Book Review: "The Social Circle" by Sophie Wan

“After all, if friendship is a plant that needs to be watered regularly, theirs should have withered to nothingness long ago. But maybe real friendship is not a plant. Maybe it’s a mountain. Sometimes difficult to ascend. But there, always, through the storms and the seasons.”

This was so good! I had been eyeing this book for a few months and I finally picked it up over the weekend. I love stories about friendships and how they go off course.

Ten years ago, Maggie met Adam, Charles, and Hari, shortly after she arrived as a transfer student at the University of California at Berkeley. Together, they create Circle, initially as an effort to help their fellow students navigate the school’s clubs, but it eventually becomes the first major social media platform.

As Circle grows in popularity, the friends have to balance the challenges of college and managing user demands and expectations. At the same time, the line between friendship and love gets blurry, which causes friction on the business side. And when it all falls apart, Maggie finds herself on the outside looking in.

Ten years later, as Circle gets ready to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, Maggie receives a personal invitation to join the other three on a remote Norwegian island. She’s not sure if she can handle rehashing the history among them, but her new company could use the publicity. Will they be able to move past the issues that derailed their friendships, or will the hurt and anger win again?

I loved the fact that the book dwelled more on the relationships between the friends and how they handled the growing business than the platform itself. It made me a little nostalgic for a time in my life where things were simpler and you could just enjoy your friends without life getting in the way. This was really, really good!

Book Review: "The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman" by Deesha Philyaw

Can I get an “amen”? Deesha Philyaw’s first novel is deliciously gossipy, thought-provoking, steamy, and emotional. Having been an enormous fan of Philyaw’s debut story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, I’m not surprised how good this is. But it’s a lot of fun, too.

“And you know what? I own all the parts that are true. The lies and the lessons. The messes and the mistakes. Because they are the stones that forged the path leading from my difficult past to my beautiful present.”

Scharisse Freeman is the much-younger wife of Rev. David Freeman, pastor of the Hope in Christ Baptist Church, one of the largest Black megachurches in the U.S. Given the age difference and the fact that Scharisse had no real religious background before marrying her husband, it’s taken quite a while for some in the church to warm up to her as First Lady. But she hasn’t let that stop her from using her brand to make millions of dollars.

What she craves more than anything, however, is acceptance from the First Ladies of other churches. Yet a misstep when she was first married has made her a pariah. But when she finally gets an invitation to compete in the First Lady USA pageant, she believes that winning will be her ticket to acceptance.

However, she doesn’t anticipate being in the middle of a huge scandal, which calls her reputation into question. It also highlights the hypocrisy of many so-called devout people, as well as the double standard that exists between men and women where infidelity is concerned. She needs to find her own path and be her authentic self—no matter what.

Schar isn’t always the most sympathetic character, and when miscommunication occurs a few times, I wanted to shake her a bit. But she is a woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, and definitely doesn’t suffer fools! I really enjoyed this.

The book publishes 9/29.

Book Review: "See You Next Tuesday" by Kate Stayman-London

I loved this book for several reasons, but one of them is that it reminded me of what it was like to be excited by a political candidate and be hopeful for the future. Lord knows we could use a lot of that in the U.S. right now!!

Nothing gets Anya more energized than working on a political campaign. She loves helping candidates she believes in, candidates she thinks would make a difference. When she meets Gabe, she is awestruck by his handsomeness, but his ego and what she sees as his lack of principles irritate her to no end.

They keep running into each other, either working in different roles on a campaign, or being brought together by mutual friends. There’s no doubt that they’re attracted to one another, but they can’t be around each other for long before they’re arguing again. They try to at least be friends, but one always makes the other one mad fairly quickly.

The book follows them through more than a decade of working on campaigns—local, state, and national. When they work together for a charismatic woman running for the U.S. Senate, they become friends, and both want more, but they’re too afraid to admit their feelings. Yet the two stand by each other through difficult personal times, and then they finally fall in love.

But when Anya and Gabe both get jobs working for Democratic presidential candidates, suddenly they’re rivals. Anya feels strongly that her candidate is the right one for the country. While Gabe might not feel the exact same way, he knows his candidate is more electable. Can they be opponents at the same time as being lovers?

I really enjoyed the way the book not only portrayed the frenzy, the highs, and the lows of political campaigns, but also how challenging it can be to hold onto yourself. I loved how the book explored grief and moving on, and while Anya could get a little self-righteous at times, I thought she and Gabe had great chemistry.

Book Review: "Pretty Dead Things" by Kelsey Cox

In the small town of Anhalt, Texas, the Lone Star Princess Pageant is a big deal. The competition is cutthroat—and that’s just among some of the mothers! No one believes their daughter is more deserving than Kennedy Claire, a former winner herself, who will stop at nothing to make sure the crown winds up on her daughter’s head.

Twenty-five years ago, on the night of the pageant, Isabelle Whitmore disappeared. Everyone believed she was murdered by her boyfriend Ben and that her body was buried somewhere on the sprawling Sherman Ranch. Now, Izzy’s twin sister Ingrid has returned to town, just as construction crews are digging up the ranch to build houses.

The pageant reawakens old hurts and resentments. Melanie can’t shake the trauma she experienced after being pranked by her friends; Cat, who has finally gotten sober, is convinced she’s being followed; and Ingrid begins to realize the truths she believed about her sister’s disappearance may not be accurate.

When a major winter storm—nearly unheard of in Texas—strikes Anhalt, all the pageant contestants and their families are stuck together under one roof. But after one death shakes everyone up, the question of who is responsible worries everyone. And that’s not all they’ll need to deal with.

This was a really good thriller. I really didn’t know what was going to happen and who would be the culprit, and Kelsey Cox definitely kept me guessing. There was a lot going on but it never felt overwhelming. I want to go back and read her debut thriller now!

Book Review: "All's Fair in Love and Pizza" by Lane Hayes

Y’all, this book had me at PIZZA BAGELS. I enjoyed a lot about the story—the chemistry between the characters, the competition, the banter—but it was all about the pizza bagels for me.

Mateo has been working at his family’s pizzeria for as long as he can remember. Since his father and his uncle died, Mateo and his cousin run Boardwalk Pizza. It’s an institution in the college town of Haverton.

When Mateo and his crew learn that the empty space next door is going to be taken over by a bagel shop, they’re somewhat excited. The shop will be run by Rob Vilmer, Mateo’s football teammate in college who had a great pro career.

Rob remembers having a huge crush on Mateo back in college, but since Rob was closeted nothing ever happened. He’s excited to see Mateo again—until the two of them butt heads when Rob reveals his plan to make pizza bagels. How can this guy just come into town and start selling pizza bagels next to a pizzeria?

Mateo gets angrier and Rob loves egging him on. Rob’s business partner suggests the two stores have a bake-off that will last through football season. And when the heat of competition bubbles over to the bedroom, both have to decide whether to trust their heart to their rival.

This was fun, steamy, romantic, and hunger-inducing. It’s been a while since I read a rom-com by Lane Hayes, and I’ll be back for more!!

Book Review: "Frat Around and Find Out" by Devon McCormack

I like reading “important” books that challenge me as much as the next person. But sometimes I need a smutty M/M romance. This hit the spot and actually had more emotional complexity than I was expecting.

Sigma Alpha and Alpha Theta Mu are two rival fraternities. They’re constantly trying to one up each other, and when the annual TaskFrat challenges come around, the two are always neck and neck until the very end.

Lance is the president of Alpha Theta Mu. He takes his responsibilities seriously, especially when it comes to battling their foes. And he has a worthy rival in Ty, the Sigma Alpha president.

Ty is supremely confident about everything, including his prowess with women. He’s the type to love ‘em and leave ‘em, and he teases Lance for focusing more on feelings than conquests. But he also can’t seem to get Lance out of his mind, and not for competitive reasons. What’s that about?

Lance, too, realizes that Ty has an inexplicable hold over him. Is it possible that he’s crushing on his rival? The more they’re pushed together, the more they’re drawn to each other. Is this just a curiosity thing for the both of them, or are there feelings behind the attraction? And how will the brothers of both of their frats handle this?

I’m excited that this is the first book in a series, because I really enjoyed it. Both Ty and Lance are dealing with grief-related issues, and it was nice to see how each helped the other. (And in case you were wondering, the steam was pretty hot.)

Book Review: "Dolly All the Time" by Annabel Monaghan

Annabel Monaghan is an absolute auto-buy author for me. Her characters are always so well-drawn, and her books have such an emotional richness to them. I’ve loved every one of her books, but Dolly All The Time may be my new favorite.

When a small fire occurs one night in her childhood home, Dolly and her teenage son Gus leave their lives in Boston and head back to her hometown of Whitfield, Rhode Island. Ever since her mother left their family when Dolly was 12, she’s been the one who has taken care of everything—for her father and her two younger siblings.

Dolly loves being back in Whitfield and quickly assumes the caretaking role once again. One day after working at the family’s fish house, she comes across Stewart Whitfield, the handsome heir to the Whitfield fortune. (Their hometown is named for his family.) Stewart’s car has a flat tire and he has no idea how to fix it. Dolly shows him how, and the press takes an impromptu picture of them, as Stewart’s engagement has just ended in a scandal.

Stewart is desperate to close the deal on his becoming the company’s new. The one drawback is that his parents think he’s too much of a workaholic to succeed. So Stewart asks Dolly to be his fake girlfriend, a challenge she accepts. Suddenly she is attending benefits and client dinners, and bringing out a whole different side of Stewart.

I’ve read tons of romances and rom-coms that have fake dating at their core. Even though the approach is familiar, the way the relationship between Dolly and Stewart unfolds is just lovely.

I absolutely loved this book. Not only were the main characters totally appealing, but the supporting characters rocked also. There was banter, steam, self-discovery, happiness, sadness, and humor. It was exactly what I needed!

Book Review: "Bedside Manner" by C.G. Macington

I was completely blown away by this book. I had never heard of it but the cover intrigued me, and when I saw it was the first book in a series, I had to give it a try. It really touched my heart.

Dr. Maxwell York is the chief of cardiothoracic surgery at St. Jude’s Medical Centre, the hospital his family owns. Max thrives on order, silence, routine, and everything in its place. He is mostly unflappable, so much that his colleagues call him the “Ice King.”

But when the hospital begins renovations to the floor where his obsessively neat and sterile office is, he’s forced out of his comfort zone. He’s told he needs to share an office on the Trauma Floor, which is on the lowest level. For Max, it’s like getting sentenced to hell, because the Trauma Floor is messy, loud, chaotic, and essentially a Petri dish for bacteria.

To make matters even worse, Max has to share an office with the Chief of Trauma, Dr. Jax O’Connell. Jax is the complete opposite of Max (despite their rhyming names). He’s a former combat medic and an adrenaline junkie who thrives on chaos as much as Max craves order. But there’s no denying he’s an absolutely excellent doctor.

Jax wants to see how quickly he can get his new office mate to crack. Each definitely lights a fire under the other, and they bump heads more than a few times. Little by little, Max realizes that Jax is a rarity—a doctor who thinks of his patients rather than the bottom line. As they start to work together, the ice between them thaws. But Jax sparks rebellion in Max, which won’t do for those running the hospital—especially his control-hungry mother.

This book was full of fantastic banter between many of the characters, and it definitely was steamy from time to time. It was the romance, however, that stole my heart, and I just loved how each brought out the best in the other. You’ll bet I’ll be reading Books 2 and 3 soon!!

Book Review: "The Entanglement of Rival Wizards" by Sara Raasch

I’ve been meaning to read this for a few months and I’m so glad I finally did. I love the way Sara Raasch combines romance, humor, some heavy emotional content, and fantasy. Her last two books, The Nightmare Before Kissmas and Go Luck Yourself, were fun and sexy, and this was a worthy follow-up, as well as the start of a new series.

Sebastian is a human wizard, and a graduate student at Lesiara University. He’s a bit of a black sheep in his family, as everyone else has gone into the military rather than college. And his family really doesn’t respect the choices he has made.

Sebastian’s biggest rival is Thio (short for Elethior). Thio is half-elf and comes from a wealthy family, many of whom have attended Lesiara before him. Seb and Thio have been engaged in a prank war, but Seb thinks that Thio is just a pretentious jerk, coasting on his family’s legacy.

The two are both finalists for a research grant which could change the winner’s life. But rather than compete for the grant, if they work together, they can share the money. Of course, having to work with Thio drives Seb crazy, but they learn they have more in common than either imagined.

While Seb hates Thio, his disdain only fuels Thio’s desire. Of course, Seb is so blind to anything positive Thio does, so he has no idea about how he feels. But there’s a larger issue here: Seb has a history with Thio’s family that led to some serious trauma. And that leads to a difficult decision for Seb: his research or Thio.

This was a little heavier emotionally than I was expecting, but there’s lots of humor and banter to lighten the load. I often struggle with enemies to lovers romances because the enemies part doesn’t feel genuine, but here it did. Plus, there’s an invisible fox with a cute hat. How could you go wrong?

Book Review: "The Open Era" by Edward Schmit

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

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

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

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

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

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

The book publishes 6/2.

Book Review: "Somebody Worth Killing" by Jessica Payne

Thanks so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the complimentary advance copy of this book! I found this to be a total page-turner and I couldn’t put it down. (I also couldn’t stop laughing, so…)

Nadia is a happily married mother of two living in San Antonio. She has an event planning business and a loving husband. Actually, she’s a hired assassin and psychopath who kills people who are evil and deserve to be killed. And no one suspects a thing!

“Some people enjoy hiking. Others, playing cards or knitting an afghan. They’ll tell you that it just does it for them, that something about it makes their life complete. Well, killing people does that for me.”

She’s never questioned the assignments she gets offered, but she worries she might be getting short shrift because she’s a mother and wife. So she asks for a bigger job, someone who is really worth killing. She follows her mark one day and gets a huge surprise: she’s been hired to kill her husband, Brian.

How is it possible that her mild-mannered management consultant husband is actually deserving to be murdered? Nadia can’t believe it, but the pressure to kill him increases each day. She can’t kill him until she finds out if he’s truly evil—but if she does, what will happen to her and her daughters?

This was a twisty, cat-and-mouse thriller that ratchets up the tension little by little. I honestly had no idea how things would get tied up—and I didn’t know what I wanted to happen. But this was a great read.

The book publishes 6/16.

Book Review: "Thirty Love" by Tom Vellner

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: "Stubborn Puckboy" by Eden Finley and Saxon James

Nothing makes me happier than a new book in the Puckboys series. This was Book 9, and it’s as steamy, romantic, sweet, and fun, as the early books were. This is definitely the series that keeps on giving!

Seventeen years ago, Colby and Novi were both drafted by the NHL team in Anaheim. Even though Colby was excited to be drafted, Novi was the type of athlete that you know will be a star. (And he knew it, too.) The two became close friends, although Colby definitely wanted something more, but didn’t think Novi would be interested. One night, after drinking, they came very close to crossing the line—and then Novi pulled away from him completely.

Now, Novi is a true star, nearing the end of an illustrious career. Colby never quite made it as a player, but started coaching, and after great success at the college level, he’s finally landed his first NHL coaching gig. He’ll be an assistant video coach in Los Angeles—for Novi’s team.

Both men are in turmoil from Colby’s arrival. Colby, who is now openly gay, wants to clear the air with Novi so it doesn’t affect his coaching job. Novi is closeted and deathly afraid that Colby might somehow figure that out. Novi wants to come out, but his sister and her family still live in Russia, and he’s afraid that his doing so might affect their lives.

After trying to avoid Colby completely fails, it’s not long before Novi admits the truth—he’s been in love with Colby for 17 years. At first, they try not to give into their pent-up desires and chance Novi’s secret gets discovered, but their willpower doesn’t last long. Can they find a way to be together without affecting either of their careers or Novi’s family?

Y’all know I love my hockey romances, but I just loved this second-chance love story. I always enjoy the supporting characters in this series. And the best part? The series will continue!!

Book Review: "Dangerous Play" by Elise Hart Kipness

I read and loved Lights Out, the first book in Elise Hart Kipness’ Kate Green series, about a year ago. I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up the second book, but after devouring it, I can definitely say that it won’t be long before I pick up the third one!

Sports reporter Kate Green is back on the job after the resolution of a murder case that put her in danger. She has the plum assignment of covering the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team as they battle for Olympic glory. It’s an exciting opportunity, even more so for Kate, a former Olympian soccer player. And given her past relationship with Savannah Baker, the head coach, she’s hoping for some good scoop.

The last thing she’s expecting is a murder to occur in the bowels of Yankee Stadium, where the games are being played.

The victim is Alexa Kane, a famous jewelry designer. Years ago, Kate and Alexa were best friends, playing on the U.S. Youth National Team with Savannah. Things ended quite abruptly, leaving Kate feeling guilty. But even with their shared past, there’s no reason that Alexa should’ve been behind the scenes at the game.

Kate feels a personal obligation to figure out who killed Alexa, and why. Doing so reawakens old memories. At the same time, she’s embroiled in a power struggle at the network, and she’s still digging into an old case involving her father, an NYPD detective. What is she in danger from?

I really am loving this series. Kate is a terrific character—tough yet vulnerable at times—and I can’t wait to see more of her interactions with her father as she digs more into his case. Like I said, I’ll be picking up the next book soon!!

Book Review: "Spectacular Things" by Beck Dorey-Stein

I loved this! It was my last book of August and one of my favorites of the month. I love stories about family dynamics, but this was more than that.

“She is coming to understand that love and loss live on the same coin. It’s never heads or tails but joy and agony, grief and delight, spinning in the air, waiting on time and luck to determine not when this chapter ends but how the next one begins.”

Mia and Cricket are sisters, raised by a single mother whose dreams of greatness on the soccer field were derailed just as they were getting started. Mia played soccer until it became clear that Cricket was destined for greatness. So Mia became the responsible one, making sure Cricket got to and from practices and games, and that all the bills were paid.

When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that if Cricket is to realize her true potential and one day play for the U.S. Women’s National Team, Mia will have to make sacrifices. But at what point does sacrifice and support breed resentment?

As Cricket pursues her dreams, she deals with the pros and cons of her single-mindedness, and the loneliness that often occurs when seeking greatness. Can she live up to her potential without ruining her relationships with Mia and others?

I’ve been a fan of Beck Dorey-Stein since her debut memoir, From the Corner of the Oval. I honestly knew very little about women’s soccer (save the superstars), so I found the story very interesting. But where the book sparkled the most was in its depiction of the complicated relationships of the sisters and their mother’s legacy.

Book Review: "Poetry on Ice" by Jesse H Reign

Even though I feel like suddenly hockey romances are EVERYWHERE (I was reading them before they were cool), I need to have my fix. And holy hell, this book was S-T-E-A-M-Y!! (Not that I’m complaining, but…)

Robbie has been traded to the Seattle Vipers. He’s happy to be playing for the team he grew up rooting for, although they’re not as good as his last team. He’s also a bit intimidated by one of his new teammates, Ant. Ant is one of hockey’s bad boys, and for some reason, he’s always had it out for Robbie.

Ant has always felt competitive with Robbie, has always compared his stats to Robbie’s to ensure he is stronger, faster, better. As soon as Robbie joins the team, there is friction between them which instigates fistfights. Not the best look for two of the Vipers’ hottest players, but Ant loves getting a rise out of Robbie.

As the tension grows between them and the team suffers, the coach makes them practice together for hours on end so they can be in sync. He also makes them share hotel rooms when the team is on the road. And it is there where things turn from fighting to, well, you know.

Ant is the dominant one in their encounters and that suits Robbie just fine. While he does everything he can to discourage Robbie from catching feelings, as Ant doesn’t do relationships, it’s not long before Ant realizes he’s fallen for Robbie. And that scares him. A lot.

This was my first book by Jesse H Reign, and it definitely won’t be my last! I enjoyed the character development, the emotion, and the banter as much as the serious heat.

Book Review: "City of Night Birds" by Juhea Kim

There’s something about making art—theater, dance, music, visual art, etc.—that provokes such strong emotions. That’s probably why artists are such rich sources of inspiration and drama, which make them perfect muses for fiction.

“The true cost of accomplishing something you want with your whole being is that the moment you get it, you realize that it’s not enough.”

Natalia, a prima ballerina, returns to St. Petersburg in 2019, two years after an accident disrupted her career. She is invited to dance again, something she both looks forward to and fears.

Being back in St. Petersburg evokes many memories for Natalia. She dreamed of being a ballerina since she was young, and achieved tremendous success, but at the same time, she also experienced rejection, loneliness, pain, and estrangement from her mother. And while she may be past her physical prime, she is determined to give an unforgettable performance.

She is reminded of Alexander, the talented dancer with whom she created magic—both creatively and emotionally. She also is reunited with Dmitri, the mercurial, spiteful genius who caused her a great deal of anguish and self-doubt.

This is a very introspective, slow-moving story, but I found it dramatic and utterly fascinating. It shifts back and forth through time, from Natalia’s childhood to the present, and follows both her career and her personal life. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at the cutthroat world of Russian ballet, and while at times I wished the pacing would speed up, I’ll definitely be thinking about this one for a while.

Book Review: "Not in My Book" by Katie Holt

Rosie dreams of becoming a romance novelist, even though her own love life has been less than stellar. She leaves her Tennessee hometown to pursue her masters degree at NYU, and hopefully launch her career.

But in her writing workshops, she has to deal with Aiden, who is not a fan of romance. Or Rosie’s writing. It doesn’t help that he’s a tremendously talented writer of literary fiction—as well as insufferably handsome. In every class, he tears her writing to shreds, which infuriates her, and leads to them arguing in every class.

When their feuding becomes too much to bear, their professor steps in with an ultimatum: either they write a novel together which blends both of their styles or they have to leave the class. So they reluctantly start to work together, and of course, they bring elements of the things they dislike about each other into their characters.

All of their friends and classmates think they should just sleep together already, but they both use their writing to express their feelings for one another. Little by little their barriers come down and collaborating becomes less of a chore.

But when they both wind up competing for a prestigious fellowship, it ignites their rivalry once again. Can they finally be honest with each other and admit their feelings, or will their collaboration collapse for good?

This was definitely a fun read. I think it would have benefited from a dual narrative, to get Aiden’s perspective. But the banter between the two was definitely enjoyable.

Book Review: "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" by Ally Carter

If you combine an enemies to lovers (sort of) with a locked-room mystery, you’ll get this frothy and fun book. It’s utterly adorable, full of great banter and humor.

An author of cozy mysteries, Maggie would be more than happy to skip over the holidays. Her parents died right after high school and she recently got divorced, when her husband and her best friend had an affair.

One of the things Maggie dislikes most about the holidays is the forced need to socialize with people at parties. That is not Maggie’s thing. But when she is invited to the English estate of her absolute favorite mystery author, Eleanor Ashley (aka The Duchess of Death), she reluctantly accepts the invitation. (Plus, her editor demands she does.)

And then she realizes that she’ll be traveling with Ethan, a fellow author. She hates Ethan. First, he calls her Marcie every time they see each other. Second, he’s ridiculously handsome—and he knows it. And third, his books are huge bestsellers, while hers are, well…

When they arrive at Eleanor’s mansion, Maggie is in awe of meeting her hero. That first night it snows, and the roads are impassable—and yet Eleanor has vanished. Where could an 80-year-old woman with a bad leg go in the middle of a snowstorm? Is this a real mystery, or some type of contest? As Maggie and Ethan try to figure out what happened, they draw closer—and make some real discoveries about one another.

I definitely enjoyed this although it took some time for the pacing to pick up. But I enjoyed the concept and look forward to diving into Ally Carter’s backlist!

Book Review: "The Favorites" by Layne Fargo

More than three years after reading They Never Learn, Layne Fargo’s last book, I’ve been waiting for a new novel from her. I can definitely report that The Favorites was truly worth the wait!

Inspired by an American gold medalist in ice dancing when she was young, Katarina Shaw knew this is what she wanted to do. But as a girl growing up without money or family connections, just talent and drive, she has to work triply hard to make her dream come true.

She meets Heath Rocha, adrift in the foster care system, and she knows she’s found her partner. While Katarina is hungrier for greatness than Heath, he wants what makes her happy, so he commits to making their Olympic dreams a reality. And their turbulent relationship, along with a take-no-prisoners attitude and raw, unbridled talent, sees them reach the highest of highs and the lowest of lows—together and apart.

Yet when they finally reach the pinnacle of their career, tragedy strikes. Ten years after that fateful evening, an unauthorized documentary has been released, purporting to tell the whole story of Shaw and Rocha, chronicling their achievements, their failures, their supporters and detractors, and the unshakable bond between them.

This book is soapy, suspenseful, and absolutely addicting. I never thought a nearly 500-page book about drama in the ice dancing world would hook me so much, but this absolutely did. There’s lots of drama and even a little camp, and the book reminded me a bit of Daisy Jones. Bravo, Layne Fargo!

Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the advance copy of the book. It will publish 1/14/2025.