Contemporary Archives - The Litertarian

Book Review:: We Met Like This | Kasie West

This is the kind of book you have to pause the audio when you have literally anything that takes brain power, because you don’t want to miss a second. Something about this book has you constantly turning pages. The chemistry, the tension, the absolute mess of the FMCs life. So delicious.

We Met Like This by Kasie West Book Cover

Margot and Oliver meet on a dating app. Their first date is a disaster. But then they keep matching…and matching. Eventually three years pass and Margot is still looking for Mr. Right, while making some bad Mr. Right Now choices. Oliver is in the same way, and through the dating app messaging system, they become sort of friends.

Their connection is so sparkly. I mean–sparks everywhere. It’s probably a hazard. But their first date was so bad, it holds them back from pursing more in the present.

Until. They. Do.

This book had me screaming, crying, kicking my feet. Margot made me slightly crazy with some of her over-the-top and highly selective decisions through the middle of the book, and some of the middle was a little but they don’t feel the same way kind of angst which dragged the tiniest bit, but overall, absolute banger of a romance novel.

9/10, Recommend.

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:: We Met Like This
Author:: Kasie West
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Saturday Books
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 19m
Audiobook Narrator:: Katie Bloomwood
Published:: September 16th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Wes and Addie Had Their Chance | Bethany Turner
The Reluctant Flirt | Jennifer Probst
Hate Mail | Donne Marchetti

Book Review:: Leave Before I Love You | Max Monroe

If you are looking for a bit of a harrowing love story, look no further than author duo Max Monroe’s newest release Leave Before I Love You.

Leave Before I Love You by Max Monroe Book Cover

Avery and Henry get stuck traveling solo on what was supposed to be a big group trip. They’ve known one another forever had have had a few fly-by romantic interactions, but he’s her brother’s best friend, and she’s got every guy she could ever want. Henry, who is an adrenaline junkie who literally founded a company based around it, persuades Avery to go skydiving with him. He promises everything will be fine, but that was before the pilot has a massive heart attack and the plane falls into a dive. Avery and Henry have to jump early and frantically, leaving them far off course, on a deserted island.

I love this kind of incredibly dramatic and tension heavy novel with Big Trauma in act one that leads to a trauma bond that binds the two characters together inexorably. My other two recs in this sub-genre are at the bottom of this post.

However, Henry kind of gets a bad deal, because he is stranded with a carbon copy of Shannon from Lost (if you know, you know). Avery is worse than useless. She’s a plastic barbie Miami girl whose greatest talent is spending daddy’s apparently endless money. There’s a little bit of depth to her eventually, but for me, it was still pretty darn shallow. I wish she wasn’t quite as much of a caricature, but I guess it works for what they were after.

If this book was another hundred or two pages longer, I’d still be happy. There was a lot of backstory with Henry I feel like I could have enjoyed exploring between his two parents and how he got into such a very specific and incredible industry. But the story is complete and pretty wonderful as it is.

This is my second Max Monroe novel, and this was very different than the other title I read (Oops, I’ve Fallen), but it’s clear this writing team is very good at what they do. I’m looking forward to reading more of their stuff!

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:: Leave Before I Love You
Author:: Max Monroe
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Indie
Length:: 300 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 25m
Audiobook Narrator:: Will Damron & M.K. Blackwood
Published:: July 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Swept Away | Beth O’Leary
Still Beating | Jennifer Hartmann

Book Review:: People Watching | Hannah Bonam-Young

I’ve heard only good things about Hannah Bonam-Young, so I was curious to experience her writing for the first time with People Watching. Now on the other side of it, I can say I get the hype.

People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young Book Cover

This book brings together a retired teacher who has Alzheimer’s disease’s caregiver daughter with one of her former art students who is only back in town for an S.O.S. his brother sent out. They are completely different. Milo is a world traveler and so far has loved widely but never deeply. Prue is a responsible small town girl with no worldly experience, who holds onto the relationships in her life with both hands. I found the union of these two characters lovely and surprising and the bond they forged through their small town adventures together was steamy and genuine and lovely.

All elements of the plot were handled well and adequately tangled and inter-woven, which tells me this author has a great handle on her craft. There were plenty of scenes handled with such tenderness, and the unfolding of the two hearts at play was just so swoony and satisfying.

The spice in this book is quite spicy, and there’s plenty of it, so if you’re sensitive to that, this book is probably not for you.

Personally, I look forward to reading the rest of Hannah Bonam-Young’s novels, and I’ll surely be keeping an eye out for her work in the future.

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:: People Watching
Author:: Hannah Bonam-Young
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Dell
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 21m
Audiobook Narrator:: Victoria Connolly & Brandon Francis
Published:: September 9th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Ghost Business | Jen DeLuca

Welcome back to Boneyard Key, where the kitchy beach town theme is actually rooted in truth. Boneyard Key is haunted by a wide array of ghosts, and Sophie has dedicated her business to digging up the truth about each of their stories.

Out of nowhere comes a cute newcomer who turns out to be a businessman in the ghost tours business. Sophie’s business. And he’s coming for her market. Trouble is, he doesn’t care if the stories are real or not as long as the customers keep coming. His mentality causes natural clashing between himself and Sophie – a rivalry with an undertone of admiration on his side, and heat on hers. And what happens when Tristan finds out the ghosts in this town are real?

There wasn’t much new or surprising or endearing really about the little town of Boneyard Key that wasn’t already there in Haunted Ever After. I think it certainly fits in the same world, but I was hoping for a stronger story for book two. The romance wasn’t particularly swoony, there wasn’t much new about the ghosts or hauntings of the island that wasn’t in book one…it was okay.

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:: Ghost Business (Boneyard Key #2)
Author:: Jen DeLuca
Genre:: Paranormal Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 11h
Audiobook Narrator:: Jeannie Sheneman
Published:: September 9th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Haunted Ever After | Jen DeLuca
The Battle of the Bookshops | Poppy Alexander
Battle of the Bookstores | Ali Brady

Book Review:: A Winter Wedding Adventure | Leonie Mack

This novel is exactly what it sounds like: an adventure set during wedding festivities in the winter.

A Winter Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack Book Cover

Neither Kira or Mattia are characters you might expect to be leads in a story like this, he is an Italian opera singer with extreme misophonia (irritation to certain sounds), she, a jaded adventure guide forced to work on weddings despite her long frosted over heart. Part of her job on this wedding is getting Mattia, one of the groomsmen, to the venue, which sounds straight-forward, but this is a rom-com, after all.

Through lots of mishaps and straight up disasters plaguing the pages, Mattia and Kira get to know each other’s true selves, underneath the baggage they carry from their pasts. It’s actually a surprisingly tender story, and I really enjoyed watching these two opposites attract so strongly.

Mattia is unlike maybe any character I’ve ever read. Almost neurotic, but only in certain ways, he’s extremely emotionally intelligent, which is useful skill around Kira, who is so guarded she’s started to think the walls she has up are just part of her personality at this point. They are so well matched and fun to read about, but of course, the shenanigans in the story are a little bit over the top.

For a true-blue rom-com, this novel does a great job. It’s quick, interesting, quirky, and, above all, quite romantic.

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:: A Winter Wedding Adventure (Wedding Adventures #2)
Author:: Leonie Mack
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Boldwood Books
Length:: 328 pages
Published:: September 2nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

An Italian Wedding Adventure | Leonie Mack
The Summer You Were Mine | Jill Francis
The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain | Hannah Brown

Book Review:: Love Walked In | Sarah Chamberlain

Sarah Chamberlain’s sophomore romance is another deep dive into grief and healing, all wrapped up in a rocky-start inevitable romance that’s just what the doctor ordered.

Love Walked In by Sarah Chamberlain Book Cover

Mari’s come to the UK as a consultant to help save a bookstore flailing after the death of the founder and patriarch of the family-run business. Leo, who stands to inherit the shop, immediately dislikes the always-sunny newcomer due to the stark difference in his ever-stoic British sensibilities. Not to mention his entire life has been overturned more than once in the past few years and smiles seem to be something long forgotten.

I really enjoyed this book. Everything was set up very well, if not a little too conveniently. It’s no argument that Sarah is a great writer who pours a lot of real world complexity into her books. Life and love are never simple. They’re messy, and contradictory, and sometimes painful, and that’s what you’ll find in this book. But things are always all the sweeter when they don’t come easy.

In some ways, it did feel a little over the top. Sometimes it felt like the drama was ratcheted up a little bit too high for the type of book this is trying to be. Both characters, but especially Mari has a very difficult past that is deeply explored through the narrative. It also almost felt like the author was trying to fit in as many little ‘representations’ as possible, and it started to feel a little tired. Maybe it’s part of the reading slump-y mood I’ve been in lately, because that was actually something I really enjoyed about her first novel, but it felt a little distracting this time if I’m being honest.

However, this book is a really great option for a quite modern contemporary romance, and if you love reading about book lovers, you’ll love Mari!

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:: Love Walked In
Author:: Sarah Chamberlain
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 352 pages
Published:: September 2nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Slowest Burn | Sarah Chamberlain
It’s A Love Story | Annabel Monaghan
Work in Progress | Kat Mackenzie

Book Review:: Pitcher Perfect | Tessa Bailey

Girl meets boy. Girl hates boy for being a sleezy womanizer. Boy is completely lost for her. Girl ‘hires’ him to fake date in order to catch the boy of her dreams and impress her family at their uncivilized annual event. Feelings catch and blaze along the way.

Pitcher Perfect by Tessa Bailey Book Review

It’s a tale as old as time. Or at least, it must be because the amazon marketplace is flooded with them. Another fake dating sexy sports romance novel is here, and folks, you’re actually not going to want to miss it!

Okay so every time it just feels so cheesy for anyone anywhere at anytime agreeing to ‘FAKE DATE’. Like, I really don’t understand this trope at all. That being said, there are good ways to do it, and Tessa Bailey nailed it in Pitcher Perfect. Both characters are highly motivated, and everything clicks together like a snug little puzzle piece that is so satisfying to find.

The process of falling in love in this novel isn’t rushed, but at the same time, we don’t have to wait for it either. There is insecurity there for each of the characters, but their falling together is so inevitable and wonderful it’ll make you giddy. Also, the protectiveness thing is what gets me going, and this book had me feral with it.

Tessa Bailey is clearly a master at her craft, and if you like sexy little books, girl, get over here. The best part? I have SUCH a backlist to devour. *chefs kiss*

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:: Pitcher Perfect (Big Shots #4)
Author:: Tessa Bailey
Genre:: Sports Romance
Publisher:: Avon
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Narrator:: Callie Dalton & Teddy Hamilton
Published:: September 9th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Only Between Us | Ellie K. Wilde
Gloves Off | Stephanie Archer
Slipstream | Madge Maril
A Beginner’s Guide to Forever | Kendall Ryan

Book Review:: Forget Me Not | Stacy Willingham

Nothing pulls me out of a reading burnout better than a really compelling mystery thriller. Sometimes you just want a book where you can’t stop turning the pages, and for me, Forget Me Not, Stacy Willingham’s newest release, was exactly that.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham Book Cover

After her sister disappeared as a teenager, Claire left home and never went back, eager to escape the weight of the memories. Now as an adult she’s an investigative reporter and she gets a call from her father that her mom needs some help. She feels like she has to go home, despite their difficult relationship. She only lasts a day or two under the same roof before she’s desperate to find an alternative temporary residence. When she visits a local muscadine vineyard and they have an opening, she agrees immediately. Her sister worked there before her disappearance, and they have a live in cabin for her to stay in – a perfect setup for her to do some digging into her sister’s case. But something is a little bit strange at Galloway, she just can’t quite put her finger on it.

I thought this book played perfectly between is Claire just on edge and looking for things to be suspicious when it’s really just a quirky little farm, or is there actually something else going on here? There’s a secret journal, homemade teas, complete seclusion, and lots of room for tension between these pages, and the author uses all of them.

