Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, featuring a different top 10 theme each week. This week’s topic is Bookish Wishes, with the prompt: List the top 10 books you’d love to own and include a link to your wishlist so that people can grant your wishes. Make sure you link your wishlist to your mailing address or include the email address associated with your e-reader in the list description so people know how to get the book to you. After you post, jump around the Linky and grant a wish or two if you’d like. Please don’t feel obligated to send anything to anyone!
When wishlists come up as a TTT prompt, I typically don’t share a link… but what the heck! I’ll jump in with my Amazon wishlist this time around. Really, I’m not terribly comfortable asking people for anything! Mainly, I’m posting this to say — here are books I want to get my hands on… and here’s hoping the Library Hold Fairy works her magic and gets them to me quickly!
Featured authors:
My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstong
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab
Every Summer After (deluxe edition) by Carley Fortune (yes, I’ve read this one already, but I’m dying over the gorgeousness of this new edition!)
Pronoun Trouble: The Story of Us in Seven Little Words by John McWhorter (to satisfy my inner grammar geek)
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater
Overgrowth by Mira Grant (I read this already as an ARC, but feel like I NEED a hardcover edition for my shelves)
The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow (not due out until the fall, but I’m already waiting for it!)
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
I’m back! I was away for the past two weeks — partially for vacation time in Boulder and Rocky Mountain National Park, but mainly for my daughter’s wedding!
The wedding was beautiful, and so perfectly suited to my daughter and her husband! It was down to earth and full of love, and simply wonderful. Plus, it gave me the chance to see family and friends from far away, which was a lovely bonus.
It’s hard to get back to real life and the daily routine!
What did I read during the last week?
Once I got home (and finished unpacking), I posted a wrap-up of everything I read and listened to over the past few weeks. I finished a long-term book group book (Mansfield Park), read a few novels, and listened to a lot of audio shorts! My wrap-up post is here.
Pop culture & TV:
Not a thing! I haven’t watched any TV or movies for the past two weeks! I’m sure I have a lot of catching up to do.
Fresh Catch:
I made a total impulse buy at a Boulder bookstore! I wandered in just to browse, and the cover of this book caught my eye right away. I’d never heard of it before, but it sounds great, and I couldn’t resist.
The table centerpieces at the wedding were piles of books tied with twine, which guests could then take home at the end of the night. I grabbed this one — so pretty!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison: I needed something light for the plane ride home, and this was a great choice! I’m about halfway through. Very enjoyable.
Now playing via audiobook:
The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennnifer Weiner: My library hold just came in! I’m excited to be starting this audiobook — I always enjoy this author’s stories and characters.
Ongoing reads:
One longer-term reading commitment right now (but another will be starting next week!):
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien: My book group’s newest reading journey, two chapters per week. (I missed a bit while I was away — struggling to catch up!) Progress: 36%. Up next: Chapters 9 and 10.
I’m back home after a fabulous two weeks away — which included family time, hiking in a national park, exploring some terrific towns… and my daughter’s wedding!!!
I didn’t do a ton of reading in the lead-up to the wedding, but managed to squeeze in a few books and short fictions before and after.
Here’s a quickie wrap-up of what I read and enjoyed while I was away!
Storybook Ending by Moira Macdonald: A story of mistaken identity and missed connections in the loveliest of settings — a Seattle indie bookstore. Two different women believe they’re corresponding with the bookstore employee who sorts used books, leaving and receiving notes in a copy of The Hunger Games. However, he has no idea about any of this, and the women are actually writing to one another. This is a wonderful story about lonely people, new friendships, and unexpected connections. Quite a treat, especially for those of us who harbor (not-so-secret) fantasies of spending our days working in a cozy bookstore.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: Seems a little silly to “review” an Austen novel! I’ll just say that this was my 2nd time around with this classic, and thanks to reading it with my book group, the experience was especially enjoyable. There’s always something new to discover with a Jane Austen book!
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce: Another book group book! The story of an unlikely friendship between a lonely middle-aged woman who sets out to fulfill her lifelong dream of finding a new beetle species, and the quirky, completely unqualified woman who comes along as her assistant. A gentle, heartwarming read about loneliness, friendship, and the strange ways in which purpose and connection can be found.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
And in case you’re wondering… here’s a golden beetle, similar (I think) to what Miss Benson searches for:
Two K-Pop books by Axie Oh:
XOXO: The first XOXO book is a fish-out-of-water story about a Korean-American teen named Jenny, who has the opportunity to study music at an arts academy in Seoul — where her classmates include K-pop trainees and idols. When Jenny falls for one of the singers in the newly debuted group XOXO, she gets a crash course in the world of K-pop idols and the intensity of their high-profile lives. Jenny is a great character, and I loved her introduction not just to her love interest, but to the new friends she meets at the academy. Great family dynamics add to the story, and for me — a newbie when it comes to K-pop culture — this book was both entertaining and eye-opening.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
ASAP: The second book (of this two-book series) focuses on Jenny’s roommate and best friend, Sori — someone who’s been prepped since childhood to pursue stardom as an idol, but who realizes that might not be her true path to happiness. Family pressure and second-chance love come into play, as Sori is forced to navigate parental expectations, the high-intensity world of idols, and the potential scandal that romance with an XOXO star could entail. Sori is a lovely, energetic character, and once again, it’s quite fun to be immersed in this face-paced world.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
A series of audio shorts:
Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories by Alice Hoffman: When I listened to the first book in this series, released in 2022, I enjoyed it, but felt frustrated by its length. The characters and setting are terrific — but at the time, I wished The Bookstore Sisters had been a full novel. I wanted more: more insight into the characters, more room for their relationships to grow, more backstory, more about the bookshop itself.
But now that there are four stories available (each about an hour’s worth of listening time), I’m happy to say that taken as a whole, they present a fully realized vision of a family, with an arc that covers years and various important milestones in the lives of the central characters.
The series focuses on two estranged sisters who reunite at the family bookshop in a time of crisis, and builds from there. As the series moves forward, they deal with joy and challenges and sorrows, and their relationship with one another, as well as with others they love, make this a rich, rewarding listening experience, full of heart and with a beautiful, emotional impact.
Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Other audio shorts:
Because I was so busy for the first week I was away, my brain just couldn’t handle deep reading commitments or audiobooks that required concentration. These three audio shorts are all quite different in subject matter and tone, but each suited the moment really well for me! They’re all too brief to say much about, but I’m glad I listened to them — they provided just the distraction I need while driving and running around on errands!
That’s it for this wrap-up! I’m diving back in to my long list of ARCs and TBR books — and now that I’m back to my regular routine, I hope to have more time (and concentration) for reading!Save
Title: One Golden Summer Author: Carley Fortune Narrators: AJ Bridel Publisher: Berkley Publication date: May 6, 2025 Print length: 400 pages Audio length: 11 hours 49 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley (ebook); purchased audiobook Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
A radiant, new escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune
I never anticipated Charlie Florek.
Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.
Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.
Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.
Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.
Good things happen at the lake.
And in the case of One Golden Summer, beautiful books happen at the lake too.
It’s no surprise that I give this book 5 whole-hearted stars. If you saw my post about can’t-miss summer reads last week, you’ll know that Carley Fortune is an author whose books I encountered for the first time just six months ago. Now, having finished One Golden Summer, I’ve read all four of her novels, and I’ll be waiting on pins and needles for another new book!
In One Golden Summer, we get a sequel, of sorts, to the author’s first novel, Every Summer After, which I absolutely adored. That book was a decades-spanning love story about Percy and Sam, teen loves who spend their adult years apart until a family tragedy brings them back together and they get a second chance to find the happiness they deserve.
Sam’s older brother Charlie is an important secondary character in that book. He’s full of himself, always up for a good time, someone who stirs things up… but who can be counted on when it matters.
In One Golden Summer, main character Alice brings her grandmother Nan to spend the summer at a cabin at Barry’s Bay, and almost immediately encounters Charlie Florek, who’s looking after the cabin for the property owner. Alice quickly realizes that he’s one of the boys she noticed fifteen years earlier while spending the summer at the lake as a teen. As a 35-year-old adult, Charlie is still gorgeous — so stunning that Alice actually says “whoa” the first time she sees him up close. But more than his looks, he’s funny and devilish — yet also kind and thoughtful.
Their tense, combative run-ins quickly morph into friendship, not just between Alice and Charlie, but also between Charlie and Nan. There’s a sweetness to their time together. Alice is determined to embrace the joy and freedom she wasn’t quite brave enough to pursue as a teen, and Charlie is eager to help, teaching her to jet ski, encouraging her to jump from a high rock into the water, applauding when she puts on a slinky dress that’s way outside her comfort zone, and setting up a perfect place for her to sleep under the stars.
There’s a strong attraction between the two, but both are clear that they only want friendship… maybe with some benefits thrown in. But what they say they want and what they actually want end up looking like two very different things.
Without delving too far into plot, I’ll just say that the romance elements are beautifully portrayed, but even more so, it’s the careful building of trust, the deep sense of caring and understanding, and the little joys in daily encounters that make this book sing. There are obstacles, of course, and there’s one of those pesky 3rd act breakups/breakdowns… but there’s a good reason for it, and it feels organic to the story, not something forced into the narrative to create a standard story arc.
One of the delights of Carley Fortune’s books is the evocation of summer. Reading this book made me absolutely ache for a lakeside cabin, boat rides, swimming, and all the joys of a quiet, lazy, summertime escape.
Charlie and Alice are wonderful characters, with depth and edges and complexities, who bring out the best in one another and are also just plain fun. As an added bonus, Sam and Percy show up on and off throughout the story, and it’s lovely to see them again and to see how their lives are turning out.
Once again, the audiobook narrator is AJ Bridel, and she’s amazing at bringing the characters to life, from Alice to Charlie to Nan, and giving them all distinct voices and letting their personalities shine. If you’re an audiobook enthusiast, these audiobooks should not be missed!
My only complaint about One Golden Summer is that I couldn’t stop listening, and finished it in practically record time (or so it felt)! I don’t want to be done with these characters or with the beautiful world of the lake at Barry’s Bay.
If you’re new to Carley Fortune’s books, definitely start with Every Summer After, and just keep in mind that you’ll have a terrific second book about the Florek family to look forward to! You really can’t go wrong with any of this author’s books.
Purchase links: Amazon – Bookshop.org Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
I’m taking a moment today to shout the praises of three wonderful authors who certainly deserve tons of attention — and whose books make perfect beach reads, yet also stand out as great books, period.
There are the blockbuster authors — Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, Elin Hilderbrand, Abby Jimenez — who probably need no introduction, and have legions of devoted fans promoting their books all over social media. And they’re great… but I’m going to focus on some authors, whom you may or may not have given a try yet.
TL;DR: Read these books!
A background note: Each of the three authors I’m about to highlight was new to me within the past few years. Whether through catchy covers or a friend’s recommendation, I decided to give them a try — and have now read everything of theirs I could get my hands on!
I’m not saying that people haven’t heard of these authors… just that I don’t see them getting as much attention online as some other authors — and since I love their books so much, I thought I’d do my booklover-ish best and give them all a big shout-out!
Note: The book titles link to my reviews. I’m also including links to the authors’ pages on Amazon and Bookshop.org — these are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.
ANNABEL MONAGHAN
Picking up my first Annabel Monaghan book was a total lucky fluke! I saw it up for request on NetGalley, liked the look of the cover, and thought I’d give it a shot. And now, having read all four of her adult novels, I can say without doubt that this is an author whose books shouldn’t be missed! I love that her books focus on grown-ups with relatable lives, complex histories and relationships, and love stories that we can see developing before our eyes. Plus, terrific writing, humor, and lovely settings and situations.
I think I’d probably seen Carley Fortune’s books while browsing bookstore shelves, but hadn’t picked one up until a friend absolutely insisted that her books were must-reads! I gave her first book a try in November of last year… and by now, a mere six months later, I’ve read all three published before 2025 and I’m currently reading newly published #4! I love them all — a perfect summer vibe, with characters who touch my heart. There’s so much loveliness and joy in these books, even while the characters deal with loss and sadness and life’s challenges. The romances are important elements of each of these stories, but the family and friendship foundations are what make them feel so deep and meaningful My friend was right — these books are amazing!
(Note: Every Summer After has been optioned by Amazon Prime and is in development as a series! According to the author’s newsletter: “I’m happy to report that we are very close to shooting season one and that casting is currently underway.”)
Ali Brady is the pen name for a writing duo, Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey. I’ll admit to judging their books by their covers! The gorgeous blue hues of their first books caught my eye, and when I had a chance to read the ARC of their 3rd, I grabbed it… then immediately went back and read the previous two books! A 4th (sadly, no blue cover! but it still looks so appealing) is coming out in June, and yes, I will be grabbing it as soon as it hits the shelves!
Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Meeghan Reads — check out the next batch of upcoming topics here.
This week’s topic is Top 5 books with a ballgown on the cover, with the prompt: We are hitting it old school and FANCY this week. Your top five books with ballgowns on the cover, if you please. State of the ballgown is up to you.
My first thought was that I could just go with five books from the Bridgerton series! But I’ll try to expand my reach just a bit beyond that.
Here are a few from my shelves that fit the theme:
Marry Me By Midnight by Felicia Grossman (I ended up DNFing this book, but I still like the cover!)
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton(Bridgertons, #4) by Julia Quinn (I couldn’t entirely omit Bridgerton books!) (review)
The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allain (review)
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
I’ll be heading out of town on Friday for the lead-up to a wedding at the end of the month, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I’ll share more once I’m back. Meanwhile, I expect my blogging and overall online activity to be at a minimum. After the wedding, my husband and I will be spending another week in the area to relax and enjoy a bit, so I won’t be fully back and active until the 2nd week of June.
What did I read during the last week?
Death at a Highland Wedding (A Rip Through Time, #4) by Kelley Armstrong: Terrific addition to an excellent series. My review is here.
Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine: This audiobook seemed like it would be fun, but it just did not work for me. My review is here.
It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan: I feel like this author doesn’t get nearly as much attention as she deserves! Her fourth adult novel is fantastic, which isn’t surprpising, considering how much I loved all the others. My review is here.
Also read (but not reviewed):
Human Resources by Adrian Tchaikovsky: Since HR is my field in the non-book-world, I just couldn’t resist. At first, I thought this was a novella and almost bought it for my Kindle, but then realized that it’s a short story, and is available to read online via Tor, here.
Zel by Donna Jo Napoli: This might look like middle grade fiction, but it’s really pretty dark — and yet, I’m not sure that it would gain much traction in today’s YA market either. This retelling of Rapunzel has some very interesting elements and is a quick read. I picked it up because I needed a “Z” book for a challenge! I’m glad I read it — I’d give it a solid 3 – 3.5 stars.
Elsewhere in book world:
TJ Klune’s next book has a cover and release date! Read about it here.
Carol at Reading Ladies shared a hint about how to hide spoilers in blog posts. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me (I’d have to upgrade my WordPress plan to be able to use the plug-in), but I still think it’s worth knowing about! Here’s the link to the instructions she shared.
Pop culture & TV:
This week’s Netflix binge: Four Seasons. Just my speed right now — eight 30-minute episodes. Terrific cast, and lots of fun. And yay — it’s official! There’s going to be a season 2.
Fresh Catch:
Two newly published graphic novels this week!
Song of the Lioness, Book 1 (Alanna): I’m excited to see how this story works in graphic novel form.
Saga, volume 12: This is a great series… but I have to admit that I don’t remember a thing about what happened in the last one or two volumes, and may have to do a reread before starting this new one.
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce: My book group’s book for May. We’ve read some great books already this year, and I’ve heard some really good things about this one, so I’m happy to be starting it!
Now playing via audiobook:
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune: Amazing to think that I only came across Carley Fortune’s books last year — she’s now a favorite author! I’m loving this newest book.
Ongoing reads:
Two longer-term reading commitments right now:
My book group’s classic read is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week. Progress: 92%. Up next: Chapters 46 and 47. We’ll be done next week!
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien: My book group’s newest reading journey, two chapters per week. Progress: 16%. Up next: Chapters 3 and 4.
Title: It’s a Love Story Author: Annabel Monaghan Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: May 27, 2025 Length: 368 pages Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.
Love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth.
Jane Jackson spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punch line on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s trying to be taken seriously as a Hollywood studio executive by embracing a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.
Except she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she claimed that she could get mega popstar Jack Quinlan to write a song for the movie. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.
Now Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan as she faces down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but he just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?
By this point, I’m not at all surprised by the fact that I LOVED Annabel Monaghan’s newest book. I’m four for four! Her romances deliver beachy, summer-filled love stories firmly rooted in real life. There are swoony moments… but also the stresses and secrets and unrealistic expectations that come with being an adult.
In It’s a Love Story, main character Jane is a Hollywood studio executive who hopes that she’s finally found the perfect script, the one that will give her the all-important producer title and prove that she’s got what it takes to make it in the industry. What’s more, it’s not just any script: True Story speaks to Jane in a way she hasn’t experienced before. It makes her feel.
But when she walks into the meeting that will determine whether the film gets greenlit, her hopes are almost instantly dashed. Standing between Jane and success is Dan Finnegan, a cinematographer who’s already sunk a previous movie for Jane, and is now sitting in the studio head’s office proclaiming that Jane’s script isn’t commercial. The studio wants flash and noise, and this is not it. Before True Story gets tossed on the trash pile, Jane panics and blurts out a whopper: She know pop star Jack Quinlan, and what’s more, Jack is interested in writing and singing an original song for the movie. The studio head is immediately interested… but now Jane has to deliver something that she has no idea how to get.
The truth is, Jane knew Jack for only a couple of days, way back when she was fourteen years old. Jane played Janey Jakes, the sidekick/comedic relief on a TV sitcom about a group of kids forming a band. Janey was known for pratfalls and unfortunate mishaps (like sitting on nachos) — she was funny, but definitely not leading lady material. And she knows that Jack’s memories of her — if he remembers her at all — are achingly embarrassing.
Jane is furious at Dan for torpedoing her shot at getting her film made, but it turns out he might be able to provide access to Jack — he’ll be playing at a music festival in Dan’s hometown, and Dan’s brother is working on tech for the show. If Jane goes to Long Island with Dan, they may be able to get to Jack, and maybe, just maybe, she can convince him to do the song after all.
There’s so much more going on than simply chasing down a celebrity: Jane’s fake-it-till-you-make-it approach to life is based on deep hurt and shame stemming back to her teen years. She’s convinced that her real self isn’t actually lovable, and has constructed elaborate steps and rules for dating, covering everything from how to dress per date to how much to laugh and how much to talk about her career.
But being around Dan opens something up in Jane. He’s very real — part of a big, boisterous family that loves him, but he’s never quite fit the mold of the Finnegan brothers, and has always gone his own way in search of his own truth. He sees Jane in a way no one else has, and as they spend time together, Jane starts to unwind some of the tight cords she’s wound around herself to rein in her true personality and be what she thinks the world wants of her.
Jane is a polished professional who hides under her desk to corral her pre-meeting fears and eats candy in her closet when she’s stressed. After the traumas of her teens, she doesn’t trust her own emotions.
My heart is treacherous and historically wrong about everything, it is the weakest muscle in my body, but Dan and his family and our script are conspiring to whisper it back to life like it’s an ember worth restoking.
It’s beautiful to see her transformation. It’s not a love-fixes-everything situation — instead, it’s Jane finding acceptance and seeing different ways of appreciating people and letting them appreciate her. It’s putting on a silly swimsuit and not caring, because no one is mocking her or judging her; instead she gets to enjoy a sunny day and play at the beach. It’s coming to understand what Dan’s mother, celebrating her 40th wedding anniversary, means when she says “love happens over breakfast”. At dinner, there are candles and wine and fancy clothes…
But at breakfast everything’s just as it is, in the light of day. No one wears lipstick to breakfast. And this is where you talk about your day and the part of the roof that might leak this fall. You bring your real self to breakfast.
Jane and Dan end up in a gorgeous romance, but it’s only possible when Jane starts to welcome her real self. She has plenty to unravel and hard truths and secrets from her childhood to confront — and as she does so, she finally has to admit that she might be someone who can be loved after all.
I don’t think I’m actually capturing the magic of It’s a Love Story — so I’ll just say that this book really has it all. The characters are well-developed and feel like real people. They speak and act like adults, and deal with actual, complex histories and families and relationships. The Hollywood career element is fun, but the book doesn’t focus on celebrities — it’s about creativity and joy and finding truth amidst all the bang and flash of an industry focused on blockbusters.
On top of all this, the writing and dialogue and pacing of It’s a Love Story is spot-on. I simply couldn’t put it down, and read it all within a span of 24 hours.
It’s a Love Story is a wonderful, 5-star read. It’s full of heart — and while, yes, there are some romance tropes at play (enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, forced to share a room, grand gesture), they’re so well done that they feel like natural parts of the story. A perfect book to slip into your beach bag this summer. Don’t miss it!
Purchase links: Amazon – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Any Trope but You Author: Victoria Lavine Narrators: Tim Paige, Jesse Vilinsky Publisher: Atria Publication date: April 1, 2025 Print length: 336 pages Audio length: 11 hours 17 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
A bestselling romance author flees to Alaska to reinvent herself and write her first murder mystery, but the rugged resort proprietor soon has her fearing she’s living in a rom-com plot instead in this earnestly spectacular debut by a stunning new voice.
Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.
Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead.
The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.
As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.
I suppose I should have read the blurb more carefully before deciding that this book looked like fun. Earnestly spectacular?? — I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean… but I don’t think that’s what I got.
In Any Trope But You, Margot Bradley, age 31, is a bestselling author of six wildly popular romance novels. Secretly, though, she’s stopped believing in love after one too many heartbreaks. She keeps a hidden file of Happily Never Afters — alternate endings to her novels, where instead of getting their HEAs, the characters get divorce, unhappiness and even (gasp!) erectile dysfunction.
When Margot is hacked and her HNA document is made public during a Zoom book event, her fans are outraged and demand that she be cancelled. She’s an instant pariah in the romance world, and her publisher drops her. She’s in desperate need of a reset.
Margot lives with her younger sister Savannah, who has a chronic autoimmune disease. Margot’s life revolves around caring for Savannah and keeping her healthy, and she’s aghast when Savannah informs her that she’s booked her into a six-week stay at a remote Alaskan wilderness lodge. How can Margot even think of leaving her sister for that long? But Savannah insists, and finally, Margot agrees that this will be a great way for her to get away and reinvent herself, dreaming up a murder mystery set in Alaska with absolutely no romance.
Things begin to go sideways for Margot as soon as she arrives at Northstar Lodge when, frightened at the sight of a moose, she literally jumps into the arms of the (gorgeous) flannel-shirted man who just happens to be standing there chopping wood. Her savior is Forrest, the son of the lodge’s proprietor, who (unbeknownst to Margot) is actually a top-tier cancer researcher who’s walked away from his career to take care of his injured father and keep the family business afloat.
Of course, there’s instant chemistry… which neither of them wants. Margot has sworn off romantic entanglements, and is horrified to realize how many tropes she’s apparently fallen into: Rugged wilderness man, heart of gold beneath grumpy exterior, secretly a doctor, excellent cook, beloved by animals… there’s even a mountain rescue in which he has to carry her down a mountain, and later, the old “let me save you from hypothermia through the warmth of my naked body”.
Meanwhile, Forrest (and the lodge) were badly burned (not literally! — no actual arson involved) after he had a fling with a guest years earlier, who then trashed him (and the lodge) through her viral reviews, resulting in serious damage to the lodge’s business and reputation. It’s taken years to bounce back, and Forrest has a “no guests” policy now that means that Margot is off-limits, no matter how attracted he is to her.
Any Trope But You has a potentially cute set-up (and I’m always a sucker for a good wilderness romance), but the writing and the story itself go downhill as the book progresses.
There’s just so much that doesn’t make sense. I never for a second believed that Margot could be a bestselling author, and her attempts at writing while at the lodge seem feeble at best. Her getting cancelled felt unrealistic, and where was any attempt at damage control? Surely, she and her publicist and the publisher’s marketing team could have launched an effective effort to explain the HNA document — I mean, she was hacked! Where’s the outrage? Instead, it was straight to cancellation plus loss of her publishing contract. Where are her lawyers?
