You won't want to miss Alyson Richman's latest novel...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Jeanine Boubli 

We are pleased to welcome Alyson Richman back to CLC today, as her latest novel, The Missing Pages, is now available. The Titanic, a library, and a ghost make a great combination for a novel and we look forward to checking it out. And isn't the cover fabulous?!? Thanks to Get Red PR, we have THREE copies to give away!

Alyson Richman is the USA Today bestselling and #1 international bestselling author of several historical novels including The Velvet Hours, The Garden of Letters, and The Lost Wife, which is currently in development for a major motion picture.  Alyson graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in art history and Japanese studies.  She herself is an accomplished painter and her novels combine her deep love of art, historical research, and travel.  Alyson's novels have been published in twenty-five languages and have reached the bestseller lists both in the United States and abroad. She lives on Long Island with her husband and two children, where she is currently at work on her next novel. (Bio courtesy of Alyson's website.)

Visit Alyson online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:
1912:  Harry Widener, a promising and passionate book collector, boards the Titanic holding tight to a priceless volume he’s just purchased in London. After catastrophe strikes the ship, Harry’s last known words are that he must return to his cabin to retrieve his latest treasure. Neither the young man nor the book are ever seen again. Honoring her son’s memory, Harry’s mother builds the Harry Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to house his extensive book collection and ensure his legacy.

Decades later, Violet Hutchins, a Harvard sophomore recovering from her own great loss, is working as a page at the Widener Library. When mysterious things begin happening at the library, Violet wonders if Harry Widener’s ghost is trying to communicate with her, seeking Violet to uncover a long-buried secret that the ardent young Harry took with him to the grave. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

“Lyrical, unexpected, and soul-stirring—I can't remember the last time I was so charmed by a novel.”
―Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller

“Just when you thought you knew everything about the Titanic, along comes Alyson Richman’s The Missing Pages, an exquisite story that is both the tender chronicle of a secret love and a love letter to everyone who adores books. . . . An ingeniously wrought masterpiece.”
―Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us

“The Missing Pages is a ghost story, a love story, and a library story that every bibliophile will cherish.”
―Lynda Loigman, bestselling author of The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?  
When I was on my book tour for The Lost Wife, a reader shared with me that before reading my novel World War II was always distant to her. As though she were looking at an old black and white film reel.  But I made her feel like she was seeing it in Technicolor.

What is one thing you would tell the debut novelist version of yourself?
I would tell myself that having a creative life is not always linear, that there will be lots of setbacks, but to have confidence that when you look back at it all, everything will come from one radiating center. Your desire to create and to leave something beautiful behind when you’re no longer here.

If The Missing Pages was made into a movie, what songs would be on the soundtrack?
“The Ghost in You” by Psychedelic Furs
“Marjorie “ by Taylor Swift
“On the Nature of Daylight” by Max Richter

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?  
 The Artist and the Feast by Lucy Steeds. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
Helen Mirren

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
The beach that’s walking distance from my house. I love discovering beach glass and beautiful shells. I keep them in a bowl on my desk.

My local bakery, Fiorello Dolce. It has the best pastries and my favorite place to reward myself after a long day of writing.

The Next Chapter, a charming local independent bookstore that feels like you’re stepping back in time with its backroom filled with antiques and cozy sofas where you can grab a book and read.

Thanks to Alyson for chatting with us and to Get Red PR for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Gleam to enter the giveaway. (Rafflecopter is shutting down at the end of September, so we are switching over to Gleam.) If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Gleam on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

The Missing Pages (3 print copies)

Giveaway ends October 21st at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Dealing with a Desperate Demon

By Sara Steven

Nancy has just about given up on finding her special person when Jack Jackson—big, scary and the town loser—walks into her bookstore. He’s apparently even more desperate for help in the romance department than she is. And after a bit of gentle persuasion, he finally accepts her guidance in securing his dream girl. Practice dates, lessons in tenderness—you name it, she can teach it.

There’s just one his dream girl might have more than an issue with his dating skills. Because Jack isn’t just a little clueless; he’s actually the demonic son of Satan, from the deepest depths of hell. He’s spent his entire long underlife dragging evildoers to their fates, while really trying not to live up to his Dad’s expectations.

Now, it isn’t just about getting a date with his dream girl. He needs to become a better man to win over the woman he’s been cosmically bound to, in a Beauty and the Beast style pact. If he fails, everyone he cares for will face a terrible fate. Luckily for him, Nancy may well be the witch she’s always tried to pretend she wasn’t. She can save him, he knows it—and she’s starting to know it too. Even if every day spent with him is an agonising reminder that she isn’t the girl he’s fated for.

But as the deadline approaches she’s starting to wonder... Could it be that she’s finally found her Prince? Or is she about to lose her heart to hell? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

Jack has always been the grumpy, grouchy neighbor–someone Nancy has feared, given the neighborhood lore about him. Despite the rumors, there’s something about him that Nancy can’t help but be drawn to, and it’s not just his looks or his “aww shucks” charm. The dynamic between the two characters reminded me of Beauty and the Beast, with Nancy and her sweet, patient Beauty disposition, and Jack with his gruffly Beastly veneer. The reader quickly learns that Jack has built an emotional wall up around himself due to societal perceptions, and Nancy doesn’t subscribe to that way of thinking. Once she’s really gotten to know Jack, all bets are off.

Nancy is under the impression that Jack is working on becoming a better man for the woman of his dreams, prompting her to lend her skill and knowledge on the subject, even though she’s never really experienced that herself. Over time, she sees just how different Jack is; how he doesn’t know social cues or current events. That it seems tough for him to endure any sort of affection, physical or otherwise. A large reason that Nancy can see through the man Jack pretends to be has a lot to do with her past and who she really is, with background information provided throughout the book regarding Nancy’s special talents. It isn’t a huge stretch that two characters who come from a mythological background could become bound to one another, so when Nancy witnesses Jack’s true self, where most of us would run away screaming with fear, she finds beauty from within her beast.

Having read Charlotte Stein’s When Grumpy Met Sunshine (reviewed here), I’d been fully aware of just how steamy her books can get, but dang! It was projected up a notch or two for Nancy and Jack; as steamy and hot as the place Jack was born from. Nancy doesn’t pull any punches while she teaches him how to woo the ladies, just as pleasantly surprised as Jack is when he discovers how fun it can be to not only give, but to receive, as well. 

I appreciated how both characters are so vastly different but they find common ground in so many ways. Both are afraid to be themselves. Both have spent a lifetime (or for Jack, eons) not feeling worthy enough, whether that comes from outside influences or how they feel inwardly. Both have a lot to lose, and that only strengthens their bond. I liked Jack’s cute, dorky personality, and Charlotte seemed so sweet and nice, with a sultry undertone to her that unleashes with Jack’s persuasion. Dealing with a Desperate Demon was a fun, intriguing reading experience!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Charlotte Stein:

How to Help a Hungry Werewolf (first book in The Sanctuary for Supernatural Creatures series--standalone)

My Big Fat Fake Marriage

While You Were Seething

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Spotlight: Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon

Introduction by Melissa Amster

Today we are celebrating the publication of Matthew Norman's latest rom-com, Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon! This sounds like a great story and I look forward to adding it to my queue soon. I enjoy holiday movies and am pleased to share my marathon list with you. I'd love to see yours, so please share it in the comments.

1. While You Were Sleeping

2. Home Alone

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

4. Love, Actually

5. The Holiday

6. Any good sounding movies that are new to Hallmark channel or Netflix, especially if they are about Hanukkah.

Be sure to add this novel to your winter holiday reading TBR!

The new year has barely begun when Grace White and Henry Adler both lose their spouses. Now, nearly a year later, the first holiday season since their "Great and Terrible Sadnesses" approaches. Although their book-club mothers scheme to matchmake the two, it’s clear neither is ready to date again. Yet no one understands what the two surviving spouses 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 together, 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 begins to ease as they start to see a life beyond the sadness. But as they draw closer, other romantic possibilities leave them both uncertain about their future together. Is their bond merely the result of loneliness and shared circumstances, or have they found something more long-lasting that’s worth taking a shot at . . . again?

“Hands down, one of the best rom-coms I’ve ever read. No one can make me laugh (and cry) quite like Matthew Norman, and I know I'll be re-reading this warm hug of a book every holiday season for years to come.”

—Colleen Oakley, author of Jane and Dan at the End of the World

“Between the snappy dialogue, lovable characters, and pitch-perfect emotion, Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon is a delightful gem of absolute perfection. Literally only Scrooge couldn’t fall in love with this book.”

—Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind

“There’s an intimacy of thought in Matthew Norman’s books that creates the sense of feeling, as the reader, that you are understood and welcome, that you would also be cared for in the world of his characters. I didn’t just love Grace and Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon. I lived in it, and actively missed it as soon as I turned the last page.”

