Winner - - November Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

Love Lessons by Sidney Halston is:

Sharlene Wegner

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - The Summer We Met

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

The Summer We Met by 

Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott is:

Patoct

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review and Giveaway - - While it was Snowing

While it was Snowing

by Julia London

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

All Amy Casey wants for Christmas is to paint. She needs five new paintings for the holiday show at her local art gallery, but between her two teenage sons, her needy ex-husband, and her overbearing parents, she hardly has any time for herself. Luckily, her best friend has the perfect solution: a vacant family lake house in North Texas, all hers for two weeks of distraction-free painting. Or so she thought.

Turns out professional golfer Harrison Neely also rented the lake house so he can spend the holidays rehabbing the injury that has put his career—and life—on hold. Despite the booking snafu, both Amy and Harrison (along with Amy's old blind dog and the army of child-sized nutcrackers residing in the living room) agree to share the festive lodging.

When an impending snowstorm has the two cozying up by the fire, sparks fly in more ways than one, and they open up to each other, unwrapping secrets and stories they’ve never shared before. But Harrison is expected back on the tournament circuit after the holidays, and Amy's family needs her. As their departure date looms and her family and his manager press them for answers, they’ll have to decide if this December to remember has been a fun holiday fling, or if they’ve found a Christmas miracle: true love.

PJ's Thoughts:

So. Much. Fun. This book felt like it was written solely for my enjoyment. I laughed. I sighed. I cringed. I laughed some more. I cheered. I sighed and laughed at the same time.  

Anyone who has lived with clueless teenagers (who can't find items right in front of them without their mom's help), dealt with a clueless ex who has discovered the grass really isn't greener on the younger side of the fence and wants to come home (not happening), or suffered loving but (again, clueless) extended family who don't seem to understand you have needs too (how many texts a day are too many and just how long is my unemployed brother going to be sleeping on my couch?) should be able to identify with Amy's line in the sand. This woman has reached a breaking point and needs her two weeks alone at her friend's family home. Too bad (or is it?) her friend's sister rented the house to Harrison for the same two weeks.  

London taps into all the fun and chaos of this steamy, endearing, and hilarious forced proximity, adversaries-to-lovers romance. There's plenty of laughter but also satisfying emotional depth and character growth. Harrison (almost fifty, never married, no children, no pets) has devoted his entire life to golf but because of injury is now facing a professional crossroads. Could a personal crossroads be on the table as well? Amy (same age) has devoted her adult life to her family and is now wondering how she lost herself in the process and if it's too late to recapture her youthful dreams. She certainly isn't looking for a new romance but fate (and sisters who don't talk to each other) seem to have stepped in to steer both of them in that direction.

Both Amy and Harrison came to the lake seeking solitude. Neither expected to find the other. Harrison also did not expect to find an elderly, mostly blind dog who goes thud in the night (actually, around the clock). Amy wasn't surprised by the dog seeing as she's the one who brought her. And, by the way, that dog stole every single scene she was in...and she was in quite a few. They absolutely did not expect to be sharing their space with multiple uninvited guests who promise to stay out of their way but this is a rom-com and we all know how that goes. The menu is set for hilarity, frustration, holiday shenanigans, personal growth, surprises (so many surprises), sneaky romantic encounters, and, just maybe, a chance to fall in love and forge a new path...together.  

While it was Snowing overflows with sparkling banter, impeccably-placed humor, emotional depth, slow-burn romance, and pure entertainment from start to finish. I loved it and plan to make it an annual holiday read. 

Have you read Julia London?

Do you enjoy books with mature lead characters?

Do you have any annual holiday re-reads? What are they?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 9 will receive a print copy of While it was Snowing.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - The Heartbreak Hotel

The Heartbreak Hotel

by Ellen O'Clover

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: September 23, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Louisa Walsh emerged from a tumultuous childhood with a degree in counseling, a wealthy boyfriend, and her sunny outlook on life mostly intact. But that optimism is tested when she’s dumped and left unable to afford rent on their gorgeous house in the mountains of Colorado. Even with her life in disarray, Lou knows losing the one stable place she’s ever called home is not an option.

Her plan: ask her reclusive landlord, Henry Rhodes, to let her stay for free in exchange for renting out the house’s many rooms as a bed-and-breakfast. She’s shocked when he agrees to her terms, and even more surprised to discover Henry is a handsome thirtysomething veterinarian with silver at his temples and sadness in his eyes. One who does not take it well when Lou starts marketing her B and B as a retreat for the recently heartbroken.

But as the Comeback Inn opens its doors to its weary, hopeful guests, Lou and Henry find themselves dancing around both their undeniable connection and the closely held secrets that threaten to topple this fragile new start. A chance at love, here, could be too close to home…or it could be exactly where their hearts finally heal.

