Title: First-Time Caller Series: Heartstrings, #1 Author: B. K. Borison Narrators: E.J. Bingham & Hathaway Lee Publisher: Berkley Publication date: February 11, 2025 Print length: 420 pages Audio length: 11 hours 54 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.
Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.
Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending… even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.
I’m going to keep this short. After seeing a bunch of positive reviews, as well as hearing good things about the author’s previous series (Lovelight), I thought I’d give First-Time Caller a try when I saw it available to borrow from the library. And while there are aspects I enjoyed, my overall impression is that this book is a pretty run-of-the-mill example of a contemporary romance. It’s fine… but nothing special.
Aiden is the disillusioned host of a romance radio show called Heartstrings. Lucie is the 29-year-old single mom of a 12-year-old named Maya, and Maya has decided that she wants her mom to be happier. Maya calls into Heartstrings late one night to ask for dating help for Lucie, and while Lucie is initially suspicious and furious, she ends up having an honest conversation (on the air) with Aiden about finding magic. The radio show segment goes viral, and the station manager asks Lucie to join Aiden as co-host three days a week, where they’ll take call from listeners and try to find a romantic match for Lucie.
Naturally, Aiden and Lucie develop feelings for one another, but it takes a while for them to admit it. Meanwhile, they have to navigate their working relationship, while keeping up the pretense of arranging dates for Lucie with other people (none of which actually pan out).
Without going into a ton of detail, I’ll just say that neither of the characters particularly made sense to me. Their pasts are sketched in, leaving some major (to me) questions unanswered. We get an explanation for why Aiden no longer believes in love… but I didn’t buy it, at least not as presented. For Lucie as well, there’s little to no information about any sort of love life up to this point, and questions linger (again, at least for me) about her past relationship with Maya’s father.
There are elements that are supposed to be cute or funny that don’t always land, and overly long and detailed sex scenes are uncomfortable — particularly via audiobook, where it feels like they just won’t ever end. (I will say, though, that overall the narrators do a good job with Aiden and Lucie, and their delivery helps keep lighter moments upbeat and engaging.)
This isn’t a bad story — but my overall reaction by the last third or so was a resounding “meh”. I just didn’t buy the characters or their motivations, leaving some of their actions feeling arbitrary and with no clear reason other than (as a book group friend of mine likes to say) “because plot”.
I know a lot of readers (and listeners) loved this book. For me, it was just okay. Not a bad book, but not one I particularly felt drawn into or invested in.
First-Time Caller is the first in the Heartstrings series, with a second book (focused on Aiden’s best friend and coworker at the radio station) due out in 2026. Given my lack of interest in that character, as well as my ho-hum response to First-Time Caller, I doubt that I’ll be continuing with the series.
Next in series: And Now, Back to You (Feb. 2026)
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Title: Road Trip with a Vampire Series: My Vampires, #3 Author: Jenna Levine Publisher: Berkley Publication date: September 23, 2025 Length: 416 pages Genre: Contemporary romance/fantasy Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
A vampire who can’t remember his past and a witch with secrets of her own hit the road in this zany, cross-country romantic comedy from beloved author Jenna Levine.
Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She’d grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.
Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.
But when an alarming message from Peter’s past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can’t keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they’re looking for in each other.
Road Trip with a Vampire is the final book in author Jenna Levine’s My Vampires trilogy, and its silly vibe makes this book a fitting wrap-up to a fun, extremely un-serious vampire romance series.
Here, the main character is Zelda, aka Grizelda Watson, aka Grizelda the Terrible — a 400-year-old witch (who appears to be about 30, thanks to witchy immortality) now living in a small Northern California town and running a yoga studio. Zelda’s “terribleness” was less about being scary and more about pulling the craziest pranks she and her vampire buddies could come up with… but after a prank went wrong ten years earlier, she’s left behind her old life and wants nothing more than to enjoy her calm, witch-and-vampire-free life.
All that changes when a gorgeous man shows up at the yoga studio one night. Zelda immediately learns some key facts about him: 1) he’s a vampire; 2) he has amnesia; and 3) he was pushed in her direction by their mutual friend Reggie (the vampire love interest in My Vampire Plus-One, the 2nd book in the series).
Zelda takes pity on Peter and offers him temporary shelter and a job, even though she’d promised herself to keep vampires out of her life. When Peter gets a threatening letter demanding that he show up in Indiana to meet with his employers (whom he doesn’t remember), Zelda decides to go with him on a road trip. They’ll stop at locations mentioned in his journal, the only possession from his former life that he seems to have, to see if anything jogs his memory, and meanwhile, she’ll test the limits and requirements of her magical powers, which have been building up dangerously lately and which she needs to find a way to safely manage.
We both needed to leave town for a while. I had a car, and he needed transportation. And while I could take care of myself if trouble arose while I was away, I couldn’t tear out someone’s throat with my teeth if the occasion called for it. The handy thing about traveling with a vampire was that they could.
What follows is a silly escapade full of strange roadside attractions (singing animatronic chickens are involved), intense sexual attraction, and hints of Peter’s past that may possibly overlap with the history Zelda has tried so hard to leave behind.
The plot of Road Trip with a Vampire is pretty much just what you’d expect — and yes, there are plenty of standard romance tropes, including the ever-popular just-one-room/just-one-bed scenarios.
When Peter’s memories come back and secrets are revealed, there’s both a showdown with bad guys and the obligatory 3rd act breakup — but this is a happy book, so nothing terribly dire actually happens and it all works out in the end. There’s even some goat yoga!
As with the other My Vampires books, the rules are a little loose — which is fine for a book that emphasizes fun over logic. Still, the stickler in me still gets annoyed when a vampire has stubble after a long night and seems to have developed crows-feet. How? Why? Make it make sense!
My other quibble, which has been consistent throughout this trilogy, is that the sex scenes are more explicit than they need to be, and feel jarring in contrast to the otherwise light and breezy tone of the books.
That aside, this book is entertaining and a quick read, and it’s fun to reconnect briefly with characters from the previous books. Road Trip with a Vampire could probably be read as a stand-alone, but I think skipping the earlier books would mean missing out on some of the context and the general “rules” (and I use that term loosely) of the supernatural world of this series.
My recommendation? Start with book #1, My Roommate Is a Vampire, and if you enjoy the campy, silly tone, keep going!
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The New York Times bestselling author of Almost There delivers a second chance romance between two dog lovers, perfect for readers of Abby Jimenez and Jasmine Guillory.
From the outside, veterinarian Evie Williams appears to have the perfect but boring life. She is desperate to figure out a way to shake it up, but gets more than she bargained for when she finds her fiancé in bed with another woman. Suddenly, Evie is without a fiancé or a job, and isn’t sure what her next steps should be. That is, until her college crush, Bryson Mitchell, returns to town.
Now, a nationally recognized veterinary surgeon, Bryson is stunned when he encounters Evie Williams for the first time in half a decade. When they learn the animal shelter where they used to volunteer is in danger of closing, the two must work together to save it. It has Bryson wondering, can he and Evie also save the friendship they once shared and finally bring it to the next level?
Pugs & Kisses is the 2nd book in author Farrah Rochon’s puppy-centric, New Orleans-based Doggone Delightful series… and yes, it really is delightful! In the first book, Pardon My Frenchie, the story focused on Ashanti Wright, owner of an adorable doggy daycare (called Barkingham Palace!!). Here, the story to shifts to one of Ashanti’s best friends, Evie Williams, a successful, committed veterinarian.
Evie comes from a very wealthy family, but has always felt like an outcast after rejecting the expectation to become a cardiologist like her parents and attending veterinary school instead. She’s engaged to the man she’s been on-again, off-again with for eight years… until she stops by their home unexpectedly and finds him in bed with another woman. She kicks him out, and realizes her life has now imploded. Not only is her engagement off, but she also works for the veterinary clinic owned by her ex-fiancé’s family, and clearly she can’t do that any longer.
While she regroups, she returns to the Sanctuary, the animal shelter where she trained during her vet school days and where she used to regularly volunteer, only to discover that the Sanctuary is in terrible financial shape, has had to stop its mentorship program, and may be on the verge of closing. She also runs into her former vet school boyfriend, Bryson Mitchell, at the Sanctuary, and is shocked to learn that he’s returned to New Orleans after years away pursuing his highly successful career as a veterinary surgeon.
It’s clear that neither Evie nor Bryson ever truly got over the heartbreak from their short-lived relationship all those years ago — but there’s no time to dwell on that now. Both are devastated to learn that the Sanctuary will likely close, and vow to team up and do whatever they can to save it.
As they work together, they each learn more about what contributed to their relationship’s end, but also gain new appreciation for one another as friends and colleagues, and are forced to admit — at least, to themselves — that old feelings still linger.
Beyond the love story, Pugs & Kisses has adorable dogs (Waffles and Bella!), a heartwarming focus on animals in general, and a really appreciative, lovely take on the veterinary field and people who devote themselves to the well-being of animals. It’s also a terrific ode to New Orleans and its environs, bringing the sights and tastes and natural beauty of the area to life with each outing the characters experience.
I really enjoyed Evie and Bryson’s chemistry and their respect and thoughtfulness toward one another. Sure, there are the inevitable moments where it seems all is lost, but they’re able to communicate like the adults they are and work through their worst moments. Likewise, each has quite a bit of baggage when it comes to their upbringings and relationships with their parents, and these situations are also handled thoughtfully.
One thing I truly love about Farrah Rochon’s books (including her previous trilogy, The Boyfriend Project) is that her main characters are strong, smart professional women whose friendships are the center of their lives. The romances in her books are important, but so are these core friendships. I love her depictions of women supporting one another and helping each other grow and achieve their dreams.
Between the friendships, the terrific romance, and the doggies, Pugs & Kisses is such a fun reading escape! Ashanti and Evie’s third best friend is Ridley, and I’m assuming the next book will be her story… and I can’t wait!
A note on the audiobook: Narrator Marissa Hampton does a terrific job with all the characters. Their personalities shine through, and the narrative flows and feels fresh and engaging. Definitely worth a listen!
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From a New York Times bestselling author, a second-chance rom-com about an author who goes viral when readers discover her book’s hero was inspired by a beloved pro hockey player—and her high school crush.
Debut author Gemma Stanton knows romance readers love a bad boy—and she has the perfect prototype for her novel: Mason Moretti. High school hockey god-turned-pro player, Mason was Gemma’s first crush, but she couldn’t forget the sting of his very public rejection. So, she casts him as a hot-headed Highlander in her spicy new historical romance.
She never expected readers would find out on live TV when a morning show host invites Mason for a surprise on-air reunion . . .
As an aging hockey player with a rep for being ruthless on the ice—and roguish off of it—Mason has an image problem. So, when his meet-cute with Gemma goes viral, Mason proposes they build on the momentum with a few fake dates to boost her book sales—and his sagging profile.
But when the fictional flirting gets a little too real, Mason realizes Gemma actually makes him want to become a better man—someone worthy of her trust and her love.
I adore pretty much everything I’ve read by Kelley Armstrong, but I’ll admit I was surprised when she published her first contemporary romance last year, Finding Mr. Write. Quite a departure from her thrillers, ghost stories, and timeslip adventures! And yet, I shouldn’t have been surprised that the book was terrific. She’s such a gifted writer — there’s no doubt that whatever she writes, in whatever genre, will be well worth reading.
And now, Armstrong is back with a follow-up romance: Writing Mr. Wrong. Once again focused on a romance writer, this book connects with the previous in that the main character is the sister of the other book’s love interest. That said, it’s absolutely not necessary to read these in a particular order. (Just grab whichever you can find!)
In Writing Mr. Wrong, the main character is Gemma Stanton, a debut author in her mid-thirties who has returned to her true passion — writing — after a bitter divorce and too many years of stifling her dreams. When she’s invited on a local talk show to celebrate her book’s release, the host — a former high school classmate — blindsides her by including Mason Moretti, a huge hockey star for the Vancouver Growlers, and Gemma’s high school crush.
The first romance Gemma had written featured the kind of guy she liked—sweet and considerate. When it hadn’t sold, her writing group had talked her into penning what the market seemed to want. An alpha hero. A self-absorbed, egotistical, inconsiderate, talks-with-his-fists asshole. So she’d dipped into her past and pulled up the perfect guy for the role.
To anyone who knows Mason the similarity between him and Gemma’s fictional hero (and asshole) Laird Argyle is glaringly obvious. Gemma is mortified, but Mason does his best to save the situation and spare her embarrassment.
As they talk afterward, Mason is kind, but Gemma is wary. He hurt her badly back in high school, and it’s been almost twenty years since then with no contact. Mason has a suggestion: Why not pretend to date for a bit, with support from their publicists? It’s sure to boost her book sales, capitalize on the gossip from the talk show, and will also help with his own PR, which has taken a hit recently.
With hesitation, Gemma agrees, and Mason promises her a perfect date — which he then plans without consulting her in the slightest. It’s a disaster, to say the least. But when they go off-script for a more spontaneous outing, sparks fly, and some of their easy connection from their teen years starts to come back.
Gemma and Mason clearly have unfinished business and unresolved feelings, and could potentially be great together — but Mason is (as Gemma’s mother describes him) careless. He’s not intentionally or knowingly an asshole, but he makes assumptions and fails to see how his good intentions might backfire if he’s not considering the other person involved. Mason gets a rude awakening when he finally reads Gemma’s book and realizes that he should NOT be flattered by being the inspiration for Laird Argyle — the guy is awful, and Mason is forced to consider how much truth there is in his fictional portrayal.
The latter part of the book focuses on Mason requesting anti-asshole lessons from Gemma — he’ll whisk them away to wherever she wants, to her specifications, where she can work on her next book, he’ll do all the meals and organizing, and in return, she’ll explain to him why his choices don’t always work, and where he could do better. Of course, things don’t always go as planned, but there’s quite a bit of fun to be had in seeing the two of them navigate travel mishaps, bad decisions, and readjustment of expectations.
Gemma and Mason clearly have chemistry, and both are portrayed sympathetically. For all that Mason screws up, he’s not a bad guy — not at all — and needs to learn to overcome the avoidance patterns drilled into him from childhood. His intentions and heart are generally lovely; it’s in the execution that he fails. Meanwhile, Gemma has lots of baggage from both her teen years with Mason and the years with her terrible ex-husband. She too has work to do, in terms of overcoming fears, learning to trust, and making sure not to lose herself for the sake of making someone else love her.
I really enjoyed both characters and their story arcs, and the book overall is a treat. There’s terrific banter, plenty of chemistry, and some lovely set pieces and funny mishaps.
I did wonder about Gemma’s book — to me, it sounds pretty unappealing, but I suppose there are readers who would enjoy such a story. (And it’s heartening to see that as Gemma gets her confidence back, she’s able to stand up for herself with her publisher and transform her second novel into the story that she truly wants to tell.)
Writing Mr. Wrong is a delight — clever, funny, serious when it needs to be, and totally entertaining. I’m not sure when exactly Kelley Armstrong sleeps: Writing Mr. Wrong is one of four novels novels she’s releasing in 2025. All I can say is that I’m grateful that it’ll be a very long time before I run out of her books to read!
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Title: Totally and Completely Fine Author: Elissa Sussman Narrator: Patti Murin Publisher: Dell Publication date: July 8, 2025 Print length: 448 pages Audio length: 11 hours 14 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
From the bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask comes an inspiring romance novel about honoring the past, living in the present, and loving for the future.
In her small Montana hometown, Lauren Parker has assumed a few different roles: teenage hellraiser; sister of superstar Gabe Parker; and most recently, tragically widowed single mother. She’s never cared much about labels or what people thought about her, but dealing with her grief has slowly revealed that she’s become adrift in her own life.
Then she meets the devilishly handsome actor Ben Walsh on the set of her brother’s new movie. They have instant chemistry, and Lauren realizes that it has been far too long since someone has really and truly seen her. Her rebellious spirit spurs her to dive headfirst into her desire, but when a sexy encounter becomes something more, Lauren finds herself balancing old roles and new possibilities.
There’s still plenty to contend with: small-town rumors, the complications of Ben’s fame, and her daughter’s unpredictable moods. An unexpected fling seemed simple at the time—so when did everything with Ben get so complicated? And is there enough room in her life for the woman Lauren wants to be? Alternating between Lauren’s past with Spencer and her present with Ben, Totally and Completely Fine illuminates what it means to find a life-changing love and be true to oneself in the process.
Lauren Parker is not, actually, Totally and Completely Fine… although she’d very much like it if everyone would act like she is. Three years after her husband’s tragic death, she and her 13-year-old daughter Lena are muddling along, coping with daily life mainly by not talking about the big, gaping hole in their world, and just kind of pretending that everything is okay.
When Lauren’s movie star brother Gabe — a former James Bond! — invites them to spend a week visiting the set of his new movie, it seems like a good chance to get away and take a break from their small town in Montana… where everyone knows everything about everyone else, all the time. Lena seems happy enough to hang out with her uncle and witness the movie magic, and meanwhile, Lauren seems to find an instant spark with actor Ben Walsh, a Hollywood rising star and total hottie (and sweetheart), who just happens to be at least ten years younger than Lauren. But what difference does age make if it’s just a vacation fling?
In this layered look at love, grief, and second chances, Lauren’s connection to Ben is obviously not just a fling… but it takes her a while to figure that out. Meanwhile, she’s starting to realize that as much as she loves her late husband Spencer and misses him every single day, she’s actually lonely. Could she… should she… consider opening herself up to love (or at least, dating)? And if she did, what would that mean for Lena, whose rocky relationship with Lauren can’t take one more blow?
As the story unfolds, the narrative alternates between now — Lauren’s potential romance with Ben, her efforts to support and reach Lena, and her challenges living in the town where she’s grown up — and then — Lena’s history with Spencer, from childhood friendship through her rebellious teens and all the way to the marriage and early parenting years. The two halves of the story weave together effectively, with the past informing Lauren’s approach to motherhood and the possibility of getting involved with someone new.
If you’ve read Elissa Sussman’s previous books, the character names and even some scenes may ring a bell. Gabe Parker was one of the lead characters in Funny You Should Ask, the author’s 2022 novel about Hollywood, scandal, and unlikely love. I loved that book, so it wasn’t a surprise to find myself immediately caught up in Totally and Completely Fine, immersed in the characters’ lives and relationships, and delighted to see Gabe, Lauren, and others once again.
Ben is a complex, interesting love interest, and I enjoyed seeing his sensitivity and intelligence as he navigates spending time with Lauren and dealing with the ups and downs of her family and community. I really appreciated the depth of Lauren’s character development, as we come to understand the beauty of her marriage to Spencer, the pain of her loss and the unending sense of grief, the sparks of hope when it comes to finding moments of unexpected joy, and the challenges she faces in dealing with small-town gossip, preconceived ideas about who she is, and finding a way to parent a grieving child.
I really have only two small quibbles with this book. The first has to do with the sex scenes, which, to my taste, are unnecessarily graphic. Granted, this is strictly a matter of reader preference, but I didn’t need quite that many details in order to understand that there’s excellent chemistry going on here.
My second quibble is not with the plot or writing, but with the audiobook narration. Narrator Patti Murin does a fine job with most of the story, with Lauren and Lena, and — oddly — with the adult male characters with non-American accents. However, her delivery for Gabe does not work, at least not for me. Gabe is a former Bond! (Yes, he used a British accent for the role, but in his real life, he speaks like the native Montanan that he is). Gabe should sound like a leading man… but here, he comes across as kind of nasal and whiny — he’s believable as an annoying younger brother, but not as the awesome, flawed, grown-up Hollywood star that he is.
Those complaints aside, I enjoyed Totally and Completely Fine very much, and once I started, I just didn’t want to stop. I was immersed enough in these characters’ lives that I was left wanting more — and while the story wraps up quite well and has a satisfyingly definitive ending, I’d love a follow-up!
I’m now three for three with Elissa Sussman’s books! If you haven’t read anything by her yet, you really could pick any of the bunch and have a great time. Her books are funny, layered, emotional, and highly entertaining. I can’t wait for whatever she writes next!
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Title: Never Been Shipped Author: Alicia Thompson Publisher: Berkley Publication date: June 10, 2025 Length: 400 pages Genre: Romance Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
A band reunion may be enough to change two musicians’ tune on love in this electric romance from USA Today bestselling author Alicia Thompson.
Micah’s relationship to music is complicated. As teenagers, her band took off after being featured on a popular TV show, but the group barely released their sophomore album before breaking up. Now, over a decade later, the band is reuniting for one more performance on a themed cruise, and Micah is determined to learn from her past mistakes — no losing herself in the music, and no losing her heart along the way.
John misses playing in a band, and mostly he misses Micah, who’d been his best friend until the music stopped. Back then, he didn’t take the lead, either in his guitar parts or while he sat back and watched her date another bandmate. John’s never been one to rock the boat, but he’s faced with another chance now that this cruise has brought music — and Micah — back in his life.
Onboard, Micah can’t help but see John with brand new eyes, and John’s feelings only intensify as the discordant band’s tension grows to a breaking point. With five days at sea, there’s a ticking clock on anything that might develop between them, and they’ll have to decide if their relationship is destined to be more than a one-hit wonder.
I’m going to keep this review short, simply because I’m not sure I have all that much to say. This story of second-chance love, set on a cruise ship, skims the surface of former teen bandmates and best friends reuniting after more than a decade without contact, reigniting all the unspoken, unacknowledged feelings from all those years ago.
While I really enjoyed this author’s three previous books (ratings of 4 – 4.5 stars), something about this one just never took off for me. Maybe it was the description of the band’s rise to stardom while the the characters were all teens. Maybe it was the awkward interactions between main characters Micah and John. Maybe it was simply feeling that I didn’t actually get these characters in some fundamental way. In any case, the story simply didn’t ring true for me, and I never got more than a surface sense of involvement.
That said, there are some cute set-pieces, including a shuffleboard tournament on board the cruise ship and the fact that the entire cruise is a fan experience for a once-popular teen show about shapeshifters (which felt very much like a Buffy reference in certain ways). But with the core plotline not truly grabbing me, the book simply didn’t rise above a solid 3-star, “it was okay” rating.
I’ll also note that the sex scenes in this book are very up-close and graphic, and there are a lot of them. Definitely not my preference when I read romance, but your mileage may vary. (This bothered me less in the author’s previous books, where I was more caught up in the plot and characters. Here, it was just one more thing to annoy me.)
Will I read more books by this author? Most likely, yes. Her previous books all had quirky, clever setups that engaged me right from the start. So, I’ll think of Never Been Shipped as a one-off letdown, and will still want to at least consider whatever she writes next.
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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.
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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!
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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.
Title: The Love Haters Author: Katherine Center Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Publication date: May 20, 2025 Length: 320 pages Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.
Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.
The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.
Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!
But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.
Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.
Katherine Center has become a must-read author for me. Her books include a wide variety of people and interesting or unusual situations, and it’s always a treat to see where she’ll end up taking us each time a new book is released.
In The Love Haters, Katie is a talented videographer who makes corporate videos for a living (think CEO interviews, brand introductions, etc) but whose passion is documentary filmmaking. She’s found a following on YouTube with her “Day in the Life” series, in which she spends 24 hours filming people going about their normal lives — except these are all people who’ve done something heroic. She blends their voice-over interviews exploring their moment of heroism with footage of daily life, creating a unique series of six-minute videos that are compelling and popular.
Not that that’s going to save her job, once layoffs loom.
But Katie’s company has been selected to shoot a promotional video for the Coast Guard — specifically, her supervisor Cole has been requested by the person the film will focus on, a rescue diver who certainly fits the hero profile Katie so loves to explore. Except… the rescue diver is Cole’s brother, and Cole absolutely refuses to do it. He cajoles Katie into going in his place: It’ll help save her job, and might even give her Day in the Life footage, if his brother Hutch agrees.
Cole describes Hutch as a “love hater” — someone stoic, upright, and with no sense of fun, let alone any sort of human emotion.
“He’s morally upstanding and physically unstoppable. He does two hundred push-ups a day. He can hold his breath underwater for thee minutes. He has never had a cavity. He’s more of a machine than a human. He just goes around all day doing good deeds.”
“So, he’s… too likable?”
“He’s the opposite of likable! He’s perfect.”
“Not sure those are opposites.”
But there’s history between the brothers that Cole doesn’t share with Katie, and as Katie soon learns, Hutch is not at all as Cole describes.
As Katie arrives in Key West, she’s warmly welcomed by Cole and Hutch’s Aunt Rue, a live-life-to-the-fullest sort of older woman who immediately coerces Katie into ditching her standard black jeans and tees and embracing the island, floral vibe. Katie faces another problem besides her dark clothing: Whoever makes this video will be going out on the rescue helicopter with the team, and being able to pass a water safety test is required. And Katie can’t swim.
Naturally, Hutch is there to save the day. He teaches Katie to swim, and patches her up after some unfortunate incidents with his very affectionate Great Dane (who seems to think he’s a lap puppy). Hutch and Katie are quite cute together, although Katie isn’t sure whether the vibes she thinks she’s picking up are actually there.
Meanwhile, Katie struggles throughout the book to overcome a devastatingly damaged sense of self-worth and complete lack of body positivity. After her then-boyfriend become insta-famous thanks to the viral success of a song he’d posted, Katie found herself accompanying him to red carpet events — and the internet was brutal to her. Between the trolls who savaged her appearance, and his then dumping her for a pop star (only to later regret it and continue releasing songs about her), her self-esteem is garbage. With the love and support of her cousin/best friend/sorta sister Beanie, she’s trying to get her mojo back… but it’s hard for Katie to imagine ever finding love again when she can’t find anything to love about herself.
There are plenty of interwoven story threads in The Love Haters. We have Hutch and Katie’s growing chemistry, Katie’s journey to reclaim herself and her body, Cole and Hutch’s relationship, and Katie’s professional life. Late in the book, Cole shows up on the scene in Key West spouting a pack of lies, theoretically to help both his and Katie’s careers, but his timing is terrible. Forcing Katie to go along with his lies damages the trust she’s been building with Hutch, and it’s questionable whether the damage can be repaired.
Without getting too deeply into spoilers, I do want to mention that this is the second book I’ve read in a month in which a houseboat getting lost at sea is a pivotal plot point. (See Swept Away by Beth O’Leary for the first). Just a weird coincidence, but it made me laugh.
Note to self: Stay off houseboats. Second note to self: If you must go on a houseboat, triple check that it’s securely tied to land.
The Love Haters is a sweet, often funny, charming love story, as well as a relatable tale about a woman working to reclaim belief in herself and her own beauty and value. I loved Katie and Beanie’s relationship, and Rue and her gang of Gals are a lovely, lively set of characters who instantly provide Katie with a place to feel wanted and accepted.
I was less thrilled with the plot elements involving Cole and the lies he tells (and forces Katie into) — none of that felt particularly necessary, and seemed like a stretch in terms of needing some sort of 3rd-act obstacle to derail Katie and Hutch’s love story.
Overall, though, The Love Haters is an entertaining, heart-warming book, and will make a great summer read. It does feel a little slight relative to some of Katherine Center’s other books — somehow, it feels like there’s not a lot of there there — but I still found plenty to enjoy.
Recommended for fans of the author as well as anyone looking for a nice beachy, summery escape.
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Bookshelf Fantasies 