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Ahhhh… the holiday season. I wish I was someone who curled up with a good book as soon as there was a nip in the air but this time of year always makes me feel like a chicken with it’s head cut off and at the end of the day all I can do is mindlessly scroll. But I was still able to get a few titles in! I hope you were able to grab a few quiet moments during this busy time of year ❤️
Isn’t It Bromantic by Lyssa Kay Adams
Goodreads synopsis: Elena Konnikova has lived her entire adult life in the shadows. As the daughter of a Russian journalist who mysteriously disappeared, she escaped danger the only way she knew how: She married her childhood friend, Vladimir, and moved to the United States, where he is a professional hockey player in Nashville.
Vlad, aka the Russian, thought he could be content with his marriage of convenience. But it’s become too difficult to continue in a one-sided relationship. He joined the Bromance Book Club to learn how to make his wife love him, but all he’s learned is that he deserves more. He’s ready to create his own sweeping romance—both on and off the page.
The bros are unwilling to let Vlad forgo true love—and this time they’re not operating solo. They join forces with Vlad’s neighbors, a group of meddling widows who call themselves the Loners. But just when things finally look promising, Elena’s past life intrudes and their happily ever after is cast into doubt.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) Another Bromance book club. If you missed it I started reading this series last quarter and I love it. I’m getting ready for the new one that is out for Christmas! I am so glad we got a Vlad story. He’s one of my favorite characters. He’s sensitive and corny and hilarious and that’s exactly what this book gives. This book was one of the more unrealistic stories of the series. The reader was served a lot of Russian cliches on a silver platter (with a nice shot of vodka lol). I think some of the crazy situations that Vlad and Elena are put feel even more like a stretch than a typical romance novel. Ultimately, defs a good one but not my fav of the series.
The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
Goodreads synopsis: As a third-year Ph.D. candidate, Olive Smith doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does, and that’s what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor–and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive’s career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding… six-pack abs.
Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5) Finally a reaaaalllly long drawn out will they won’t they with a solid climax (pun definitely intended haha). I loved this book so much. I dropped a 1/2 star simply because the end wrapped up really quickly. In my opinion, it could have stood to have one more chapter. The main characters in this book are so connected and great for each other. Their chemistry is off the charts! I also loved the sarcasm and nerdy banter- I love feeling smart while reading romance! (And, yes, I have this year’s smash hit Love on the Brain in my TBR shelf!)
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Goodreads synopsis: Kristen Petersen doesn’t do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don’t get her. She’s also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.
Planning her best friend’s wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He’s funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he’d be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to keep him at arm’s length.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5) Yooooo… what the f did I just read? Before I go further here is your formal *SPOILER ALERT* because I really don’t know how to review this without spoilers. Ok. First thing’s first, YES to a main character with fertility struggles. It is something that so many women deal with and to see Kristen go through it is such a refreshing change of pace for a romance novel. Buuuuut then she got miraculously pregnant at the end… what a let down. My second issue with this book is they way that they dealt with the grief of Brandon dying. It sort of felt like while he was in his coma everyone was there, but when he passed we didn’t see much of the main character’s grief. Josh just sort of…disappeared. Which in fairness is a common reaction but when I’m reading a novel that has the POV switching between main characters, I wanted to see a little more.
The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
Goodreads synopsis: When her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter announces her engagement to her pandemic boyfriend, Sarah Danhauser is shocked. But the wheels are in motion. Headstrong Ruby has already set a date (just three months away!) and spoken to her beloved safta, Sarah’s mother Veronica, about having the wedding at the family’s beach house on Cape Cod. Sarah might be worried, but Veronica is thrilled to be bringing the family together one last time before putting the big house on the market.
But the road to a wedding day usually comes with a few bumps. Ruby has always known exactly what she wants, but as the wedding date approaches, she finds herself grappling with the wounds left by the mother who walked out when she was a baby. Veronica ends up facing unexpected news, thanks to her meddling sister, and must revisit the choices she made long ago, when she was a bestselling novelist with a different life. Sarah’s twin brother, Sam, is recovering from a terrible loss, and confronting big questions about who he is—questions he hopes to resolve during his stay on the Cape. Sarah’s husband, Eli, who’s been inexplicably distant during the pandemic, confronts the consequences of a long ago lapse from his typical good-guy behavior. And Sarah, frustrated by her husband, concerned about her stepdaughter, and worn out by challenges of life during quarantine, faces the alluring reappearance of someone from her past and a life that could have been.
When the wedding day arrives, lovers are revealed as their true selves, misunderstandings take on a life of their own, and secrets come to light. There are confrontations and revelations that will touch each member of the extended family, ensuring that nothing will ever be the same.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5) Holy spiderweb Batman! The characters in this book are so interconnected and the POVs are so entwined that I kinda felt like I needed one of those cork boards with photos and some red string to keep it all straight. Maybe it’s because I listened to it instead of reading a physical copy but I definitely got a little confused. Who knows what lie, again? Which story line are we following? Is this the past or present? Additionally, when all the secrets come out the reactions are pretty lack luster. All that considered, I liked this book. I’m not a big strictly fiction fan (i.e. not romance or mystery) but I enjoy Jennifer Weiner’s writing style and the way she weaves main characters together. Plus, I have a soft spot for Cape Cod, which is where her stories take place. Personally, however, I’d recommend That Summer over The Summer Place.
The Siren by Katherine St. John
Goodreads synopsis: In the midst of a sizzling hot summer, some of Hollywood’s most notorious faces are assembled on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Genesius to film The Siren, starring dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power playing opposite his ex-wife, Stella Rivers. The surefire blockbuster promises to entice audiences with its sultry storyline and intimately connected cast.
Three very different women arrive on set, each with her own motive. Stella, an infamously unstable actress, is struggling to reclaim the career she lost in the wake of multiple, very public breakdowns. Taylor, a fledgling producer, is anxious to work on a film she hopes will turn her career around after her last job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella’s mysterious new assistant, harbors designs of her own that threaten to upend everyone’s plans.
With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5) I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a book before… I think this would be a better movie than book. Isn’t that weird? My imagination felt like the cinematography of this as a movie would be incredible. Also I can already picture some of the cast (I mean it would have to be a Brooke Shields film right?) Having already read The Lion’s Den by Kathrine St. John, I felt like The Siren was very similar. Almost too much. Similar characters/ archetypes and plot points throughout made this book a little lackluster. I think if I had read this book first and followed it with The Lion’s Den I would’ve felt the same way about The Lion’s Den. I guess what I’m saying is that while this book was good, I would say that you only need to read one (The Siren or The Lion’s Den).
A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams 📖
Goodreads synopsis: Country music’s golden boy Colton Wheeler felt the most perfect harmony when he was with Gretchen Winthrop. But for her, it was a love him and leave him situation. A year later, Colton is struggling to push his music forward in a new direction. If it weren’t about to be the most magical time of year and the support of the Bromance Book Club, he’d be wallowing in self-pity.
It’s hard for immigration attorney Gretchen not to feel a little Scrooge-ish about the excess of Christmas when her clients are scrambling to afford their rent. So when her estranged, wealthy family reaches out with an offer that will allow her to better serve the community, she’s unable to say no. She just needs to convince Colton to be the new face of her family’s whiskey brand. No big deal…
Colton agrees to consider Gretchen’s offer in exchange for three dates before Christmas. With the help of the Bromance Book Club, Colton throws himself into the task of proving to her there’s a spark between them. But Gretchen and Colton will both need to overcome the ghosts of Christmas past to build a future together.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5) Once again this series is a winner. I can’t tell you the last time I read a whole book in a day (maybe Harry Potter??) but I devoured this book! Ok, yes, I was traveling for like 15 hours but still. If you don’t already know I love these boys you gotta go read my past reviews. This one is just as sweet as the last. My only gripe about this book is that it felt like Colton & Gretchen were very similar to Mack & Liv- man’s man who’s used to getting girls & salty sarcastic girl who has a secret. I don’t think this would bother most but because Mack is my favorite of the guys (you gotta read Undercover Bromance!) it kinda did. But as I mentioned, this is a fantastic series and I can’t get enough!
From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home by Tembi Locke
Goodreads synopsis: A poignant and transporting cross-cultural love story set against the lush backdrop of the Sicilian countryside, where one woman discovers the healing powers of food, family, and unexpected grace in her darkest hour.
It was love at first sight when Tembi met professional chef, Saro, on a street in Florence. There was just one problem: Saro’s traditional Sicilian family did not approve of him marrying a black American woman, an actress no less. However, the couple, heartbroken but undeterred, forges on. They build a happy life in Los Angeles, with fulfilling careers, deep friendships and the love of their lives: a baby girl they adopt at birth. Eventually, they reconcile with Saro’s family just as he faces a formidable cancer that will consume all their dreams.
From Scratch chronicles three summers Tembi spends in Sicily with her daughter, Zoela, as she begins to piece together a life without her husband in his tiny hometown hamlet of farmers. Where once Tembi was estranged from Saro’s family and his origins, now she finds solace and nourishment—literally and spiritually—at her mother in law’s table. In the Sicilian countryside, she discovers the healing gifts of simple fresh food, the embrace of a close knit community, and timeless traditions and wisdom that light a path forward. All along the way she reflects on her and Saro’s incredible romance—an indelible love story that leaps off the pages.
In Sicily, it is said that every story begins with a marriage or a death—in Tembi Locke’s case, it is both. Her story is about loss, but it’s really about love found. Her story is about travel, but it’s really about finding a home. It is about food, but it’s really about chasing flavor as an act of remembrance. From Scratch is for anyone who has dared to reach for big love, fought for what mattered most, and needed a powerful reminder that life is…delicious.
My review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5) Ok, I’ll admit, I picked up this audiobook because 1) I wanted to watch the series on Netflix but wanted to read the book first and 2) because Reese Witherspoon told me to. I had no clue what the book was about but I was expecting some lovely romance that takes place in Italy. While I wasn’t wrong, I wasn’t prepared to ugly cry in my car. This book takes you on an emotional rollercoaster filled with love, loss and hope. It was a little long winded but that could’ve been due to the fact that I listened to the audiobook. Also, don’t read this book hungry- there’s a lot of delish descriptions of Italian food! Cue me looking up how to make my own pasta.
My Rating System
⭐️ – I did not like this book and generally would not recommend it.
⭐️⭐️ – This book was oook, but I felt pretty meh about it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ – This book was average. Didn’t love some parts but I still liked it overall.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – I really liked this book and will definitely recommend it to friends.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – I’m shouting this book’s praises from the rooftops! I loved it!
💫 – Half star
📖 One More Page Book Club pick of the month!