PJ's Thoughts:

Heartbreak, hope, and healing are the cornerstones of this achingly emotional debut romance by Ellen O'Clover. 

When Louisa "Lou" Walsh's long-time relationship with her boyfriend comes to a screeching - and very public - halt, she retreats to the house in the mountains that they've been renting for years. For Lou, who survived a tumultuous childhood, it's the only place that has ever felt like home and she's desperate to stay but she also knows she has no way of affording the rent by herself. Maybe she can convince the owner to let her take the huge house in a different direction? 

Henry reluctantly agrees to let Lou (temporarily) turn the house into a retreat for the broken-hearted though he has strong doubts about how well that will go. However, it's hard for him to say no to the woman he's been attracted to for years but has kept his distance from...until now. 

Thus begins a journey of growth and healing for Lou, Henry, and the visitors to the Comeback Inn. O'Clover seamlessly weaves characters and their stories into a tapestry of friendship - and romance - as individual stories unfold and new ones are written. The characters, dealing with a variety of realistic and relatable heartbreaks, are vividly depicted as they organically evolve over the course of their time at the Comeback Inn, adding texture, humor, conflict, and hope to the overall story. For Lou and Henry, it's a deeply emotional, ultimately uplifting journey with slow-burn romance, personal growth, intense vulnerability, and complicated family dynamics on the way to a hard-won happy ending. 

I'm looking forward to discovering what Ellen O'Clover will bring readers next. 

Review - - Otherwise Engaged

Otherwise Engaged

by Susan Mallery

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: November 4, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

When Shannon gets engaged, her beloved mom, Cindy, is the first person she wants to tell—and the last. Cindy’s engaged, too, and has already hinted at a double wedding. The image of a synchronized bouquet toss with her mom fills Shannon with horror. She’ll keep her engagement a secret until Cindy’s I-dos are done.

Victoria has never been proper enough for her mother, Ava, so she stopped trying. She lives on her own terms and amuses herself by pushing Ava’s buttons. Ava loves but doesn’t understand her stuntwoman daughter. When a movie-set mishap brings Victoria home, Ava longs to finally connect.

Chance brings the four women together at a wedding venue, where a shocking secret comes tumbling out. Twenty-four years ago, desperate teenager Cindy chose wealthy Ava to adopt her baby—then changed her mind at the very last second. The loss rocked Ava’s world, leaving her unable to open her heart to the daughter she did adopt, Victoria. As Shannon and Victoria deal with the fallout from the decisions their mothers made, they wrestle with whether who they are is different than who they might have become.

PJ's Thoughts:

Wow, what a roller coaster of a ride! Mallery digs into all the messy, precarious, sometimes volatile emotions of mother-daughter relationships and the impact they have on her characters' lives. And, in this book, that impact is mighty. 

Imagine discovering as an adult that your entire life was supposed to be different. That's what happens to Shannon and Victoria, two women with very different upbringings and very different relationships with their mothers. For one, the revelation explains so much about why she and her mother have never connected. For the other, it threatens the close - maybe too close - bond between mother and daughter. The fallout is immense, as one would expect, and expertly revealed, one piece at a time, by Mallery.

The twists never stop coming in this story, pulling me into the lives of these characters and keeping me invested while wondering what would happen next. The relationships are complicated, the emotions complex, and the resolutions hard won. Mallery doesn't shy away from the messiness, the ramifications of mistakes made or the devastation of heartrending decisions. It all feels very authentic and relatable. 

Aside from the relationships among the women, there are also romantic relationships (marriage, secret engagement, dating) that do not go untouched in the aftermath of the revelation of those long-held secrets. It all unfolds organically with expected difficulties along the way but results in long-overdue growth, healing, and hope for stronger relationships going forward. The process isn't easy but it's ultimately rewarding. 

This story grabbed me from the beginning and held me enthralled throughout, right up until the abrupt, what-the-heck ending. I was sure I had received a corrupted file and there were missing pages but, nope. That was the end. Maybe it's the romance reader in me but it just felt unfinished. I wanted more closure for these characters. An epilogue or even a few more pages could have given me that and made this a five-star read (for me). Other readers may feel differently. My issues aside, Otherwise Engaged is still a deeply emotional, immersive, well-written book and one I highly recommend. 

Winner - - Pickle Perfect

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

Pickle Perfect by Ilana Long is:

traveler

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Coming Attractions & Giveaway - - November

 

Welcome to November! Are you ready to dive into new books as we gear up for the winter holidays? Here's what's on the schedule.

First up on Tuesday, November 4 is a review of Susan Mallery's Otherwise Engaged. This deeply emotional women's fiction novel from Mallery is filled with secrets, messy family dynamics, and more than one unexpected revelation. 

Wednesday, November 5 brings a review of The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover. This debut novel is heartbreaking, hopeful, and satisfyingly romantic. 

