Top Ten Book Titles That Ask Questions

Posted July 12, 2021 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 15 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic features book titles that ask questions or have question marks in them. This was trickier than I anticipated, and lots of book with questions in the titles are children’s books! I had fun hunting for titles, though, and I hope you did too!

1. Can You Keep a Secret? By Sophie Kinsella

2. Do You Want to Start a Scandal? By Tessa Dare
(It really bugs me that there’s no question mark on the cover or Goodreads, because this is definitely a question!)

3. Are You My Mother?  By P.D. Eastman
(I had to include a children’s book because this one is so adorable and I loved it as a kid.)

4. Isn’t It Bromantic? by Lyssa Kay Adams

5. Where Are You Now? by Mary Higgins Clark

6. What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown

7. Your Room Or Mine? by Charlotte Phillips

8. Do You Believe in Santa? by Sierra Donovan

9. Who’s That Girl? by Mhairi McFarlane

10. Have We Met? by Camille Baker

What questions are your book covers asking you?

Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone | Audiobook Review

Posted July 8, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 2 Comments

Sweet Talk by Cara Bastone | Audiobook ReviewSweet Talk by Cara Bastone
Series: Love Lines #2
Also in this series: Call Me Maybe
Narrator: Lidia Dornet, Chris Brinkley
Published by Audible Originals on April 22, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Length: 5 hours 42 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
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It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on.

I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

And then somehow we keep talking…ALL NIGHT. We’re both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night.

And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something.

And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family to his amazing artwork. There’s no topic we don’t cover…

Except for who I really am. It’s the only question of his I won’t answer.

As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we’ve built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream….

I absolutely adored Call Me Maybe, so I was extremely excited when I saw that a second book was out! I didn’t even know this was going to be a series! I immediately dropped what I was reading and started listening to Sweet Talk. Spoiler alert: I loved it!

This book is about Eliot and a mystery woman that he accidentally voice texts late one night. The pair met once upon a time for some reason, exchanged numbers for some reason, and that was that. Eliot has no idea who she is. He entered her name into his phone as a jumble of letters that he can’t decipher, and she enjoys talking to her crush anonymously so much that she refuses to tell him who she is. This accidental text leads to a very sweet, flirty friendship that eventually turns into a deeper connection. She calls him by his last name, Hoffman, so he decides to call her by the last two letters of the name he entered for her, J.D. Their voice texting quickly transitions into nightly phone calls during insomnia hour. They watch TV together and help each other fall asleep. It’s pretty adorable. Eliot is falling for her and so badly wants to know who she is (so do readers!) but she feels like he would be disappointed if he knew her identity, so she never plans to reveal herself. This is such a unique premise, right? I loved the mystery and the cuteness of it all.

Eliot is very, very good. You’ll remember him as Vera’s brother if you listened to Call Me Maybe. He’s so sweet and caring and adorable. He promises J.D. that he will not to not try and find out who she is… and then he doesn’t try to find out who she is. They decide to go to the same club one night and not see each other, but just dance and have fun talking on the phone. J.D. arrives first and watches him show up. When he does, he won’t look around. His eyes are on the ground, and that just melted me. He’s so trustworthy, not wanting to push her or make her feel uncomfortable. That’s a constant trend throughout the whole book. He wants to be there for her and know her, but he cares even more that she’s ok. He’s a graphic designer, who secretly writes the most popular webcomic ever and I just loved his slightly nerdy personality. His insomnia is caused by past trauma, and I felt like the author handled it with sensitivity and compassion. Eliot is just great, and the narrator who voiced him was perfect. Chris Brinkley has a very soft, sweet voice and speaks with a sensitive and caring tone. He brings Eliot to life, and without him I don’t know that I would have loved Eliot as much.

J.D. is great, too! She wears combat boots and goes to a boxing gym, and is so tough and strong. At the same time, she’s a soft daddy’s girl and has a tender and caring side. Eliot has his struggles and she does, too. She’s grappling with the fact that her dad is terminally ill with cancer and in an assisted living facility. She uproots her own life to move into his apartment and take over his job because he loved it so much. Her mom left them, and her brother is constantly in and out of trouble, so the two of them have clung to one another for love and support. They talk on the phone all the time, and he’s just the best dad ever. She’s also dealing with some insecurities about whether or not she is Eliot’s type and is scared to ever let him find out who she is for multiple reasons, and I found her to be very relatable. Lidia Dornet did such a great job playing J.D. She has that tough voice with a little New York swag to it, and it embodies J.D.’s character perfectly.

I loved the chemistry between Eliot and J.D. Their banter had me grinning from ear to ear. I love that they bond on the phone and allow the connection to grow without the distraction that a physical relationship can sometimes create. They talk about deep, important things and connect quickly. Cara Bastone did a great job balancing the deeper, sadder topics with humor and lightness. I never felt depressed, even though I easily could have. She also did a great job keeping J.D.’s identity a secret from her readers (or at least this reader). I had no idea who she was until just moments before the reveal. It was so much fun to try and figure out the mystery.

There are maaaaaajor spoilers for Call Me Maybe in Sweet Talk, so if you have any interest in listening to the first book you absolutely must before you listen to this one. This story happens at the same time as Call Me Maybe, and this book spoils the ending of that one. I found it really fun to get a bit of a third perspective on Vera’s love story through Eliot’s point of view and enjoyed reliving her story for a little while. As with Call Me Maybe, I loved all the sound effects. You can hear computer keys clicking, New York buzzing by when the characters are outside, water running when they brush their teeth, etc. It felt like I was listening to a movie. Audible is doing such great things with their Originals line! I am enjoying so many of them.

All in all, Sweet Talk was adorable. I’m becoming more and more convinced that I need to read Cara Bastone’s Forever Yours series. I’ve been a little scared of this series because the synopses sound like they tackle heavier issues than the romances I typically grab for, but Sweet Talk did too and I loved it. Maybe she will balance those heavier issues out with the kind of humor she has written into this audiobook series. If so, I know I’ll love it. She writes such amazing romantic relationships and characters, and I’m excited to read more of them from her!

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Reading

Posted July 5, 2021 by Jana in About Me, Top Ten Tuesday / 16 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic focuses on reading instead of books, and asks why I love reading! This is going to be EASY.

1. The escape.
I love escaping reality and being engrossed in a completely different time, place, and/or world. And it’s been especially nice to escape the craziness of covid and travel to places where it doesn’t exist.

2. I get to travel to someplace new.
I love visiting places I’ve never been! Books are the cheapest way to see the world.

3. To make friends.
I’ve read about so many characters I’d love to be friends with! And I always miss those friends when a book or series ends. The book community has also brought me many friends, so that’s also cool!

4. To fall in love.
Much like the reason above, I love all my book boyfriends.

5. Reading makes you smarter!
AND it sets off the imagination.

6. Books are pretty.
I love all the pretty covers and putting my favorites on my bookshelves. My room looks beautiful with all my books.

7. It’s the best way to fall asleep.
I love laying in bed in the dark and reading books on my Kindle, all cozied up under the covers. It’s my favorite part of the day.

8. The memories.
Every time I see a book I loved, I smile and remember my reading experience.

9. Sometimes a story will change your life.

10. I love learning.
I love learning about people who are different than I am, places I’ve never visited, cultures I’m not familiar with, and different ways of thinking.

It was hard to narrow this list down to just ten, but that’s part of the challenge of TTT! 
Why do you love reading?

