What's in the (e)mail...plus a book giveaway

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

NG = NetGalley

Melissa:
How Freaking Romantic by Emily Harding from Gallery (NG)
Sisters of Fortune by Esther Chehebar from Random House (print)
The Island Club by Nicola Harrison from St. Martin's Press (NG)
Perfect Modern Wife by Kristen Van Nest from Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse (ebook)
Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery from Harlequin (NG)

The Re-Write by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn from Random House (print)
Lucky Break by Jaclyn Westlake from HarperCollins (print)
Dog Person by Camille Pagan from Ballantine (NG)
Hemlock Lane by Marshall Fine from Lake Union (NG)

Vagabond by Tim Curry from Grand Central (NG)

Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away by by Reyna Marder Gentin from Caitlin Hamilton Marketing (NG)

As Long as You're Mine by Nekesa Afia from Kathleen Carter Communications (print)

The Underdog by Sagit Schwartz from Thriller Book Lovers the Pulse (ebook)

Family Drama by Rebecca Fallon from Simon & Schuster (NG)

Ghosted at Christmas by Holly Whitmore from Transworld (ebook)

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict from St. Martin's Press (NG)

The Patchwork Players by Jennifer Chiaverini from William Morrow (NG)

The Fourth Daughter by Lynn Liao Butler from Lake Union (NG)

The Woman From Book Club by Carrie Hughes from Hera (NG)

Sara:
Under a Spanish Sky by T.A. Williams from Rachel's Random Resources (NG)

Jami:

The Lady on Esplanade by Karen White from Berkley (NG)

Allyson:
Dandelion is Dead by Rosie Storey from Berkley (NG)

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page from Berkley (NG)

What could be in YOUR mail:

If All Else Sails by Emma St. Clair

Everything Is Probably Fine by Julia London

Thanks to HarperCollins, we have one copy of each book to share with a lucky reader!

If All Else Sails:

When Josie arrives at a rundown cottage in Virginia for her brother’s so-called Super Summer Sibling Extravaganza, she finds no extravaganza—just Wyatt, a grumpy, injured hockey player she loathes (and who happens to be her brother’s best friend and client). Tasked with helping him recover, Josie begrudgingly agrees—for the right price—even if it means sharing what she dubs the “murder cottage.” As they clash and coexist, Josie unexpectedly volunteers to join Wyatt on a sailing trip to scatter his uncle’s ashes, and the journey forces them to confront old grudges, buried truths, and a growing attraction that might just change everything.

Everything Is Probably Fine:

Lorna Lott has always prioritized results over relationships, earning her a reputation for being intense—and not particularly likeable. But when a career-jeopardizing mistake lands her in a mandatory thirty-day wellness program, Lorna must confront her buried grief, lingering rage, and the unresolved fallout from her sister’s addiction. With her promotion, her future, and even her childhood home on the line, Lorna embarks on a reluctant journey of healing—helped along by an unexpectedly sweet neighbor kid and his charming father—as she learns that the hardest thing to change might be herself.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends August 6th at midnight EST. 

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Book Review: The Love We Found

By Melissa Amster

Nearly a decade after her life was upended, Lucy discovers a small slip of paper tucked into a box of old photos—an address in Rome. The mystery pulls her across the ocean on a spontaneous trip that feels both reckless and necessary. Italy was never part of her plan, but something about this clue won’t let her go.

There, Lucy meets Dr. Dax Armstrong, a compassionate New Yorker working with a local NGO. His quiet strength and watchful eyes stir something long dormant in her, awakening a part of herself she thought she’d lost.

As Lucy is drawn deeper into the puzzle—and her connection with Dax—she’s forced to confront the life she left behind and the impossible choices ahead. Some truths are heavy with consequence. And the heart, no matter how wounded, doesn’t always wait for perfect timing. (Synopsis adapted from Amazon.)

I am so glad Jill Santopolo wrote a sequel to The Light We Lost (reviewed here), so that we can revisit with some memorable characters. The Love We Found is a heartfelt and rewarding story and I actually loved it more than its predecessor. Moving the story ten years ahead reminded me of when TV shows get a big time jump and then have to fill in all the blanks. I liked the back and forth trajectory. I also liked Lucy a lot more in this story. 