Forrest’s decision to drop everything for his father is also unrealistic. He’s upset that he wasn’t by his mother’s side when she died of breast cancer years earlier… so he walks away from his groundbreaking breast cancer research to move to Alaska, run the lodge, and take care of his dad’s meds and physical therapy — rather than, I don’t know, hiring a nurse and flying up for visits?
And later, when we actually see the former guest’s review that supposedly nearly ruined the lodge… it feels like a big fat nothing. So one person wrote a bad review? So what? She makes it clear in the review that she slept with the proprietor, that he wasn’t interested in a relationship, and that therefore she’s pissed and wants to destroy him. It’s just so bizarre… almost as bizarre as Margot losing all trust in Forrest after reading the review. What a lame 3rd act breakup device.
Still, I was mostly going along with the story as something to pass the time, strictly a 3-star, sort of okay listen… but then we get to the sex scenes. And oh my heavens, they are awful. Not just open door, but full-on close-up views of every single thing that happens between them… and the scenes just go on and on and on. Maybe it’s not as awful in print, but listening to the audiobook, these scenes are excruciating, both in terms of their length and the writing itself, which I could not stand.
Here’s one of the tamer examples I could find:
She huffs a breath as she centers herself on what feels like the business end of a baseball bat in my pants, and I can’t stop the rusty sound she pulls from me when our lips catch for the first time. It’s just a graze, but the tease of her mint ChapStick may as well be a narcotic.
Granted, if you like your romances with lots of spice (and awkward metaphors), then this book might work for you. But for me, closed door or from-a-distance scenes with just enough to give a sense of the chemistry are really all that’s needed… and if it’s got to be more graphic, then at least try to avoid mentioning baseball bats!
Beyond all that, there are some basic premise aspects that are really irritating. Margot and Forrest both seem to need to swoop in and save their family members… whether or not they want it. They both assume they know what’s best for their ill or injured loved ones, disregard when they’re told otherwise, and are totally committed to giving up their own lives to be caretakers, without ever consulting the people they’re caring for to see what they really want. So, maybe Margot and Forrest really are perfect for one another?
Except even once they’re together, they can only envision having a relationship once Margot leaves the lodge if Forrest goes back to his medical work and leaves Alaska — so when his father has a setback, it means that he cant leave after all, so clearly they need to break up. Ummm, she’s a bestselling author and he’s a doctor — they can afford flights! Long distance is a thing!
I could go on and on… but I’ll stop. Clearly, this book was not the cute, fluffy escape I thought it would be.
Someone asked me why I didn’t just stop if the book was bugging me so much. Good question! I’d invested enough listening hours already that I wanted to see it through… and see if just possibly I’d feel differently about it by the end. (I didn’t.)
Points for a great setting and a few cute scenes here and there… but overall, I stopped enjoying this book well before the end, and just powered through to get it done.
Your mileage may vary. But for me, I’m mostly just glad that I’m done.
Dying of excitement ever since seeing this post on social media:
Blurb from the publisher’s page:
A heart-wrenching standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an older queer couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip.
The road stretched out before them. No other cars, just the headlights on the blacktop. Above, the cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky….
Husbands Don and Rodney have lived a good long life. Together they’ve experienced the highest highs of love and family, and lows so low that they felt like the end of the world.
Now, the world is ending for real. A wandering black hole is coming for Earth and in a month everything and everyone they’ve ever known will be gone.
Suddenly, after 40 years together, Don and Rodney are out of time. They’re in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington State to take care of some unfinished business before it’s all over.
On the road they meet those who refuse to believe death is coming and those who rush to meet it. But there are also people living their final days as best they know how–impromptu weddings, bright burning bonfires, shared meals, new friends.
And as the black hole draws near, among ball lightning and under a cracked moon in a kaleidoscope sky, Don and Rodney will look back on their lives and ask if their best was good enough.
Is it enough to burn bright if nothing comes from the ashes?
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Bookshelf Fantasies 