—Allison Larkin, author of The People We Keep

Courtesy of Matthew's website

Matthew Norman lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his wife and two children and holds an MFA from George Mason University. His previous novels include Charm City Rocks, All Together Now, Last Couple Standing, We're All Damaged, and Domestic Violets.

Visit Matthew online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram * BlueSky

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Book Review: Match Me if You Can

By Melissa Amster

For five years Ashira Wernick has thrown herself into the company her mother built, continuing her work as a matchmaker in the Orthodox Jewish community. But when a small (read: huge) faux pas lands her in hot water with one of the most powerful families in Brooklyn, Ashira's future starts to look a little shaky.

Now, her only hope of saving her mother's legacy is to make the match of the century and she has just the person in mind: New York City's most eligible (and eternally single) bachelor, Caleb Kahn. Her older brother's best friend, and the man she is determined to keep her distance from.

As each match goes from bad to worse, with Caleb seemingly intent on sabotaging every date she sets up, Ashira will need to take a more hands-on approach if she is going to repair her damaged reputation. She just never figured that her heart would be on the line too... (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

After enjoying Unorthodox Love a couple years ago (reviewed here), I was excited to read Match Me if You Can. Heidi Shertok is now two for two with charming Jewish rom-coms and I already can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Match Me had a nice mix of humor with heartbreak and the chemistry was off the charts! Ashira was put through the wringer between her past pain and grief and having someone deliberately trying to ruin her business, yet she tried to maintain a positive and hopeful outlook. 

Caleb was definitely swoonworthy. Their banter was great and had me grinning often and laughing out loud. I also loved her elderly neighbor Bernice. She was really funny! Ashira and Caleb also had a lot of laugh-out-loud moments. There was a lot of Jewish joy throughout the novel, which I appreciated. I always enjoy seeing a Shabbat meal or a holiday ritual in a novel.

What I really liked was that Heidi featured some LGBTQ+ characters, such as Ashira's brother (whom I just realized was also in Unorthodox Love) and one of her close friends. The inclusion was really nice to see in a Modern Orthodox story. 

I had one concern that I addressed with Heidi early on, which is the breaking of shomer negiah (when men and women aren't supposed to touch until they get married). What I learned from her was that plenty of Orthodox Jews have broken shomer negiah before getting married. Obviously it's not something that is publicized. I grew up Reform and lived with my husband for two years prior to getting married, so it clearly doesn't bother me now that I'm more observant. However, I did want to give other observant readers a heads up. I appreciate that Heidi tried to show Orthodox Judaism in a different light because there are people who judge unfairly, even in other sects of Judaism. (Like with the "hole through the sheet" assumption.)

Overall, another really enjoyable story to add to your TBR when it releases later this month. You don't have to be Orthodox to read it and you may even learn something new.

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Ashira: Yael Grobglas
Caleb: Daveed Diggs
Bernice: Rhea Perlman

Zevi: Max Rhyser (returning from the previous book)

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

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TW: Death of mother, parental abandonment, loss of finances

Book Review: Cinematic Destinies

By Sara Steven

Legendary actor Finn Forrester and his wife philosopher Ella Sinclair Forrester met on the location shoot for Jean Mercier’s film Celebration. The world has been captivated by their fairy-tale romance since Finn famously proposed on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. As the couple now prepares to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary, they wonder if their children will ever find love.

Eldest daughter Betty is excelling in a medical residency program in New York City—and has convinced herself that distancing herself from emotions is the path to success. Youngest son Albert, a recent college graduate, is trying to find his footing in Boston as he struggles with his identity. Free-spirited Georgia, her mother’s spitting image and an actress following in her father’s footsteps, has been cast in Jean Mercier’s final film, mysteriously titled Beauty. When she arrives on set in Iceland and meets her costar, sparks fly. Is history repeating itself? How has growing up in the shadow of the world’s most iconic love story affected each of the Forrester children? (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I found it interesting that the love affair between Finn and Ella had polarizing effects on their three children. It could be assumed that given they’d seen how much in love their parents had been when they were children and even now as adults, they’d embrace love. But Betty doesn’t want to fall for fairy tales. She wants to be a realist at all cost, even if it means letting a potential relationship slip through her fingers. Albert is afraid of letting his father know who he really is, which only forces his relationship into the shadows, a tough place to be in for Albert’s partner. And Georgia doesn’t want to be captured. She wants to remain free. I liked that none of the children fall into their parents’ footsteps, because it added a nice contrast to the sweetness provided by the elder Forresters. 

Told in four perspectives–The Forresters, Betty, Albert, and Georgia–it was a great way to allow the reader into deep, internal thoughts for each character. Out of all of them, I felt I identified with Georgia the most. When I was a young adult, I also didn’t want to be “tied down” or have my freedom infringed upon. It was a nice parallel of what she experiences with one of her costars, Roo, and the same experience her parents had decades ago when they also met during filming. I think that really added depth to why Georgia feels the way she does. Despite her parents and their happiness, do they regret dropping their own individual independence to become a couple? 

Out of everyone’s perspectives, I liked Albert’s and Betty’s viewpoints the most. It seemed Georgia’s experiences were the most highlighted, with several chapters devoted to her, but I felt it was a bit of a disservice, because I was more invested in what Albert and Betty are going through. Betty has to open up more to feel, and Albert has to trust more in who he is. Feeling those struggles really tied me to their situations and I wanted to see resolution and growth. I felt like that was shown and warranted as the chapters progressed. Maybe there is something to the great love affair Finn and Ella have, and maybe everyone else learns to find what that sort of relationship means to them. It doesn’t have to look the same. 

Jean was a bonus character, and much appreciated. I liked the scenes with him in it, because he tosses in acerbic lines and grouchy sensations that helped to break up the saccharine sweetness of newfound love between Georgia and Roo. He’s like the anchor keeping them grounded, preventing anyone from floating into chaotic bliss. Cinematic Destinies was a great romantic experience!

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

More by Patricia Leavy:
Hollyland
Shooting Stars Above
The Location Shoot

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Overdue

Stephanie Perkins' adult romance debut, Overdue, is now available and we're excited to feature it here today! It sounds really intriguing and the cover is so comforting to look at. Thanks to Saturday Books, we have FIVE copies to give away!

Is it time to renew love or start a new chapter?

Ingrid Dahl, a cheerful twenty-nine-year-old librarian in the cozy mountain town of Ridgetop, North Carolina, has been happily dating her college boyfriend, Cory, for eleven years without ever discussing marriage. But when Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement to a woman she’s only been dating for two years, Ingrid and Cory feel pressured to consider their future. Neither has ever been with anybody else, so they make an unconventional decision. They'll take a one-month break to date other people, then they'll reunite and move toward marriage. Ingrid even has someone in mind: her charmingly grumpy coworker, Macon Nowakowski, on whom she’s secretly crushed for years. But plans go awry, and when the month ends, Ingrid and Cory realize they’re not ready to resume their relationship—and Ingrid’s harmless crush on Macon has turned into something much more complicated.

Overdue is a beautiful, slow-burn romance full of lust and longing about new beginnings and finding your way.

"Overdue is a beautifully human love story―my favorite Stephanie Perkins book yet." 
― Rainbow Rowell, No. 1 NYT bestselling author of Slow Dance

"Joyful and exuberant, Overdue is achingly romantic! It will melt your heart and keep you turning pages long into the night." 

― Lauren Blakely, #1 New York Times bestselling author of My Favorite Holidate

Stephanie Perkins is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author and anthology editor of multiple books, including Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door, Isla and the Happily Ever After, and My True Love Gave to Me, as well as There’s Someone Inside Your House, which was adapted into a major motion picture for Netflix. She has always worked with books—first as a bookseller, then as a librarian, and now as a novelist. She lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband. Every room of their house is painted a different color of the rainbow. Visit Stephanie at her website and on Instagram.

How to win: Use Gleam to enter the giveaway. (Rafflecopter is shutting down at the end of September, so we are switching over to Gleam.) If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Gleam on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Overdue (5 print copies)

Giveaway ends October 15th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Girls of Good Fortune

By Melissa Amster

She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don't know the whole story. 

Oregon, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of Portland's notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she's a "shanghaied" victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival—being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment—she fears that far more than her own fate hangs in the balance.

As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a goldminers' massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets could prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.

A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

It had been a while since Kristina McMorris had a new book out, so I was excited to learn about The Girls of Good Fortune and added it to my TBR as soon as I could. 

The Girls of Good Fortune is an adventurous novel, filled with danger and intrigue. I was so worried for Celia and just wanted her to catch a break. Everything that could possibly go wrong for her, actually did. I got so angry at people on Celia's behalf and was also stressed out for her with everything she had been through. Celia's narrative was great and kept me riveted throughout the story! I apologize for the brevity of this review, but I just really enjoyed this book and I also don't want to spoil anything. I was constantly surprised by all the twists and turns in Celia's journey.

If you're looking for a captivating read, definitely pick this one up!

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Celia: Christine Mascolo
Lettie: Hannah Rose May
Owen: Ray Nicholson
Stephen: Taylor John Smith
Marie: Liza Lapira

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

More by Kristina McMorris:

Sold on a Monday

The Ways We Hide

The Pieces We Keep

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TW: Difficult birth. Imprisonment/abduction. Violence (including murder of people who are Chinese).

Book Review: The Secret History of Audrey James

By Melissa Amster

Northern England, 2010. After a tragic accident upends her life, Kate Mercer leaves London to work at an old guest house near the Scottish border, where she hopes to find a fresh start and heal from her loss. When she arrives, she begins to unravel the truth about her past, but discovers that the mysterious elderly proprietor is harboring secrets of her own.

Berlin, 1938. Audrey James is weeks away from graduating from a prestigious music school in Berlin, where she’s been living with her best friend, Ilse Kaplan. As war looms, Ilse’s family disappears and high-ranking Nazi officers confiscate the house. In desperation, Audrey becomes their housekeeper while Ilse is forced into hiding in the attic. When a shocking turn of events embroils Audrey in the anti-Hitler movement, she must decide what matters most: protecting those she loves, or sacrificing everything for the greater good.

Inspired by true stories of courageous women and the German resistance during World War II, The Secret History of Audrey James is a captivating novel about the unbreakable bonds of friendship, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the healing that comes from human connection. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Since I loved Looking for Jane last year (reviewed here), I was looking forward to reading Heather Marshall's sophomore novel, The Secret History of Audrey James. This Holocaust story was chilling as it felt like a mirror to everything happening in the present. I am surprised this novel hasn't been talked about more often and I wish it had been published at this time last year and put in the hands of every American voter. It could have read as a cautionary tale.

I liked both Audrey (young and old) and Kate and cared about what happened to both of them. Audrey's story was surprising in some ways, as I hadn't read much about women who joined the resistance and tried to get rid of Hitler altogether. It was definitely a risky endeavor. Especially since she was also hiding her Jewish best friend from Nazis. And there was more that happened that I won't talk about as to keep some parts a surprise. Kate's present situation was heartbreaking and I only wanted her to heal from it. 

The story is really well told and I was riveted the entire time. Definitely make time for it in your busy reading schedule! Perfect for a book club discussion (just like her previous, also extremely relevant novel is). Heather has become one of my go-to historical fiction writers and I look forward to whatever she releases next!

Since this is about a horrible time in history, I think that's enough of a trigger warning, but there are things that happen in the present that I will mention below.

Movie casting suggestions:

Audrey (present): Vanessa Redgrave

Audrey (past): Florence Pugh
Ilse: Yasmin Paige
Muller: Joe Alwyn
Kate: Charlotte Ritchie
Ian: Julian Morris

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

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TW: Miscarriage, death of parents, cancer, divorce

Book Review: We Loved to Run

By Sara Steven

At Frost, a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, the runners on the women's cross country team have their sights set on the 1992 New England Division Three Championships and will push themselves through every punishing workout and skipped meal to achieve their goal. But Kristin, the team's star, is hiding a secret about what happened over the summer, and her unpredictable behavior jeopardizes the girls' chance to win. Team Captain Danielle is convinced she can restore Kristin's confidence, even if it means burying her own past. As the final meet approaches, Kristin, Danielle, and the rest of the girls must transcend their individual circumstances and run the race as a team.

Told from the perspective of the six fastest team members, We Loved to Run deftly illuminates the impossible standards young women set for themselves in spite of their own powerlessness. With startling honesty and boundless empathy, Stephanie Reents reveals how girls—even those pitted against each other—find ways to love and defend one another. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

WOW. I’d originally wanted to read We Loved to Run because I’m a runner. In the end, though, this book was about much, much more. The setting takes place in the early 90s, where the reader quickly discovers how contentious it can be competing in a field that was still finding its footing for young women competitors. There is so much more to factor in than just how fast they are. It was interesting to go behind the scenes and see how far they’d go to win, even if it means hurting themselves in the process to get there. 

The six women are individuals, but at the same time, they are a collective group. In the beginning, that collectiveness is highlighted a lot in the way team decisions are made, and how each one has their own role to play within the group dynamic. But as the chapters unfold, each woman begins to break away from the collectiveness of their experience, and we learn more and more about their background stories and what has legitimately led them into an at times brutal field that strips away at everything, but gives them so much back in the process. As a runner, I could relate to that. 

When Kristin’s secret is revealed, it shakes the foundation of the friendships and teamwork that has been so carefully built, but at the same time gives much-needed truth, allowing everyone a chance towards honesty. It really pinpointed how different of a time it was in the 90s vs. today, and I thought the author did an excellent job of staying true to the characterization of a young woman and her viewpoints from that timeframe, when extra allowances could be made for behaviors that wouldn’t fly nearly as much today. The sad thing is, that is the lens we were given back then, with the well-known “boys will be boys” idiom; if a woman puts herself into what is considered by society a risky situation, “she’s asking for it.” There wasn’t as much accountability placed on the aggressor; the woman should have known better. The arguments on and for either side between the characters was true to life and made them even more believable and real.

While reading We Loved to Run, it made me want to lace up my Hokas and get out there and run, too. This book captured the spirit, the dedication, the pain and intense love that running can bring to those who are enraptured by it, an obsession that is hard to let go of. It was a definite five-star experience!

Thanks to Random House for the book in exchange for an honest review.

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Book Review: Always Hope

By Melissa Amster

Obstetrician Jessica Schorr will never forget the worst day of her life and the way it ended, with the traumatic delivery of a baby with cerebral palsy. Plagued with debilitating panic attacks since that day, she can't stop blaming herself for what happened.

Kendall Carlson can't forget that day either and the distressing memory of her newborn daughter, Hope, being taken away to intensive care. Is Hope's diagnosis because of mistakes the doctor made during the delivery, or is Kendall partially responsible too? With only weeks until the state deadline, Kendall needs to decide soon whether to file a malpractice suit against Dr. Schorr.

Following the retirement of his partner, Attorney Abe Silverberg is having trouble getting his law practice back on track. Every malpractice case that comes his way seems like a scam. What he needs is a case with real merit, a chance to prove to himself, and to everyone else, that he's not just some lowly ambulance chaser.

Always Hope combines a fast-paced story with deep emotional resonance, ultimately exploring the imperfection of being human, the importance of forgiveness, and the power of transformation. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

I really liked Heather Frimmer's first two novels, so I was thrilled to have an early opportunity to read Always Hope. I ended up devouring it in one day. It was really good! 

Some aspects of this story reminded me of Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult. While it didn't go into the same gray area, the topic at hand was written in a sensitive and thoughtful way. I like that all three narrators were flawed and I cared about their well-being. I definitely felt bad for each of them for different reasons. There's also a lot of Jewish joy and it explores another topic that is prevalent these days (I won't spoil it, but I know people who would find it relatable).

When Jessica flashed back to everything leading up to Kendall's botched delivery, I felt annoyed that Jessica didn't receive more support for everything she was going through. She had to deal with some personal emergencies that came up last minute and it wasn't like she didn't have coverage. I just felt like people were too happy to shift all the blame to her even though some things were out of her control. 

I really liked the Jewish aspects of this story and am glad the aforementioned relatable topic was explored along with it. There was also an interesting connection with another character. The identity mix-up that was also related to one of the Jewish aspects added another complex element to the story.

Definitely add this to your autumn TBR when it releases in a couple weeks. It would make for a great book club discussion too!

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions:
Jessica: Marissa Jaret Winokur
Kendall: Grace Van Patten

Abe: Fred Melamed

Thanks to Heather Frimmer for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Heather Frimmer:

Bedside Manners

Better to Trust

(Links are to Melissa's reviews.)

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TW: Death of spouse, death of parent, Alzheimers, panic attacks, descriptions of traumatic birth, medical descriptions, severe disability, loss of money

Reviews at Amazon: July-September 2025

We're posting some reviews at our Amazon (or Goodreads) accounts, as either they've been sitting in our queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!

Sara:

Diana Says Yes by Jen Besser and Shana Feste

Melissa:
Come Fly with Me by Camille DiMaio
Penitence by Kristin Koval
We Are Made of Stars by Rochelle B. Weinstein
Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland
Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley

Something Like Fate by Amy Lea

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

Thrill Ride by Amy Ratcliffe

The Lies They Told by Ellen Marie Wiseman

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood

What's Yours Is Mine by Jennifer Jabaley

The Maid's Secret by Nita Prose

The Big Fix by Holly James

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Flirty Dancing by Jennifer Moffatt

Love Sick by Deidra Duncan

The Road to Yesterday by Maryellen Donovan

Perfect Modern Wife by Kristen Van Nest

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Spotlight and Giveaway: The Heartbreak Hotel

Today we are checking into The Heartbreak Hotel. Ellen O'Clover's debut adult romance is sure to be a hit, especially seeing how many well-known authors already love it and all the five-star reviews it is receiving from readers. Thanks to Berkley, we have one copy to give away!

A bed-and-breakfast for the brokenhearted might hold the key to another chance at love in this achingly hopeful debut romance.

Louisa Walsh emerged from a tumultuous childhood with a degree in counseling, a wealthy boyfriend, and her sunny outlook on life mostly intact. But that optimism is tested when she’s dumped and left unable to afford rent on their gorgeous house in the mountains of Colorado. Even with her life in disarray, Lou knows losing the one stable place she’s ever called home is not an option.

Her plan: ask her reclusive landlord, Henry Rhodes, to let her stay for free in exchange for renting out the house’s many rooms as a bed-and-breakfast. She’s shocked when he agrees to her terms, and even more surprised to discover Henry is a handsome thirtysomething veterinarian with silver at his temples and sadness in his eyes. One who does not take it well when Lou starts marketing her B and B as a retreat for the recently heartbroken.

But as the Comeback Inn opens its doors to its weary, hopeful guests, Lou and Henry find themselves dancing around both their undeniable connection and the closely held secrets that threaten to topple this fragile new start. A chance at love, here, could be too close to home…or it could be exactly where their hearts finally heal.

“A big, beautiful, beating heart of a story about giving help and learning to accept it.”
—Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Poignant and life-affirming, this is contemporary romance at its absolute finest!"
—Sarah Adler, USA Today bestselling author of Finders Keepers

“Cozy and utterly charming, The Heartbreak Hotel left us wanting never to check out.”
—Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of Book Boyfriend

Credit: Noah Berg

Ellen O’Clover writes stories about love, identity, and belonging for both teens and adults. She grew up in Ohio and studied creative writing at the Johns Hopkins University before moving west to Colorado, where she lives in a little green house under a giant aspen tree with her rocket scientist husband and two perfect bulldogs.

Visit Ellen online:

Website * Instagram * TikTok

How to win: Use Gleam to enter the giveaway. (Rafflecopter is shutting down at the end of September, so we are switching over to Gleam.) If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Gleam on our blog, enter the giveaway here.

Heartbreak Hotel (1 print copy)

Giveaway ends October 5th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Bridge

By Sara Steven

One Bridge. Five Strangers. A Christmas Eve That Changes Everything.

On a bridge suspended above the Willamette River, five lives collide for a journey through hope and hardship in a suspenseful, heartwarming tale of courage, connection, and the magic of second chances.

Sergeant Archer Raines has worked every holiday all year for one reason: to finally spend Christmas with his wife. But when a desperate man threatens to jump from Portland’s St. Johns Bridge, Archer’s expert negotiation skills are required to defuse the situation.

Rosalee, a high-powered accountant and mom-to-be, only meant to swing by home for a forgotten phone and client file. Then her car is caught in the chaos on the bridge, she unexpectedly goes into labor, and her carefully planned world begins to unravel amidst the unfolding drama.

Exhausted nurse Nova just wants to make it home for Christmas after too many night shifts. When the pileup halts traffic and Rosalee’s baby is on the way, Nova puts her own plans on hold to help a stranger in need.

Carter, the owner of a busy tow truck business, regrets taking the call to clear the multi-car collision off the bridge. He’d intended to spend the day tackling last-minute holiday errands. Instead, he’s praying the lunatic pointing a gun at him doesn’t pull the trigger.

Fresh out of college and anxious to kick-start his career, Ian’s running late when his car won't start the morning of his big interview. His rideshare driver turns out to be a captivating girl with a penchant for aggressive driving that narrowly saves them from being part of the wreck on the bridge, sending Ian on an unexpected path of his own.

The Bridge is the perfect uplifting holiday read and a story of how one frozen moment can thaw even the loneliest of hearts. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I can appreciate when various characters within a story weave together in ways that weren’t entirely expected, and there is a lot of that in The Bridge. One moment in time and one decision serves as a rippling effect that causes all sorts of chaos, starting and ending with Archer and his need to serve at all cost. Through his eyes and experience, we get to see why he decided to assist a struggling man on Christmas Eve, as well as gain more insight as to why the man struggles and makes the choices he’s made that holds everyone up during the Christmas holiday. 

The relationship that forms between Nova and Rosalee was very sweet. I think out of all of the partnerships, I liked theirs the most. Nova becomes a support for Rosalee during a difficult time, even though it means Nova is setting aside her own plans and interests in order to do what she can to make Rosalee feel safe. I think the humanity that is presented between the two women was an excellent nod to the holiday spirit, and what we’d all come to expect and crave from that time of year.

One by one, the reader discovers how each and every character is somehow connected to the last, with all of them trying to put the pieces back together. Despite the scary situation the majority of the characters have recently experienced, they all persevere and deal with it, because they all have a greater need to do more and be more than their shared trauma. 

I love reading books that take place in familiar places, and having grown up and lived in Oregon for most of my childhood and young adult life, it was neat to read about the Portland hot spots and more importantly, the almighty Willamette River. Having walked across the Union Street bridge late at night in Salem, while witnessing the flowing current of the Willamette below, I can attest to the severity of Archer’s need to protect the struggling man he is trying to save. It took me back to those feelings of awe and fear while I scurried as fast as I could to get from one side of the river to the other. The Bridge captured that awe and fear perfectly, while also blending in many a holiday miracle that made this a great holiday read.

Thanks to Roger Charlie for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Shanna Hatfield:
Baker City Brides (series)
Pendleton Petticoats (series)
Summer Creek (series)

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Book Review: Under a Spanish Sky

By Sara Steven

Amy Hardy once lived a life full of colour, but a tragic accident has turned her world to shadows. Determined to embrace her new life, Amy sets off on the famous Compostela pilgrimage, hoping to find light in the darkness and a new path.

Accompanying her on her journey is Luke Patterson a man whose own troubled past casts dark shadows over his life. He’s hoping that guiding Amy will be a distraction from his own troubles.

But as Luke and Amy travel through the stunning scenery of Northern Spain, following in footsteps of those travellers before them, they feel a connection to each other. And as their bond grows, a love story from the distant past emerges before them, forcing them to confront their own secrets, pain and feelings for each other.

Can a story of courage and bravery help them both to emerge from the shadows into the light once more?

Under A Spanish Sky is an enchanting novel about the search for happiness, fulfilment…and above all love. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

It’s been a while since I’ve read one of T.A. Williams’s romance novels–lately, I’ve been delving into his cozy mystery reads. Under A Spanish Sky was the perfect bridge back, with characters who are deeply connected and engaging. I loved the dynamic between Amy and Luke. They are an unlikely pairing, portrayed well when the two meet for the first time. Yet, over time, they both begin to learn a lot more about each other, allowing for the chance for something possible to grow. 

The trip they take in 2016 replicates and parallels a story that is also center stage with two characters (Luc and Aimee) in 1314, and I appreciated going back and forth between the two timelines. In 2016, Luke feels guilt in developing any sort of feelings for Amy, because it goes against his moral compass. In 1314, Luc feels the same way, and for the same reason, but with an entirely different backstory from Luke’s. Ultimately, both men are drawn to the strength and perseverance of the women they are guiding, at times sure their feelings are reciprocated, but entirely unsure of how to feel about that. 

Out of the two timelines, 1314 is my favorite. The author made the Late Middle Ages fun and exciting. Luc and Aimee face a lot of obstacles and there are plenty of action-packed moments. It had more of a physical explorer element, given the era and lack of modern comforts. Yet, I liked 2016’s take on going from an era of modern comforts to stripping some of that away, to where Amy feels like she’s reconnecting with the core of herself and re-discovering who she is. Excluding Luke as her guide, it felt a little Eat, Pray, Love in that regard. 

There was a sweet, gentle tone mixed in with the adventures both couples take, and while reading it, I felt refreshed. Usually this author’s writing makes me yearn for food (he usually includes scenes with delicious meals that makes me want to travel to the destinations he writes about) or makes me want to hop on a plane and fly hours and hours to see the destinations in person), but this time I yearned for my own special pilgrimage, that could potentially help me to grow and expand in ways I would have never thought possible. This was a well-worth it experience!  

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources for the book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was previously published as Chasing Shadows

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Kobo

T. A. Williams is the bestselling author of the Armstrong and Oscar cozy mystery series. He studied languages at University and lived and worked in Italy for eight years, returning to England with his wife in 1972.  T.A. and his wife now live in Devon.

Visit T.A. Williams online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram 

Sign up for his newsletter.

Visit all the stops on T.A. Williams' tour:

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