The Bodyguard

By: Katherine Center
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pages: 320

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): She’s got his back.
Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker.

He’s got her heart.
Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid.

They’ve got a secret.
When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it.

What could possibly go wrong???
Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done.

First Impressions

Katherine Center is one of my auto-read authors. I have loved her 3 previous novels. This cover threw me a little bit because it doesn’t follow the same theme of her three previous ones, but it’s cute and follows the current cartoony trend. The plot sounded good but, let’s be honest, I would’ve read it no matter what.

What I thought

Because I loved her previous novels, I tend to hold Center to a very high standard. This book was not one of my favorites of hers, but I still enjoyed it.

Hannah is a bodyguard. When she is assigned to Hollywood star Jack Stapleton’s case, she doesn’t expect to have to act as his girlfriend as well. Jack has come home to Texas to be with his mother as she undergoes cancer treatment. Since he doesn’t want to worry her, he doesn’t want his family knowing that Hannah is a bodyguard and instead, asks her to pose as his girlfriend. But spending so much time in such close proximity to one another sparks feelings to grow.

I’m going to start off with one thing I didn’t love, and then I’ll get into some of the things I did. This book had an interesting writing style in which the main character, Hannah, often broke the fourth wall and talked to the reader and I wasn’t crazy about it. For example, when introducing Jack she asked the reader things like “Well and of course you remember his performance in The Destroyer. And didn’t you just die with his kiss in the rom-com he starred in?” And it’s like no, obviously. I don’t know anything about this fictional character and you asking me and stating assumptions that I do know all this stuff made him feel more fictional not less. As the book went on this style faded out, but at the beginning it kind of irked me.

What I did love was Hannah and Jack’s chemistry. Even from their first meeting. Hannah herself could be a bit irritating at times, but when she was with Jack I loved her which I think speaks volumes. I do wish we had gotten little bit more of Hannah doing her actual job or using some of her skills, because you don’t get to see any of that until the end. I also adored Jack’s family.

Center often writes these contemporary rom-coms, but adds in a dramatic twist somewhere in the middle. This book still had that twist but I don’t feel like it was as devastating as some of her previous ones have been, though it did add a layer of depth I appreciated. I think that’s what makes Center’s novels stand out from other contemporary romance novels. Her characters are complex and they experience complex life events. I always enjoy reading their stories and seeing them grow and how they cope with so many aspects of life.

Out of all of her novels, this one felt the most pedestrian or surface levels. I feel like this would make a great movie and a great book club read. It was quick paced and kept me invested from the beginning. This wouldn’t be the first Katherine Center book I recommend, but it was still wonderful and I enjoyed the whole thing.

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie

By: Rachel Linden
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Lolly Blanchard's life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother's tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family's struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner's famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she's lost.

As Lolly's thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift--three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn't passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn't broken up with the only man she's ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.

First Impression

How cute is this cover?! I love the color and the cartoony-ness of it. I’m also a sucker for what-if stories so I knew immediately I was going to read this. This was a hole in one for me first impression wise for sure.

What I thought

Lolly finds her diary from when she was 13 in which she lists five things she hopes to accomplish in her life in the next 20 years. When she looks at it, at almost 33, she realizes that she really only has accomplished one of these things, having abandoned the rest to support her family after her mother died 10 years ago. Now she is having an existential crisis and realizing how unhappy she is with her life. When her Aunt Gert hears her complaining about her life, she offers her three magical lemon drops to see what her life would’ve looked like had she made three different choices.

I don’t know if I’m in a bit of a romance slump or if this romance just wasn’t written well, but I much preferred Lolly’s family and career storyline to her romantic one. I just didn’t like Rory, nor did I understand why Lolly was still so hardcore hung up on him after 20 years. It seemed like to her, her entire happiness was dependent on her relationship and I didn’t love that.

I found her family history to be interesting and I also loved her best friend Eve. She has so much support and it was interesting to learn how Lolly ended up giving up on her dreams and the difference between her and her sister. The idea that so much can change in your life but certain things are also fated was intriguing. I felt her lemon drop choices also showed her which core values brought her happiness. Definitely ones she had taken for granted prior to receiving the lemon drops.

I also appreciated that I could only partially predict how this resolved. With these types of stories, it’s always questionable how the magic will interact with real life in the end. I liked the way that this one resolved with one slight inconsistency that I think I can forgive.

This would be the definition of a 3.5 star read for me, but I decided to round up rather than down because I read through it pretty quickly and I enjoyed the family and friend relationships. I wouldn’t say it’s the most original what-if story I’ve read, but it was sweet and cute and a nice light read. I think it could make for a decent book club choice too!

Book Club July 2022- Book Lovers

By: Emily Henry
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 377

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.

What I thought

This book was such a delight. This is the first of Henry’s adult novels that I’ve read. I loved her YA novel, The Love that Split the World, so I shouldn’t be surprised I enjoyed this one, but I was worried the hype around her adult novels would let me down.

Nora Stephens is a book agent who has been ditched by her last 3 boyfriends for the classic romance novel trope of finding love in a small town. Her sister decides that they should have their own small town experience, so they go to spend a month in Sunshine Falls. While in town, she meets her rival editor, Charles Lastra. Though maybe nothing is as it seems and that includes first impressions.

I love that this book acknowledged and even played off of so many romance novel tropes. I really enjoy books and heroines that are self-aware that that fit this story to a T. The chemistry between Nora and Charlie was off the charts. Their banter worked so well and I loved every scene they had together.

I also liked that this book was more than just the romance. The story of sisterhood and their relationship in addition to dealing with the trauma of losing their mother at a young age was so well done. There were so many layers to this story and I think that’s what Henry does best. Nothing is just surface level within this book which keeps it intriguing, yet it also balances the lightness to make this a great summer read.

This book sucked me in from the first page and I enjoyed it all the way to the end. I honestly don’t think I could have anything about this book to complain about.

What Book Club Thought

Everybody really enjoyed it! Three of us have never read any oh Henry’s adult novels and interestingly, the one who has, preferred The People We Meet on Vacation to this one. We all agreed that we loved Nora and especially enjoyed her banter with Charlie. However, we did have an interesting discussion about her sister Libby and some of the choices she made. All in all, it was a delightful summer read. It may not have sparked a bunch of discussion, but it was enjoyable and we liked answering the questions that were in the back of the book. I highly recommend this one and I look forward to reading Henry’s other books.

The Accidental Pinup

By: Danielle Jackson
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 320

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Rival photographers are forced to collaborate on a body-positive lingerie campaign, but they might have to readjust their focus when sparks fly.

Photographer Cassie Harris loves her job—her company Buxom Boudoir makes people look beautiful and feel empowered with her modern twist on classic pinup photography. Cassie’s best friend, Dana, is about to launch her own dangerously dreamy lingerie line and wants Cassie to shoot and direct the career-changing national campaign. But company politics and Dana’s complicated pregnancy interfere, and Cassie finds herself—a proud plus size Black woman—not behind the camera but in front of it.

Though she’s never modeled herself, Cassie’s pretty sure she can handle the sheer underwear and caution tape bralettes. She’s not sure she can work so intimately with the chosen photographer, her long-time competitor in the Chicago photography scene, Reid Montgomery. Their chemistry is undeniable on set, however, and feelings can develop faster than film…

First Impressions

I was a little hesitant to read this book. The cover was cute but the title and the summary didn’t sell me. However, I saw a few people say positive things online and ultimately decided to accept this book for review. I also have continued to make it a goal to diversify the books I read and this book’s main character is both a person of color and heavier set, so I decided to give it a shot.

What I thought

I wish I had listened to my gut instinct.

Cassie is a boudoir photographer who has a pinup style and has been trying to make it as a more commercial photographer. Reid is a white male photographer who has a similar photographer and continually beats Cassie out for the same jobs. When Cassie’s best friend Dana has a lingerie line, she sets Cassie up to be the photographer. However, when Dana is put on bedrest for her pregnancy and is unable to model, the company decides Cassie would be better as a model than a photographer and she has to work with Reid, her arch-nemesis.

This book was so boring. I felt like I was reading a Mad Lib romance novel. It was insanely formulaic and I found no chemistry between the characters. I actually got so bored with this story that at about 60% I jumped forward to the 80% mark. Even from there I skimmed the final 20% just to finish it.

So much of this book could’ve been cut out. Reid is asked to be the photographer even though Dana demanded Cassie be. But, the whole point is that being a white man he doesn’t see how this is an issue. In addition to that though, once Cassie is made the Art Director, the company asks Reid to “keep tabs” on Cassie. This plot point was just so weird to me. Like, I understand the company wants to make sure their vision is produced but Cassie and Reid pretty much have the same style. And he does it for money to help his brother. Yet he lives on the Gold Coast? I don’t understand how he simultaneously lives in a super expensive apartment, wins every photography in the city, and yet is hurting for money as that seems to be his primary motivator.

I also disliked how quickly they fell for each other. It was definitely an insta-love type of story but it seemed like more for him than her since she disliked him and he didn’t even know who she was. In addition to that, if I heard one more time about what a knockout Cassie was and how slammin her bod was in the lingerie my eyes would’ve rolled out of their head. There was one scene where no less than 3 people commented on how hot she was as she walked on set, yet she never felt like she was worthy of being a model and was shy in front of the camera. Gag me.

The ending played out exactly as I expected, but I did at least finish it.

This is the type of romance novels that gives romance novels a bad name. It was boring, formulaic, no chemistry, and sex just for sex sake. I found pretty much no redeeming qualities about this book except for maybe the first 20% which is why I didn’t give it 1 star but I was pretty close. Even though the cover is kind of cute, give this one a pass.

For the Love of the Bard

By: Jessica Martin
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): To go for it or not to go for it? That is the question when two former high school flames return to their Shakespeare-obsessed hometown for a summer of theater and unexpected romance, in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jessica Martin.

Literary agent and writer Miranda Barnes rolls into her hometown of Bard's Rest with one goal in mind: to spend the summer finally finishing her YA novel, the next installment in her bestselling fantasy series. Yet Miranda's mother, deep in the planning stages for the centennial of the town's beloved annual Shakespeare festival, has other ideas.

Before you can say "all's fair in love and war," Miranda is cornered into directing Twelfth Night--while simultaneously scrambling to finish her book, navigating a family health scare, and doing her best to avoid the guy who broke her heart on prom night.

When it comes to Adam, the veterinarian with a talent for set design and an infuriating knack for winning over Miranda's dog, the lady doth protest too much. As any Shakespeare lovers knows, the course of true love never did run smooth, and soon Miranda realizes she'll have to decide whether to trust Adam with her heart again.

First Impression

I’m not the biggest Shakespeare fan but the idea of a writer going back to her home own during a huge Shakespeare festival sounded very fun. The cover is also so colorful and very eye catching and I like that it’s a little different than the current typical romance cover.

What I thought

This novel straddled the line between quirky fun and quirky annoying and I’m still a little iffy about where it landed.

Miranda Barnes heads back home for the summer to help with the 100th anniversary of her town’s Shakespeare festival, as well as to get out of her writer’s block to write the next book in her YA fairy series. While back home, she runs into her high school crush who broke her heart, Adam, and sparks still fly.

So, Miranda’s town is Shakespeare obsessed, and this isn’t even an exaggeration. Every store is named with a Shakespeare pun, which, ok, kind of cute. What irritated me is that it becomes almost cultish in their use of quotes and the Bard’s name. Like, instead of saying “For goodness sake” (or other alternatives), they say “For Bard’s sake”. Multiple times. And they have fights in which they hurl Shakespearean insults at each other. Multiple times. I honestly cannot wrap my head around that being real and it pulled me out of the book every time I read a line like that.

Another small irritation that honestly, really has no impact on the rest of the book but bothered me all the way to the end is that Miranda calls her sister Portia “Porsche” at one point because it supposedly irritates her but, it’s pronounced the same way? So how does she know she’s calling her a different spelling of her name in spoken word and not in writing?

But speaking of Portia, I did enjoy the sisterly relationships in this book with Portia, Cordy, and Miranda. It was my favorite part and I loved watching them work through a lot of their problems and grow and become more adult. I also really liked their parents, so honestly, the home-town family aspect of this book was a huge win for me.

I did like Adam, and I liked Miranda, but I don’t know if I liked them together. There was just something missing and I can’t put my finger on it. They had moments of chemistry, but I think maybe I needed a little more of a slow burn? Not my favorite couple I’ve read, especially recently.

I did enjoy her friend Ian as well as Miranda’s struggle with writing the next book in her YA series. It was interesting to see how the negative reviews of the previous book made it so hard for her to start the next one.

There were a lot of fun moments in this book but there were also a lot of eye rolls for me. I think if it had reigned in the Shakespearean quirks a little bit I would’ve upped it to a 4/5. If you love Shakespeare and romance I think this will be a fun book for you to check out. It does feel a little bit like a debut novel to me, but it wasn’t terrible. Depending on the summary, I would give Martin’s next book a try.

We'll Always Have Summer

By: Jenny Han
Published Year: 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 312

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Belly has only ever been in love with two boys, both with the last name Fisher. And after being with Jeremiah for the last two years, she’s almost positive he is her soul mate. Almost. While Conrad has not gotten over the mistake of letting Belly go, Jeremiah has always known that Belly is the girl for him. So when Belly and Jeremiah decide to make things forever, Conrad realizes that it’s now or never—tell Belly he loves her, or lose her for good.
Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face the inevitable: She will have to break one of their hearts.

First Impressions

After finishing the second book, I was excited to see what happened next in the saga of Belly, Jeremiah, and Conrad. You can read my review of the first book here and review of the second book here.

What I thought

This was easily my least favorite book of the series and I wish I had never read it. Again, this is the final book in a series, so if you haven’t read the other books there will be spoilers.

Belly is finishing up her freshman year of college, Jeremiah is finishing up his sophomore year, and they have now been dating for 2 years. Conrad has transferred to California and hasn’t really talked to Belly since she and Jeremiah started dating. Because of, well, circumstances, Jeremiah and Belly decide to get married at the end of summer.

Wow. Just wow. Why? Belly continues to be the most immature human being on the planet. The only character I loved in this book was her mom Laurel. I don’t know if I would’ve felt differently about this book if I had read it at 19 because I was young and in love, but right now at 34 I fully side with Laurel. I don’t have a problem with Jeremiah and Belly getting engaged but the fact that it needs to happen in 2 months is absolutely wild.

I wanted to smack Belly, Conrad, and Jeremiah multiple time throughout this book. I just wasn’t routing for any of them to be together, so when the ending came I was so annoyed and fed up I no longer cared. I have been watching the first season of the show, and I think I might prefer it to the books and I hope that they don’t follow this book as a season because it would make me so mad.

Overall, I loved reading this series along with a group and I would recommend that if you are an adult reading this series. It was interesting to hear everyone else’s points of view and feel better about some of my annoyances. It was interesting that it was pretty much unanimous that this book was our least favorite of the series.

I kind of hate read this entire book. The only thing going for it was that I was already attached to the characters and wanted to see what happened. I enjoyed telling my friend who had never read any of the books everything that was happening because it was so bonkers. If you are interested in this series, either read the first book and stop, or just watch the series.

The Beach Trap

By: Ali Brady
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 384

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two best friends torn apart by a life-altering secret. They have one summer to set the record straight.

When twelve-year-olds Kat Steiner and Blake O’Neill meet at Camp Chickawah, they have an instant connection. But everything falls apart when they learn they’re not just best friends—they’re also half-sisters. Confused and betrayed, their friendship instantly crumbles.

Fifteen years later when their father dies suddenly, Kat and Blake discover he’s left them a joint inheritance: the family beach house in Destin, Florida. The two sisters are instantly at odds. Blake, who has recently been demoted from regular nanny to dog nanny, wants to sell the house, while social media influencer Kat is desperate to keep the place where she had so many happy childhood memories.

Kat and Blake reluctantly join forces to renovate the dilapidated house with the understanding that Kat will try to buy Blake out at the end of the summer. The women clash as Blake’s renovation plans conflict with Kat’s creative vision, and each sister finds herself drawn into a summer romance. As the weeks pass, the two women realize the most difficult project they face this summer will be coming to grips with their shared past, and learning how to become sisters.

First Impressions

This cover is so cute and summery. It definitely caught my eye and mad a strong first impression. The summary also intrigued me because it was focused on the relationship between sisters and not romantic relationships.

What I thought

I preferred the first half of this book to the second half. By the second half I got a bit annoyed with some of the repetitive nature and the immature attitudes of Blake and Kat. I did learn after reading that Ali Brady is an author duo of two best friends and I think it might explain some of the repetitiveness if they were each writing a character and didn’t read each other’s chapters.

Kat and Blake are half sisters but didn’t discover the other existed until overnight camp at 12 years old. When their dad showed up, he walked away and the two girls never spoke again. Now 15 years later, their dad has died and left them a beach house to share. Little do the know, the house is run down and in order to sell it (Blake) or buy the other sister out (Kat), they need to renovate it.

So, I talked a little bit about what I didn’t like, but what I did like were the relationships. I loved watching Kat and Blake develop and start to reconnect, though I would’ve preferred if it happened a little quicker. There were also secondary romantic relationships and I enjoyed each of those moments too. I think between the two, I preferred Kat’s chapters to Blake’s. They just seemed a little more complex ad I felt like she had a lot more going on than Blake did, even if she was naïve and immature.

This was a fun beach read that I would recommend if you’re looking for something that’s not romantic or not YA. The sisterhood and friendship is well done. There’s not much too this book, so therefore not really too much to say about the plot. It’s nothing life changing, but I feel like that’s often best at the beach. I am looking forward to reading the next book by Brady, as there was a snippet for their next book and I got sucked in right away.

A Thousand Miles

By: Bridget Morrissey
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 368

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I was provided this novel in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Dee Matthews is the cohost of the smash-hit podcast Did I Forget To Tell You?, where she interviews family, friends, and past lovers. Nothing is off limits, except for one man (known on the show only as Name Redacted) who happens to be her high school best friend Ben. During their senior year spring break, Dee and Ben took a road trip to visit Ben's grandma. They buried a time capsule in her backyard, pledging to return in ten years to open it. Then their friendship fell apart in spectacular fashion. They haven't spoken to each other since.

Ben Porter's life since that moment has been unexciting but comfortable, until his grandma reveals a family secret that flips his whole world upside down. Her dying wish is for him to stop doing what is safest and go after what he really wants. He starts by showing up on Dee's doorstep with every intention of fulfilling their long-ago promise. Despite her reservations, Dee can't say no. This trip could be her chance to give her listeners the Name Redacted interview they've been begging for--and finally put her unresolved feelings for Ben to rest.

As the miles fly by, Dee and Ben's friendship reignites. But the closer they get to reaching their destination, the more apparent it becomes that their attraction to each other cannot be ignored. Their last adventure ended in disaster, and they're about to find out if any hope of a future together is in the rear view mirror.

First Impression

This cover is cute though not my favorite. The summary is what really got to me. I’m a sucker for a road trip and a reignited romance.

What I thought

I loved this book. It was an absolute delight. The banter between these two was perfection.

Dee hosts a podcast with one of her friends about sharing secrets, yet she has the biggest secret of all. Her high school best friend Ben is referred to only as Name Redacted so no one knows who he is, yet she talks about him a lot. However, they have not talked to each other in 10 years. Their senior year spring break, they took a road trip to visit Ben’s Grandma and at the end of the trip they promised to take the same trip 10 years later. Then shortly after the trip they get into a fight and never talk to each other again. Until Ben shows up at Dee’s doorstep asking her to take the trip with him again after his Gran has died.

The chemistry in this book just pops off the page and I loved it. Dee and Ben were so great together and I loved their relationship and their banter. I also loved their comfort together. Because they had been best friends growing up they immediately slipped back into the well worn friendship and I loved that. I also appreciated that they didn’t just ignore their past but they dealt with it and tried to work through it.

I was a bit surprised by how easily they fell back into their feelings, but I guess in a way they never went away. I wouldn’t have minded a little more resistance from Dee but I didn’t mind it. I did love that every few chapters we got to read a transcript from the podcast. I would love to listen to this podcast and I loved how it was connected to things that were occurring.

I think another reason I enjoyed this book so much is it starts in Chicago (I’m from the suburbs), involved the Cubs and a baseball game on a road trip, and also includes a cat. I was on a road trip with my friends while I read this book and there were so many moments that I loved that I would read out loud to my friends. I also read this book right after another romance novel and this one just blew it out of the water. I didn’t even have major issues with the conflict that they had. While it wasn’t my favorite type of conflict, I was ok with it and I appreciated how it ended up being resolved.

This book is a 4.5 star for me but I decided to round up. I just loved it and flew through it. It made me happy and not many books make me laugh out loud and this one did. It is such a strong debut novel that I wish it was her fourth or fifth so I could go back and binge her backlist. I highly recommend this as a summer read if you’re looking for romance and a laugh.