Mini Thoughts
Hello, all!
I am Phoebe. Phoebe is me. I related to her in so many ways that it was like Averick pulled her out of my own head. The mental health and anxiety representation was handled in a way that made me feel so seen. There were so many scenes where I was like, "Yep, that's exactly how I would react." I loved the group dynamic with her friends and how supportive they were, as well as how they were on this journey alongside Phoebe. The romance aspect was so sweet. There's a little love triangle set up, but I thought it was clear from the jump who she would end up with. My favorite thing about this was Phoebe learning how to show up for herself and do the hard things. It really was all about how normal it is to be scared, but to do it anyway. Averick's writing was so witty and approachable, and I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
Not going to lie, the last few books by Fortune (with the exception of One Golden Summer) haven't been my favorite, so I went into this with middling expectations. I'm happy to report that I ended up loving it. Fortune's settings are always some of my favorites, and I think Tofino is one of her best. The descriptions of everything were so detailed that it made me want to book a trip there just so I could experience it for myself. I also really enjoyed Frankie and George. I loved their friendship and how clear it was that they were meant for one another. George may have been a reporter, but his real degree was in yearnalism. I did get a little frustrated that it took Frankie so long to see what was in front of her, but it made it even more satisfying when they finally gave in to their feelings. I devoured this book, and it's definitely one of my favorites of hers now.
This was such a unique take on the time travel trope, so I was intrigued to pick it up. It ended up being just okay for me. Messier's writing was quick and easy to fly through, but it was so bland. The whole plot gets pretty messy, and it got annoying watching Joey harp on how things should be when she specifically went back to change them. I liked watching the romance grow between her and Alex, but again, Joey wasn't willing to accept that Alex wasn't the same person from her first life, which was frustrating. There's also a twist around Alex that I was able to figure out pretty early on, so the reveal wasn't as shocking. Overall, it was a decent read, but I wanted a little more out of it.
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| Pub Date: 5-26-25 Adult - Contemporary |
Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It- Brooke Averick: Phoebe Berman is just shy of her thirtieth birthday, and the only goal she has in mind for the end of her twenties is to finally lose her virginity. Phoebe has dealt with extreme anxiety around intimacy since she was young. Just the thought of making out with someone she finds attractive causes her to lose the contents of her stomach. Everything else about Phoebe's life is perfect: she has her dream job and the best group of friends, but she can't help but feel like something is broken inside her. Determined to change this, Phoebe creates a checklist to help her overcome her fears and (hopefully) get laid, and suddenly, she finds herself with three romantic prospects. There's the hot new fourth-grade teacher at work, her best guy friend who's always been there for her, or a former classmate she's recently reconnected with. The thought of putting herself out there terrifies her, but she knows it'll be worth it in the end.
I am Phoebe. Phoebe is me. I related to her in so many ways that it was like Averick pulled her out of my own head. The mental health and anxiety representation was handled in a way that made me feel so seen. There were so many scenes where I was like, "Yep, that's exactly how I would react." I loved the group dynamic with her friends and how supportive they were, as well as how they were on this journey alongside Phoebe. The romance aspect was so sweet. There's a little love triangle set up, but I thought it was clear from the jump who she would end up with. My favorite thing about this was Phoebe learning how to show up for herself and do the hard things. It really was all about how normal it is to be scared, but to do it anyway. Averick's writing was so witty and approachable, and I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.
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| Pub Date: 5-5-26 Adult - Contemporary |
Our Perfect Storm- Carley Fortune: When Frankie wakes up on her wedding day to find a note from her fiancé, Nate, calling off the wedding, she's devastated. She's left with no explanation and nowhere to live, so she goes back to her childhood home to piece herself back together. But then her best friend, George, hatches a plan: they'll go on her honeymoon together, in the hopes that it will bring Frankie some closure. Frankie and George have been best friends since they were children. They have a bond that others don't understand, but something has changed within the last few years. George has pulled away from Frankie, and she wants to take this trip so they can get back to how they were. But as they spend the week walking along the misty beaches and lush forests of Tofino, something shifts in their dynamic, leaving Frankie to wonder if the man she's been looking for has been beside her this whole time.
Not going to lie, the last few books by Fortune (with the exception of One Golden Summer) haven't been my favorite, so I went into this with middling expectations. I'm happy to report that I ended up loving it. Fortune's settings are always some of my favorites, and I think Tofino is one of her best. The descriptions of everything were so detailed that it made me want to book a trip there just so I could experience it for myself. I also really enjoyed Frankie and George. I loved their friendship and how clear it was that they were meant for one another. George may have been a reporter, but his real degree was in yearnalism. I did get a little frustrated that it took Frankie so long to see what was in front of her, but it made it even more satisfying when they finally gave in to their feelings. I devoured this book, and it's definitely one of my favorites of hers now.
Rating: 4.5/5
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| Pub Date: 7-7-26 Adult - Contemporary |
Every Version of You- Natalie Messier: To the outside world, Joey Vasquez’s life seems perfect. She's a successful lawyer on her way to making partner, she owns a home in LA, but looks can be deceiving. Joey has never been more miserable in her life. When she goes to a dinner party hosted by her best friend, Ellie, (who she's been pining after for years), she has too much to drink, and dies on her way home. Joey wakes up to find herself not at the pearly gates, but in an outdated office with a caseworker offering to send her back in time to relive her life, while keeping her memories of her first life intact. Joey decides to revisit the night she met Ellie in college and get him to fall for her, but instead, she finds herself falling for the one man she had always sworn she hated.
This was such a unique take on the time travel trope, so I was intrigued to pick it up. It ended up being just okay for me. Messier's writing was quick and easy to fly through, but it was so bland. The whole plot gets pretty messy, and it got annoying watching Joey harp on how things should be when she specifically went back to change them. I liked watching the romance grow between her and Alex, but again, Joey wasn't willing to accept that Alex wasn't the same person from her first life, which was frustrating. There's also a twist around Alex that I was able to figure out pretty early on, so the reveal wasn't as shocking. Overall, it was a decent read, but I wanted a little more out of it.
Rating: 3/5
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