A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy; Sierra Simone

I did not read the first book in this series and didn't feel like I had missed much except how steamy this book was going to be. I go back and forth between enjoying so much sex on the page and this was a little bit more than I could enjoy at this point in my life but this was still a really interesting story. 

Winnie Baker was a shining star of the Hope Channel. She married young, kept Hollywood thin, was a beloved TV character but her marriage still failed. Her husband has convince her that it was all her fault (of course.) Now, having gained a little wait and a very little courage, Winnie is ready to star in a slightly naughty movie for the Hope Channel's steamier side.

Kallum Lieberman was part of a boy band growing up. He was the only one who didn't get a solo deal with the group split up and has settled into a life running a number of pizza parlors and having sex with any number of bridesmaids. He is all in on starring in this movie. Too bad Winnie seems so hesitant. When she asks for help with some homework so that she can convincingly have an orgasm on screen, Kallum is all in. 

Four stars

This book comes out October 10, 2023

Christmas Notch #2

Follows A Merry Little Meet Cute

Followed by Jingle Bell Mingle

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

Can one moment change your life? Melody and Beat are struggling with that question. They met, briefly, when they were teenagers. Each the child of a famous duo that broke up just before they were born. It was at that moment that a spark was formed but neither ever followed up on it. Now, there is a producer hounding them to star in a reality show, one that will bring their mothers back together. 

I guess I didn't quite realize from the description that the two of them would be in a reality competition. Public-facing romances are not my favorite so I had a little bit of difficulty connecting to this book. Even if I didn't quite connect with the premise, I still enjoyed the writing. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out October 3, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery

Daphne, Heather, and Tori are friends but are in different places in their lives, dealing with different difficulties. Daphne wants to have a baby but her husband is reluctant and is throwing in her face her friends hip with a guy from work. But it's not an affair like he said. Heather broke up with her last boyfriend because she could never love him, but then why is she so jealous of his new relationship? To make her emotional state even harder, she's reconnecting with her father who left when she was a child. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out June 20, 2023

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my

Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Chandler Cohen is a ghostwriter whose just been snubbed by her latest author. Like, the lifestyle influencer didn't even know her name. She has had a crush on her friend Wyatt for years and that is not going anywhere. So, she throws caution to the wind and has a one-night stand. Too bad he ends up being her next ghostwriting subject.

Finn Walsh was on a hit TV show over a decade ago. Now he's stuck in a loop of cons (conferences) which he doesn't mind doing but he really would like to get back to acting. When Chandler references something about their night not being mind blowing, he's astonished. He honestly thought he was good in bed. (Dude, he tries to open a condom package with his teeth, major no-no). While he could be all fragile about this discovery, he instead decides to ask for help. 

I did enjoy the journey these two had together. 

Four stars

This book comes out July 4, 2023

Borrowed as hard copy from the library

Opinions are my own

Emily Goes to Exeter by M.C. Beaton

Miss Hannah Pym inherits a vast sum of weslth from her employer. She decides to travel England with the money and starts by purchasing a ticket to Exeter. It is the coach that used to go past her employer's house and she would dream of riding it. And her first travel is quite the adventure with a highwayman, a runaway bride, and a widow who is about to married to a man who may not be as he appears. The runaway bride's groom is also there and Miss Pym's new goal is to bring the two together because, well, they are so well-suited (at least by station). 

This book was originally written in 1990 but, even thirty years later, holds a lot of charm. 

Four stars
This book came out November 1, 1990

Followed by Belinda Goes to Bath

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

Three friends have had a book club since their college days. Now (cough) somewhat older, all three are finding themselves at a crossroads. Erica has just discovered something about the father who deserted her when she was just days old; Claudia has lost her job and her boyfriend; Anna's twins are about to leave home and she's not sure what she's going to do with them gone. The three decide that they are going to have their book club anyway 

Hattie, the owner of the hotel is also at something of a crossroads. Her husband, the one who was the driving force behind the Maple Sugar Inn, died two years ago. Now, she's just trying to keep up with extravagant customer requests, her temperamental head chef, and the housekeeper who treats her as though Hattie is an idiot. Someone who doesn't treat her like an idiot? Her next-door neighbor. The one who kissed her at Halloween. Could there be something there? Should she even try?

