Romance Archives - Page 7 of 15

Book Review:: An Italian Wedding Adventure | Leonie Mack

Things don’t always go as we expect them to. Sometimes the wrong question at the wrong time can lead to heartbreak and humiliation. And sometimes, you get to face the past that has haunted you for years, even if you don’t want to.

An Italian Wedding Adventure by Leonie Mack Book Cover

That is the case when Sophie’s new client wants to have a destination wedding at the top of a mountain. She knows who to ask for the expertise she needs, but hopes that the man who broke her heart no longer works there. After he rejected her impromptu marriage proposal years ago, she never fully recovered, and though she’s a professional and will do whatever it takes to serve her clients, she’s not sure she’ll have the strength to face Andreas again.

I really enjoyed this European vacation romance. The characters were fun and unique and I learned quite a bit about mountain climbing actually, which is always refreshing. I thought the conflict between the characters was authentic to their personalities and the romance and plot felt very natural. It’s quite an escape, traveling with the characters to the tops of mountains, relearning one another and making the most of the time they know they’ll have to spend together, even if it’s the last thing they want to do.

If you’re looking for a fun and flirty adventurous romance to pack on a summer trip this year, I think An Italian Wedding Adventure is a great option. It’s got heart, humor, and grand gestures that will melt your heart like a popsicle in the sun.

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:: An Italian Wedding Adventure
Author:: Leonie Mack
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Boldwood Books
Audio Length:: 9h
Audiobook Narrator:: Karen Cass
Published:: May 9th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The DNA Duology | Christina Lauren
Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake | Mazey Eddings
Catch & Keep | Erin Hahn

Book Review:: Left of Forever | Tarah DeWitt

This is not a drill! The second Tarah Dewitt Spunes romance book is here! The oldest Byrd sibling, Ellis, recaptures his life’s greatest love.

Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt Book Cover

Wren and Ellis were high school sweethearts who got pregnant at 17 and eventually divorced. Now, their precious son is off to college, and it’s time for them both to admit that their feelings for one another never went away.

Oh, how excited I was for this book, and though it’s nice as a sexy escape, I didn’t quite buy into what it was selling.

I’m tempted to say there is too much going on as it’s starting out, but I’m not sure that was the problem as much as it just felt too choppy and disorganized? If you don’t want tiny spoilers that have to do with the first 15-20% of the book, skip the rest of this paragraph, as I want to dig into something specific to explain myself real quick. I think the letter saga was meant for Ellis to realize the depth of his feelings for Wren, but…I didn’t like it. First, it was disingenuous, second, it was a weak way to tie into Ellis’ job that had no bearing on what the story ended up being, third, it was kind of unbelievable she would bear her soul to a stranger to the level she did, it never went anywhere, and also it came off kind of…idyllic? Immature? She’s writing to a fire team HOURS away from where she lives about the safety of some horses that were caught in a wild fire? I think it didn’t feel supported enough in her characterization throughout the rest of the book. In a nutshell, it wasn’t a strong start for me.

Later the two of them end up going on a road trip to drop their son off at college, making a vacation of it and trying to see if they can work out their differences and reconcile. Again, just a very cheesy premise for me. I think it didn’t seem to match up with their rich depth of history and their genuine soul connection to need all this cheese to get back to where they belong. The narrative device was just too visible for me.

HOWEVER, the actual romance between them felt so authentic. These two grew up together and were family for just as much of their lives as they hadn’t been. I don’t doubt for a second that they belong together. That aspect of the novel was very successful. Also, if you’re into a little spicy spice – you’ll enjoy this!

I think I’m being so hard on this book because I’m such a huge fan of Tarah Dewitt usually. Savor It was so good, and my favorite of hers, Funny Feelings, is must read romance material. This one is okay. Many others have loved it. I was just anticipating…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:: Left of Forever
Author:: Tarah Dewitt
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Griffin
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 48m
Audiobook Narrator:: Connor Crais and Megan Wicks
Published:: May 20th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars
Spice Rating:: 4

If you liked this book, check out…

Savor It | Tarah Dewitt
When Alec Met Evie | Jenn Proctor
Where the Black Line Ends | Meagan Williamson

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:: 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:: Eight Hundred Grapes | Laura Dave

Timing is everything, and who knows that better than a wine maker? I’m learning that lesson again from Eight Hundred Grapes. I read it once before in 2022 and rated it 3 stars. Rereading again in 2025 it has earned 5.

