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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Sophie Sullivan gets us in the holiday mood...plus a book giveaway

Credit: Shelley Bell

We're glad to have Sophie Sullivan back at CLC today to get us into the holiday season mood with her latest rom-com, You Make It Feel Like Christmas. You'll want to read this one in front of a fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa and your coziest blanket. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have one copy to give away!

Sophie Sullivan (she/her) is a Canadian author as well as a cookie-eating, Diet Pepsi-drinking, Disney enthusiast who loves reading and writing romance in almost equal measure. She writes around her day job as a teacher and spends her spare time with her sweet family watching reruns of Friends. She's had plenty of practice writing happily ever after as her alter ego, Jody Holford.

Visit Sophie online: 
Website * Facebook * Instagram 

Synopsis:

Maisie Smart doesn’t look back. Not on the choice she made to be a photographer, and not on the one-night stand she had six months ago. But sleeping with a professional hockey player who bolted the morning after is a whole new level of embarrassing. Now she’s about to spend the week at Tickle Tree Farms with her family this Christmas—and then the universe throws a Grinch in her festive plans.

Nick King is a mess. After a significant injury benches him, he has more time to dwell on his anxieties and the one-night stand he can’t get out of his head. With the holidays around the corner, he figures visiting his sister and nephew at their Christmas tree farm will be a good way to sort himself out. That’s impossible when he learns Maisie is there, still beautiful and justifiably angry about the way he left. But Christmas is the time for second chances, and the forced proximity may help Nick and Maisie unwrap feelings neither of them can walk away from twice. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"Sophie Sullivan is the queen of sweet romance!" 

―Falon Ballard, author of Right on Cue

"Sophie Sullivan consistently crafts romances to root for." 

―Courtney Kae, author of In the Case of Heartbreak

What is one thing you would tell the debut novelist version of yourself?
Write down what you want, what you hope will happen, and don’t lose the piece of paper because, when those things happen, you want to celebrate what you achieved. 

What were the biggest rewards and challenges with writing You Make It Feel Like Christmas?
I loved writing this book. Nick and Maisie are a very special couple. The biggest reward was letting them fall in love with each other and accept each other for who they were. I also really loved all the Christmas activities. The biggest challenge was Nick’s mental health challenges. I wanted to make sure it was well represented. 

Without giving spoilers, what is something you cut out of the book that you wish you had kept?
I actually wrote a completely different opening to this book. I don’t know that I wish I’d kept it but I liked it. It started with Nick and Maisie having known each other a lot longer than this version and they showed up at the house at the same time. 

What do you look forward to most about Christmas?
Being with my family. I like trimming the tree and watching movies with them. 

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I absolutely love Jason Reynold’s voice. I could listen to him read all day. 

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
My family and I just watched the entire Jurassic Park franchise. I really enjoyed most of them. Rewatching the first one was really nostalgic so that would be my suggestion. Or The Lost City because it’s awesome. 

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.

You Make It Feel Like Christmas (1 print copy)

Giveaway ends September 30th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Road Trip with a Vampire

By Sara Steven

Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She'd grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.

Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.

But when an alarming message from Peter's past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can't keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they're looking for in each other. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

I’ve read the first two books in the My Vampires series, and I think Road Trip With a Vampire was a great addition! Zelda is mentioned in the other books and she always seemed like such a quirky, eccentric character. And who doesn’t love the concept of a witch and vampire forming potential bonds? 

Zelda faced a lot of misconceived notions on who she is, with a lot of that stemming from her past. I could feel the shift within her. She doesn’t want to deal with chaos anymore. It’s a big reason she decided to chuck it all and set down some roots in California, along with opening up her own yoga studio that allows her the opportunity to center herself and bring in calm and peace into her life. When Peter initially shows up, his presence threatens that calm and peace. She quickly discovers who he really is, which only makes her more nervous and on edge. She used to run with vampires centuries ago, when she lived a more wild lifestyle, but Peter is on an entirely different level for her. It doesn’t help that she feels immense attraction towards him.

The budding relationship between the two characters was a lot of fun to read. Slowly over chapters, the reason behind Peter’s amnesia comes into full light, while Zelda does what she can to help him remember who he is and more importantly, why he feels the need to take a road trip to his eventual planned destination. There are snippets of the recent past for Peter, so the reader can see what led up to his run in with Zelda, then it flashes back to Zelda’s perspective while she travels hundreds of miles with Peter. When she figures out what happened to Peter and how she’s tied to all of it, everything is put into perspective, and the budding relationship becomes threatened.

Fans of the book series are reacquainted with Frederick and Reginald too, which was so great. It turns out that Zelda and Reggie go way back, which I recall from book number #2, but there is a lot more backstory given from Zelda’s perspective this go around on how that happened and why they’ve gone years between seeing or speaking to one another. Frederick and Reginald become a nice support system to Peter, which I thought was sweet and kind of cringy, but in the best ways. As with the first two books, the writing style flows well and there are great moments of banter between characters, making it a quick read that you can really “sink” your teeth into. You can read Road Trip With a Vampire as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading all three books in the series to gain the full effect of the charm and magnetism that oozes from the series.   

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

More by Jenna Levine (links are to reviews):
My Roommate is a Vampire
My Vampire Plus-One

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Book Review: If It Makes You Happy

By Sara Steven

My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.

I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.

Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe.

Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards.

So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

When I realized that If It Makes You Happy takes place in the late 90s, I couldn’t help but want to read it. The nineties are one of my favorite decades, and I thought adding a playlist of music from that timeframe was a really nice touch by the author! It provided the perfect soundtrack to the lives of the characters, especially for Michelle and Cliff. Heck, even the title of the book itself, most likely an homage to Sheryl Crow’s song, fits well with the type of situation that Michelle finds herself in. One moment, she’s living the big city life and likes things a certain way, used to the routines and structure that has helped her get through a recent divorce. But now, she’s smack dab in small-townville, where every little nuance is a game of telephone, spread like wildfire from resident to resident. 

Michelle isn’t used to having to engage in small talk with people. Or having nosy neighbors who seem up in her business at every given moment. It doesn’t help that Cliff is the nosy neighbor. Or that he’s uber attractive. And sweet. And nothing like her ex. She’s trying to balance her new environment, the at odds feeling she still has about her mother, not feeling adequate enough to fill her mother’s shoes and the bed-and-breakfast she’s running in the interim, along with the constant attraction she feels towards Cliff. He represents everything she thought she never wanted, but ultimately, he’s what she’s needed.

The banter between the two characters was so much fun! Michelle doesn’t pull any punches; Cliff brings that out in her. And Cliff presents as someone who is always jokey and funny, but Michelle helps Cliff to have a bit more of a serious side, so they balance each other out quite nicely. A major breakout star in the book is Rocket, the dog left behind by Michelle’s ex. I thought it was so cute how they’d have “conversations” with one another, when Michelle would say something to Rocket, and he'd respond with exasperated glances or the cold shoulder. Their partnership is one built on a love/hate vibe, yet as the story progresses, they both thaw towards one another, knowing they’re in this for the long haul. 

I love small-town atmospheres in books, and If It Makes You Happy did a great job of providing that. Michelle learns a lot about herself through the process of learning more about the small-town her mother had fallen in love with, and it doesn’t hurt to have someone like Cliff in her corner. It was a fun read!

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

More by Julie Olivia:
All Downhill With You
Thick As Thieves
In Too Deep

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Book Review: Don't Let Him In

By Becky Gulc

Well I don’t know about you but for me each Lisa Jewell release is an extremely precious commodity that must be savoured and devoured at the perfect time, free of other distractions! So the first carefully selected book I packed for a recent holiday was of course Don’t Let Him In, Lisa’s latest release. Here is the synopsis:

‘He’s the perfect man.

He says he loves you.

You think he might even be made for you.

Before long he’s moved into your house – and into your heart.

And then he leaves for days at a time. You don’t know where he’s gone or who he’s with.

And you realise - if you looked back - you’d say to yourself:

DON’T LET HIM IN.’ (Synopsis courtesy of Penguin UK.)

Don’t Let Him In is another instantly immersive page-turner from Lisa. It’s rare for me to get through books in a couple of days now but I did for this! 

Whilst the synopsis may lead you to think this is one person’s story, the book actually involves multiple women’s experiences of this mysterious man of multiple names. There is recently widowed Nina and her daughter Ash – Nick, a lovely, kind former friend of Nina’s husband suddenly appears in their lives but Ash is somewhat suspicious and is on a mission to find out more about him. Then there’s lovely Martha, a florist, happily married to Alistair and they share a young daughter – but as Alistair is increasingly spending time away from home for work their relationship is beginning to suffer. 

There are more women too, cleverly being introduced to the story as it progresses; the mystery just deepens! The narrative switches between characters' timepoints and was so cleverly woven and I enjoyed how everyone’s story ultimately came together. We also get the male lead’s perspective; this was so interesting, yet disturbing.

This was a fantastic novel that evoked so many emotions in me! This is a character that is utterly charming and loving on the surface but the gaslighting...wow...I got so angry with him but never with the women involved which to me means it was written perfectly, I got it. Everything is so incredibly nuanced and these are some highly complex relationships. 

It got particularly sinister at times and there were twists throughout.  The closing chapters were top-notch! Another highly recommended read!

More by Lisa Jewell:
None of This is True
Then She Was Gone
Watching You

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Spotlight and Giveaway: Fun at Parties

Today we are excited to feature Jamie Harrow's sophomore rom-com, Fun at Parties. This road trip romance sounds really enjoyable and we are loving the cover. Thanks to Dutton, we have THREE copies up for grabs!

When cycling instructor Quinn Ray has a mid-class meltdown after a brutal breakup, her boss orders her to take time off. She envisions a peaceful solo road trip—until Nate Reed, the ex-best friend she hasn’t spoken to in two years, hitches a ride to track down their elusive pal Logan.

What follows is anything but restful: a chase across the country from Vegas nightclubs to Denver baby showers, Kansas music festivals, and Nashville bachelorette parties. Meanwhile, Quinn’s viral post-breakup fame has her boss pushing her to reinvent herself as the face of fun, fearless singledom.

But as Quinn and Nate stumble through one wild detour after another, old sparks resurface—and Quinn begins to wonder if the love story she swore off might be waiting in the passenger seat.

“Fun at Parties is a friends-to-lovers romance that reminds us that sometimes it takes the people who know, love, and infuriate us the most to figure out who we are truly meant to be. You'll root not just for Quinn and Nate's love story, but also them as relatable, messy people trying to discover where the future is meant to take them.”
—Kate Hash, author of Gracie Harris is Under Construction

“Packed with the author’s signature wit, propulsive chemistry, and unexpected turns, Fun at Parties lives up to the big amusement of its title. Readers will love joining Quinn and Nate on the road—just as they’ll love joining me in yelling, ‘I want to live inside a Jamie Harrow novel!’ from the proverbial Denver baby shower rooftop.”
—Courtney Preiss, USA Today bestselling author of Welcome Home, Caroline Kline

Credit: Allison Pense
Photography, 2024

Jamie Harrow was born and raised at the Jersey Shore. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Villanova University and lives in New Jersey with her family. Her debut novel, One on One, was published by Dutton in 2024. Fun at Parties is her second novel.

Visit Jamie 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.

Fun at Parties (3 print copies)

Giveaway ends September 24th at midnight EST.

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Sara and Melissa Talk About...Being Proud

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

This month, we are talking about things that make us proud. We'd love for you to tell us what has made you proud. There's no such thing as too much positivity and cheer!

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. 

Sara Steven:

Property management can be a fickle business. Sometimes, in one day, I can be praised, revered, screamed at, someone’s confidante, the worst enemy, or loathed, and I never know what I might get. 

When a prospect turns into a new resident, it can be the ultimate thrill for a leasing consultant. Receiving a commission can be nice, but for me, I love helping someone find the perfect home for them. Walking the tour path with someone who wants to learn about the community, sharing information about the special amenities, taking them through the models and later, making sure they leave the office knowing what they need to know in order to make an informed decision is something I’ve come to appreciate in this business. 

If there are multiple applicants for one apartment it can get a little tricky at times, because I juggle a lot within a deadline in order to get everyone approved. And after the approval, more needs to be done. Proof of electricity, renter’s insurance, emergency contacts to generate the lease, vehicle information, possible pets–for one person it’s not so tough, but to obtain that information from everyone? It’s a process.

Recently, I had to juggle six people. Yes. SIX. Which is unusual. But three of the applicants were students attending the local community college, and the other three were the parents of the students, because the students hadn’t established credit yet and needed the assistance. So, that meant obtaining renter’s insurance for every single person–and of course two people (a father/son duo) were the stragglers and waited until the last second. Literally the day of move-in, to get that information to me. Someone set up electricity. They all had to figure out who would pay the move-in monies. The majority of the parents had issues with signing the lease online. And one parent yelled profanities at me in the background while his wife was on the phone, trying to troubleshoot a problem. 

Did I mention that I had to solve everyone’s problems, put out fires, keep a level head against the profanities and get everyone taken care of and ready to go within 48 hours? Yeah, that was a big shocker for me, too.

This group had originally rented elsewhere. Yet they’d received a call that the apartment they’d secured wouldn’t be ready for the move-in date originally agreed upon. The caravan was on the road and already on its way to Chandler, Arizona, with belongings in tow. There was no turning back or pushing back their move-in needs. Hence the 48-hour window. Most of the work the group put in was done on the road. Most of my work was frequent phone calls, emails, clarification, updating their file and online resident file, and doing everything in my power to get it done for them in time–including setting up the cleaning of the apartment before move-in.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt so stressed at my job. Or juggled so many people for one single unit. But when the caravan rolled in first thing the morning they were due to get their keys, I was filled with relief and accomplishment. To flip a vacant around in such a small amount of time like that is pretty crazy, but to also flip the vacant while working with six different individuals, it was like running a marathon. And I’ve run marathons. I would know.

I felt a lot of pride in myself and in the job I did that day, and for the next week when I’d get visits from all of the residents from the group who had a million questions for me–community related and otherwise–I tried hard to hold onto that feeling of pride, which in turn helped to give me a little bit more patience. 

Melissa Amster:

When Sara chose this topic, the first thing I thought of was stuff my kids had done. I am constantly proud of them, not just for accomplishments but also for the choices they make (well, most of the time 😜). Before I go into some of the things I'm proud of each of my kids for, I wanted to share something I was proud of recently for myself. (I keep thinking of Eliza at the end of Hamilton saying "Can I tell you what I'm proudest of?")

At work, I came up with this new pitching idea that was modeled off of something I had seen in bookstores and libraries. I've done it a couple times now and it has generated some good results. One of the people I pitched to said the nicest thing about it on an Instagram post. It totally floored me and validated why I am doing this new idea. 

I'm also proud of myself for standing up for something that most people have been too happy to attack over the past couple years. I have not wavered from this, no matter how "uncool" it seems to do so. One time, I saw someone was reading a book that was very one-sided and I convinced them to read a book that showed the other side of things too, just to get a new perspective. They actually took my advice and read it! (It's the little things.)

Time to put the spotlight on my kids now! I'm just sharing a few of the many, many things that make me proud of each of them.

My older son:

I introduced him to some friends of mine recently, and one of them said they always saw him when he used to work at a nearby restaurant. They commended his customer service skills and spoke very highly of him! It was so nice to hear this.

As an RA, he's already dealt with some challenges in his residence hall, but he has handled them to the best of his abilities, even when they weren't the most ideal situations. 

I got to see him in an improv show the other night and he was so funny and creative. He really stands out for being so naturally funny and charismatic. 

My younger son:

He taught himself photography recently and has been taking some really cool nature photos. He's using my husband's old camera, which he fixed by himself. 

He recently got a part in the play at the local community college! He is a senior in high school but is in an early college program there. 

He actually woke up early on a Sunday to take the SAT to see if he could improve his score. 

My daughter:

She got a part in her first high school play and is one of the only freshmen cast! 

Last month, she attended a party and chose to make gluten-free cookies so that her friend with Celiac's wouldn't feel left out. 

She wants to be class secretary, so she's been getting involved with Student Government and really putting herself out there. 

Tell us what makes YOU proud!

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Book Review: He Falls First

By Melissa Smoot

Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.

Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.

Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?

One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Jill Shalvis delivers another emotionally resonant and charming romance in He Falls First, the inaugural entry in her new Colburn Brothers series. Known for her signature blend of humor, heart, and small-town warmth, Shalvis gives us a story that is both tender and engaging, with characters who feel real and relatable. 

The town of Star Falls is vividly portrayed, with quirky side characters and cozy details that enhance the small-town charm. Our two main characters, Ryder and Penny, have both suffered past traumas and have a hard time opening their hearts or breaking down the wall they built up. Throughout the story, we start to see the trust that is being built between them. Although there are some very serious and potentially triggering topics in this book, it felt very thoughtfully written and safe. There were also many joyful and silly aspects to this story.

I found myself laughing out loud many times throughout the story. From the brothers’ sarcasm and witty banter to the resident Parrot with his nonstop outbursts, this was such a fun read. If you are a Jill Shalvis fan (or even if this is your first time reading one of her books), you will love He Falls First.

(Content warnings at the bottom of this post.)

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

More by Jill Shalvis:
Free Falling (2nd book in the Colburn Brothers series)
Lost and Found Sisters
The Family You Make

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CW: Child abuse and domestic violence are discussed. Death of family member (when character was younger).

We're pleased to meet Kasie West...plus a book giveaway

Today we are celebrating the publication of Kasie West's debut adult rom-com, We Met Like This. It sounds like a fun and sweet story and it's receiving rave reviews already. We enjoyed chatting with Kasie and hope you will enjoy getting to know her too. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have FIVE copies of We Met Like This to give away!

Kasie West is the author of 16 young adult books and counting. Her debut, Pivot Point, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was a 2014 YALSA BFYA (Best Fiction for Young Adults) pick and the 2013 Whitney Award for Best Novel by a New Author. Kasie is also the author of PS I Like You, Sunkissed, and many others. Kasie’s books have been translated into over 20 languages, including German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Turkish, Danish, Polish, Indonesian, Czech, and Slovakian. Kasie lives with her family in Central California. We Met Like This is her adult debut.

Visit Kasie online:
Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

Can the wrong kind of meet-cute still lead to Mr. Right?

Margot Hart is a hopeless romantic who dreams of repping love stories as a literary agent—and living one herself. Which is why she despises dating apps. The only guy she keeps matching with is Oliver, whose one disastrous date with her ended in nothing but a memorable kiss.

When Margot loses her job and runs into Oliver again, he’s convinced she just wants a repeat make-out. And maybe she does. They’re total opposites, after all. But as she fights to launch her own agency, Oliver proves steady, supportive, and impossible to ignore.

Now Margot has to decide if true love can come from the one place she swore it never would.

Kasie West’s adult debut sparkles with witty banter, messy meet-cutes, and romance worth swiping right on.

"West’s adult debut is everything―vulnerable, spicy, funny, and squeal-out-loud romantic." 

- Kirkus (starred review)

"YA author West’s (Better Than Revenge) adult debut gives second-chance romance and opposites-attract tropes a new twist. This engaging, witty, unputdownable romance is a must for all collections." 

- Library Journal (starred review)

"A fun and delightful romance from a beloved author." 

- Culturess

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
My very favorite compliment is when people tell me that they related so much to the character that it was like they were reading about their own life. I love that. I love when people feel understood when reading something I wrote. I think it is such a human need—to feel seen. To know we are not alone in this world and that other people have felt the things we’ve felt or experienced some of the same joys and heartaches that we have. I love it when books make us feel that way. 

How is Margot similar to or different from you?
People have told me that Margot is a lovable mess and I would agree with that. I don’t think I’m super similar to Margot except in the fact that she and I share the same organization style. I have a chair where I keep my not too dirty but not completely clean clothes as well. I also have a very unorganized bookcase. And I often find myself distracted by my phone while trying to work. Oh, also, I’m a total romantic. On the other hand, I do not have a love/hate relationship with my sister and I’m pretty driven. 

If We Met Like This was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
This is a tricky question because people tend to hold you to this down the road if any casting ever does take place. And honestly, I don’t picture any particular actors/actresses when I’m writing. BUT, since you asked, and since I think it’s fun, I will list off a few who I think would do a fabulous job and who I could picture in the role. But I think there are so many options for all these characters.

Margot: Cailee Spaeny
Oliver: Diego Boneta
Sloane (best friend): Yara Shahidi
Audrey (sister): Skyler Samuels
Rob (boss): Matt Bomer

What is your favorite autumn activity?
Drinking iced pumpkin spiced chai because I am that girl and yummy drinks are my happy place in any season. But I also love driving around and looking at all the pretty fall colors. Autumn really is my favorite season.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? (Like how John McEnroe narrated Devi's life on Never Have I Ever.)
Okay, so I love Never Have I Ever and he does a fabulous job. The writing on that show is chef’s kiss (as is the acting). Anyway, my life…who would I want to narrate it? I’m a Swiftie so Taylor would be awesome, of course. I think she’d be funny too and a bit chaotic, which is me. But I also love a deep voice with a sexy accent, so maybe Tom Hiddleston. He could make my life seem more intriguing and exciting than it actually is. 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
I’m lucky enough to live right in between two national parks: Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. They are both amazing and if anyone ever comes and visits me, I think they must go to see either of them. They are truly stunning. 

Thanks to Kasie for chatting with us and to St. Martin's Press 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.

We Met Like This (5 print copies)

Giveaway ends September 21st at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Swimming Group

By Sara Steven

My name is Emma Brennan, and I never thought I’d find myself in this position — standing on a Cape Cod beach at sunrise, wondering which of my friends is a killer.

I came to the idyllic seaside town of Provincetown, to raise my young niece and figure out what to do next with my life. Eleven months ago my sister vanished off the coast of Ocracoke Island. No body, no answers. Just a teenage daughter left behind — and me. At the same time, the man I thought I was going to marry cheated on me with a cute young florist.

I joined the Tragic Wives’ Group — a tight-knit, cold-water swimming group with enough personal drama to fill a bestseller. And one of us has put it in a manuscript, spilling all our secrets.

Then she disappears . . . leaving just a pile of clothes on the sand. She’s the second person I’ve lost in twelve months. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

The Swimming Group is an excellent whodunnit, primarily because it starts out so innocuously. Emma is part of a ragtag group of unique individuals who meet up regularly to cold-water swim, but beneath the surface of the group bears the need to heal from various tragedies within their lives. For Emma, her primary tragedy involves her missing sister, who had vanished after swimming off the coast of Ocracoke Island. A plotline that runs concurrently with that event is her recently failed marriage. Relocating herself to Cape Cod was done as a means of self-preservation, and to help her niece recover from losing her mother.

But then one of the swimming group members goes missing. All they have to go by is a pile of clothes and some other personal belongings, but no one knows what happened or why the person is missing. Or how it happened to her. Suddenly, everyone is a suspect, and no one is safe. The slow unraveling of trust was depicted well, without anything feeling too rushed or pushed on to the reader, allowing the opportunity to come to their own conclusions. Even still, there was a particular bombshell that hit hard and sent me reeling! I couldn’t believe the deeper issues that Emma has to face, with me feeling just as shocked as she does when the truth is finally revealed. 

The various relationships between the Tragic Wives’ Group was intricate and provided a lot of background to each and every eventual suspect. Woven into the mix is the opportunity for romance, as well as forming deeper friendships and connections, but with everything going on it’s hard to know who is really in Emma’s corner. In the end, I didn’t necessarily agree with the decisions made in order to rectify what really happened to the missing Tragic Wives’ Group member, but it made sense. 

The best part of the story was the gradual ramp up of raising the stakes and revealing what’s really going on behind the surface of things. Emma thinks things are the way they are and nothing can be changed, but if I learned anything from The Swimming Group, it’s that nothing is the way it seems and much like the cold waters she swims in, the landscape of the world is unpredictable and can at times become uncontrollable, too. It was a definite five-star read!

Thanks to Bella Ellwood Clayton for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Also by Bella Ellwood-Clayton: Weekend Friends

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What's in the (e)mail

All (or most) of these books can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Apple, Kobo, etc.

NG = NetGalley

Melissa:

Peter Pulaski Must Pay by Jen Lancaster from Little A (NG)
Always and Forever by Lorraine Zago Rosenthal from Tribeca Press (NG)
Blade by Wendy Walker from MB Communications (NG)
Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell from William Morrow (NG)
I'm Looking for a Man in Finance by Sabrina Waldorf from Alcove Press (NG)

Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding from Grand Central (NG)

Bloom by Robbie Couch from Gallery (NG)

Nerdplay by Annabel Chase from Red Palm Press (NG)

Young Fools by Liza Palmer from Kathleen Carter Communications (print)

The Voice I Just Heard by/from Susan Dormady Eisenberg (print)

Once and Again by Rebecca Serle from Atria (NG)

Love By the Book by Jessica George from St. Martin's Press (NG)

Clutch by Emily Nemens from Zando (NG)

The Midnight Show by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne from Crown (NG)

Match Me If You Can by Heidi Shertok from Embla (NG)

Sara:
My Husband's Wife by Tracey Noonan from Wicked Good Entertainment (print)

Laws of Love and Logic by Debra Curtis from Ballantine (NG)

Jami:

Such a Perfect Family by Nalini Singh from Berkley (NG)

Melissa S:
Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan from St. Martin's Press (print)
Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra from Berkley (print)

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