Book Review: One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: One-Star Romance
Author: Laura Hankin
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: June 18, 2024
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

A struggling writer is forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the man who gave her book a very public one-star rating in this fresh romantic comedy from Laura Hankin.

Natalie and Rob couldn’t have less in common. Nat’s a messy artist, and Rob’s a rigid academic. The only thing they share is their devotion to their respective best friends—who just got engaged. Still, unexpected chemistry has Natalie cautiously optimistic about being maid of honor to Rob’s best man.

Until, minutes before the ceremony, Nat learns that Rob wrote a one-star review of her new novel, which has them both reeling: Nat from imposter syndrome, and Rob over the reason he needed to write it.

When the reception ends, these two opposites hope they’ll never meet again. But, as they slip from their twenties into their thirties, they’re forced together whenever their fast-track best friends celebrate another milestone. Through housewarmings and christenings, life-changing triumphs and failures, Natalie and Rob grapple with their own choices—and how your harshest critic can become your perfectly imperfect match.

After all, even the truest love stories sometimes need a bit of rewriting.

With a title like One-Star Romance, the review practically writes itself. Here goes:

One-Star Romance is strictly a three-star reading experience.

While One-Star Romance has some fun, engaging elements, there are far too many points in this book that left me shaking my head, and it doesn’t help that the only reason we know that the main characters have chemistry is that we’re told that they do.

Okay, let’s dive in. Natalie and Gabby have been best friends since their freshman year of college. Even after college, they share a teeny little apartment and love each other more than anything… except Gabby’s boyfriend Angus is around a LOT and annoys the heck out of Natalie. And when Angus and Gabby get engaged, Natalie has to face the harsh fact that she’ll never be Gabby’s #1 again.

Fast-forward a year and a half to Gabby and Angus’s wedding. Natalie is maid of honor, and is doing an amazing job at it, even though she still feels that Angus isn’t good enough for her best friend and that this entire marriage is happening too quickly. On the bright side, Natalie’s first novel has just been published, and she’s feeling pretty good about the positive reviews on Goodreads — until her great rating score suddenly dips thanks to a one-star review. Natalie is absolutely spun out over this, and ultimately figures out that the one-star review was posted by Angus’s best friend/best man Rob, a Ph.D. candidate who comes off as a bit uptight and judgmental (although, as expected, he’s hot). Any potential sizzle between Natalie and Rob is immediately dowsed by the blow-up that ensues.

As the book progresses, we follow milestones in Gabby and Angus’s lives — from wedding to new job celebration to christening to housewarming — each event requiring now-sworn-enemies Natalie and Rob to once again be in close proximity for the sake of their friends. And at each event, they learn more about each other and start to break down walls, only for new offenses to crop up again.

On the one hand, One-Star Romance is fine — the structure of the book is built around the different milestone events, and the chapters for each move quickly and keep the momentum high. The book has a slightly higher page count than we typically see in a contemporary romance, but it’s fast-paced enough that it doesn’t bog down at all. As a whole, the story is entertaining and engaging.

Yet on the other hand… there is just so much in this book that felt false to me, as well as places where Natalie is insufferable, and the lead characters simply lack any sort of tangible spark.

Natalie blames her first novel’s lack of success on that one-star review, and honestly, one one-star review is not going to tank an otherwise great book! The fact that she constantly checks the Goodreads page for updates and obsesses over who this particular user might have been who gave her the one-star review… well, as is discussed again and again and again in the book blogosphere and beyond, this is very bad author behavior! Don’t read the reviews! And if you must, don’t focus on the individual reviewers! We’ve all heard too many stories about authors destroying their own reputations by coming after people who’ve written negative reviews. It’s impossible to feel any sympathy for Natalie here, and that’s even more true after we learn why Rob did what he did. Sorry, Natalie — Rob has a point, besides which, he’s entitled to leave whatever review he wants.

Natalie really doesn’t improve in terms of likability as the book progresses. She’s unrealistic and selfish when it comes to Gabby, always resenting that Gabby has a husband and later a child to get in the way of their friendship. It’s really off-putting.

It felt like eons since Natalie and Gabby had been able to have an uninterrupted conversation, since they’d truly been able to pay attention to each other.

That, in case you’re wondering, is Natalie whining to herself about Gabby being distracted — while Gabby is trying to get her newborn baby to latch on and breastfeed. How dare Gabby not pay more attention to Natalie!

The author doesn’t seem to have a positive view of stable relationships, either. At one point in the book, Rob is in a committed, loving relationship that’s working for him and his partner, and yet here’s how it’s described:

It was all too easy when he and Zuri were together to sink into quiet contentment, sitting side by side as they did their research or a crossword. Arms linked, the two of them had fast-forwarded straight into a comfortable middle age, despite only being thirty.

All of this doesn’t even scratch the surface of how many ridiculous set pieces there are — most egregious of which is Gabby and Angus’s wedding. (Note: I’m about to spoil a scene from the book, so look away if you don’t want to know!) For… reasons… Angus decides to zipline to the altar, and (of course) the zipline gets jammed and he falls off (because of course he’s not wearing a harness) into an algae-filled pond. The groomsmen rush in to retrieve him, so he and they are all soaked and algae covered as Gabby starts down the aisle. Natalie expects Gabby to freak out and maybe make a run for it (which Natalie would totally approve of) — but instead, Gabby sees her dripping, slimy groom… and jumps in the lake herself. Just… no. What bride on earth would do this? It isn’t cute, it isn’t funny, and it just doesn’t work.

Later in the book, One-Star Romance seems about to turn into the movie Beaches (if you’ve seen it, you know what I mean). Fortunately, there’s still a happy ending, but this section of the plot feels manipulative, not touching.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, there’s just no chemistry between Natalie and Rob, except that this is an enemies-to-lovers story, so of course they have to secretly be in love with one another despite seeming like they hate each other. I didn’t buy it. Other than some physical attraction, there’s nothing between them, and they never become more believable as a couple. In real life, maybe they would have flirted a bit at the wedding before their big fight, and never would have given each other another thought — and when forced together by Gabby and Angus’s events, would have kept miles of distance between them. The core concept of the novel may sound cute, but it just doesn’t work.

Okay, it clearly sounds like I didn’t like this book very much. I didn’t hate it… but I didn’t love it. I got a decent amount of entertainment while reading One-Star Romance, and I was never bored. It’s not a bad way to pass the time, but three-stars is as high as I’ll go… and even that feels a tad generous.

16Jun2024

Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Summer Romance
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date: June 4, 2024
Length: 321 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

Summer Romance delivers on the promise of its title, but with so much more. And it’s really no surprise — this 3rd book** by author Annabel Monaghan is just as delightful as the previous two, Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer.

**3rd adult novel — she has earlier YA and non-fiction books, according to her Goodreads profile.

In Summer Romance, the main character is Ali, whose life is incredibly messy despite her professional role as a home organizer. It’s been two years since her mother’s death and one year since her husband Pete decided he wanted out. Ali’s pantry is overflowing with unneeded items (who needs four boxes of corn starch?), her sweatpants have seen much better days, and her counters have piles of paper everywhere. Just keeping her three children going takes all her effort — and yes, she’s a terrific mom, but her emotions are a mess and she’s just so, so worn out.

When Ali’s best friend Frannie pushes her to make a change and at least put on a pair of “hard pants” (i.e., any that don’t feature an elastic waist), Ali thinks Frannie’s probably expecting too much, but a trip to the dog park leads her to a very attractive man with a cute dog and a sense of humor. He’s new to their small town — Ali would definitely know if he were a local — and he seems to like what he sees when he looks at Ali. For the first time in years, Ali feels a bit of joy. Maybe a summer romance with a visitor to town will snap her out of her funk.

Of course, the mystery man — Ethan — has more to him than meets the eye, but Ali is drawn to him, and their chemistry is terrific. Plus, he’s kind and considerate and funny, not to mention hot, and with very specifically appealing features, such as his “shouldery shoulders” and:

His hands are the hands of a man who works construction all day and then races home to perform a piano concerto.

As they spend time together, Ali starts to get a new sense of energy for the rest of her life too, and starts to realize that the line from her high school graduation speech (which gets quoted back to her at a key moment) about being “the architect of your own experience” might be more relevant to her today than it was all those years ago.

Without going too far into the plot, I’ll just talk about some of the elements you might not get based just on the synopsis. The central theme in Summer Romance is not just the love story, but Ali rediscovering herself and finding a way to live through and past her grief. Her mother was her touchstone, the one constant in her life, the person who was there for her even when her marriage wasn’t going great and she started feeling like she’d lost her way. When we first meet Ali, she talks to her mother in her car whenever she’s alone, and hears her mother’s responses — not in a “oh my god, she’s hallucinating” sort of way, but more like she’s soothing herself by imagining how her mother might talk her through any of her fresh challenges.

And it’s in this moment that I understand my mother’s love for me. I can still feel the intensity of that love and the way she walked into my home, bright as the sun, and blinded me to all the shadows.

The depiction of Ali’s life as a single mother feels realistic. She loves her kids and is wonderful with them, but she’s also tired. Her ex can’t be counted on — he’s the type of clueless ex-husband who still just walks into the house when he arrives, and changes plans on a dime when he’s supposed to have the kids because something else has come up. Ali is the anchor, the one who can be counted on, and it’s clearly exhausting to have to be the one responsible person in all of their lives.

I really appreciated how well the author shows Ali’s return to hope and joy over the course of the summer. It’s not just about having a new man in her life — it’s about recognizing her own worth, finding purpose, and recommitting to all the messiness that emotional involvement can bring, even knowing that sometimes there will be loss down the road, but getting involved anyway.

As with her previous books, the author excels at writing clever or funny lines that capture something true beneath the wittiness:

When I stopped working, I started making the coffee to suit Pete. He liked me to add cinnamon to the grounds, which I think completely ruins the taste of the coffee, but I made it that way because he was the one going to work. It seemed like his coffee moment mattered more than mine.

One of Ali’s big epiphanies over the course of her summer romance is that love and beauty and joy need to be embraced, even if there’s sorrow inevitably coming later. Whether it’s befriending the old woman next door despite knowing her time is limited, or getting a dog who in the natural course of things she’ll eventually see die, Ali learns that her life is richer when she accepts the joy in the moment — even if, like a summer romance, it has a predetermined end date.

Summer Romance is a wonderful read — the romantic elements are absolutely great, but the family dynamics, the memories of Ali’s mother and how Ali processes her grief, the appreciation of the connections of life in a small town, the depiction of how sexy kindness can be — all of these really make this book something special. Don’t miss it.

**Save

Save

30May2024

Book Review: The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Rom-Commers
Author: Katherine Center
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication date: June 11. 2024
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.” Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?

Katherine Center books can be counted on to offer amazing women in the lead role, place them in challenging situations, and then give them a chance to shine — always with a sense of humor and a big heart. Here in The Rom-Commers, Emma is an aspiring screenwriter whose early talent never led to a shining career; instead, she turned down a prestigious Hollywood internship to be her father’s full-time caregiver, and works on screenplays in their apartment while teaching writing classes at the local college.

To be clear, Emma doesn’t regret her choice. She loves her dad (who sounds delightful), and knows what she’s doing is the most important thing she could possibly do. But still, she has dreams, and when her ex-boyfriend-slash-agent calls her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there’s no way she can give it up. (Well, there is, but her dad and sister won’t let her.)

Emma idolizes screenwriter Charlie Yates, has studied and annotated his scripts, watched ever interview he’s ever given, and knows his film career backward and forward. One thing Emma knows for sure is that Charlie Yates does not do rom-coms. So why is she being offered the chance to ghost-write a rewrite of his new rom-com script?

It turns out that Charlie has written a remake of It Happened One Night — which just happens to be Emma’s favorite movie ever — and his new version is AWFUL. The fact that she’s been picked to rescue the script is an unexpected break, and she’s all in. Until she gets to Charlie’s mansion, where she’ll be working and living, and discovers that agent Luke has hoodwinked them both. Charlie had no idea Emma was coming, has no interest in writing with her, and says a firm, irrevocable no.

After further arm-twisting by Luke, a deal is reached, and Emma does in fact move into Charlie’s guestroom and sets to work on his terrible screenplay. To get him to cooperate at all, she needs him to understand just why it’s so terrible — and he doesn’t see the problem at all. As it turns out, he fundamentally doesn’t believe in romance or love, which is a problem for someone writing a rom-com.

He clearly wanted to win — and settle this once and for all. “But doesn’t love conquer all? Doesn’t love find a way? Shouldn’t some cartoon woodland animals show up and help you find your happily ever ever?”

My eyes flashed. “Don’t use a romance term against me!”

“You’re the one who taught it to me!”

Emma’s mission, beyond rescuing the screenplay, is to get Charlie to experience some of the key staples of romantic movies (like unexpectedly falling on top of someone, or trying a silly new past-time — yes, there is line dancing involved! — or moving in for the perfect rom-com kiss).

Emma and Charlie end up being quite adorable together, but there are definitely hurdles for them to overcome. Charlie’s grumpiness and lack of emotion aren’t just random personality traits — he’s been hurt very badly in a previous relationship, and it makes sense that his belief in the possibility of love would be damaged (if not completely dead). As for Emma, she’s wracked by guilt over her father’s health, the accident that caused his current condition, and finally giving up the main caregiving role and allowing her younger sister to step in.

This is such a fun book! Sure, there were times when I wanted to bop Charlie over the head and tell him to snap out of it, but this book is so deftly written that even when the characters are annoying, they’re annoying for a reason.

“I don’t want to not be there for you.”

“That’s a heck of a double negative.”

The set pieces are really funny (the line dancing scene is amazing), and best of all, Emma and Charlie’s scenes together just sparkle. Their dialogue is quippy and smart and full of word-play, which is totally my jam.

“Emma,” Charlie said. “Please come here. You’re so drunk.”

“I’m not drunk,” I said. “I just drank too much.”

“That’s the literal definition of being drunk.”

Emma and Charlie also resort to googling the most ridiculous or random questions, among them how long it takes to fall in love, how to know when to take someone to the hospital after a bar fight, symptoms of a heart attack in a woman, and what a jazz box is (it’s a line-dancing move, in case you’re wondering). It’s cute and weird and spot-on for a pair of writers.

The Rom-Commers delivers on its title — a delightful blend of romance and comedy, with pathos and sorrow and day-to-day challenges that keep it grounded and real. Katherine Center once again provides a book with terrific lead characters, great chemistry, a plot that makes you feel all the feelings, and a promise of a happy ending to cheer for. Don’t miss it!

23May2024

Audiobook Review: The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Neighbor Favor
Author: Kristina Forest
Narrators: Keylor Leigh & Malik Rashad
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: February 28, 2023
Print length: 403 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 6 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

In this heart-fluttering romance by Kristina Forest, a shy bookworm enlists her charming neighbor to help her score a date, not knowing he’s the obscure author she’s been corresponding with.

Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming an editor of children’s books but has been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over e-mail turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain–until he ghosts her.

Months later, still crushed but determined to take charge of her life, Lily seeks a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, whom she feels drawn to for unexplainable reasons. Little does she know that Nick is an author–her favorite fantasy author.

Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and for pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet woman from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over e-mail months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but–not when he can’t get her off his mind.

The Neighbor Favor is a sweet contemporary romance, set in the world of book publishing and sure to set booklovers’ hearts a-flutter! A random email exchange between a book fan and the book’s author turns into a deeper connection… and while it ends badly, the two people involved still manage to find one another and explore what it means to open up in real life.

Lily emails the author of her favorite fantasy novel on a whim when she discovers that the mysterious author finally has a website. She loved his book, but it seems to have faded away into obscurity after publication by a small indie press. She’s thrilled to hear back from N. R. Strickland, and soon their correspondence turns into an ongoing series of honest exchanges, where each reveals more of themselves than they ever have to other people. But when “Strick” reaches the point where he’ll have to truly show himself to Lily, he breaks off contact abruptly and leaves her heartbroken.

Months later, Lily keeps running into the new guy who just moved into the apartment down the hall from her. And he’s hot. Oh, and seems like a really nice guy, and she’s even noticed him carrying books with him — always a good sign. Of course, he notices Lily too, despite her shyness and awkwardness around new people. As they strike up an acquaintance and set off some early sparks, Nick puts the brakes on — so Lily asks him (as you do) to help her find a date for her sister’s wedding. (It’s complicated).

Of course, Nick IS N. R. Strickland, and he realizes pretty quickly that this Lily is the Lily from the emails, and knows he should stay far, far away. His life is messy and he’s sure he’d be no good for her, so despite how much he likes her and how attractive he finds her, he’s determined to stay away. But fate seems to keep throwing them together, and their chemistry really is undeniable.

Meanwhile, both are dealing with their own family situations and career struggles — and yet, it’s only a matter of time before they get together. Even when they do, they have to deal with the fallout of hidden identities and cover-ups, and figure out whether they can truly trust enough to let one another in.

I liked quite a bit about The Neighbor Favor, although in general, I think I’ve run out of patience for romances where a significant lie is the main obstacle between the love interests. Nick could have come clean much earlier, or he could have stayed away. Getting involved but not being honest feels like an overworn romance trope, and it irritated me here. Nick and Lily are both such likable people — it’s no fun seeing them tied up in knots over a problem caused by base-level dishonesty.

On the other hand, the fact that these two are such book lovers, and especially, that they love fantasy so much, makes this book a delight. The author has the characters name-drop a ton of great books (Ella Enchanted, Riot Baby, How to Win the Time War, The Poppy War) — some of which I’ve read, some I’ve immediately added to my TBR list — and it’s a geeky joy to see them gush over how much they love their favorite books and authors. (Although, I was so frustrated to learn their shared favorite author, Elena Masterson, and her books, The Nermana Chronicles, are fictional — I want them to be real!) (And I’d also love to read Nick’s books, The Elves of Ceradon… it sounds amazing!)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was very entertaining, with gifted narrators. In the Lily chapters, the narration did become kind of screechy while voicing certain characters (especially one of Lily’s sisters), but otherwise, the narrators did a fine job bringing Lily, Nick, and their friends to life. A downside, however, is the fact that part one of The Neighbor Favor is the initial email relationship between Lily and Nick… and at least as it comes across via audio, it goes on for a really, really long time. Maybe it’s better in print, but listening to this endless email exchange gets really tiresome after a while.

Other than that, I enjoyed the audiobook. The plot moves quickly, and there are lots of fun side characters and situations that sparkle. Sure, the plot relies a bit too heavily on coincidence (really? he moved not only to New York but into Lily’s apartment building? and the very same floor?), but given how much I liked the characters, I decided to just accept it and enjoy the ride.

The Neighbor Favor is an entertaining story about relatable characters who may make questionable choices, but are still fundamentally good people. The author has a new book that released earlier this year, The Partner Plot, with Lily’s older sister as the main character. It’s supposedly a stand-alone, but in the same general world as The Neighbor Favor. While I didn’t love this particular sister in The Neighbor Favor, the description of this book makes it sound like it’ll be another fun one to experience.

Meanwhile, if you enjoy contemporary romance with booklovers front and center, be sure to check out The Neighbor Favor!

9May2024

Book Review: The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Paradise Problem
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication date: May 14. 2024
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction/romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

It’s no surprise that a new Christina Lauren book is fun, fast-paced, steamy, and full of delicious plot twists… right? I’m happy to share that The Paradise Problem continues this author duo’s winning streak — CL fans will be over the moon.

In The Paradise Problem, Anna Green is having a Very Bad Day. She’s been fired from her terrible convenience store job by its terrible 18-year-old manager. Her decrepit car has been sideswiped and damaged. Worst of all, her crappy job was her one means of attempting to pay off the mounds of medical debt related to her father’s chemo treatments. And that’s not even mentioning the fact that her artwork has failed to sell, and she hasn’t heard from her agent in a year.

So Anna is not in a great place when “West” Weston (aka Liam) knocks on her door needing her help. Five years earlier, she married Liam (on paper) so they’d qualify for campus housing… but when he moved out, she signed divorce papers, or so she believed. It turns out that the papers stipulated a divorce further in the future (along with a nice buyout) — and while Anna thinks it’s weird that they’re still technically married, she doesn’t see the problem. The time is almost up, after all.

The catch is, Liam’s sister’s wedding is coming up, and his family is demanding that he attend with his wife. Yes, his fake wife (that would be Anna), who he’s also told them is a busy medical student (okay, well, she was pre-med back when they shared an apartment.) Liam desperately needs Anna to come to the wedding, play the part of loving wife, and get him through the big family event. Once they make it to their five-year anniversary, Liam’s inheritance will be secure, and they can safely divorce. As incentive, he’s offering Anna a huge payment in exchange for her play-acting, which will more than cover the medical bills, and even give her enough breathing room to focus on her art. How could she say no?

Once they zip off to the private island (via Singapore) where the wedding will be held, it’s like something out of Crazy Rich Asians (if it had a baby with Succession). These people are so elitist and over the top that it’s impossible not to just laugh at how ridiculous they are. The money is insane… and Liam’s family is just awful. His father is a controlling pig, and his mother exudes wealthy passive-aggressiveness with every breath she takes.

And yet… Anna actually starts to enjoy some parts of this little escapade, especially sharing the over-water bungalow with Liam and getting to appreciate the hotness she never fully noticed back when they lived together.

I won’t go too far into the details — but use your imagination, and picture two hot, interesting, awesome people forced into constant close proximity on a gorgeous tropical island. To say sparks fly is putting it mildly. But on top of all this romantic chemistry, there’s a non-romantic plot too! Liam’s family is messy (and not in a good way). With Anna’s support, he has to navigate the awful family dynamics and try to come out of it unscathed, and no, it’s not just about the money. There’s more at stake than initially meets the eye, and getting to the bottom of it all is a big piece of the fun of this book.

My quibbles are truly very minor. Within the big lie about being happily married, why maintain the lie about Anna being a medical student, with stories about fake med school attendance and projects overseas? This seems like a detail that Liam could have explained away — the family has never met Anna and Liam has kept his distance from them, so surely he could have said she changed careers at some point? As is, this is the piece of the lie easiest to trip Anna up with, and it seems like it needlessly complicates an already complicated situation.

Another minor issue for me — Liam’s name! He’s introduced as West, his family calls him Liam, his name is actually William… Even writing this review, I wasn’t sure which name to use!

For those who like to know the steam levels in advance: Some scenes are more explicit than suits my taste, but fans of the open door approach will love it. I tend to enjoy the “implied” rather than “shown” approach to these scenes, and in The Paradise Problem, we see all! This didn’t stop me from enjoying the book in the slightest… I just sort of wanted to look away from time to time.

Overall, this book was a terrific read, and I finished it in one day. Seriously, I just couldn’t stop!

The Paradise Problem revolves around an intriguing set-up, opposites-attract characters in a fake (but getting more real by the second) marriage, an ultra-luxury setting, and crazy family politics. It’s a blast, plain and simple.

Christina Lauren fans will be delighted… and for anyone who hasn’t had the pleasure yet of experiencing one of their novels, The Paradise Problem is a great place to dive in. Definitely recommended for anyone who enjoys contemporary romance with more than a pinch of humor and outstanding chemistry between lead characters.

28Apr2024

Book Review: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie
Author: Jackie Lau
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: May 7, 2024
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

A charming rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.

But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.

Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

In this cute fake-dating romance, Emily realizes that the best way to get her mother to stop pushing Mark Chan on her… is to pretend to date Mark Chan. Emily is the only unmarried daughter in her large family, and she knows that all her immigrant parents want is for her to have a steady, successful career, own a nice home, and marry an eligible man. That’s not asking too much, is it?

Unfortunately for her mother’s dreams, Emily, while a published author, still has to work as a barista to make rent on her shared apartment, and struggles to find time and energy to finish edits on her second novel and finally develop the great new idea she has for her next book. She’s well aware that she’s a disappointment, and it’s hard to take… and the fact that Mark Chan is the perfect guy that every Chinese parents dreams of is not helping matters. Finally pushed too far, Emily proposes a fake-dating scenario, and surprisingly, Mark agrees.

But just pretending to go on dates isn’t working, since Emily’s mom has eyes and ears everywhere, and soon the couple realizes that they’ll have to actually go on dates together in order to keep up the charade. As they spend time together, Emily starts to realize that there might be more to Mark than she assumed (the fact that he has an adorable cat named Ms. Margaret Muffins certainly helps), and… gasp… are they actually developing feelings? But that would mean that her mother (another gasp!) is right!

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie is a funny, engaging blast that’s easy to tear through in a day. Emily’s varied predicaments had me laughing out loud, and I really enjoyed seeing the world through her eyes. There’s a lot going on beneath the humor and silliness, including dealing with more serious issues around parental expectations, family pressure, and how easy it is to misinterpret other people’s actions, no matter how well meaning they are.

My only quibbles with this book are (a) I don’t necessarily felt like I got the best handle on Mark as a person — he’s a delicious fake (then real) boyfriend, but his personality remained a bit of a cipher, and (b) the big crisis that’s obligatory at the end of any contemporary romance here felt a bit uneventful. Thankfully, the crisis isn’t about a huge misunderstanding between Emily and Mark, but even so, it’s something that feels unimportant to me, and has a weirdly magnified effect.

Putting those two minor issues aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Having read the author’s two previous novels (Donut Fall in Love and The Stand-Up Groomsman), I wasn’t surprised by how much fun this book is. Jackie Lau is great at creating engaging, funny characters and putting them in relatable but over-the-top situations.

If you enjoy light-hearted romance with plenty of humor — plus great exploration of family dynamics and expectations — definitely check out Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie.

14Apr2024

Audiobook Review: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Just for the Summer
Author: Abby Jimenez
Narrators: Christine Lakin & Zachary Webber
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: April 2, 2024
Print length: 452 pages
Audio length: 11 hours 43 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Interesting marketing — based on its Goodreads listing and the synopsis, I had no idea that Just for the Summer is not, in fact a stand-alone, but is the 3rd book in an interconnected world that includes Part of Your World and Yours Truly. Both of which I adored, by the way (you can see my reviews here and here). That said, Just for the Summer can absolutely be read on its own, but you’ll miss some of the meaning of the names, places, and relationships that factor into this compelling story.

Based on the synopsis, I was not quite prepared for how deeply serious and emotional many parts of this story are. At the outset, the tone is upbeat and humorous: Emma reads a Reddit AITA thread that is both hilarious and strikes a chord: The writer, Justin, realizes that every woman he dates goes on to find her soulmate right after they break up… and Emma has the exact same experience! She contacts Justin, and they exchange funny texts comparing their situations — and from the start, they just click.

Before long, they’re in regular contact, and have progressed to video chats and phone calls. Justin has a brilliant idea: What if they date, and cancel out each other’s curses? They’ll be guaranteed to find “the one” just as soon as they finish with one another. They even figure out the general parameters: Based on past experiences, they’ll need to go on at least four dates, text or talk every day, and kiss (more than a peck) at least once. Easy!

The complication is, Emma is a traveling nurse, and she and best friend Maddie never stay in one place for more than a few months. They take turns picking the destination for each new contract, and next up is Maddie’s pick — a summer in Hawaii. Justin is in Minnesota, and due to some family complications (more on that later), he can’t travel to date Emma. Their master plan seems like a no-go, until Emma convinces Maddie to swap Hawaii for six weeks in Minneapolis. Maddie’s more than a bit reluctant, but when Emma shows her the adorable cottage on an island in a lake — with its own boat! — where they’ll be living, she agrees, and the dating plot can move forward.

There’s much more to the story than initially meets the eye. Justin is about to assume guardianship of his three younger siblings and is soon to become a full-time parent. Emma is dealing with a lifetime of trauma due to severe neglect and abandonment by her narcissistic mother. Emma bounced in and out of foster care throughout her youth (meeting Maddie when Maddie’s parents provided Emma with the most stable and loving home she’d ever had). Emma’s trauma response has been to wall herself off and get “small”, isolating herself, refusing connection, never putting down roots, and never letting herself truly get involved emotionally with anyone but Maddie.

As Justin and Emma spend time together, their chemistry is powerful, but Emma’s unresolved trauma doesn’t allow herself to fully connect — and the fact that he has children in his life raises the stakes even higher. When Emma’s mother intrudes on her summer and her life, a series of clashes and crises ensues, and Emma’s well-being is severely challenged. Her flight instincts are never deeply buried, and this experience with her mother threatens to cause her run once again.

Just for the Summer is an absorbing, engaging read (and listen — the audiobook narrators are terrific). I was completely caught up in Emma and Justin’s stories. We get chapters narrated by each of them, often offering competing perspectives on the same events, allowing us to see the characters’ hopes, fears, joys… and understand why what they’re experiencing might not be the same for both of them.

I don’t think I was prepared for how painful Emma’s experiences would become over the course of the book. Based on the cover and synopsis, a reader could reasonably expect a romantic comedy (also, kicking through the waves at the beach, which is not a thing that ever happens). Still, expectations aside, I was thoroughly drawn into this novel and the characters’ lives, and got to the point where I almost couldn’t stand to read about one more obstacle to their happiness.

I loved the connection to the earlier books. As I mentioned, Just for the Summer could work fine as a stand-alone, but I strongly recommend reading the previous two books, which will make this one a much richer reading experience.

I did feel that the ending (happy, of course) came a little too quickly and easily, based on what we’d learned about what each character was dealing with. For Emma especially, I don’t know that I feel the timeline provided would truly allow a person in real life to progress as far as she does. Still, given the conventions of the genre, these two absolutely do need to get together, and it’s lovely when it all finally works out.

These three interconnected books all feature characters dealing with the fallout of mental health challenges, past traumas, and emotional scars. Listening to them all in such a short time period (for me, almost back to back) can be a lot. I think I might have appreciated Just for the Summer a little more if I’d had more of a break from the other books.

Still, Just for the Summer is powerful, and manages to infuse quite a lot of humorous moments into the much heavier content. I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend reading all three of these terrific books.

7Mar2024

Book Review: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Expiration Dates
Author: Rebecca Serle
Publisher: Atria
Publication date: March 19, 2024
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.

From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes the romance that will define a generation.

Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man , she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a Jake.

But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.

Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.

Expiration Dates is going to be tricky to discuss, and I’ll issue some general advice up front: Read reviews with caution. There’s something that gets revealed in the second half of the book that changes how readers understand everything that’s come before… and I really don’t think more than that should be said about it. If you’re reading a review that’s heavy on plot details or seems primed to disclose secrets — well, my advice is to stop reading!

That said, here’s what I can share about this novel. The main character is Daphne, a woman in her early 30s who enjoys her career as assistant to a powerful Hollywood producer. Born and raised in LA, Daphne loves her city and her parents, who live close by. She’s frustrated by her love life, and is still searching for a relationship that lasts, especially since she always knows exactly how long any given man will stay in her life.

Since childhood, Daphne has received random pieces of paper — sometimes tucked under her door, sometimes dropped next to her or handed to her by a stranger — with a name and a length of time written on it. The name is the person she’s currently dating or about to start dating, and the length of time is how long the relationship will last. Sometimes it’s just one night; sometimes it’s long enough that Daphne can even forget about the note and start feeling like it’s forever.

But until Jake, she’s never received a paper without a time frame. Does the fact that his note just has his name mean that he’s the one who’ll last? Is she about to go on a first date with her forever partner?

That’s a lot to swallow, and while this is the sort of magical element that we readers are supposed to just accept as fact, I never quite could. There’s no explanation, no source, no deep secret here. Daphne gets these pieces of paper that provide relationship expiration dates, period. If you find yourself scoffing at the very concept, then this probably isn’t the book for you.

Despite my skepticism, I stuck with Expiration Dates, and had a mixed experience. There are ultimately two competing stories going on (I won’t say why), and they don’t actually serve each other very well. The book I thought I was reading turned out to be something else, and to me, it feels as though the book is both trying to do to much and trying to have it both ways.

The unexplainable magical element actually undercuts some of the more serious developments and themes, unfortunately, and kept me from fully embracing the emotions and thoughtfulness of the plot.

At the same time, I did find Daphne’s contemplation of fate and self-fulfilling prophecy very interesting. Do her relationships end because they’re meant to? Meaning, it’s all out of her hands, and this is what the universe is dictating? Or, does she actually contribute to these relationships failing? If she knows ahead of time that she only has three months with someone, does she essentially give up or not invest enough of herself to make it work, since it’s beyond her control anyway?

Expiration Dates poses some interesting questions, but ultimately I did not feel especially invested in the romantic outcome, especially given how obvious it seemed to me. Daphne is a character whom I enjoyed getting to know, but the men in her life never feel fully formed, so truly caring about the various relationships is challenging.

Overall, this is a quick read that offers light entertainment, but doesn’t truly achieve the depth I think it’s aiming for. The magical element may be what differentiates the plot, but I think I would have been more interested in Daphne’s story without it, especially given the (no spoilers!) developments later in the book.

3Mar2024

Audiobook Review: The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Second Chance Year
Author: Melissa Wiesner
Narrator: Helen Laser
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: December 5, 2023
Print length: 328 pages
Audio length: 7 hours 21 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

In this unforgettable story full of charm, wit—and just a bit of magic—a woman down on her luck is given a second chance at fixing her life and trying one year all over again. Perfect for listeners of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle.

Sadie Thatcher’s life has fallen apart in spectacular fashion. In one fell swoop, she managed to lose her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend—all thanks to her big mouth. So when a fortune teller offers her one wish, Sadie jumps at the chance to redo her awful year. Deep down, she doesn’t believe magic will fix her life, but taking a leap of faith, Sadie makes her wish, opens her eyes, and . . . nothing has changed. And then, in perhaps her dumbest move yet, she kisses her brother’s best friend, Jacob.

When Sadie wakes up the next morning, she’s in her former apartment with her former boyfriend, and her former boss is expecting her at work. Checking the date, she realizes it’s January 1 . . . of last year. As Sadie navigates her second-chance year, she begins to see the red flags she missed in her relationship and in her career. Plus, she keeps running into Jacob, and she can’t stop thinking about their kiss . . . the one he has no idea ever happened. Suddenly, Sadie begins to wonder if her only mistake was wishing for a second chance.

The Second Chance Year is a wish-fulfillment romance and makes for a pleasant audiobook experience — but I may have strained something due to excessive eye-rolling.

As the book opens, Sadie is being dragged to an elaborate New Year’s Eve party by her best friend, as an alternative to sitting on the couch with ice cream and the Golden Girls — her usual activities during the last few months of her Very Bad Year.

Sadie’s long-term boyfriend (the only piece of her life that her overachieving parents actually approve of) dumped her after she confronted a sexist coworker of his at a work function. Her arrogant, inappropriate boss fired her after she spoke up once too often about his poor treatment of the restaurant staff. Due to her lack of a job, she’s been living in her brother’s best friend’s spare room, feeling sorry for herself and her wreck of a life.

When Sadie meets a fortune teller who offers to reset her life and give her a chance at a do-over, she doesn’t really believe her… but she also has nothing to lose.

And lo and behold, when she wakes up the next morning, it’s as if the previous year were erased, and Sadie has the chance to try again. This time, she’s determined to do it right. She’ll think before opening her mouth. She won’t rock the boat. She’ll be supportive of her boyfriend Alex as he establishes himself with his Wall Street peers, instead of being confrontational about the obnoxious bro culture. She’ll put up with her boss’s unfair demands and overly handsy restaurant guests, because the end game is a promotion to Executive Pastry Chef. And she’ll ignore her new awareness of Jacob, the man she kissed on the New Year’s Eve that (now) never happened.

As Sadie navigates her second chance year, things seem to be going her way for a change. But why isn’t she happy? Could it be that becoming a Wall Street wife isn’t her ideal future? Could it be that slaving in a kitchen for an egomaniac chef isn’t the path to career fulfillment that she expected? And could it be that tamping down her outspoken nature could lead to more negative outcomes than those she experienced in her Very Bad Year?

There are some very enjoyable elements to this contemporary-with-a-touch-of-magic romance. It’s fun seeing Sadie interact with people she knows well — who have no idea who she is, since their meetings happened during a year that was reset and therefore never occurred. She finds new purpose via a baking gig at the local coffee house, and scenes there are a treat.

However, Sadie herself is extremely frustrating, too busy trying to avoid her previous “mistakes” to see what’s right in front of her, over and over again. Watching this formerly confident woman repeatedly muzzle herself to preserve a job or a relationship is not fun. Sadie twists herself into knots to become someone she isn’t, and misses the obvious about her love life so many times. I didn’t buy it. She’s too smart and self-assured to fall into these patterns, and it’s especially ridiculous to see how often she misinterprets Jacob’s actions and statements.

Hence all the eye-rolling.

That’s not to mention the magical element of resetting a year — so because Sadie wants a do-over, everyone else loses a year of their lives too? How does that work exactly? Usually, magical interventions and timeslips are not deal-breakers for me and I can just shrug my shoulders and accept them, but something about this one feels a bit unfair to me when I stop to think about it.

Sigh. In a light romance about wishes and second chances, realism isn’t the goal, and that’s okay. It just doesn’t completely work for me here.

Still, as narrated by Helen Laser, the audiobook is an entertaining listening. I couldn’t truly let go of the plot contrivances that annoyed me, and yet, I was always disappointed when I had to turn off the audiobook and pause a day before I could continue. The story hooked me, despite my quibbles, and the narration makes the listening experience a lot of fun.

I recommend The Second Chance Year for anyone looking for a bit of light, escapist, romantic entertainment. Don’t take it too seriously, just let it draw you in, and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Added bonus: SO much talk about pastries! Yummmmm.

28Feb2024

Audiobook Review: The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Only Game in Town
Author: Lacie Waldon
Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Lee Osorio, Catherine Taber, Mark Deakins
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date: March 21, 2023
Print length: 416 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 53 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

One small town, one big prize, one handsome stranger…

Nothing ever changes in Redford, Georgia. That’s what freelance editor Jess Reid loves about her hometown—and part of what keeps her from leaving. Content taking care of her father, a car mechanic who singlehandedly raised her after her mom skipped out, Jess is resigned to a safe, unremarkable existence…until Jasper Wilhelm, the town’s eccentric benefactor, dies suddenly and leaves behind the opportunity of a lifetime.

Financial advisor Carter Barclay has been too busy to visit his grandfather in Redford, but he’s heard countless stories about the town and its zany residents from Jasper. A small, insular town in Georgia is the last place Carter expects to be spending his summer—but it seems his grandfather had one final trick up his sleeve.

At the funeral, it’s revealed that Jasper has devised a massive, high-stakes game for the people of Redford, with the winning duo taking home his entire fortune. The catch? He’s already taken the liberty of pairing them up. As tensions of all kinds rise between Jess and Carter, and the life-changing prize looms closer, the two must decide what they’re willing to risk to change their lives. A love story full of spirit and hijinks, The Only Game in Town is a funny, quirky homage to the people we get to call home.

The Only Game in Town has a romance as a central storyline… but really, I’d describe it more as a love letter to the idea of small town community. There are rivalries and grudges, but also odd-couple friendships, unexpected sources of support… and yes, romance too.

Jess moved back to her beloved home town of Redford, Georgia several years earlier. Her editing career is just okay — she had the opportunity to pursue a more high-powered career with a major publisher, but missed her community and her father. Life in Redford is quiet, to say the least. There’s one bar (a dive, but full of lovable personalities), one bakery (whose owner is currently at war with a former friend who’s dared to start a pop-up muffin business), one hair salon, and plenty of unique personalities (like the guy who sits on a street corner to talk about the weather every day).

Life in Redford is upended when the local philanthropist, Jasper Wilhelm, passes away. Unknown to most of the townsfolk, he worked behind the scenes, assisted by his beloved grandson Carter, to give anonymous bequests to Redfordonians in need. (Yes, they refer to themselves as Redfordonians, which feels clunky, but okay).

Carter only connected with his grandfather ten years earlier, after walking away from his hard-driving, unfeeling parents’ family business and reconnecting with his mother’s estranged father. Carter’s first visit to Redford is for Jasper’s funeral, where he’s immediately charmed by the tiny town… and especially Jess, with her brightly colored wardrobe and devotion to Redford.

After the funeral, Jasper’s lawyer reads the will to the town. Jasper has left his fortune — $10 million — to the people of Redford, but with a catch: They have to play to win. He’s concocted a competition, assigning people as partners to carry out a series of challenges. The winning pair win it all, with all scoring at the discretion of his lawyer. No arguing, no contesting the outcome, and no changing partners. If you want in, you follow Jasper’s rules.

Naturally, the prize money is too enticing for anyone to willingly sit out. And that extends to Jess as well, who’s paired with Nikki, the mean girl who’s never gotten over a high school betrayal (as Nikki sees it) and who’s gone out of her way to be cruel to Jess ever since.

Carter isn’t interested in Jasper’s money for himself, but knows that Jasper intended for him to carry on the work they’d been doing, so when he learns that Jasper assigned him to a team and expects him to play the game as well, he’s convinced that he’s already the prearranged winner. Still, this game seems to have been very important to Jasper, so he goes along with it. But as the game progresses, he finds himself more and more immersed in town life, and starts to feel guilty that the competition may actually be a sham.

Meanwhile, Jess and Carter are drawn together from the start, and as they compete and get to know one another, their initial sparks grow in a deeper connection. But still, they’re competitors, and Carter doesn’t actually live in Redford… so is there any possible future for them once the game ends?

There’s a lot to love about The Only Game in Town. The game itself is silly — there’s a scavenger hunt, a hike, even a Barbie jeep race. Jasper clearly designed the competition to force people to work together, and it’s amusing to see the antics that the townspeople get up to, as well as the way old resentments either derail certain teams or inspire people to keep going.

The small town vibe is a little exaggerated — it’s a bit hard to believe that any small community could be quite that ideal — but still, it’s fun to see all the quirks and charm of the various characters.

I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Nikki and Jess. Their old feud is not what it seems, and Nikki is much more than first impressions might imply. Nikki gets her own point-of-view chapters, and that’s a wonderful decision on the part of the author — hearing from Nikki herself allows us to understand what drives the character and who she is deep-down, beyond the ice princess/mean girl exterior.

Jess’s relationship with her dad is also terrific. He was a teen dad, abandoned by Jess’s mother, who’s worked all his life to give his daughter a warm, loving home. He’s a great character, and I loved seeing his interactions with Jess.

Carter and Jess’s romance sparkles, but it’s not the only storyline — dare I say that the romance is not the only game in town??? — and I really appreciated that. Yes, the romance is an important part of the story, but there’s a lot more going on, and we readers get the opportunity to care about all of it, not just the will-they-won’t-they aspect of the couple’s attraction, or the inevitable romance novel beats (the slow burn, the obstacle, the reunion…)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was great! There are four narrators, one for each of the POV characters (Jess, Carter, Nikki, and less frequent, Ross). Jess and Carter get most of the narrative, but Nikki’s chapters add a lot to the overall story. As a whole, it really works, and the narrators do a terrific job presenting the different perspectives, making the silly competition scenes feel like fun, and also letting the emotions come through at key moments.

The Only Game in Town is a charming story about small town life and what community really means. Friendship and a love story are both important elements, but devotion to the town is what truly drives the characters and the plot. This is a very enjoyable book, and I recommend the audiobook. Really fun entertainment — I look forward to reading more by this author.