Tag: romance

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

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Ruth Reichl has had an amazing career in the food industry. The former editor of the late great Gourmet Magazine, and author of many non-fiction books, has now written a gloriously delightful story in The Paris Novel. It is uplifting, charming and magical and ripe for the picking!

When Stella’s mother Celia dies, she sadly is not very upset. Estranged from her and never having been pleased with her life choices, along with some terrible childhood memories, she barely has any feeling for the woman who raised her. Stella never knew who her father was and quite frankly was embarrassed by her mother’s lifestyle.

So, when Stella receives her inheritance from her mother, a one-way ticket to Paris, she immediately decides this is just Celia trying to control her from the grave. But when Stella’s boss convinces her to try and accept the ticket and maybe live outside of her very strict and routine oriented life, Stella agrees to go.

So as Stella arrives in France and is roaming the streets, she sees finds a vintage shop and sees a black Dior dress. She is somehow mesmerized by it. As she walks in the owner looks at her and say this dress has been waiting for you! And Stella does something she never would have ever done. She tries the dress on and buys it for an extraordinary amount of money. But…there’s something about this dress that makes her feel different.

And with that in mind, she goes to dinner with the dress on and has the most incredible experiences of her life eating oysters and enjoying a meal she never imagined existed. There, she meets an elderly gentleman named Jules who is a wealthy art collector who has lost his wife. He begins to tell her imaginative stories of his and his late wife’s lives. Stella is spellbound. They become friends and Jules begins taking her to place she never imagined going, eating at restaurants she had only heard about and looking at art she witnessed only in books.

Jules introduces her to the owner of a famous bookstore where writer’s and such work there, assist at the shop and sleep and eat for free. He calls then his “tumbleweeds”. There, she meets famous writers including some who knew her mother. She then begins to go down the rabbit whole of her mother’s life and even though she didn’t know she was really searching, discovers answers to questions she never even though about.

The Paris Novel is a one of kind extraordinary read. The reader is taken on a delicious journey of food, art, life and love. The backstory as to why Reichl wrote the book is just as incredible and heartwarming as the story itself.

Thank you #NetGalley #RandomHouse #RuthReichl #TheParisNovel for the advanced copy.

The Main Character by Jaclyn Goldis

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The Main Character is a soap-opera like page turner with secret after secret, mystery after mystery. Its characters, a group of friends and family who are not only flawed, but have underlying problems, some of which have never been spoken about. But a famous train ride will open the flood gates on those unspoken problems, and perhaps turn these pals against each other.

So, let’s begin:

Ginerva Ex is a best-selling author whose genre is to do a deep dive into someone’s life, interview their friends and family, discover the good the bad and the ugly of the person and create a main character out of their story and write a fictional account of what she has discovered. Unfortunately, her last two books did not sell very well and Ginerva has decided she perhaps needs someone who had already been in the spotlight.

Enter Rory, who was a television news anchor until she was let go recently. Unsure of what she will do next, Ginerva convinces her to be the next main character. Since Rory and Ginerva have had a history, Ginerva would only allow Rory to interview her each time one of her books was coming out, and was offering her an astronomical amount of money, she decides to say yes.

So, after three months of interviews with Ginerva, her brother Max who owns a company trying to create an Alzheimer drug, a condition her father unfortunately has, her best friend Caroline who now works for Max and others in her circle, the book is ready to be published and as a thank you Ginerva has decided to give Rory’s innermost group a vacation of a lifetime. The newly renovated Orient Express train is doing an Italian trip with stops.

But when the group finally gets together to board the train, she is shocked to see her ex-fiancé, Nate among the cast of characters. Confused and angry, she stuffs her feelings and tries to go with the flow and enjoy this incredible opportunity. What no one knows is Ginerva has planned this trip to expose all the dark secrets she has found that were hidden. She too has an agenda for this group.

Suddenly problems begin to occur. Rory is almost killed by a bolder, the book being published which they were all given copies all disappear, and the group begins to fight with each other.

But Rory finds a copy of the book and begins to read it. And she is stunned. What she begins to understand is that the no one is really who they say they are. This group of best friends since childhood have so many hidden agendas. What does she do now?

And then she discovers Ginerva’s hidden agenda… and her whole world explodes in front of her.

The Main Character is a juicy complex thriller with hidden secrets, unknown personality flaws and puzzles from the past that when pieced together will shock and astound. Trust me, it’s truly a killer of a book!

Thank you #Goodreads #Atria/EmilyBestlerBooks/TheMainCharacter#JaclynGoldis for the advanced copy.

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

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We all know someone who is nosy. But sometimes the snooper can take it to a different level. Sometimes it’s just that they are bored. Other times it could perhaps be for another reason no one knows about. In Nosy Neighbor we discover the many different types of being nosy. The book is funny, mysterious, heartwarming and surprising as a group of residents from different backgrounds who live in a complex and who are not too cordial with each other, all with secrets, must somehow join together and not only try and solve a crime but also save their residence before it’s too late.

The apartment complex is called Shelley House. It is an aged building and some of the occupants have been there for decades. But when a young woman with multi-colored hair named Kat sublets with one of the older tenants named Joseph, the biggest busy body of them all, Dorothy is disgusted and angered.

Dorothy, who was married but has lived alone in her apartment for many years keeps a daily diary of all the goings on and activities that occur during the day. This includes what is happening at the other resident’s apartments as well as what is happening outside of the building. She sist at her table, drinks tea and takes copious notes and keeps logs. She rarely speaks to any neighbor and if she does it’s to inform them of something more than likely against breaking rules…hers!

So when Kat moves in to Joseph’s apartment, she takes an immediate dislike to the young girl. But in Kat’s defense, she doesn’t really want to be there either, but she has some secret unfinished business she needs to attend to so she can put this town behind her forever.

But, when the owner of the building decides to evict the residence so he can tear down the building, Dorothy cannot and will not accept this. She decides to ignore it. Another tenant Joseph decides they must fight to keep their home safe. But as Joseph begins his campaign to stop the evictions, he is hurt in his apartment. At first, they thought due to his age he perhaps tripped, but it is soon discovered someone attacked him. He is hospitalized and Kat decides she must try and figure out who tried to hurt Joseph.

Dorothy unfortunately does not want to help Kat, but over time agrees to assist with Joseph’s dog, a Jack Russell who is miserable without him and takes care of him while Kat is at work. As time goes by, Dorothy and Kat will discover that even with their age gap, they have a great deal in common. They both have had great heartbreak and loss in their lives and that has changed them forever.

And with this blooming friendship, Dorothy’s snooping and Kat’s investigating come together and they discover not only what happened to Joseph, but also much, much more. Will it stop the evictions? Who really knows, but what they do discover is that the residents of Shelley House need each other and surprisingly understand each other.

And what about Kat? Why did she come back? What has she experienced to make her so angry and untrusting?

Out of hurt and anger sometimes can come forms of peace and acceptance in this charming, witty, reflective story in which a group of neighbors not only try to save their home, but also, their lives.

Thank you #NetGalley #Berkley #FreyaSampson #NosyNeighbors for the advanced copy.

The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist by Sophie Gonzales

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Sophie Gonzales has upped her writing game in The Perfect Guy Doesn’t Exist, with an adorable story which will satisfy a multitude of literary genres, including young adult, LGBT, romance, fantasy/science-fiction and of course, her wicked sense of humor.

Ivy Winslow is looking forward to the upcoming week. Her parents will be away, and she will have the house all to herself. Of course, as a young girl in high school, she is being guarded by her former best friend Mack’s parents who live across the street. But for the most part she eagerly looks forward to eating junk food and watching her favorite show with her only friend, Henry.

Sure, she misses her best friend Mack, who she spent almost every day with basically her whole life, but because of stupidness, jealousy and stubbornness on both girl’s part, they have stopped speaking. Yes, perhaps if Ivy was truly honest, she did have a bit of a crush on Mack, but she is sure it certainly was not reciprocated.

So, when Ivy goes to sleep that first night, she never would have imagined awaking to find a guy in her bedroom staring at her who says his name is Weston, but he looks identical to the main character of her favorite show, H-Mad. He seems to think they are in love and will live happily ever after. He has plans for the two of them. She has no idea what this is about and how this could have possibly happened. But Weston begins causing problems from the get-go.

With no one else to turn to, she finally tells Henry and gulp, yes Mack. She needs help trying to figure out how to get rid of Weston! At least by the time her parents get home! But Weston does not want to leave and will do anything in his power and yes, he does have powers to prevent Ivy and her friends from getting rid of him.

In reality what actually starts to occur is the three anti-friends decide to work together to get rid of Weston, and as they begin to get close to each other, open up to each other and discover you can leave your past issues behind forgive what has happened and what has been said, start anew with new friendships and even find confidence and yes, love. Poor Weston!

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #SophieGonzales #ThePerfectGuyDoesn’tExist for the advanced copy.

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron by April Asher

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Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is the third installment of Asher’s adorable series Supernatural Singles. As with the first two, it follows the life and non-existent love life of the third triplet sister in a witch family. It’s funny, sexy and imaginatively creative. It’s an easy, enjoyable read if you are looking for something soft and feel-good.

Olive Maxwell is a witch who is a serious professor. She is always embarrassed by her two sisters’ antics. Especially when it comes to their love lives. Olive has no time for a love life. She is too busy with work and her students to look for a partner. Plus, she feels as if compared to her two beautiful sisters, she can’t compare anyway. But with that said, she has recently moved into an apartment (as roommates, of course) with the most handsome, sexy man she has ever seen, Bax Donovan who works as a guardian angel.

Of course, she realizes he could never see her as anything other than the person he lives with as Olive sees her life as very routine oriented even to the clothes she wears on certain days. But that begins to change when she assigns a project to her students having them make a list of items they want to do which are totally out of their comfort zone. Then do them and write a paper on what happened. But after overhearing two co-workers discussing her, she decides she too will attempt the assignment as well. Her list is honest, uncomfortable and awkward. Some items even terrifying. But she decides to close her eyes and take the proverbial plunge.

In the meantime, Bax, who finds Olive to be an absolute angel and beautiful gets his next assignment. It is to watch and protect Olive. At first Bax thinks, what a piece of cake! Olive follows the rules and always stays out of trouble. Until he realizes what she is planning on doing and she could get herself into a great deal of trouble.

So now he must somehow watch her without her knowing what he is doing. But what ends up happening is the more they are together, the more he discovers how terrific and wonderful she is. But this cannot happen! He is her protector not her boyfriend. He begins to assist her on her crazy schemes and enjoys what is on her list. But the challenge soon becomes very difficult as he begins to fall in love, an absolute rule breaker in his line of work. He also starts to learn more about himself and whether this job is truly what makes him happy. All because of Olive!

And then unfortunately Olive finds out and an angry witch is someone who does not play!

Not Your Crush’s Cauldron is laugh out loud hysterical, with a great story in which someone who tries to go beyond their comfort zone to try new things without feeling embarrassed or afraid and starts to learn many life lessons. It’s about finding out things you never imagined not only about yourself, but about others. And having a whole new world open up in front of your eyes. It’s just a great romp!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’s/Griffin #AprilAsher #NotYourCrush’sCauldren for the advanced copy.

The Getaway List by Emma Lord

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Emma Lord’s newest Young Adult novel, The Getaway List is a heartwarming story about teenagers, their mothers and friendships. It’s a coming of age, rite of passage plot filled with all the angst which comes with growing up. It’s about two best friends, one of which moved away and how they attempt to reconnect on the same level as when they were younger. But they soon realize, their old selves are gone, and they must try and adjust to the new people they have become. But can they? As they try to find a balance between their new freedom, adult problems and still needing their moms in their lives, can they reconnect in a different way.

The day Riley graduated from high school was the day she decided to tell her mom she needed to spread her wings. Not being able to go to college the coming year, for reasons she doesn’t want to discuss, she makes the decision to go see her best friend Tom who now lives in New York City with his famous screenwriter mother. Since they moved a few years ago they have not seen each other, and their interactions have become less and less. So, Riley wants to get them back on track. Unfortunately, her mother feels that her being with Tom will only get her in trouble and forbids her to go. But, Riley, now feeling she is an adult and doesn’t need her mother’s permission goes against her wishes and ends up in New York.

What her mother doesn’t understand is that Riley and Tom had created a Getaway List of crazy things they wanted to do together. But then Tom moved, and they never had the chance to even start the list. So now, Riley wants to complete the list with Tom over a weekend.

But, when they get together, Riley finds they have become two different people than she remembers, although she sees a bit of the old Tom, he is more serious, adult-like. She realizes they have changed. They are not the same young kids with no problems who are just able to hang out and relax. Tom now has a job and with his mother away at the moment is responsible for an actual household.

But they decide to make the most of the time they have and start the list. Along the way, they get a bit of help from a couple of kids who they would have never even given the time of day. And as they all begin the list together, they begin to trust each other and tell their own pasts and fears and parental issues realizing they really aren’t any different from each other.

What happens is this group of semi-lost young adults discover the value of true friendships, family and feelings as their lives take on different directions and they contemplate what is next for them once the list is finished…if they can even finish it!

The Getaway List is a powerful story about learning to become an adult, the heartbreak and heartache of not being understood, and the importance of true friendship and honesty with oneself and others you love.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #EmmaLord #TheGetawayList for the advanced copy.

Recipe For A Charmed Life by Rachel Linden

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Recipe For A Charmed Life is a beautifully crafted love story. But not your usual love story between two people, but a love story which goes so much deeper than that. It’s a story about losing love, rekindling love and realizing what’s important in life and who is important in one’s life. It explains how until you let go of your past which cannot ever be changed you won’t be able to eagerly look forward to a future you also will not be able to change.

Chef Georgia May Jackson is an American cooking in Paris. With Julia Child as her childhood in her head mentor, she believes she is realizing “their” dreams. Her goal, to open a restaurant of her own. Until one night she not only loses her temper, but also loses her dream, her boyfriend and her job. During this same time, she begins to also lose her tastebuds which in her line of work is tragic. Doctors are mystified and she is terrified.

On top of all this bad news, Georgia May gets an unexpected message from her mother who she has not seen since she was a young girl. She has never forgiven her mother for just up and leaving them and has never had the true reason why she left. She finds out her mother is now living in a small coastal town near Seattle and has invited Georgia May for a visit. She realizes she needs to regroup and find her old spark and perhaps she can finally put to rest what happened to their family all those years ago.

But when she finally meets her mother, she discovers a beautiful free spirit who has a magical relationship with making anything in a garden grow, who only wants to make things right with her daughter. Georgia May begins to see her mother in a different light. Not the person she imagined growing up.

Of course, her mother’s helper is a very handsome oyster farmer who is very mysterious, and Georgia May can’t figure out what his problem with her is. She gets the feeling he hates her and can’t imagine why. He also seems to have his own set of issues and secrets.

As they settle in and start to discuss the past, Georgia May begins to feel differently. She’s still angry with her mother about her past and doesn’t know what to think about their future. She is excited about perhaps a future with her. And just like that she gets a call from Paris with an offer. She is torn. What on earth would Julia do?

Recipe For A Charmed Life is a from the heart, passionate story about forgiveness, friendships, unforgivable issue and moving past the hurt and finding true love and enthusiasm for whatever comes next.

Thank you #NetGalley #BerkleyPublishingGroup #RachelLinden #RecipeForACharmedLife for the advanced copy.

On The Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

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On The Plus Side is a funny, warm-hearted, empathetic look at the realities of not being what society defines as “normal”. It’s about personal introspection, insecurities, falling in love and re-falling in love with oneself.

Everly Winters is content with her life. She is a receptionist, loves art and creativity which bodes well at the company she works for. She has a bit of a crush on one of her co-workers. But she lives her life quietly, ever since her grandmother died.

Suddenly, she is thrust onto a reality show called On The Plus Side which helps overweight women with all aspects of their life. She loves the show but is horrified that someone nominated her (whose identity she is still looking for) to actually be a participant. The show tries to transform the person by giving them the tools to step out of their comfort zone with new ways of dressing, making them look inside themselves as well as having family involvement. This family thing makes Everly very nervous!

As Everly begins the process of having cameras film her all the time, she begins to open her eyes to the camera operator, Logan who is not only fabulously handsome, but kind and comforting.

But, having to look back on her life is not something she really wants to do. There is pain in that process. Her mother has always pushed her to lose weight so she could look and feel better, something she has always felt she didn’t need thanks to her late grandmother’s words of wisdom that she just always be her beautiful self both inside and out. She is nervous what her mother will say on camera!

Funny enough, Everly does begin the metamorphous process and starts to self-reflect and discover the person she used to be when her grandmother was alive. She also finds she and Logan have a great deal in common and begin having feelings, which because this is reality television, the fans as well as the producers think is fabulous!

But just as she is beginning to find the old Everly, and also perhaps love, it could all be taken away as the producers have a very different outlook on what is happening in her life! Is she strong enough yet to stick up for herself and every other past and future contestant of On The Plus Side?

This fantastic story is an honest, humorous yet serious look at being fat in today’s world which in this book is an ok word to use. Its thesis is to accept oneself, love everything about yourself because you don’t have to answer to anyone BUT yourself. Embrace who you are, not who others want you to be. And you are not alone!

Thank you #NetGalley #Griffin #JennyL.Howe #OnThePlusSide for the advanced copy.

Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe

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Our Cursed Love is an adorably sweet, young adult story which captures the essence of being a teenager in love and all that comes with it. In youth, the journey begins with self-esteem issues, peer and parent pressure, and the learning process of becoming who you want to be. The book especially encompasses first love and all those feelings of awkwardness which can drive any teenager crazy! But in Our Cursed Love, the transformation of the main characters is magical!

Remy Kobata and Cam Yasuda are high school seniors who have been best friends since their childhood. They sometimes know each other better than the other does. But both hold one secret from the other. Remy has deep feelings for Cam and Cam thinks he might be falling for real for Remy. But he is lost at what to do.

As they go on vacation to Japan to meet Remy’s sister and her boyfriend and also for Remy to interview at a prestigious college there, both knowing full well that Cam will be staying in the United States for college and Remy will hopefully get in to this college, this may be the last time for quite a while they will be together. So, they want to make the next six days heading up to New Year’s Eve the best of their lives. But there is an awkwardness between them as they both want to say something to each other, but it just never happens.

As with young adults, they fear their feelings will not be reciprocated. And Remy just needs to make sure Cam is her soulmate before she opens her heart to him. But unfortunately, when she goes to a mystical tea reader, he not only tells her she will never have a soulmate, but she will never fall in love. She is devastated.

But she hears there could be a potion which has been banned by the government that could help her in her search to see if Cam is the one. They take the potion. Unfortunately, it is disastrous! Cam begins to lose all his memories of Remy! And as of now there is no antidote. By New Year’s Eve if they can’t find one, Cam will never remember who Remy was to him.

As they are helped by magical scientist friends, they are in the race of a lifetime. Remy feels like perhaps she really does not have a soulmate, but can she let Cam go? Even if they find a remedy, will they even be together? As the clock ticks down to New Year’s Eve, the pressure is on them. They truly are cursed!

Our Cursed Love is a charming love story filled with humor, magic and real-life teenage dilemmas which will resonate with young readers.

Thank you #NetGalley #WednesdayBooks #JulieAbe #OurCursedLove for the advanced copy.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg

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Sometimes, timing is everything, but in Maybe Once, Maybe Twice timing is heartbreaking. The story follows the joys and sorrows of a woman who has three great loves in her life. Her dream to become a singer/songwriter, and two relationships which somehow keep falling to pieces. The story is told by jumping in time backward in age to now explaining how all these second chances have come to fruition and the risks involved in each decision she makes.

Maggie finds herself at a pivotal point in her life. She discovers on her 35th birthday that she may not be able to get pregnant, something she really wants although there is no man in her life, and she certainly can’t afford any help in that area. Oh, and her music career is in the dumps. Her only salvation is she and her best friend Garrett have always said if they were not married by the age of thirty-five, they would marry. Which for Maggie is very pleasurable as she has secretly loved her him since they first met. Yes, they have had their ups and downs over the years and yes, they have not seen each other in a while but she knows he’s coming to her party, and she knows she can make everything all right.

So, when they finally meet up, Maggie is devastated to learn Garrett is engaged to be married to someone else. Especially after he gave her an amazing kiss at the party! Heartbroken she begins to look back at their relationship as well as her first love, Asher whom she met at summer camp who was also the first person to break her heart.

But when Garrett invites her to his engagement party, which turns into a nightmare with them confronting each other, she realizes she can’t continue like this. So, she decides to look up Asher, an actor and is surprised at what she finds.

As they reconnect, and with his help realizes she is on the edge of fame, Garrett makes an unexpected announcement. So does Asher. And someone from her past she hates has come back to haunt her. Overwhelmed by all of this, she must decide what she wants knowing she will hurt them both.

Is there a true love of your life? Can there be two? How do you break someone’s heart knowing this could be the end of the relationship. How do you decide to finally, for once worry about yourself instead of all the others. How does she finally find the happiness and peace she needs.

Maybe Once, Maybe Twice is a funny, emotional rollercoaster of falling in love, memories and learning to let go. It’s about being strong for yourself and others, not ever realizing you can be able and still be in control of your own life as you reach the top of the mountain.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sGriffin # AlisonRoseGreenberg #MaybeOnce,MaybeTwice for the advanced copy.