I got a bunch of Great ARCs and Libby Holds last week so it meant that over the long weekend there was some amazing reading. I figured I would do a little chick lit/rom com highlgihts here
Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Goodreads blurb: Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all. From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes the romance that will define a generation. Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man , she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a Jake. But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart. Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher. Book comes out March 5/2024.
My take: 4.5 out of 5. I was very excited to receive this ARC and got right down to it as soon as it was in my kindle! A quite intellectual rom com, asking a number of hard questions within a very romantic setting. How do you value life and relationships when there are expiration dates? It poses a lot of philosophical questions. Would you want to know the expiration date of a relationship before it starts? Would knowing these things affect your actions? And what about life, would you want to know when your expiration date is or live like it could be any day? Im still debating. In a way I do want to know. I am the type of person who has her tarot read and likes to know things so on the one side I would love the information. But then with information would i stop sensing my intuition?. I think information might also make me give something or someone a chance I hadn’t thought of before or would probably never do, but could I potentially be stopping other chances to fulfil the prophecy given?. I am of two minds and it is so interesting. Another good question that is asked directly in the book: When do we stop believing in the things we do? And why does it happen so slowly instead of all at once? I devoured this book in one sitting a delightfully written book, and having absolutely loved In 5 Years but not gotten fully into One Italian summer, I’m glad this brought me back to when I read and adored In 5 Years. all these highbrow questions are left amongst a very light and entertaining retelling of Daphne’s’ relationship woes. Without spoilers the book has a great twist and a perfect ending, there were tears involved, but my curious mind wants to know more – what happens after??? I want a sit down with the author. This will be a must but for next years spring break.
Right on Cue by Falon Ballard
Goodreads blurb: From the beloved author of Just My Type and Lease on Love comes a new romantic comedy in which a former actress-turned-screenwriter finds herself back in the spotlight, only for her romantic lead to be the one man she can’t stand. Hollywood darling Emmy Harper is considered the queen of writing romantic comedies. That is, until tragedy struck and she swore she’d never write another happy ending again. After some time away, and lots of encouragement from family and friends, Emmy is finally ready to dive back into the genre with her latest project. But more is riding on this movie than just her return to the big screen. This time, Emmy’s also been convinced to star as the lead, dusting off acting skills she hasn’t used in over a decade. Emmy’s nervous, yet excited, to give performing another shot, until a last-minute injury benches her trusted co-star. With filming about to start, there’s only one other actor available on such short Grayson West. A blockbuster action star known for his mega-watt smile and impossible abs, Grayson is anyone’s dream of a romantic lead. Anyone except Emmy that is, who still blames him for her disastrous first movie and the early end to her acting career. As filming begins, the friction between Emmy and Grayson is palpable and it’s anyone’s guess if it’s unresolved awkwardness or simmering sexual tension. The two are pushed to get their acts together—and quickly—or they risk tanking the entire movie, but if working things out leads to sizzling chemistry on screen, what might happen when the cameras stop rolling?
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher. Book comes out Feb 27/2024.
My take: 4.75 out of 5. This was the perfect book for a rom com lover like me. A total romantic loop, a book about the making of a rom com movie, its all there. The chemistry here was off the charts, unlike many books where I question why do they like each other, here the chemistry was oozing off the page from the beginning. I love the buildup, how things progresses and even the traditional 75% in relationship issue felt very well done. The behind the scenes of a movie setting makes it also fun and for me engaging. Also Emmy was an amazing character and you can not help but root for her throughout.
There were a lot of pop cultural references that I personally appreciated: Her being a nepo baby, The fact that their rom com was called No reservations (which is one of the best rom com movies and one that is truly underappreciated) and also a shout out to The Hating Game.
Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk
Goodreads blurb: She may have given up on love – but she can still play Cupid for somebody else . . .Lovelorn Brit Phoebe Chapman has barely set foot in her sister’s house in the Hollywood Hills when she’s swept up by lovable Bel, her sister’s personal trainer, and handsome Ren, the sweet and sensitive carpenter next door. Bel has a head-over-heels crush on Ren but Ren has no idea Bel even exists. Certain that the two of them are meant to be together, Phoebe offers to play matchmaker. Caught up with writing love letters and an unexpected friendship with a reclusive 82-year-old film star, Phoebe finds herself falling for the real Los Angeles – but is that all she’s falling for? A feelgood, sunshine-filled, friends-to-lovers romcom, Love Me Do is a dreamy summer love story, perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emily Henry.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher. Book came out September 5
My take: 4.25 out of 5. This was Adorable and sweet. It was giving me The Holiday (LA edition) vibes and inspiration throughout. I love the Holiday so that is a very good thing. You have the interesting neighbor but who could be in a complicated relationship and the elder neighbor you have to help. Ren was a very interesting character, a geeky hot man is always a good idea. However, I could have done without Bel. I did not get her and she annoyed me throughout the book. I get that she is supposed to be on good heart and a good friend but she just was not it for me, the book would have been better without her and another form of wrench put in. side note: The shoutout to Deuxmoi was relevant and cool. I also have to like a book that has this quote: “There are only two types of people in this world, Disney people and those who don’t know that they are Disney People.”
On a Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk
Goodreads blurb: Within days of wishing she could change her life, Fran Cooper is acting assistant to a celebrity, on a yacht in the Mediterranean, and en route to a tiny Italian island and the glittering Crystal Ball, along with the world’s rich and famous. When she – quite literally – bumps into a handsome American called Evan, a man able to keep his cool in the face of chaos, the magic really begins. Evan makes her a promise: no last names, no life stories, just one unforgettable night. Yet Evan belongs at the Crystal Ball and Fran is a gatecrasher. They may be soulmates, but their homes are an ocean apart, and their lives a world apart. They’ll never meet again – unless, on a night like this, everything can change forever…
My take: 4. out of 5. This was one where I wanted to get to the back catalog after I read Love me Do and remembered I had this in my TBR but had not gotten around to it. And I was so happy I did so. A very quick and entertaining read that made my heart happy. A modern day cinderella retelling that is quite rooted in reality. I actually started it without even reading the blurb and that made it so much better, I did not know where this was going and it got me hooked from the start. My only question on this is that it still maintains a little bit of the insta love element, which although great in paper, makes it a tad less believable to foresee a relationship with two such different people working out long term where the only semblance holding them together is a great first look and undenying chemistry. I thoguht Jess as a side character was great and the fact that we have the same karaoke song, Torn, means that I had to like her automatically but it went more than that. Even if Pheobe only had one friend I’m glad it was a good one. (Do i have too many friends? what is this in all this books of everyone completely falling off the grid with their friends and just keeping one friend? it makes me REALLY thankful for my large group of friends even if they live all over the place)
A great quotes: Yachts are “boys toys. Extremely expensive and elaborate penis extensions. Trust me you could count on one hand the number of female billionaires who have spunked their money up the wall on a yacht”
Sidenote: I kind of want the Bitterseweet swifties playlist they were listening too
The Breakaway by Jennifer Weiner
Goodreads blurb: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a warmhearted and empowering new novel about love, family, friendship, secrets, and a life-changing journey. Thirty-three-year-old Abby Stern has made it to a happy place. True, she still has gig jobs instead of a career, and the apartment where she’s lived since college still looks like she’s just moved in. But she’s got good friends, her bike, and her bicycling club in Philadelphia. She’s at peace with her plus-size body—at least, most of the time—and she’s on track to marry Mark Medoff, her childhood summer sweetheart, a man she met at the weight-loss camp that her perpetually dieting mother forced her to attend. Fifteen years after her final summer at Camp Golden Hills, when Abby reconnects with a half-his-size Mark, it feels like the happy ending she’s always wanted. Yet Abby can’t escape the feeling that something isn’t right…or the memories of one thrilling night she spent with a man named Sebastian two years previously. When Abby gets a last-minute invitation to lead a cycling trip from NYC to Niagara Falls, she’s happy to have time away from Mark, a chance to reflect and make up her mind. But things get complicated fast. First, Abby spots a familiar face in the group—Sebastian, the one-night stand she thought she’d never see again. Sebastian is a serial dater who lives a hundred miles away. In spite of their undeniable chemistry, Abby is determined to keep her distance. Then there’s a surprise last-minute addition to the her mother, Eileen, the woman Abby blames for a lifetime of body shaming and insecurities she’s still trying to undo. Over two weeks and more than seven hundred miles, strangers become friends, hidden truths come to light, a teenage girl with a secret unites the riders in unexpected ways…and Abby is forced to reconsider everything she believes about herself, her mother, and the nature of love.