Trust me, this novel is just really good! It helps to read The Light We Lost first (as there are a lot of spoilers in this follow up), but my mom was able to read this one on its own and follow along. (She then read The Light We Lost, but she doesn't mind spoilers.) While this one gives a lot of context about the past, it's still helpful to know who the characters were back then and what their relationships were like.

My only concern was that it felt like there was too much projecting to the future instead of staying in the moment. I can't explain it without spoiling things, but it just felt like Lucy was constantly focused on what was around the next corner.

This was a comforting read overall and it also shows the consequences of one decision made a long time ago and the effects it has on the lives of everyone involved. That was done really well and made for some interesting and thought-provoking dialogue. I recommend picking it up, but be sure that you have nothing else going on because you will get absorbed!

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions:

Lucy: Odette Annable
Darren: Jason Ritter
Kate: Beth Behrs

Dax: Devon Sawa

Eva: Christina Pickles

Violet: Cailey Fleming

Courtney: Alison Pill

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

More by Jill Santopolo:

Everything After

Stars in an Italian Sky

More than Words

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TW: Loss of child (off page), infidelity (off page), death of significant other (referred to a lot), learning about parentage

Kate Hash has made a new home for herself...plus a book giveaway

Please help us give a warm welcome to Kate Hash, whose debut rom-com, Gracie Harris is Under Construction, is now available. We enjoyed learning more about Kate and her novel and are excited to feature her here today. Thanks to Dutton, we have THREE copies of Gracie Harris to give away!

A graduate of The George Washington University with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in English, and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Louisville, Kate Hash has lived in Washington, D.C., Louisville, KY, and Florence, Italy before settling in Chapel Hill, NC. Her professional path has included magazine publishing, marketing, consulting, and—most recently—a decade in higher education IT at one of the country’s top public universities. 

A lifelong reader and writer, she spends her evenings diving into books or working on fiction once her kids are asleep. Her debut novel releases on July 29, 2025. Between writing seasons, she enjoys watching college sports and rewatching classic TV with her husband. She also writes a weekly newsletter on Substack, It’s Been a Week. (Bio adapted from Kate's website.)

Visit Kate online:
Website * Instagram 

Synopsis:

Gracie Harris never intended to become the queen of grief. But when an essay she writes the night of her husband Ben’s memorial goes viral, she lands a popular column on love and loss and an impressive book deal.

Now, the biggest tragedy of her life is the center of her world. With a looming book deadline and her kids at summer camp, Gracie escapes for a summer of solitude to the ramshackle mountain house she and Ben bought for their family before his death. When charming contractor Josh arrives on her doorstep to help renovate the home, Gracie discovers an unexpected connection that is energizing . . . and surprisingly flirtatious.

As her feelings and resilience grow, Gracie must decide whether she’s ready to embrace a new version of her life. Gracie’s first Happily Ever After didn’t last as long as she’d expected. Now she has to wonder: Could Josh be her chance for a second great love story? (Courtesy of Amazon.)

"A raw and compelling exploration of grief and rebuilding, Gracie Harris left me full of hope and with a renewed faith in second chances."

—Annabel Monaghan, national bestselling author of Summer Romance

“Touching, honest, and hopeful, Gracie Harris is Under Construction is the perfect second chance romance to remind us that there is life and love again after loss. Kate Hash’s stunner of a debut leaves zero room for doubt that she is the next big voice in romantic comedies.”

—Sara Goodman Confino, bestselling author of Don’t Forget to Write

"A stunning and sensitive exploration of falling in love while grieving an unimaginable loss. Perfect for fans of Annabel Monaghan and Beth O'Leary who love to read their love stories with a box of tissues in their laps."

—Ellie Palmer, author of Four Weekends and a Funeral

In one sentence, tell us what the road to publishing was like for you.
My road to publishing has been somewhat unexpected (I’m a debut novelist at forty-one years old!), but altogether a wonderful, very creatively fulfilling experience.

How is Gracie similar to or different from you?
Gracie feels like a friend to me at this point. She feels real and like a girlfriend I would meet on the weekend for brunch. I worked really hard to give her character that relatability. Of course, I want her to resonate with everyone who reads the book, but I had a generalized ‘reader avatar’ in my mind while I wrote – women, in their 30s and 40s, working moms, chronically online, etc. I constantly thought of that reader with the goal of making Gracie accessible to her.
So, in that sense, Gracie feels both familiar and similar to me…I created her to be that way. I hope that a lot of women see themselves in Gracie!

If Gracie Harris is Under Construction was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I can see a few different actors playing the lead roles, but I always think of them in pairs. Jo Swisher and Taylor Kitsch would be great as Gracie and Josh. So would Rachel McAdams and Brandon Sklenar. If we went with slightly younger actors, Sofia Carson and Gabriel Basso would be great.

What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I read across a lot of different genres, so it’s hard to pick just one! The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff and Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir are both recent favorites. 

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

Anna Kendrick. My life would require a little sassiness and sarcasm in the voiceover!

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
If it was your first time in North Carolina, I’d want to take you west to the mountains (Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah Forest, etc.) so that you can see the setting for the book and fall in love. You don’t need to be outdoorsy (I’m definitely not!) to adore this part of the state. After we explored, we would then head as far east as we could go and spend a few days relaxing on the Outer Banks. North Carolina has it all!

Thanks to Kate for visiting with us and to Dutton for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends August 5th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: The Summer You Were Mine

By Melissa Smoot

Ellie Beltrami and Cristiano Conte have known each other their entire lives. Both families hail from Chiavari, a small city on the Italian Riviera. Their grandparents are friends. Their parents are friends. They were friends. And for one brief moment fourteen summers ago, they were almost more than that.

After years apart, Ellie and Cris are headed back to Chiavari as generations of Beltramis and Contes gather for the unlikely second marriage between her grandmother and his grandfather. But while everyone’s celebrating, Ellie is reeling from the very public implosion of her career as the host of a sports talk show, plus overthinking her past and perceived flaws in light of the recent discovery that she is neurodivergent. Cris, a newly retired elite swimmer, also arrives adrift after being accused of using a banned substance.

Reunited in a place where summer dreams come true, Cris and Ellie make a deal: an exclusive interview with Cris to fix her career, and an appearance on Ellie’s show to clear his name. Soon they’re picking up where their teen romance left off—but if this second chance can last, they’ll need to finally confront what drove them apart all those summers ago. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

This was a great book! The story flowed well, and I loved the setting on the coast of Italy. I could picture the gorgeous scenery and beautiful villas. The two main characters, Ellie and Cris, were both relatable in different ways, and I liked how the author let us read the story from both of their points of view. 

I am a sucker for second-chance stories and this one was no exception. It wasn’t only about a second chance in love, but in life in general. I laughed out loud a lot while reading and found myself smiling at the sweetness of the big Italian families. If you are heading on vacation anytime soon, this would be a great book to take along. You will lose yourself in the visions of sunny Italian beaches and witty banter over wine. 

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Summer You Were Mine here.

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Stacy Finz is a wish come true...plus a book giveaway!

 Credit: Carlos Avila
Gonzalez

We're pleased to welcome Stacy Finz to CLC to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Your Every Wish. The story sounds charming and we are loving the cover! We enjoyed getting to know Stacy and hope you will too. Thanks to Kensington, we have FIVE copies to give away!

Stacy Finz is a New York Times bestselling author of contemporary romance. After more than twenty years covering notorious serial killers, naked-tractor-driving farmers, fanatical foodies, aging rock stars and weird Western towns as a newspaper reporter, she figured she finally had enough material to launch a career writing fiction. She lives in Northern California with her husband.

Visit Stacy online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

Sign up for Stacy's newsletter.

Synopsis:
Scrappy, worldly Kennedy Jenkins and soft-hearted Emma Keil barely know each other, but when life throws them each a curve ball, they’re suddenly living together—in a rundown trailer park they’ve inherited from their late father, in a nowhere California town aptly called Ghost. After all, their neighbor, Madam Misty, is a soothsayer-witch, and Halloween is just around the corner.

A casino host, Kennedy is hiding out from a high roller who wrongly thinks she stole tens of thousands of dollars from him. Emma, a flat-broke advice columnist who can’t take her own advice, has lost her apartment, and her on-again, off-again, commitment phobic boyfriend, Dex, is no help. Still, she’s charmed by Ghost, its quirky residents—and the enigmatic guy who lives in trailer 510—while Kennedy is sure their father hid a fortune somewhere. She’s determined to find it—even if it means turning to Madam Misty . . .

When Madam Misty grants them three wishes, they’re clear: Kennedy wants money; Emma just wants Dex. But as the nights get chillier, and Halloween descends, a special kind of magic ensues—one that will reveal surprising truths about their father, themselves—and what they really want out of life . . . (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a  favorite compliment you have received on your writing?

I love when readers tell me they couldn’t put one of my books down and read it in one night. That’s when I know I’ve done my job because holding someone’s attention for an entire book is no easy feat.

What is one thing you would tell the debut novelist version of yourself?

Not to be too hard on myself and to stop saying yes to everything. In those early years, I didn’t know how to say no. I was killing myself to make impossible deadlines and had to learn how to achieve a realistic work-life balance. 

If Your Every Wish were made into a movie, who would you cast in the lead roles?

Emma would be played by Anna Kendrick and Kennedy would be played by Dakota Johnson. Wouldn’t that be fun? I think they’d do a great job. 

Aside from becoming a published author, tell us another wish that has come true for you.

A few years back, my husband and I were able to buy a lake cabin in California’s Sierra Foothills. It took me forty years to make that wish come true but it was worth the wait. During Covid it was our sanctuary. And the place has become my muse for many of my books, including Your Every Wish. The town where the book is set, Ghost, is loosely based on Grass Valley, the nearest town to our cabin. The wonderful town of Ghost makes its first appearance in Nothing Less Than Magic. I loved it so much that I based Your Every Wish there too. But even before those two books, the area played host to my entire Dry Creek Ranch series.    

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

Ooh, this is a hard one. I think Lauren Graham, who played Lorelai Gilmore in the Gilmore Girls, would be a good choice. A lot of her Lorelai character reminds me of me, especially the sarcasm and humor. 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?

I live full-time in the Bay Area and in my past life I was a food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle. So, we would probably spend a lot of time going to all my favorite restaurants. We’d get fried chicken sandwiches at Bakesale Betty and Cajun food at Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen (leave room for the chocolate pot au crème). We’d cross the bridge to San Francisco for some fresh baked bread at Tartine and some Mexican food at Nopalito. The next day, we’d hit the Napa Valley for some wine tasting and shopping, maybe finish the trip in Sonoma County at Willi’s Wine Bar with some small bites and a tasty Russian River Pinot Noir. 

Thanks to Stacy for chatting with us and to Kensington for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends August 3rd at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Asylum Hotel

By Sara Steven

Aubrey Spencer loves photographing classic old buildings and abandoned places that hold old secrets. The Hotel Seabrink, perched overlooking the sea, is one such place. Currently abandoned but scheduled for a major renovation, it has a torrid history. Back in the 1920s it hosted A-list celebrity clientele, and now the locals insist it is haunted by the ghosts of two young women who died there. When Aubrey goes to photograph the site before the renovation begins, she bumps into a man named Dimitri Petroff, a minor online celebrity who shares her fascination with old buildings, the Hotel Seabrink in particular.

When he is found dead the next day at the base of a cliff, the police are quick to close the investigation. But Aubrey feels unsettled by locals who claim he was murdered and that it’s not the first time someone interested in the hotel was killed. As she digs deeper into the property’s dark history (and its origins as an asylum) as well as Dimitri’s professional rivalries, she becomes mired in an unsolved murder case from several decades earlier, one with eerie parallels to the contemporary case.  But someone is determined to keep her from discovering the truth—at any cost. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

Asylum Hotel is the perfect mix of suspense and psychological thriller, all wrapped up within an engaging ghostly read that kept me on my toes from start to finish. The entire time, I kept picturing the book turned into a small screen made for tv movie, or even a larger screen theater experience. 

There is a supposed curse at the Hotel Seabrink; if someone spies the ghost in the attic, they die within 24 hours. For Aubrey, she questions whether that has anything to do with what has happened to Dimitri, if he truly ever saw an apparition to begin with, or if there is something deeper involved. Aubrey doesn't believe in ghosts and finds the whole thing to be a bit ridiculous, but there are some unexplained events that happen while she's at Hotel Seabrink that makes her question everything. 

What happens next is fast paced and downright scary. From being followed to receiving threats, to seeing things that are unexplained and unreal, Aubrey tries to hold it all together while figuring out the true roots and secrets behind the hotel and the surrounding town. I enjoyed the descriptive details about the hotel and the town's scenery, with a lot of natural backdrop that made me feel like I was right in the thick of the rural California wilds. When everything came to a head and truths were revealed, I was surprised by the revelation! It wasn't what I expected.

Asylum Hotel was perfectly creepy without going over the top, keeping me invested the whole way through. It was a definite five star experience! 

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

More by Juliet Blackwell:
Letters from Paris
The Vineyards of Champagne
The Paris Showroom

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Book Review: Third Time Lucky

By Sara Steven

Asher Wright has spent his career creating and concocting the perfect dishes and is about to open his very own restaurant. Life is good. His love life, however, is far from cooking! He hasn’t thought about Lucy Gray in years – not since they both graduated, reeling from the shocking loss of her then boyfriend and his best friend Kris, who tragically died at 18. So when he witnesses the breakdown of her wedding in all its humiliating glory - old wounds and long-buried emotions resurface.

As Lucy lands a right hook on her soon-to-be ex-fiancée in front of their entire wedding party, she has a moment of realization... Love is not on the menu for her! Fate, however, has other plans... A chance twist of events lands Asher as the private chef for Lucy’s spirited grandmother, Mitzi, and what begins as awkward encounters in Mitzi’s Portland mansion soon evolves into a simmering connection she never expected.

As Asher and Lucy work through their past they discover a bond that feels both familiar and excitingly new. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)

What are the chances that two friends from high school would run into one another in Vegas? For Asher and Lucy, it’s highly likely! Only, Lucy is there preparing for her wedding, while Asher is there with his younger brother to blow off some steam for his birthday in Sin City. I thought the premise behind that was a great way to introduce both main characters and introduce a major catalyst, which ends up being Lucy’s awful fiancee.

The background and the friendship between Asher and Lucy created a stumbling block when it comes to their relationship ever going beyond friendship. Lucy’s first love had died in a car accident, which Asher feels responsible for. So whenever he is around Lucy, thoughts of their tragic past comes back to haunt him. He also feels some guilt in having any feelings for Lucy. Lucy feels the same way. But it’s undeniable that the two now grownups are drawn to one another despite the past. 

Another issue is Asher’s younger brother, Aaron. He has no intention of ever developing true feelings for someone, preferring a “love ‘em and leave ‘em” mentality that has kept him safe from ever getting hurt. Aaron begins a dalliance with Lucy’s best friend, now putting both Lucy and Asher in the middle of that whole potential mess. There was actually a scene in the book that irritated me a little bit, because Lucy feels it’s Asher’s job to make Aaron a better man and to be more responsible when it comes to her best friend’s feelings, but I sided with Asher in not wanting to get involved. I didn’t think it was right for Lucy to feel that Asher needed to “fix” it. But it was a major point where the reader could really begin to see more of the cracks surface in Asher and Lucy’s relationship.

When Lucy gets the chance to put her ex-fiancee in his place chapters down the road, it was pretty epic. And I enjoyed the sweet, soft-paced deep relationship that grew between Asher and Lucy, particularly because there is familiarity between them, but in many ways, they are both learning new things and functioning in more mature ways. I love when books are set in Oregon too; I’m from Oregon, born and raised! I felt the descriptions of the Portland landscape were very realistic. Third Time Lucky was a really delightful experience!  

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

Purchase Links:
Amazon US * Amazon UK * Kobo

Aimee Brown is a writer of romantic comedies set in Portland, Oregon. She writes closed door romance (NO sex scenes, light kissing) with humor and crude language. She spends much of her time writing, raising three kids (who are all nearly grown now), binge-watching shows on Netflix and obsessively cleaning and redecorating her house. She's fluent in sarcasm and has been known to utter profanities like she's competing for a medal.

Aimee grew up in Oregon but is now a transplant living in cold Montana with her husband of twenty+ years, two of three children, and far too many pets. She is a lot older than she looks and yes, that is a tattoo across her chest.

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