To all my gals (and guys, if you are in to Chick Lit) who live in the land of third winter and have experienced the brief hint of what is t
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To all my gals (and guys, if you are in to Chick Lit) who live in the land of third winter and have experienced the brief hint of what is to come as far as weather goes and now anxiously await summertime – boy do I have a book recommendation for you.
The story here is told from Julia’s perspective right after she has succumbed to a brief battle with cancer. Her husband has fled the expected seven day Shiva to hide out at their beach house on Fire Island. It is there Julia gets the opportunity to spend one final Summer as an observer before officially passing to the other side. Not only will she watch over Ben and their neighbor Shep as they navigate their way through the grieving process as recent widowers, but she’ll witness her best pal Renee heal her own broken heart after being cheated on by her husband and have a little summertime fling, see Matty and Dyl attempt (and fail) to procure a condom in order to officially come of age before Dylan heads off to college, and see if Bay Harbor can finally beat Oceanview in the end of season baseball game now that Renee’s ex isn’t eligible to play and be the strikeout king.
This one is perfect for fans of Kristin Higgans. A beachy read with tons of feels that most definitely won’t leave many a dry-eye in the house upon wrapping up the final pages. It felt like a warm hug and made me eager for those first days of sitting out on the deck with the sun kissing your shoulders. Every Star.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review....more
But since I’m a fool as soon as the temperatures went from 30 below to 60 above my TBR got chucked right out the window so I could take a trip to my Summer home . . .
Okay, my IMAGINARY Summer home. But seriously, though, you give me a hint of Spring and I am all about Elin Hilderbrand and Kristan Higgans who are my go-to gals for some beachy good times. I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of this and just took a gander at the blurb now that I’m finished to see exactly what I should/should not be spoiling. I’ll keep the details to myself, but just be forewarned it’s not quite as breezy as the lighthearted synopsis might have you believe and if you are a crier, you best get your Kleenex ready because there’s more to this fake dating trope than meets the eye.
I didn’t realize there would be more than one narrator so that sort of threw me for a loop and it took me a little while to enjoy Lark’s mother. The landlady, though? Oh I want to be her when I grow up. Maybe this wasn’t my favorite Higgans’ story (because I was expecting something much lighter), but she’s still an auto read for me so I’ll happily round up my 3.5 Stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more
I will 100% continue to read anything Mhairi McFarlane releases, but this one wasn’t my fave. While I sign up for her stuff because I love the friend I will 100% continue to read anything Mhairi McFarlane releases, but this one wasn’t my fave. While I sign up for her stuff because I love the friend groups and actual plot with a side of romance thrown in, maybe I read this too soon after Mad About You as there were several similarities in the goings on with those two releases.
Let’s be transparent here - I 100% requested this book from the library simply because I love that bird flip on the front (you’re lucky I loved this sLet’s be transparent here - I 100% requested this book from the library simply because I love that bird flip on the front (you’re lucky I loved this so much, cover artists, because shouldn't it have been a “V” since this took place in London????).
Even though Grace was a Read With Jenna pick I have not seen it making the rounds much on either The ‘Gram or Goodreads so I was able to go in completely blind.
Pretty much right from the start I thought this was the female equivalent of . . . .
(With maybe a little Where’d Ya Go, Bernadette? thrown in for good measure.)
And upon finishing I discovered that film was this book’s inspiration. I’ll be honest and say the all over the place timeline was a hindrance for me at the start and the not knowing what had happened between Grace and her daughter was aggravating until I settled in. That being said, it was miserable and rainy here so I read this in one day. Had I stopped and restarted my rating may have suffered while I tried to reboot my brain and get back in the rhythm of things.
Buuuuuuut that didn’t happen and as a woman of a certain age who always feels like she might be on the cusp of a quality Menty B I found a new best friend in Grace.
The other day I had just finished a good book (of course I haven’t reviewed it yet, so much luck to you in trying to figure out which one of the 100+ The other day I had just finished a good book (of course I haven’t reviewed it yet, so much luck to you in trying to figure out which one of the 100+ on my “Currently Reading” it was) and I knew the chances of enjoying whatever I picked up next were likely not great. So I did what any sane woman should do in a time of crisis like this and asked myself . . . .
And remembered the she had said Lee Smith was one of her favorite authors so it was probably high time I gave one of her books a chance. The Last Girls was available and the premise of a reunion of sorts of old college pals where they would re-create a trip taken down the Mighty Miss thirty years ago (but in luxury this time around) in order to spread the ashes of one of the gals appealed to me right away. While I generally hate leaving my house, I really somehow dig the idea of one of these leisurely riverboat cruises . . .
