Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
The Matchmaker's Cottage- Kat Sloane: Julia Schaeffer and Ethan Duchamp used to be inseparable, but now they haven't spoken in years. Julia runs a cozy bed-and-breakfast in upstate New York, and Ethan works in celebrity PR, and when one of his clients causes backlash, Ethan has no choice but to reach out to his former best friend. Julia wants nothing to do with Ethan, but can't deny the money and publicity of having celebrities stay would be good for business. Ethan knows the cozy vibes of the B&B would be the perfect back drop he needs to engineer his latest celebrity matchmaking scheme, but he wasn't counting on his own feelings stirring back up. As Julia and Ethan reconnect, old wounds reopen, and the pair are forced to confront truths they've been hiding, and decide if they're willing to take a second chance at love.
Not going to lie, this was a total cover pick up for me. I loved how cozy it felt with all of the autumn trees reflecting off the lake surface. I've never read anything by this author before, so I was eager to give it a go. I thought it was cute, but I didn't love it as much as I was hoping to. I liked how we got snippets of Julia and Ethan's friendship from when they were younger, and I actually enjoyed those bits more than the present timeline. I didn't connect with either of the characters as adults, and thought a lot of their issues could've been sorted sooner had they just had a mature conversation. The pacing was also very slow, so I found myself getting bored. While it didn't fully work for me, it was still a decent read that I think would be perfect for the transition from summer into fall.
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| Pub Date: 8-11-26 Adult - Romance |
Not going to lie, this was a total cover pick up for me. I loved how cozy it felt with all of the autumn trees reflecting off the lake surface. I've never read anything by this author before, so I was eager to give it a go. I thought it was cute, but I didn't love it as much as I was hoping to. I liked how we got snippets of Julia and Ethan's friendship from when they were younger, and I actually enjoyed those bits more than the present timeline. I didn't connect with either of the characters as adults, and thought a lot of their issues could've been sorted sooner had they just had a mature conversation. The pacing was also very slow, so I found myself getting bored. While it didn't fully work for me, it was still a decent read that I think would be perfect for the transition from summer into fall.
Rating: 2/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
I enjoyed Richard's previous book, so I couldn't wait to pick this up. It was good, but I fear it suffered from a bit of second-book syndrome. There was just something about it that didn't work for me. The writing was good, and I liked the banter, but I didn't fully love either of our main characters. I liked certain aspects of them, such as Lucy's outspokenness and Marsh's level-headedness. But as the story progressed, both of them made certain decisions that were so out of pocket. There were a few moments after they fought that the pair made such stupid decisions that it frustrated me. Lucy also put a lot of emphasis on how no one at their job could find out about them, but it made no real difference to the plot. I'd still recommend it if you like a fake dating romance, but I just wanted a little more from it.
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| Pub Date: 8-11-26 Adult - Romance |
Let's Kiss and Tell- Joss Richard: Lucy Reid pens a popular online sex column where she encourages her readers to embrace their desires and that they don't need a partner to be fulfilled. But when her boss drops the bomb that her articles aren't getting the traction they once did, and that readers want to hear more about relationships instead, Lucy panics and blurts out that she has a boyfriend and can write about him. Now, to save her job, Lucy needs a boyfriend and fast. Marshall Oakley is the new senior news writer at Lucy's company, who also happens to confide in Lucy that he needs a date to his ex-girlfriend's wedding. Lucy decides on a mutually beneficial fake dating arrangement, and Marshall hesitantly agrees. He'll prove to everyone he's moved on, and Lucy doesn't have to worry about losing her position. But the more time the pair spends together, the harder it gets to ignore the very real feelings between them.
I enjoyed Richard's previous book, so I couldn't wait to pick this up. It was good, but I fear it suffered from a bit of second-book syndrome. There was just something about it that didn't work for me. The writing was good, and I liked the banter, but I didn't fully love either of our main characters. I liked certain aspects of them, such as Lucy's outspokenness and Marsh's level-headedness. But as the story progressed, both of them made certain decisions that were so out of pocket. There were a few moments after they fought that the pair made such stupid decisions that it frustrated me. Lucy also put a lot of emphasis on how no one at their job could find out about them, but it made no real difference to the plot. I'd still recommend it if you like a fake dating romance, but I just wanted a little more from it.
Rating: 3/5
*Big thanks to the publisher for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 3-3-26 Adult - Romance |
No Matter What- Cara Bastone: Roz and Vin's marriage hasn't been the same after they survived a life-altering accident. Roz is determined to make things work, but then she finds a lease sitting on the kitchen counter, and is forced to come to terms with Vin moving out. Instead of sitting Vin down to talk through their issues, Roz decides to sign up for a figure drawing class. Between drawing nude models and adventures with Raffi, her best friend and Vin's younger brother, Roz can almost delude herself into thinking things will be okay. But when Vin offers to let Roz draw him for practice, Roz can no longer deny the feelings she still has for her husband. Vin isn't the only one laying himself bare, and as the awkwardness between the pair begins to thaw, they both realize the only way through is to heal their wounds together.
Man, Bastone really loves to hit her readers with an emotional gut punch. She always manages to balance the tender, touching moments with lighthearted humor so the story never feels too bogged down. No matter how sensitive the situation our characters are going through is, there's always an underlying current of hope that everything will work out in the end. I loved seeing Roz and Vin work through their trauma together. It was nice seeing them be so vulnerable and be open to learning how to heal together. Their relationship felt so raw and real, and I thought the PTSD aspects were handled very delicately. While the miscommunication frustrated me at times, I thought this was another solid read by Bastone.
Man, Bastone really loves to hit her readers with an emotional gut punch. She always manages to balance the tender, touching moments with lighthearted humor so the story never feels too bogged down. No matter how sensitive the situation our characters are going through is, there's always an underlying current of hope that everything will work out in the end. I loved seeing Roz and Vin work through their trauma together. It was nice seeing them be so vulnerable and be open to learning how to heal together. Their relationship felt so raw and real, and I thought the PTSD aspects were handled very delicately. While the miscommunication frustrated me at times, I thought this was another solid read by Bastone.
Rating: 4/5
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