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Book Review:: The Reluctant Flirt | Jennifer Probst

Jennifer Probst fans, we’re back in Outer Banks, a small idyllic beach town perfect for falling in love. Book of the Month is the first title in this series, my review of which can be found here, but you don’t need to read it before enjoying The Reluctant Flirt.

Sierra runs her own boutique in a new town away from her old life and ex-husband. Outer Banks is her fresh start, and she’s determined to succeed, but when the best hookup of her life shows up in town, apparently the best friend of her sister’s fiancee, things get complicated.

This book has all the ingredients of an indulgent weekend romance read. A sexy start, a crisis meet-cute-take-two, and characters both smitten and too stubborn for their own good. I loved the secret and unique history between these two characters, and their story of falling in love is very sexy (with lots of spice!). My favorite moment was probably when the significance of Sierra’s shop’s name was revealed. However, it didn’t blow me away. By the time I neared the end there were some problems I had with the communication between the characters (or lack of) that is one of my pet peeves, and some of the pacing made it hard to stay really locked in at times. By the end I was reading mostly just to finish.

Outer Banks is a cozy and romantic setting to indulge in, and if you’re looking for some ‘candy’ to read, this may be exactly what you’re looking if. It just wasn’t for 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:: The Reluctant Flirt (Outer Banks #2)
Author:: Jennifer Probst
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Blue Box Press
Length:: 246 pages
Published:: July 15th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 2.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book of the Month | Jennifer Probst
Once Upon A Boyband | Jenny Proctor

Book Review:: These Summer Storms | Sarah MacLean

Fans of Laura Dave, Claire Lombardo, or anyone in between will love Sarah MacLean’s new book These Summer Storms. It’s a mix of family drama, personal crisis, situational intrigue, and a satisfying dose of steamy romance on the side. There are themes of coming of age, coping with and accepting family, and learning lessons the hard way. Everything this book does, it does well. I didn’t even wait to finish it before I pre-ordered a first edition copy for my home library. It’s so good.

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean Book Cover

The premise is the billionaire patriarch of the Storm family dies, so his family gathers on their private island in New England for the reading of the will, including his daughter Alice, who has been estranged from the family for five years. Turns out the manipulative old man left stipulations for each person – a task that must be completed within a week – before they can inherit. Oh, and if one of them fails, no one gets any money.

I suppose this is a common story. Someone dies, and the wake of that event sends dramatic or mysterious ripples out disrupting everything that surrounds them. I’ve read several books with this specific situation even this year. So what makes These Summer Storms great, a cut above the rest? For me? Writing is first (always), and then the mix of plot and character that just turn this into something intriguing and exciting to read.

Right away I was hooked by a scene between Alice and a dark handsome stranger at the train station, caught in the rain. The depth of character already explored in those early chapters made it impossible to stop reading.

The Storm family is a complicated one, made even more complicated by the enormous amount of money involved. Add the father’s right-hand-man to the mix of this week-long…adventure, and even more tension ratchets up. I was just so impressed by the structure of the book as a whole and so many scenes that were unique and seducing and complex and just plain interesting. I couldn’t put the dang thing down.

I will certainly be reading this book again (maybe starting today *blushes*), and I’ll be sure to recommend it to all of my readerly friends asking about my recent great reads. I have no doubt this will end up being one of my best books of the year in 2025. AND the audiobook is being read by our queen Julia Whelan. Just mark me down as this book’s number one fan already. Release day cannot come soon enough!

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:: These Summer Storms
Author:: Sarah MacLean
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Ballantine Books
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 14h
Audiobook Narrator:: Julia Whelan
Published:: July 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Sounds Like Trouble | Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith

Sounds Like Trouble is the second book in a fun contemporary mystery series co-written by Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith. Jackson and Mackenzie are back at it, this time officially partners in a joint PI firm, and there is just as much drama this time around.

Their last case caught the attention of some very intimidating crime lords, who “ask” Jackson and Mackenzie for some help with a little problem they have. There’s a package they need tracked down – discreetly.

This pair is electric. They’re sassy, capable, and oh-so-compatible. The level of action and danger is just as high as it was in book one. It’s a breakneck pace that will keep you flying through the pages!

I hope this is just the latest in a looong list of installments in this series, because it is such a breath of fresh air. If you’re looking for a fun and refreshing read this summer, please don’t sleep on this 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:: Sounds Like Trouble (Sounds Like A Plan #2)
Author:: Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith
Genre:: Contemporary Mystery/Thriller
Publisher:: Atria Books
Length:: 256 pages
Audio Length:: 6h
Audiobook Narrator:: Jaime Lincoln Smith & Angel Pean
Published:: July 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Sounds Like A Plan | Pamela Samuels Young & Dwayne Alexander Smith
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It | Elle Cosimano
All the Missing Pieces | Catherine Cowles

Book Review:: Where You’re Planted | Melanie Sweeney

Some books just give off warm fuzzy vibes, and Where You’re Planted by Melanie Sweeney is one of those for me.

Where You're Planted by Melanie Sweeney Book Cover

Tansy and Jack get off on a bit of a wrong foot (granted, they do meet in quite a stressful situation), but if they want to save their dream careers they will have to work together. She is a librarian and he runs the Houston Botanic Gardens, and after a recent hurricane, they’re temporarily housing the library until they can raise the funds for a new building.

There is so much I could rave about with this one. The two leads are so well suited to one another! They both have huge hearts and neither are afraid of a little hard work. Tansy has an independence complex (like me) that makes it impossible to ask for help, but with Jack, she realizes that it’s okay to accept some every once in awhile, even if you could figure it out on your own eventually.

It’s about family, and support, and passion, and sticking together in a crisis. It’s about trust and figuring it out as you go. It’s also romantic as heck.

Five shining 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:: Where You’re Planted
Author:: Melanie Sweeney
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Length:: 384 pages
Published:: July 8th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

It’s A Love Story | Annabel Monaghan
Everything’s Coming Up Rosie | Courtney Walsh
Songs of Summer | Jane L. Rosen

Book Review:: Let’s Make A Scene | Laura Wood

A novel about movie stars fake dating…twice? Color me intrigued. I had high hopes for Laura Wood’s new book Let’s Make A Scene.

Let's Make A Scene by Laura Wood Book Cover

Unfortunately, for me, the constant jumping back and forth from past to present and back again got very confusing. On one hand, Cynthie and Jack are on their first movie set and unintentional sparks are flying. On the other, they’re years in the future, starting work on the sequel of the same project, thrown together again. Maybe the two sides of the coin were just not different enough? In both they are antagonistic toward one another, in both they start catching feelings. I just found myself double checking constantly which timeline we were in.

With a fundamental issue like that, it made it hard to sink into the story. With that being said, however, it is clear that Laura Wood understand romance and how to craft some interesting characters to play against one another. There was plenty of chemistry between Cynthie and Jack, and their night together in the kitchen is quite memorable! The ending also was justified and handled well, but by that point it had already lost the spark for me.

I am absolutely still interested in reading more from Laura Wood, this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for 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:: Let’s Make A Scene
Author:: Laura Wood
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Atria
Length:: 352 pages
Published:: July 1st, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Once Upon A Crime | Brynn Kelly (Review Coming Soon)
Double Exposure | Elissa R Sloan
An Italian Wedding Adventure | Leonie Mack

Book Review:: First-Time Caller | BK Borison

When I heard BK Borison was coming out with a new series based on all of our favorite Nora Ephron Rom-Com movies of the 90s I was ALL IN. And when I say that, I hope you realize that I mean I felt fully take-my-money feral. Book #1 in what she’s calling the Heartstrings series is First-Time Caller, based on the Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan classic: Sleepless in Seattle.

First-Time Caller by BK Borison Book Cover

Lucie’s daughter calls in to a late-night radio show based around love, and hosted by a man who no longer believes in it.

After the impressively accomplished Business Casual, Borison’s previous release, I had the highest of hopes for this book. It was good, but it wasn’t on the same level. More than anything, First-Time Caller felt indulgent.

Aiden had character, but for me it wasn’t nearly strong enough. I’d have vastly preferred more scenes with character development for Aiden than have the two of them locked in storage closets for far too many pages dry humping and ignoring their problems. Were there great scenes in this book? Of course. And I enjoy the prose style. The struggle for me this time was all story. It just felt unbalanced, focusing far too much on the sexual tension, and eventually, the actual sex. It’s something Borison does well, the almost visceral sexual tension, but too much of even a good thing eventually sours, and that’s how I felt about First-Time Caller.

Still, BK Borison remains an auto-buy author for me…for now. We’ll see how I feel about her next few releases, beginning with an October release titled Good Spirits. Personally, I’d rather have one great book release a year instead of two mediocre ones. I hope my fears about that are unfounded and this was a fluke. And hey, many others seriously adore this one. Unfortunately, I can’t call myself one of them.

Details

Title:: First Time Caller (Heartstrings #1)
Author:: BK Borison
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 448 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 54m
Audiobook Narrator:: EJ Bingham & Hathaway Lee
Published:: February 11th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3.5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Thank You For Listening | Julia Whelan
This Summer Will Be Different | Carley Fortune
Wild Love | Elsie Silver

Book Review:: The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain | Hannah Brown

I admit I was expecting a lot less from The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain. The premise is fairly high concept, and I thought it would be another cheesy ‘throw-away’ summer vacation romance, but this new novel from Hannah Brown is so much more.

The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain by Hannah Brown Book Cover

When you hear someone has been engaged three times but never married, what do you think of them? Commitment-phobe? Too easily swept away by a little bit of romance? Indecisive? Not serious enough? It’s an embarrassing statistic (just ask Ross Gellar about his marital history), but unless you know the whole story, don’t be so quick to judge.

Relationships are complicated. We find people in different ways, and they can complement different sides of who we are. People also change and grow and need different things at different times in their lives. But when your third engagement blows up just days before the alter, even you might start to question what is wrong with you.

Oh Sybil, you beautiful soul. She is doing her best.

I really don’t want to spoil any of this story for you, so I won’t talk about the history of her love life except to say she has run into the latest of her three fiancées at a resort in Hawai’i and it leads to her confronting her past and learning to accept and love herself in a way she’s never been able to before.

This book is about growth and forgiveness. It’s about coming into your own, meeting yourself where you are, and understanding yourself in new ways. It’s an exploration of maturity and relationships and even mental wellness to some degree. It takes quite a bit to push me over the edge into top-tier territory, but Sybil Rain earned every last one of these five 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 Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain
Author:: Hannah Brown
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Forever
Length:: 320 pages
Audio Length:: 12h
Audiobook Narrator:: Cherami Leigh
Published:: June 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

What Happens in Amsterdam | Rachel Lynn Solomon
Hate Mail | Donna Marchetti
The Unhoneymooners | Christna Lauren

Book Review:: Finders Keepers | Sarah Adler

Welcome home to your parent’s house, Nina Hunnicutt! That’s where catching your long-term boyfriend with someone else just as they’re supposed to be moving in together will get you. Rock bottom.

Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler Book Cover

But wait! Her once-best-friend is in the same boat at the same time. Burned by his ex-fiancé and home from abroad to sell the house next door, Quintin Bell might just be there to secure Nina’s own version of personal hell. Once upon a time, Nina and Quintin were as close as two friends can be, bonded over talking through their open windows, which face one another. In their last summer after high school graduation, they undertook the task of finding real-life treasure from an eccentric rich dude in town. They never found it, instead, it ended up breaking whatever connection they might have had at the time just before he left town. The wounds have calcified since then, but are not forgotten, and when Quintin brings up hunting for the treasure again now, as adults, she wants no part of it. That is, until she finds out there’s money in it no matter what, and that, just now, as an unemployed dweller in her parent’s metaphorical basement, is not something she can say no to.

This is a fun little summer adventure story. It’s not often one has real treasure to hunt for, and Nina and Q have to work together to make progress. This of course is perfect fodder for all sorts of rom-com shenanigans.

There were a lot of cute moments between Nina and Quintin. It was very clear that they had a long-standing friendship as kids that felt very authentic. Personally, I didn’t get as invested as I like in the romance of it. Maybe the treasure hunt took away from it for me, but it is still a fun summer read I would recommend if you’re someone who enjoys rom-coms.

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:: Finders Keepers
Author:: Sarah Adler
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 30m
Audiobook Narrator:: TBA
Published:: June 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 3-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

PS I Hate You | Lauren Connolly
Wish I Were Here | Melissa Wiesner
Perfect Fit | Clare Gilmore

Book Review:: People We Meet on Vacation | Emily Henry

How is everyone sleeping on People We Meet on Vacation?! This is the last book on Emily Henry’s backlist for me to read and you know what? I’m just going to say it. It’s my favorite.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Book Cover

Poppy is living her dream life as a travel writer in New York City but for some reason, she’s not happy. She hasn’t been, actually, since she and her best friend Alex had a falling out a few years back. They used to go on vacation every year, scraping together their pennies in college to go anywhere-but-here. That’s when she fell in love with travel. So she bites the bullet and sends that first awkward hey-haven’t-talked-to-you-in-years-but-what’s-up text and to her delight and surprise, things pick up as if no time at all has passed. Texting soon leads to planning a new trip, and this one will fix everything for good. Hopefully.

My god there is something about a years spanning will they won’t they best friends with a little something more MFEO romance novel. Seriously, send me every rec you can think of that follows this same trajectory because MY HEART IN THESE NOVELS JUST CANNOT. If you’re chasing that same feeling, read this one, but also In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros. That one is darker than this, but it’s the same can’t-put-it-down-gah-get-your-shit-together energy this one has. Both of these…they just have their own electricity.

Poppy and Alex are opposites. She’s talkative and friendly and wants to get the most out of life. Alex is quiet and reserved and is happy with the life he has at home with his brothers. They had a little when-harry-met-sally style meet-cute and a life-changing friendship was born. Poppy and Alex are more fun than Harry and Sally, if it’s not blasphemous to say (H&S is one of my favorite movies too – clearly I have a type), but their problems also run deeper and had my heart in my throat so many times.

I’m telling you, this book had me in a chokehold. The timing of the flashbacks building up all those ‘almost’ moments and the ones that were so close and personal and foundational to their friendship that also make the possibility of ruining what they have too much to risk…I mean, it was just *chef’s kiss*

It is turning into a movie (screenplay by Yulin Kuang who’s debut novel came out last year, How to End A Love Story), but I’m not sure if I can bear to watch it. This book has buried itself into my heart and has become a part of me. That’s what a good book feels like. And I’m going to sit with that awhile before I risk tainting it (ha!).

Seriously though, if you’ve been putting off reading People We Meet on Vacation because you haven’t seen it hyped at all compared to the great Emily Henry’s other works, stop it. Pick it up right now. It’s phenomenal. Get the audiobook, too. Julia Whelan makes everything better.

Details

Title:: People We Meet on Vacation
Author:: Emily Henry
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 400 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 46m
Audiobook Narrator:: Julia Whelan
Published:: May 11th, 2021
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

If you liked this book, check out…

Book Review:: Writing Mr. Wrong | Kelley Armstrong

Wow! This is the first book I’ve read of Kelley Armstrong’s, but click over to her author’s website (button at the end of this post) to see her prolific backlist. It looks like she writes all kinds of genres, heavy in mystery, suspense, fantasy, and even horror. There are only two romcoms on there, and Writing Mr. Wrong is one of them. When I requested this audiobook from netgalley I had no idea what a seasoned author I was electing to take on, but it certainly blew me away. Now I’ve got all those others to add to my TBR.

Reader problems!

So Writing Mr. Wrong is about two mid-thirties kids who once went to school together. They had a will-they-won’t-they moment once that still haunts them, because they definitely won’t-they’d. A kiss born of genuine friendship and attraction turned into public mockery, and Gemma is still so upset about it post-messy-divorce that she used Mason as the inspiration to pen her debut romance novel that is just releasing. As part of the promo, a local TV show has her on and surprises her with an appearance from now pro hockey star Mason, who strikes an undeniable likeness to the highlander on her cover (by complete coincidence…right?). While the anchor tries to make this a humiliating moment for Gemma, Mason smoothes it all over with ease, and the public is here.for.it. Turns out Gemma’s prick of an ex-husband is a huge Mason Moretti fan, so when his PR suggests a harmless night out to fuel some gossip, she agrees.

This book is a masterclass in nuance. Mason has a golden heart, but he’s like a clumsy little puppy, doing everything in the exact wrong way despite his good intentions. He leaves a trail of wreckage behind him and can’t understand what he’s doing wrong. Sometimes he does bad things. Things that hurt people. But he’s not a bad person. Gemma knows Mason better than most, having worked with him at the school newspaper once upon a time. She knows he means well, and agrees to help ‘coach’ him through some of the problematic ideas he’s come up with, helping him see how he comes off to others.

I was honestly floored by how good this book was. The premise had the potential to be just another cheesy love story without a terrible amount of depth. Instead, we’re let into the intimacies of the relationship between these two imperfect humans and get to see them slowly navigate this meeting of their new selves. It feels natural. It feels authentic. It’s a joy to read. They both choose honesty, and that allows them to understand one another deeply, cleanse their pasts, and embrace a new, strong, future.

I really could go on and on about this one, but it is a solid 5 star read, and the reason I hold out and rate the majority of books with 4 stars. That last star means there’s something special, and folks, this one has it. The X-factor. The chops of a seasoned author. A delight to read. Thank you Kelley Armstrong. Can’t wait to see what else you’ve got up your sleeves of romance!

I listened to this as an audiobook and both narrators were amazing! Patricia Santomasso had Gemma’s sort of cynical tone down wonderfully, and I’m going to keep my eye out for more Sean Patrick Hopkins…it was delightful.

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:: Writing Mr. Wrong
Author:: Kelley Armstrong
Genre:: Sports Romance
Publisher:: Forever
Length:: 336 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 4m
Audiobook Narrator:: Patricia Santomasso & Sean Patrick Hopkins
Published:: June 24th, 2025
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars