Mingle All The Way by Susan Mallery

 

Reggie has agreed to come home for Thanksgiving and stay until after Christmas.  That's a big deal since she hasn't been back to Wishing Tree since she got engaged, celebrated with all her friends and family, and then got dumped all in the same weekend.  It's a small town and everyone talks.  But her parents have decided to renew their vows with a full wedding and her mom needs a hand to make it all come together and her sister is a busy teacher and soon to be mom.  Maybe it will be nice to be home for Christmas.  Wishing Tree goes all out for Christmas.

Dena is Reggie's sister.  She has not been able to find love and so she's making a plan and taking matters into her own hands.  She's now happily in her first semester and can't wait to be a mom.  She's got a big support system and has no worries about handling it all on her own.

Mingle All the Way follows the sisters navigating challenging relationships.  Reggie with her high school boyfriend who doesn't want a relationship and Dena who meets a literal rock star.

I always enjoy Susan Mallery's books.  I love her characters and how the stories come together.  She always writes such strong female characters and Reggie and Dena are definitely strong independent women.

A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez

 

A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez is a collection of short stories that slightly relate to each other.  They are the most perfect Christmas stories and I think it's a very mild spice level.  What's very surprising is that I own almost all Abby Jimenez's books and this is the first one I've read.  Seeing as it's nearly Christmas I think it's the perfect first book to read of hers and fall in love with her books.  All the stories are about love at first sight.  I read the e-book and found some festive recipes at the back that sound delicious but I would love to see a physical copy as there are narrations by Jimenez's daughter.

The Twelve Loves of Christmas by various authors

 

Twelve Loves of Christmas is an advent book.  The idea being that you read one short story a day for 12 days of Christmas.  I really love the concept.  I read this book in September and as an e-book so I think the charm of it was a bit lost and I would definitely recommend a physical copy in this situation.

I'm not really a short story lover but the stories were very fast paced and quite full and complete stories.  Not every day was appealing to me but most of them were.  I definitely enjoyed this way more than I expected to and the physical copy would certainly make the reading more fun.  Probably reading it in December instead of September on vacation in Portugal would be more festive as well.  I think some of the stories would have great appeal to a young adult as well.

The Wish List Trip by Kerry Lonsdale and Orly Konig

 

Holly and Anna have just lost their beloved best friend Zoey to cancer.  To be fair they haven't been a threesome of friends for awhile now.  When Zoey's dad presents Anna and Holy with Zoey's last wishes there's no way they can say no - can they?  They are big last wishes.

Zoey wants Anna and Holly to spend two weeks travelling to all the places the girls travelled together since graduating college.  She's written the girls letters along the way with instructions.  Like take her ashes with them and scatter them everywhere.  Also, forgive each other and get back to being friends.  That's a big ask but the girls can't say no to Zoey.

In the letters Zoey reveals some big secrets that most best friends would have already revealed.  Holly and Anna have a few secrets to share too if they can even talk to each other.

This was a great read and fast paced as the girls were in a new location every few pages.  The secrets that were kept were pretty big and the unravelling of the Anna and Holly feud was just right.

Hope and Hot Chocolate on Mistletoe Lane by Victoria Walters

Holly's business of event planning isn't going to well so when she gets a call to plan a Christmas event in her home town it's hard to refuse.  She hasn't been back in Birchbrook in 10 years and this town has a lot of bad memories for her.  Holly's dad left her mom and her 10 years ago for her high school teacher.  The teasing was relentless.  Life was miserable for Holly.  Her only shining light was Paul, her best friend, but they had fell out of touch and she wasn't even sure he still lived there.

Paul is still in Birchbrook.  He's running the cafe with his parents.  He always thought he would leave too and is grumpy that he never got around to it.  Maybe this is the year he tells his parents that he's heading out.

These best friends never told each other how they felt about the other.  But now with a short time back together can they navigate those conversations and figure out happiness?

Hope and Hot Chocolate on Mistletoe Lane is book 3 in the Birch Tree Farm series.  You do not have to read the books in order.  This was a fun holiday read and my first of  many for the season.  I always love a Christmas romance novel.

Meet me in Paris by Kristin Harmel

 

I was very excited to see a new Kristin Harmel book come out and very surprised to find out it wasn't historical fiction.  Meet me in Paris tells seven story lines that take place at the same time in Paris.  I admit at first I was confused - I hadn't read anything about the book and read it just based on the author name.  There are a lot of characters in this novel but you will know them all very soon.  

I loved reading about the characters exploring Paris and enjoying the food and wine.  I loved the slow unravelling of all their individual stories.  How the characters all fell in and out of love and rediscovered old love.  There's nothing more romantic than falling in love in Paris.

