Review - - The Summer That Changed Everything

The Summer That Changed Everything

by Brenda Novak

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: June 3, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

She returned to prove her father's innocence, but there's no telling what she'll find…

It's been fifteen years since Lucy Sinclair saw her father. Fifteen long years since she sat in a courtroom and watched him sentenced to life in prison. He murdered three victims—all people she knew—which ruined her life at just seventeen. But now she’s back in Virginia to talk to him, wondering if there’s more to the story of what happened that fateful night.

An old flame, Ford Wagner, makes his own return to North Hampton Beach, fleeing a marriage that seems destined for divorce. He’s wary of Lucy and her digging into the past, but the more time they spend together, the closer they get and the more he finds himself reconsidering the truth behind the death of their mutual friend that summer. Problem is, there are plenty of those in this small coastal town who would prefer things stay quiet…

PJ's Thoughts:

This is one of my favorite Brenda Novak books that I've read in the past few years. It is so well crafted, pulling me into the story and holding me in its grip through a series of twists and turns that I did not see coming. It kept me up reading way too late because I had to know how it would all turn out. 

I love a good mystery and this one was so tightly woven that I had no idea what would happen until the final reveal. Novak outdid herself. Just when I thought I had it figured out she threw in an unexpected twist that sent me careening in a totally different direction. I was thoroughly absorbed in every page, trying to decide where she would take the story next. I love when an author accomplishes that!

The romantic part of the story is no less complicated with Ford and Lucy reuniting after their teenage relationship crashed and burned. There's tension and mistrust (understandable, considering what happened after her father was arrested) but Novak handles it with a deft hand. Their actions in present day feel authentic and their slowly unfolding relationship, with its peaks and valleys, real and organic. 

If you're looking for a well-crafted romantic suspense novel with a cross-class, second-chance romance, a tightly-woven mystery, a hostile community, unexpected twists, and a hard-won happy ending, add The Summer That Changed Everything to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

Review - - The Lost Book of First Loves

The Lost Book of First Loves

by RaeAnne Thayne

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: June 3, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Alison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when she was a teen. But when she takes a DNA test on a whim and discovers she has a sister she never knew about, it’s clear there are things her father didn't tell her before he died. Determined to meet Juniper—her half sister—and unravel the truth of what happened all those years ago, Ali finds herself taking a job as Juniper’s intern. She’ll eventually figure out a way to tell Juniper the truth of their relationship. But she never could have imagined what would happen next…

Juniper Connolly has always been incredibly healthy…until she wakes up in the hospital after experiencing cardiac arrest, with her new—and recently fired—intern to thank for saving her life. It’s clear June needs to de-stress her life a little, so when Ali offers her the use of her family’s cabin in a small Wyoming town, June has no reason not to go. But when she arrives, her life will never be the same.

Under the wide-open spaces of the Wyoming summer sun, Ali and June will untangle the secrets and lies their lives were built on to discover who they really are and what family really means. But even more than that, they'll build a real relationship with one another and finally become sisters. 

PJ's Thoughts:

The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne is another multi-layered story of complicated relationships that tugs masterfully at the heartstrings. Thayne has a gift for creating complex families - both biological and family of the heart - that take me on an emotional journey.

I enjoyed not only the unfolding story of Ali and June but also the romantic journeys each of them traveled. The themes in the book are plentiful, including found family, forgiveness, acceptance, second chances (in life, career, and love), self discovery, and mapping new paths. That could be a bit much but in Thayne's skilled hands, they are interwoven with care and finesse, leading to an organic evolution of a realistic and relatable journey. 

Another facet of Thayne's writing that I enjoy is her ability to set a vividly depicted scene. She brought Wyoming to life through her descriptions, immersing me in it's majestic mountains and beautiful valleys. I felt as if I was right there with June as she discovered the healing medicine of nature and the first tendrils of belonging. 

If you're looking for a heart-tugging story of healing, hope, family, and endearing romance, add The Lost Book of First Loves to your summer reading list.   

 

Review & Giveaway - - It Takes a Psychic

It Takes a Psychic

by Jayne Ann Krentz

A Harmony Novel

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 3, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Leona Griffin is at the height of her career as a para-archeologist thanks to a recent Underworld discovery. Her high profile attracts the attention of an organization of elite, secretive collectors. They want her to authenticate the artifacts that aspiring members submit as evidence to join their group. The ceremony takes place at a glittering reception where Leona is shocked to discover that one of the relics is a powerful Old-World object known as Pandora’s Box. But she’s not the only one interested in that artifact.

Oliver Rancourt, a man with a unique talent—they say you never see him coming—is also there. Leona knows she must not underestimate him. Attempting to make a discreet exit, she stumbles over the body of a waiter wearing the emblem of a dangerous cult. Before she can alert authorities, a police raid sends the reception into chaos. To avoid being arrested, Leona slips away with Oliver—a risky decision that gets her fired.

Now forced to work together, Leona and Oliver pursue an investigation that leads them to the town of Lost Creek where the locals are obsessed with a chilling legend involving a long-dead cult leader and illicit paranormal experiments. But Leona knows the real danger may be the irresistible attraction between herself and Oliver.

PJ's Thoughts:

I first discovered this author while reading her Amanda Quick historical romances. I then fell in love with the romantic suspense books written by Jayne Ann Krentz, having no idea at the time that the two authors were one and the same. Some time later, I stumbled upon Jayne Castle's Harmony books, set a few hundred years in the future on the planet of Harmony. Again, another pen name of this talented wordsmith. Different eras. Different planets. All the same superb writing. Whether I'm in Victorian England, 1930's California, present-day, or across the galaxy in the distant future, I know when I pick up one of her books I'm guaranteed an immersive, relatable story I won't be able to put down.

Leona and Oliver hooked me from the opening pages of this book. They - and the reader - are thrown head first into danger and intrigue almost immediately. Strangers to one another, they discover a common goal (each for their own reasons) which has them teaming up and heading out of town to track down answers. All of this seems completely acceptable to them and especially to Leona because as her moms (who did a quick investigation into Oliver) have told her, he's "probably not a serial killer."

The pace never lags as they face down a weird little town (think Twilight Zone), a cult, mind-altering psi weapons, Underworld hazards (a series of psi-rich tunnels and caves, not Satan's playground), an eccentric hoarder who may hold answers to Leona's childhood, and a cunning, clearly unstable villain who wants at least one - and maybe both - Oliver and Leona dead. It's a wild ride and one that kept me engaged and eagerly flipping pages from start to finish. Castle/Krentz has a way of crafting these stories, and characters, that has me jumping right in with both feet and total acceptance. Nothing seems too "out there" to be believable. 

While the action/suspense element of this book takes the lead, romance is not lost. I loved the chemistry between Oliver and Leona and the way their relationship evolved over the course of the book. Their unique "talents" have caused previous relationships to crash and burn, leading both of them to think they are most likely destined to be alone. It was fun to watch that belief turned on its head. 

Last, but never least, a Jayne Castle Harmony novel would not be complete without a dust bunny. In this book, the star of the show is Roxy, a sparkly-blue-fascinator-wearing, pizza-eating, adventure-seeking, adrenaline junkie who is not about to be left behind when Oliver and Leona set off to solve the mysteries before them. I adored her and I have to be honest, she pretty much steals the whole book. 

If you're in the mood for laughter, suspense, witty dialog, tightly-crafted mystery, quirky characters, romance, danger, and happy endings, pick up a copy of It Takes a Psychic. It has my enthusiastic recommendation. 

PSA: When you get to Chapter Fifty-Two, make sure you're not eating or drinking anything. I laughed out loud the first time I read it and have continued to do so each of the two...five...fifteen times since. 

Note: If you read last year's People in Glass Houses (click title to read my review), you will recognize Leona as Molly's sister, the one lost in the Underworld who Molly is trying to rescue. If you're new to Harmony, it isn't necessary to read the two books in order to fully enjoy them. I do, however, highly recommend both. 

Have you read Jayne Ann Krentz or any of her other pen names?

Have you read any of the Harmony books?

Do you enjoy reading books with psychic elements? Have you ever had any psychic experiences?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, June 5 will receive a hardback copy of It Takes a Psychic.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Coming Attractions & Giveaway - - June

 

Memorial Day is in our rearview and summer is just around the corner. It's time for warm summer days and those beach/pool/backyard books we can't put down. Here are the titles on our June schedule that I hope make you laugh, smile, and stay up reading way past your bedtime. 

We're launching this month's schedule on Tuesday, June 3 with a review and giveaway of It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle. Krentz takes us back to the future for another Harmony page turner bubbling over with adventure, humor, romance, and irrepressible dust bunnies.

Wednesday, June 4 brings a review of The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne, a heart-tugging women's fiction novel about family, second chances, and lasting love.

Don't miss my review of Brenda Novak's The Summer That Changed Everything on Thursday, June 5. This compelling novel simmers with suspense, complex family dynamics, and second chance romance. 

Tuesday, June 10 brings a review and (signed) two-book giveaway of Debbie Mason's The Sweet Life.  This feel-good women's fiction novel concludes Mason's Sunshine Bay trilogy and the humorous and heart-tugging stories of the multi-generation Rosetti women. 

Join me on Thursday, June 12 for a tour review of Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft. We're back on the Isle of Skye for the final book in Moorcroft's The Skye Sisters Trilogy, a story of family, adoption, starting over, and unexpected romance. 

We return to the Formula 1 race circuit on Tuesday, June 17 with a review of Josie Juniper's Coming in Hot, a high-stakes romance between a sports journalist and a team owner. This is book two in Juniper's Frontrunners series.

Friday, June 20 brings a review of Small Town Hero, a western romance duet by Linda Lael Miller and Maisey Yates. One book. Two heart-tugging stories. 

Stop by on Friday, July 21 for a review of The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain by Hannah Brown. I enjoyed the humor, heart, and sparkling banter of Brown's debut and am looking forward to diving into her second rom-com. 

On Monday, June 23 I'll be sharing my thoughts about Eliza and the Duke by Harper St. George. This is book two in St. George's The Doves of New York series about illegitimate American heiresses who must marry an English title in order to claim their inheritance. Things don't always go to plan. I can't wait to dive in. 

Santa will be here on Tuesday, June 24 with a review of Look Before You Leap by Virginia Heath. This is book two of Heath's humorous Miss Prentice's Protegees historical rom-com series. 

What has Rosie Montague (or, for that matter, her parents, Romeo and Juliet) been up to since last year's A Daughter of Fair Verona? Don't miss my review of the newest installment in Christina Dodd's hilarious Daughter of Montague series, Thus With A Kiss I Die on Wednesday, June 25.

Join me on Thursday, June 25 for a review of The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis. This heartwarming tale of family, forgiveness, healing, and romance is a great summer read. 

Maisey Yates always takes me on an emotional journey, especially in her women's fiction novels. Stop by on Friday, June 27 for a review of Cruel Summer. The tag line of "A Contemporary Opposites Attract, Forced Proximity Romance of a Life-Changing Road Trip" has me ready to pack my bags and hit the road with these characters.

We're rounding out the month on Monday, June 30 with a review of Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong. Armstrong's Finding Mr. Write was one of my favorite books last year and this author's second rom-com is shaping up to be just as enjoyable. 

What are you looking forward to this month? Any trips on the horizon? Upcoming books to recommend? 

Do your reading tastes change in the summer? 

Two people who post a comment before 11:00 PM (ET), June 4 will receive a book from me.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Reviews - - May 2025

 

May was a busy month here at The Romance Dish. We reviewed 19 books, including several 4-5 star titles and three that earned our highest Top Dish rating, landing on my Best of 2025 watchlist.

Top Dish: Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

Top Dish: One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Top Dish: Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria

What were your favorite May reads?

 

Review - - The Laird's Magical Lass

The Laird's Magical Lass

by Julie Johnstone

Spellbound Hearts - Book 1

Publisher: Darbyshire Publishing LLC

Release Date: May 30, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Freya

Aye, I stole a goblet. A magical one. From a witch.
In my defense, I returned it.
I just… took too long.
I was trying to save myself from a loveless marriage, not doom my future.
But witches don’t take kindly to thievery that cost them dearly.
She granted my wish—then twisted it into a curse.
Now I’m thrice wed, never for love.
Men want me for my sight, not my heart.
And when they don’t heed my visions, they die.
I've been taken again, this time by Colin bloody MacDonald.
A brute. A Highland warlord. My father’s greatest enemy.
He says he’s not like the others. I say he’s worse.
He married me to ruin my clan.
He thinks he can use me.
But I’ve had my fill of being used.
And yet… he’s careful with me. Fiercely so.
Worse still, he’s handsome when he’s not scowling,
and kind when he thinks I’m not looking.
I won’t give him my heart.
But I fear it may no longer be mine to keep.

Colin

I didn’t want a wife.
I needed leverage. A weapon. A way to end this war.
Freya MacLeod is all of that—and more trouble than I bargained for.
I forced her hand, aye. But I swore not to touch her until she’s willing.
And now, every day she refuses me feels like its own kind of curse.
She’s fire and prophecy, steel wrapped in silk.
And I’m starting to forget I married her for vengeance.
Starting to wonder what it would mean to earn her trust.
There’s no room for softness in war.
No space for hearts in bargains.
But when it comes to Freya, I’ve already lost more than I meant to give.

PJ's Thoughts:

Julie Johnstone takes us back to the Medieval Scottish Highlands with another compelling, action-packed, sensual romance that reeled me right in and refused to let go. 

One of the things I most enjoy about Johnstone's books is the sense of place. I never feel like I'm reading a modern story set in the past. She writes with an authenticity that convinces me I'm actually watching a story unfold in Medieval times. Things aren't easy. In fact, they are often harsh and unforgiving, especially for women. But, fear not, there is always a happy ending, even if it comes only after a hard-fought journey. 

Another facet I enjoy about Johnstone's books is her characters. Always complex, with multi-layered emotional histories, they come to life on the pages of the book, engaging my interest and my emotions. Freya and Colin are both beautifully developed and their journey is one that had me pulling for them every step of the way. 

While The Laird's Magical Lass is filled with the adventure, betrayal, danger, and romance I've come to expect from this author, it also has the added bonus of a magical twist. I fully bought into the curse placed upon Freya and am already eager to discover what will happen to her friends (who were also cursed) when it's time for their books. And, although Freya's sister is too young for her own story now, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will get her own book when the time is right. 

Review - - Manic Pixie Dream Earl

Manic Pixie Dream Earl

by Jenny Holiday

Earls Trip - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: May 27, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

When not writing, poet Edward Astley, Viscount Featherfinch, spends his time fending off the young ladies of the ton—and some of its young men—and avoiding his cruel father. As heir to the earldom, Edward knows he must marry someday. Alas, he is already hopelessly in love with someone. Hopeless because not only is Miss Julianna Evans not a member of the aristocracy, she is employed. She is a magazine editor—the only one to publish his work. Also, in all their years of increasingly personal correspondence, they’ve never met.

Also, she thinks he’s a woman. Named Euphemia.

Julianna is baffled. How can her soul mate not want to meet? Could it be that Euphemia is not the simple country girl she claims to be? Perhaps she’s wealthy. After all, she’s never cashed any of the bank drafts Julianna has sent. Perhaps Euphemia simply doesn’t want rank to come between them. Well, no more. Having extracted the details of a trip Euphemia is planning, Julianna squanders her meager savings and surprises her at the scene.

He is very, very surprised. As is she.

Now the two will have to decide what is true, what is not, and whether the truest thing of all—love—just might be worth an earldom . . .

PJ's Thoughts:

Jenny Holiday took me on another entertaining and surprising journey with book two of her Earls Trip series. I expected a rom-com, bromance, mistaken identity romp and there are parts that fit that description but it's also so much more. 

First, I love the long-time friendship among the three earls in this series and especially how they all accept and support one another for exactly who they are. In Effie's case, that's a sweet, somewhat naive, fashion-loving, poetry-writing, nightmare-plagued man with some deep emotional baggage. He's also a man who has no experience with sexual desire, needing a close emotional relationship first (in today's world, he would be called a demisexual), but all that's about to change in a wholly Effie way.

Julianna, Effie's editor and letter friend, is the object of this new desire. A businesswoman, she's ten years older, sexually experienced (with a woman and a man), and wholeheartedly against marriage (just what's in it for a woman, anyway?). On paper, they seem the most ill-conceived couple ever but in real life the feelings that these two share are deep, endearing, and under a time constraint. What happens in Brighton should definitely stay in Brighton, right? Maybe not.  

There seems to be no way this cross-class romance will work (and truthfully, I had no idea how it would). Jules and Effie have opened their hearts and thoughts to one another through their many letters before they ever meet in person. They are well balanced, each having something to teach the other. Their time together is tender, funny, eye-opening, and endearing. Their parting is heartbreaking, but necessary for the growth that follows. Their happy ending is unconventional but oh, so perfect for the two of them. I didn't see the twist coming that made it possible but it absolutely works. 

I'm already looking forward to discovering what Holiday has planned for serious Simon in the next Earl's Trip novel and, of course, catching up with my favorite characters from books one and two. If you're looking for something a little different that will touch your heart, give Manic Pixie Dream Earl a try. I also recommend book one, Earls Trip. 

Review - - Along Came Amor

Along Came Amor

by Alexis Daria

Primas of Power - Book 3

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: May 27, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

No strings

After Ava Rodriguez’s now-ex-husband declares he wants to “follow his dreams”—which no longer include her—she’s left questioning everything she thought she wanted. So when a handsome hotelier flirts with her, Ava vows to stop overthinking and embrace the opportunity for an epic one-night-stand.

No feelings 

Roman Vázquez’s sole focus is the empire he built from the ground up. He lives and dies by his schedule, but the gorgeous stranger grimacing into her cocktail inspires him to change his plans for the evening. At first, it’s easy for Roman to agree to Ava’s rules: no strings, no feelings. But one night isn’t enough, and the more they meet, the more he wants.

No falling in love

Roman is the perfect fling, until Ava sees him at her cousin’s engagement party—as the groom’s best man, no less! Maintaining her boundaries becomes a lot more complicated as she tries to hide their relationship from her family, but Roman isn’t content being her dirty little secret. With her future uncertain and her family pressuring her from all sides, Ava will have to decide if love is worth the risk—again.

PJ's Thoughts:

This one was worth the wait. Not only is Along Came Amor my favorite book of Alexis Daria's exceptional Primas of Power trilogy, it's also one of my favorite books I've read this year and Roman and Ava, one of my favorite couples.

Once again, Daria's big, loving, but wholly dysfunctional, Latinx family took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. My heart broke for Ava. I just want to wrap her up in a big hug and tell her she is absolutely worthy of love just as she is without having to be the perfect "good girl" to earn it. I loved watching her slow evolution even if, at times, I wanted to move it along. Daria knew what she was doing though. The indoctrination of Ava to always put everyone else before herself had taken years to accomplish. To feel authentic, changing that mindset would have to take time as well.

And that's where Roman comes in. I love this character! Is he perfect? No, he isn't. He's a workaholic, tends to be a fixer, and has some emotional baggage to work through himself. But, he is perfect for Ava. His respect, his understanding of her and her needs, his willingness to give her the time and space she needs, all while falling hard (and first) and wanting more proved to me just how right he is for a woman who has never, in her entire life, been put first by anyone. I also love how he opens himself, how he also grows, and the changes in his life he's willing to make to prove the commitment he's promised. He's such a swoon-worthy hero. 

One of my favorite facets of this book, as well as the two preceding, is the cultural representation. I love the food, history, and traditions that are intertwined throughout this story, the little insights into life in a large, meddling, Puerto Rican family. I especially enjoyed the parts of the story set in Puerto Rico - some funny, some steamy, some poignant, and some deeply emotional. 

I've read Along Came Amor twice. Pretty sure I'll be reading it again. It checks all my happy reader boxes and then some. Each of the books in this trilogy can be enjoyed on its own, however, it's my opinion that reading them in order will deepen your understanding of this family and your enjoyment of each couple's journey. I highly recommend them all.