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Book Review:: Listen for the Lie | Amy Tintera

Wow – I was blown away by this book. From the title, which has to be one of my favorites of all time, to the intricate and relentless mystery, I was inexorably hooked from the get.

Ben Owens investigative crime podcast, Listen for the Lie, has a new season and a new case to unravel – the brutal murder of a woman named Savannah, colloquially called Savvy, in the small Texas town of Plumpton. The prime suspect, Lucy Chase, has a new life in LA, but the popularity of the up-and-coming podcast has her new life crumbling around her. Who wants to hire a murder suspect of an unsolved crime? Who wants to live with one? The answer, clearly, is no one.

Returning to Plumpton for the first time for her grandmother’s birthday celebration, Lucy is confronted with the dark past and the community that was all too ready to shun her. She genuinely has no memories of that night, and with everyone so certain she was the killer, she’s not completely convinced of her own innocence. She loved Savannah, and she sustained serious injuries of her own that night. Isn’t it finally time to find out the truth, if it’s even possible?

The web of suspects is small at first, until lies about alibis come to the surface, and suddenly there is real doubt about whodunnit. It seems there isn’t much to do in Plumpton than drink and knock boots, two things sure to muddle the facts and motives. Thrown in the unreliability of Lucy’s memories and this mystery will keep you up way past your bedtime.

What a treat of a thriller. Absolutely recommend!

Details

Title:: Listen for the Lie
Author:: Amy Tintera
Genre:: Mystery Thriller
Publisher:: Celadon Books
Length:: 352 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 18m
Audiobook Narrator:: January LaVoy & Will Damron
Published:: March 5th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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Book Review:: Clementine Crane Prefers Not To | Kristin Bair

Menopause mamas, unite! This new tragi-comedy novel from Kristin Bair is a feminist anthem for women who have sacrificed and organized and put up with TOO MUCH in their lives, only to be saddled at a certain age with the sometimes debilitating symptoms of menopause.

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To by Kristin Bair Book Cover

When library media director Clementine Crane starts having hot flashes, she is mortified, outraged, flabbergasted that no one told her she had those to look forward to one day. She makes sure her co-workers, friends, family, and doctor knows it too. It should be talked about more! There should be research! Something should be done!

She has a little bit of a breakdown/awakening, and starts a social media outlet to share the steam literally rising from her head, and the sweat dripping from uncomfortable places when they hit. And when her child has a homework assignment for a story that includes the words I prefer not to, she finds her new anthem. Suddenly Clementine prefers not to several times a day. She stops women in the grocery store, in the clinic, in the library, and tells them they can prefer not to too. It’s that easy. Women are asked far too much sometimes, and it never occurs to any of us to just…pass. No thanks, I PREFER NOT TO.

Honestly, this novel is a riot. It’s wonderful. Quirky, heartfelt, sympathetic, and hilarious. I think many people will relate to and love Clementine, who prefers her job title to read Connector of People to Magical Things instead of Director of Media at the library. She’s smart, funky, and maybe a little too daring.

Grab your copy today and get it girl!

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:: Clementine Crane Prefers Not To
Author:: Kristin Bair
Genre:: Contemporary | Women’s Fiction | Humor
Publisher:: Alcove Press
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: #h #m
Audiobook Narrator:: Name(s)
Published:: October 14th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood

Book Review:: Overdue | Stephanie Perkins

Look at this gorgeous book. I could not wait to sink into this one, and that’s really what it felt like, an immersive almost coming-of-age story about an almost thirty-year-old woman coming into her own across all aspects of her life. I was expecting it to be heavier on the romance, more about that to come, but as a whole it is a genuine story about a strong woman who is still figuring herself out.

Ingrid works in a library. She loves it there, but when she’s offered opportunity to further invest in that career path, something holds her back. I commiserate with this.

She works there with a guy named Macon. They’re friends.

Ingrid has been with the same guy since the very first day of college. It’s a safe relationship, but passionless. When Ingrid’s sister announces her engagement, Ingrid and Corey have a bit of a revelation – they’ve been together eleven years and never even thought about getting married.

So they make the wacky decision to take a ‘break’ and see other people.

This part of the novel was…weird. And pretty uncomfortable. But it was part of Ingrid’s journey.

Did I mention Macon? Things are weird between he and Ingrid after she tries to kiss him after work one night. And as she’s dating through men at an alarming rate. And he’s ten years older than her. But she misses their friendship, and through the humps and bumps, they bandage up what they had the best they can.

This is the slowest of slow burns, and maybe that’s why the author thought it was important to pepper in the other suitors through act one? Perhaps that was part of the lesson Ingrid had to learn in order to find a firm foundation in her new relationship? I think there might have been other ways to accomplish this. But maybe others won’t mind it so much.

Overall it is a very endearing novel and is well worth the time-investment to read. I enjoyed the audio version, Eva Kaminsky did an excellent job bringing voice to Ingrid and her friends. It’s a story about friendship, finding your own path, and authenticity. There are many moments that will make you swoon, and once Ingrid figures out what she wants, there is no stopping her!

Congratulations on your newest release, Stephanie. I really enjoyed it!

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:: Overdue
Author:: Stephanie Perkins
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Saturday Books
Length:: 416 pages
Audio Length:: 13h 26m
Audiobook Narrator:: Eva Kaminsky
Published:: October 7th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

We Met Like This | Kasie West
People Watching | Hannah Bonam-Young
Love Walked In | Sarah Chamberlain

Book Review:: The Irish Goodbye | Heather Aimee O’Neill

I love me a good family drama, and The Irish Goodbye by debut author Heather Aimee O’Neill was no exception.

The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O'Neill Book Cover

When families come together for holidays, it can be…uncomfortable. Awkward. Complicated. The Ryan’s Thanksgiving exemplifies this phenomenon.

Everyone is at a bit of a crux in their own lives, at decision points, or the point of having to face the music. One by one we learn about these rich and complex characters, without ever losing the drive to read forward. Sometimes getting lost in backstories can bog down a narrative, but I was locked in the whole time.

This is the kind of novel that kind of encapsulates the whole of humanity. This is just one family, but it could be anyone’s family. We all have complex webs of relationships and curveball occurrences that throw us completely for a loop. We all have to make difficult decisions and deal with grief and love and longing and hurt.

The writing is excellent. The characters are excellent. Their stories are excellent. I listened to the audio and the narrator is excellent. Five very hearty stars.

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 Irish Goodbye
Author:: Heather Aimee O’Neill
Genre:: Fiction / Family Drama
Publisher:: Henry Holt and Co.
Length:: 288 pages
Audio Length:: 8h 35m
Audiobook Narrator:: Kristen Sieh
Published:: September 30th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

The Homemade God | Rachel Joyce
These Summer Storms | Sarah MacLean
The Greatest Possible Good | Ben Brooks
The Accidental Favorite | Fran Littlewood

Book Review:: Firelight Days | Savannah Price

If you are a fan of small-town vibes and yearning romances, you’re going to love Savannah Pryce’s new release, Firelight Days.

Firelight Days by Savannah Pryce Book Cover

Penny is a baker in town who works herself to the bone for a boss who takes her for granted. When a dangerous fire starts ripping through the forest nearby, one of her regular customers and friends, Jack, offers to put her up at his family’s property to wait out the evacuation orders. Things have been changing between them lately, but Penny isn’t sure she wants to cross any lines with him and ruin the good thing they have going.

Firelight Days is well written and captures that small-town vibe so well. It’s cute and full of tension and the characters have to reckon with themselves before they can open themselves up to another. I was very impressed with this one! It’s got everything you want when picking up a new romance novel – this one isn’t risky…you’ll love it!

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:: Firelight Days
Author:: Savannah Pryce
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Rosmarin Books
Length:: 327 pages
Published:: August 3rd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Where You’re Planted | Melanie Sweeney
He Falls First | Jill Shalvis
Left of Forever | Tarah Dewitt

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:: Buckeye | Patrick Ryan

What can I say about this stunning novel except that it will move you.

It is a story of life, love and war, family and community, marriage, parenthood, independence and dependence, skepticism and mysticism, hope, lies, and truth. It will bring you through lofty highs and the lowest lows as it navigates the intersecting stories of two families drawn together by a moment of celebration, exuberation, and desperation.

It will pull you back into 20th century America with an empathetic eye for those who lived through some of the hardest years of our history.

It will squeeze your heart as you somehow absorb currents of feeling flowing through these characters in such a real and surprising way.

Buckeye is a triumph, and I could not recommend it more highly. What a wonderful, wonderful 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:: Buckeye
Author:: Patrick Ryan
Genre:: Historical Fiction
Publisher:: Random House
Length:: 464 pages
Audio Length:: 15h
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: September 2nd, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars