Book Review Archives - Page 10 of 25

Book Review:: Big Dumb Eyes | Nate Bargatze

Nate Bargatze is one of my favorite comedians. His southern boy demeanor, common sense logic, and unhurried delivery are the trifecta of funny. The guy just looks like the underdog, so you root for him, even in the stories you don’t.

Big Dumb Eyes by Nate Bargatze Book Cover

He isn’t afraid of some self-depreciating humor, obviously his book is titled Big Dumb Eyes, but what I love about his act is how gosh dang reasonable it all is. He can tell a story about walking the dog and it’s hilarious. He talks about his first car. I laughed out loud. He talks about a man who worked at a furniture story he may or may not have even met, and I was rolling. Whatever the X factor is, this guy has it.

Now, Nate has famously claimed he is not a reader. He’d ‘like to be’ he says, but books are just ‘so many words’. As such, in his own book, there are breaks. I listened to the audio version, and he plays a little bit of elevator music to cleanse the palette a little bit before jumping into the next story, as to not overwhelm you with all the words. I believe in the hard copy there are several blank pages. Hilarious, and on brand.

I was actually surprised how much I laughed at the stories in this book. Nate’s humor is one of a kind and hearing these stories of his life and childhood was so nostalgic. I’d kill to be a fly on the wall at one of his family’s board-game nights. They sound like a hoot.

I also love how comedy memoirs like this one (and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are examples of this too), the comedian will tweak the narration to actually acknowledge you are listening to the book instead of reading it on paper instead of strictly reading every single word as it appears in print. If you’re not a big reader, like Nate, absolutely you should still read this…just listen to it instead!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Big Dumb Eyes
Author:: Nate Bargatze
Genre:: Comedy Memoir
Publisher:: Grand Central Publishing
Length:: 240 pages
Audio Length:: 6h 56m
Audiobook Narrator:: The Author
Published:: May 6th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Let it Settle | Michael Gaylon

Book Review:: Parents Weekend | Alex Finlay

Parents Weekend is the perfect book to grab for your weekend thriller binge-read. It’s fast paced, engrossing, high-stakes, and fascinating. This one had me in a grip, all the way through.

Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay Book Cover

It’s parents weekend at a university in Northern California, and some of the parents are very high-profile. When a group of kids never makes it to dinner on the first night, they start to worry. Yes, college kids are too cool to hang out with their parents, but not a one of them is answering their phone, and this is not the school’s first incident. Just recently a girl turned up dead. We’re thrown into a break-neck paced investigation to find out what happened to the kids and why, and if it’s already too late to save them.

I knew early on that this book was going to be a good one. The kind of characters the author chose to include, and the type of details showcased made the entire reading experience so enjoyable! The tension remained high through the whole thing, and the conclusion made a lot of sense when we finally got there, while still being twisty and surprising. I cannot imagine being an investigator in a situation like this. So many things to handle, to look into, to question…

I’ve been absolutely loving thrillers recently, and ones like this just make me crave more more more.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Parents Weekend
Author:: Alex Finlay
Genre:: Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Minotaur
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 15m
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: May 6th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

I Think I Was Murdered | Colleen Coble & Rick Acker
Wrong Place, Wrong Time | Gillian McAllister
The Truth About the Devlins | Lisa Scottoline

Book Review:: Slipstream | Madge Maril

You may not know my husband is actually a race car driver (open wheel), so when I see any race car romance, I have to read it (in my experience they’re not that common). F1 is on a different stratosphere from our weekend racing, so I have almost no more context for Slipstream than any other Jane Schmane out there, but man, I sure liked it!

Lilah just packed up everything and moved to be a part of a new F1 documentary with her long-time boyfriend slash business partner, Max, only for him to dump her and reveal that he never put her name on the business paperwork. So in a nutshell, she’s screwed. But their subject, world famous Arthur Bianco, strikes up a deal with her that will benefit them both. It is Lilah’s chance to have full creative control and stick it to Max, and will help Arthur on his mission of redemption.

For me, the gimmick bringing the two leads together was a little wobbly and I never fully understood what it was or how the mechanics of it worked exactly, but it wasn’t unforgiveable. In every scene it was clear what needed to happen, and what the consequences might be if it didn’t.

But the romance! Oh, the romance makes it all worth it.

Arthur is the strong, silent, restrained type who is constantly in control of himself. He has to be, it’s his job. But it’s to the point where he doesn’t let himself indulge in thoughts of what else he might want in his life except in his most indulgent moments. He wants to win. He wants to be the best. He wants to redeem himself. That’s it. There’s no room for more.

Juxtaposed with Lilah, who has ADHD and is an anxiety-ridden, more spontaneous personality. She realizes once she’s on her own that she’s let others in her life control her far too much, and she’s ready to take the reins back and prove herself. She’s also learning that it’s okay to be herself, that nothing is wrong with needing what she needs, a lesson I think far too many women can relate to.

Together, I think their instincts played well against one another. I loved how patient and understanding he was with things she thought (and had always been told) were too much, and how she saw the slivers of vulnerability in him others never noticed. They felt like a good match, and more importantly, they had a common respect for one another and their professions.

I’m so happy to see motorsports represented in a major summer release this year, and I think that though this book doesn’t get much into the nitty gritty of the sport of F1, it will hopefully create enough intrigue for readers to tune in and learn more about it. Four stars from me!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Slipstream
Author:: Madge Maril
Genre:: Sports Romance
Publisher:: Simon & Schuster
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: May 20th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Play Along | Liz Tomforde
Catch and Keep | Erin Hahn
Perfect Fit | Clare Gilmore

Book Review:: Summer in a Bottle | Annie Rains

Summer in a Bottle is a novel that reminds us to face our fears.

Summer in a Bottle by Annie Rains Book Cover

Lyla returns home for what she hopes is the last time, helping her parents sell their property. She left Echo Cove with dreams of being a writer and returns on the edge of losing the meager writing job she has as an opinion columnist. She also finds an unexpected presence from her past, her best friend Travis whom she ghosted on her way out of town twelve years ago.

Now, is this a cute story that many people will find entertaining and maybe even sweet? Sure. But would I drop everything to read it again? I can’t say I would.

While the concepts are intriguing to me by default (small town second chance romance), I didn’t feel very emotionally connected to the story. Annie’s summer starts to repeat itself after opening the time capsule from her past, and she’s forced to face the fears she ran away from back then, giving her a second chance. Great. It just felt like it lacked some deep roots to make me care or even understand the significance of so many elements of the story. Things just sort of happened, and it was fine.

But, if you’re a big fan of magical realism and second chance friends to lovers romance, this one right be right up your alley.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Summer in a Bottle
Author:: Annie Rains
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Kensington
Length:: 320 pages
Published:: April 29th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Lizze Blake’s Best Mistake | Mazey Eddings
Hate Mail | Donna Marchetti

Book Review:: 32 Days in May | Betty Corrello

Let me introduce you to the Sweet November of the modern era…kind of.

32 Days in May by Betty Corrello Book Cover

Nadia is struggling with her recent diagnosis of lupus. She’s grieving the life she thought she’d have, feeling betrayed by a body that couldn’t keep up with the lifestyle of a ruthless writer in the entertainment industry. She retreats back to home, Evergreen New Jersey, to lick her wounds, get stabilized, and heal. When her doctor suggests she show his relative around who’s new in town, who also happens to be one of the biggest heartthrobs in TV, she reluctantly agrees. It’s not that he’s hot, it’s not that he’s famous, it’s not that he’s rich…it’s that he’s a stranger. He doesn’t know about this new life defining condition, and she wants to keep it that way. When they hit it off and agree to keep seeing each other, but only for the month of May like one of Nadia’s favorite movies (Sweet November), it is more important to her than ever to keep her secret safely guarded. Maybe for the space of one month, she can feel normal again.

Okay. If you have not read a Betty Corrello book yet, this is your official sign to go get one. Her debut, Summertime Punchline, was excellent, and this one might be even better. Her writing is authentic and honest, her characters are smart and genuine, and I. am. a. fan.

The themes in this book are heavy and realistically messy. It’s not easy to be a person, and it’s even more difficult when our bodies don’t work in the way we think they should. Adjusting to life with a chronic illness can’t be easy, and the representation of it in this book is beautiful. The author has the same condition, and I’m glad to have learned more about it in this book.

Nadia and Marco are magic. My favorite moments, of course, are the most non-romantic moments of romance. You might think that makes no sense but hear me out. Intimacy is intrinsically romantic, so to me the moments that aren’t meant to be ooh-y and ahh-y but peel back layers of the walls we keep around ourselves to the general public, are often the most romantic of all. Vulnerability is sexy as hell. Nadia’s walls are well built and often reinforced, but because Marco is also deeply damaged and often tells her the raw truth, he makes her want to reconsider being so guarded.

32 Days in May is incredible. Don’t miss the chance to read this powerfully moving book.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: 32 Days in May
Author:: Betty Corrello
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 15m
Audiobook Narrator:: Joy Nash
Published:: May 13th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello (author’s debut)
The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center (same intimacy vibes)
Hello Stranger | Katherine Center (coping with health issue)

Book Review:: A Summer Affair | Elin Hilderbrand

I used to avoid books like A Summer Affair. Books marketed distinctly as ‘beach reads’. I thought they would be quick, light, shallow romance tales of people falling in love over the summer. (Ironically, I consume those exact stories like candy now anyway, but I digress. Yes, I used to be a self-proclaimed Book Snob.) Little did I know, Elin Hilderbrand, the queen of the ‘beach read’, is a weaver of complex, realistic stories that are almost the exact opposite of light and shallow. They are substantive. Really the only ‘beachy’ thing about it is the cover. Who knew?

A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand Book Cover

A Summer Affair follows Claire, a mostly-happy suburban type living on Nantucket. Rumored to have had a past relationship with Max West, one of the biggest music stars in the world, she is asked to co-chair a benefit gala for Nantucket’s Children, assuming she would be able to secure the ungettable-get that would set their event apart from other charities (yeah, yeah, these rich people are out of control). Claire is not the sort who would normally be asked to do something like this. She is a glass-blowing artist who is on a break from work after the premature birth of her last baby. She is the quintessential soccer mom with Catholic Guilt issues. She’s not filthy stinking rich. But, sitting there across from Lockhart Dixon, the man who’s wife Claire failed to keep from drunk driving years before (resulting in an accident that nearly killed her and instead changed her entire personality), she finds she cannot say no. More than that, she finds his compliments and general demeanor attractive in a way she never expected.

It’s a complex story woven through several points-of-view surrounding the gala everyone hopes to pull off without a hitch. But life is still happening. Old loves, new ones, addictions, chance-encounters, and white-collar crimes are all facets of this tale of character, happenstance, and the struggle for purpose and meaning.

I’ve found Elin Hilderbrand to be quite a reliable author. Her stories are always quite engrossing and more than anything, interesting. Her characters are tangled in complicated webs and don’t always make the best decisions. Her books are fascinating. I’m hooked. And I have several more on my reading list this year.

If you’re a Hilderbrand fan, share your favorite of hers in the comments. I’d love to know what I should read next!

Details

Title:: A Summer Affair (Nantucket #1)
Author:: Elin Hilderbrand
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Little Brown/Hachette
Length:: 416 pages
Audio Length:: 14h 41m
Audiobook Narrator:: Isabel Keating
Audiobook Publisher:: Hachette Audio
Published:: July 1st, 2008
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
Maybe Next Time | Cesca Major

Book Review:: 10 Marchfield Square | Nicola Whyte

If you are a fan of the Hulu Original show Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, you’re going to love this novel. Set in a housing development called 10 Marchfield Square in London, mysterious murders have the tenants looking to find out the truth of the deaths.

10 Marchfield Square by Nicola Whyte Book Cover

The proprietress discreetly hires two of the tenants to investigate the murder of the seedy gentleman who turns up dead. One is a cleaner, the other a washed-up crime novelist. Together, they track down leads and question everything until the truth comes to light.

What an enjoyable debut from Nicola Whyte! This book absolutely reminded me of Only Murders in the Building with ‘normie’, if eccentric, amateur sleuths investigating real grisly crimes. There is a lot to uncover, and strategic processes to follow, and the two lead characters really added some color to the story. In a whodunnit anything is possible, and it’s so fun to read a book where you must question everything you think you know.

I think this would be a great introductory book for those who are new to the cozy mystery genre, and the ol’ pros too. The web of suspects weaves and tangles in a way that satisfies and the ending is of course exactly as it should be.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: 10 Marchfield Square
Author:: Nicola Whyte
Genre:: Cozy Mystery
Publisher:: Union Square & Co.
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 27m
Audiobook Narrator:: Nneka Okoye
Published:: April 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders | Alexandra Benedict
Murder at Gull’s Nest | Jess Kidd
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Guide to Murderers | Jesse Q. Sutanto

Book Review:: The Summer of You and Me | Denise Hunter

One day Maggie is at the fair with her young daughter and swears she sees her husband among the crowds. Trouble is, he was killed in the line of duty five years ago.

The Summer of You and Me by Deinse Hunter Book Cover

Calling upon his brother to help her search for him opens up a new world of possibilities neither of them ever expected, and are a little afraid to entertain. But they don’t give up, and eventually are confronted with an impossible truth.

This novel is at once a mystery, a love story, and a story of revitalization. Grief is heavy and comes in waves, some hitting so hard and fast it makes us feel like we’ll never get a breath of fresh air again. But holding stagnant doesn’t allow you to buoy back to the surface, lifted by the spirits of those who came before. By the love and honor you have for them. This is a story about humanity in a lot of ways. Coping with death. Resilience.

An undercurrent of support, love, and understanding runs through this novel. The characters seem to be at least casually religious, though it’s not outwardly discussed much through the narrative. Instead they lead by example, telling truths even when it hurts, finding forgiveness in difficult situations, overcoming shock in favor of compassion. There is plenty of drama in this book, but I could feel the safety net underneath, in the best way possible.

The Summer of You and Me blurs genre lines to bring a story that will tug at your heart strings. I absolutely loved it. I hope you will too.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Summer of You and Me
Author:: Denise Hunter
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Thomas Nelson
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 55m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kim Churchill
Published:: April 22nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter
Counting Miracles | Nicholas Sparks
Every Moment Since | Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Book Review:: Can’t Get Enough | Kennedy Ryan

Can’t Get Enough is the third book in her Skyland series, but the first one I’ve ever read, and I’m impressed! I’ve heard lots of great things, and this one certainly did not disappoint.

Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan Book Cover

Hendrix and Maverick meet at a party as two people who can’t entertain the idea of being together, despite their attractions. He’s technically with someone else, and she’s on the brink of a major deal with his significant other that will lead to the career she’s dreamed of for a long time. But he does overhear an emotional conversation between Hendrix and her mother with Alzheimer’s on the phone, and offers to lend a hand. His own grandfather suffered through the same disease. As time passes, Hendrix and Maverick grow closer and closer until neither of them can deny what they’re feeling anymore.

One thing I loved about this book was how realistic it felt. Hard conversations were hard, intimate scenes don’t go off without a hitch, painful things are very painful. The author really puts herself into the shoes of her characters, and you can feel that as you read it.

The story between Hendrix and Maverick isn’t the most straight forward, but it is sexy as hell. Mav is a millionaire, and that man moves money to make things happen. I can admit that can be romantic! I loved how there were some tough decisions to make, and hard circumstances to navigate, but none of it got in the way of the truth of their feelings for one another (no third act breakup!).

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, and I’m excited to go back and read the rest of the Skyland series!

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: Can’t Get Enough (Skyland #3)
Author:: Kennedy Ryan
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Forever
Length:: 448 pages
Audio Length:: 14h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Wesleigh Siobhan & Jakobi Diem
Published:: May 13th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Rating:: 3

If you liked this book, check out…

Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour | Nora Nguyen
Let’s Call A Truce | Amy Buchanan
Yours Truly | Abby Jimenez

Book Review:: The Correspondent | Virginia Evans

A novel to move you. Sybil’s life is as complex and nuanced as the next, and as someone who corresponds best through the written word, we get glimpses into her past, her present, her constancy, and her deepest secrets. The Correspondent is a novel that will make you laugh, cry, smile, and wince as Sybil Van Antwerp bares her soul into the pages.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Book Cover, woman at a desk

An epistolary novel is one told entirely through correspondence. There is no narrator or outside voice – we are presented with letters and emails that cross Sybil’s desk, both incoming and outgoing, and from these we discern her life.

What do we know? She has a complicated relationship with her family, her previous career, a young acquaintance, a new medical diagnosis, and secrets from her past she is both keeping and some she is too afraid to discover. She is older, her children are grown, and she is coming to terms with her life, such as she has lived it to this point.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Book Cover, two birds

This is a beautiful novel. It unfolds so elegantly with each new letter. Sybil is at times laughable stodgy in her set ways, but also touching and vulnerable in others. Her story teaches us that it’s never too late to put yourself out there, to right previous wrongs, or to learn something new about yourself.

I love Sybil, and by the end of her story, I had tears streaming down my face. This is a story I won’t soon forget, and I hope you read it too.

Note:: I received an early copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Details

Title:: The Correspondent
Author:: Virginia Evans
Genre:: Epistolary Fiction
Publisher:: Crown
Length:: 304 pages
Audio Length:: 10h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: April 29th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars