People We Meet On Vacation.

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart—she’s in New York City and he’s in their small hometown—but every summer for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.
Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since. 

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows without a doubt it was on that ill-fated final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together—lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. 

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

  🌷

 
Have you ever come across a book that, the minute you finish reading, you want to go back and read it again? People We Meet On Vacation was that book for me. I have been hearing about this book for a while, and I even got it a couple of years ago on my birthday. One of my best friends and I decided to buddy read this one, and I’m so glad that we did! It’s the perfect book to start my summer reading. People We Meet On Vacation was such a beautifully written book; the characters, the descriptions, the setting, and, of course, the connection between the characters. Every page had me craving more and wishing I didn’t have to study. I fell in love with Alex and Poppy’s story within a few minutes of starting the book. 

You could tell that what Poppy and Alex had gone beyond friendship; even if they didn’t want to admit. The connection that those shared was so heartwarming and had me smiling. Although, I wish that those would realize and admit their feelings. I loved the way that the story shifted from present summer to the past summers that Alex and Poppy spent together. I loved the way Alex and Poppy joked with each other and the situations they found themselves in. Despite that, they were always there for one another. 

The last few chapters were my favorites. This story is everything that I love about romance. Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and People We Meet On Vacation is on top of that list. Now that I have read the book, I’m even more excited to see the movie. Plus, I’m in the mood to read more summer books. I could keep talking about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away. You’ll have to check out to find out for yourself.

Promise(Rogue River,#1)

 

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

 

Thank you to the author,L.B Dunbar and The Author Agency for providing me with E-ARC, in exchange for honest review.   

 

 06.04.26 

Dart Rivers is my ex-husband, or so I thought. 

Three years ago, he drove out of our small town to chase racing dreams, leaving me and my broken heart in his rearview mirror. 

Couple goals and shattered promises brought feelings of failure on both our parts. 

Then one night, a special delivery is left on my back step. A stork-drop of sorts. (Think Baby Boom). At first, I believe there must be a mistake, but when the sweet bundle swaddled in pink gazes at me, I’ll do anything to keep her.
Enter Dart Rivers again. 

An accident on the track leads to him sneaking into the house, crashing on my couch, and announcing he’s still mine.
Close proximity provides honest conversations, friendly couch time, and familiar attractions. With silver speckled in his hair, Dart is still the best-looking man I’ve ever seen, making my belly flutter and my heart beat again. 

But can I trust that fragile organ? Can I give my ex-not-ex-husband a second chance? Can I believe Dart’s new promises?

 🌷

 
This was such a heartbreaking, yet beautiful book to read. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read this story. Once I finished this book, I found myself thinking about the story long after I turned the last page. I recommended this book to my friends, and I have a feeling that I will be returning to this book in the future. I’m already excited to read the next book in the series. 

Promise affected me in so many ways. Trinity and Dart’s journey was outstanding and written with so much emotion; I felt it all. I was rooting for two of them from the beginning, hoping that Trinity and Dart would find a way back to each other. I loved the way L.B portrayed Trinity and Dart, and the way that Dart fought for their love, their marriage. This story felt so real, and I found myself unable to stop turning the pages, wanting to see what happens with them next. I loved the way that Dart was there for Trinity when she needed him. It was clear that he never stopped loving her. 

The surprise baby storyline was so heartwarming. Trinity was such an amazing mother, and the way Dart stepped in to help. The connection between Dart and Trinity was one of my favorites, and as of right now, they are my favorite couple. Promise was the second book that I have read by L.B Dunbar and it won’t be the last. I can’t wait to check out her other work!

The Queen's Coronation

 

 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

 

 Thank you to publisher, Ballantine Books for complimentary  Earc via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. 

As a young Queen Elizabeth II prepares to take the throne, three women in her employ will discover where they belong in a rapidly changing world in this heartwarming novel from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir.

 
London, 1953. Buckingham Palace and the many employees vital to the smooth running of the monarchy find themselves in bedlam as the Queen's coronation quickly approaches. 

Caroline Brimstone, assistant dresser to the queen, watches the queen finding the strength to rule—a woman taking charge of her future. Meanwhile, Caroline’s life is worn thin by her gambler husband, and she is barely holding on as every penny she earns seems to run out the door. When a trip to Balmoral brings her face-to-face with the man she once loved, she finds herself at a crossroads between what her life is and what her life could be. Can she, like the queen, find the strength to define her own future? 

Lucy Jones is a junior wardrobe assistant who positively radiates life—she's young, idealistic, and eager to become a famous singer. So when a handsome, wealthy man at the palace promises to help her on her way to stardom, she's over the moon to have such a supportive husband-to-be. And if he's asking some things of her that she's not quite sure about, isn't that just part of the glamorous life? 

Miranda Miller has come over from America just in time to help with preparations as a temporary secretary in the palace. The job is a perfect way to gather information for the article she's writing about the coronation for a magazine back in New York; the article that will keep her boss from firing her because of her gender. 

But as all three women discover, just because a woman will soon be sitting upon the throne, it doesn't mean that society will change overnight—and if they want to carve places for themselves in this world, they'll have to do it together.

   🌷

 
It didn’t take me long to fall in love with this story. All the characters were so engaging, and my heart broke for them at times. I found myself rooting for them, hoping they would find a better life. I loved reading Caroline, Lucy, and Miranda’s stories, and I found myself seeing through their eyes. Of the three women, Caroline was my favorite. My heart broke for her and her situation. I found myself hoping that she would find her way out of that horrible situation. The descriptions from her perspective felt as if I was experiencing everything that she was. 