This was a winner for me for sure. If you vibed with all things Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood you’ll most likely feel the same about this one.
(I could have lived without the godawful poetry, Anna's draft bodice-ripper and definitely gone without Russell the drunken perv husband's perspective, however. It's called THE LAST GIRLS - we don't need no dang fellers mucking it up. Oh and I didn't even bother reading the bios included at the end of the girls who had been on the first trip, but were somehow not included in the second. Why even waste the extra pages? Why weren't five girls enough for the original float since these non-characters were absolutely not necessary? Why can't books just all be 320 pages???? LOL *sorta* on that last one.)
3.5 and rounding up because . . . well, Dolly....more
This is another old ARC that I completely forgot about until my library turn came around for McFarlane’s new release and it popped up on the Kindle . This is another old ARC that I completely forgot about until my library turn came around for McFarlane’s new release and it popped up on the Kindle . . . so I gave it a read first. This is the story about Harriet – a wedding photographer who realizes she and her live-in beau are probably not meant to be, calls it quits with him and takes a flatshare with landlord Cal. Like this author’s other works it’s very chick-litty. Unlike her other stuff, I wasn’t totally on board with the plot.
I liked the self-realization of getting out of a toxic situation (whether romantic or “breaking up” with a friend who doesn’t have your best interest), but the whole storyline with trying to run an intervention with a complete stranger about her relationship with your ex – and moreso that you are surprised when things backfire – was just a bit much for me.
I’ll happily keep picking up whatever Mhairi McFarlane puts down, this simply wasn’t my cuppa . . .
I may have arrived super late to the Elin Hilderbrand party, but I can’t think of a better way to kick off summer than a three-day weekend
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I may have arrived super late to the Elin Hilderbrand party, but I can’t think of a better way to kick off summer than a three-day weekend spent out on the deck with one of her books (and maybe with a little cocktail).
This was my sixth Hilderbrand, but actually only my third trip to her famous Nantucket setting since the Paradise trilogy was my introduction to her writing. I can confirm I now know why everyone wants to take a fictional vacation to her little island because this sucker was a great way to waste some time.
If you know me, you know I’m always down to clown when it comes to fictional neighborhood drama and my addiction to all things Housewives, so this one was 100% my cup of tea. The story here is about two longtime friends, Grace and Madeline. They might not exactly fall into the same tax bracket, but they are most certainly BFFs – heck even their kids are high school sweethearts. So when the rumor mill starts circling that Madeline’s new rental might not actually be a writing retreat, but in reality a place where she can get down to pound town with Grace’s husband, they both laugh it off. What the local gossips don’t realize is things are sooooooooooo much juicier than that fabrication and nearly everyone is trying to hide some little dirty secret.
I picked up a paperback copy of this ages ago and left it on the “next-ish” stack. I would say I regret not reading it sooner as it was an absolute escapist’s delight, but truthfully I’m so happy I waited until it was 80 degrees and gorgeous outside before diving in. Although I’m landlocked here in flyover country, the weather situation certainly added another level of enjoyment and I could almost feel the Cape Cod breeze....more
If you don’t watch Below Deck that was probably all just *wordswordswordswords*, but if you DO watch it then you know this was the moment that made Kate a true Bravolebrity and ensured she would always have a paycheck if Andy Cohen had any say-so in the matter.
When Vanessa finds her employment terminated due to her “face” she doesn’t even get a chance to make a penis towel as revenge. Instead, she discovers she had potentially been working for a Jen Shah sort of telemarketing company. If you’re asking yourself how many Bravo reality series references I can make in one review, here’s a spoiler . . . .
So she and her fellow co-workers decide to dabble a bit in The Art of War in order to bring down the company.
If you enjoy zany antics, this one will probably be more of a winner for you than it was for me. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not really my style. ...more
I read this book AGES ago (and was even lucky enough to score a paper advanced copy) but never reviewed it because when it comes to the question of “wI read this book AGES ago (and was even lucky enough to score a paper advanced copy) but never reviewed it because when it comes to the question of “who wants to read a book about a lady fighting with the local homeowner’s association in order to stop a glass McMansion from being built next door”?!?!?!? The answer is probably . . .