A lot comes out this Christmas season, some of it surprising, but all of it leaving these ladies in a better spot than they were when they arrived at the inn.

Four stars

This book comes out September 19, 2023

ARC kindly provided by HarperCollins and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Montana Sky by Nora Roberts

Willa Mercy didn't grow up with her two half sisters but now they're all together for their father's funeral. She's the only one who grew up on the ranch so she's astonished to learn that the ranch has been left to all of them equally as long as they all stay for a year. None of them are excited about that thought.

Tess is a Hollywood screenwriter so she is, of course, not excited to stay. But the family lawyer, Nate Torrence, a long drink of water, is making her rethink that stance.

Third sister, Lily, is glad to be at the ranch for the year as she is running from her abusive ex-husband. She's finding herself falling in love with Willa's (maternal) half brother, Adam.

I did read this book when it came out but think it held up fairly well. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out March 12, 1996

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

Enchanted to Meet You by Meg Cabot

Does anyone really want to be the Chosen One? Jessica Gold is sure shocked to find out that she might be. Especially because of the... incident... when she was a fledgling witch. But when handsome Derrick Winters shows up and says she's going to help save her town from the demons that come out every 90 years, Jessica isn't so sure but all of the evidence does seem to be pointing to the fact that he may be telling the truth. Along with the Bringer of Light, Jessica will help to save the world (or at least their corner of it.)
This was an okay start to a new series. A lot of world building meant that we missed out on the romance and that the characters weren't as well fleshed-out but it was a cute story and an okay start to a series. 

Three stars

This book comes out September 5

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager

Opinions are my own

How to Fake-Date a Vampire by Linsey Hall

Emma Willowby has been trying to break into the local coven for awhile now. She grew up without a group or family to call her own so she's trying to find her place. One of her problems is that she hasn't quite figured out what her magic actually is yet so she can't really judge her own strengths. Something that would definitely get her into the coven would be successfully planning and pulling off the Beltane Ball but, in order to be chosen as the planner, she needs a venue. The most fabulous venue around would be the local duke's estate. But she'll need his buy-in and he's notoriously hard to get a hold of. 
Alaric is bemused by the woman that he meets first in the local pub's men's bathroom, then as the goat she is working on training headbutts him. She is refreshing, unique, and doesn't seem to be entranced by his title or his pots of money. So when his grandmother, who has been looking rather worn lately, asks about his fiancee, Alaric sees Emma as his perfect chance to make his grandmother happy. 
There are, of course, the requisite misunderstandings and deceptions around a fake relationship. There is also the last Big Misunderstanding which is blessedly short but a little out of left field. I think a number of people will make note of the fact that the title of this book has the word "vampire" in it but, other than the fact that they live the same number of years as humans and drink blood in their dinner drinks, we don't get to learn much about the lore of vampires in Hall's world which is disappointing. 

Three stars

This book comes out August 31, 2023

Follows The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic

ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press

Opinions are my own

Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

In the first book of this series, Gillian Armstead-Bancroft seemingly had the perfect life with her husband and two children. But cracks were beginning to show and we see them emerge in this book. She is battling her husband through a contentious divorce (he is using the children as weapons), she can't seem to get hired, and her skills as a bruja aren't working the way they should. So what does she decide to do? Try and turn her life around by doing the opposite. While driving in her friend's car, she nearly runs down a man and discovers it's Nicky Mendoza, the boy she had a sexual relationship with in high school. 

Nicky is ecstatic to see Gillian again but only barely manages to evade her advances. She doesn't know how much she hurt him when she left. It certainly will be an interesting summer having her be working on the grant that brought him (famous mural painter) back to town to help revitalize Milagro Street. 

A little bit slower than the other book, I actually enjoyed this one more because Nicky and Gillian had the history so we got to see more of their relationship. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out September 5, 2023

Follows After Hours on Milagro Street

ARC kindly provided by Harlequin and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shalvis

This book mainly focuses on Harper Shaw though there are a number of other stories that get pulled in. Harper is moving to Lake Tahoe to open a bakery. She doesn't start off on the right foot with her landlord, Bodie Campbell who is mourning the loss of his father as well as his career. Harper also meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, who reminds Harper a lot of herself. 

As Harper begins to get closer to the people in the town, the ties she sees begin to get more and more complicated. There is also a B plot with Bodie's brother and a woman that Harper is slowly starting to make friends with.

This was a fast, fun, and fluffy book but I didn't feel like I got to know any of the characters really well and I wished for more interaction between Harper and Bodie to really get a sense of their HEA.

Three stars

This book came out June 13, 2023

Follows The Backup Plan

Followed  by The Bright Spot

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Christmas Season by Ally Sinclair

I didn't see anywhere that this was the second book in a series. It may not be but it sure reads like one and some of the stories (Emma and Tom, especially), we are jumping in the middle of. It took me some time to settle into the rhythm of this book but I did eventually enjoy reading about the trio of women who were the main focus of this story.

Hope had a really bad breakup years ago. Her cousins and her best friend, Theo, held her together. She's ready to find love but failed in in the last "Season" that Emma, a matchmaker, had created. Now she's enjoying her time with a young man named Callum but is he really the one? This story is the one where we see the most relationship growth. 

Grace is looking for love and readily takes advantage of one of the free tickets Emma has given Hope. While she's very attracted to a young artist named Morgan, it's an older gentleman with Jonathon who she's been going home with. Lots of sex on the page for this relationship. 

Connie is not really looking for love but when her twin sister and cousin are going to participate in The Season, Connie's not going to be left out. She's also interested in Morgan but past experience has taught her that Grace always wins these kinds of competitions. Her story is the one with the most personal growth.

Three stars    

This book comes out August 10, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Hera Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

No Cooldown for Love by Aliyah Burke

Mitchell Anderson has an ex-wife who took half of his NBA money and a mother who thinks he should get back with said ex-wife. Luckily, he's got his two best friends to keep him grounded. Oh, and the lovely lady he just saved from a rollover.

Dr. Hope Roman was just in the northeast to attend her mentor's funeral. Growing up in the foster care system, he was the closest thing she had to a father and one of the few people who acknowledged that she had brains. Now a science journalist (I did have to do a web search and see if that was a real thing), she travels the world but doesn't have a set place for home. And she's fine with that.

The two are lucky to get the last room in a B&B during a major snowstorm. To Hope's amusement, the B&B is hosting a singles weekend. Now the two are trapped by a snowstorm and forced to share a bed as they both battle against the need to get to know each other better. 

The last Big Misunderstanding didn't need to be there. I didn't think that one of the characters who caused it had been in the book enough to just pop in nor had there been an overall impression of the character who blows up being of that temperament. Still, a fun read and I am going back to Kindle to read the book in the middle that I missed. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 26, 2023

Follows A Sweet Spot for Love

ARC kindly provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC. and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Remember Me by Mary Balogh

When she was eighteen, Lady Philippa "Pippa" Ware was getting ready to come out. She had just found out that her father was a bit of a disappointment and, when she overheard the Marquess of Roath make an uncouth comment about her. This led her to believe that all of London was talking about her family. 

Four years later, she is finally ready to head out into the world. She immediately makes a friend in Jenny, the granddaughter of the Duke of Wilby. Unfortunately, Jenny's brother is none other than Lucas, the odious marquess. He is being forced into town because his grandfather is in ill health and wants to ensure that Lucas has an heir. 

Lucas and Pippa are able to clear up old misunderstandings but they also both agree that, though they seem to rub along well together, there should be no offer of marriage. Too bad everyone else in their life disagrees.

I wish we had seen more of the two of them together but it was, as always with Balogh, a gentle, lovely book. 

Four stars

This book comes out June 20, 2023

Follows Remember Love

Followed by Always Remember

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

The Modern Girl's Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall

This was a nice start to what I assume is going to be a series. If it's not, it was still a nice book. There could have been more between the two main characters. When I closed the book there didn't seem to be much other than he was hot and he's been attracted to her since she was seventeen but I was okay with it. 

Aria is moving back to her home town. London was an okay escape for awhile but her latest job has gone bust and it works out that she's been invited to participate in a contest to take over the local gardens. She needs to win; this is the garden that supplies her grandmother's potion store. Do you know how hard it is to find a supplier these days?

Callan has also been invited to compete. His face graces the covers of many magazines in the witching world. He's handsome and rich, the right combination to break any number of hearts. Except Aria's, he broke hers many years ago when one of his projects means she can no longer connect to her grandfather. 

In the very first round, Aria and Callan are paired up. While working together, she discovers more about him and a lot about herself. But I didn't feel like we learned a lot about Callan. He could have been fleshed out a little more but the story was overall just very charming. 

Four stars
This book comes out June 2, 2023

Followed by How to Fake-Date a Vampire

ARC kindly provided by Bonnie Doon Press

Opinions are my own

The Worst Wedding Date by Pippa Grant

I usually love a Pippa Grant book but this one was just okay and I think it's because Theo's personality seemed to be bro-dude who likes cats and I'm just not sure why Laney would get involved with him. And the tension between Theo and his soon-to-be brother-in-law, Chandler, is kept going for way too long. I will definitely read the other books in this series, especially Theo's sister, but this one won't probably be kept when I re-read the series.

Laney's very best friend has just asked her to do the impossible, keep Theo under control. The only problem? Theo is known for playing pranks and pissing off Chandler. In fact, the story basically opens with a prank. And some of that opening scene is funny but it gets quirkier from there including Theo waking up with a hand around his dick, assuming it's Laney's, and finding out it's his own arm which had fallen asleep.

Three stars

This book came out April 13, 2023

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Identity by Nora Roberts

Okay. Definitely a book that is terrifying to read if you are a single woman. Not only does our main character have her identity stolen by a man she meets in a bar but he also sticks around and does much worse things. I can't say much more without plot spoilage but it is alarming. 

Morgan Albright is finally setting down roots. She's been able to buy a small house which she shares with her roommate and good friend, Nina. And she's met a charming man at the bar. One who will change her life forever.

A lot of this book is Morgan moving back home and trying to build back a life after a major devastation but we get to see her relationship with her mom and grandmother as well as her romantic relationship grow. 

Four stars

This book comes out May 23, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Happy Place by Emily Henry

Breakups are hard. Breakups are especially hard when you're part of a tight-knit group of friends. Friends who get together often at the place that Harriet considers her happy place. But now she's going to ruin their happy place because Harriet and Wyn are no longer together. They actually broke up six months ago but didn't tell anyone. Now she's on vacation with their friends alone. But hers isn't the only big news; the cottage is for sale and their weeks of halcyon vacation days are about to be over. 

There was a lot of anxiety built into this book: Am I enough for the other person? For my group of friends? And, while we saw a bit of "past Wyn," I would have liked to see more of "present time Wyn;" just a little more romance. Or maybe more of the friendships. Henry has beautiful writing but also strong character connections and this book revolved more around Harriet than anything else. 

Three stars

This book comes out April 25, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Demon by Kimberly Lemming

I read about this book on Smart Bitches Trashy Books. Carrie S was absolutely right when she said that people would either get this book or they didn't. I didn't; not the first three times I tried to read this book. I finally made it past the first section and did enjoy the book but I don't think I'm the exact right audience for this series. 

Cinnamon is living a life she enjoys in her small village. This is the year that a group of heroes will be chosen to fight the demons that rise up every so often. Luckily, her world is protected by a benevolent goddess. At least, that's the story until Cinnamon runs into a demon and accidentally throws a bundle of spice into his face breaking him of the spell he's under. Then her whole world turns completely upside down as everything she thought she knew turns out to have been false. Good thing that bad news is balanced out by her falling in love with the demon.

Three stars
This book came out July 22, 2021

Followed by That Time I Got Drunk and Yeeted a Love Potion at a Werewolf

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

When in Rome by Sarah Adams

Amelia Rose, known to the world as the pop star Rae, just needs a break. Her manager, her support, the person who helped make her who she is, is not listening to her. So she runs away. And, based on her love of Audrey Hepburn movies, decides to take her own holiday and she heads to the closest Rome. Which happens to be in Kentucky. Too bad her car craps out in the yard of a very tall, very grumpy man.
Noah Walker is sort of startled to find a pop star on his lawn. He definitely understands the need to get away for awhile but he doesn't want her sleeping in his house. He ends up bending enough for her to stay for the weekend. His sisters would like her to stay for longer because she makes him smile. But can a big star and a small town guy really make it work?
This was a cute story but it took me awhile to get into it and I can't quite put my finger own why.

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 20, 2022

Followed by Practice Makes Perfect

Borrowed as ebook from Libby

Opinions are my own