Her Darkest Nightmare (and the Rest of the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles) by Brenda Novak | Audiobook Series Review

Posted July 1, 2021 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 4 Comments

Her Darkest Nightmare (and the Rest of the Evelyn Talbot Chronicles) by Brenda Novak | Audiobook Series ReviewHer Darkest Nightmare by Brenda Novak
Series: The Evelyn Talbot Chronicles #1
Published by St Martin's Paperbacks on April 30, 2016
Genres: Mythology, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 431
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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THE HUNT FOR A SERIAL KILLER
Evelyn Talbot knows that a psychopath can look perfectly normal. She was only sixteen when her own boyfriend Jasper imprisoned and tortured her—and left her for dead. Now an eminent psychiatrist who specializes in the criminal mind, Evelyn is the force behind Hanover House, a maximum-security facility located in a small Alaskan town. Her job puts her at odds with Sergeant Amarok, who is convinced that Hanover is a threat to his community…even as his attraction to beautiful Evelyn threatens to tear his world apart.

BEGINS WITH AN ESCAPE FROM HER PAST
Then, just as the bitter Alaskan winter cuts both town and prison off from the outside world, the mutilated body of a local woman turns up. For Amarok, this is the final proof he needs: Hanover has to go. Evelyn, though, has reason to fear that the crime is a personal message to her—the first sign that the killer who haunts her dreams has found her again. . .and that the life she has so carefully rebuilt will never be the same…

It’s no secret that I love romantic suspense, so when I saw a romantic suspense series of books about serial killers set in a remote Alaskan town, I was extremely excited! I listened to the prequel novel, Hanover House, and then immediately dove into Her Darkest Nightmare. And then… I binged the rest of the series back, to back, to back. These books are pretty gargantuan and I read all 5 of them in less than two weeks. That’s monumental for me, considering I usually read about a book a week. So clearly, the story really sucked me in and I had to keep going until it was over. Because I read all of these books so close together, it’s a major struggle to review them all individually. I figured why not just lump them all together into one big spoiler-free review? As always, my main points are bolded.

1. This series starts off very strong. I flew through Hanover House, which I highly recommend. Prequel novellas (although, you can’t really call it a novella when it’s 244 pages long) tend to be a take it or leave it kind of a story, but I really think it’s paramount that you read Hanover House. It tells the story of Evelyn Talbot, her serial killer boyfriend from high school, and the reason she decided to make a career of studying the minds of serial killers. It sets the stage for the entire series and introduces you to a very important character named Jasper, who you really need to know. I also think it’s important that readers fully understand Evelyn’s past, because it sheds a lot of light on why she is the way she is in the rest of the books in the series.

2. Her Darkest Nightmare takes place about 6 months after the prequel. Evelyn has been lobbying to build Hanover House, which is a maximum security prison that houses the most dangerous serial killers, and it’s finally open. Its existence is the capstone of her entire career, and she is the driving force behind how it operates and who resides there. She works with a team of other psychiatrists, interviewing and running tests on these inmates with the goal of coming up with a cure or treatment program for psychopaths. She refers to them throughout the entire series as “the consciousless”. We meet Sergeant Amarok, Evelyn’s younger man love interest, in this book. He’s Hilltop, Alaska’s one and only member of law enforcement and has been against Hanover House since it was still a glimmer in Evelyn’s eye. He didn’t want his sleepy little hometown, which has been untouched by major crimes for over a decade, to become home to so many dangerous criminals. It’s out of his hands now, though, so he has to deal with it. And he was right. Hanover House brings a lot of death to Hilltop.

3. Evelyn… I have conflicting thoughts on her. She’s been through so, so much, and the resulting trauma would leave many unable to function, much less work with the very kinds of people who caused such trauma. In that regard, I saw her as strong and resilient. Her desire to make a difference and to help other people never experience what she went through is admirable. At the same time, though, she is also a little too stupid to live. Considering what she’s been through and all of her knowledge on serial killers, I feel like she should be smarter. She makes some very dumb decisions across this series. She says stupid things. She gets herself into situations that I feel could have been avoided if she had just thought a little first. Her stubbornness got on my nerves sometimes, and she has an unhealthy obsession with her work. She’s also incredibly hung-up on the age gap between her and Amarok, which is silly. It’s only 7 years and not a big deal. If the book were about a man dating a woman 7 years his junior, this would not have been a concern and that double standard has always bothered me. She talks like she’s robbing the cradle, and I found it to be pretty dramatic and annoying. Evelyn brings this up a lot throughout the series (even after the love factor is strong between them), and I got pretty tired of it. She is always trying to talk him into leaving her for someone else. Like it’s that easy. Give the man some credit. Either dump him for the shallow reason of being younger or get over it!

4. Amarok also gives me conflicting thoughts. On the one hand, Evelyn’s trauma matters to him and he is so patient and understanding. He gives her as much time as she needs to feel comfortable opening up and being more intimate with him. His sense of duty to his job and his dedication to keeping the people of Hilltop safe is great. I loved his dog, Makita, and their bond. But… he’s also very critical of Evelyn’s decision to study psychopaths. He, apparently, knows what’s best for her and has no trouble at all telling her on a frequent basis what a mistake she made choosing her career. I get it, Amarok. You want her to be safe and happy, and that’s great. But let the woman make her own decisions.

5. Hilltop, Alaska is isolated, dark for such a huge chunk of the year, and has no cell service. There’s a couple small businesses but for the most part it’s pretty empty. People come to Hilltop to rent hunting cabins and go off into the wilderness. The rest of the people have lived there forever. It’s really the perfect setting for a creepy series.

6. Her Darkest Nightmare was good for me! I rated it 4 stars, and was hooked on the story quickly. Each chapter starts off with a quote from a real serial killer, and those were creepy. This did not happen during the rest of the books, which left me both relieved and disappointed. Some of the quotes were upsetting so I was glad to not read more of them, but some of them were also interesting or just the right amount of creepy to set the stage for the chapter and I missed those ones as the books went on. The first half of the book is definitely better than the second half, but I was so intrigued by the over-arching mystery of Jasper that I flew through it anyway. The second half drags with Evelyn’s insecurities and repeated thoughts. The ending… left much to be desired. It didn’t go how I wanted it to, and felt a bit far-fetched to me.

7. I found a lot of the information on psychopaths interesting, and enjoyed reading it… until the author started re-using the same bits of info from previous books. Then it felt very repetitive.

8. Hello Again, book #2, also got 4 stars from me. This book centers on a serial killer named Lyman Bishop, who uses an ice pick to give his victims lobotomies and turn them into submissive vegetables that he can do whatever he wants with. He’s a brand new inmate at Hanover House, and Evelyn is eager to dive into his mind. He’s a brilliant cancer researcher, and claims he’s innocent. And new crimes show that he might very well be. Or is someone copying Lyman’s work to mess with people? Who knows? Is Lyman really a charming, wrongly convicted individual or is he also a brilliant psychopath who can play any part? There’s some triggery stuff surrounding his story and his past, including abuse and incest, so prepare for that. It was disturbing. Amarok’s ex girlfriend comes back in to town, and that added in some drama I didn’t like but oh well. Hello Again was pretty good!

9. Speaking of repetition… I do not recommend binge reading this series. You need to read a book, wait until you’ve forgotten most of it, and then read the next one. The author seems to think that her readers will not retain anything, even for a few chapters. Everything, and I mean everything, is repeated. Many times. Across all the books. What a psychopath is, what Hilltop is like, who various people are, what happened to Evelyn, etc. You will never ever be allowed to forget anything. I’m not pulling a direct quote, but this is the basic idea:

Guy at bar: I heard about a new inmate that’s been transferred to Hanover House. How’s that going?
Evelyn: Yes, we have Lyman Bishop at Hanover House now. I don’t know him very well yet.
Guy at bar: Wait. Lyman Bishop? The Zombie Maker? The man who performed ice pick lobotomies on his victims to render them vegetables?

…a few chapters later…

Evelyn: I spoke with Lyman Bishop today.
Amarok: You mean, the serial killer who used an ice pick to perform lobotomies on his victims and essentially turn them into shells of their former selves?

This kind of thing went on and on and on throughout the series, just about different people. There was constant repetition about who Jasper Moore is. This is not a spoiler. Readers learn very early on that Jasper Moore is Evelyn’s high school boyfriend who kidnapped her, killed her best friends, tortured her for three days, slit her throat, and left her for dead. She survived and he was never caught. And you will never forget these facts as long as you live. Long after these books are in your rear view and you have read hundreds more, you will hear the name Jasper and your mind will tell you who he is, verbatim, because you will read it so so many times in this series. Here’s another example of what I mean, although these are not direct quotes either. But they’re pretty close.

Evelyn: I’m concerned this could be Jasper’s doing. That he’s found me and is messing with me.
Secondary character: Wait. Jasper as in Jasper Moore? The man who kidnapped you, killed your friends, tortured you for three days, slit your throat, and left you for dead?

…a few chapters later…

Amarok: Evelyn thinks Jasper might have surfaced in Chicago.
His assistant: Are you serious? The man who kidnapped her, tortured her for three days, and left her for dead might be killing again?

…a few chapters later…

A serial killer: I see you have a scar on your neck. Is that from when your high school boyfriend, Jasper Moore, slit your throat and left you for dead after kidnapping you and torturing you for three days?

…a few chapters later…

A detective in another state: We’re looking for Jasper Moore, the man who kidnapped then 16-year-old Evelyn Talbot, killed her friends, held her in a cabin for three days while he tortured her between school and baseball practice, slit her throat, and left her for dead. He was never caught.

I’m not even kidding! It was this bad! Every person, every event, every thing that could possibly be deemed important information is repeated over and over again as though the author expects that nobody paid attention or remembered anything. I don’t know how this made it through editing! These books could have been so much shorter if things were not repeated so often.

10. I’d like to do a keyword search to figure out how many times “the lower forty-eight” is said across all five books, but oh my gosh. It’s like there’s Alaska and then the rest of the United States is just one big blob. People move there from “the lower forty-eight”, people want to move back to “the lower forty-eight”, people come on vacation from “the lower forty-eight”, Jasper is somewhere in “the lower forty-eight” killing again. It. Is. Constant. I dated a guy from Alaska. We had a long distance relationship while he was living there. Never once in our 6 years of dating did he ever say “the lower forty-eight”. I was very close to his family. None of them said it. I flew out to visit him. Nobody there said it. I’ve been on an Alaskan cruise and met many people who live and work there. Not one person said it. But EVERYONE says it in these books.

11. Face Off, the third book in the series, got three stars from me. I liked the overall storyline, but I can’t share much because I’d be spoiling a lot. Don’t even read the synopsis for this one without reading the first two books in the series because you’ll be spoiled. The suspense and the big moments were what I’d been waiting for, but it all came to a head so easily for me. And I can’t explain why because spoilers!

12. The romance didn’t do anything for me. I didn’t feel the love and the swooniness from Evelyn and Amarok that I needed. I never believed their story. She kept pushing him away for various reasons, and I felt like that made him want her even more. She was something to be won. Her fear of intimacy was a hurdle to be conquered. I never felt like she trusted him, and I never felt convinced he loved her and not just. the idea of her. The romance took a backseat to the crimes and the psychopaths, neither of which is a very romantic plot element. I would have preferred it if there was no romance in these books at all.

13. Blindspot, the 4th and final book of the series also received three stars from me. After 5 (if we include the prequel) books filled with repetition, Evelyn’s insecurities, Amarok’s poking and prodding, recycled info on psychopaths, and all the exact same characters, I was worn out. I just wanted to be done and see how everything ended. I can’t say much about this book because I don’t want to spoil anything, but Evelyn is abducted right at the beginning and the bulk of the book surrounds her being in captivity once again. I will admit, I was pretty invested. I had to know how everything ended. The person who abducted her is very creepy. Amarok furiously has all of Alaska hunting for her. It’s intense, and a bit disturbing. Again, though, the ending was just too easy. It all worked out so easily and perfectly and I couldn’t help but be disappointed after all the time I’d invested in this series.

14. There are some surprisingly disturbing passages in all 5 books in this series. Violent crimes are described in detail. Trauma is described in detail. I wasn’t expecting these books to be like this, and I think it would have been better for my own mental health if I had read them more spaced out (for multiple reasons). I found myself weighed down and feeling a little dark and depressed. I think that’s why I flew through the books so fast. A huge part of me wanted to read them all in order to resolve the dark in my mind and move on. Once things ended, I could stop thinking about them. There was also quite a bit of language, which surprised me coming from Brenda Novak.

Well. This review is a mess. LOL. Honestly, I read these books because I had to know what happened and not necessarily because I was enjoying them. Hanover House was enjoyable and I was so excited to continue. Her Darkest Nightmare didn’t resolve things that happened in Hanover House that I needed resolved, and my obsession grew. I have never read anything this fast, which I have to hand to Brenda Novak. She got me invested, in spite of all my reservations about these books. She had me tearing through the pages and staying up until 4 AM multiple times even though parts of them drove me bonkers. I became obsessed. That’s why I rated them higher than makes sense for what I’ve said here. But this was not a good obsession for me. lol. I should have slowed down and taken the story in smaller doses. Perhaps then I wouldn’t have felt so dark. I still would have noticed the repetition, though, so… who knows? All in all, I honestly have no idea if I would recommend this series. My initial gut reaction was, “Yes! I was obsessed! I’ve never read so fast!” but then… I remember all the little things that grated on me and the overall dark feelings I felt, and I think… I’ve read better romantic suspense that was actually romantic and not so upsetting. So I’m just going to leave my thoughts here and let you decide what they mean.

Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases of the Second Half of 2021

Posted June 28, 2021 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 25 Comments

Before I get into this week’s topic, I wanted to thank everyone again for the birthday wishes you sent me last week! I received so many lovely comments here and on Twitter. I believe I thanked you all personally on last week’s post, but thank you again just in case! I also wanted to thank those of you who granted some of my bookish wishes. I woke up Tuesday morning to an inbox full of Kindle books, and I received a couple physical books in the mail as well! Thank you, thank you. I found as many of you as I could on Twitter, but there were a couple people I couldn’t find (mentioned below). I’m thanking everyone who sent me something right here, though, to make sure you all see it. Kait @ Kait Plus Books, Dedra @ A Book Wanderer, Cindy @ Cindy’s Book Corner, S van Niekerk (I couldn’t find you online, so I hope you see this!), Deb Nance @ Readerbuzz, Abigail @ Rambling Writer, Nicole @ BookWyrmKnits, Lisa @ Lisa Loves Literature, Reinvented Reader, Heather @ The Frozen Library, Helen Murdoch, Jennifer @ Introverted Reader, and April (I don’t know which April, so please tell me who you are if you see this!)… Thank you! You made my birthday extra special this year. :)

I loved seeing how so many of you granted the bookish wishes of others! There was so much cheer spread in the book community, and it was such a fun way to celebrate my birthday with all of you. Thank you for participating in this topic with me. Let me know in the comments if you’d like to do this bookish wishes topic again in the future… maybe around Christmas?

Now, on to this week’s topic! Welcome to another TTT! Can you believe the year is half over?? I can’t! Which books are releasing between now and the end of the year that you’re really excited about? I apologize in advance to what my list is going to do to your TBR… Also… would I even be Jana if this list wasn’t heavy on the Christmas books?

1. How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton (July 13, 2021)

What happens when the queen of romance falls for the king of horror–you get a “laugh-out-loud” romantic comedy, perfect for fans of Beach Rea d. (Kirkus, starred review)

Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.

Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He’s really a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.

2. The Highland Fling by Meghan Quinn (August 24, 2021)

In this steamy tale by USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn, an American searching for her purpose escapes to a Scottish town but finds more questions than answers when she meets a brooding yet handsome handyman.

Freshly fired from her third job in a row, Bonnie St. James has lost her way. So when she and her best friend stumble upon a “help wanted” post to run a coffee shop in the Scottish Highlands, they apply on a whim. Who knows? Maybe traveling to a new place is just what she needs to figure out her next move.

When the friends arrive in the tiny idyllic town of Corsekelly, they instantly fall for the gorgeous Highland landscape and friendly townspeople. But Bonnie finds a less-than-warm welcome in Rowan MacGregor, the rugged local handyman. Busy wrestling his own demons, Rowan’s in no mood to deal with the quirky American—even if she is a bonny lass.

As Bonnie and Rowan’s paths inevitably cross, insults—and sparks—fly. Can the pair build on their similarities to help each other find purpose and direction…and maybe romance too? Or will their passionate tempers fling them apart?

3. The Name Curse by Brooke Burroughs (August 31, 2021)

In this flirty wilderness adventure by the author of The Marriage Code, two hikers who drive each other crazy discover they might have a lot to learn from one another about navigating life, love, and living up to family expectations.

Ever since her father died, Bernie’s life has been stagnant. When concerned friends and family suggest she join a hike through Alaska to gain new perspective, Bernie reluctantly agrees to go, even though she’s never been the adventurous type, unlike her namesake, Great-Aunt Bernice.

Matthew is a struggling screenwriter who needs a week off the grid to gain some inspiration for a new project and to process the reappearance of his absent father.

When the two meet at the trailhead, it’s annoyance at first sight. He’s dismayed to discover that he’ll have to share a tent with Bernie, who doesn’t know the first thing about camping, while she finds he’s a little too into “roughing it” to be a reasonable human being. But as they’re forced to hike through the wilderness together, their relationship becomes a surprising source of empathy and inspiration…and maybe other feelings too. Can the two adversaries find the path to breaking the curse of family expectations—and each other?

4. Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis (September 28, 2021)

On a snowy evening in March, thirty-something Noelle Butterby is on her way back from an event at her old college when disaster strikes. With a blizzard closing off roads, she finds herself stranded, alone in her car, without food, drink, or a working charger for her phone.

All seems lost until Sam Attwood, a handsome American stranger also trapped in a nearby car, knocks on her window and offers assistance. What follows is eight perfect hours together, until morning arrives and the roads finally clear. The two strangers part, positive they’ll never see each other again but fate, it seems, has a different plan. As the two keep serendipitously bumping into one another, they begin to realize that perhaps there truly is no such thing as coincidence.

With plenty of charming twists and turns and Lia Louis’s “bold, standout voice” (Gillian McAllister, author of The Good Sister), Eight Perfect Hours is a gorgeously crafted novel that will make you believe in the power of fate.

5. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer (September 28, 2021)

Oy! to the world

Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a nice Jewish girl with a shameful secret: she loves Christmas. For a decade she’s hidden her career as a Christmas romance novelist from her family. Her talent has made her a bestseller even as her chronic illness has always kept the kind of love she writes about out of reach.

But when her diversity-conscious publisher insists she write a Hanukkah romance, her well of inspiration suddenly runs dry. Hanukkah’s not magical. It’s not merry. It’s not Christmas. Desperate not to lose her contract, Rachel’s determined to find her muse at the Matzah Ball, a Jewish music celebration on the last night of Hanukkah, even if it means working with her summer camp archenemy—Jacob Greenberg.

Though Rachel and Jacob haven’t seen each other since they were kids, their grudge still glows brighter than a menorah. But as they spend more time together, Rachel finds herself drawn to Hanukkah—and Jacob—in a way she never expected. Maybe this holiday of lights will be the spark she needed to set her heart ablaze.

6. Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo (September 28, 2021)

Fans of Josie Silver’s One Day in December and Christina Lauren’s In a Holidaze will adore watching Victoria and Oliver’s pretend engagement dissolve as their very real chemistry threatens to upend all their carefully laid-out secrets. Set against the most charming London backdrop, Meet Me in London is an irrisistable seasonal treat!

What do you do when your fake engagement starts to feel too real…

Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.

Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well-meaning, mother is pressing him to introduce his girlfriend to her over the holidays—a girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion…something to keep his mother from meddling while he focuses on the business.

When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed, will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for…?

7. A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli (October 5, 2021)

One type-A data analyst discovers her free-spirited side on an impulsive journey from bustling Mumbai to the gorgeous beaches of Goa and finds love waiting for her on Christmas morning.

Twenty-nine-year-old Niki Randhawa has always made practical decisions. Despite her love for music and art, she became an analyst for the stability. She’s always stuck close to home, in case her family needed her. And she’s always dated guys that seem good on paper, rather than the ones who give her butterflies. When she’s laid off, Niki realizes that practical hasn’t exactly paid off for her. So for the first time ever, she throws caution to the wind and books a last-minute flight for her friend Diya’s wedding.

Niki arrives in India just in time to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, where she meets London musician Sameer Mukherji. Maybe it’s the splendor of Mumbai or the magic of the holiday season, but Niki is immediately drawn to Sam. At the wedding, the champagne flows and their flirtatious banter makes it clear that the attraction is mutual.

When Niki and Sam join Diya, her husband and their friends on a group honeymoon, their connection grows deeper. Free-spirited Sam helps Niki get in touch with her passionate and creative side, and with her Indian roots. When she gets a new job offer back home, Niki must decide what she wants out of the next chapter of her life–to cling to the straight and narrow like always, or to take a leap of faith and live the kind of bold life the old Niki never would have dreamed of.

8. The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling (October 5, 2021)

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins, writing as Erin Sterling, casts a spell with a spine-tingling romance full of wishes, witches, and hexes gone wrong.

Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.

9. Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau (October 26, 2021)

A baker provides the sweetest escape for an actor in this charming romantic comedy.

Actor Ryan Kwok is back in Toronto after the promotional tour for his latest film, a rom-com that is getting less-than-stellar reviews. After the sudden death of his mother and years of constant work, Ryan is taking some much-needed time off. But as he tries to be supportive to his family, he struggles with his loss and doesn’t know how to talk to his dad—who now trolls him on Twitter instead of meeting him for dim sum.

Innovative baker Lindsay McLeod meets Ryan when he knocks over two dozen specialty donuts at her bakery. Their relationship is off to a messy start, but there’s no denying their immediate attraction. When Ryan signs up for a celebrity episode of Baking Fail, he asks Lindsay to teach him how to bake and she agrees.

As Lindsay and Ryan spend time together, bonding over grief and bubble tea, it starts to feel like they’re cooking up something sweeter than cupcakes in the kitchen.

10. Just Haven’t Met You Yet by Sophie Cousens (November 9, 2021)

From the New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year comes a heartwarming and hilarious tale that asks: What if you pick up the wrong suitcase in an airport, only to fall head over heels for its unseen owner?

Laura’s business trip to the Channel Islands isn’t exactly off to a great start. After unceremoniously dumping everything in her bag in front of the most attractive man she’s ever seen in real life, she arrives at her hotel only to realize she’s grabbed the wrong suitcase from the airport. Her only consolation? The irresistibly appealing contents of the case: a copy of her favorite book; piano music; and a rugged, heavy knit fisherman sweater only a Ryan Gosling lookalike could pull off. The owner of this suitcase is Laura’s dream man–she’s sure of it. Now, all she has to do is find him.

The mix-up seems written in the stars. After all, what are the odds that she’d find The One on the same remote island where her mom and dad had first fallen in love, especially as she sets out to write an article about their epic romance? Commissioning surly cab driver Ted to ferry her around seems like her best bet in both tracking down the mystery suitcase owner and retracing her parents’ footsteps. And if beneath Ted’s gruffness lies a wit that makes their cab rides strangely entertaining, so much the better. But as Laura’s long-lost luggage soulmate proves difficult to find–and as she realizes that the love story she’s held on a pedestal all her life might not have been that perfect–she’ll have to rethink her whole outlook on love to discover what she really wants.