First Lines Friday is a weekly feature for book lovers created by Wandering Words. What if instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines? Here’s how to join in:
Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
Finally… reveal the book!
This week’s lines are from an upcoming summer release:
There is a strange man on my sofa. A cowboy. A shirtless cowboy, no less — thick, sun-burnished muscles on full display, marked with bruises and what look to be smudges of charcoal.
So what’s the book?
Romantic Hero by Kirsty Greenwood To be released: June 16, 2026 368 pages
Synopsis:
A heartbroken romance novelist is forced to address her writer’s block when the villainous cowboy character from her books shows up in the real world, desperately in need of his own Happily Ever After. . . from the bestselling author of GMA book club pick The Love of My Afterlife.
Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.
The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.
River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.
But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.
I loved this author’s previous novel, The Love of My Afterlife — and I’m always up for stories where fictional characters show up in real life. I’ll be listening to the audiobook version of Romantic Hero just as soon as I can get my hands on it.
Title: The Shippers Author: Katherine Center Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Publication date: May 19, 2026 Length: 336 pages Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
One of the hottest, fastest-rising rom-com stars delivers her latest swoon-worthy novel about a destination wedding on a cruise ship.
After a whole lifetime of being bad at love, JoJo Burton decides to solve her intimacy issues once and for all at her sister’s destination wedding on a cruise ship. With the help of a little pop psychology, she diagnoses herself with a fixation on the neighborhood guy who was her her first crush and first kiss (and who just happens to be a newly-divorced wedding guest ), and she decides to woo him during the cruise for some long-delayed closure. Only problem is, her sister’s a little busy being a bride at the moment—so JoJo ropes in her childhood bestie, Cooper Watts, to be her wing man. Cooper: who RSVPed no, but then showed up, anyway. Cooper: who left town without a word four years earlier and moved to London. Cooper: who was, if she’s honest, the worst heartbreak of JoJo’s life. It’s bliss for her to see him again, and it’s agony, too—and the more they team up for Project Conquest, the more she obsesses over questions she can’t bring herself to ask.
Shipboard antics ensue in this witty, heart-tugging, childhood-friends-to-lovers romance—as JoJo and Cooper fake flirt, slow dance, share a cabin, sing duets, treat sunburns, get jealous, rescue each other over and over, and finally, at last, figure it all out in the most blissful, swoony, romantic way.
No one does summer romance quite like Katherine Center. THE SHIPPERS will take readers on the cruise of a lifetime in a story awash with romantic longing, top-notch banter, long-held secrets . . . and true love rediscovered.
I usually love Katherine Center books, but The Shippers is a bit too slight and focused on silliness to entirely work for me.
In The Shippers, we open with main character Jojo’s wedding. She’s wearing her soon-to-be mother-in-law’s itchy, awful wedding gown — quite a clear sign that nothing about this wedding truly fits Jojo. She has a history of dumping guys as soon as they fall for her, and her fiancé’s distance and disinterest have kept her in the relationship far longer than made sense. As she’s about to walk down the aisle, her childhood best friend Cooper walks in. Cooper essentially ghosted her four years ago without explanation, but his sudden appearance (and suggestion to fake a faint at the altar) help Jojo realize how little she wants to get married. Fake fainting turns out to be her key to escape.
Six weeks later, Jojo is forced to endure endless gossip and family and neighborhood togetherness for her sister Ashley’s cruise-based wedding. But thanks to Ashley’s interest in psychology, the sisters seem to have figured out Jojo’s problem: They conclude that she’s fixated on her first kiss (at age 10), while carrying some serious abandonment issues courtesy of their distant dad, and will never be able to have a successful, healthy relationship until she resolves the feelings associated with that kiss. Fortunately, the kisser will be on the cruise too, and Jojo will have a week to get him to fall in love with her.
When Cooper unexpectedly shows up for the cruise as well, Jojo loops him into her plan — and when the obnoxious cousin Jojo is rooming with makes it clear that their cabin will be otherwise occupied most nights, Jojo ends up bunking with Cooper. With all that togetherness, it’s only a matter of time before Jojo and Cooper confront their pasts… but her fixation on the kiss may drive them apart for good this time, despite the fact that Jojo seems to be finally waking up to how awesome (and attractive) Cooper is.
“How did you turn into a Disney prince?”
“You think I look like a Disney prince?”
“I really do.”
“You think I look like a cartoon?”
“Not a cartoon like SpongeBob. A sexy cartoon.”
The vibe of The Shippers is mostly goofy. It’s hard to take Jojo’s emotional baggage seriously when it’s addressed in between comical scenes of her wearing inappropriate clothing, falling off her high heels, getting badly sunburned (I mean, that’s not actually funny, but it’s presented as yet another ridiculous thing that Jojo gets herself into), and entering a slow-dance contest with guy who’s clearly wrong for her. We’re obviously meant to be rooting for Jojo to wake up to the fact that Cooper has been her person — and love of her life — all along, but the frantic focus on Jojo making odd choices and getting into crazy situations makes it all seem rather frivolous and shallow.
To be clear, The Shippers is entertaining and zips along with never a dull moment. For me, it was just all so intentionally silly that I couldn’t take any of it particularly seriously, even when the characters attempt to address past hurts and issues in a more thoughtful way.
Still, fans of the author will find plenty to enjoy, and The Shippers would make a good choice for a sunny summer beach read.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Cherry Baby Author: Rainbow Rowell Publisher: William Morrow Publication date: April 14, 2026 Length: 416 pages Genre: Contemporary fiction / romance Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Everybody knows that Cherry’s husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie . . .
Almost nobody knows that he isn’t coming home.
Tom is the creator of Thursday—a semi-autobiographical webcomic that’s become an international phenomenon.
Semi-autobiographical. That means there’s a character in this movie based on Cherry . . . “Baby.”
Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby.
Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page—let alone on the big screen. But there’s no getting away from it. Baby looks so much like Cherry that strangers recognize her at the grocery store.
While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles getting rich and famous and being the internet’s latest boyfriend, Cherry is stuck in Omaha taking care of the dog he always wanted and the house they were going to raise a family in . . . and wondering who she’s supposed to be without him.
Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin.
She’d meant it.
One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems, including Tom’s overgrown puppy, at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album . . . and someone recognizes her from across the room.
Russ Sutton knew Cherry when she was a young art student with a fondness for pin-up dresses and patent leather heels. Before Tom.
Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry.
And best of all . . . he’s never heard of Thursday.
Tender, funny, and utterly human, Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell’s richest, most surprising—sexiest—novel yet.
Cherry Baby is a beautiful depiction of the stages of love — beginnings and endings, and all the messy stuff in between. Main character Cherry is a delight — the middle of five sisters from a devout yet raucous family, Cherry knows she’s gorgeous, accepts that she’ll always be fat, and knows she deserves to be happy… although getting there seems almost impossible.
As Cherry Baby opens, Cherry lives alone in the Omaha home she once shared with her husband Tom. Well, alone except for their outrageously large dog Stevie (as in Stevie Nicks), who really was Tom’s dog before he headed to LA and left Cherry to deal with the aftermath. Cherry and Tom met as art students, and while she went on to have a successful career in marketing, he unexpectedly found fame and fortune when Thursday, the webcomic he’d created as his own little creative outlet, suddenly became a huge sensation.
And now, Cherry is alone, because Tom left for Hollywood to work on the movie version of Thursday and never came back. Making matters worse all these months later is that the trailer for Thursday has dropped, and once again, Tom’s version of Cherry, via the character Baby, is everywhere. Cherry can’t avoid the exaggeratedly fat depiction of herself that apparently shows how Tom truly sees her.
When Cherry decides to treat herself to a night out listening to a favorite nostalgia band, she runs into someone she once had a crush on during college, and learns that he had a crush on her as well. As they begin to date, Cherry wonders if she has a new chance at happiness. But then Tom comes back to Omaha to pack up his belongings, and the more time he spends at their house, working with Cherry to dismantle the physical remnants of their lives together, the more their unfinished business looms over them both.
There’s a beauty in seeing the past and present unfold through the chapters of this book. We’re firmly rooted in Cherry’s present, as she deals with the men in her life and struggles to hold onto her sense of self — yet we also see flashbacks to the start of Tom and Cherry’s love story, from their first meeting through their early relationship and into the years of their marriage. It’s not sugar-coated, and yet it’s incredibly touching. Rainbow Rowell’s depiction of marriage is gritty and real. Love is wonderful, but it doesn’t fix everything, and we see time and again all the ways in which Tom and Cherry get derailed from the life they thought they were working toward.
Cherry Baby surprised me in all sorts of ways. Based on the synopsis, I expected a certain basic story arc, but in fact, that’s not what the book ended up being at all… and honestly, I loved it. I think Cherry Baby is best experienced without a lot of foreknowledge — not because there are dramatic reveals or shocking plot twists, but because its focus on people figuring things out is just such a powerful journey.
Cherry is a fantastic, funny, complex character, and I loved seeing all the ways in which she believes in herself, and all the ways in which doubt and pain creep in. She’s realistic and strong and vulnerable, and an utter delight.
A minor quibble for me is the overly graphic sex scenes — which, on the one hand, show the intricate levels of intimacy involved and also illustrate Cherry’s ease/discomfort dynamic with her own body… yet on the other hand, I think the point could have been made even without the close-up-and-personal details. Then again, I recognize that each reader has their own preferences when it comes to spicy scenes — your mileage may vary.
I can’t say I’ve ever been disappointed by a Rainbow Rowell book, and Cherry Baby is no exception. The banter between Cherry and her sisters is absolutely delicious, and even the more serious scenes include clever quips and dialogue. At the same time, this book is a heartfelt look at love and trust and commitment, and includes a powerful mix of heartbreak and joy. Highly recommended.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible audiobook – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Just Kiss Already Author: Lily Chu Narrators: Phillipa Soo & Simu Liu Publisher: Audible Originals Publication date: March 12, 2026 Print length: n/a Audio length: 9 hours 30 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Audible download Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Enemies. Coworkers. Accidental Icons.
Dr. Ben Song likes his life orderly, predictable, and blissfully private. By day, he’s a forensic anthropologist running a controversial research project. By night, he’s the anonymous author of a bestselling cozy mystery series. What he absolutely doesn’t need? One viral moment turning him into the internet’s new favorite grumpy heartthrob.
Lauren Wei has built her career in the spotlight—and paid for it. A former teen star turned serious filmmaker, she’s determined to prove she’s more than her past persona. With her first feature film about to premiere and a press tour that could make or break her future, she can’t afford distractions. Especially not the brilliant, infuriating author whose book she adapted…and whose visibly unimpressed reaction to her movie just made him a viral meme.
When the studio forces Ben and Lauren to share the press circuit to capitalize on the moment, sparks fly. But between industry politics, public scrutiny, and a growing sense they might actually be perfectly imperfect for each other after all, their reluctant partnership soon turns into something far more complicated….
Lily Chu’s audiobooks are always a treat, and Just Kiss Already is no exception! This clever story about a film star and a scientist (who’s secretly a bestselling author) hits familiar beats of the celebrity romance and enemies-to-lovers tropes, but keeps things fresh with engaging characters and interesting dilemmas.
Lauren Wei is a former teen star, known for playing a chaotic character on a popular TV show until her reputation took a hit. Now, Lauren is reestablishing herself by directing and starring in a movie adaptation of the first book in the popular Lady Petronella mystery series. The success of the film will help her make sure the world sees her as a serious talent.
Dr. Ben Song is a forensic anthropologist who runs a lab devoted to studying the decomposition of bodies… and is also the secret author of the Lady Petronella books. When he attends the advance press screening of the movie, he’s annoyed by what he sees as some factual errors — and when his sour expression is caught on camera and turned into a meme, it could spell disaster for the movie’s success and Lauren’s future.
Desperate to capitalize on Ben’s viral moment and turn it into social media gold, the studio strong-arms Ben and Lauren into doing a press tour together leading up to the film’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. Ben is opposed at first, but is won over by both his lingering crush on Lauren’s TV character and by Lauren herself, who is smart, funny, and not at all the Hollywood snob Ben had expected. Naturally, they get past their initial hostilities and discover both friendship and chemistry, but challenges in their respective careers seem to put up roadblocks before their relationship can really get started.
Just Kiss Already sets up the connection between Lauren and Ben really well, quickly moving past their grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers dynamic and focusing on the deeper ways they communicate and understand one another, offering support to each other in a way that’s refreshing to see. Their careers seemingly couldn’t be more different, yet each faces professional hurdles that an outsider’s perspective helps them to overcome. Ben and Lauren work as a couple because they take the difficult steps needed to establish trust and friendship first, and even when they have the inevitable misunderstandings so typical of the romance trope, they’re able to quickly clear things up through open communication. Honestly, I wish more third-act break-ups/fights could be resolved so maturely!
The Lady Petronella books sound like they’d be so much fun to actually read (and it’s a nice little treat that each chapter opens with a line from Lady P). Likewise, I’d love to see Lauren’s movie! Just Kiss Already establishes these fictional elements so well that they seem believable, and Ben’s work sounds both fascinating and important. A side plot about a community trying to undermine his research site is also interesting, and gives Ben professional challenges to overcome that balance his parts of the story nicely against Lauren’s.
As always, Phillipa Soo is an amazing narrator (she’s narrated all of Lily Chu’s audiobooks so far), and the pairing here with actor Simu Liu for the Ben chapters offers great listening entertainment,
I really enjoyed Just Kiss Already (despite being annoyed by the title, which has nothing to do with the story). It’s currently available only through Audible. Lily Chu’s previous novels were released the same way, and then released in paperback about a year later. As I’ve said in previous reviews, I always look forward to a new Lily Chu audiobook! The Comeback and The Stand-In remain my favorites, but you can’t go wrong with any of them.
Purchase links: Amazon Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: And Then There Was You Author: Sophie Cousens Narrator: Kerry Gilbert Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: November 18, 2025 Print length: 352 pages Audio length: 9 hours 10 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
She’s found the perfect man . . . There’s just one big twist.
Stuck in a Production Assistant job and living at home with her parents after a painful breakup, thirty-one-year-old Chloe Fairway isn’t where she wants to be in life. The last thing she needs is to face the people who once voted her “most likely to succeed” at her upcoming ten-year college reunion. And she definitely doesn’t want to see her former best friend, Sean Adler, who is now a hotshot film director living the life Chloe dreamed of. Desperate to make a splash—and to save face in front of the man who might be the one that got away—she turns to a mysterious dating service.
Enter Rob, her handsome, well-read, and charming match, the perfect plus-one to take to her reunion. The more she gets to know him, the more perfect he appears to be. Could it be that this dating service knows her better than she knows herself? And can she overlook the one big catch? As Chloe reconnects with old friends, she begins to question everything she thought she wanted. Maybe, just maybe, revisiting the past is exactly what she needs to move forward.
After really enjoying my last audiobook by Sophie Cousens (Is She Really Going Out With Him?), I grabbed her newest when I saw it was available through the library. And while I enjoy her upbeat storytelling and the terrific narration by Kerry Gilbert, this romance had certain elements that just didn’t work for me.
Ten years after graduating from Oxford, Chloe feels like a failure. Once considered most likely to succeed, sure of a brilliant career ahead of her as an actress and playwright, Chloe now lives with her parents and works as the personal assistant to a highly unpleasant man at a mediocre production company. All of her old schoolmates have gone on to do amazing things, especially Sean, once her best friend and writing partner, now practically a stranger, who’s a big-time Hollywood director. With the reunion looming, Chloe’s instinct is to hide and avoid it all. A chance encounter with a friend who seems to be radiantly happy leads Chloe to an exclusive matchmaking company that promises to find her the man of her dreams, someone who’ll be perfect for her. And when Chloe meets Rob, they just click. He’s gorgeous, smart, and sweet… so maybe attending the reunion with this impressive guy on her arm will be just the confidence boost that Chloe needs?
There’s a catch, of course… and here’s where I’m going to insert a big, fat…
SPOILER ALERT!
I’m guessing Goodreads reviews will already have spilled the beans, but in case you don’t want to know, here’s where to look away.
Seriously!
I’m going to get into the details of what I really did not like about this book.
SPOILERS COMING RIGHT NOW!
Okay, you’ve been warned.
The reason that Rob seems perfect for Chloe is that… he is. Rob is an AI robot created to Chloe’s exact specifications, based on an exhaustive questionnaire that she’s required to complete as part of her intake at the matchmaking company. She (and we) have no idea what she’s signing up for until after she’s signed an NDA and is introduced to Rob, who instantly impresses her with his good lucks, excellent manners, and sensitivity. He’s everything she thinks she wants in a man… because he’s been built and programmed that way.
Taking Rob to her reunion seems like a crazy idea. And it is. Convincing herself that she could have a future with Rob also seems ridiculous. And it is. Chloe spends a lot of mental energy trying to figure out whether a robot boyfriend might be her best bet for a happy life. Meanwhile, the entire reunion weekend is rife with moments when Rob’s perfection or stilted manners or weird affect threatens to reveal Chloe’s secret and undermine everything she’s trying to achieve.
From the moment of the reveal about what Rob really is (somewhere around the 15% mark), I was kind of over this book. I stuck with it because I liked certain elements of the story — but this was very nearly a DNF. The sad thing is that I don’t think this story needed the robot storyline at all. Rob could have simply been a date-for-hire, and the plot could have played out practically the same way. The AI/robot piece is a distracting novelty that just doesn’t work at all.
It’s a shame, because there are other elements that are very good. Who can’t relate to the feeling that everyone else is doing better at life than you are? Or the anxiety of reuniting with people who were once the center of your world? It’s not exactly surprising that at the reunion, Chloe discovers romantic feelings for an old friend and learns secrets that change what she thought she knew about their past. This part was very good! I liked Chloe’s process of understanding her past, admitting where she’d made mistakes, and getting past the roadblocks that had her feeling stuck professionally and emotionally.
END SPOILERS
All in all, And Then There Was You has some very engaging bits and pieces that unfortunately get swamped by a ridiculous overarching storyline. Sticking with this book all the way to the end tried my patience, despite the great audiobook narration and the generally interesting, quirky characters. The clever and entertaining bits just can’t save an unconvincing storyline. My eyes hurt from too much rolling.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon Author: Matthew Norman Narrators: Alex Finke, Jay Myers Publisher: Random House Publication date: October 14, 2025 Print length: 337 pages Audio length: 8 hours 43 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A sentimental advertising creative and a blunt, no-nonsense bar owner find a second chance at love while binge-watching iconic holiday movies in this poignant and heartwarming romance, from the author of Charm City Rocks and All Together Now.
“Norman weaves nostalgic references to modern holiday classics . . . throughout this comforting romance.”—The Washington Post (Noteworthy Books of the Month)
The new year had barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lost their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their “Great and Terrible Sadnesses” approaches. Although their mothers scheme to matchmake the two surviving spouses, it’s clear that neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what they are going through better than each other, and a delicate friendship is born.
When Henry sees an ad for a Christmas movie marathon—once an annual tradition for him and his wife—Grace offers to watch some films with him, despite her aversion to a few of his picks. Her two young kids, Ian and Bella, also join in whenever possible—bedtimes permitting, of course.
With each movie, Grace and Henry’s shared grief eases as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?
Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon was an unusual pick for me — I don’t tend to read a lot of holiday-themed fiction, especially when it’s not even the holiday season! And yet… the charming title caught my eye, and then the story drew me in.
Grace and Henry both suffered terrible losses at the beginning of the year: Grace’s husband Tim died after a fast-moving cancer diagnosis, and Henry’s wife Bryn died in a shocking plane crash. Now, as the holidays approach, neither is doing particularly well. Grace is busy with her two children Ian and Bella (and their hilariously-named dog Harry Styles), but she spends most of her down time in her Costco sweats talking with the version of her dead husband who lives in her head. Henry can’t bring himself to return to the home he shared with his wife, so he’s rented a mostly empty apartment but mainly hangs out in his parents’ basement playing Mario Kart.
When Henry’s mom asks him to pop over to Grace’s mom’s house to “fix the internet” (which isn’t working due to a sneakily unplugged modem), Henry and Grace are helpless in the face of motherly matchmaking. Neither are interested in being fixed up or even considering dating again, but they do recognize that they might actually fit together as friends. As they talk about holiday movies, they find common ground, and soon, Henry is popping by for family movie nights, and then hanging out with Grace and the kids to help with Ian’s art projects, free captive mice (don’t ask), and discovering a mutual friendship that helps them all start finding a little joy in their lives.
I suppose most people would shelve this as a romance — and yes, of course there’s an underlying romance brewing slowly between Henry and Grace. But that, to me, isn’t the main point. The story overall is much more about loss and grieving, about the process of remembering and letting go, about finding ways to move on when everything you expected for your life is taken away.
The narrative is organized by the movies Henry and Grace watch, together and separately, as the holiday season advances. There are plenty of fun little references to a wide range of holiday (and holiday-adjacent) movies, from Die Hard and Edward Scissorhands to Love Actually, The Holiday, The Family Stone, and more. Point-of-view chapters shift between Henry and Grace; the audiobook has a narrator for each, and both are terrific at voicing the lead and supporting characters and adding humor (and sadness) as the story progresses.
I found both characters’ stories to be quite moving, each loss awful in its own way. Grace is forced to carry on for the sake of her children and does a wonderful job, but there’s a sadness in their home that they can’t quite overcome. Henry’s loneliness is different yet also deep and real. It’s easy to see why these two need one another, first as “grief buddies”, then as friends, to get through the worst of times — or even just normal days when a sudden memory or association can knock them out of orbit. Their ability to understand one another’s pain forms the backbone of what becomes a beautiful support system.
I also appreciated how well both Grace and Henry are supported by their families and friends. While their well-meaning mothers may be pushing a bit too hard for them to get back into the dating world, it’s clear that the people who love them want to help — somehow — and are often stuck on how to do it.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Baltimore, the book’s setting, feels like a living, breathing character in this charming story. Grace and Henry have rich, deep connections to the city and the community, and it comes to sparkling life on every page.
All in all, I truly enjoyed Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. The holiday spirit, the sense of fun, and the straightforward treatment of loss and grieving all contribute to making this sweet book feel like something special. The audiobook delivery is terrific — but in whatever format, I think this is a book well worth picking up and experiencing.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: One & Only Author: Maureen Goo Narrator: Jeena Yi Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: February 3, 2026 Print length: 364 pages Audio length: 10 hours 32 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
In Five Years meets a millennial The Joy Luck Club in the adult debut from the author of YA Reese Pick Throwback— a funny and fresh love story of a woman thrown a curveball by fate, and the family secret that will make her question everything.
She’s seen what her happily ever after looks like. And it’s not him.
Cassia Park believes in soul mates. Fated love stories. It’s her family business, after all—for centuries, from Korea to Los Angeles, Park women have peered into clients’ past lives to find their one true love, their fated. This magical secret is why One & Only Matchmaking has a 100% guarantee…for everyone but Cassia.
For ten years, Cass has been searching for her fated, a man named Daniel Nam. But he’s still nowhere to be found.
And so, on the eve of her 40th birthday, Cass decides to do something for herself. She impulsively has a fling with Ellis. He’s twenty-eight, indecently handsome, and not destined to be the love of her life. But she’s surprised by their connection and their fling feels like something more—up to the moment he introduces her to his boss…Daniel Nam.
As she battles between fate and chance, head and heart, a family secret is revealed that will make her question everything she’s ever known. Cassia will have to decide if she’ll follow her fate…or make her own.
Before jumping into the review, can we just talk for a minute about how weird the blurb is? “In Five Years meets a millennial The Joy Luck Club“?? Is that the marketing team’s way of saying this book has some woo-woo elements plus it’s about a multi-generational Asian family and the main character is about to turn 40? I think these blurbs that try so hard to compare a book to other books have now stretched themselves to the breaking point. Anyway…
One & Only is a recent Read with Jenna pick, and since I’ve had good experiences with many of that book group’s picks (see my post about celebrity book clubs), I thought I’d give the audiobook a try.
In One & Only, the concept of meant-to-be is given quite a workout! Main character Cassia is about to turn 40, and has yet to meet her one and only… although she knows exactly who he is, or at least, she knows his name. Cassia works for the One & Only matchmaking company in LA, a family business run by her grandmother which carries out traditions that go back centuries within her Korean family.
To their customers, One & Only is a hugely successful matchmaking business. They even offer a guarantee and boast of a 100% success rate! They use the ancient art of face-reading to understand who someone truly is and then find the perfect match for them — but what they never tell anyone is that the women of their family also have a gift: As they read their clients’ faces, they get visions of their past lives which show them their “fated” — the person they’re destined to be with, and whom they’ve loved throughout shared lives together. Cassia has the gift as well, and as the only woman of her generation in the family, she knows that the business’s future rests on her having children to carry on the gift… something that seems frustratingly out of reach.
Ten years earlier, Cassia finally agreed to have her grandmother read her face and reveal her fated, and Cassia has known his name — Daniel Nam — ever since. But after a decade of searching, she’s still unable to find him. Meanwhile, she’s had a string of short, uninvolved romances. Why bother giving her heart to anyone when she knows her future lies with someone else?
And then Cassia meets Ellis. He’s a younger man with a lovely energy and personality, and the two click right away. They spend a passionate weekend together, and their chemistry is obvious. But when Cassia runs into Ellis on a work retreat, their new relationship comes to a screeching halt, because Ellis’s boss is Daniel Nam. Yes, that Daniel Nam. Adopted as a child, Daniel grew up with a different last name, and only recently added his Korean surname to his public persona.
Cassia does feel a connection to Daniel right away… and he’s so much better a choice for her — at least, on paper. And he’s her fated! She owes it to herself and to Daniel to pursue this, so she dumps Ellis and begins dating Daniel. And it’s good… for a while. But every time she runs into Ellis, there’s a pang over what might have been, and a nagging sense that maybe her fated doesn’t quite fit her life after all.
As the story progresses, we see Cassia attempt to forget about Ellis and focus on her meant-to-be life with Daniel, but there’s an element of unease. If Daniel is her fated, why does she still have feelings for someone else? Also, Cassia discovers months into her relationship with Daniel that they’re not on the same page about a huge issue, which is confusing and distressing: If they’re perfect for each other, why doesn’t this critical piece match up?
There’s a lot to appreciate about One & Only, especially the dynamics between the women of the Park family. Cassia’s grandmother is a force to be reckoned with, and her great-aunt and aunt are entertaining and dynamic too. The love between the generations of women is fierce and protective. Cassia’s mother died when Cassia was eight years old, and she was raised by her grandparents, who showered her with love and did their best to nourish a broken-hearted little girl.
Cassia’s grief related to her mother’s loss is a dominant theme throughout the book, as are some of the mysteries surrounding her mother’s life. Yvette was a rebel, an artist who chose to pursue her own path and not follow her elders into a life in the matchmaking business. More crucially, Cassia has known all her life that Yvette chose to marry someone she met in college, who wasn’t her fated… and who left her and Cassia because he couldn’t handle fatherhood. Cassia’s core beliefs are tied to this family history. See what happens when you ignore your fated?
Of course, the truth is more nuanced. Late in the book, Cassia tracks down the father she’s never known, and learns more about his years with her mother. Starting to heal this broken part of her life is a major step that gives Cassia fresh perspectives on her own choices — including finally acknowledging that she has more options than she once believed.
Cassia’s actions related to Ellis and Daniel can be troubling at times. She handles neither relationship particularly well, and I wished she’d been more honest with both about her reasons for ending and starting things with each of them. Her behavior toward Ellis feels particularly problematic. He’s a cinnamon roll character, totally sweet and caring and giving. Cassia dumping him in order to immediately start dating his boss is cruel. The fact of Daniel being her fated is Cassia’s excuse to herself for her behavior, but it’s just all so painful and awkward, not helped by going with Daniel to company events where this uncomfortable love triangle is on full display.
In real life, Cassia definitely wouldn’t get the happy ending she gets here… but given that this is a romance, we know she’ll find her way to true love by the final pages. The book takes a bit of a hand-wavy approach to settling the issue of fateds and past lives and reconciling this with Cassia’s choices. Honestly, I didn’t quite buy the matchmaking company’s business model or their astonishing success rates, and felt it might have helped readers suspend disbelief if we got to spend more than a few minutes with other matched couples, to get a sense of how finding your fated translates into building a relationship and a life together.
Despite not entirely loving the entire matchmaking storyline and feeling really uncomfortable with some of the love triangle scenes (including one near the end where Cassia behaves very badly), I found the plot overall to be engaging and unusual. The generational aspect and the focus on the impact of Cassia’s mother’s death on her life add depth to the story and provide some of the deepest emotional impacts.
The audiobook narration by Jeena Yi is lovely. She brings a lot of spirit to the narrative, and lets us really feel what Cassia is going through. I also enjoyed her portrayal of the older women in the family — they truly sparkle.
One & Only held my interest and made me care about the characters. The storyline feels fresh, I really enjoyed the vivid depiction of the LA setting, and the family dynamics greatly enrich the romantic framework. This is a nice option to pick up for a mix of entertaining set pieces and deeper emotional experiences.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Is She Really Going Out With Him? Author: Sophie Cousens Narrator: Kerry Gilbert Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: November 19, 2024 Print length: 368 pages Audio length: 11 hours 42 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcée who agrees to let her children play matchmaker.
Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.
From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?
In this feel-good romance, 37-year-old Anna is trying to bounce back from divorce — which is especially hard now that her ex has moved his much younger girlfriend into his home, yet can’t be bothered to do the kids’ laundry or make sure their homework is done when they’re with him. What’s more, Anna’s career as a columnist is at risk when Bath Living is acquired by someone more focused on profits than on great writing. Anna’s new publisher wants her column to be edgier and more personal, and she just doesn’t know if she has it in her. But, her annoying (and attractive) coworker seems to be angling for her column space, and she’s determined not to let him win… so she pitches one last desperate idea for a new dating-themed column.
After trying online dating, with the expected awful results, Anna wonders if it’s possible to find romance in real life anymore. Her kids are eager to set her up, and a concept is born: Anna will go on seven dates, with people selected by the kiddos. What could possibly go wrong?
From a fishing trip with a painful ending to a Regency encounter to a setup with the grumpy widower next door, Anna goes on a series of dates — some ending with awkwardness, one proving that you should never meet your idols, and one that results in an ill-advised tattoo. None are exactly successful, but they do make for entertaining column material.
Meanwhile, the office rivalry with Will goes from barely tolerating each other as coworkers to something much more NSFW… but Anna doesn’t see a future with Will, who seems to be destined for jetsetting career success while she is firmly tied to her roots in Bath. But they do have undeniable chemistry, so even as she continues to date according to her kids’ whims, she can’t help but wonder if there’s any possible scenario where she and Will could actually have more than casual hook-ups.
Is She Really Going Out With Him? is a charming look at the ups and downs of reentering the dating scene after marriage, with an engaging, bright main character who’s a delight to get to know. A devoted mother, Anna struggles to balance her home and work commitments, and can’t imagine ever putting herself first… but through the dating experiment, she’s reminded of experiences that bring her joy, such a rediscovering her creative, artistic side and finding an upbeat, life-affirming new friend when she least expects it.
One of the many pleasures of this book is seeing Anna coming out of her dates with new connections — not in terms of romantic partners, but finding people to engage with outside of her worlds of home and office, and finding ways to break out of her routine in a way that benefits all the people in her life.
Of course, the romantic storyline is important too, and while I was initially skeptical about reading yet another enemies-to-lovers story arc, this is a good one! There are plenty of reasons why Will and Anna shouldn’t work, and while it’s clear from the start that their pairing is the book’s endgame, it’s quite fun to see the ups and downs along their path to figuring it all out.
The less said about the 3rd act break up, the better: It’s one of my least favorite tropes — the old “breaking up with you for your own good”, with a smattering of “pretending never to have cared so it’ll be easier for you to walk away”. Fortunately, this part flies by pretty quickly and honesty prevails, but still… this was the only part of the book that annoyed me.
The audiobook narration by Kerry Gilbert is light and whimsical, with the humor very well captured by her character voices and delivery. I enjoyed the listening experience very much — it kept me engaged and entertained.
All in all, Is She Really Going Out With Him? is a lot of fun, and I look forward to trying more by this author.
Any favorites to recommend?
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Title: Anne of a Different Island Author: Virginia Kantra Narrators: Kathleen McInerney and Will Collyer Publisher: Berkley Publication date: January 20, 2026 Print length: 368 pages Audio length: 10 hours 54 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library (audiobook); ARC via NetGalley (ebook) Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
A woman learns to be the heroine of her own life in this heartfelt novel inspired by Anne of Green Gables by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.
She believed life could follow a plotline—until the story she was living unraveled.
Anne Gallagher has always lived by the book. Anne of Green Gables, that is. Growing up on Mackinac Island, she saw herself as her namesake; the same impulsive charm, the same wild imagination, even the same red hair (dyed, but still). She followed in Anne Shirley’s fictional footsteps, chasing dreams of teaching and writing, and falling for her very own storybook hero.
But when a string of real-life plot twists—a failing romance, a fight with the administration, and the sudden death of her beloved father—pulls her back to the island she once couldn’t wait to leave, Anne is forced to face a truth no story ever prepared her for. Sometimes, life doesn’t follow a script.
Back in the house she grew up in, Anne must confront her past and the people she left behind, including Joe Miller, the boy who once called her “The Pest.” It’s time to figure out what she wants and rewrite her story to create her own happy ending. Not the book version. The real one.
Anne (with an E!) is a 24-year-old high school teacher who enjoys inspiring her students by making sure they find the books that might change their lives. She lives alone, waiting for the day when her doctor boyfriend Chris is ready for them to move in together. Anne dreams of being a writer, but meanwhile, everything is fine, and her happy ending seems within reach.
And then, her life more or less implodes. Anne’s beloved father dies — the man who was always her greatest source of love and support, the man who first put a copy of Anne of Green Gables into her hands, the man who always seemed to appreciate Anne’s nonstop chatter and big dreams. Going back home to Mackinac Island for the funeral, she is wracked by guilt over not visiting more, and has to deal with the sense of abandonment she feels when Chris chooses to stay behind to take care of a patient rather than going with her.
Back on the island, Anne at first is reminded of her own isolation. Her mother isn’t emotionally accessible. Anne has never quite repaired the distant relationship with her childhood best friend. Her father’s former apprentice and business partner — who nicknamed her the Pest when she was a child — seems to always be around, apparently closer to her parents than she herself was. By the end of the funeral, Anne can’t wait to get back to her “real” life in Chicago.
But when a parent complaint leads to a temporary leave from work, and Chris makes a unilateral decision about their future, Anne retreats back to Mackinac for the summer to take a break, recharge, and take stock of what she really wants. And the longer she spends on the island, the more she starts to see the potential of a good life back where she started from, especially as she reforges relationships with the people who matter most to her.
Anne of a Different Island is, obviously, filled with references to and inspiration from Anne of Green Gables, but it’s not a retelling. Anne Gallagher holds up Anne Shirley as her idol (she even has a tattoo of a favorite Anne quote, “tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet”). The Anne of this book shares Anne Shirley’s optimism and imagination, and uses the Anne books as a point of reference when she feels lost in her own thoughts and quandaries.
Seeing Anne find her place on the island is heart-warming, and while we may figure out long before Anne does that (a) Chris sucks, (b) her old school sucks too, and (c) she really can have a future on Mackinac, it’s still sweet to see how Anne finally realizes all this too. The romance with Joe is mostly a slow-burn, as each deals with the baggage of former relationships, but there’s really no doubt that they’ll work it all out eventually.
The story is mainly told through Anne’s point of view, with a scattering of Joe chapters mixed in. The narrators do a nice job of voicing the characters and their friends and neighbors; Kathleen McInerney is particularly charming as she brings out Anne’s quirkiness, self-doubt, and irrepressible brightness.
One thing I really loved about this book is the emphasis on how reading can change lives. We get the sense that Anne is an amazing teacher. She reaches her students through books, and makes sure that they have access to books that can open their eyes or speak to their inner fears and needs. I was pleased that teaching remains a focus for Anne throughout; even though she finds more time and commitment for writing, she never views teaching as just a fallback until she makes it as an author.
Anne of a Different Island is a sweet, lovely story that made me yearn for a little island community of my own… and reminded me that it’s about time for me to revisit the world of Anne of Green Gables.
Purchase links: Amazon – Audible – Bookshop.org – Libro.fm Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Somewhat accidentally — I really didn’t plan for this to happen! — I ended up reading two light, cute, Austen-inspired romances during my recent vacation. Both were lots of fun. Let’s dive in!
Title:Emma of 83rd Street Series: For the Love of Austen, #1 Authors: Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding Narrators: Brittany Pressley and Teddy Hamilton Publisher: Gallery Books Publication date: May 23, 2023 Print length: 384 pages Audio length: 10 hours 40 minutes Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
In this witty and romantic debut novel, Jane Austen’s Emma meets the misadventures of Manhattan’s modern dating scene as two lifelong friends discover that, in the search for love, you sometimes don’t have to look any further than your own backyard.
Beautiful, clever, and rich, Emma Woodhouse has lived twenty-three years in her tight-knit Upper East Side neighborhood with very little to distress or vex her…that is, until her budding matchmaking hobby results in her sister’s marriage—and subsequent move downtown. Now, with her sister gone and all her friends traveling abroad, Emma must start her final year of grad school grappling with an entirely new emotion: boredom. So when she meets Nadine, a wide-eyed Ohio transplant with a heart of gold and drugstore blonde highlights to match, Emma not only sees a potential new friend but a new project. If only her overbearing neighbor George Knightley would get out of her way.
Handsome, smart, and successful, the only thing that frustrates Knightley more than a corked whiskey is his childhood friend, Emma. Whether it’s her shopping sprees between classes or her revolving door of ill-conceived hobbies, he is only too happy to lecture her on all the finer points of adulthood she’s so hell-bent on ignoring. But despite his gripes—and much to his own chagrin—Knightley can’t help but notice that the girl next door is a woman now…one who he suddenly can’t get out of his head.
As Emma’s best laid plans collide with everyone from hipster baristas to meddling family members to flaky playboy millionaires, these two friends slowly realize their need to always be right has been usurped by a new need entirely, and it’s not long before they discover that even the most familiar stories still have some surprises.
Not all contemporary Austen retellings work — the emphasis on marriage can be jarring in a supposedly modern-day setting. And yet, Emma of 83rd Street manages to tell a familiar tale in a way that’s amusing and nicely tailored to today’s world of online dating, high-pressure jobs, and dressing to impress.
The Upper East Side is a natural location for rich, spoiled Emma Woodhouse. Sure, the designer name-dropping gets a bit tedious — but that’s Emma’s world, and feels right for who she is. She’s flighty and meddlesome, thinks she knows what’s best for everyone, and seems to be pursuing a master’s degree in art history mainly for the fun of it… but underneath that shallow exterior, we get to see Emma’s kind heart and her devotion to her friends and family.
I liked that the original cast of characters from Austen are repurposed here in ways that fit the story, given new names and occupations, but remaining true enough to certain essentials to make them recognizable (and fun to spot).
The Knightly relationship has a bit less of an age difference here… and yes, he can be overbearing, but the chemistry with Emma works well, and the progression to romance feels mostly organic. (We see it coming well before either of the characters do.)
A running complaint I have with contemporary Austen retellings is that it can be jarring to see well-loved characters — even modern-day versions of them — hopping into bed together, and that’s true here as well. I could have used a bit less of the details! She may be wearing today’s couture, but she’s still Emma Woodhouse! Closed door would have been better, is all I’m saying.
Overall, Emma of 83rd Street is quite a lot of fun, and the audiobook version’s narrators bring the characters and dialogues to life.
This is apparently the first in a series. I’m on the fence right now about continuing — the wealthy New York setting could get old after a while, I’m afraid. We’ll see; for now, these are on my TBR:
Title:The Austen Affair Author: Madeline Bell Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin Publication date: September 16, 2025 Length: 336 pages Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Two feuding co-stars in a Jane Austen film adaptation accidentally travel back in time to the Regency Era in this delightfully clever and riotously funny debut
Tess Bright just scored her dream role starring in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s NorthangerAbbey. It’s not just the role of a lifetime, but it’s also her last chance to prove herself as a serious actress (no easy feat after being fired from her last TV gig) and more importantly, it’s her opportunity to honor her mom, who was the biggest fan of Jane Austen ever. But one thing is standing in Tess’s way—well, one very tall, annoyingly handsome person, actually: Hugh Balfour.
A serious British method actor, Hugh wants nothing to do with Tess (whose Teen Choice Awards somehow don’t quite compare to his BAFTA nominations). Hugh is a type-A, no-nonsense, Royal Academy prodigy, whereas Tess is big-hearted, a little reckless, and admittedly, kind of a mess. But the film needs chemistry—and Tess’s career depends on it.
Sparks fly, but not in the way Tess hoped, when an electrical accident sends the two feuding co-stars back in time to Jane Austen’s era. 200 years in the past with only each other to rely on, Tess and Hugh need to ad-lib their way through the Regency period in order to make it back home, and hopefully not screw up history along the way. But if a certain someone looks particularly dashing in those 19th century breeches…well, Tess won’t be complaining.
A wickedly funny, delightfully charming story, The Austen Affair is a tribute to Jane Austen, second chances, and love across the space-time continuum.
The cover of The Austen Affair is what first caught my eye… and then I read the synopsis, and had to laugh out loud. An Austen retelling with time travel?? Yes, please!
In this entertaining story, Tess Bright is in England for the filming of Northanger Abbey. Playing Catherine Morland is her dream role, and also a tribute to her late mother, whose love of Jane Austen was a constant for Tess throughout her childhood. Mired in grief, Tess has all but tanked her career, and this film may be her very last chance to prove to herself (and all the vicious naysayers) that she’s worth taking seriously.
Filming does not get off to a good start, thanks to tension (and not the good kind!) with her costar, Hugh Balfour. Hugh is an uptight, classically trained Method actor who thinks Tess is flighty and chaotic, and doesn’t believe she knows her Austen from her elbow. When a freak electrical accident flings them back in time 200 years, Hugh and Tess are forced to rely on one another as they attempt to fit in in their new setting, convince Hugh’s ancestors that they’re who they say they are, and figure out how to get back to their real lives.
Tess and Hugh seem ill-suited at first, but as they adapt to their new circumstances, their animosity peels away. Each is revealed to have more depth than the other originally perceived, and their forced proximity turns into friendship, understanding, and a sense of support and respect.
The time travel conundrums are quite fun, as is Tess’s delight at finding herself living out her Regency-era dreams, down to the bonnets and gloves and games of whist. While there’s a lot of silliness on the surface, we see how Tess’s grief is a constant for her, and how living in Austen’s world helps her find joy in remembering her mother.
I didn’t necessarily buy everything in this story, especially Tess’s insistence that the universe and/or her mother intentionally caused the time travel… but overall, the romance, the family complications, and the focus on Jane Austen really work well.
The Austen Affair is a sweet, engaging, funny book with a warm heart. Sure, the time travel mechanics are worthy of a few eye-rolls… but this is romantic fiction, not sci-fi. Suspend your disbelief, and just go along for the ride!
Save
Purchase links: Disclaimer: When you make a purchase through one of these affiliate links, I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you.
Bookshelf Fantasies 