I don’t know what’s with the abundance of cozy witchy romances lately, but I am all here for it! Even with the witchy vibes, this is more of a beach read as it’s set over the summer in a small town on the Jersey Shore. It’s also a childhood friends, slow burn, second chance romance, so it was right up my alley, especially with that adorable cover. “Nana had a saying when it came to matters of adult life and love: Fish or cut bait. You either made a move or you left a person alone.” Lucy, a witch, andRead the Post
Review: The Godparent Trap – Rachel Van Dyken
This book has a plethora of tropes that I adore: opposites attract / grumpy-sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, and best friend’s sibling. It should’ve ticked all my boxes, but unfortunately the romance didn’t work for me. Rip and Colby have known each other since they were kids, as Colby is best friends with Rip’s sister Monica. After a disastrous date, they put up with each other because of their love for Monica, her husband Brooks and the kids. But when the unthinkable happens, how can happy-go-lucky Colby and rigidly organized Rip hope to raise two grieving kids together? There are three main plotRead the Post
Review: A Lady for a Duke – Alexis Hall
This is an emotionally lovely historical romance featuring a trans woman and her childhood best friend and so much pining! Two years after the war, things are not going well for either Viola or Gracewood. Viola used it as an opportunity to change her future, but while she’s happy as a lady’s companion to her sister-in-law Lady Marleigh, she’s still wary of moving about in greater society. Gracewood has taken the death of his best friend particularly hard, and once word reaches Lady Marleigh of his state, she decides the only thing to be done is to visit in personRead the Post
Review: Blame It on the Brontes – Annie Sereno
I usually love second chance romances and the blurb sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me. “Find Garland, write the book,” she repeated like a mantra with every strike of a foot against pavement. “Save your job.” Athena’s an assistant English professor given an impossible assignment: find out the identity of C.L. Garland, the author turning classics into erotica (“David Copafeel”), and write a book about it by the end of the year, or her job is gone. Luckily, she has a lead: the author supposedly hails from her small hometown of Laurel.Read the Post
Review: In a New York Minute – Kate Spencer
The author’s letter at the start of the book states that she set out to write a book influenced by all those zany 90s rom-coms set in New York City. And she meets that goal spectacularly! Hilarious meet-disaster? Check. Complete opposites? Check. Touristy things around NYC? Check! This book is ridiculously charming and adorable and very much worthy of the rom-com label. Franny was already having a bad day when her dress gets stuck in a subway door, ripping it and exposing her entire backside to, well, everyone. Lucky for her, a handsome stranger steps in and gives her hisRead the Post
Review: Love & Other Disasters – Anita Kelly
That cover is incredibly gorgeous, and it actually accurately represents the main characters! Dahlia’s hair! London’s freckles! And like the cover, this book is just plain adorable. The authenticity of their feelings was such a breath of fresh air and I loved every bit. Dahlia is still reeling from her divorce, but cooking is the one thing that makes her feel in control of her life, the one thing she’s good at. She quit her job to go on Chef’s Special, an amateur cooking reality TV show, and without the prize money, she’s not sure what she’ll do afterward. Well,Read the Post
Review: The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane – Jeannie Chin
Every once in a while I get an itch for a small town romance, but the lack of diversity and the suspension of disbelief (sure, every small town can support a cupcake bakery and a bookstore and a yarn shop and a cute coffee shop and…) can get a bit grating. But this book? It scratches that small town itch while addressing those issues, plus has a pretty fun enemies-to-lovers angle. After a tragic incident that left him wounded, Clay has arrived in the small town of Blue Cedar Falls, North Carolina with one mission in mind: opening the barRead the Post
Review: No Ordinary Christmas – Belle Calhoune
It’s no secret that I love second chance romances and holiday romances, so one that combined the two? Should’ve been a homerun. Unfortunately, while there was quite a bit of both that worked, the book overall didn’t hit well for me. Dante and Lucy grew up together in the little town of Mistletoe, Maine. They’d been childhood friends and then in a relationship, until he unexpectedly took off for California, throwing away all their careful plans for the future. In the almost nine years since, he’s become a famous actor in multiple action movies, and now he’s back in Mistletoe toRead the Post
Review: How Sweet It Is – Dylan Newton
Content notes: This book is adorable and hilarious, full of over-the-top rom-com hijinx and basically cute as heck. It’s set during the fall in a small town in western NY and has a delightfully cozy (and a little bit spooky) vibe. Definitely perfect to go with a pumpkin spice candle and some warm apple cider! “Throwing parties is like blowing a soap bubble—fun, but quickly over and forgotten. But event planning is like crafting a sphere out of iridescent glass and gifting it to someone forever. Events are momentous.” Kate Sweet may be known as the Queen of Happily EverRead the Post
Review: Accidentally Engaged – Farah Heron
Content warnings: Ok, this book is absolutely adorable. Delicious food, family shenanigans, drunk cooking show audition videos, fake engagement, sourdough-relate antic – it’s got it all. One of my favorite things about the fake-relationship trope is when authors use it to explore how and why the characters keep secrets, and it was done masterfully. When I started this book, I hadn’t realized that Reena’s best friend is the main character from The Chai Factor, which I haven’t read, but this worked fine for me as a standalone. Reena hates her career in finance but at least it’s better than working forRead the Post