Don't miss a review - and giveaway - of While it Was Snowing by Julia London on Thursday, November 6. Mature characters, forced proximity, chaotic family, humor, heart, happy endings, and a mostly blind senior dog who stole every scene she was in kept me enjoying this story late into the night. 

Monday, November 10 brings a review of Claiming the Princess by Charis Michaels. This final book in the Hidden Royals trilogy hit all my happy reader buttons. 

Join us on Tuesday, November 11 for Santa's tour review - and a giveaway - of The Marriage Narrative by Claire Kann. I'm eager to read what Santa has to say about this modern marriage of convenience romance. 

Wednesday, November 12 brings a grumpy/grumpy romance in Cowboy, It's Cold Outside by Maisey Yates. This final book in Yates' Four Corners Ranch series brings emotional depth, snappy banter, chemistry for days, and a chance at an unexpected HEA for the least likely couple in Pyrite Falls. 

Those confirmed-bachelor Fletcher brothers - and their matchmaking niece - are back with a friends-to-lovers romance in Honeymoon Phase by Amy Daws. Stop by on Thursday, November 13 for a review where I'll be talking about the laughter, shenanigans, and heartfelt emotion to be found in this book. 

On Friday, November 14, I'll be sharing a review of Snowfall in Park City, book two of Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott's humorous and heartwarming holiday quartet. 

Join us on Monday, November 17 for a review of The Christmas Keepsake by Annie Rains, a small-town story of hope, healing, family, and love. 

Be sure to stop by on Wednesday, November 19 for a review and giveaway of The Secret Christmas Library by Jenny Colgan. Colgan's holiday books always grace my must-buy list. 

Friday, November 21 takes us back to Highbury for book two in Vanessa Kelly's cozy, historical Emma Knightley Mysteries series. Stop by to read my thoughts about Murder at Donwell Abbey. 

Don't miss my review of Second Chance Romance by Olivia Dade on Monday, November 24. This hilarious, steamy, grumpy/grumpy romance checked all of my happy reader boxes and is one of my favorite books this year. 

Santa returns on Tuesday, November 25 with a review of The Marriage Method by Mimi Matthews. This enemies-to-lovers, historical romance is book two in Matthews' The Crinoline Academy series. 

That wraps up the month of November at The Romance Dish. What books are you looking forward to reading this month?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 4 will receive a print copy of Love Lessons by Sidney Halston. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - Sleigh Bells in Park City

Sleigh Bells in Park City

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

Christmas in the Canyons - Book 1

Publisher: Holloway and Scott

Release Date: October 24, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

It’s never too late to come home for the holidays. At the cozy, family-run Snowberry Lodge, the Christmas season stirs up more than just festive cheer. For Cindy Kessler, it brings the shocking arrival of her ex-husband Jack—along with the return of his world-famous sleigh rides and the spark they never quite lost. Could this be the second chance at love or just one more goodbye?

Cindy’s daughter Nicole is facing a different kind of challenge. After a childhood ski accident shattered her confidence, she swore off the slopes for good. But when someone she loves needs her, Nicole may have to confront the fear she’s kept buried for years.

Meanwhile, ten-year-old Benny and his great-grandpa Red are cooking up some merry mischief—a secret holiday scheme that just might pull off a Christmas miracle and save the lodge.

PJ's Thoughts:

Co-written by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott, Sleigh Bells in Park City takes readers to the mountains of Utah with the first book in what looks to be another heart-tugging holiday quartet by two of my favorite authors.

Holloway and Scott always bring the feels and there are plenty of them in this heartwarming story. I laughed, shed a few tears, laughed some more, and fell in love with each member of this close-knit family...all four generations...and the horse. How could I not fall in love with Copper? 

If this book doesn't have you wanting to hit the slopes (it's the bunny hill for me), take a ride through the snow in a horse-drawn sleigh (preferably under a starlit sky), cheer on a long overdue second chance romance, indulge in the baked delights at Sugarfall Bakery, sip hot cocoa by a roaring fire, and watch an endless loop of hilarious Grumpy Santa videos courtesy of the youngest and oldest members of the Snowberry Lodge family, then are you even paying attention? I'm ready for all that and more. Luckily, I don't have to wait long for more Snowberry Lodge stories. The four books in this series will all be published over the next two months with the final book dropping just after Christmas. 

Note: This quartet has continuing characters with a different family member/couple taking center stage in each book. No cliffhangers!

When do you start reading holiday books? What's your ideal setting for a Christmas getaway, fictional or real life? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, November 3 will receive a print copy of The Summer We Met (book one, The Destin Diaries) by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Witches of Dubious Origin

Witches of Dubious Origin

by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Zoe Ziakas enjoys a quiet life, working as a librarian in her quaint New England town. When a mysterious black book with an unbreakable latch is delivered to the library, Zoe has a strange feeling the tome is somehow calling to her. She decides to consult the Museum of Literature, home to volumes of indecipherable secrets, some possessing dark magic that must be guarded.

Here, among their most dangerous collection, the Books of Dubious Origin, Zoe discovers that she is the last descendant of a family of witches and this little black book is their grimoire. Zoe knows she must decode the family’s spell book and solve the mystery of what happened to her mother and her grandmother. However, the book’s potential power draws all things magical to it, and Zoe finds herself under the constant watch of a pesky raven, while being chased by undead Vikings, ghost pirates, and assorted ghouls.

With assistance from the eccentric staff of the Books of Dubious Origin department—including their annoyingly smart and handsome containment specialist, Jasper Griffin—Zoe must confront her past and the legacy of her family. But as their adventure unfolds, she’ll have to decide whether or not she’s ready to embrace her destiny.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jenn McKinlay is an author whose books have entertained me for years. From contemporary romance to cozy mysteries to women's fiction, she's never let me down. So, it was with this background that I began reading her newest book, Witches of Dubious Origin, a spooky, quirky, mysterious, action-packed tale that took me in an absolute delight of a new direction. Honestly, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. 

The characters are all impeccably depicted and masterfully interwoven to add richness, texture, humor, and a dash of romantic potential. The books, characters in their own right, captivated me with their magic and the keepers of the Books of Dubious Origin (BODO) are a lively, eclectic crew who are with Zoe, leading, mentoring, and supporting her the entire way. Even the Viking zombies, ghost pirates, and other ghoulies leap from the pages with incredibly vivid authenticity. Or, at least, as authentic as I would imagine them to be. 

When I'm so immersed in a book that when I finally turn the last page (at 2:27 AM), all I want to do it go back to page one and read it all over again, that book is one I want to tell ALL my bookish friends about. Witches of Dubious Origin is that book. I laughed, gasped, sighed, shed a few tears, and clutched the edge of my seat as I lost myself in this quirky, cozy, fantasy gem that's perfect for Halloween month - or any month - reading. Librarians for the win. Reluctant Librarian witches? Even better! Don't miss this one. I loved it. 

I don't know if McKinlay has plans to write more books featuring the adventures of  Zoe and the rest of the BODO crew but I sure hope she will consider it. I would be first in line to buy them!

 

Review - - Forever in Alaska

Forever in Alaska

by Belle Calhoune

Moose Falls, Alaska - Book 3

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: October 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

The youngest of three brothers, Landon Stone would do anything for his grandmother, Hattie—even return to his hometown of Moose Falls. Hattie’s heart is set on her grandsons taking over the family business—and finding their happily-ever-afters in Alaska. When Hattie gets the idea that Landon is romantically entangled with his gorgeous colleague, Bailey Daniels, Landon doesn’t just go along with it—he asks Bailey to join the ruse.

Bailey isn’t sure if she agrees because she adores Hattie for helping her family through their darkest times . . . or because she finds the charmingly nerdy Landon completely irresistible. Either way, it’s extremely easy to appear totally into him. But as they collaborate at work—and after hours—to make Hattie’s Christmas extra special, Bailey and Landon’s relationship starts to feel all too real. What if the only people Landon and Bailey are fooling this season . . . are themselves?

PJ's Thoughts:

Belle Calhoune brings her Moose Falls, Alaska trilogy to a conclusion with another heartwarming story of family, friendship, and love. 

Landon is charming, nerdy, and an absolute sweetheart. My heart hurt for the betrayal he suffered before returning to Alaska. I understood why he, a scientist at heart, was so conflicted about staying to run the family business with his brothers versus returning to California to clear his name. With his huge heart, it was also understandable that he would enter into a fake relationship with Bailey to make his ailing grandmother happy. What fun watching that relationship blossom into something real.

Bailey has her own share of emotional baggage along with complicated dynamics within her own family. I enjoyed her journey, with Landon, with her mother and sisters, and with Hattie. It was fun to watch those relationships evolve over time as characters opened up and confronted painful memories in organic ways. Calhoune always brings me characters and events that feel realistic and relatable. 

Each of the books in this series tugged at my heartstrings but this third and final one really amps up the emotions. By this time, the Stone brothers and their grandmother, Hattie all feel like family which makes the emotional heft of the events in this book all the more powerful. Hattie is a larger than life character who I absolutely adored. I love her humor, her loving meddling, her strength, and her determination to live each day to the fullest in spite of the hand she's been dealt. We should all be fortunate enough to have a Hattie in our lives.  

If you're looking for a heartfelt journey with terrific sibling dynamics, reunited family, and endearing romance, I recommend all three books in this series: Falling for Alaska, Flirting with Alaska, and Forever in Alaska. The books can be read as standalones though, for me, they are much more enjoyable if read in order. 

CW: family death