Tag: berkley

Book Review: The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Fiction / Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Rachel Linden
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 2nd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose. . . . from the bestselling author of The Enlightenment of Bees.

Lolly Blanchard’s life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she’s lost.

As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift–three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she’s ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.

MY HEART.

I’ve been reading a lot of heavier contemporaries lately and they are squeezing my heart for all its worth. This wasn’t initially on my radar and I’m glad I gave it a go because DANG Y’ALL. IT’S SO GOOD.

I loved the magical realism concept. It worked well within the story and allowed for those much needed glimpses into Lolly’s life and history. Each memory sent me into a puddle of emotions and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved the exploration of grief, finding your path, choosing love and the hard decisions that can stand in your way.

I did get minorly frustrated with a small aspect (hence the 1/2 star deduction) otherwise. I really have no notes. I usually struggle with books that lean towards fiction over romance and that was absolutely not the case here. I wanted both Lolly’s story and her romantic life to have that happy and satisfying conclusion (which does happen!!). It was beautiful. Highly recommend the audiobook too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Fiction / Romance
  • Language: light
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental death (car accident), stroke

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ALC Book Review: The Ex-Mas Holidays by Zoe Allison

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Zoe Allison
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: September 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s hard to escape your ex when you’re working together over Christmas in the Scottish Highlands, but being stuck together might be the best possible present in this sparkling new contemporary romance.
 
Maya Bashir is dreading her drive home for Christmas and having to explain that she’s just left her high-paying job and a long-term relationship, so a brief detour to her friend’s festive party doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Until Maya walks in to find the last person she wants to see. Sam, the boy who broke her heart eight years ago. And he’s serving drinks. Naked.
 
Sam Holland is working an extra job on the sly to help his friend get by. But little did he expect Maya Bashir to come barrelling back into his life, learning about his secret side-hustle and taking back her old job alongside him at his daytime role as a ski instructor on the slopes of the Scottish Highlands.
 
As both Sam and Maya realize that their reason for heartbreak so many years ago wasn’t entirely as it seemed, they must learn to stand up for what they want the most…or else miss their second chance at love.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.

HARD NO.

Honestly, I don’t even want to write this review, but also, it’s my due diligence to give my thoughts for this. Definitely not going on any of my 2023 holiday recommendation lists.

Things started off fine, I was liking it overall and curious to where things were going. Enter in, Sam’s girlfriend. Who was there for 75% of the book. And then proceeded to cause chaos. I saw what the author was trying to accomplish with that relationship, but to me it didn’t come off well. She was cruel to be cruel and add drama that didn’t need to be there. This entire book is ONE BIG MISCOMMUNICATION. That if it had been solved by 30-40% would have been fine.

I also liked Sam until the third act where he used the for your own good break-up line and I laughed at my audiobook thinking NO WAY IS THIS HAPPENING AT 90%.

Maya was fine. A BIIIIIIG conversation/conflict avoider. At all costs. And that got old because every plot line began to drag out longer than necessary.

I’m just cranky. This book made me cranky.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3ish open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gaslighting and emotionally abusive girlfriend

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Book Review: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 13th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The many lives of theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway have finally caught up with her. By day, she’s an adjunct professor, toiling away at grading labs and teaching thermodynamics in the hopes of landing tenure. By other day, Elsie makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, tapping into her expertly honed people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs.

Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?

BETTER THAN I HOPED.

After book two I went into this with low expectations, no pre-ordering, nada. And HALLELUJAH this was something I really enjoyed.

I absolutely adored Jack. He was a swoony love interest. I wish I had a physical copy to highlight many passages where he let out all the feels. I loved the way he pushed Elsie to choose herself and to see herself as someone of worth. Elsie and her super people pleasing ways hit me too. I could relate to that a lot and thank heavens she broke that unhealthy cycle. I loved watching her growth.

The academia politics and scholarly drama was all very interesting to me. It floated well in the background letting the romance shine but I still wanted to know what would happen with Elsie and her quest for a new job and the security she craves (and deserves). Truly a great rom-com. I laughed, cheered, swooned and fell in love with Jack and Elsie!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3-4 open door; high explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sexism, chronic illness (Type 1 Diabetes), death of a parent recounted

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Book Review: Happy Place by Emily Henry

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: April 25th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an eARC.

RELATABLE.

I didn’t know how I was going to feel about this one. I do think it’s Henry’s heaviest book and that you should definitely be aware going in! Not in a lengthy list of trigger warnings way, just the real life can bring you down way. The happy place ideal is oddly ironic for this book and by the end I liked how it was all portrayed.

The romance is a little more at the forefront than Book Lover (but not as much as BR/PWMOV). I liked seeing more of it and watching Harriet and Wyn’s story unfold. There was just the right amount of flashback chapters to add to the plot without feeling like everything was stuck in the past. Harriet and Wyn had some great banter, truly tender moments and I was loving the raw communication and anger that came out in the end.

Friendships are another main focus and, at times, over shadowed Harriet’s journey. The last 20% really hit me in the feels though with the many sentiments expressed. Life is hard, feelings are hard, and the parents you have truly play a part on how you view your future self and relationships. I am satisfied with how all of the friendships worked out too though. It’s something special to have that type of bond with others.

An impactful read that had me thinking and reflecting a lot. Do I still wish the romance was even more at the front? Yes. And there were a few scenes here and there that I thought slowed down progression. A glory days atmosphere I could have been cool without.

I loved the core of the story and the messages it left me with. And I thought Harriet really came into her own in the end and I LOVED that journey for her.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: one full open; medium explicit + some almost scenes and fade to black
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: losing a parent, grief depression and anxiety depictions, use of recreational drugs, alcohol use

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