Book Review: Daggerbound (Swordheart, #2) by T. Kingfisher

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Daggerbound
Series: Swordheart, #2
Author: T. Kingfisher
Publisher: Bramble
Publication date: August 25, 2026
Length: 436 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…

But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.

This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.

But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.

T. Kingfisher’s fantasy novels are always a delight, and this sequel to Swordheart is every bit as wonderful as I’d expected it to be! Swordheart told the story of Sarkis, a man condemned to immortality while bound to a sword and whoever wields it. Here in Daggerbound, we pick up the story with the Dervish, one of Sarkis’s two fellow soldiers sentenced to the same fate.

As the story opens, Learned Edmund, a scholar and dedicate of the Many-Armed God, is leaving his temple to transport books and an ancient sword to recipients in a distant city. His temple doesn’t know, however, that he’s taking this opportunity to leave his religious order behind, having grown disillusioned from years of pushing for progress and change. Edmund’s journey does not go well — set upon by bandits, he accidentally unsheathes the sword, and is astonished by the appearance of what he at first takes to be an angel — a ridiculously handsome man with silver markings who appears out of nowhere in a flash of silver and proceeds to dispatch the men assaulting Edmund.

The man is no angel — it’s the Dervish, a man bound to the sword and forced to serve whoever wields it, compelled by the sword’s magic to defend his wielder, if need be at the cost of his own life. Of course, being immortal, he can only be temporarily dead, and some time spent back inside the sword heals him up again.

The Dervish is gorgeous, fierce, and angry, and is tormented by memories of the anguish he suffered at the hands of a particularly sadistic former wielder. He’s understandably irritated to find himself bound to yet another wielder, but quickly comes to see that Edmund is very different from those he’s served before. Edmund is a scholar, who only wishes to learn and apply his knowledge to helping others. He’s not interested in personal power or glory, and doesn’t wish to manipulate Dervish, and in fact agrees to help him figure out if there’s a way to break the curse and free him from his immortal, sword-bound existence.

As the pair travel onward, they acquire some highly unusual companions, find themselves in a variety of dangerous situations, and must fight their way out of more than one trap. The more time they spend together, the more evident it becomes that there’s something beyond a wielder/sword dynamic going on here — despite Dervish constantly reminding himself that Edmund is not his type.

Dervish is a fantastic character. His blend of hardened toughness and self-assuredness make him a formidable opponent for anyone who even looks like they might threated Edmund, and his ego — especially about his astonishing good looks — is never not hilarious. And yet, the terrible memories from his former wielder rise to the surface at unpredictable moments, revealing his unhealed psychic wounds and leaving him emotionally vulnerable.

Dervish and Edmund have a fabulous dynamic — opposites in so many ways, they find a deep appreciation for one another, and come to realize just how much they care and are willing to risk to keep the other person safe.

Other characters are also quite memorable (I won’t go into specifics — it’s so much fun to discover them on your own!), and having key characters from Swordheart join the adventure later in the book feels like meeting up with old friends.

Daggerbound is a wonderful follow-up to Swordheart. I loved being back in the world of this series, and enjoyed every twist and turn, every dangerous escapade and every tender moment. Daggerbound‘s love story is humorous, charming, and quite beautiful, and the characters are terrific, together and on their own.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book in the series. Book #3, which will focus on the third person cursed alongside Sarkis and Dervish, is scheduled for release in August 2027 — much too far away from now!

Book #3, *Shieldborn*; to be released 8/2027

Daggerbound succeeds as a sequel to Swordheart and as a terrific fantasy adventure story. Another outstanding book from an incredibly talented author. Highly recommended.

A note on the audiobook edition:

Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky
Released: 2026
Audio length: 16 hours 9 minutes

I enjoyed the audio version of Swordheart so much that I opted to go the same route with Daggerbound, and I’m so glad that I did. Once again, narrator Jesse Vilinsky knocks it out of the park with her excellent character voices and expressive storytelling.

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.

12Sep2026

Book Review: Just One Damned Thing After Another (The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, #1) by Jodi Taylor

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Just One Damned Thing After Another
Series: The Chronicles of St. Mary’s, #1
Author: Jodi Taylor
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: June 1, 2013
Length: 282 pages
Genre: Time travel
Source: Purchased
Rating:

They say that History is just one damned thing after another. Welcome to St Mary’s Institute of Historical Research – where damned things happen every day.

When Dr Madeleine ‘Max’ Maxwell is recruited by St Mary’s, she finds their methods to be somewhat unorthodox. They don’t just study the past – they actually visit it, carefully observing historical events as they unfold in real time.

And not dying. This last part is important.

The whole of History now lies before Max and her new colleagues, but, as she will discover, time travel is never straightforward. Because History doesn’t like to be messed with, and danger lurks in every century…

The Chronicles of St. Mary’s series has been on my to-read for years now. Back in January, I committed to finally starting it in 2026… and now I have, and I can’t believe I waited this long!

‘You’re feeling a bit under the weather,’ he said soothingly. ‘I know it’s natural for historians, but try not to dwell so much on the past.’

Book 1, Just One Damned Thing After Another, introduces us to the crazy world of St. Mary’s, a seemingly normal, possibly even boring, institute of historical research. But behind the front doors, something else entirely awaits. Max, a history professor in her late 20s, is recruited by St. Mary’s and learns what they’re really up to: Rather than relying on books and artifacts to understand the past, the St. Mary’s team uses time travel to visit and observe key moments and document their findings.

“… Although the phrase “time travel” is so sci-fi. We don’t do that. Here at St Mary’s we investigate major historical events in contemporary time.”

They can’t change anything while they’re there, but they’re able to report back with incredible new findings to pass along through the more official university channels. Their work is revolutionary, but government and university funders are breathing down their necks, and their continued existence is always a question mark.

Max is outspoken and fierce. After a rigorous training period — which includes everything from hand-to-hand combat to field medicine — she begins going on missions with other historians. And as she sees, these missions really are just one damned thing after another. Things go wrong often, and dramatically. Meanwhile, secrets about her colleagues at St. Mary’s change her understanding of certain situations, and betrayal from within threatens Max and everyone she cares about.

Some descriptions of this series describe it as madcap, hilarious, full of hijinks… and that may be true (and granted, I’ve only read the first book) — but I found that Just One Damned Thing After Another gets quite dark at time too. There are certainly plenty of humorous moments, and the dialogue truly makes me laugh at times. Still, there are some pretty awful things that happen to Max and others, including scenes of death and destruction, emotional collapse, and a couple of terrible moments between Max and people she trusts that are upsetting and heartbreaking.

On the whole, though, the book’s fast pace and sense of adventure keeps things moving and doesn’t force (or allow) readers to dwell for very long on the more painful moments. Meanwhile, there are ancient artifacts and extinct creatures to encounter! Even back at St. Mary’s, the inventors and scientists and researchers keep everyone on their toes (explosions, mainly unplanned, abound).

You can say this about historians, we may be the tea-drenched disaster-magnets of St Mary’s but bloody hell, can we think quickly when we have to.

My small quibble with Just One Damned Thing After Another is that there are just so many characters to keep track of! The book has a “Dramatis Thingummy” section at the beginning, listing and defining over 30 characters — which, yes, is helpful as a reference while reading, but feels really daunting as well. There are some people I never did manage to keep straight — we’ll see how many show up in the next books in the series.

Overall, I really enjoyed Just One Damned Thing After Another. The writing is upbeat and engaging, and even through the darker moments, there’s always another bright spot to look forward to. I came to love Max herself and her close colleagues and allies, thought the approach to time travel and the idea of historians as the ultimate explores were amazing, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the St. Mary’s crew.

Will I continue this series? Absolutely. As of this moment, there are 14 novels in the series (and a long list of associated short stories), and apparently a 15th book scheduled for release in 2027. With so many books ahead of me, I’m going to try to pace myself — but I do hope to read at least one or two more by the end of this year.

*Up next: Book #2, A Symphony of Echoes*

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.

9Sep2026

Book Review: Into the Blue by Emma Brodie

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Into the Blue
Author: Emma Brodie
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication date: April 7, 2026
Length: 448 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

From the award-winning author of Songs in Ursa Major comes an epic, decade-spanning love story that blazes through the worlds of acting and comedy, and charts a connection so powerful it might just break space and time itself.

“The truth is there’s no such thing as a normal life. There’s just the time you get and how you spend it.”

In the summer of 2000, AJ Graves dreams of writing for Saturday Night Live; instead, she’s stuck working in a video rental store, with slim odds of escaping her small Massachusetts town. Then in walks Noah Drew, the enigmatic and intense scion of the Drew acting dynasty, and her life changes forever. Despite wildly different upbringings, the two forge a deep, cosmic bond, first as friends, then as acting partners—until one day, Noah disappears without a word.

Seven years later, in New York City, AJ is shocked to find herself cast in the same intergalactic TV production as Noah, by then a well-known Hollywood heartthrob. As their on-screen characters grow closer every day, the lines between reality and acting begin to blur. Unable to stay away from each other, AJ and Noah are forced to confront the truth of what happened years ago—and the devastating secret that will send their lives careening apart, even as fate continues to draw them together.

Blending unforgettable characters, explosive chemistry and yearning, and profound emotion, Into the Blue is a journey unlike any other—one that asks: What does it mean to diverge from the script to forge your own story?

Into the Blue is a hard book to describe. It’s a story of love and acting, geekiness and intensity and fandoms, commitment and abandonment, and so much more. There are incredibly funny moments, and scenes so raw that I felt as though my heart had been pulled out and stomped on.

At age seventeen, AJ Graves works at a video rental store in her small Berkshires town, obsessed with old movies and classic cult TV, especially the 60s-era improvisational sci-fi series, Astronauticals. A short-lived, one-of-a-kind series, the show centered on a space crew and their adventures, but with scenes completely improvised. One of the actors, Eudora Drew, is local to AJ’s town, and her character Glimmette especially fascinates AJ. When Eudora’s nephew Noah, four years older than AJ and a former classmate of her big brother, walks into the store to start a summer job alongside her, AJ’s hackles are raised. He must clearly be slumming it — he’s a descendant of the Drew acting dynasty, and certainly doesn’t need a minimum wage job to support himself.

As the summer progress, though, AJ and Noah bond over Astronauticals and other movies, and when Noah brings her by the Drew mansion, she meets Eudora — who immediately insists that she’s going to train AJ and Noah. AJ dreams of a comedy writing career, but Eudora demands that she and Noah learn her improv and acting methods, and puts them through a rigorous, intensive program that somehow forges an intense, rare connection between them. As they “play” together all summer, they become highly attuned to one another’s thoughts and feelings, and it goes way beyond acting. And yet, something goes wrong, and one day Noah is just gone, and AJ find herself shut out by Eudora as well. Bereft and heart-broken, she has no choice but to throw herself into finishing school and getting on with her future.

Years later, as AJ works in New York as a writer with an improv/comedy troupe, Noah shows up… but in the intervening years, Noah has become a star with an Oscar nomination and huge movie roles to his credit. His appearance at the improv center has a purpose: He’s slated to be a part of an Astronauticals reboot, to be called Into the Blue… and with it going into production at the time of the writers’ strike, it’ll have a novel approach. While the general story line and premise are layed out, the episodes themselves will be completely improvised. To AJ’s shock, she’s cast in the show as well, and as the production progresses, it becomes clear that she’ll become the major female lead and love interest for Noah’s character.

The intense connection between AJ and Noah sparks back to life — clearly, it had never really died out. Yet AJ is still devastated by his abandonment years earlier and the silence since then, and is unwilling to let him back in. But their bond is so powerful that it can’t be avoided forever, and their relationship burns bright… until certain truths push them apart once again.

It’s hard to discuss this book without giving details away, and that would be a shame. The intensity and power of the connection between AJ and Noah drives the plot forward, and there has to be a very good reason for the estrangements that continue to drive them into separate lives… and there is, but that doesn’t lessen the impact or help AJ or Noah forget what’s between them.

There are lighter moments too — the descriptions of fandoms and cons and obsessions over pop culture are all really well done. I was reminded throughout of Firefly… which was reinforced later in the book when I came across this brief line:

But as Ana, such sounds broke from her as to burn the land and boil the sea.

Powerful moment, and those particular words really drive it home. (IYKYK)

The final section of the book is one of the most evocative, unusual, and emotionally devastating pieces of writing I’ve come across in a long time. Again, I really can’t say why or provide details without diminishing the way this book gets under your skin and into your heart. All I can say is that it blew me away.

I loved the characters, felt their joy and pain, and wanted to stay in their world for as long as possible. Beyond that, the chapters set in the worlds of SNL, improv, and filming Into the Blue are an amazing mix of creative expression, humor, and blazing connection between people who find a way to share inspiration and bring it to life.

One small quibble left me questioning whether to reduce my star rating: This book makes use of one of the break-up tropes I find most maddening — the “I’m breaking up with you for your own good and won’t tell you why” approach — and it makes me crazy every time, especially when the person on the receiving end believes the fake reasons for the break-up when clearly they’re being told a whopping lie. I was pretty mad at the characters over this issue… but at the end of the day, I’m sticking with my 5-star rating, because I simply can’t overlook or downplay how the book as a whole made me feel.

Into the Blue has easily become one of my favorite books of 2026. It made me laugh and cry, and shows so much about love and the power that exists in forging a bond with the person who means the world to you. This book is truly a unique reading experience. 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.

6Sep2026

Book Review: We Chase Shadows (We Solve Murders, #2) by Richard Osman

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: We Chase Shadows
Series: We Solve Murders, #2
Author: Richard Osman
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Publication date: September 15, 2026
Length: 345 pages
Genre: Mystery
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Back together.
Back on the case.
And back to solving murders . . .

At sunrise, high in the Italian hills, a body is found on the steps of a beautiful private villa. On the body is a threatening note, signed by a mystery man.

Back at We Solve Murders HQ, Amy, Rosie, and Steve leap at the chance to take on their first proper case. So what if their new client seems to have his own reasons for avoiding the police? All they need to do is uncover who left the note, and then find them. Simple.

But once they start digging, the suspects keep piling up: there’s Sweden’s most-wanted criminal, a canny ex-wife and a fierce business rival – yet the murderer keeps evading them. And as the trio chase a villain through the shadows, danger travels closer to home . . .

Between Italy and Palm Springs, via Barcelona and Steve’s village pub, can the team catch an elusive killer who knows EXACTLY where to hide?

The awesome trio formed during the first book in this clever series (We Solve Murders) is back in action in We Chase Shadows. Rosie, an internationally bestselling mystery writer of indeterminate age, Amy, her former bodyguard, and Steve, a retired cop and Amy’s father-in-law, may seem like an odd mix, but after the events of the first book, they’ve teamed up to open a detective agency called… We Solve Murders.

That’s what makes them a great team. Rosie will sleep with you, Amy will hit you, Steve will tell you a fact about public transport. They’ve got all angles covered.

The problem is, no one has actually called upon them to solve any murders. Amy, for one, is getting bored — she hasn’t had anyone to punch in far too long. When Rosie goes on the Graham Norton Show to promote her newest book, she slips in a mention of We Solve Murders, and boom! They finally get a case.

Secretive tycoon Vern Blackwood summons them to his Tuscany villa to find the person who murdered one of his bodyguards. Conveniently, his body was found with a note in his pocket, taking responsibility for the murder and threatening Vern with further murders to come — and the note is even signed by the killer, someone who’s one of Vern’s chief competitors in their super shady and illegal business world. But, Vern insists, the note is a distraction: He’s sure that person isn’t the actual killer and he wants them to find out who is.

Globe-hopping ensues, as Rosie, Amy, and Steve use Rosie’s private jet to zoom around the world chasing leads, connecting with allies, and popping back home for Steve’s weekly pub quiz. As more bodies pile up, the list of suspects gets weird, and weirdly narrower, as the likely suspects are the people who keep turning up dead.

We Chase Shadows is a fun-filled, not terribly serious caper book. The mystery is engaging, but it’s the banter and escapades of our mismatched trio that keep the plot zipping along.

“Stevie,” says Tommy “I’ve been alive for seventy years, right? And I ain’t died yet. That can’t be a coincidence?”

“I think that’s just how life works,” says Amy. “No one dies until they die.”

“All I know is what I know,” says Tommy. “Hundred percent record of not dying. […]”

Interesting twists and red herrings come into play, and the bad guys aren’t psychopaths or darkly evil, just people with highly questionable moral compasses who’ll do anything for a profit. Yes, they’re internationally wanted criminals… but their motive is money, not cruelty, which keeps the book from ever getting too grim.

The We Solve Murders books are a bit lighter on character depth and development than the Thursday Murder Club series, but this newer series shows promise too. I might argue that no one in real life would ever talk the way these people do, but that’s okay. Their quips and ridiculousness are part of the fun, and certainly keep the atmosphere bubbly even when danger looms for the characters.

The author’s notes indicate that his next book will be a return to the Thursday Murder Club series (yay!), but that a 3rd book in We Solve Murders will be on the way after that. I’m looking forward to both!

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.

4Sep2026

Book Review: Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (Classics Club Spin #45)

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Jamaica Inn
Author: Daphne du Maurier
Publication date: 1936
Length: 307 pages
Rating:

The coachman tried to warn her away from the ruined, forbidding place on the rainswept Cornish coast. But young Mary Yellan chose instead to honor her mother’s dying request that she join her frightened Aunt Patience and huge, hulking Uncle Joss Merlyn at Jamaica Inn.
From her first glimpse on that raw November eve, she could sense the inn’s dark power. But never did Mary dream that she would become hopelessly ensnared in the vile, villainous schemes being hatched within its crumbling walls—or that a handsome, mysterious stranger would so incite her passions… tempting her to love a man whom she dares not trust.

For the second Classics Club Spin in a row, I ended up with a Daphne du Maurier novel, and was thrilled to have the extra little push to read yet another of her books. For the previous spin, I read Frenchman’s Creek, a lush, passionate tale of romance and pirates. This spin’s book, Jamaica Inn, is something else entirely: Dark, grim, and dire… and yes, there’s a romantic element too, but for me, that was just a minor element in a tale about a strong heroine confronting irredeemably evil people.

Released in 1936, Jamaica Inn was Daphne du Maurier’s fourth published novel, and was the book that immediately preceded her most famous, iconic work, Rebecca (published 1938).

Set in the early 1800s, Jamaica Inn tells the story of 23-year-old Mary Yellan, who’d been born and raised in the bucolic town of Helford, a coastal village in Cornwall. On her deathbed, Mary’s mother makes Mary promise to go live with her aunt Patience, whom Mary remembers fondly from visits many years earlier, although she hasn’t seen her at all since. Carrying out her obligation once her mother dies, Mary travels to the lonely, desolate Jamaica Inn on Bodmin Moor, where Aunt Patience lives with her husband Joss Merlyn. But Mary finds Patience a changed woman — no longer the pretty, vivacious young aunt from ten years earlier, she’s haggard, meek, and full of nervous tics.

Uncle Joss is huge and menacing, and Jamaica Inn is just as frightening — an isolated, dark building surrounded by miles of open moors, dirty and mildewed and in terrible repair. The bar room appears to be opened to guests as Joss sees fit, but it’s clear that no one actually stays at the inn and that it’s not a place that offers hospitality. In fact, most travelers along the Bodmin road drive by as quickly as possible, sensing the danger that awaits if they stop.

Mary is dismayed. Sent by her mother to live under Patience’s care, once there, it’s obvious that Mary will have to care for Patience, and while she’s desperate to leave, she can’t abandon her fragile aunt to Joss’s cruelty.

The longer Mary stays at Jamaica Inn, the more she learns about Joss Merlyn’s nefarious schemes and the terrible crimes he’s involved with. Eventually, she must find a way to escape, rescue her aunt, and bring justice to hold Joss accountable for all the evil he’s done.

Jamaica Inn is unrelentingly grim, with Mary’s terrible experiences broken up only by her long walks across the moors and her encounters with a man she’s drawn to, yet knows she shouldn’t trust.

He lacked tenderness; he was rude; and he had more than a streak of cruelty in him; he was a thief and a liar. He stood for everything she feared and hated and despised; but she knew she could love him.

Mary’s love for this man is hard to understand, other than acknowledging it as an unexpected and unwanted passion for a classic bad boy. Mary makes assumptions about him, not all of which turn out to be true. She’d decided for herself years earlier that she would never marry, having seen over and over again how the most romantic of couples in love end up leading bitter lives after reality and hardship sets in. She’s never wanted love of her own, and is frustrated by her desire for this man, which defies her own rules of logic.

I go round and round in a trap, all because of a man I despise, who has nothing to do with my brain or my understanding. I don’t want to love like a woman or feel like a woman, […]; there’s pain that way, and suffering, and misery that can last a lifetime. I didn’t bargain for this; I don’t want it.

The driving force of the story lies in the secrets of Joss Merlyn and the evil doings centered around Jamaica Inn. As Mary remains there, she comes to understand the terrible acts he’s responsible for, and she concocts a desperate plan to bring him down.

There are some excellent twists as the climactic moments of Jamaica Inn are revealed, and I won’t give a bit of them away! (Sure, it’s an almost 100-year-old book at this point, but still — spoilers are spoilers!). I was thankful that I was able to read this book with no expectations or foreknowledge of the plot. As with other books of that era, there’s a breathlessness to the chase scenes and other dramatic moments that makes them highly evocative and edge-of-the-seat exciting. Whether it’s the fear of storm-tossed seas or the danger of fog-shrouded moors, this book is a terrific example of high-adrenaline storytelling.

I had not expected the grimness of this story, especially after the romance of Frenchman’s Creek, and found it almost too much at the start, as I wondered just what sort of book I’d stumbled into and whether the darkness would ever let up. There aren’t many (if any) lighter moments, and even brief moments of Mary relaxing or experiencing a hint of happiness are overshadowed by the overall sense of threat and disaster that looms over everything.

I’m left marveling at Daphne du Maurier’s ability to craft a story to leave her readers breathless. Reading Jamaica Inn isn’t exactly fun, but the book truly is compelling, and a fantastic example of a master writer’s work.

Now that I’ve read two du Maurier books in a relatively short span of time, I’m eager to keep going over the course of the coming year. I have copies of The House on the Strand, My Cousin Rachel, and The King’s General on my shelves — I’d welcome recommendations on which to try next!

I was interested to learn that Jamaica Inn has been adapted for the screen several times, most notably:

The 1939 film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara
A 1983 miniseries starring Jane Seymour
A 2014 miniseries starring Jessica Brown Findlay, Matthew McNulty, Sean Harris, Joanne Whalley and Ben Daniels.

Of these, I’d be most inclined to check out the 2014 version, although I do love a good historical romance with Jane Seymour…

About the author:

Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) was the daughter of the legendary actor-manager Gerald du Maurier and granddaughter of George du Maurier, the author of the vastly successful late-Victorian novel Trilby and cartoonist for the magazine Punch. She grew up in London and Cornwall, where she would settle as an adult. Du Maurier published her first novel when she was twenty-three and would go on to write seventeen more, many of them best-sellers, including My Cousin Rachel, Jamaica Inn, and Rebecca, one of the most popular novels of the twentieth century. In addition to her fiction, du Maurier wrote several family biographies, a biography of Branwell Brontë, a study of Cornwall, two plays, and a good deal of journalism. She was married to Tommy “Boy” Browning and was the mother of three children.

3Sep2026

Book Review: Kiss Slay Replay by Rachel Harrison

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Kiss Slay Replay
Author: Rachel Harrison
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: September 1, 2026
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Horror
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Every wedding guest’s worst nightmare is on repeat in this wild and twisty new horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of So Thirsty and Play Nice.

It’s the picture-perfect wedding The venue is dreamy, the weather is beautiful, love is in the air—and Willa Sullivan is having a bad time. She’s excited to celebrate her best friends finally having the big wedding they’ve always wanted, but this is the first time she’s seen her ex-fiancé in months, and he brought a date. Everything feels off, like she stumbled into an alternate universe. But things start to look up when Willa meets Danny, the groom’s charming and single childhood best friend. When they sneak off together, their rendezvous is interrupted by a masked killer terrorizing the reception. Willa and Danny fight to save the ones they love and survive the night, but the killer is unrelenting. A final girl, Willa is not.

Or is she? She wakes up and it’s the morning of the wedding. She just had the most intense nightmare of her life. Only as the day unfolds, there are some uncanny coincidences that make her question whether it was really a dream, déjà vu, or something more sinister. After a horrifying turn of events, Willa comes to understand that she’s stuck in a loop of carnage and terror that she must learn how to escape or else suffer a fate worse than death—being an eternal wedding guest.

Don’t be fooled by the cutesey (but bloody) cover — Kiss Slay Replay is not a light-hearted romp with a hint of horror. Instead, it’s a full-on horror nightmare, with an interesting mix of introspection and terror.

What’s worse than going to your best friends’ wedding, months after calling off your own wedding just three weeks in advance and then living in a quagmire of what-ifs, regrets, and second guessing? All of the above, but with slaughter!

Willa is dreading the wedding weekend, despite its charming rural lakeside location in the Hudson Valley. She’s happy for Steph and Jace, but being there will mean being with her college best friends, all of whom, some ten years later, seem to have found happiness and meaning in their lives. Meanwhile, Willa has just ended her own long-term relationship, feels isolated and directionless and questions every decision she’s made, and has to not only go celebrate her friends’ marriage, but also see her ex at the wedding.

She knows her friends are running out of patience with her, despite how much they love her. She just needs to get her act together long enough to get through the weekend. The rustic setting is gorgeous — a wedding venue that was once the location of a lakeside summer camp. (Uh oh…) When Willa escapes into the woods to give herself a break from the wedding intensity, she sees a strange masked man in the distance… or does she? Maybe the stress and alcohol are getting to her. Maybe she’s seeing things.

She isn’t. What feels like a typical horror movie scenario unfolds. The masked man is a terrifying slasher who attacks the wedding (where, of course, there’s no cell reception, no one is armed, and everyone is too drunk to defend themselves). It’s awful… and (not really a spoiler) ends with Willa herself being murdered.

Except not. Because after a painful death, Willa wakes up back in her own bed, fully aware of everything that just happened. But when she checks her phone, it’s Friday again — the day she woke up and drove to the wedding. Checking in with her friends, she allows herself to be convinced that she had an incredibly vivid nightmare, and sets off for the wedding… only to arrive and see how it’s all exactly the same as it was in her supposed dream.

But things don’t go exactly the same way… and I won’t go into further detail, other than to say that Willa is really and truly caught in a time loop, and that each new version of the wedding day features a brand new type of carnage, mayhem, and death.

Kiss Slay Replay is the trippiest of time loop stories. I’ve read a bunch with a rom-com focus, which this most assuredly is not. Instead, Willa experiences horror trope after horror trope, but in a visceral, terrifying way, always ending in her painful, sometimes disgusting death, as well as the deaths of all of her friends. Stuff of nightmares for sure!

At the same time, Willa is deeply mired in the self-doubt and inner paralysis stemming from her break-up. She knew things with Ravi weren’t working, and hadn’t been for a long time. Calling off the wedding was the right thing to do — but she feels that she’s come adrift in her own life, and sees no point in anything. Starting over is awful. Feeling like a burden to her supportive friends makes her tired and upset. As her friend Cass tells her, the only way out is through… but Willa can’t see her life ever truly changing or how things will get better.

When will I know if I’ve made it out of the loop? At the stroke of midnight? Tomorrow morning? Never? Am I going to spend the next week, month, year, the rest of my life waiting for another monster to show up? Wondering what horror lurks in the shadows?

It occurs to me, that’s actually not so different from how I’ve been living Preemptively experiencing misery. Ye of little faith.

The time loop horror serves as a bloody representation of Willa’s inner life. Give up, or fight? Persevere, even though every day is terrible? Can she hide from the horror, or will it find her anyway? What if this is all life is?

The introspective moments in no way slow down the momentum of Kiss Slay Replay. From the moment I started, I simply couldn’t put it down. At first, I assumed each time loop would bring back the slasher, which I was kind of dreading, as slasher movies/books are not my favorites by a long shot. But no — while each day unveils some fresh hell, none of the horror scenarios repeat. Each is horrifying and terrifying in its own way. And while it’s amazing that Willa doesn’t just give up, we also get a vivid example of what happens on a day when she decides not to go to the wedding. (Hint: It’s not good).

Rachel Harrison’s novels are always a delight, and she never fails to produce a twisted take on what might at first glance seem like a familiar horror sub-genre (witches, haunted houses, vampires, and more). This author is a masterful storyteller, and her unique characters and premises make for compelling reads, every single time.

Kiss Slay Replay is not for the faint of heart, obviously. But if you enjoy horror and want something that will hook you from start to finish, don’t miss this newest (terrifying) gem.

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.

2Sep2026

Audiobook Review: My Imaginary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: My Imaginary Mary
Series: Mary, #2
Authors: Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows
Narrator: Morag Sims
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: August 2, 2022
Print length: 496 pages
Audiobook length: 13 hours 15 minutes
Genre: Young adult
Source: Purchased
Rating:

It’s aliiiiiiiive! The bestselling authors of My Lady Jane are back with the electric, poetic, and (almost) historical tale of the one and only Mary Shelley.

Mary may have inherited the brilliant mind of her late mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, but she lives a drab life above her father’s bookstore, waiting for an extraordinary idea that’ll inspire a work worthy of her parentage—and impress her rakishly handsome (and super-secret) beau, Percy Shelley.

Ada Lovelace knows a thing or two about superstar parents, what with her dad being Lord Byron, the most famous poet on Earth. But her passions lie far beyond the arts—in mechanical engineering, to be exact. Alas, no matter how precise Ada’s calculations, there’s always a man willing to claim her ingenious ideas as his own.

Pan, a.k.a. Practical Automaton Number One, is Ada’s greatest idea yet: a machine that will change the world, if only she can figure out how to make him truly autonomous . . . or how to make him work at all.

When fate connects our two masterminds, Mary and Ada learn that they are fae—magical people with the ability to make whatever they imagine become real. But when their dream team results in a living, breathing, thinking PAN, Mary and Ada find themselves hunted by a mad scientist who won’t stop until he finds out how they made a real boy out of spare parts.

With comic genius and a truly electrifying sense of adventure, Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows continue their campaign to turn history on its head in this YA fantasy that’s perfect for fans of The Princess Bride and A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue.

The Mary series — beginning with My Contrary Mary, an alternate history version of the life of Mary, Queen of Scots — continues here with My Imaginary Mary, a clever, highly entertaining and extremely silly spin on the lives of Mary Shelley and Ada Lovelace, two creative young women stuck in a world that doesn’t appreciate them.

Mary Godwin, living above her father’s bookshop, dreams of becoming a writer someday, just like her famous mother, Mary Wollstonecraft. She also dreams of running off with her handsome secret boyfriend, the up-and-coming young poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Meanwhile, Ada lives with her controlling mother, Lady Byron, raised to despise her disreputable father Lord Byron (the rock star of his era). Ada is a brilliant engineer, scientist, and mathematician, but must work on her inventions and equations in secret, as these are not appropriate endeavors for a young lady of marriageable age.

When Mary and Ada meet at a society party, their lives becomes inextricably connected… due to complicated reasons involving a charlatan scientist, dead frogs, and… magic. As Mary and Ada soon learn, they’re both fae and possess magical powers, and must be instructed on how to use them. Rule #1: Create responsibly.

This lesson doesn’t fully take… and before long, they’ve used a combination of science, magic, and lightning to bring an automaton to life. After all sorts of further mishaps, they end up on the run across Europe, along with Pan — the animated automaton — Mary’s sisters, and a mechanical horse. Finally, their mad trek takes them to Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva (which actual history tells us is where Mary Shelley famously created the story that became her novel Frankenstein).

Let’s just say that My Imaginary Mary takes wild liberties with these historical characters, and provides a funny, madcap adventure that is a delight to read and listen to. Narrator Morag Sims delivers the ups and downs, the character voices, and the bonkers moments with style — including a scene of dialogue shared while the characters are all bound and gagged, which is laugh-out-loud hilarious.

After listening and/or reading the Jane books by these authors, I’m not in the least surprised that I found My Imaginary Mary to be oodles of fun. There are moments were the story verges on being too much… but really, in a story like this one, the whole point is being over the top, and the book definitely succeeds.

Little direct-to-the-reader (or listener) moments add even more great entertainment, such as the advice provided:

(Reader, your narrators here. We just want to give a small public service announcement about the tiny warning voice in the back of your head, the one that whispers that you might be about to make a mistake. We’re here to tell you there’s a 99.8 percent chance that the voice is right. Please listen to the tiny warning voice. No matter how good a kisser he is.)

I was also highly amused by some recurring bits such as:

Pan’s throat fan whirred. She had told him to stay. But he also had a strong urge to go and investigate.

Should I stay or should I go now? he thought. If I go there could be trouble. And if I stay there could be double.

And…

… “But you do not even have an idea,” she said.

“I shall have one,” he said. “When you give it to me. We’re partners, are we not? We work for our mutual benefit. So go on — ” He lowered his head as if he were expecting to be struck with something tangible. “Hit me with your best shot. Fire away.”

Because I was listening to the audiobook, usually on the go, I didn’t stop and highlight great lines nearly as often as I should have, which is the one downside to not going with a print version of this story. But that’s okay — I really enjoyed every moment, even if I can’t pull up even more examples of favorite passages.

I love the Jane and Mary books, and I’m eager to continue! I supposes the Tudor books (My Lady Jane and My Contrary Mary) are still my favorites, but My Imaginary Mary is a worthy addition to the series, and offers all the fun fans of this series have come to expect.

I look forward to reading the 3rd Mary book, which — sadly — is the last in the series. (Unless the authors decide to write more, or start a new series… here’s hoping!)

Interested in the Jane books? Check out:

And don’t miss:

My Contrary Mary

Purchase links for My Imaginary Mary: 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.

30Aug2026

Hockey romance two-fer: Skating my way into the Heated Rivalry book series

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Last week, I arrived super late to the party, and finally binge-watched Heated Rivalry. And what’s a reader to do after watching a compelling TV series and knowing there’s a long wait for season 2? Obviously, it was time to try the book series!

I read books 1 and 2 this week (and technically, the series name is Game Changers, but let’s face it, anyone walking into a bookstore is going to say “hey, where are those Heated Rivalry books?”).

My reactions to the books are below… and fair warning:

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

I’ll be talking about the books themselves, but also discussing a few plot points in comparison to the TV version.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Let’s lace up those skates and hit the ice…

Game Changer (Game Changers, #1) by Rachel Reid

Synopsis:

New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pre-game rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic…and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, nevermind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?

If you’ve watched Heated Rivalry, you’ll recognize the plot of Game Changer as the focus of episode three of the TV series, which takes us away from the characters of episodes 1 and 2 (see next book!) and into a whole new set of characters… starting with a smoothie shop! Scott and Kip meet over smoothies and are both instantly smitten, but there’s a problem: Scott is the captain of the New York hockey team, incredibly famous and recognizable, and firmly in the closet.

Which has never felt like a choice for him: There are no out gay players in the NHL, and as depicted in the book, hockey has never been a world in which a gay man might feel safe. As Scott points out, gay slurs are the go-to on the ice for trash talking and riling up the opposition. So Scott has never been in a relationship, and has only ever indulged in the rare hook-up while traveling somewhere where he can be incognito.

Meeting Kip changes everything for him. Their connection is intense and passionate, and they become inseparable. But Scott and Kip can only be together in the privacy of Scott’s home, and Kip starts feeling like a dirty little secret. Despite being madly in love with Scott, Kip isn’t willing to go back in the closet for him. Scott has to decide whether a public persona that denies who he truly is is worth protecting, especially if it means giving up a relationship with the person who’s come to mean everything to him.

I really liked the Kip and Scott episode of the TV series, and for most of Game Changers, the plot beats are pretty consistent with the TV version. I enjoyed delving a little further into each character’s backstory, and getting more of Scott’s thoughts on his career, the homophobia in the NHL, and why he’s felt the need to remain closeted for so long.