This novel is sure to be a hit for fans of Kristin Harmel and I think this novel will attract new readers for her as I learned that she has many novels that aren't historical fiction.  

Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

 

Blair is an actress turned producer.  She has the perfect movie to make but the author of the novel has passed away and now it all seems doomed.  In an effort to move forward she's got a meeting with Jack and is hoping to make his novel into a movie.

After a rocky first meeting, the two slowly become friends over texting and in a shocking move Blair invites Jack to write the next book in her pool house.  While living in LA the two become much friendlier and help the other unravel their issues.

I loved that this book had a quiet theme of mental health issues.  It really felt like something I'd never read before.  I loved that the whole story wasn't about mental health issues it was just something that existed in the story but wasn't the whole story.  There should be more books like this that normalize anxiety, ocd and seeking help.

Book Club Boyfriend  was definitely more than I expected from the title and the cover - although both feel completely appropriate to the story.  I just mean that it was a story of substance.  It wasn't a quick and easy fall in love story that I expected from the cover.

I also was 70% through the novel before I realized the subtle connections to Into the Woods and that they were the same author.  Definitely no need to read that novel first but you definitely should read both.

Love You More by Emily Giffin

 

Billie is happy and excited for the future.  She's got a wonderful fiancé.  She's living in New York and has a clinic where she works as a doctor helping with women's health and fertility.  Life is perfect.

Perfect doesn't last forever though and when a phone call from her old boyfriend comes Billie's perfect world is shattered and on the next plane back to Wisconsin.  Where she's forced to make big decisions and face her old love.

It's hard to say too much about this book without giving much away.  I honestly didn't know how it would end.  There's also a huge surprise twist that I definitely didn't see coming.  This is such a great read and I was so hooked from page one.  I love all of Emily Giffin's books and this one might be her best yet.  

Nantucket Second Chances by Pamela Kelley

 

Claire has just discovered that her husband, Ellis, of 20 years has been having an affair.  Of course, Ellis's new flame is way younger.  The new flame is also pregnant with Ellis's baby and very surprising so is Claire.  They have one daughter together Lily who is 16.  They thought they were never able to have any more children.

With not many options, Claire heads back to Nantucket where she grew up.  There she has her mother and grandmother and her best friend.  Being in her late 30's living with her mom and pregnant is not how she saw her future but it is what it is.

Claire has $1000 in her purse that she grabbed from the safe when she left.  It's not going to last her long.  Now Lily has come to stay on Nantucket and she needs things too.  After a joke at book club that she may need to start selling off her many name brand purses a business idea has begun.

I love reading Pamela Kelley books.  I always enjoy reading books set in Nantucket.  Kelley writes about the scenery there so beautifully.  Another thing I love about Pamela Kelley books is how she writes about wine and food and Nantucket Second Chances includes all the best scenery, wine and food descriptions.  If you like Elin Hildebrand definitely give Pamela Kelley books a try.

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews

 

Road Trip is the story of two Irish sisters, Maeve and Therese.  They're mother has just passed away and left the girls with a pile of debt.  There's a small tin of $20 bills but that's only to be put towards a trip to Ireland to find her family history.  There's a portrait painting that's been in the family forever and the girls would love to know how they are related to her.

While in Ireland the sister's meet a slew of people - some helpful in their search and some not so much.  They aren't the first people to come to Ireland in search of family history.  The search for history leads them on a wild goose chase.  Throughout the trip the make friends and enemies.

It's a bit of a longer book at 448 pages and it did take me a bit to get into the book.  But once things start unravelling it gets really good.  I loved the ending.  All loose ends tied up and you aren't left wondering about anything which I like.  

The Shippers by Katherine Center

 

Jojo has been cursed with love.  Every relationship she's had has ended badly and she's about to end another one standing at the altar with some help from her best friend Cooper.  

When she was 10 years old she was blindfolded and kissed and she's never stopped dreaming about that kiss.  Her blindfolded kisser, Finn, is newly divorced and going on the same cruise.  This is her chance to try and conquer him and be reunited with the best kiss of her life.

Not only is she trying to get her own love life under control she overheard her parents having marital problems.  Jojo's sister is getting married on the cruise to her ex boyfriend who is still holding a grudge over their breakup.

The Shippers unravels with a whole pile of misunderstandings and missed opportunities.  I'm a long time fan of all of Katherine Center's novels and this one was a very enjoyable fast paced read.  Only thing that would have made it better would be reading it on a cruise ship - I highly recommend doing that.

Burnout Summer by Jenna Ramirez

 Cam is burnt out.  Bad.  Her life is going down in flames.  She's drowning in debt.  She's just been fired.  She's very soon going to have no where to live.  Now she's just been arrested.  Something has to change.  When a friend offers a life line for the summer - a chance to breathe - how can she say no.

Danny is one of her best friends from college.  Part of the group of five that quickly formed over a project.  When life is falling apart for Cam, Danny swoops in with the perfect solution for a break and chance to recharge.  Danny owns a restaurant in a beach town.  He's got a summer job for Cam as a waitress, he can provide a roof of her head, and he's full of all the encouragement she needs to get her life back.

The only advice her best friend offered Cam before the summer began was don't fall in love with Danny.  Cam did that before - she dated Corey, one of the other guys in the friend group and when that ended the friend group struggled.  But falling for Danny is not going to be a problem.  She's got other things to focus on like what will she do when the summer ends.

I really enjoyed reading Burnout Summer.  Cam is definitely a sympathetic character and you can see how her life quickly spiraled.  Following her get back on track while working and living with her good friend in a beautiful beach town was a fun read.  I don't want to reveal too much but there's a very hilarious Oh My God! scene that I was howling over.  I will definitely be looking for more Jenna Ramirez books in the future.

Five Star Summer by Sarah Morgan

 

Five Star Summer is about Evie who finally has achieved her dream job in England.  It may be temporary so she's got to make the best of it.  She's grown up in the hotel - her dad is bell man.  Everyone in this hotel has changed her diapers and treats as one of their own.  It's a small town so everyone knows everyone and there are no secrets.

Abby is living in Chicago where her mom is the owner of the hotel chain.  Abby has done every job in the hotel and worked her way up from the bottom but it doesn't matter as everyone still sees her as her mother's daughter.  She's got no work friends.  They all stop talking every time she enters a room.  So Abby just does her best to work hard.

In a surprise twist Abby's mom is sending her to England to see why the oldest hotel in the chain isn't performing well lately.  Against Abby's wishes she must do so undercover.  She gets why she has to be undercover but this is her one shot at making friends.

I enjoyed reading this book and how it all unraveled.  Especially fun was reading Five Star Summer while on vacation in England.  I highly recommend reading this with scones and clotted cream because you will be craving them once you read about the chef.  I've read many Sarah Morgan's books and this was just enjoyable as I expected it to be.

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

 

Joy is a sweet little old lady that's lived her life following the expectations of those in her life.  First her father, a doctor, he had a lot of expectations of Joy.  Then her husband, a lawyer, expected her to be the perfect mother and house wife.  The only one who expected nothing of Joy was her long standing best friend, Hazel, that Joy met in grade 2.

Now at almost 80 years old almost all her friends have passed.   Now, even her beloved Hazel now has a expiry date coming soon with a new cancer diagnosis.  This cancer diagnosis and the thought of life without Hazel is enough to make Joy start living life on her own terms.  Slowly Joy starts taking more chances and soon sets a goal on her biggest risk yet.

Good Joy, Bad Joy was such a fun read!  I loved Joy and her friend Hazel.  I gave this book 5 stars which I don't do often but it really surprised me and I just loved the story.  

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune

 

I was extremely excited to get to read Our Perfect Storm. I'm a huge Carley Fortune fan. I've loved all her other books and this one did not disappoint.

Frankie is getting married to Nate tomorrow and when her maid of honour, George, finally arrives she couldn't be happier. Her happiness doesn't last long though - she wakes the next morning to a note saying the wedding is off and no explanation.

The next 2 months are a blur until Frankie's convinced to go on her honeymoon to Tofino, British Columbia with George. George has a plan to help her get over Nate. He's done research - every day has a theme with the intention for Frankie to move on.

I don't want to reveal too much. But if you've read any Carley Fortune before you don't want to miss this one. I loved reading about Tofino. I've never been and the author describes the scenery so beautifully. Frankie is a chef so the descriptions of the food are amazing as well. This book is definitely going to be a huge hit this summer. I'm sure many of you will be so excited to read it.

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack

 This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone is the second book in a murder mystery series.  I read that you can read book two without reading book one but I wouldn't recommend it.  Although, I was able to understand the story I felt like I was missing a lot of details about the characters and their relationships that I'm certain I would have gotten from reading in order.

Elenor is at a writers retreat with her boyfriend, Oliver and her sister/assistant Harper.  She knows all the other attendees too because they are on the same book circuits.  They were previously in Italy together and well the title is Every Time I Go On Vacation, Someone Dies, so that gives you an idea about the last time all these characters were together.

The weekend starts off with Elenor, Oliver and Harper being shown to their room and there is a dead body there!  As a murder mystery writer, Elenor knows there's probably going to be two more murders because that's how things go in a murder mystery.  Instead of being a guest speaker and teaching the attendees how to write a murder mystery they end up working to solve one.

This book is written in Elenor's perspective.  She writes some tips throughout the book on how to write a good murder mystery.  Elenor also loves to write with foot notes and there are plenty of them.  I was able to guess the murderer about mid way through the novel but I think it was more a lucky guess then actually predicable because I did not predict the ending.  At one of the most nail biting moments 89% through the book my Kindle died.  Leaving me hanging for 30 minutes while I waited for it to charge.  

Definitely take this series on vacation with you.  

Save the Date by Mallory Kass

Marigold is about to marry Jonathan, the very handsome doctor that her best friend Natalie set her up with.  Marigold's very wealthy step father has paid for the wedding on an island in Maine and everyone who is anyone is here.  But Marigold has some last minute business to finish in Canada that just can't wait.  

Olivia, Marigold's sister, is keeping a huge secret that would definitely upset Marigold if she knew.  Olivia, is also hoping to find a love connection this weekend on an old crush.  But right from the start this weekend isn't going as planned and she's trying to stay one step ahead of Marigold and take care of like she always has.

Then there's Natalie.  She introduced the happy couple even though she's been in love with the groom since college.  But she can't say anything now the weekend of her best friend and the guy she loves.  So she just smiles and grins and tries to be there for Marigold the best she can.

Save the Date felt pretty predictable right from the beginning but that didn't stop it from being a great read.  I really enjoyed the unraveling of the story.  I liked all the characters.  It was a fun book with a happy ending and I would recommend the book to everyone who enjoys a happy ending.

Pomona Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer by Bellamy Rose

 

Pomono Afton Can Totally Catch a Killer is such a fun cozy mystery to read.  Pomono comes from a very wealthy family - they own hotels, airplanes and more.  She's been a party girl for far too long and it's time for her to show that she's an adult now and she's changed her ways.  So she plans a gala for all her rich friends to raise money for charity.  This will show them she's new Pom.

Unfortunately, a murder happens at the Gala.  Fortunately no one liked him anyway.  But he was helping Pomona by donating a building to her new charity.  So with everything up in the air she can't work on the charity so she may as well solve this murder.  She's solved a murder case before so this shouldn't be too hard.  Plus she's got her boyfriend Gabe to help her.

Here begins the cozy mystery.  Just my kind of murder mystery.  I was not able to solve the murder by the ending so that also makes for a great book when it's not too predictable.  This is the second book in a series.  I own the first book but couldn't read it in time in order to get this review out the week it's published.  I don't think it will be giving too much away to read book two first but obviously if you have the option and time I'd recommend reading in the proper order.

Stranger Things Have Happened by Kasie West

 

Sutton is back in her hometown for a few months so she can help her mom recover from an accident.  She hasn't spent this much time back in her hometown in ages.  One evening, Sutton finds herself all dressed up and nowhere to go she heads to the pub where she is totally overdressed.  She wasn't expecting to run into her high school best friend, Tara and her fiance and his brother debating the benefits of therapy.  Sutton is a believer in therapy although she's never tried it herself.  Tara is trying to convince her future husband to join her in some couples therapy before the wedding just to give them a good healthy start at marriage.

Suddenly, Sutton finds herself involved in a bet that she's got no interest in.  She's got enough on her plate with taking care of her mom and trying to run a restaurant from afar.  The bet - couples therapy with a complete stranger.  She thinks the therapist will obviously be able to tell right away that the two have never met.  He thinks they'll make it through four sessions without figuring it out.  She needs to win this bet for Tara.  She owes her.

I absolutely loved reading Stranger Things Have Happened.  It was such a fun read and I was completely hooked all the way through.  The story has a little bit of spice but it has such a great story around the spicy scenes.  I really loved enjoyed the characters.  If you enjoyed Emily Henry novels, you will enjoy this story.

The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn

 

I assumed a lot by the cover of The Paris Match.  I was correct that it is a love story but it was so much more than that.  The story was full of mystery and secrets.  

Layla is back in Paris to see her ex-sister in law, Emily, get married.  Her first time seeing all the MacKenzie's since the divorce.  The amicable divorce.  But also Paris where she spent so much time with her ex-husband.  Every street filled with memories.  But she'll do it for Emily because she promised her they would always be sisters.

But after the first night in Paris the bride and groom are at risk of not going through with the wedding and it's all falling on Layla and the best man, Griffin, to make sure they make it to the alter.  Layla accidently met Griffin on the plane there and he made quite the first impression.

But there is so much more than just the wedding to this book and I really did love it all.  At times in the middle I found The Paris Match a little bit too long but I loved the ending with all it's twists and unravelling.  The story has a lot of walking around Paris and I loved reading about the city.