This is a perfect book for an escape. A creepy escape, perhaps, but certainly transportive. I recommend the audiobook. It definitely pulled me in and made the experience quite atmospheric.

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:: Forget Me Not
Author:: Stacy Willingham
Genre:: Mystery Thriller
Publisher:: Minotaur Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: Helen Laser & Karissa Vacker
Published:: August 26th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Sunburned | Katherine Wood
The Ghostwriter | Julie Clark
Saltwater | Katy Hays

Book Review:: Save You | Mona Kasten

Save You is the second book in the popular teenage drama saga Maxton Hall. If you’ve not yet read book one, please start there. My review for Save Me can be found here. (Book one spoilers are present in this review)

Well well well, James has a lot to answer for if he ever wants to get back into broken-hearted Ruby’s good graces. She’s never felt betrayal this deeply, and she still doesn’t know why he was so far gone that night he kissed someone else. That’s not the only secret flying around. His sister Lydia is hiding something life changing from everyone, except ironically, Ruby. And Ruby’s sister Ember is acting more evasive than ever.

Okay, okay, I’m warming ever up to this incredibly dramatic hormone-fueled saga. The characters have worked themselves into some very juicy tangles and everyone has a different motivation informing their erratically impulsive decisions.

I would say this book suffers a little bit in terms of development, but it does a lot to set up for the rest of the character’s stories launching into the third book. There are a lot of very grown up themes being handled in this series, but it feels like they’re being handled well. There are a lot of big emotions that need to be worked through until we get any resolution for the events that transpired in book one, and that takes time.

The two sisters were actually the highlight of this book for me. I liked that Ember is beginning to play a role here. She seems like she’s got a great head on her shoulders and her body-inclusive fashion blog sounds really great. I’ll be interested how her new story line plays out. Lydia’s story is also very compelling, and she’s got so much at stake.

In terms of if I’ll be continuing this series? Absolutely I will. Enthusiastically!

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:: Save You (Maxton Hall #2)
Author:: Mona Kasten
Genre:: Teen Drama/Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 352 pages
Published:: September 2nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Save Me | Mona K a sten
It’s All Relative | Rachel Magee
Before We Were Us | Denise Hunter

Book Review:: Storms and Secrets | Claire Kingsley

Sometimes when you’re stuck in a bad pattern of thinking you have to be jolted out of it. That’s what happened to Zachary. Literally. During an electrical repair at the shop of a girl he’s been secretly harboring feelings for for years, he gets the shock of his life, but physically and emotionally when he realizes that if he keeps waiting to share his heart, he may never get the chance.

Storms and Secrets by Claire Kingsley Book Cover

Unfortunately, he’s been so standoffish and ugly toward Marigold Martin for too long and she doesn’t believe him when he says he’s a changed man. His timing is way off, because a handsome rich bachelor comes in for a trim at her hair salon and sweeps her a little bit off her feet with flattery and flowers.

There’s something off about this new guy in town, building a behemoth establishment in town the likes of which none of them have ever seen. He’s a little too forward with Marigold, a little too fishy in his business dealings, and a little too possessive of a girl who doesn’t even know if she likes him yet. And when things get really uncomfortable, Zachary is there to step in and protect the girl of his literal dreams.

So romantic suspense is absolutely my jam, and Claire Kingsley is one of the bestsellers of the genre. This one gets quite dark with a missing girl, a true evil psycho, and some seriously dark scheming. I think maybe it was a little too dark for me ultimately, but the bond and connection between Zachary and Marigold was done so well and was very swoony. Personally I think I preferred the first book in this Haven Brothers series because it was a little bit more behind the curtain so the love story was more of the center stage and the cloud wasn’t so damn dark over the whole thing.

I’ll certainly be reading more of this series, and everything I can get my hands on from this author!

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:: Storms and Secrets (The Haven Brothers #2)
Author:: Claire Kingsley
Genre:: Romantic Suspense
Publisher:: SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 41m
Audiobook Narrator:: Samantha Brentmoor, Teddy Hamilton, and Desiree Ketchum
Published:: August 26th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars