Book Review: "The Lifestyle" by Taylor Hahn

As Taylor Hahn shows you in The Lifestyle, sometimes you have to shake up your life to figure out what you really want.

Georgina has always gone after what she wants. She has a great job as a partner in a law firm, a great husband, and she’s always trying to put other people’s needs and wants above her own. (Even if her selflessness isn’t always as generous as it seems.)

But having it all means nothing when you walk in on your husband having sex with an associate at your law firm—the associate you’re mentoring. Georgina is devastated, but divorce isn’t part of her plan. When a client tells her that swinging saved her marriage and added the desire and passion back in, Georgina is determined that getting into “the lifestyle” (swinging is such a 70s term) is what she and Nathan need.

She’s excited when her two closest friends and their spouses/significant others decide to join her and Nathan on their foray into this new world. And while she finds her encounters immensely freeing, it’s not having the effect on her marriage that she had hoped. Do they have to try harder? Is this not the issue?

When Georgina runs into her college boyfriend at a party, she’s reminded of the path she chose not to take. But the more she thinks about her future, she’s not sure if the life she’s living is the one she really wants. And what does that mean for her marriage, her career, her future, her friends?

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but I really enjoyed it. It’s funny, poignant, and a bit steamy, but it’s also thought-provoking. Swinging isn’t something I’ve ever thought about so it was interesting to learn more about how people go about it.

Book Review: "Misfit" by Elle Kennedy

Misfit, the latest from one of my favorite romance authors, Elle Kennedy, is a fun, steamy prep school novel for fans of Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars.

It’s been a whirlwind for RJ—his mother is suddenly getting married to a rich guy he never met, and they’re sending him to Sandover Prep for his senior year. Sandover is an exclusive prep school for rich boys who’ve gotten into trouble.

RJ, who is an accomplished hacker, has been in and out of several high schools, and knows that it won’t be long before he runs afoul of the administration at Sandover. He’s happy being a loner, despite all efforts from his new stepbrother, Fenn, to get him to make friends.

When a girl runs into RJ while he’s smoking in the woods, he’s immediately attracted to her. The fact that she’s the headmaster’s daughter—which means she’s totally off-limits—doesn’t seem to faze him. But even though Sloane is intrigued by his apathetic vibe, she’s sworn off guys this year. Or has she?

The more they banter, the more the attraction between them grows. But Sloane’s father isn’t the only threat to RJ—her ex-boyfriend, Duke, doesn’t like the new kid, and if he has to destroy him, he will. RJ is going to need the help of his friends, and maybe an attitude adjustment, if he’s going to prove he’s worthy of Sloane and survive senior year.

Thanks so much to Get Red PR Books and Elle Kennedy for a complimentary copy of this book. It has everything I love—banter, romance, steam, rich kids behaving badly—and I can’t wait for the second book in the series. You want to dislike the characters but behind their cocky façades they’re fun to read about.

Book Review: "Hawk Mountain" by Conner Habib

Hawk Mountain, Conner Habib's debut novel, is creepy and gory, yet shockingly emotional in places.

Todd is at the beach one afternoon with his young son Anthony when a man approaches. He is shocked to discover that the man is Jack, who transferred to Todd’s high school senior year and bullied him relentlessly, causing him to be the object of ridicule by many of his peers. But Jack is apparently thrilled to have run into his “old friend.”

Although Todd would like Jack to say hello and keep on walking, he wants to catch up. And grab dinner. And maybe stay the night? It’s not long before Jack has a fan in Anthony and starts insinuating himself into Todd’s life. His presence reawakens memories Todd had suppressed for years, as well as confusion about his feelings toward his old bully.

Little by little, Jack’s presence wreaks havoc in Todd’s life, causing trouble professionally and personally. And as Todd spirals out of control, everything is at risk.

This book had intrigued me for a while but it’s so far outside of my comfort zone that I hesitated reading it. It’s definitely gory, but at the same time, it’s a meditation on the lengths we go to hide our desires, and the cruelty we inflict on those we see ourselves in. Todd’s memories of Jack’s cruelty in high school definitely hit very close to home for me.

Habib is a tremendously talented writer and this is a very self-assured debut. This is definitely not for everyone but it’s a book that will make you think, and one you’ll want to discuss, even as it creeps you out.

Book Review: "A Thousand Miles" by Bridget Morrissey

A second-chance romance with a road trip thrown in? Yes, please!! That's A Thousand Miles in a nutshell.

The last thing Dee expected one night was to find Ben at her apartment door. They were absolutely inseparable friends through high school and then 10 years ago, they stopped speaking to one another. Dee was so affected by the end of their relationship—and still is—that she refers to him as “Name Redacted” on the popular podcast she co-hosts, and it’s a program where everyone divulges their secrets.

Ben has missed having Dee in his life. But following his grandmother’s death and a revelation that shocked him, he’s vowed to go after what he wants. Ten years ago, they took a road trip to visit his grandmother in Colorado and buried a time capsule in her yard; they made a promise to come back 10 years later to open it. (And you can’t go back on a pinkie swear.)

Dee agrees to take the road trip with Ben, and they quickly fall into their old banter. The chemistry between them is intense, and they’re both determined not to make the same mistakes again. But if there’s ever a chance for them to remain in each other’s lives—especially as more than friends—they’ll have to confront what happened 10 years ago that ended their friendship.

I love second-chance romances and I loved the banter between the characters, as well as the supporting characters. The snippets from Dee’s podcasts were hysterically funny.

I’m always loath to compare books and authors but this almost had a bit of an Emily Henry feel to it, but it was not duplicative in any way. I just rooted for Dee and Ben (swoon) so much!!

Book Review: "Acts of Violet" by Margarita Montimore

There's nothing quite like family drama that tests the boundaries of reality.

Thanks so much to BookSparks, Flatiron Books, and Margarita Montimore for the complimentary copy of this book as part of #SRC2022! I had been eagerly anticipating this, as I really enjoyed Oona Out of Order.

Violet was a famous magician. She was the flamboyant one while her sister Sasha was the more stable one who was happy staying out of the spotlight. And then one day, in the middle of her act, Violet disappeared and was never seen again.

Trying to figure out what happened to Violet transfixed the public. And as the 10-year anniversary of Violet’s disappearance approaches, a podcaster is looking for answers, and won’t stop until he gets them from Sasha. But as much as she’d like to put Violet behind her, she is plagued by physical and emotional issues that must be tied to her sister. What does it all mean?

I tend to love books that mix different storytelling formats. This has letters, news articles, even emails scattered throughout, which gives the book more of an investigative feel. The story takes a while to unfold and the pacing moves slowly, but the plot is so rich. You will have to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy this, so if a little bit of magic irritates, this may not be the book for you.

This was really a fascinating, heartfelt, and altogether unique story of family. It’s definitely touching and memorable, proving Montimore has a knack for stories that challenge reality but tug at your heart.

Book Review: "The Work Wife" by Alison B. Hart

Alison B. Hart's The Work Wife is a story about ambition, power, and what sacrifices you must make to fulfill your dreams.

When Zanne was struggling with her sexuality and addiction years ago, she never would’ve believed she’d land a job as a personal assistant to a powerful Hollywood couple, Ted and Holly Stabler. She’s exceptionally good at getting things done, solving crises and fulfilling the family’s often-ridiculous requests.

Tonight is a big fundraising party at the Stablers’ mansion in support of a charity. Zanne is hopeful that if the party is a success, she might get promoted to chief of staff, which would mean more money and the power she’s been craving.

If the party is going to succeed, Zanne and the team will have to contend with major chaos, from finding circus animals to dealing with a reporter stirring up scandal. But when Phoebe Lee, Ted’s former business partner, shows up, suddenly Zanne has to question if her unswerving loyalty to Ted and the family is worth sacrificing everything, including her happiness and her sense of right and wrong.

I love books about personal assistants to famous people and I love books about show business, but this one never really grabbed me. The pacing was quite slow and I felt like there were a lot of moving parts that didn’t quite mesh.

Book Review: "The Catch" by Alison Fairbrother

Sometimes understanding those we love is one of the hardest things.

Ellie has always dreamed of being a writer, even though her job writing for a website—and chasing after clickbait—isn’t quite what she had in mind. Her father, a poet, has children with three different women, but as the oldest, she definitely feels like she’s his favorite, like they understand each other.

But when her father dies unexpectedly, his will left a gift with significance to each of her siblings. She figures he’ll leave her his prized baseball, probably his most cherished possession; she’s surprised, however, that instead, he leaves her what seems like a gag gift, with no explanation, and he leaves the baseball to someone she’s never heard of before.

What significance does the gift she receive have? Why would her father give the baseball to someone else? Ellie digs deep to try and find out what secrets her father had been hiding. Did she really know him like she thought she did? Meanwhile, she’s dealing with her own secrets, including an older, married lover.

This is a story about grief, family connections, secrets, and finding the strength to move on. It’s also about the power of love and how it motivates us. While the book moved a bit slower than I would have liked, I found the supporting characters in particular so fascinating.