A million and a half years ago when my husband and I were looking for our forever home we didn’t know exactly how much to spend (even way before the housing crisis the banks would approve you pretty much whatever amount you dared to ask for), or what style we wanted, or what part of the city (actually, we did know that but we either couldn’t afford it or were afraid of “up and coming” neighborhoods or the ability to manage private school on our budget). The one thing we were sure of was that we wanted to avoid the dreaded homeowner’s association at all costs. We have been left with people across the street who have chosen a very unfortunate turquoise color as their window trim and who leave their Christmas lights up the entire year, but they are also the same people who will lend you any tool you ever need or would pull you out of a burning building so you take the good with the bad. I stand by the decision of avoiding an HOA at all costs, but I LIVE to hear about other people’s issues with theirs.
If you’re like me, Kathleen’s story might be for you. I love good chick lit, I love some sort of midlife crisis and I really love the idea of moving from flyover country to live in a little oyster shack on the coast....more
Here’s the thing. Jojo Moyes needs zero of my help selling her books and since I loved Me Before You, Still Me and One Plus One I am not su
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Here’s the thing. Jojo Moyes needs zero of my help selling her books and since I loved Me Before You, Still Me and One Plus One I am not super interested in dissecting all the reasons this one didn’t work for me. Some books just aren’t for some people and for me that has a lot to do with the characters. I didn’t much care for doormat Sam at all and thought Nisha was a real See You Next Tuesday throughout the entire story (even though an attempt was given at providing her a redemption arc). The plot didn’t really tickle my fancy either and it was waaaaaaay too long (especially when things went all “Three’s Company” while attempting to steal back the shoes in the hotel). So that’s that and on to the next.
Maggie’s marriage is ending only six hundred and eight days after it began (despite being together nearly a decade) . . .
In the movies, you are Diane Lane, or Keaton, or possibly Kruger, a beautiful middle-aged Diane who is her own boss and knows about the good kind of white wine. Usually, you do not continue living with your ex for weeks because you can’t make the rent on your dusty one-bedroom apartment alone. Generally, you are not a glorified research assistant and an advertising copywriter, respectively, whose most important shared financial asset is your one friend who always gets free phones from work. Certainly, you are not supposed to be twenty-eight years old and actively planning a birthday party with the dress code “Jimmy Buffett sluts.”
Looking for love in all the wrong places, continually texting and calling her ex because he said they should keep in touch (and he has their cat Janet, after all) and alienating herself from her friend group for being such a Debbie Downer, she’s having more than a bit of a struggle handling things . . .
From the rating alone, it’s obvious this was NOT for everyone, but oh how I loved it. There’s nothing like making an imperfect fictional friend and this was another example of a “romdramedy” that had me laughing out loud one minute and “bless your heart”-ing Maggie the next.
Oh and if the gifs didn’t clue you in, if you enjoyed Fleabag there’s a solid chance you’ll like this too. ...more
You know what’s better than picking up a romance book in February? Picking up a book you think is going to be a romance book that ends up being soooooYou know what’s better than picking up a romance book in February? Picking up a book you think is going to be a romance book that ends up being sooooooo much more. I’ve enjoyed Mhari McFarlane enough that as soon as I see one of her titles I automatically want it. No blurb reading necessary whatsoever. At the start, things seemed like they were going to go in one direction . . .
My Best Friend’s Wedding might’ve been a funny film but relieving its plot doesn’t feel funny in the slightest.
But I’m so happy to report this was not your typical tired trope.
Since I went into this one blind, I’m going to keep this real short and sweet and not spoil things for any of the rest of you (especially as I’ve just read the actual book blurb and the storyline isn’t spelled out there either). If you enjoy stories about friend groups, simply know that Eve, Justin, Susie and Ed are probably people you would like to hang out with in real life – be aware that the romance is simply a blip on the radar – have a hankie ready if you are not a robot and can have actual human feelings – and also be prepared to chuckle a time or two . . .
“Was it me, or was there some hateration and holleration in this dancery?”
What does it take to make you add a book to your TBR? All that was necessary for me here was the title. I’m not going to lie a
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Ha! Too late!
What does it take to make you add a book to your TBR? All that was necessary for me here was the title. I’m not going to lie and present myself as the biggest Prince fan that ever lived, but I will tell you I got grounded when my mother heard me singing along to Darling Nicky and I totally pulled a swappy-swap at the video store and slipped the Purple Rain VHS tape in another benign movie’s case in order to sneak watch it when I was just a wee young'un. When I saw this cover I was all in – no blurb reading, no ratings gandering, nada. And in an attempt at full disclosure, I’ll tell you I just assumed this was going to be a YA book.
But I was WRONG! So I had just finished a Kristin Higgins book a couple of days before and had told my husband how a good Chick Lit really warms the cackles of my heart, but it’s sometimes hard to find said good ones and I tend to not read the same genre back to back. Then I picked this puppy up and . . . .
It’s just a typical weekday for Ramona – well, aside from the Category 4 hurricane currently churning out in the Atlantic, her work/life balance being a constant struggle and the fact that she just walked into her kitchen midday to find her husband in his unders and Sarah Ellen from the school drop-off/pick-up line taking the last coconut La Croix from the fridge all decked out in her cowboy boots post coitus.
I did a quick brain adjustment from thinking this was going to be about too-cool-for-school teenie boppers and the realization that the sun truly does occasionally shine on a dog’s butt that I was going to get my wish of another potential winner in the #cluckcluck category.
And oh what a winner it was. I absolutely ADORED Ramona and her children (and I like kids in books about once per year so sucks to be every other thing I read in 2023). I also hate most all adults in real life, but I’m telling you this gal could be my best friend if she weren’t fictional. The bits analyzing their marriage were so honest and I cannot remember a time where I laughed so many times out loud while reading.
“All right. Are we finished pretending like you could forgive Desmond for his lying cheating cold dead beatin’ two-time double-dealing mean mistreating loving heart – “
“Patty Loveless? Respect.”
“Earned all this money but they’ll never take the country out me.”
“Rihanna”
“Beyoncè. Sweat Jesus, what has happened to you?”
“I know. I know!”
Don’t let the crap Goodreads’ rating fool you. Bunch of haters around this joint! I’m blown away that this was a debut novel, and I’m telling you I’ll pick up whatever Carolyn Prusa wants to put down. Every Star! Take it sleazy, y’all. ...more
“Sometimes, your life shatters when you least expect it. Car accidents, lost pregnancies, divorce, loneliness. People you loved could disappoint yo“Sometimes, your life shatters when you least expect it. Car accidents, lost pregnancies, divorce, loneliness. People you loved could disappoint you, and other people came through when you never expected it. And sometimes, happiness just rains down on you out of the clear blue sky.”
I totally knew I was going to start this review with something along the lines of “my only complaint is it felt really long” – and NO WONDER. I just looked at the stats and noticed this sucker was brushing right up against 500 pages. You all know I’m a dumb bunny who really wants a 350 pager every single time and as I said, I could feel the excess on this one. It didn’t help that things jump off right from the start with taking a sedated skunk on a road trip to the ex’s house only to then backpedal to Boringville. I’m fairly certain the details were meant to be an homage to parenting and the fact that families come in all different formats, etc., but there was a whole lotta NOTHING going on aside from hearing how the sun rose and set on young Dylan’s tiny butthole while he was growing up for awhile there.
But then things did pick up and now that I’m done I’m sad. To Lillie, Melissa and the rest of the gang, let me say . . .
I can’t remember the last time I laughed so much out loud while reading. I’m really going to miss these people.
And to Kristan Higgins: I know there’s a lot of readers out there who fall over another Kristin’s books, but I’m telling you that YOU are the queen of Chick Lit to me. I was so bummed to leave these characters behind, but low and behold I discovered I have Pack Up the Moon on my Kindle too. #cluckcluckmuthafugga.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!...more
A pox upon the houses of everyone involved with the titling/marketing of this as some sort of Christmas romcom! Ugggggh! You did this oh so
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A pox upon the houses of everyone involved with the titling/marketing of this as some sort of Christmas romcom! Ugggggh! You did this oh so very lovely book such a disservice. While there did end up being a kiss under the mistletoe, this had a much more than a simple romp in the manger to offer and I totally understand why some have complained it was a sort of bait and switch from what they had been expecting. Luckily I have read (and loved) this author before and knew she would provide much more meat on the Christmas roast than other seasonal offerings.
The story here is of Eleanor who is gathering with her former boarding school chums for a week-long reunion prior to two of them getting married. The last time they were together was after the tragic loss of one of their group and where Nory did a diddle that she would like to pretend she never did with another of their pals.
I’d call this part Four Weddings and a Funeral and part The Big Chill (and if you know me you know I’m ALWAYS looking for something that gives me The Big Chill vibes). There’s some seriousness with respect to talk of race and class, as well as some melancholy, but there’s also plenty of laughs . . .
“Tell me about him.”
“He’s the gardner . . .”
“Oh, Lady Chatterley! I do say!”
“I knew you’d say that.”
And love.
Per usual, the third act breakup made me want to punch everyone around me in the face and I also thought this was probably nearly 100 pages too long. But still. It made my Grinch heart grow three sizes and I felt like I made some new friends.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!...more
I don’t know about you, but every time I see a trailer for an upcoming film release I immediately come to Goodreads to check if it was originally a boI don’t know about you, but every time I see a trailer for an upcoming film release I immediately come to Goodreads to check if it was originally a book. Thus was the case with . . .
Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline???? Be still my old Boomer heart!
I snatched a hard copy up from the library post haste and prepared myself for a Hallmark sort of time. And this was sorta Hallmarky with a bit of a later in life/second chance at romance storyline, but no one was more shocked than me that there was so much more to chew on here than I had suspected.
Hildy has been the leading real estate agent in her neck of the woods for quite some time, but the market is flailing and she runs the risk of potentially losing her mortgaged-to-the-hilt house if things don’t pick up soon. It doesn’t help that she’s still paying alimony to her ex-husband as well as pretty much supporting one of her adult daughters. Oh and speaking of, what a fine payback those girls gave to Hildy after she’s been nothing but a pillar of society their entire life . . . AN INTERVENTION???? As I said, blurbs/movie previews are deceiving on The Good House and this is the story of not only Hildy, but also her interactions with pretty much the entire community of Wendover, Massachusetts. I simply gobbled it up. If you are a fan of “chick lit” then cluck cluck kids ‘cause this is one that should not be missed.
I’m giving it all the Stars. What a pleasant surprise this reading experience turned out to be –especially when I went in with very few expectations....more
Mini non-spoiler spoiler for anyone looking for a magic peen being the driving force that gets my gal Meredith out of her house – you got the wrong book. And yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to all of the rest of us who dabble in romance, but realize the healing process after a traumatic event REALLY shouldn’t include a weiner.
The story here is about, you guessed it, Meredith. At the start of the book Meredith hasn’t left her house in over 1,200 days. She never had any intention of being a hermit. In fact, she was all dressed and ready to go the office on the first day she realized she was no longer capable of going outside whatsoever. Thanks to the best bestie that ever bestied Sadie, her faithful feline friend Fred, a work-from-home freelance writing career, online therapy and support forums and the bounty of the interwebs that make everything you might ever need get delivered directly to your house with a mere mouseclick, Meredith has been doing okay. But maybe it’s time she takes that first step . . . .
Okay, lovelovelovelovelove. That’s it. Loved it. Thanks to Michelle for putting this one on my radar. I feel like I myself made new best friends in Meredith and her friend group after finishing this one 4.5 Stars and rounding up because I can.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!...more
Strangely, several ended up being family dramas rather than the trash I was expecting. Vacationland was one of them. The story here is just as the quote above states. Louisa has come to vacation at her family home, but this time it’s for the summer rather than just a couple of weeks. She’s brought along her children Matty, Abigail and Claire, while her husband has remained in the city in order to focus on making his start-up a success. Her father is battling Alzheimer’s – her mother is at a crossroads regarding his care – and a stranger named Kristie is making her way toward the familial home as well.
If you’ve ever watched any sort of Lifetime/Hallmark movie ever you’ll know where the “stranger” aspect is heading immediately. Luckily I love family stories and most things Lifetime/Hallmark so I wasn’t too upset with this one. In an attempt not to spoil things I’ll leave it as I thought Louisa, Annie and Kristie were all pretty much turds when it came to their viewpoint on the situation, but surprisingly little Claire brought much delight to my children hating heart.
And every other film ever made on the subject, I am always there for it. After this latest release, I’m also declaring myself a superfan of Emma Straub. All of her books have been hits for me and this was no exception. Maybe it was the trope itself or maybe it was simply that Alice was so close to my own age that when she found herself reliving her 16th birthday on the eve of her actual 40th birthday every reference hit the mark . . . .
With no knowledge that this story would also contain such a strong father/daughter theme. Once again, it simply checked all of the boxes. Some books make me feel mired down in the details, but I couldn’t get enough here. From the posters on Alice’s teenage bedroom wall to the song selections to the magical neighborhood where she grew up . . . .
Every now and again I get in the mood for something “cozy” and gravitate toward the book series that eventually become Hallmark Stabbies like Aurora TEvery now and again I get in the mood for something “cozy” and gravitate toward the book series that eventually become Hallmark Stabbies like Aurora Teagarden and the Martha’s Vineyard ones and whatever the baking chick’s name is. Once summer comes around I mix in some chick litty beachy selections to my TBR. Imagine my surprise when I picked up one that is literally a Hallmark movie . . . .
Obviously it won’t change your life, but the setting was everything and the story, although predictable, was exactly the kind of fluff that I’m looking for when I simply want to sit on the deck for the day. A little family stuff, a little romance and a whole mess of baby turtles. ...more
Kelly (and the Book Boar)
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