Review: Love & Saffron

When twenty-seven-year-old Joan Bergstrom sends a fan letter--as well as a gift of saffron--to fifty-nine-year-old Imogen Fortier, a life-changing friendship begins. Joan lives in Los Angeles and is just starting out as a writer for the newspaper food pages. Imogen lives on Camano Island outside Seattle, writing a monthly column for a Pacific Northwest magazine, and while she can hunt elk and dig for clams, she's never tasted fresh garlic--exotic fare in the Northwest of the sixties. As the two women commune through their letters, they build a closeness that sustains them through the Cuban Missile Crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, and the unexpected in their own lives. - Summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: This book is a couple years old, and I hadn't heard of it. It took me a beat to get into this book, but pretty quickly I was hooked. I love how the two ladies talked about food, recipes, and gardening. I loved the looks into their lives and how they shared so much about themselves in their letters. I love epistolary novels. I didn't want to put this one down.

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: My Library

Why I read this book: After reading The Correspondent, I wanted more epistolary novels. I found this one from a list and tried it. And almost immediately, I was hooked.

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your fiction section. 

 

Christmas Romance Review: All I Want for Christmas

Jessica Carrington always wanted her own happily ever after. But, until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick Matthews, a fellow romance writer and now her biggest rival, who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It's clearly what he's good at, after all . . .

So, when their professional obligations find them snowed in - and forced to share a room! - at the same remote inn a few days before Christmas, Jess and Nick are both fuming. But what's more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? And when they realise the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer's block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying.

Jess can't shake the feeling that Nick is the last guy on earth she should be falling for (again), but, as they both finally get back in their flow, is he actually all she wants for Christmas? - summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: I loved this one. I loved how they were both not over each other. I loved how they both had writer's block but after trading barbs on social media, the words start flowing again. Then they get stuck snowed in at the book event. At breakfast, it comes out that they are essentially writing the same book, an editor suggests they write the book together. There was so much banter and flirting in this book. I loved it so much, I handed it off to a co-worker. And now I need to read the author's other works. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Recommendation: Highly recommended for your romance collection

Christmas in July Review: Wrapped with a Beau

Elisha's determined to host the sequel to Sleighbells in her hometown. Fifty years ago, the movie made her town famous. She lives next door to the house that was featured in the film. The woman, a lifelong friend, signed the paperwork for her house to be used again. But she died unexpectedly.

Now Elisha has to convince her heir to sign the paperwork. She might have already told everyone that it's a done deal. But meeting Ves Hollins does NOT go as planned. He wants to sell the house and get out of town as quickly as possible. 

But the holiday season works it's magic on the two of them.

My Thoughts: Small town charm, Hollywood, and Christmas - this book had the trifecta. I really enjoyed this book, but I confess there wasn't much of a conflict. I loved learning about the Hollywood tidbits from the first movie. I do wish there had been a little more about the current movie. I loved the trivia nights. I hated Elisha's ex - what a jerk. But I do like how that worked out. 

Cover Thoughts: Charming

Source: My Library 

Library Recommendation: Recommended for your Hallmark movie watchers 

Review: Summer Romance

 

Ali's mom died, sending her into a grieving spiral. Her husband decided he couldn't handle it and asked for a divorce. Ali was devastated. She' taking care of their three kids and attempting to piece her life back together. 

She meets a man at the dog park. Her dog pees on him and he's not mad about it. Ali becomes intrigued. She starts putting on real pants again and goes back the next day looking for him. He's not there but she does bump into him again.

Could this be the start of a summer romance? Sure, the rest of her life is a hot mess, but she deserves a little fun too.

My Thoughts: This was a fun read. I loved how Ali was into organizing but her own home was a hot mess. That makes sense to me. I also just wanted to give her a giant hug. Her husband was such a jerk, but I appreciate how he started getting better. The kids were super cute. I do wish there had been more friendship moments. I felt terrible for Ethan too - how everyone looked at him, especially his parents. I loved Ethan's lawyer moments - those were funny! Ethan is so supportive and opposite from Ali's ex-husband. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A great book for your romance collection - highly recommended.

Review: Nora Goes Off Script

 

Nora's husband left her, and she felt...relief. As a screenwriter, she normally writes Hallmark type movies. But instead, she writes a screenplay about her life. Instead of a TV channel, the script sells to a big time Hollywood producer. And they want to use her house for a few days.

Nora can't believe this is her life - at least for a few days. When a Hollywood Hunk shows up on her doorstep, she almost faints. She knows that Leo is playing the lead role in her movie but meeting him is a whole different level.  He seems to like her house as he doesn't leave when the rest of the movie people leave.

Instead, he asks to stay for a week. He lives Nora's kids, running errands with Nora, and having a normal life. Nora can't quite get over it. She might be falling for him. And he might be falling for her. But it's going to end in disaster, right?

My Thoughts: I loved this book - I couldn't put it down. I loved Nora's kids. I loved the Hollywood moments in the book. I enjoyed the odd moments between Leo and Nora. I really loved the moments between Leo and the town.  I really loved Leo's assistant. I wanted to be there watching the sunrise with them all. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My library

 Library Recommendation: A must have book for your romance collection.

Review: Would Like to Meet

Evie's spent the last seven years working as an assistant. But she's been ready for more. Her boss tasks her with getting their only superstar client to write the pages of his contract. Up until now, he hasn't been writing anything.

He seems to be uninspired by the rom-com genre. Ezra doesn't believe rom-coms could happen in real life. When Evie's boss tells her she will be fired if those pages do not get written and delivered, she makes a deal with the devil.

Evie will spend the next two months creating meet-cutes in order to meet someone whom she could potentially love. And Ezra will write the pages. Evie delivers her side of the bargain, mostly through terrible disastrous stories that sometimes compromise her friendships and her job. But it will be worth in the end, right?

My Thoughts: I really really enjoyed this novel. I loved the rom-com mentions. I loved how Evie acted so many of them out. They added so much humor to the story. I love how in doing so, she began to find her confidence. I enjoyed her meetings with Ben and Anette - they made me smile. I loved that in writing up her "Dates", Evie found her writing voice again. I didn't want this book to end, it was just the book I needed. An impressive debut, can't wait to see what comes next from this author.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: A really fun read for your romance collection - particularly your new adult romance collection.

Review: Twisted Twenty-Six

* Book 26 in the Stephanie Plum series *

Grandma Mazur is a widow...again. This time her marriage lasted a whole 45 minutes. The unlucky groom was one Jimmy Rosolli, local gangster, lothario (senior division) and heart attack waiting to happen...well, the waiting's over.

It's a sad day, but if she can't have Jimmy at least Grandma can have all the attention she wants as the dutiful widow. But some kinds of attention are not welcomed, particularly when Jimmy's former "business partners" are convinced that his widow is keeping the keys to their financial success for herself.

As someone who has spent an entire career finding bad guys, a set of missing keys should be no challenge for Stephanie Plum. Problem is, the facts are as twisted as a boardwalk pretzel with mustard. (summary from the publisher).

My Thoughts: 26 is a long series - but these books are still delightful. I loved that this book focuses more on Grandma Mazur. She's one of my favorite characters. I laughed my way through this book. I liked that Stephanie's questioning her life choices. Another fun quick read in the series. Looking forward to whatever's coming next. 

Cover Thoughts: Solid but not that interesting
Source: My library
Library Recommendation: This series is a must have for your public libraries
Fun Fact: There's a spin-off series coming!