Tag: friends

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#BookReview: Pity Play by Whitney Dineen

Gilmore Girls Yet Not Gilmore Girls. He’s Luke and he works in a diner. She’s Lorelai and she wants to run a bed and breakfast. Stars Hollow? NOPE! Equally fictional and equally charming Elk Lake. But yes, the Gilmore Girls comparisons, at least at a very high level, are simply too blatant to be completely ignored.

This noted, Dineen *does* do her own thing and *does* manage to tell a tale completely different than anything I remember from Gilmore Girls. (Don’t hate me, but despite Lauren Graham being hot, it just wasn’t a series I could ever really get into. Sorry, ladies!)

Here, the angst is arguably done better than the romance, and indeed it often seems at times that this ostensibly romance book keeps its central couple apart far more than they’re together, with the togetherness coming in very tentative and awkward steps at first before “suddenly out of no where” kind of exploding… after a damn near fatal implosion first, of course.

But truly the most relatable part of this for me personally was in fact Luke’s story, and even his dad’s story. While I know at least *some* of my dad’s story (more than Luke does throughout a large part of the tale here), like Luke, there are absolutely things I don’t know – and will never know – about my dad’s childhood and my grandfather (who in my case died just five weeks after my birth). Like Luke, as an adult I’ve had to try to come to understand my dad through the bits and pieces of his history I’ve learned, and how that has shaped him into the man he chose to become… and thus how it shaped how he raised me and shaped me into the man I chose to become. While I never lost years of our lives due to a misunderstanding, that’s not to say there haven’t been misunderstandings along the way (including one particularly infamous one when I was a teenager that was perhaps the closest we ever got to this level of blowup). So… yeah, Luke’s story absolutely hit a touch harder here.

Overall while this seemed to be probably the most angsty book in the series, there really was quite a bit of fun and self discovery along the way as well, and it really was both a solid entrant in the series and a solid setup for a seeming near-direct sequel.

Very much recommended.

This review of Pity Play by Whitney Dineen was originally written on March 25, 2025.

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#BookReview: Saltwater by Katy Hays

Beautiful Setting. Atrocious People. Maybe Someone Will See The Light. This is one of those tales where there aren’t really too many “good” people – even the people you ostensibly want to root for are doing some very *bad* things! But the imagery of the beautiful Italian islands is absolutely stunning and well done… and even make it a point to play into the endgame, which is always appreciated.

While the book *does* start rather slow, stick with it. It is no Great Gatsby where the first x amount of it is an utter snooze fest that is more apt to put you to sleep rather than keep you up all night… but it *does* get to the “keep you up all night” level. Eventually. And then it keeps you there until damn near the last word of the tale.

Overall a fun book of its type, one with enough to keep you invested and take you to somewhere not where you are. (Unless you happen to be on said Italian islands. Then… maybe read something else if you want to be transported somewhere else? :D) Actually a rather good beach/ cruise read due to the setting at minimum.

Very much recommended.

This review of Saltwater by Katy Hays was originally written on March 25, 2025.

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#BookReview: Losing The Moon by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Excellent – And Short-ish – Tale Of The Power Of Friendship And Community. In this latest entrant in this saga of four friends living lives in each other’s orbits, we get quite a bit packed into such a smallish page count – there’s intense action as a snowmobile race gets dicy, there’s the drama of unexpected surprises and possible relapses, there’s friends coming together in some of the most difficult circumstances as their entire community rallies around them. All told in a very real yet very relatable way, and again, all completed in a tale that serves as a solid read while the kids are running off steam at the playground or on the ball field or maybe while you’re waiting to pick them up from school or some such. Or, for the childfree/ those with grown children among us, while sitting poolside with a good drink or even standing in line at a theme park or maybe lounging away one lazy Saturday looking out across whatever scenery brings you serenity.

Truly well done, though you’re probably going to want to start earlier in the series and get to this point, rather than jumping into the series here. Which just means you have more to look forward to, in that case. 😉

Very much recommended.

This review of Losing The Moon by Kellie Coates Gilbert was originally written on March 22, 2025.

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#BlogTour: Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a solid tale of friendship and love… that has nothing at all to do with its title. For this blog tour, we’re looking at Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookBub.com / BookHype.com / Goodreads.com / PageBound.co / TheStoryGraph.com) and YouTube:

Zero Beach Vibes. Solid Mallery Tale. I normally get a bit into the review before explaining star deductions, but in this particular case the reason for the star deduction is the most critical thing you need to know about this book:

It has *ZERO* beach vibes. Yes, it takes place in Malibu – largely across the street from the beach, at best – but the setting here is largely completely irrelevant to literally anything about the story. Mallery could have changed the location names to almost literally “Anywhere” and the overall story would read and feel *exactly* the same.

Now, with that said, this actually *is* a solid tale of its type = in other words, a women’s fiction/ romance blend that Mallery is so prolific with and does so well. If you’ve never read her works, this is a decent one to begin with – not her worst in my own experiences with her books, yet also not her best, but solidly indicative of her overall style of writing and storytelling.

So if you’re ready for a drama filled tale of two strangers who happen to become friends and who happen to develop an uncommon cross bond with each others’ siblings… this tale will work well for you.

Note that the spice level here is somewhere north of a warm glass of milk yet south of habanero – again, fairly typical of Mallery’s overall style. So those that prefer the warm glass of milk or those that prefer ghost peppers… either direction there, you’re likely going to be left a touch disappointed. Yet the overall tale, outside the bedroom, is actually quite strong in its own right, and you really should give it a chance anyway – there will most likely be other things about this tale that you truly enjoy, and maybe you can glass over the bedroom stuff.

Overall a solid, well told tale… that simply has absolutely *zero* to do with anything remotely associated with its title.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery”

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#BookReview: As The Sun Rises by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Emotional And Visceral Series Conclusion. This is one of those books where you *feel* everything our main character feels. From the utter despair at the situation she finds herself in to the crash and crush of the white water rapids she thrusts herself into to try to escape the emotional turmoil… while telling herself that she’s just doing her job.

While this is *technically* a romance, the romance is absolutely more of a side story here to the family and friend relationships of our primary character – so those that want a more romance-centric tale may not like this one quite as much, but those who enjoy a solid women’s fiction with a touch of romance – still in the Hallmarkie type style, but with more focus on the friends than the boy, necessarily – you’re going to enjoy this book quite a bit.

I personally came into this book having not read any of the prior three… which is probably not the best for a series concluding book, but even there, it worked well with fully fleshed out characters and a story that was easy to follow even coming in so late. Still, I absolutely recommend starting with Book 1 for anyone not reading an Advance Review Copy, as I did.

Overall a solid and emotional tale that will pull your heartstrings and have your pulse pounding with adrenaline in alternating measures.

Very much recommended.

This review of As The Sun Rises by Kellie Coates Gilbert was originally written on December 12, 2024.

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#BlogTour: One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery

For this blog tour, we’re looking at . For this blog tour, we’re looking at One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookHype.com / BookBub.com / TheStoryGraph.com / Goodreads.com):

Hallmarkie “Messy Family Comes Together” Type. This is a Susan Mallery book, and it is Christmas book from Susan Mallery – so you know you’re going to get a lot of drama, but in a very Hallmarkie manner where the drama never gets *too* intense and everything wraps up with a nice dose of Christmas magic by the end. Considering the popularity of both Mallery and Hallmark Christmas movies, this isn’t exactly a losing strategy… if a bit “been there, done that”.

Where Mallery manages to spin things with this particular one are, well, the particulars – and there are a lot of things here that aren’t exactly typical. Irritable Bowel Syndrome shown in all of its complexities in a book? Happens some, not exactly overly common in my experience. Female tow truck company owner? I actually am related to one – a cousin – but she’s literally the only one I had ever heard of before reading this book. Age gap romance where the *woman* is the older *and* is on the back side of “middle age” to boot? Done, somewhat, but rarely in this particular combination/ age range. On and on it goes.

Oh, and for anyone who says that this gets way too far out there with just how “together” everything gets… if you’ve read a few of my other reviews over the years, you know about my own family history – same side as the cousin above, actually. You see, both sets of my grandparents were divorced long before I was ever alive. But my mom’s parents in particular? My grandmother remarried, also before I could ever remember anything. My step grandfather was my “second grandfather” (the other died 5 weeks after my birth). And yet there was more than one instance of my grandmother and step-grandfather living on my grandfather’s land over the years, including at least one stint in his house with him. So my sense of “weird family relationships” may be a bit skewed, having seen this type of thing – along with several of the exact scenarios Mallery includes in this book – in my own (extended) family over the years.

Ultimately a solid book of its type, and one for anyone looking for a good Christmas family drama to check out.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery”

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#BlogTour: The Summer Reunion by Leah Mercer

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a book where *everyone* has secrets… and even the secrets have secrets. For this blog tour, we’re looking at The Summer Reunion by Leah Mercer.

First, the review I posted to the book sites (BookHype.com / TheStoryGraph.com / BookBub.com/ Goodreads.com):

Their Secrets Have Secrets. Easily a great line in The Avengers (the Marvel version, you Imperialists) is when Tony Stark is speaking of Nick Fury and says “his secrets have secrets” – which is absolutely true, both in The Avengers and this book. If you enjoy semi-slow burn (to start) almost disaster movie type suspense, where everything starts off a touch slow and normal ish before completely fucking unravelling… this is exactly the kind of book you’re going to enjoy.

The other great thing about this, to me, was how well Mercer used the setting she created to create an atypical emergency situation. Without giving anything away, let’s just say that it put an interesting spin on a couple of fairly worn concepts and made everything seem newer and much more intriguing in the process.

Ultimately one of those books you’re going to be reading deep into the night, because “one more chapter” will never be enough.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, the “publisher details” – book info, description, author bio, social links, and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: The Summer Reunion by Leah Mercer”

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#BookReview: Ladykiller by Katherine Wood

Slow Start Leads To Rollercoaster Twists. This is one of those books that starts out almost disaster movie slow. Other than the prologue that reveals an intriguing setup, a lot of the front of the book is solid enough in slowly building tension in an idyllic setting. But it really is more the back half, or maybe even the last third, of the book where it seems to become more of a cat and mouse, what the hell is going on, who can the reader actually trust kind of tale, one that ends with a deliciously ambiguous ending that would be intriguing to see a follow up to – IF Ms. Wood can manage to replicate the almost lightning in a bottle feel she has going on here, particularly through the last bit of the book.

Ultimately, this tale won’t be for everyone, for a variety of reasons. But if you’re looking for an interesting tale in a beautiful location and aren’t averse to a fair amount of onscreen sex (and not always exactly of the missionary-position-only-with-lights-off variety), this may be a book for you.

Very much recommended.

This review of Ladykiller by Katherine Wood was originally written on July 5, 2024.

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#BookReview: For The Love Of Summer by Susan Mallery

Solid Susan Mallery Tale Of Finding Friends Even In Difficult Situations. I admit, I’m a bit weird here due to how my own family was as I was growing up, and even how my wife’s family is to this day. You see, my grandparents divorced well before I was ever born. I never knew them married. And yet, my grandmother and step-grandfather lived on my grandfather’s property, at times even inside his own house, at a few different points of my childhood. Similarly, my wife’s mom’s best friend… is the ex-wife of her husband (my wife’s stepdad).

Thus, when I find myself reading a tale such as the one here, where a new wife suddenly finds that her only real chance at moving forward is the generosity of her husband’s ex-wife (prodded on by their daughter)… it actually isn’t that far out of the realm of “normal” for me. 😀

So maybe I had an easier time accepting this plotline than some, but for me it absolutely worked quite well. Yes, it could get a touch repetitive at times as Mallery was driving home her major thematic elements, but… that is kinda part of Mallery’s style, at least of late. Yes, her books – including this one – could easily be 20 or more pages shorter without all of the repetition, but I honestly think that many of Mallery’s bigger fans appreciate this to some level.

Ultimately, this is a tale of hope and found family/ found friendship and how these can make life bearable even under difficult and somewhat unusual circumstances. This is a tale of women bonding even in situations that would likely tear many female bonds apart, and it is a tale of the power of friendship. I for one thoroughly enjoyed it, even if, yes, it did run perhaps a touch too long. But again, that is just something one comes to expect from Mallery, who I’m beginning to think has some kind of deep seated aversion to publishing a book with less than 400 pages in it.

Very much recommended.

This review of For The Love Of Summer by Susan Mallery was originally written on June 5, 2024.

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#BookReview: The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery

Perfectly Within Expectations. Susan Mallery has a type of tale, at least over these last few years at minimum. It isn’t quite “Hallmarkie” in that it generally features a group of female leads that share the spotlight, but those who enjoy the Hallmarkie type will likely also enjoy this type of book – particularly the women it is clearly catered for. Yes, the male characters can be a bit wooden and one dimensional, but again, Mallery knows her target audience well, is clearly very popular within it, and clearly these benign affronts work within this space for this author – and aren’t ever really “offensive” to anyone. They’re simply too cardboard to have any real agency or motivations of their own, and mostly exist to affirm whatever the women in their lives are doing in the moment / serve whatever emotional or physical needs the woman they are paired with may have. Again, perfectly in line with what Mallery’s audience clearly expects, and a perfectly fine tale within these confines. If this type of casual, non-preachy, female friendship type of tale is what you’re after, you’ve found a great book within that space. If you’re looking for something *more*, no matter how you define “more”… you need to look somewhere else. This is one of those books that isn’t really going to challenge anyone or anything, it is more of a comfort read. I won’t necessarily say “vacation” read and I despise the term “beach read” because not everyone reads any given type of book at the beach and whatever book you may be reading at the beach is by definition a “beach read”, and at 400+ pages it would need to be a decently long vacation for anyone to read this book while on vacation. Still, it is that same kind of relaxing type of read that many ascribe to those scenarios, so perhaps for some it will truly be a “beach read”. Very much recommended.

This review of The Summer Book Club by Susan Mallery was originally written on February 23, 2024.