I felt for Lucy, too, but in a different way. I didn’t trust Richard; I was suspicious about him from the start. I felt as if he wasn’t telling Lucy something. I could tell how much she liked him, so I hoped I was wrong. Miranda, I was afraid of what might happen to her if the truth about her was discovered. Most of all, I loved how the three women came together and looked out for each other. The Queen’s Coronation is a book that will have you going through a range of emotions. This is what I love about historical fiction. 

I loved the premise of The Queen’s Coronation; it gave the readers a view of what it takes to prepare for the coronation. I even did my own research afterward because I was so fascinated by it. I loved Jennifer’s take on the coronation by showing us the lives of those who work for the Queen; I haven’t read a book like this before. Both the main characters and the villain were portrayed beautifully. The Queen’s Coronation was my second book by Jennifer Ryan and my favorite. Highly recommended historical fiction fans.

Death On The Lanai(Golden Girls,#2)

 

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 4.5★  

 Thank you to publisher, Hyperion Avenue for complimentary  Earc via Netgalley. All opinions are my own. 

 

 

07.02.26     

When the Girls accept a very strange invitation to a lavish party on a remote island estate, they find that murder has a way of ruining even the most glamorous of evenings. 

The invite delivered to 6151 Richmond Street was short on details, only promising to celebrate “the greatest artist of the century” and accompanied by a jewel-encrusted brooch—the whole package a brand of mysterious opulence that another Saturday night of gin rummy just can’t match. 

Blanche Devereaux’s passionate dalliances are as plentiful as hot Southern nights, and surely one can’t be expected to remember all of one’s suitors. But when the Girls disembark the party’s ferry at a small Biscayne Bay island and meet their secretive host, the memories come flooding she a Radio City Rockette in her twenties, he the poor artist who could offer her nothing but his love. Fate drove them apart, but Declan, now a famous artist El Toro, professes that Blanche has always been his muse. 

Featured prominently in his artworks and central to El Toro’s return to the apex of the art world, Blanche is thrilled to have been such an inspiring figure to this man. But looking around at a party filled with those who have made their livings off the artist’s fame—his assistant, his art dealer, his greatest critic, and more—Dorothy isn’t so sure they’re welcome on the island after all. 

When a tropical storm knocks power out across the island, an optimistic Blanche proclaims that everyone looks better by candlelight anyway. But when Declan is found dead the next morning, all eyes are on her, his supposed muse of thirty-plus years. Trapped at the estate with the other guests—suspects all—the Girls must band together to find the true killer and get back to pleasant evenings of card games and cheesecake.

  🌷

 
I love Golden Girls! I remember how much fun I had watching this show, and I was sad once it was over. I even got my mom into the show. When the first book, Murder By Cheesecake came out last year, I was so excited. I loved that book, and I loved the way that Rachel portrayed the characters. When I found that there was a second book, I was even more excited and curious to see what awaited Rose, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia next. I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed Death On Lanai even more than the first book; there was more happening in this one. 

As always, I enjoyed the banter between the girls and how they came together when they needed each other. I enjoyed reading more from Blanche’s perspective in this book, and it was so well written. I was suspicious of the invitation from the moment the girls got it, and I had a bad feeling about it. I have always loved cozy mysteries, and adding Golden Girls to the mix makes them even more interesting to read. You could tell how much Blanche cared about Declan, just the way that she acted, which was different from how she acted with the other guys. So, I know she had more personal reasons for finding out what happened to Declan. I found myself trying to solve the mystery alongside Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia. 

Reading this book made me feel as if I was watching Golden Girls again, just with a mystery twist. There was so much I loved about this book, and it kept me on the edge of my seat until the end. Now, I’m even more curious what adventures await the girls next! I would highly recommend this to any Golden Girls and cozy mystery fans.

The Summer Swap.

 

 

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her seventy-fifth birthday party to return to the remote Cape Cod cottage—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron. But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one. 

After dropping out of medical school, aspiring artist Lily is cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, Dune Cottage seems the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites. 

Then Todd, Cecilia’s grandson—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship. Will Lily find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

 🌷

 
I love this author. 

The Summer Swap is my third book by the author, and so far, my favorite. I absolutely loved everything about this book! I loved most of the characters, even the ones that I felt I shouldn’t like. I felt a connection to every single character. When I started reading the book, I felt myself getting transformed into Cape Cod, along with Cecilia and Lily. The description in The Summer Swap was phenomenal, I could smell and see the ocean and picture myself in Dune Cottage. Even though I’ve read the author before, I was prepared for how much this book would affect me. 

The Summer Swap was a very character drive story; dealing with relationships, family, marriage. Each character deals with their own uncertainties about life. When I first started reading the book, I wasn’t sure how I felt about Kristen, and I wasn’t fond of how she treated her mother. As the story progressed, I came to understand her and feel for her. I began to wonder whether there was still a chance for Kristen and her mother to repair their strained relationship. Lily, I loved her from the start, and I loved the unlikely relationship that she formed with Cecilia. Considering what she was dealing with, she needed someone like her. 

I loved the way Morgan portrayed each character and how their stories came together. Cecillia, Lily, and Kristen all went through so much, and I hoped that they would find their way. The Summer Swap was an emotional story at times, but it was also heartwarming, which had me smile. You will find yourself going through a range of emotions while reading this book. I didn’t finish it that long ago, and I still cannot get the story out of my mind. I’m so glad that my friend chose this book for our buddy read. I’m even more eager to check out her other books after this one.