I knew going into these books that they’re very spicy, which is usually not my reading preference at all. So no, I wasn’t shocked to see just how detailed and explicit the sex scenes are… but I did find myself thinking “enough already!” after a while. I know how body parts work! As the book moves further and further along, the scenes begin to feel repetitive and unnecessary. Early on, they show the instant chemistry and wild attraction between the characters, but as these explicit scenes continue throughout the entire book, for me at least, it feels like too much. The book probably would have been about half the length with a bit more of a closed door approach! And yes, the TV adaptation shows a lot… but not the up close and personal anatomical details that we get in the book.

One thing I liked a lot about the book’s approach is Scott’s journey toward coming out. In the TV version, he makes what seems like a spur-of-the-moment decision, after his team wins the championship, to kiss Kip on the ice in front of the entire stadium… which also happens in the book, but earlier, he’d already come out to his agent, coach, and three best friends on the team. He hadn’t planned the public kiss in advance, but we know already that he’s been thinking about how to fully come out, and we can see why he’s moved in that particular moment to share the joy of the moment with the person he loves.

Kip and Scott are lovely characters. They really only get the spotlight for one episode of the TV series (plus a couple of other quick glimpses), so obviously a book devoted to them is able to go deeper in terms of exploring their emotions, motivations, and experiences.

Publication date: 2018
Length: 368 pages
Rating:

(I don’t have quarter-star graphics… but if I did, I’d go with 3.25 stars)

Heated Rivalry (Game Changers, #2) by Rachel Reid

Synopsis:

Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option.

Watching the TV version of Heated Rivalry is what convinced me to pick up the books — I wanted more Ilya and Shane!

Their story is compelling: Meeting as teen pre-draft hockey players, they’re drawn together immediately despite their differences. Shane is a controlled, respectful, nice guy from a supportive family, who lives for hockey. Ilya is the “bad boy” Russian player who loves to rile up his opponents, indulge his wild side, and be absolutely fierce on the ice. From their initial encounter onward, when they end up the #1 and #2 draft picks, then start their NHL careers on rival teams, the entire hockey world views them as enemies, and their rivalry drives the already crazy fan interest through the roof.

Shane and Ilya have a secret that no one can know: Since their earliest days in the league, they’ve been hooking up for intense encounters which are particularly eye-opening for Shane, who’d never questioned his sexuality previously. Over the years, they find ways to meet up whenever they’re playing in the same town. Their chemistry is explosive. But as time passes, they both begin to realize that the sex is only a part of what they want from one another… and acknowledging deeper feelings scares them both to death.

The storyline itself is pretty terrific. Two big, fierce, ultra-manly hockey players who secretly fall in love, yet can never let anyone know? Good stuff — and what makes it so compelling to read are the reasons and complications behind their dynamics, from fear of jeopardizing their careers to Ilya’s painful family history and the reality of what being out might mean for Ilya if he ever returned to Russia. As in Game Changer, both men are aware that there are no out hockey players, and that homophobia is still rampant within the hockey world. Their struggle to find a solution that doesn’t ruin their lives and yet allows them to have a real relationship is what drive this story forward.

As with Game Changer, the book is absolutely overflowing with frequent, highly explicit sex scenes. And yes, I knew what I’d be getting into when I picked up these books, so perhaps it’s not fair to complain about this aspect! On the one hand, the hot and heavy graphic scenes show how intense Ilya and Shane’s connection is, and how at the outset, it really is “just” about the sex. On the other hand… when practically every chapter has an up-close-and-personal scene with everything spelled out in detail — it’s a lot (and as in the first book, it just feels repetitive after a while).

Tastes vary, and I fully recognize that plenty of readers love the high spice content! As a personal preference, it’s just not what I look for in my romance reading. If not for having watched the TV series, I never would have picked up these books, knowing in advance their reputation for explicit content. So I accepted that that’s what I’d be reading — but I do think in terms of the reading experience, the books would be so much stronger if some of the space taken up by those scenes were devoted to more character and plot development.

Overall, though, I did enjoy reading Ilya and Shane’s story. I love their connection and their inner lives, and appreciated getting a sense of the next steps for them (after the closing scenes of the TV version).

Publication date: 2019
Length: 372 pages
Rating:

Will I continue with the Game Changers series?

Not right now. There are four more books currently available, with a 7th book scheduled for publication in June 2027. Books 3 – 5 apparently focus on other characters, and book #6, The Long Game, picks up Ilya and Shane’s story again (which then continues into book #7, Unrivaled). As I’m mainly interested in Ilya and Shane’s journey, I might skip ahead to The Long Game… or I might just wait for the 2nd season of the TV version, and then decide whether to read more.

As of this moment, reading two books in this series feels like plenty! I’m glad I gave them a try, but it’ll be a while (or maybe not at all) before I feel like diving back into this world.

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27Aug2026

Book Review: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Theo of Golden
Author: Allen Levi
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication date: October 3, 2026
Length: 399 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…

His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers.

Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their “rightful owners.” With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.

A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is a beautifully crafted novel about the power of creative generosity, the importance of wonder to a purposeful life, and the invisible threads of kindness that bind us to one another.

Theo of Golden is one of those books that seemed to come out of nowhere… and then turned up everywhere. The book has been on the New York Times bestseller list (combined e-book and print) for 38 weeks as of now, and has been selected by countless book groups (celebrity and otherwise) around the world. A debut novel, this gentle story showcases kindness and caring; it’s easy to see why it’s captured so many hearts.

Theo, who never provides more than his first name, is an 86-year-old man of Portuguese descent who arrives in Golden, Georgia (roughly modeled on Columbus, Georgia) and settles in. He wanders the town, observing the shops, the main street, and the river, exchanging pleasantries and greetings with the random people he encounters. When he stops by The Chalice, a local coffee shop, he’s stunned by the pencil-drawn portraits that line the walls. As he soon learns, a local artist has created these portraits, each one showing the face of a Golden resident. For Theo, the portraits are revelatory: In each, he sees hopes, fears, dreams, pains, and purpose. He admires how beautifully the artist has captured the individuality of these 92 people.

And thus, Theo’s mission is born. Learning the portraits are for sale, he decides to purchase them one by one and gift them (as a “bestowal”, as he comes to think of it) to the people they portray. Via handwritten letters, he reaches out to the various portraits’ subjects, asking them to meet him by the fountain at the center of town, where he gives them their portraits and spends time in conversation, learning who each person is and what their inner lives are like.

As Theo spends time in Golden, he connects with people from all walks of life, and listens with an open heart as they tell him their stories. Through Theo, strangers become friends, and he leaves behind a sense of connection and caring wherever he goes.

Theo of Golden is, first and foremost, a book about kindness. It’s a soft, sweet sort of story, but it’s never sappy or dull. Theo seems like someone we’d all want to know. He doesn’t push or intrude; he offers sincerity and is ready to listen and give his time, and that’s what so many of the people he encounters truly need.

I enjoyed seeing Theo weave connections and leave joy in his wake, and his acts of generosity and kindness truly change lives. The plot may feel a bit meandering at times, but it’s building toward something, and by the end, the various threads and hints all come together.

I have just minor quibbles about this book. First, Theo is a man of wealth, who chooses not to share anything about his business or properties or how he became the person he is. He’s able to use his money to change lives, which is lovely, whether it’s shown by way of covering medical bills or buying special gifts or other acts of generosity. This is all beautiful… but part of me wondered how Theo’s acts and encounters might have turned out if he didn’t have such wealth to pave the way.

My other quibble relates to the ending, where we finally get substantive answers about Theo. It’s wonderful in its own way, but also feels a little out of the blue. I can’t say more, but in some ways, it seems a little too neat and tidy. But maybe that’s just my inner curmudgeon peeking out!

I was charmed by Theo of Golden, and wanted to know more. Here’s an article about the real life coffee shop that was the inspiration for The Chalice! Also, check out this book-related guide to Columbus.

Theo of Golden is a lovely, uplifting read. I don’t often go for books that sound overly sentimental, but something drew me to this novel, and I’m so glad to have read it. The book’s messages about kindness, love, and community are something I think we all could use right about now. Highly recommended.

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.

23Aug2026

Audiobook Review: The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Susan Patterson and James Patterson

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Mother-Daughter Book Club
Authors: Susan Patterson & James Patterson
Narrators: Many!
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Publication date: April 20, 2026
Print length: 352 pages
Audiobook length: 7 hours 35 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

The Mother-Daughter Book Club is Susan and James Patterson’s new novel, the follow-up to Things I Wish I Told My Mother—the New York Times bestselling, book club favorite praised novel.

“An entertaining book … As friends talk books, hopes, dreams … and dishy revelations … it’s romantic love—both old and new … that drive[s] the story forward.” —Kirkus Reviews

Between their busy lives and their far-flung residences, the Mother-Daughter Book Club—four longtime college friends and their five daughters—more often discuss the books on their nightstands via 2 a.m. texts than in-person meetings. And maybe it’s just as well, after what happened at their last get-together …

So it’s an emotional reunion when they finally gather again, this time on the spectacular shores of Italy’s Lake Como. Sightseeing excursions, reminiscing fueled by “Como-politans,” and a hint of vacation romance all build toward the book club’s trademark “Night of Secrets.”

These friends, and sometime rivals, are close readers—of novels, memoirs, and of each other. But as the years and the distance cast shadows and doubt, confidences and sympathies turn into surprising revelations.

The Mother-Daughter Book Club is a sun-drenched ode to lifelong friendships and the joy of sharing books… and if that cover doesn’t make you want to run away to a beautiful lake for the rest of the summer, well, I guess you’re not me!

This light book introduces us to four best friends, together since college, and their assorted daughters, now all in their twenties. The friends — an opera singer, a lawyer, a minister, and a fitness instructor — lead very different lives, but share deep bonds that they’ve cherished across the years. A tragic accident at the last gathering of the MDBC (Mother-Daughter Book Club) has kept them apart for three years, but now, they’re reuniting at a gorgeous villa on Lake Como for a weekend filled with good food, sunshine and hiking, book chatter, and their traditional sharing of secrets. The question is — will the secrets bring them closer or drive them all apart once again?

The overall tone is light and cheerful. Even when we learn of painful experiences, the setting and the banter between friends keeps the narrative from getting too dark. There’s always a yoga session or delicious dessert or tarot reading to break the tension.

It’s the relationships that make this book feel so heart-warming. The friends have been through a lot over the years, but they’ve always cared for one another and provided shoulders to cry on and cheerleading through the ups and downs of careers, marriages, and motherhood. The mother-daughter bonds are all flavored in different ways, but convey a closeness that feels special, and the friendship between the daughters likewise shows a foundation of affection and support.

The book made me yearn for an immediate summer vacation where I could indulge in gourmet meals, sinful desserts, and glasses of Prosecco (preferably while staying in a luxurious lakeside villa)… but beyond the escapist fantasy, I also enjoyed the way all of these women, with such different lives, share a love of books. If it doesn’t exist already, someone really should put together a list of every book mentioned in The Mother-Daughter Book Club. There’s something for everyone!

The audiobook is lots of fun, with a different narrator for each of the main characters. They all do a great job bringing these varied personalities to life. Helpfully, every chapter is identified by both character name and relationship status, such as “Mariella, mother of Zoey” or “Merry, daughter of Grace”. It can be tricky at first to keep the names and connections straight (the print edition includes a list of characters, which is handy to have as a reference while listening to the audiobook).

What this book lacks is a true sense of stakes or drama. There are fun moments between characters, great descriptions of scenery and food, and hints of darker secrets… but really, everything just moves along nicely and there’s nothing terribly urgent about it. Yes, there are more serious events and a big reveal (which is telegraphed far in advance) that are emotional for the characters, but the book itself doesn’t go much beneath the surface — possibly because with so many characters to juggle, there’s no time or space to go deeply into any one person’s issues. This is truly a pleasant book, and I liked it… but it doesn’t really rise much above the description of “nice” for me.

If you’re looking for an easy-going summer escape, this might be a good choice. I don’t regret picking this one up, but I can’t exactly call it a page-turner.

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.