“Happy Place” by Emily Henry

Title: Happy Place
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2023
Genre(s): romance, contemporary
Part of a Series: No

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club Pick

Summary: Six friends – Harriet, Wynn, Sabrina, Parth, Cleo and Kimmy – arrive in Maine for their annual summer vacation. It will be their last year there as Sabrina’s family is selling the house in Maine. And while they are there, she and Parth plan to get married. As everyone prepares for the wedding, Harriet and Wynn have to hide a big secret from their friends – they called off their own engagement and broke up six months earlier. Can they make it through the week? Or will they lose their Happy Place forever?

Rating: 

“Eddie Winston is Looking for Love” by Marianne Cronin

Title: Eddie Winston is Looking for Love
Author: Marianne Cronin
Publisher: Harper Perennial 
Year: 2024    
Genre(s): romance, contemporary 
Part of a Series: No

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick.

Summary: At 90 years old, Eddie Winston has never been kissed. He then meets Bella when she comes into the thrift shop where he works to donate her late boyfriend’s belongings. Together, they form and unlikely friendship as she becomes determined to help Eddie get his first kiss.

Rating: 

“The Maui Effect” by Sara Ackerman

Title: The Maui Effect
Author: Sara Ackerman
Publisher: Mira
Year: 2024    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: No

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick.

Summary: ‘Iwa feels a special bond with the nature of Maui and is dedicated to protecting it, especially the beautiful rainforests that are under threat from developers trying to build more hotels. Dane has always answered the call of the ocean and is a renowned surfer. When these two meet, can someone so connected to the land and someone so connected to the sea fall in lasting love?

Rating: 

“Single and Ready to Jingle” by Piper Rayne

Title: Single and Ready to Jingle
Author: Piper Rayne
Publisher: Self-Published
Year: 2022    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: Yes

Why I read it: I wanted a Christmas romance to read.

Summary: Kenzie loves Christmas. Andrew does not. When they match on an app, it spells disaster even before they learn that Kenzie’s brother is Andrew’s best friend. However, fate throws them together when Andrew volunteers Kenzie to help plan his firm’s holiday party. Will the season work its magic on them? Or are they just too different to work?

Rating: 

That’s Amore: Some of My Favorite Romances

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Since it worked out that Valentine’s Day falls on my usual posting day this year, I thought it would be fun to go over some of my favorite romance that I’ve read and reviewed on this blog.

Let’s do a Top 10 List! 

Check it out below the cut.

Review Rewind: “Meet Me in Paradise” by Libby Hubscher

Happy Winter!

I don’t know about where you are but we’ve been dealing with a very cold winter this year. Cold enough to make me wish I was someplace warmer.

Since I can’t jump on a plane and fly to someplace tropical, I do the next best thing – I grab a book set someplace warm!

I’m currently reading The Maui Effect by Sara Ackerman but for this rewind, I’m revisiting a different book –Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher.

“Heard it in a Love Song” by Tracey Garvis Graves

Title: Heard it in a Love Song
Author: Tracey Garvis Graves
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
Year: 2021    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Got it as part of Once Upon a Book Club’s 12 Days of Bookmas a couple years ago.

Summary: Layla and Josh meet at his daughter’s school where Layla works as a music teacher. Slowly, they form a friendship that turns into more. But they both have just gotten out of marriages for different reasons so they aren’t quite ready for love. Will they prove to be what each other needs right now? Or are they still playing with fire that could burn them all?

“Yours, Unexpectedly” by Rachel Lewis

Title: Yours, Unexpectedly
Author: Rachel Lewis    
Publisher:  Self-published
Year: 2024    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1

Rating: 

Why I read it: I entered a giveaway for it and though I didn’t win, decided to read it anyway.

Summary: Rebecca “Bex” Bardot needs to take a fine arts course in order to graduate. She gets placed in an Intro to Acting course and discovers the TA is Anders Olsson, her brother’s best friend and the person Bex has had a crush on for several years now. Unknown to her, Anders has been harboring feelings for her as well. As he prepares to complete his master’s and relaunch a career derailed by his untreated ADHD, will he finally take a chance? Will she?

“Famous for a Living” by Melissa Ferguson

Title: Famous for a Living
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson    
Year: 2023    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: No.

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: Cat Cranwell has built her life around social media as an influencer. But when scandal ruins her reputation, she finds her life in shambles. Her best option is to move out to Montana and accept a position from her uncle, who is a park ranger. Out there, she learns more about herself and who she wants to be as well as how to use social media responsibility. Most importantly, she meets Zaiah Smith – a man who seems to hate everything about her life. But will that change as she changes?

Review Rewind: “Baker’s Dozen” by Allison Fuller

Since it’s fall, I thought I would look back to one of my favorite fall books – “Baker’s Dozen.”

Full disclosure – I do know Allison personally, so you can judge for yourself if I was able to give a fair review. This book also started as a fanfic for the Outlaw Queen (Robin Hood/Regina Mills) pairing in the Once Upon a Time fandom but Allison didn’t just change the names. You can understand the story just fine without understanding the show or the Outlaw Queen story on it.

You may also recognize the title as I mentioned it in my post about stories set in New York. This one takes place mostly within a few blocks in Lower Manhattan and really captures the spirit of the city as autumn descends on the city and then slowly changes to winter as the holidays approach.

Here is the summary I wrote about the book in my review:

Victoria Mason runs a thriving Manhattan bakery called Forbidden Fruit. She has a dedicated staff, a loving son and a best friend helping her raise said son. The only thing missing in her life is romance. But the handsome professor who comes into her shop each weekday at 8:15 AM might just change all of that. As the year starts to wind down, Victoria finds her love life starting up again.

You can read my original review here.

I hope you enjoy it and do give the book a try. It’s a great read.

And happy fall! 

“The Cinderella Pact” by Sarah Strohmeyer

Title: The Cinderella Pact
Author: Sarah Strohmeyer   
Publisher:  Dutton Adult    
Year: 2006    
Genre(s): contemporary fiction, romance
Part of a Series: No.

Rating: 

Why I Read It: It was on my Goodreads list but I think I put it on after watching a TV movie based on the book.

Summary: Nola Devlin works as an editor at fashion/gossip magazine Sass! and her main focus is on their popular advice columnist, Belinda Apple. Except Belinda Apple doesn’t exist – it’s all Nola, who pretends to be Belinda since no one gave her a chance, unable to look past her weight. But when Belinda’s advice inspires her friends to lose weight and have their Cinderella moments. Nola agrees and finds that once she starts to take control of her life, everything changes.

“Fake It Till You Bake It” by Jamie Wesley

Title: Fake It Till You Bake It
Author: Jamie Wesley
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin
Year: 2022   
Genre(s):  romantic comedy   
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I Read It: Once Upon a Book Club selection

Summary: Professional football player and bakery owner Donovan Dell’s orderly life gets turned upside down when he hired Jada Townsend-Matthews to work at his bakery. She is the most hated woman in America after turning down a beloved bachelor on a reality dating show. When pressed for an explanation, Jada lies that she’s dating someone and ropes Donovan into being her fake boyfriend. But as their relationship continues, things start to change for the better – and their feelings may not be as fake as they thought.

“If the Shoe Fits” by Julie Murphy

Title: If the Shoe Fits
Author: Julie Murphy
Publisher:  Hyperion Avenue    
Year: 2021   
Genre(s):  romantic comedy   
Part of a Series: Yes, Book 1

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club pick

Summary: Cindy Woods loves fashion – especially shoes. However, she’s found that her creativity has fled her as she graduates fashion school. Unsure of her next step, she agrees to be on the dating reality show her stepmother produces called Before Midnight. Cindy hopes to get some exposure and kickstart her career. But when she meets Prince Charming, everything changes. Will she managed to get the prince? Or is she primed for heartbreak?

“The Space Between” by Dete Meserve

Title: The Space Between
Author: Dete Meserve
Publisher:  Lake Union
Year: 2018
Genre(s): mystery, romance
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club selection

Summary: After presenting the biggest discovery of her career to NASA, Sarah returns to find that her husband Ben is missing. The authorities search for him but also suspect him of a murder which may be why he is missing. Sarah has to sort through the jumble of evidence left behind to determine what happened to her husband, if he is innocent – and if their marriage can be saved.

“The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches” by Sangu Mandanna

Title: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Publisher:  Berkley
Year: 2022
Genre(s): fantasy, romance
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club “Sweet Halloween” pick

Summary: Witches like Mika Moon have a lot of rules to follow, rules that guarantee that her life is a lonely one. But when she is summoned to serve as a tutor for three young witches, she starts to question the rules. Will her experience validate everything she’s been taught? Or will she come to realize she doesn’t have to live her life alone after all?

“The League of Gentlewomen Witches” by India Holton

Title: The League of Gentlewomen Witches
Author: India Holton
Publisher:  Berkley Books
Year: 2022
Genre(s): historical fantasy, romance
Part of a Series: Yes, Book #2

Rating: 

Why I read it: Saw it at Barnes and Noble’s and thought it would be a good read

Summary: In the Victorian Age, Charlotte Pettifer is the heir apparent to her family’s coven, a group of high society witches who use their magic to help the less fortunate. Charlotte is also the prophesized heir to Beryl Black, believed to be the first witch. When Beryl’s powerful amulet goes on display at the British Museum, Charlotte tries to claim her inheritance. But she finds herself up against her group’s nemesis – pirates who also lay claim to Beryl Black. When the amulet is stolen, Charlotte finds herself teaming up with pirate Alex O’Riley in order to retrieve it. But will they find more than just the amulet?

“The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult

Title: The Book of Two Ways
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Year: 2020
Genre(s): contemporary, women’s fiction, romance
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Summary: Dawn’s steady life as a death doula, wife and mother is suddenly thrown into flux as she starts to wonder if this was the life she was meant to live. She recalls how she wanted to be an Egyptologist and realizes she has unfinished business in Egypt. Heading back to the country, she reconnects with her work and the man she left behind over a decade ago. As she determines her future, does it lie in her past or some place else?

“The One” (The Selection #3) by Kiera Cass

Title: The One
Author: Kiera Cass
Publisher: HarperTeen
Year: 2014
Genre(s): romance, young adult, dystopia
Part of a Series: Yes, Book #3 (Reviews for #1 here and #2 here)

Rating: 

Summary: With only four contestants left in The Selection, competition for Maxon gets intense. America finds herself questioning old alliances and forming new ones as she finally decides what her heart wants. But with attacks from rebels increasing and tragedy hitting her family, she finds her world turned upside down and finds the world she wants to fight for – whether she becomes queen or not. Will she get the life she now wants? Or will it all be destroyed?

“The Lost Love Song” by Minnie Darke

Title: The Lost Love Song
Author: Minnie Darke
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Year: 2020
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: No

Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club selection

Summary: When celebrated pianist Diana Clare dies tragically in a plane crash, the love song she wrote for her fiancé Arie survives and travels around the world. As it makes it way back to Diana’s native Australia, aspiring poet Evie also returns there and befriends Arie. Will they find healing and a chance at love with each other? And if so, will the song finally reach it’s intended recipient?

“Meet Me in Paradise” by Libby Hubscher

Title: Meet Me In Paradise

Author: Libby Hubscher
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2021
Genre(s): contemporary fiction, romance
Part of a Series: No.
Rating: 

Why I read it: Once Upon a Book Club selection

Summary: Marin Cole is not adventurous. But when her sister Sadie convinces her to go on a her first vacation in years, Marin first gets a disaster. She is ultimately rescued by Lucas Tsai, the charming owner of a resort on the tropical island of Saba. Thanks to Lucas, Marin finally starts to open herself up to new things and adventure but when she learns her sister’s real plan, everything changes and Marin finds herself having to confront an uncertain future.