That is something Really Cute People has in heartwarming abundance.

“If you think you’ve found your people, hold on tight. From there, everything else will sort itself out.”

Charlie is definitely in a bit of an emotional slump. The queer collective they once were a part of has fallen apart, and their former housemates all seem to blame Charlie. To top it off, their job at what was once a crisis hotline—now staffed by a chatbot because of budget cuts—isn’t exciting them as it used to, although the a promotion would be appealing.

Charlie’s boss asks them to take a trip to a small town outside the city to check out a new model of community center. They can’t wait to relax in the luxurious Airbnb their boss has reserved. But when Charlie arrives, they find chaos—a couple, along with their five-year-old daughter, as well as a dog, a cat, and a bird, messed up the schedule of when they were renting their home out. However, they promise to be out of Charlie’s hair the next morning.

Except the next morning, there’s a massive snowstorm, so Charlie is stuck with Buffy, Hayden, and their family. To everyone’s surprise, Charlie seems to relish the craziness—and it doesn’t hurt that both Buffy and Hayden seem to be flirting with Charlie. Could this be what they’ve been looking for all along, or will the fantasy end when Charlie has to return home?

This story was sweet, steamy, and sensitive. As the author said in their notes, why can’t a triangle turn into a triad? I’ve really never read a book with this as its focus, and it definitely made me smile and feel all the feels.

Book Review: "Piglet" by Lottie Hazell

I don’t think I’ve ever been hungrier than I was while reading this book. And I don’t mean it metaphorically—this book has some of the most gorgeously sumptuous descriptions of food and cooking that I’ve ever seen. This is definitely a book that needed recipes included!!

Unable to escape her childhood nickname, Piglet is excited about her life. She and her fiancé, Kit, have just bought a house and they’ll be married in 9 weeks. She loves her job as a cookbook editor, but what she loves more than anything is cooking elaborate meals, whether when she and Kit are entertaining or just for the two of them.

Two weeks before their wedding, Kit confesses that he has betrayed Piglet. She has no idea what to do. Should she forgive him and go on with the wedding? Should she cancel everything before things go much further? And as devastated and angry as she feels, why is she always so ravenous?

As the wedding approaches, Piglet seems ready to forgive and move on. After all, that seems to be what nearly everyone expects of her. But like a painstakingly created recipe, everything needs to be just right, and that’s the last thing Piglet feels to be true.

I loved the way this was written, especially the vivid ways Lottie Hazell describes things. But the story itself never really pulled me in—it kept me at arm’s length and never really gave details about certain things.

Book Review: "Last Call at the Local" by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

I've never been to Ireland, but it's definitely on my travel bucket list, and I tend to love reading books set there. But that's not the only reason I loved Sarah Grunder Ruiz's newest book, Last Call at the Local. I've definitely been a fan of her first two books, Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships and Luck and Last Resorts, so I had high hopes for this one—and it definitely delivered.

Much to the disappointment of her parents, Raine dropped out of medical school after 2+ years and headed to Europe to work as a traveling musician. The busking life gives Raine a freedom she's never had before, and she truly loves performing (although she doesn't have the courage to perform any of her original music). But at times, her ADHD gets the best of her, and when she spends the day in the Irish city of Cobh, she makes a crucial mistake that leaves her with very little money and unable to perform.

She can't believe that her only option is to call her parents and ask for the money to fly home to Boston. The thought of having to return home and face her parents' disapproval has her on the verge of depression, but she knows she has no choice. She takes refuge in a pub, The Local, where she she figures she'll spend her last few dollars on a pint of Guinness and prepare herself. And then she finds herself flirting with handsome, tattooed Jack, who seems to be a regular at the pub.

Raine can't help but enjoy talking to Jack, even though her mind keeps wandering back to the mess she's in. But when he asks what she thinks of the pub, she is a little too honest. And then she finds out he owns the pub with his brother. But Jack isn't insulted by her comments, he's inspired—and he offers her a job as an entertainment coordinator, so she can help turn her vision for the pub into reality.

Ever since he inherited the pub from his father, Jack has wanted to make it different than the one he grew up in. However, he struggles with OCD, including intrusive thoughts which often paralyze him, so making progress has been difficult. But if Raine can stick around, maybe she can make change happen. And it doesn't hurt that he's really attracted to her.

Can both Jack and Raine keep control of their minds in order to turn The Local into the pub of their dreams? And will their hearts behave? This book is charming, funny, and emotional, and it really captures the struggles of living with ADHD and OCD. If you've read Ruiz's previous books, you'll see some familiar characters, but this could easily be read as a stand-alone.

Book Review: "A Likely Story" by Leigh McMullan Abramson

Secrets and drama abound in the family of a bestselling author.⁣

⁣ All Ward Manning wanted was to be a famous writer. And while it took some time to build momentum, he’s a literary legend now. His wife, Claire, is a philanthropist and socialite, with the brains and beauty to match.

⁣ ⁣ The couple’s only child, Isabelle, has wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps since childhood. She was envious of the way everyone clamored for his attention and favor, not to mention the fame. But her writing career can’t seem to take off; her first book was rejected by publishers, and as she nears her 35th birthday, the pressure is mounting, as is the fear of failure.⁣

⁣ When Claire dies unexpectedly, it throws both Ward and Isabelle into turmoil. Ward is coming to terms with the fact that his popularity may be dwindling, and realizes just how much Claire brought to his life. And when Isabelle goes through some keepsakes Claire left for her, she discovers something which makes her question everything that has transpired in her life, all of her assumptions about her parents and the people they were.⁣

⁣ I love some good family drama and dysfunction, and this certainly delivered more than its share of secrets and lies. The book shifted back and forth through past and present, narrated by the three Mannings as well as Isabelle’s best friend, Brian. Also, interspersed between chapters are excerpts from a novel about a woman wronged by her husband and how she tries to right the score. But whose book is it?

I just wanted a bit more from this book.⁣

Book Review: "After Perfect" by Maan Gabriel

This is the heartfelt story of a woman trying to find her way after her marriage ends.

Be the perfect wife. That’s what Gabby was taught to do by her traditional Filipino mother. And that’s what she’s done—put aside her dreams and supported her husband, Simon, whom she dated in high school. But after being married for 16 years, Simon tells Gabby he wants a divorce.

Gabby falls apart. Life with Simon is what she knows. But with the support of her best friend, she decides to go back to school to study creative writing. And it’s not long before she finds herself drawn to Colt, the bestselling author who teaches one of her classes. He, too, becomes an advocate for Gabby to pursue her dreams and independence.

As Gabby builds her new life, including getting a job, the attraction between her and Colt grows deeper. Yet as he opens up to her, Gabby sees that he’s perhaps as vulnerable, if not more so, than her. Can a fresh start be found with someone who may be too damaged to love and be loved?

This was an emotional book and Gabby is definitely someone to root for. I loved the NYC and DC area settings. (The book actually even mentioned a few places not far from my house.) The one challenge that I had is one of my least favorite tropes—miscommunication. I know it creates more drama, but I want to shake characters and say, “Just talk to one another!”

Book Review: "Afterglow" by Phil Stamper

Four best friends deal with senior year of high school and decisions about their futures, in this sequel to Golden Boys.

Oh, my heart.

Reese, Heath, Sal, and Gabriel were inseparable best friends growing up in the small village of Gracemont, Ohio. As the only openly gay students in their high school (and probably their town), it’s only natural they would have gravitated toward each other. And after each of them had a summer adventure of their own, they’re now back to take on their senior year.

Each of them has challenges to deal with. Sal wants to pursue a different path than his mother has been prepping for; Reese is ready to study fashion design in NYC, but is afraid to leave Heath, and has another secret he’s not ready to share; Gabriel is trying to weather a long-distance relationship and uncover a scandal in school; and Heath feels the pressure of waiting for a prestigious athletic scholarship.

Along the way, they’ll wonder how their friendships and romances may change when they’re not all in the same place next year. Will they succeed without their cheering squad, confidantes, and partners-in-crime?

I loved Golden Boys but thought Afterglow was even better because the boys’ stories better meshed together. And while this is the second book in Stamper’s duology, I wouldn’t mind if he brought the quartet back for a third book, because I’ll miss them!!

There’s nothing quite like high school friendships, and the feeling you’re ready to take on the world.

Book Review: "None of This Would Have Happened If Prince Were Alive" by Carolyn Prusa

Boy, was this a funny, moving book about finding strength to overcome disasters—both atmospheric and emotional!

Is this not such an amazing title? Prince was such a huge part of my musical life. I actually remember I was out having lunch with friends when I saw the news he had died, and couldn’t believe it.

When a Category 4 hurricane bearing down on your city isn’t your biggest problem, you’re a warrior. Ramona is constantly juggling the demands of her career—and a boss who says “kewl”—and raising two children, the younger of whom is failing at toilet training. It’s not that her husband Desmond doesn’t help, it’s just he always seems to mess things up or not listen to her.

But when she picks up her daughter early from daycare, she arrives home to find that he’s been cheating on her. She’s barely holding it all together, and having to evacuate with her kids, worry about her stubborn mother who lives on the water, and consider infidelity and ending her marriage is almost too much to bear.

The book alternates between the present and various points in Ramona’s relationship with Desmond. It’s at turns sarcastic, emotional, thought-provoking, and funny as hell. I love the voice that Carolyn Prusa gave to her characters, especially Ramona and her mother.