I suppose for me it was an acquired taste.

Eight Hundred Grapes by Laura Dave Book Cover

Georgia flees town in her wedding dress, taking refuge back home in Sonoma county, at the bar her brothers own together. She’s been away awhile, and returns to find things not at all how she left them, but in just as complicated a mess as she finds her own self in. The foundations of her family she always believed to be unshakable have been shooketh, and she’s scrambling to make sense of the new reality taking shape around her.

I’m struggling to understand why a version of myself from three years ago didn’t find anything to connect with in this novel. I must not have, to have rated it three stars. The me of today sees a young woman coming to terms with a rite of passage that was thrust upon her all at once instead of coming to it on her own: the dissolution of her folks turning from ‘parents’ into ‘people’. This coming on the heels of a revelation that her fiancé has been hiding the biggest imaginable secret, and that her brothers are tangled up in something she doesn’t understand. All of these things are reinforcing the idea that people, no matter how good their intentions are, or how otherwise ‘good’ they may be, can and will make decisions that can hurt you. Decisions you may not understand. Decisions that will cause ripple effects far beyond what might have been expected.

This book is about coming to terms with the humanity and imperfections of your family, about the impermanence of some things and the imprinting of others upon the very fabric of your being. About holding onto and letting go of childhood. It’s about potential. It’s about building cultivating the soil and knowing when to give up, and more importantly, when not to. It’s about taking control of your own destiny, and accepting the fallibility of others, as we are fallible ourselves. But really it’s a story of a family in crisis, and who can’t relate to that at some level?

Laura Dave, I’m sorry I did not see or understand the brilliance of this novel the first time around. I’m just glad I picked it up again and saw its true worth this time. Thank you, for such an incredible story.

Details

Title:: Eight Hundred Grapes
Author:: Laura Dave
Genre:: Contemporary/General Fiction
Publisher:: Simon & Schuster
Length:: 274 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 6m
Audiobook Narrator:: Joy Osmanski
Published:: February 1st, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Cheesemaker’s Daughter | Kristin Vukovic
Wish I Were Here | Melissa Wiesner
I’ll Come To You | Rebecca Koffman

Book Review:: Any Trope But You | Victoria Levine

Oh tragic personal crisis – Oh handsome brawny hunk in the woods who can right any wrong with his handsome brawny-ness! Any Trope But You is a mostly lightweight romantic comedy that will walk you through the set up for The Next Great American Romance, because despite trying to run away from romance novels entirely, the main character Margot is literally walking into one.

Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine Book Cover

It’s a cute story, yes, and if you really love romantic comedies, you’ll probably like this one. It just wasn’t my favorite.

The one thing I do applaud here is the inclusion of characters with disabilities and chronic pain, characters who need full-time carers and have unpredictable health patterns. Both of the main characters have family members they feel responsible for, and I think the topic is handled very well (without one of the characters actually being one of the disabled themselves…somehow the lead characters are always the normies).

That being said, I think my main complaint here is that given the sincerity of the themes implied by those circumstances, this novel leans far too heavily in the almost-stupid romantic comedy hijinks. Of course, we’re expecting to go through a long list of cliched tropes (hey-it’s in the title), but I think it was the air-headedness required for Margot to fall into all of them that bugged me. Was it her actual personality? Eh. The two sides of her just didn’t seem to match up very well for me.

The romance, however, seemed quite genuine once it got going (given that the first of the tropes was dumbfounding-attraction at first sight), and by the end I didn’t need any further convincing that it had legs to stand on once they got into the ‘real world’. Also, the spicy scenes in this book were particularly good, in my personal estimation.

The themes, as well, are valuable. Throw yourself into new experiences, pick yourself back up when the world knocks you down, don’t erase yourself within the needs of others, and, of course, you’ll always find your true love once you hit rock bottom and decide to take a spontaneous trip to Alaska in hopes of rearranging your entire life!

I wish I could give this book a higher rating, but with issues previously discussed and some elements of the ending that also felt a little too convenient in a way that put a bad taste in my mouth, this is sitting at three 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:: Any Trope But You
Author:: Victoria Lavine
Genre:: Romantic Comedy
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 17m
Audiobook Narrator:: Tim Paige & Jesse Vilinsky
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: April 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars