May Reads

I can’t believe that June is here! How did almost half of the year already fly by? May was a great month! A few of my favorite things from this month included baking these cinnamon rolls I baked for mother’s day that turned out amazing. I also got to have happy hour with my girlfriends who I hadn’t seen in 1+ year (all of us are vaccinated) which was so much fun and made my heart so happy. And I listened to more audiobooks on my runs (thank you Hoopla!). I had a pretty great reading month and even had a chance to read one of my most anticipated books of the summer/fall!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

A Daring Arrangement by Joanna Shupe

Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

A Scandalous Deal by Joanna Shupe

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

A Kiss for a Kiss ARC Review

A Kiss for a Kiss by Helena Hunting

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Sports Romance

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

Series: All In #4

Release Date: May 27, 2021

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.


SYNOPSIS

I’m Jake Masterson, single dad, and the General Manager of Seattle’s NHL team. I walked away from a career as a player so I could raise my daughter. For the last twenty-plus years, Queenie has been my main priority, but now she’s getting married.

And there’s a small complication.

A beautiful, sexy complication named Hanna.

She’s my son-in-law’s older sister. Or at least that’s how they were raised. The truth is a little more scandalous than that.

I’ve been drawn to her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I spent months trying to keep a lid on that attraction.

Until we finally give in.

It starts with one searing kiss, but quickly ends with us between the sheets—and in the shower, and the hot tub, you get the picture—and turns into months of sneaking around.

Here’s the problem: we live on opposite ends of the country. It can’t be anything but casual. And as I’ve already said…it’s complicated.

But when Hanna finds out she’s pregnant…suddenly things get real serious.


REVIEW

After finishing Kingston and Queenie’s book I have been looking forward to Jake & Hanna’s story! Jake is beyond happy that his baby girl is getting married. Wedding planning is a lot, and Jake is ecstatic that he gets to spend time with Hanna – Kingston’s sister/momster while they both plan the wedding. What starts out as a few scorching looks here and there turns into them having an affair. It’s not always easy as Jake lives in Seattle and Hanna’s life is in Tennessee. But what starts of as a mutual attraction towards one another turns into something a lot more than either of them expected. How will they handle this curveball thrown at their relationship?

Helena’s writing is always amazing and A Kiss for a Kiss was no exception! The emotional depth that both Jake and Hanna exhibit really added to their characters. When Hanna finds out that she’s pregnant – I totally sympathized with both Jake and Hanna’s feeling. While the pregnancy trope isn’t one I seek out, I knew I had to read this book especially being set in the All In world which I love!

Seeing the gang again was seriously so much fun! I love that Helena is able to incorporate past characters into the storyline – especially Kingston, Bishop, Stevie and Queenie. Their interactions were always so much fun and brought some comedic relief in a sometimes serious book.

I felt so much for Hanna. The fact that she was so young when she had her first baby definitely makes it a more emotional story for her, and her vulnerability was always at the forefront. Some of my most favorite moments of the book were Hanna and Kingston’s conversations ♥.

While A Kiss for a Kiss can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading A Secret for A Secret before picking it up!

Spotlight & Excerpt of Crazy About a Cowboy

Crazy About a Cowboy by Dylann Crush

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Cowboy Romance

Series: Tying the Knot in Texas #3

Release Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: Berkley

Opposites attract in this small town charming romance. Crazy About a Cowboy is sure to be a swoony romance!


SYNOPSIS

Local cowboy Jasper Taylor has to decide if it’s more important to help his hometown of Ido, Texas win a contest or for him to win the heart of the woman he loves.

The little town of Ido, Texas, is up against some big competition. With the state tourism department on a search for the most romantic town in Texas, Ido is pulling out all the stops to win the title. Leading the effort is the newly appointed hospitality host Jasper Taylor. If he can secure the honor for Ido, he’ll be able to hang onto his family’s land.

But when the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas and celebrity judge, Delilah Stone, rolls into town, she isn’t exactly welcomed with open arms. Delilah’s ready to put her beauty queen days behind her, and the only thing standing in her way is spending the next thirty days in Ido. It should be an easy gig, but someone in town is tired of all of the recent publicity. Somehow everything that ought to go right is suddenly going wrong.

Now it’s up to Jasper to convince Delilah to give Ido another chance by showing her just how romantic the small town can be…without losing his own heart in the process.


EXCERPT

Jasper ran his palms over his denim-clad thighs. Delilah Stone had been in town for less than five minutes and he’d already screwed up. How the hell would he explain to his dad that he’d managed to ruin Ido’s run for the title before the judge even made it up the steps of city hall?

“What in the world happened?” Lacey entered her office, her cheeks flushed.

He jumped to his feet. “I don’t know. I was cleaning the pigeon shit off the sidewalk and all of a sudden there she was.”

“You didn’t hear her? See her heading your way?”

Jasper shook his head. “I came around the corner and before I knew what was happening she was soaked through.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll fix this.” Lacey crossed her arms over her chest, her mouth set in a determined line.

“Me?” His stomach dipped. “How do you expect me to do that?”

“I need a hospitality host, and you owe me.”

“Wait a sec. I said I was sorry and I meant it. But I don’t think—”

The office door creaked open. Delilah Stone entered. She’d changed into dry clothes, but her hair still hung in damp curls, framing her heart-shaped face. He’d expected the beauty queen to be, well, beautiful. But beautiful was too dull a word to do justice to the gorgeous woman who’d just entered the mayor’s office.

Lacey rounded the desk and moved toward the door. “Ms. Stone, welcome.”

Jasper rose to his full height and drew in a breath. Then he forced what he hoped looked like a reassuring grin and turned it on Miss Lovin’ Texas herself.

She might have been drenched from head to toe a few minutes ago, but she handled herself with the composure of a queen. Her spine ramrod straight, her face scrubbed free of any trace of makeup, she entered the office like she owned the place.

“We’re thrilled to be hosting you as part of the Most Romantic Small Town in Texas competition.” Lacey glanced toward him and he braced himself for the inevitable introduction. “I’d like you to meet Jasper Taylor, our hospitality host. He’ll be your main point of contact while you’re here in town.”

Jasper shot a look to Lacey, who lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. Great. He didn’t want to undermine the mayor, even if she’d made an incorrect assumption that he’d changed his mind about taking on the role. He’d let it go for now. But once Ms. Stone left the office, he’d have to set Lacey straight.

“It’s nice to meet you, Ms. Stone. I’m sorry about getting you all wet. Although I’ve gotta say, you look just as pretty soaked right through as you did when you won your title.” He had to give major props to the beauty queen, she didn’t flinch as she slid her hand against his.

Delilah glanced over to Lacey. What the heck was wrong with him? Based on how he was handling his interaction with Delilah, she’d probably never believe he actually held a degree in business and had aced his professional communications courses. For some reason his tongue seemed to get all hog-tied when facing the woman with the smoky green eyes who held the fate of Ido in her soft, delicate hands.

She slipped her fingers out of his grip and followed Lacey toward the desk. “It’s my pleasure, Mr. Taylor.”

“Oh, you can call me Jasper.”

“It’s my pleasure then, Jasper.” The tight smile she gave him held more than a hint of frustration, making him think she’d rather slap him than have to rely on him for anything during her time in Ido. She probably thought Lacey was crazy for putting her trust in him. At least they were on the same page with regard to that.

Hang the Moon ARC Review

Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥

Series: Written in the Stars #2

Release Date: May 25, 2021

Publisher: Avon

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and audiobook courtesy of Harper Audio & Libro.fm


SYNOPSIS

In a delightful follow-up to Written in the Stars, Alexandria Bellefleur delivers another #ownvoices queer rom-com about a hopeless romantic who vows to show his childhood crush that romance isn’t dead by recreating iconic dates from his favorite films…

Brendon Lowell loves love. It’s why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he’s convinced “the one” is out there, even if he hasn’t met her yet. Or… has he? When his sister’s best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He’s crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time.

Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She’s not looking for love, especially with her best friend’s brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie… wants him? Oh yes.

Getting involved would be a terrible idea—her stay is temporary and he wants forever—but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he’s determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron’s playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie’s time in Seattle, and Brendon’s starting to realize romance isn’t just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be as perfect as the movies… as long as you think your partner hung the moon.


REVIEW

Annie has made a plan. She’s going to move from Philadelphia to London where a career advancement awaits her. But before she does that she decides to spend some quality time with her best friend Darcy in Seattle. Except… Darcy isn’t there – she’s on vacation with her girlfriend Elle. Darcy decides Annie will have to get to know Seattle better with her brother Brendon! Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet dorky kid – so she doesn’t think anything of it. Except Brendon isn’t so dorky now – he’s actually smoking hot and there is a definite attraction between the two of them.

Brendon is a big fan of love. He loves love and everything that goes along with it. The grand gestures, the romance movies – everything! Annie is the opposite and doesn’t see love lasting after the happily ever after. Brendon decides to show Annie that romance is real by taking her on romantic outings in and around Seattle. Will he eventually get her to believe in love and stop her from moving halfway across the globe and settle in Seattle instead?

After reading Written in the Stars last year I couldn’t wait to read Hang the Moon ! Annie and Brendon were so cute together. Their scenes either had me laughing out loud or I had hearts in my eyes. I loved how swoony their romance was. And although I’m not a big fan of insta-love, I did believe in the romance between Annie and Brendon.

I loved seeing Darcy, Elle and Margot again too! The easy dynamic between all of the characters really added to the storyline for me. Not only did I love Brendon and Annie together, but I also loved how deep Annie and Darcy’s friendship was.

Audiobook:

Story: 4.5
Narration: 5
Overall: 5

Hang the Moon was narrated by Lauren Sweet and I think she did a wonderful job narrating both Annie and Brendon. I switched back and forth between the audiobook and the e-book version of Hang the Moon and I loved how easily Lauren was able to take me to Annie and Brendon’s world. I listened to the audiobook on my runs, on my commute and any other chance I got! I feel like the audiobook really added to Annie and Brendon’s characters.

Add Hang the Moon to your TBR if you’re looking for a funny, swoony and sweet romance. I would rate Hang the Moon 4.5-5 stars (rounding up).

I can’t wait for Margot’s story next!

Most Anticipated Summer and Fall 2021 Romance Novels

I have been reading some amazing romances in 2021. While my reading has been slower than usual, the books that I have been reading have been STELLAR!

I’ve compiled a list of romances that I am looking forward to that are releasing in the second half of 2021. These books are all on my TBR list and I can’t wait to get to them. There’s a mix of contemporary romance, historical romance and paranormal romance! Are you looking forward to the same releases? I’d love to know which books you are most anticipating so I can add them to my ever growing list!

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

  • Fake dating, forced proximity romance featuring a STEM heroine!
  • The banter, the meet-cute – it was all so perfect!
  • Definitely a favorite romance of 2021 – add it to your TBR!
  • Releases September 14, 2021

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon

  • Loved the friendship between Taylor, Samiah and London in The Boyfriend Project and I am so excited for Taylor’s story!
  • A sports romance with a fake dating trope – that’s a touchdown in my playbook!
  • Releases August 17, 2021.

Bombshell by Sarah MacLean

  • A new series by Sarah MacLean featuring Lady Sesily and the American – Caleb!
  • These two have made appearances in multiple books and I have been looking forward to their story!
  • Releases August 24, 2021

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling & Rachel Hawkins

  • A second chance romance featuring witches and curses sounds absolutely bewitching.
  • Releasing right before my favorite holiday – Halloween!
  • Releases October 5, 2021

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

  • After seeing Quan in The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test we finally get his story!
  • A one night stand turns into more than one night…can’t wait to read more!
  • Releases August 31, 2021

A Certain Appeal by Vanessa King

  • A Pride and Prejudice retelling in the world of burlesque sounds amazing!
  • Enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity sounds like the perfect set up for this romance!
  • Releases November 2, 2021

Battle Royal by Lucy Parker

  • I don’t even know where to begin with how much I LOVED this book.
  • Enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity and baking…it deserves a Paul Hollywood handshake!
  • Add this book to your TBR immediately!
  • Releases August 17, 2021

When Stars Collide by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

  • A new book in the Chicago Stars series!!
  • These books actually got me into reading contemporary romance and I am so excited.
  • Forced proximity football romance with plenty of drama!
  • Releases June 29, 2021

Well Matched by Jen DeLuca

  • I’ve been waiting for April and Mitch’s story since reading Well Met!
  • Fake dating + friends-to-lovers is a perfect combo of tropes for this romance!
  • Releases October 19, 2021.

A Lot Like Adios by Alexis Daria

  • After reading You Had Me At Hola last year I couldn’t wait to read the next book in the series!
  • I love a great work place romance and A Lot Like Adios also includes the added benefit of friends-to-lovers which is usually angsty and definitely a favorite trope.
  • Releases September 14, 2021.

All the Feels by Olivia Dade

  • I loved reading Spoiler Alert last year and I am so excited to be getting Alex and Lauren’t story.
  • Forced proximity between a movie star and the person hired to keep him in check is giving me all the feels!
  • Releases October 26, 2021

The Brightest Star in Paris by Diana Biller

  • After reading The Widow of Rose House a few years ago I knew that I was going to need more from this world and especially from Sam’s siblings!
  • Fake dating & second chance romance in Paris sounds so swoony!
  • Releases October 12, 2021

Witches Get Stitches by Juliette Cross

  • I have been LOVING the Stay a Spell series featuring the Savoie sisters!
  • Second chance romance with some paranormal aspects (werewolf + seer) is bound to make this book amazing!
  • Releases July 20, 2021

The Devil and the Heiress by Harper St. George

  • Looking forward to the second book in The Gilded Age Heiresses series featuring Violet and Christian!
  • Forced proximity and a fierce heroine are definitely a great combo for historical romance.
  • Releases June 29, 2021

The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale

  • Featuring one of my favorite tropes – second chance romance – Shaadi Set-Up has the perfect set up!
  • Add in forced proximity/workplace romance and a matchmaking websites that pairs these two together and this book sounds just about perfect.
  • Releases September 7, 2021.

Payback’s a Witch by Lana Harper

  • After returning home, Emmy discovers that the man she has been seeing has also been leading on her best friend Linden (!!) and dark magic badass Talia.
  • Is Emmy up for revenge and what happens when she starts falling for Talia? Sign me up – this book sounds amazing!!
  • Looking forward to this paranormal F/F romance with plenty of smoke and magic.
  • Releases October 5, 2021

Devil in Disguise by Lisa Kleypas

  • One of my favorite series from Lisa Kleypas is The Ravenels and I am so excited to dive into the seventh book in the series.
  • A widowed lady and a Scot on the run – can’t wait to discover how the devil plays into Devil in Disguise!
  • Releases July 27, 2021

Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams

  • After reading and loving the debut novel How to Fail at Flirting last year I am looking forward to the sophomore debut by Denise Williams.
  • A lifestyle columnist researching a new body positivity app ends up falling for the fitness coach and CEO of the company. Sounds absolutely adorable!
  • Releases November 1, 2021

How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton

  • Event planner falls for bestselling horror author – the premise for this rom-com sounds adorable!
  • I’m a sucker for opposites attract and the set up sounds so sweet!
  • Releases July 13, 2021

Isn’t it Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

  • The Bromance Book Club is back with their next installment!
  • Friends to lovers/marriage of convenience … but what happens when the marriage isn’t so happy? Marriage of convenience is on my favorite tropes and I’m excited to see how it plays out in Isn’t It Bromantic!
  • Releases July 20, 2021

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

  • Schitt’s Creek inspired rom-com between a Hollywood socialite and a grumpy fisherman!
  • If you’re looking for a sweet and sexy grumpy meets sunshine, slow burn romance add It Happened One Summer to your TBR!
  • I devoured It Happened One Summer and can’t wait for the next book in the series!
  • Releases July 13, 2021.

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau

  • Celebrity asks a baker to help teach him all her tricks when he signs up for a celebrity baking episode!
  • I love romances centered around baking/food and can’t wait to read Donut Fall in Love!
  • Releases October 26, 2021

Dial A for Aunties ARC Review

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Murder Mystery

Heat Level: 🔥 (closed door)

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Publisher: Berkley

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.


SYNOPSIS

A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, by debut author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

1 (accidental) murder
2 thousand wedding guests
3 (maybe) cursed generations
4 meddling Asian aunties to the rescue!

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is accidentally shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working, at an island resort on the California coastline. It’s the biggest job yet for their family wedding business—“Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!”—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie’s perfect buttercream cake flowers.

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy’s great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?

Story Locale: Southern California


REVIEW

Meddy is the good girl in her family. Amongst her cousins – she’s the only one to go into business with her mom and her meddling aunts. She’s the photographer for her family’s wedding business and they’ve been pretty successful so far!

One part of working with her family that Meddy isn’t too fond about is how they love to get into her business about everything. Including her love life (or lack of one). When a blind date (hilariously set up by Meddy’s mom & her sisters) goes horribly wrong – and Meddy ends up killing him (whoops) she’s going to need as much help as she can get from her family. With a looming wedding the next day that they have to prepare for and an ex that Meddy can’t stop thinking about showing up at the same time – Meddy is way in over her head. Will she find a way to clear herself of the mess she’s in?

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what kind of book Dial A for Aunties was going to be. Was it a thriller? A murder mystery? A romance? I guess the best way to describe Dial A for Aunties is that it was a mix of all of these and throw in some humor that had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. Think Weekend at Bernies + friends-to-lovers second chance romance. And while the plot line was a bit out there – I found myself enjoying it so much. Especially the scenes where Meddy talks about her heritage and culture. I identified with so much of the Indo-Chinese culture that Meddy discusses in the book and that made me really connect with her character and the storyline.

I am so excited that Dial A for Aunties is going to be made into a Netflix movie! I kept on stopping to share funny passages with my husband and I can’t wait to watch the movie. Definitely add this book to your TBR if you’re looking for an own-voices book to make you laugh with just the right amount of romance sprinkled throughout!

Hana Khan Carries On ARC Review

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Women’s Fiction

Heat Level: Closed Door

Release Date: April 13, 2021

Publisher: Berkley

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.


SYNOPSIS

From the author of Ayesha at Last comes a sparkling new rom-com for fans of “You’ve Got Mail,” set in two competing halal restaurants

Sales are slow at Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, the only halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood. Hana waitresses there part time, but what she really wants is to tell stories on the radio. If she can just outshine her fellow intern at the city radio station, she may have a chance at landing a job. In the meantime, Hana pours her thoughts and dreams into a podcast, where she forms a lively relationship with one of her listeners. But soon she’ll need all the support she can get: a new competing restaurant, a more upscale halal place, is about to open in the Golden Crescent, threatening Three Sisters.

When her mysterious aunt and her teenage cousin arrive from India for a surprise visit, they draw Hana into a long-buried family secret. A hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival restaurant—who might not be a complete stranger after all.

As life on the Golden Crescent unravels, Hana must learn to use her voice, draw on the strength of her community and decide what her future should be. 


REVIEW

Hana’s family’s halal restaurant Three Sisters Biryani Poutine has seen better days. Hana waitresses there part time while also working as a intern for the local radio station. But what she loves doing the most is podcasting where her identity is kept anonymous. Her listeners really enjoy her content and she also forms a friendship with one “bot” in particular.

Hana’s mom enlists on some help from relatives in India. Soon Hana is sharing her house not only with her immediate family, but also her aunt as well as teenage cousin. Hana’s work/life balance is about to get even more hectic when direct competition moves into the neighborhood. The mysterious Aydin is about to open a halal restaurant across the street from Three Sisters. Hana needs to be clever to outmaneuver the clever Aydin! Will her family’s restaurant survive and can Aidyn and Hana ever act on their growing attraction to one another?

Hana Khan Carries On was the first book I have read written by Uzma Jalaluddin and it was such a delight! Being a second generation Indian American desi woman, I related to so much of what Hana goes through in the book.

Perhaps one of my favorite things about Hana Khan Carries On is the multifaceted way Jalaluddin tells the story. You feel how vulnerable and true Hana feels when she’s recording her podcasts and her relationship with her anonymous listeners. Hana wants to move up in the world of broadcasting, and yet she keeps feeling like she’s stuck with no where to go. And most of all you feel the anguish and heartbreak of knowing that her family’s restaurant might not make it if she doesn’t fight for it alongside her family.

I absolutely loved the You’ve Got Mail style of romance set in Hana Khan Carries On. And while the romance is essential to the story, it isn’t the only focus of the book. If you’re looking for a sweet romance filled with some (mild) family drama, and a sense of community – definitely pick up Hana Khan Carries On!

I have so many passages highlighted of this beautifully written book. I can’t wait to go back and revisit my favorite passages. Overall I’d give Hana Khan Carries On 4.5 stars!

April Reads

April flew by and I can already feel the beginnings of my favorite season – Summer! My reading lately has been hit and miss. Sometimes I can read a few books back to back and other times I just need a break or a re-read. I didn’t read very many books in April, but the books that I did read were mostly really stellar! Standouts included The Love Hypothesis and People We Meet on Vacation. Looking forward to reading some great summer romances in the next few months!

Rating: 5 out of 5.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher

Managed by Kristen Callihan

Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas

Spotlight & Excerpt of Heart on a Leash

Heart on a Leash by Alanna Martin

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Series: Hearts of Alaska #1

Release Date: April 27, 2021

Publisher: Berkley

Feuding Alaskan families, a forbidden romance and cute huskies – Heart on a Leash sounds like the perfect romance!


SYNOPSIS

A pack of rescue huskies inspires love and romance in a coastal Alaskan town fractured by feuding families–but can young pups really teach frozen hearts new tricks?

Taylor Lipin has made it her life’s mission to leave her hometown and its ridiculous, century-old feud with the Porters behind. But when her sister needs help running the family inn, Taylor agrees to return to Helen, Alaska on a temporary, definitely not longer than two weeks, basis. Or so she thinks, until she’s quite literally swept off her feet and into enemy territory by three happy huskies and their drool-worthy owner, Dr. Josh Krane.

Though Josh didn’t grow up in Helen with the rest of his Porter cousins, he’s heard the stories: Porters rescue huskies. The Lipins are cat people. Keep to your pack. But Taylor is too tempting to give up–plus, his dogs love her.

As Taylor and Josh grow closer, tensions in the town escalate and the need for secrecy starts taking a toll. Soon they’ll need to decide whether their newfound love is just a summer fling or if they’ve found their forever home.


EXCERPT

Ever since she was little, Taylor had been determined that-in her six-year-old self’s words-she was going to be a “business lady.” Little Taylor had devoted countless hours to making her Barbie dolls into perfect “business ladies,” which had mainly meant they wore stylish clothes, worked in tall buildings, and bossed people around. Her understanding had expanded as she grew older, but her desire to leave home and work someplace with tall buildings and stylish clothes had not. Taylor had taken off to Southern California for college and never turned back.

It was true that sometimes she wondered if she was still chasing an ephemeral ideal, because working in marketing had not lived up to her childhood expectations. And it was also true that sometimes, more frequently in recent years, she’d started wondering if she should have left childhood ideals in childhood and chosen a field that didn’t make her feel like her soul was being crushed on a daily basis.

But it was just as true that returning home and working at the inn remained on her list of Things to Consider Only before Selling Off Internal Organs. But even then, it might depend on which organ. No one needed two kidneys.

Lydia was still speaking, and Taylor caught the end of her last sentence. “. . . to help shut down the gossip too.”

“What gossip?”

“The usual. Mostly people speculating about affairs and garbage like that. All instigated by the Porters, I’m sure.”

Taylor snorted. Possibly living so long in L.A. had changed her perception about such things. “Can anyone back home actually have an affair without everyone else knowing about it?”

“Dan Fidel, the high school principal, carried on with a third-grade teacher for two years before his wife found out. So yes. But that’s not the point. The Porters are spreading lies, and rumor is Wallace is considering running against Dad for mayor. They’ve been looking for ways to cut us down since the article. We can’t afford to let them see us struggle. This is about family, however fractured we currently are.”

With her free hand, Taylor poked at the foam on her coffee. Sure, it was only eight in the morning, but she might need something stronger to drink if this was turning into a Lipin-Porter battle on top of a regular family disaster. Unfortunately, she could easily believe the Porters would try to take advantage of her family’s situation. After the Bay Song’s write-up, they’d started a whisper campaign that the hotel had only gotten such a glowing recommendation because her family had bribed the writer. Or, depending on which Porter was talking, because Lydia had slept with the guy.

It was easy for Taylor to roll her eyes from the California coast, but back home, the nastiness was something her family had to deal with on a daily basis. It was also another reason Taylor had been eager to leave.

The coffee shop’s door opened, and this time Stacy entered, along with a whiff of exhaust from the delivery truck idling outside. Her friend waved and began worming her way through the crowd.

“We can talk more about this later,” Taylor said. “I need to go.”

“Fine. Will you think about what I said? Please.”

“Promise.” It was an easy one to make. Taylor doubted she could do anything else.

Second First Impressions ARC Review

Second First Impressions by Sally Thorne

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction

Heat Level: 🔥

Publisher: William Morrow

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and audiobook courtesy of Harper Audio & Libro.fm


SYNOPSIS

Distraction (n): an extreme agitation of the mind or emotions.

Ruthie Midona has worked the front desk at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villa for six years, dedicating her entire adult life to caring for the Villa’s residents, maintaining the property (with an assist from DIY YouTube tutorials), and guarding the endangered tortoises that live in the Villa’s gardens. Somewhere along the way, she’s forgotten that she’s young and beautiful, and that there’s a world outside of work—until she meets the son of the property developer who just acquired the retirement center.

Teddy Prescott has spent the last few years partying, sleeping in late, tattooing himself when bored, and generally not taking life too seriously—something his father, who dreams of grooming Teddy into his successor, can’t understand. When Teddy needs a place to crash, his father seizes the chance to get him to grow up. He’ll let Teddy stay in one of the on-site cottages at the retirement home, but only if he works to earn his keep. Teddy agrees—he can change a few lightbulbs and clip some hedges, no sweat. But Ruthie has plans for Teddy too.

Her two wealthiest and most eccentric residents have just placed an ad (yet another!) seeking a new personal assistant to torment. The women are ninety-year-old, four-foot-tall menaces, and not one of their assistants has lasted a full week. Offering up Teddy seems like a surefire way to get rid of the tall, handsome, unnerving man who won’t stop getting under her skin.

Ruthie doesn’t count on the fact that in Teddy Prescott, the Biddies may have finally met their match. He’ll pick up Chanel gowns from the dry cleaner and cut Big Macs into bite-sized bits. He’ll do repairs around the property, make the residents laugh, and charm the entire villa. He might even remind Ruthie what it’s like to be young and fun again. But when she finds out Teddy’s father’s only fixing up the retirement home to sell it, putting everything she cares about in jeopardy, she’s left wondering if Teddy’s magic was all just a façade.

From the USA Today  bestselling author of The Hating Game and 99 Percent Mine comes the clever, funny, and unforgettable story of a muscular, tattooed man hired as an assistant to two old women—under the watchful eye of a beautiful retirement home manager.


REVIEW

Ruthie Midona loves working at the Providence Luxury Retirement Villa. She feels safe and loves taking care of everyone at the retirement home. From the little golden endangered tortoises to the residents who live there – Ruthie doesn’t ever want to leave the comfort of being there.

That is, until she meets Teddy Prescott. Teddy is the opposite of Ruthie. He is brash, bold and a lady’s man. Where Ruthie is buttoned up, Teddy is tattooed and moves from place to place at a moments notice. Turns out Teddy is the son of the owner of the retirement home. But Teddy’s father is tired of him not being reliable and tells Teddy he can have a place to stay at the retirement home if he earns his keep.

Thus begins Teddy’s job as an assistant to two cranky 90 year old women. Teddy has run all of their errands and do everything they ask him to. Ruthie doesn’t think he’ll last a week! Will Teddy show Ruthie that there’s more out there than the comfort of the retirement villa. And can Teddy stand to be in one place too long or will he bolt as he keeps saying he will.

Second First Impressions was one of my most anticipated books of this year. Sally Thorne is an amazing author and she has a way with her words that just make you feel. But sadly Second First Impressions missed the mark for me. I had a really hard time connecting with Teddy or Ruthie and definitely did not feel the chemistry or attraction between them. Where Ruthie was so charming and sweet, Teddy was abrasive and hard to like. His jokes fell flat and I really couldn’t see why Ruthie was so charmed by him.

While I loved Ruthie’s friends and the people who reside at the retirement home, I just felt like there was a lot going on without really anything happening. I did eventually enjoy the friendship between Teddy and Ruthie, but the romance aspect of it wasn’t working for me.

Audiobook:

Story: 3
Narration: 4
Overall: 3

This was the first book that I listened to narrated by Jennifer Jill Araya. I thought she did a wonderful job voicing Ruthie. I could always tell when other characters were being voiced by the change in her voice!

While Second First Impressions isn’t my favorite book by Sally Thorne, I did enjoy Ruthie’s character and her growth by the end of the book.