Review - - The Cozy Nook Bookshop

The Cozy Nook Bookshop

by Jeannie Chin

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: August 25, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

 

Emma Rogers-Li is having her worst chapter yet. She’s lost her friends, her apartment in Manhattan, and a jerk of an ex. When a job opens to run a bookshop in the quirky small town of Heart’s Hope Crossing, Vermont, Emma jumps at the chance to start over. For the first time in years, she feels like she’s finally calling the shots in her own life ... until she runs smack into Hunter Hall.

According to town legend, it’s fate—couples who meet (or collide) at that corner are meant to be. And while Emma doesn’t believe the town gossips now convinced she and Hunter are meant for each other, something about the tall, gruff forest ranger sends her completely off-balance. Falling in love with Heart's Hope Crossing might be the best thing to happen to Emma.

But Hunter has a complicated past of his own when it comes to love. Can they both take one last chance on a perfect happily-ever-after?

PJ's Thoughts:

This first book in a new series gave me everything I've come to expect from Jeannie Chin. There's a cozy small town populated by a welcoming but meddlesome group of locals, complicated family dynamics, friendship groups, Chinese-American cultural rep, relatable characters, and plenty to both make me laugh and touch my heart. 

I really enjoyed Hunter and Emma. Their city girl/small-town guy, slow-burn, sometimes swoony, sometimes awkward, sometimes funny journey from (fated?) strangers to friends to love kept me engaged and cheering for these two from start to finish. I especially enjoyed their grumpy-sunshine dynamic, especially with Hunter's Forest Ranger hermit tendencies. It was fun - and satisfying - to watch him slowly open himself to new possibilities with Emma as his emotions gradually healed and his heart opened. 

There's a friend group that adds a wonderful dynamic to the book as well as setting up future stories for key secondary characters. I can't wait to discover what's in store for the knitting group, the bookshop, and three of the friends in particular...plus a newcomer who appears in town near the end of this book. Oh, the possibilities! 

If you like cozy contemporary romance with a touch of steam, complicated family, fall vibes, charm, heart-tugging romance, grumpy-sunshine, fish out of water, and starting over tropes - plus a bookshop! - check out The Cozy Nook Bookshop by Jeannie Chin. It has my enthusiastic recommendation. 

 

Winner - - Inventing Mr. Darcy

 

The randomly chosen winner of

a copy of 

Inventing Mr. Darcy by Susanna Craig is

Patricia Bennett Barber

Congrats!

Please send your full name and mailing address to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - Lost in the Summer of '69

Lost in the Summer of '69

by Eliza Knight

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: June 9, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Three generations of women, an unforgettable summer of music, and the epic cross-country road trip they'll never forget.

Summer, 1969. Eleanor Bell doesn't have anything to lose. According to her doctors, she might not remember how to sing or play guitar soon, so why not head west now? Why not join the music festivals sweeping the country and lose herself in the music again in a swan song of her own?

Except Eleanor forgets, maybe on purpose, to tell anyone where she's going. When her daughter, Leanne, discovers her mother missing, she enlists the help of her own daughter, Nora, to help her find Eleanor. The last thing Nora wants to do before starting as one of Yale's first female undergrads is hit the road. But then Nora hears her grandmother on the radio - singing. Nora and Leanne hop in their Lincoln Continental for a cross-country road trip, always one step behind Eleanor, who has been dubbed the Dame of Rock n' Roll by none other than Johnny Carson.

Full of nostalgia and awash with the warmth of summer, Lost in the Summer of '69 is an epic celebration of savoring the encore-no matter what the next act may bring.

PJ's Thoughts:

Eliza Knight's Lost in the Summer of '69 is one of my favorite books this year. A multi-generation story featuring a grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter, it takes readers from present day back to the summer of 1969 with a life-changing journey of music, books, travel, testing boundaries, chasing dreams, reconnection, and self discovery. 

Knight's compelling storytelling offers up a poignant, immersive, celebratory, heart-tugging journey of female empowerment that hits all the right notes, especially for those of my generation for whom that iconic summer holds precious, sometimes contentious, coming-of-age memories. I laughed, teared up more than once, found myself nodding in agreement with the mother/daughter dynamics, felt the heartbeat of that summer in my soul, and, yes, sang along with the musical artists of my teens as the main characters crisscrossed the country, soaking in the myriad music festivals of that summer while my mind traveled between the book's characters and my own memories. How can it have been 57 years when it feels like only yesterday?

Whether it evokes your own memories or introduces you to that long-ago summer that changed so much, Lost in the Summer of '69 is an uplifting, empowering, emotional, joyful story of relationships, family, personal growth, and chasing your dreams regardless of age or circumstance. It has my enthusiastic recommendation! 

 

Winner - - First and Forever

 

The randomly chosen winner 

of a print copy of

First and Forever by Lynn Painter is

Laurie Gommermann 

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review & Giveaway - - Inventing Mr. Darcy

Inventing Mr. Darcy

by Susanna Craig

Publisher: Severn House Romance and Saga

Release Date: September 1, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

A truth universally acknowledged: enemies attract!

Grad student Elle Bradshaw is on the cusp of completing her literature PhD. And while life beyond college is terrifying, spending her evening fixing a database malfunction with gorgeous yet grumpy tech geek Fisher Davis is worse. He infuriates her while making her heart race—it’s a distraction she doesn't need!

When a fluke geomagnetic storm leaves them trapped together during a blackout, the fiery kiss that follows is unexpected—and explosive. But catastrophically, the storm also wiped Jane Austen from existence! Now, Elle’s the only person to remember Pride and Prejudice and, it seems, romance itself.

As Elle navigates a world so familiar, yet not her own, she realizes she might just need to put her pride to one side and ask Fisher for help. Could the guy who was once her enemy turn out to be her very own Mr. Darcy . . . ?

PJ's Thoughts:

Whether you've read Jane Austen or not, those of us who read modern-day romance owe a debt of gratitude to the author whose works have inspired multiple generations of readers and writers who love happy endings. Now, imagine what would happen if, without warning, Austen disappeared from our collective memories, leaving only one lone grad student from Minnesota with the memory of Austen and her books. How far would the ripples of that lost literary - and real life - happiness extend? That's the premise of Susanna Craig's Inventing Mr. Darcy. 

As a long-time fan of Craig's historical romances, I was curious to discover what she had in store for readers with this new contemporary romcom. It started out a bit slow for me. Others may have a different experience but for the first third of the book, while I found the characters interesting, I struggled to connect with them. That all began to change the closer the story got to the halfway point. 

The book really hit its stride for me by the 50% mark. The pace picked up and I found that emotional connection I had been looking for, surprising myself with which character touched my heart the most. Spoiler: It was not the one I thought it would be.

Peeling away the underlying layers of Elle and Fisher brought forth the dreams, challenges, and emotional depth of both characters. Their growing feelings, vulnerabilities, intriguing layers, and personal growth brought them to life. I became totally invested in them, their personal relationship, their professional dreams, and in the Austen dilemma, eagerly turning pages to discover what would happen next.

I truly did not know how Craig would resolve the issues facing our lead couple, especially the "disappearing Jane" angle, but am happy to report that everything was wrapped up with a lovely, satisfying, believable bow in the end. 

I don't know if this book was a one-off or if Craig has more contemporary stories in her pocket but whichever direction she takes with upcoming books, I do know that I'll be buying them. 

If you're looking for a contemporary romcom with an original plot, snappy banter, enemies-to-lovers romance, a touch of spice, and a feel-good happy ending, I recommend giving Inventing Mr. Darcy a try. 

Have you read Susanna Craig yet?

What's your favorite contemporary romance trope?

Have you read Jane Austen? What's your favorite Austen novel?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, September 21 will receive a print copy of Inventing Mr. Darcy. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Review & Giveaway - - First and Forever

First and Forever

by Lynn Painter

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 12, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyote football. So after she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain following an awful encounter with the team’s beloved mascot, she is disgruntled, to put it mildly. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of a PR nightmare, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, a strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. But he quickly discovers being with Duffy is much easier than he anticipated, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. This secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.

Oozing with chemistry that feels like fireworks and banter that makes you swoon, Lynn Painter delivers her signature blend of heart and humor in this love story that you won’t soon forget.

PJ's Thoughts:

First and Forever is my first book by Lynn Painter. I see all of you out there shaking your heads at me, muttering "first book?" and wondering what rock I've been living under. My only excuse is the tried (but true) too many books, not nearly enough time. I can assure you that after reading this book I will not be using that excuse again. Lynn Painter is now firmly placed on my "must buy, must read" romance list.

I love a book that pulls me in from the get-go and keeps me engaged until the final page, especially if it also gives me well-developed characters who leap from the pages straight into my heart. Characters like Connor and Duffy. I adored them. Their chemistry is top notch, with sparkling banter, plenty of laughs, swoony romance, and emotional underpinnings. There's more than fun and games with these two. I laughed with them, cried with them, and kept eagerly flipping the pages of their story from start to finish.

As a sports obsessed only daughter with multiple brothers and a mischief making father, I especially enjoyed Duffy's family dynamics in this book. I don't know if Painter has brothers but she hits those sibling/parent and sibling/sibling dynamics on the head. It's like she created those characters just for me. 

I loved not only the interactions among the members of Duffy's family but also between Connor and her family. The fan-"boying" over Connor by all of them was an absolute treat. Then there's Connor's own family relationship and Duffy's response to it. It made me want to give them all a big hug. 

If you enjoy contemporary romance bubbling over with humor, heart-tugging emotion, swoony romance, fake dating, and a cheer-worthy happy ending, I recommend picking up a copy of First and Forever by Lynn Painter. It's a keeper. 

Have you read Lynn Painter? 

Do you have a favorite Painter book you recommend? (I'm ready to dive into her back list)

What are you currently reading? 

One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM (Eastern), September 18 will receive a print copy (with sprayed edges) of First and Forever.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Yes, Chef

Yes, Chef

by Grace Reilly

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: July 21, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

 

If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.

After a public meltdown in the dining room of one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman is back in his South Florida hometown. Angry, grieving, and saddled with the unwanted storefront his late mentor left him, his life is spinning out of control. And that’s before Poppy Winfield—the bubbly, infuriating daughter of his former boss—shows up at his dock.

Poppy needs to escape. From her family, her ex-boyfriend, and her reputation as someone who has never taken anything seriously. But more than that, she wants to prove herself—and she has just the plan to do it. Unfortunately, that plan involves Jack Hartman, the most arrogant, intimidating man she’s ever had the pleasure of throwing a shrimp at.

Poppy proposes a deal: they work together to open a revamped version of his mentor’s restaurant. Jack will handle the menu, and she’ll use her social media influence to sell the hell out of its grand opening. If she and Jack can make it a success, it’ll be a ticket for them both to return to New York.

Jack is intrigued, but only on his terms: If Poppy’s going to do this, she must learn the ropes of the business. From him.

As sparks fly both in and out of the kitchen, Poppy and Jack are left wondering, could they be a perfect pairing? Or is this whole experiment a recipe for disaster?

PJ's Thoughts:

Yes, Chef was my first Grace Reilly book but it sure won't be my last. Once I started reading, these characters and their journey refused to be set aside. 

This book included some delicious tropes including grumpy - sunshine. It is one of my favorites and, boy howdy, do Jack and Poppy deliver. I'll take Jack's grumpy, "I'm in control" chef vibes every day and gladly ask for more. It's like book catnip but Reilly pairing it with emotional wounds, ADHD challenges (for both Jack and Poppy), and organic character growth take it up another level. I'm not especially fond of influencer characters but, again, Reilly gives Poppy emotional complexity, complicated family dynamics, and a genuinely good heart that make her an intriguing character, one with whom I felt an emotional attachment and could happily cheer for. 

In addition to the grumpy-sunshine trope, there's also forced proximity (kitchen lessons and a houseboat), enemies-to-lovers, beach town vibes, and found family (both two and four legged).

Reilly nailed the beach town setting. I live just north of where this book is set and everything in the book felt authentic and familiar. 

And then there was the food. I felt like I was right there in the kitchen with them, drooling over the fresh seafood, beautifully described entrees, and delicious desserts. 

If you enjoy steamy romance with humor, heart, emotional depth, drool-worthy food, found family, and a hard-won happy ending, I happily recommend Grace Reilly's Yes, Chef. It's a fun, smile-inducing book I didn't want to put down. 

I can't wait to see what Reilly brings readers next!