My take: 3.75 out of 5. I wanted to really like this book more because there are a lot of things I really enjoyed and because ‘m a huge Jennifer Weiner fan, but in the end I strongly liked it i didn’t love it. I did the audiobook which was great and shoutout to some of my broadway faves that narrated it. What did I love? A plus size romance is always a good idea. Also the amount of growth and understanding of both main characters is wonderful and very new wave, i need to work on myself before being part of a relationship. I really loved the internet takedown of Sebastian, and although not saying that it is ok to slut shame men, it was a nice change of pace for men to ever get called out for their actions. The conversation on diets, diet culture and all the issues between abby and her mom hit very close to home and I thought they were very well dealt with. I also loved how the description of the places made me feel like I Was back in Philly, having a coffee at la Colombe! and What didn’t fully work for me? as you can tell by the fact that the goodreads blurb is huge, there was a lot of things going on and a lot of stories and it felt like there was not a lot of closure to all. As a measure of generating a great character act, dealing with issues and getting Abby and Sebastian on a place where they could be ready for each other I was happy for the asides. But some asides did not grow their stories. If we are going to go through each character of the breakaway trip that would be a great book, and actually a wonderful series, but that wasn’t it. As much as i loved an abortion storyline of the effects of abortion bans on women, it did not really fit in this book. It felt more like the author wanted to give the issue a voice now in this crazy climate, and whilst i appreciate the advocacy, and could have been what inspired Abby in he path, it felt too by itself when the other breakway characters didn’t get one. I actually would have loved to hear more about the two old couples and their SPOILER ALERT relationship antics. Also as someone who doesn’t know how to ride, I felt for Mark and in some places felt somewhat left out as clearly i did not relate to some of the more passionate cycling aspects.
Lease on Love by Falon Ballard
Goodreads blurb: Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love. After getting passed over for an overdue—and much needed—promotion, Sadie Green is in desperate need of three things: a stiff drink, a new place to live, and a one-night-stand. When one drink turns into one too many, Sadie mixes up a long-ignored dating app for a roommate-finding app and finds herself on the doorstep of Jack Thomas’s gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone. Too bad she’s more attracted to his impressive real estate than she is to the man himself. Jack, still grieving the unexpected death of his parents, has learned to find comfort in video games and movie marathons instead of friends. So while he doesn’t know just what to make of the vivaciously verbose Sadie, he’s willing to offer her his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet. And with the rent unbeatably low, Sadie can finally pursue her floristry side hustle full-time. The two are polar opposites, but as Sadie’s presence begins to turn the brownstone into a home, they both start to realize they may have just made the deal of a lifetime.
My take: 4 out of 5. This is another one one i had to get into after reading Right on Cue and realizing it was a Falon Ballard I had not read. Mayor points for it also being automatically available to borrow in my Libby as an audiobook. its description of Beach Read meets The Flatshare could go either way, being that I loved Beach Read but was only moderately enthused about the flatshare. It felt somewhat in the middle and that was a good things. l thought i was expecting to be really annoyed at Sadie at the beginning (And considered not reading more at some point) she totally grew on me and you could see how all her traumas had an effect. I love the concept of friends being your family in New york, as I definitely had that, and this group is very lovable. I thoguht this was a total miss it should have bee a two part series as I want a whole nook taking to me about Nick and Harley their own book! Jack was adorable and his growth was the highlight of the book, but I am still suspending my disbelief as I don’t believe SPOILER ALERT selling painting or 1M! high thousands would have made me buy the story more.
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