Contemporary Archives - The Litertarian

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:: We All Live Here | Jojo Moyes

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes is a raw, emotional, and realistic story of a family that has fallen apart and is only functioning through strategic use of metaphorical cellophane tape and sheer force of will.

We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes Book Cover

Lila Kennedy finds herself as the head of her household after a humiliating divorce that left her career and reputation in shambles and with him multiplying his genes with one of the other school mums. She and her two daughters have support in the form of Lila’s mother’s second-husband Bill, who is still in the deep throes of grieving her unexpected death. The house is falling apart one expensive project at a time, and the landscape guy keeps bringing up more issues she needs to address but are nowhere near the top of her priority list. Then one day, Lila’s septuagenarian absent-since-she-was-4-years-old father shows up on her doorstep looking for a place to stay for awhile, unafraid to make himself at home and insert himself into absolutely everything with an annoying American charisma that seems to fool everyone else. What follows is a story about family and forgiveness and grief and perseverance, and grace, and the grit to get through the next thing and the next while somehow keeping all the juggling balls from crashing into the ground.

The family dynamics crafted in this novel felt so realistic. The quintessential example of the phrase if it’s not one thing, it’s another. The two grandpas who loved the same woman, the young daughter and her school play, the older daughter and her mean-girl school problems and rebellious streak, the dynamics with the ex-husband creating a new family apart from them and the emotional blow that strikes against them all. On top of everything else, Lila is ‘getting back out there’ as an officially over-the-hill divorcee, and the story of her romantic experiences were so brutally honest, complete with fundamental mistakes, misunderstandings, the inability to see things for what they truly are. It felt raw and honest and I really appreciated that.

This novel has a lot going on, and though certain elements felt somewhat predictable, none of it felt formulaic or cliche. In my experience, Jojo Moyes is a skillful storyteller, and this family drama is one that will keep you engaged and interested until the very last pages, leaving you with warm feelings of hope and acceptance that will fill your cup like only a good book can.

Details

Title:: We All Live Here
Author:: Jojo Moyes
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Pamela Dorman Books
Length:: 464 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 38m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jenna Coleman
Published:: February 11th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
Thank You For Listening | Julia Whelan
Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood

Book Review:: The Proposal Project | Donna Marchetti

I don’t know how I stumbled across Donna Marchetti’s first book, Hate Mail, but it was one of the most memorable romances I read last year. When I saw she had a new book coming out this year, I jumped at the chance to read it.

The Proposal Project by Donna Marchetti Book Cover

The premise is two people with a mutual friend-couple who got off on the wrong foot team up to make said friend-couple’s proposal something to remember. That’s right, both the man and woman want to propose to each other, unbeknownst to the other, but certainly beknownst (ha) by our two lead characters, Pricilla and Oliver. Planning the perfect proposal is about more than just making her best friend’s day special for Priscilla, this is the moment she hopes will launch her new event planning business. Having to work with and trust Oliver was not on her bingo card, and neither was having to fake date him in order not to spoil their schemes.

Romantic comedies can be hit and miss for me. Often they veer over the line from cute and playful into cliche and annoying, but Marchetti, in both books I’ve read so far, seems to know exactly where the line is and bends it to her will. Cheesy? A little. Unbelievable? No. And the deeper character moments fill the gaps between mishaps with heart and tenderness that wins me over every time.

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 Proposal Project
Author:: Donna Marchetti
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Harper Collins | One More Chapter
Length:: 384 pages
Published:: June 27th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Hate Mail | Donna Marchetti
Not in My Book | Katie Holt
Exes & O’s | Amy Lea

Book Review:: The Seven O’Clock Club | Amelia Ireland

What does it take to earn a five-star rating? Is it simply capturing and holding your attention? Is it making you feel things down deep in the depths of your soul? Is it creating a world/character/story that will linger in your mind for years to come? If your answer is yes to any of the above, The Seven O’Clock Club makes the list without even trying.

The Seven O'Clock Club by Amelia Ireland Book Cover

This is a book about grief – possibly the most complex of human emotions. Four people are selected to be a part of an experimental project, led by a woman named Geniveve. Each of them has a pain so deep and vivid they can’t face it, it’s ruining what is left of their lives. Geniveve brings them together once a week at seven o’clock for a gently led support-group style meeting. Slowly they are asked to introduce themselves: who they are, how they’ve changed, and eventually, what it was that happened to bring them to the group.

Each of them has a story, each of them a pain so great it fundamentally changed them. And together, they find community. Friendship. Family.

I knew early on this book was going to be a profound experience. The characters opening themselves up and pouring out their pain was so powerful. Chills were had. Tears were shed. My own heart broke a little bit for every one of them.

These characters and their situations were so well-realized, and when the twist came I was skeptical at first, but it allowed for the themes to resound even more powerfully and left me with a lot to ponder once the story ended.

I am so grateful I got the opportunity to read this book early through netgalley after being one of the chosen ones by Berkley for this title. This is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I can’t wait to see what’s next for Amelia Ireland!

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 Seven O’Clock Club
Author:: Amelia Ireland
Genre:: General Fiction/Fantasy
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 368 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Publisher:: Penguin Audio
Published:: April 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars