Book Review: I Love You, Charlie Tanner

By Melissa Amster

It’s never too late to become your best self…

After twenty years in an isolated Cape Breton commune, Charlie Tanner loses the man she thought was her soulmate—and her voice. Fleeing to a quiet Vermont cottage, she’s determined to heal, tend her garden, and start over.

When a widowed rabbi awakens feelings she thought were gone forever, Charlie must confront the truth of her choices—and chart a more confident future. Still, reverberations and rumors from her old life ripple back to her in her new home and hard as she tries, she just can’t escape the sinister truth of her last two decades. She tries to shut it out and build a new life, but Charlie’s past continues to haunt her, even to the point of threatening her life.

Finally, Charlie sees that no one will save her but herself. She must summon the courage to face the truth and speak up—be the strong woman she once wanted to be, long before she fell for lies and charismatic personalities. It’s not only her life on the line, now. If she doesn’t stand tall, she risks being silenced by the past and losing those she loves forever. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I had been hearing some good buzz about I Love You, Charlie Tanner, and recently got the chance to check it out for myself. I'm so glad for that because it was so easy to fall in love with. 

The story was both comforting and unsettling at the same time. I just couldn't get enough of it! Lynne really explored the emotions that come with someone shutting out their family for a long period of time. There's just so much to unpack. We see flashbacks from Charlie's life on the commune, while she's currently trying to learn more about herself in her new life. 

I really just loved so much about this book. Lots of Jewish joy, great steamy scenes, genuine emotion and dialogue, descriptions that brought the story to life even more, and an interesting premise. The characters worked so well and had a variety of layers. 

I wish we had an update on something but I can't say what it is as to not spoil the story. I just felt like a certain aspect got left up in the air even after part of it was resolved. I also wish there had been a conversation between Charlie and her parents about how they treated her when she was a kid. None of these concerns were deterrents to the greatness of this novel, however.

I Love You, Charlie Tanner is currently available on Kindle Unlimited. Definitely check it out and bask in the warmth and generosity of this novel!

Movie casting suggestions:

Charlie: Milana Vayntrub

James: Ryan Hurst

Parker: Either Michiel Huisman or Max Greenfield

Charlie's mom: Stepfanie Kramer

Mary: Marguerite Moreau

Boden: Xavier Dolan

Indira: Matilda De Angelis

(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)

More by Lynne Golodner:

Woman of Valor

Cave of Secrets

Forest Walk on a Friday

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TW: Death of significant other/spouse, death of friend, parental neglect, being in a cult, being threatened, domestic abuse, PTSD.

Sara and Melissa Talk About...Our Favorite Songs

We've been running a column series to get more personal with our readers. We are now into our seventh year!

Since we've shared about our favorite movies, TV shows, and books, we thought it was only fair to talk about our favorite songs today! Maybe you'll want to add some of these to your playlist?

We're always open to topic suggestions, so please don't hesitate to share those in the comments. We'd also love to know if you can relate to anything we've said or hear your own thoughts on the topic. So don't be shy. 😊 We look forward to getting to know you as much as we're letting you get to know us. You can find our previous columns here, in case you missed them.

Melissa Amster:

I can't imagine life without music in it and love so many songs. It was hard to narrow it down, since I'm just sharing ten of them today and also split them between rock/pop music and show tunes. This is just a sampling of songs I love, but they definitely rank high on my favorites list!

Rock/pop:

"If You Leave" by O.M.D.: I don't like Pretty in Pink, but I've always loved this song. It's just so melodic and has a great tune and lyrics. It totally brings back the eighties for me.

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen: Ever since I heard this song in Wayne's World, I had to go out and get the soundtrack right away to hear it again and also had to memorize it, of course. I still love it 34 years later and will turn up the volume and sing along whenever I hear it.

Courtesy of YouTube

"My Favorite Mistake" by Sheryl Crow: I love the guitar riff and tune, and Sheryl's singing is so good in this one. 

"Right Back Where We Started From" by Maxine Nightingale: It was my theme song a while back. I love the instrumentals, which makes it sound fun and carefree. Like with "Bohemian Rhapsody," this song is also from the year I was born. 

"Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia: No matter how often I hear this one, I never get sick of it. It's just so nineties for me. I know it's a one hit wonder for Natalie, but I love the album this came from too.

Back in 2012, I was challenged to come up with a playlist at my personal blog. Three of the above songs were on it at the time.

Show tunes:

"What Baking Can Do" from Waitress: I can't get enough of this song. It's so enjoyable to listen to and sing along with. Of course, I love baking, so there's that!

"Suddenly Seymour" from Little Shop of Horrors: My favorite song from this musical. It's so sweet and genuine. Especially because Audrey's not feeling like she deserves Seymour and he's totally crushing on her and now is his chance to make a move. It was especially fun hearing my son sing it when he played Seymour this past summer. (I'm sharing the movie version in the link because Ellen Greene is the ultimate Audrey.)

Courtesy of SoundCloud

"It Takes Two" from Into the Woods: Even though I'm burnt out on Into the Woods for the time being, I still love this song. It just speaks so well to marriage and partnership.

"Take Me or Leave Me" from Rent: What, you think I wouldn't include a song from my all-time favorite musical? It's the best song to sing along with. I even used it for my answering machine in college. ("Take me baby, or leave me...a message, thanks.")

"If I Were a Bell" from Guys and Dolls: Such a fun and melodic number about realizing you like someone. I love the rhyme scheme from it too. The lyrics just work together so nicely. 

Sara Steven:

Trying to determine my favorite songs of all time has been an extremely difficult task. I love and appreciate so many songs, so trying to narrow it down was tough. I decided to make a list of twenty songs that have gotten me through the years; the ones that even now when I listen to them, it takes me right back to the place and time when the lyrics resonated with me the most. In no particular order: 

Sia: "Breathe Me" (This one still brings me to tears whenever I hear it. Anyone who is familiar with HBO’s Six Feet Under and saw the series finale will understand.) The link is to the closing of the finale.

Eddie Money: "Take Me Home Tonight" (The first song I ever loved when I was six years old. I’m not sure why.)

Note from Melissa: I used to always think he said "I don't want to let you go till you're civilized." 

Crosby Stills & Nash: "Southern Cross"

Fiona Apple: "Sleep to Dream"

Courtesy of IMDb

Radiohead: "Karma Police"

Yelle: "Que Veux Tu (Madeon Remix)" (My kids used to dance to this song a lot when they were little.)

Massive Attack: "Teardrop"

Duran Duran: "The Chauffeur"

Garbage: "Supervixen"

Fleetwood Mac: "The Chain" (Anything by Fleetwood Mac is usually a go.)

Prince: "Erotic City"

Alanis Morissette: "Perfect"

Billy Joel: "She’s Always a Woman" (My first boyfriend had said that this song reminded him of me when we were teenagers. It’s beautiful.)

Courtesy of Medium

Metric: "Gold Guns Girls"

Mazzy Star: "Fade Into You"

Nirvana: "About A Girl"

Van Morrison: "Into the Mystic"

Pearl Jam: "Black"

Taylor Swift: "The Fate of Ophelia" (I only like a few songs by Taylor, but this one really sticks with me after I hear it.)

Phil Collins: "We Said Hello, Goodbye" (Another song that makes me feel emotional when I hear it. It hits home even more the older I get.) 

What are your favorite songs?

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Spotlight and Giveaway: The Last Pirouette

We're excited to share Janette DeFelice's debut novel, The Last Pirouette. Both the premise and the cover look really interesting. Thanks to Wildbound PR, we have THREE copies to give away!

A haunting, emotionally charged novel about the burden of being a woman, the grip of childhood trauma, and a mother’s fight to reclaim her life before losing her daughter—and herself—forever.

When Delia lands a coveted spot with a prestigious New York ballet company, she steps into a world of beauty, betrayal, and brutal ambition—while her mother, Victoria, is left behind to confront the wreckage of her own unrealized dreams and long-buried trauma. A cryptic prophecy shadows their lives and as Delia’s path toward womanhood is marred by injury and manipulation, Victoria embarks on a tender, midlife metamorphosis—rekindling her own desire and learning, too late, that letting go is not the same as giving up.

Told with lyrical grace and unflinching honesty, this haunting, feminist portrait of art, sacrifice, and rebirth reminds us: life dances on, a tragic ballet. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“The Last Pirouette by Janette DeFelice is filled with striking imagery and emotional intelligence; it's a novel that understands how women carry the weight of other women's lives, and the liberating journey towards finding their own.”
—IndieReader

"DeFelice has a true gift for storytelling, and a gentle and graceful voice to carry us through the many twists and turns of a novel that reads like nonfiction. Heart-breaking. Crushing. Beautiful."
—Sondra R. Brooks, author of Not Good Enough Girl

Courtesy of Janette's Facebook page

Janette DeFelice is a health sciences professor, author, essayist, former professional dancer, and physician who chose motherhood over medicine. Her work explores performance, motherhood, ambition, trauma, and the female experience. She lives outside Chicago with her husband, twin teenagers, and an orange cat.  Visit Janette at her website and on Facebook.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends August 25th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Mountains We Call Home

By Melissa Amster

When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, The Mountains We Call Home explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.

Gritty, heartbreaking, yet infused with hope, The Mountains We Call Home is an authentic American tale and a powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the written word. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I was excited to read The Mountains We Call Home because I enjoyed the first two novels in the Book Woman series. 

I loved this novel and was recommending it while only halfway through! It was great to reunite with Cussy and learn more about what happened while we were getting Honey's story in the second novel. The Mountains speaks to the transformative power of books and how important it is to be kind and not judge others by their appearance or background. I love how Cussy connects with people through her love of books. It was really beautiful and heartfelt. Especially since so many people had been mistrusting of her because her skin is blue.

I don't want to say too much as to not spoil what happens because I want you to be as surprised as I was. I felt like the ending was rushed a bit with a huge time jump, but it's mainly because I wanted the story to go on even longer. I also felt like there were some things left unanswered based on a decision made later in the novel. Neither of these concerns took away from how much I loved this novel!

Be sure to read the first two novels and then dig into this one! While it reads well as a standalone, it's so worthwhile to check out the first two novels so you can really get a feel for the characters and what led up to the events of this novel. I hope you will enjoy this series as much as I did. And if you only have time to read one of the novels, definitely make it this one as there's still a lot of context to make it easily understandable.

Reviews of the first two novels:

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek: Goodreads and Storygraph

The Book Woman's Daughter: Goodreads and Storygraph

Movie casting ideas: 

Cussy: Brie Larson

Jackson: Tim Rozon 

Honey: Oona Laurence 

Mrs. Claxton: Lynn Whitfield

Warden: Frances McDormand

(Trigger warnings below. May contain spoilers.)

Thanks to Sourcebooks for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Kim Michele Richardson:

The Sisters of Glass Ferry

Liar's Bench

Godpretty in the Tobacco Field
 

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TW: Incarceration, bullying, racism, mistreatment of prisoners, sterilization/eugenics, lobotomies, medical emergency, death penalty, domestic violence

Spotlight and Giveaway: The Best I Never Had

We're excited to celebrate the publication of Amy Buchanan's latest rom-com, The Best I Never Had. If you like the fake-dating and/or forced proximity tropes, this one is definitely for you! Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies up for grabs!

They staged a romance, faked a breakup, and this time around, anything can happen—even something real.

Thea Pappas has always been the storm in her own life—fiery and unpredictable—traits that led her and her younger sister, Addy, through a series of foster homes. But with Addy's whirlwind engagement, Thea is determined to be the perfect maid of honor, even if she finds it odd that she hadn't heard of the fiancé until the ring was on Addy's finger. She believes she can survive a week in the Blue Ridge Mountains with a group of strangers without causing any trouble.

But upon arrival, Thea realizes these aren't strangers. Among the familiar faces is Owen Hayes—the man who, three years ago, paid her to pretend to be his girlfriend at a family wedding. Now, he's looking at her with the same panicked expression.

Owen's life has always been about control—managing his mother's matchmaking schemes, his family's expectations, and the career path he never truly chose. Thea was his one rebellion, a beautiful lie that ended with a "heart-destroying" fake breakup. Now, with his younger brother's wedding underway and his mother on the prowl, Owen begs Thea to reprise their roles. One week. Same fake breakup. No feelings.

But as old sparks reignite and the lines between pretense and reality blur, Thea and Owen will have to choose: carry on their greatest performance yet or admit the truth—that it was never fake at all.

"THE BEST I NEVER HAD is a fun twist on two of my favorite tropes, fake dating and second chance romance. With a hilarious cast of secondary characters, a dreamy forced proximity setting, and some serious steam, this is a must read for any rom com fan." 
—Falon Ballard, USA Today Bestselling author of Change of Heart

"Deliciously hot, poignant, and brimming with tenderness, Amy Buchanan is at her best in this smart, sexy romp that paints a deeply romantic portrait of love, identity, and the family we choose for ourselves."
—Heather McBreen, author of Wedding Dashers

"The Best I Never Had is brimming with irresistible charm, sharp humor, and poignant moments that will tug at your heartstrings. It has the perfect ingredients for a five-star romance: a seemingly prickly female main character who's a softie at heart; a cinnamon roll leading man who's sexy as hell; lovable side characters that will keep you in stitches; and yearning for days. For. Days. This was a joy to read!" 

—Mia Sosa, USA Today Bestselling Author of When Javi Dumped Mari

Credit: Erinn Brown
Photography

Amy Buchanan’s affair with romance and books started at three, when she watched Beauty and the Beast and couldn’t decide if she was more obsessed with the prince or the library (The library. Definitely the library). After decades of devouring love stories written by others, she decided to share the ones pinging around in her brain. She writes fun and spicy contemporary romances with relatable heroines, swoonworthy heroes, and loving found families.

She lives in Central Florida with her three littles, two pups, and one husband. On top of writing, she uses her Masters in Higher Education Administration to run a scholarship foundation for first-generation college students. When not working, she trolls travel sites for luxury rentals outside of her travel budget and–poorly–trains for half-marathons.

Visit Amy online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram * TikTok

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends August 23rd at midnight EST.

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Book Review: You Know Why

By Jami Denison

Travel features frequently in domestic suspense novels. Husbands are always disappearing from flights, not on flights they were supposed to take, or dying in plane crashes, then showing up years later. Ladies, keep a close eye on your men when you’re traveling together!

In J.T. Ellison’s latest thriller, You Know Why, photographer Brooklyn Locke doesn’t lose her husband Trey until he misses their connecting flight in Atlanta, leaving her stranded with their two kids and no money. (The Atlanta airport is a nightmare. It’s easy to see how this could innocently happen.) On the flight is Eden Barrow, who claims that she and Trey went to high school together in Georgia. But that doesn’t make sense. Trey is from Connecticut, and why is she calling him Andrew? Does Eden have something to do with Trey’s disappearance?

When Eden tells Brooklyn that Trey was married to her sister Chloe and then murdered her, Brooklyn doesn’t believe it. But airport footage shows Trey leaving in an Uber, and now Brooklyn’s credit cards have been canceled and her bank accounts drained. Eden is the only person she knows in Atlanta, and the only person she can trust. But can she?  

You Know Why begins like typical domestic suspense, establishing Chloe’s murder and going between Brooklyn and Eden’s first-person points of view. I dug in expecting a book similar to Laura Dave’s The Last Thing He Told Me. Instead, it’s closer to a police procedural—police officer Theresa Lee has her own (third person) point-of-view that dominates the investigative part of the narrative—and Trey’s POV pops up early on, revealing that he did not kill Chloe. For much of the book, Brooklyn is unable to investigate what’s going on, and the other points-of-view center around scary Russian hit men, cyber crime, drugs, embezzlement, and other elements not generally found in domestic suspense. Brooklyn’s own past comes into play, and she might not be as innocent as she initially seemed. 

As a huge fan of domestic suspense, I was disappointed that You Know Why didn’t deliver the payoffs I wanted from the genre—an everyday woman protagonist who investigates the mystery and twists that come from relationships. But if you’re a reader who wants more thrills, chases, exotic bad guys, gun shots, and three letter agencies, you should find You Know Why appealing. 

No matter what kind of fan you are, You Know Why delivers a powerful message: Never board your plane without your entire party. 

Thanks to Over the River PR for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by J.T. Ellison:
Last Seen
A Very Bad Thing
Tear Me Apart

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Book Review: You'll Be the Death of Me

By Melissa Amster

Verdella “Dell” Rodgers is at the top of her game. As the chef de cuisine at San Francisco’s hottest new restaurant and on the cusp of marrying the mayor’s son in the social event of the season, her life is perfect. That is until the week before her wedding when she wakes up and finds herself very much dead.

Enter Cole, a charming but bumbling entry-level clerk in the Afterlife Administration who accidentally confuses Dell for a 95-year-old woman in Kansas with the same name, claiming the wrong soul. When Cole tries to fix his mistake, their worlds collide in life- and death-changing ways.

Now walking the city as a ghost only visible to Cole, Dell is frantic to get back to her perfect life but soon learns that it wasn’t what it appeared to be, particularly when it came to the man she was about to marry and his high-profile family.

Meanwhile, Cole has no memory of who he was before working for the Afterlife Administration. As they try to uncover Cole’s past and remedy Dell’s future, they realize the mistake that brought them together might just be a twist of fate. With time running out to bring Dell back to the land of the living, she’ll have to decide if the life she left behind is truly what she wants, or if Cole’s untimely appearance could lead to an unexpected change that she didn’t know she needed. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I had such a great time reading You'll Be the Death of Me! I feel like I breezed through it because it was so captivating and also because I wanted to find out where Dell went wrong in her life.

You'll Be the Death of Me has a lot of elements that made me think of Ghosts, including possession, ghost outfits, hauntings, ghost rules, and even romance. It's entertaining and a nice "snack" while waiting for the next season of the series (or at least the Halloween episode). It also involves cooking/restaurant ownership and there's even a living character named Jay (although that's a nickname).

The novel is mainly about a successful woman in her thirties who shares a name with a much older woman and gets mistakenly deceased by someone who works in the Afterlife Administration. He has to help her figure out where she went wrong in life in order to fix the mistake. 

I just really enjoyed everything about this story. I was worried that they got to the climax too quick, but then there was more happening, so it made sense to get that part out of the way. Holly handles the topic of death in a sensitive and thoughtful way whenever it is approached, while keeping the charm of the story alive. There's a lot of humor that balances the melancholy parts out nicely. You definitely need a suspension of disbelief though! Surreal gets taken to a whole new level.

I also love how San Francisco plays into this novel. I've never been there, but Holly painted such a great picture with her descriptions that I felt like I was visiting every time I opened it.

You'll Be the Death of Me is a charming novel that I think rom-com lovers will enjoy thoroughly! 

Movie casting suggestions:

Dell: Sofia Carson

Cole: Marc Herrmann

Jay: Brandon Flynn

Robbie: Emjay Anthony

Tommy: Pierson Fode

Thanks to Avon for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Also by Holly Michelle: Last Night Was Fun

Holly Michelle also writes rom-coms as Holly James, including The Big Fix and Name Your Price.

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