Goodreads

Release date: September 6, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

After butting heads, an event planner and a wedding officiant begin an enemies with benefits arrangement as wedding bells chime around them in the newest rom-com from acclaimed author Denise Williams.

Divorce attorney RJ would never describe herself as romantic. But when she ends up officiating an unplanned wedding for a newly engaged couple in a park, her life is turned upside down. The video of the ceremony goes viral, and she finds herself in the unlikely position of being a sought-after local wedding officiant. Spending her free time overseeing “I dos” isn’t her most strategic career move, but she enjoys it, except for the type A dude-bro wedding planner she’s forced to work with.

Former pro-football event manager Lear is a people person, but after his longtime girlfriend betrayed him, he isn’t looking for love. He knows how to execute events and likes being in control, so working with an opinionated and inflexible officiant who can’t stand him is not high on his list. He’s never had trouble winning people over, but RJ seems immune to his charms.

Surrounded by love at every turn, their physical attraction pulls them together despite their best efforts to stay an arm’s length apart. Lear refuses to get hurt again. RJ refuses to let herself be vulnerable to anyone. But when it comes to happily ever after, their clients might not be the only ones saying “I do.”

Review:

Just the idea of a divorce attorney being a wedding officiant makes me giggle, talk about an unlikely match up but it works here. Even though RJ is far from a romantic she’s able to push her feelings aside and enjoy her time uniting couples. Her and Lear have the opposite of a meet cute and while RJ wants to strangle him she can’t fight their insane chemistry. So a rough start for these two but they quickly fall into a enemies with benefits situation and the steam is hot! Besides their obvious physical chemistry they have more in common than they think. Both are type A and super driven and watching them try and navigate their situationship was pretty entertaining. I actually liked RJ more than Lear in the end which is rare for me in a romance but her being so prickly made her endearing to me. Overall a really enjoyable read with a fun and sexy feel.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 30, 2022

Publisher: MIRA

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Synopsis:

Only one thing stands in the way of Laurel Applebaum’s happiness…Doug Applebaum.

In this darkly comic novel about a wife whose rope is so frayed it’s about to snap, Laurel gets a call that her husband has been in an accident. She imagines the worst. But as she is on the way to the ER, another emotion seizes her. Relief. Doug’s death could solve all her problems. No more catering to his incessant demands. Then there’s the insurance money. Laurel’s dreams seem so close. There’s just one problem: Doug is very much alive. Now Laurel has to decide if she is going to do something about it.

Subversive, irreverent and surprisingly poignant, Take My Husband probes the deep corners of a marriage and emerges to find the light. For anyone who’s spent a little too much time with a significant other and thought, One of us has got to go.

Review:

This was such an odd read for me and I usually do ok with odd but I struggled with this one. Not only was it strange, it was also dark and that’s a weird thing for me to not enjoy. I like my thrillers dark and am normally not bothered by much but this was such a weird book that it bothered me. I expected it to be mostly full of dark humor, and it was but Laurel was seriously messed up. Not only is she relieved when she assumes her husband is dead she doesn’t really stop longing for him to die. Like really fantasizing about it to the point that it becomes her entire personality. Excuse me, what? Get a divorce already. Look, I could see where she was coming from because Doug is no prize but she had some serious issues herself. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen and unfortunately it never did, the whole thing felt like one big meandering story that never went anywhere in the end. And the end itself was bizarre which is truly saying something for this book. I guess if you like really messed up dark humor and could take this as satire this may work but it was a miss for me.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: August 23, 2022

Publisher: Gallery

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

A one-night stand between two old childhood friends turns into something more, but when a scandal threatens to tear them apart, they must decide how hard to fight for love—a steamy romance debut perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Kennedy Ryan.

Exhausted and on deadline with a story that could make or break her career, investigative journalist Georgia Ross is on the verge of a meltdown when a cancelled flight leaves her stuck in the airport overnight. But when a familiar face appears—the older brother of her childhood friend—and offers help, Gigi seems to have caught a break.

Alec Kim is handsome, humble, and kind—exactly the sort of man that Gigi has forgotten existed after her own painful heartbreaks. An evening of reconnection followed by a night of no-strings-attached passion with Alec feels like a gift—that is, until Gigi finally realizes that their childhood connection isn’t the only reason he seems so familiar to her.

Alec is determined to prove to Gigi that he is truly the man she thinks he is, even if it means coming clean about his fame—and his family’s connection to the story Gigi’s been working so hard to break. But as their feelings for each other grow deeper, Gigi and Alec must navigate a new reality…one where both of their hard-won careers are put directly in the path of an international scandal.

Review:

Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite romance reads of the year! I had heard nothing but good things about this so I was excited to read it but I had no idea that I would end up obsessed in this way. 

If I could imagine the perfect romantic story I’m pretty sure it would be this book. Exactly this book. It had everything I wanted and it also had everything I never knew I wanted. This one is steamy y’all, I’m talking scorching hot 🥵 Gigi and Alec may have the best chemistry I’ve ever read about and I was in a puddle every single time they had a sexy scene 🫠 It wasn’t just all sex though, their emotional connection was so tender and intimate I almost felt bad for witnessing it. There’s also a dash of mystery surrounding the story Gigi is writing that added a suspenseful edge and I always enjoy a side of drama with my romance. I’ll stop rambling but if you’re a romance reader this is an absolute must.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: August 23, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

Like an avenging, purple-haired Jedi bringing balance to the mansplained universe, Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project–a literal dream come true after years scraping by on the crumbs of academia–Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. And sure, he caught her in his powerfully corded arms like a romance novel hero when she accidentally damseled in distress on her first day in the lab. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school–archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

Now, her equipment is missing, the staff is ignoring her, and Bee finds her floundering career in somewhat of a pickle. Perhaps it’s her occipital cortex playing tricks on her, but Bee could swear she can see Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas…devouring her with those eyes. And the possibilities have all her neurons firing. But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

Review:

Just gonna get this out there right away, I actually liked this more than The Love Hypothesis. I liked that one, it was good but I read it a little late and the hype got me. Like always. But this one was an easy five stars for me and I felt that way pretty early on even. Sometimes you just know and Bee won me over fast. It was instalove for me. She’s the most lovable nerd and while she’s way smarter than I’ll ever be and way into so many things that don’t appeal to me I still found myself being able to easily relate to her. She’s just so lovable and her quirkiness was super endearing. Levi was a doll and adorably awkward, so of course they were super cute together. The steam snuck up on me here, a couple sentences were downright nasty but I like some filth sprinkled in occasionally. One of the best parts of this for me was a side character, Rocio who is Bee’s coworker. She was hilarious and I loved her super dry wit. Overall I think fans will be pleased with this one, and I can’t wait for book three.

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 13, 2022

Publisher: Blackstone

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Two sisters, a lifetime of secrets

Lilian and Rosie were once the closest of sisters, but the untimely death of their parents pulled them apart. Now, three years on, Rosie has reached out to her big sister, asking to meet. Driving on an icy road in the middle of a snowstorm, Rosie admits that she has something important to tell Lilian—a secret she describes as a matter of life and death. But before she has a chance to tell Lilian, a car careens into theirs, with devastating consequences.

Lilian survives unscathed, but Rosie is left with a traumatic brain injury, unable to communicate. Lilian is convinced that someone deliberately rammed Rosie’s car. But why? As Lilian begins to explore her sister’s past, she uncovers disturbing secrets that make her question if she ever really knew Rosie.

The closer Lilian comes to the truth, the more danger she and Rosie find themselves in. But Lilian is certain of one thing: she abandoned her little sister once before and will never do so again. Even if it means sacrificing everything.

Review:

If there’s one type of book I’ll always read, no matter the genre it’s a story about sisters. Bonus points for a dark thriller about sisters so I knew this was a must for me the minute I read the synopsis. This is is told from both sisters viewpoints, Lilian in the present day and Rosie through journal entries from the past so you’re slowly fed the details on their relationship and everything that led up to their falling out and beyond. While the secrets are slowly revealed I still found the pacing to be pretty fast and I was definitely never bored. Not knowing if either sister was even reliable kept things exciting and a couple of twists in the end surprised me. Overall a solid debut and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: August 16, 2022

Publisher: Berkley Romance

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis:

She’s addicted to sex. He’s addicted to booze…the only way out is rock bottom.

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But as they sink beneath the weight of their addictions, they cling harder to their destructive relationship and wonder if a life together, for real, is better than a lie. Strangers and family begin to infiltrate their guarded lives, and with new challenges, they realize they may not just be addicted to alcohol and sex.

Their real vice may be each other.

Review:

I’ve seen this book floating around for years so when I saw Berkley was rereleasing it, I figured it was the perfect time to finally read it. I’ve heard a lot of hype surrounding both this book and the entire series and while I can sorta see where people are coming from, I also kind of don’t get it either. There were things I liked, for sure. It was just as addictive as everyone said and it was a whole lot like watching a train wreck but it gave me the same type of feelings I would have if I was watching an actual train wreck. It was hard to watch two such self destructive characters make awful decisions over and over again and it didn’t help that they were both very unlikable. Their relationship is the very definition of toxic and while I don’t usually mind that, I also don’t need a whole book focusing on it either. There was something entertaining here and I liked the authors style, but overall I’m not sure if there was enough here for me to like. Especially unsure if I will continue this series.

Overall rating: 3/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 1, 2022

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

The day of their dreams was nothing short of a nightmare.

On the one-year anniversary of her wedding, Colbie Moore’s life looks nothing like it should.
Still grieving the loss of the man she meant to spend her life with, Colbie prepares for a weekend away to take her mind off her heartache, but the simple plan results in much more than she bargained for.

A box of letters, meant for the bride and groom to open on their anniversary, is instead opened by Colbie and her three best friends—Miles, James, and Eric.
And what it holds could ruin everything.

A mysterious note from a surprising sender shocks Colbie, propelling her down a dark path to discover the truth about the man she loved—his life and his death—before it’s too late.

Soon, Colbie begins to question everyone around her as the mystery unravels.
What was Phil hiding from her when he died?
What secrets are still hidden?

The closer she gets to answers, the clearer it becomes that someone has gone to great lengths to protect their lies.
And if she pushes any more, everything she has left could be exactly what she stands to lose.

Is it worth risking everything to truly know the man she’s already lost?
After all, she’s been warned…she might not be able to handle what she finds.

A heart-wrenching domestic suspense about love, loss, and deception from bestselling author Kiersten Modglin.

Review:

There are not many authors who are able to release ten plus books per year but somehow KMod does this and she makes it look easy. Not only is she releasing a ton of books each year, she’s also still maintaining a really high quality with her books AND she somehow manages to come up with really original ideas for her books. I swear the concepts she writes about are always interesting and this was no exception. Actually, I even found it to have a slightly different feel to her other books and I mean that in a good way. This was emotionally charged and while it still felt very much like a suspenseful story, it didn’t have the usual twists and turns throughout. But of course there was a shocking turn in the end, it is KMod after all, I just wanted to point out that this one felt unique compared to some of her other books. Colbie was a character you can’t help rooting for, she’s been through so much and while she knows finding answers may help her with closure, she also knows it’ll be painful. I’m gonna stop with details there but if you like thrillers with an emotional component that are still very fast paced, give this one a try!

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the author for my copy.

Goodreads

Release date: September 27, 2022

Publisher: Thomas and Mercer

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Such a quiet and ordinary wife and mother. Who will even notice what she’s done?

Lillian Smith leads an unexceptional life, writing obituaries and killing time with her inattentive husband and disconnected son. Then she meets David, a handsome stranger, in a coffee shop. Lured into an affair, she invents a new persona, one without strings, deadlines, or brooding husbands.

Lillian has never felt so reckless, unpredictable, or wanted. But as her affair with David intensifies, she withdraws from everything that’s real, even her closest friend. When evidence of her life as a secret lover finds its way onto her son’s social media, she risks ruining much more than her marriage or reputation.

As lies beget lies, Lillian’s two worlds spiral dangerously out of control. And betrayals run deeper than she imagines. Because Lillian isn’t the only one leading a double life.

Review:

I’ve really enjoyed this authors books in the past, she writes in a really addictive way that always makes me want to read her books in one sitting and basically that’s all I’m looking for in a thriller lately. This one has that same feel and I was into it from the start. At one point things get flipped upside down and I think this particular choice will be divisive. It mostly worked for me, I don’t mind if things get a little unhinged and that’s definitely the case here. I always appreciate the unexpected and I definitely didn’t see things coming ahead of time here. It does require you to just go along for the ride and not ask too many questions so just a heads up there but if you’re looking for a page turner with some bananas surprises this one was fun.

Overall rating: 3.75/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.