Review & Giveaway - - The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn

by Valerie Bowman

Honeycrisp Orchard Romance - Book 1

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: September 9, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Ellie Lawson’s city life was treating her just fine until a sour turn of events knocks her out in one fell swoop. Dumped by her boyfriend and fired from her event planning job, she is left with no choice but to return to her parents’ idyllic inn, nestled within a picturesque Honeycrisp orchard on Long Island. Anticipating a quiet hiatus in the attic apartment, she is instead met with Aiden, the stubborn, attractive son of the orchard owner who is currently occupying her planned refuge.

Forced together by circumstance, they find themselves not only roommates but also coworkers, when they’re put in charge by their parents of the orchard’s vital Harvest Festival, a lifeline for both the struggling orchard and the inn. Amidst the enchanting disorder of small-town life, Ellie and Aiden grapple with their conflicting values, burgeoning feelings, and an electrifying tension.

PJ's Thoughts:

Are you ready to turn the page to autumn? In the mood for crisper days, leaves changing color, hot cider, caramel apples, and small-town festivals? If so, do I have a book for you! 

Valerie Bowman's The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn is a feel-good, reunion romance brimming over with cozy fall vibes. Think Hallmark movie with spice. There's the city girl who couldn't get away from her small town fast enough, now returned home but not planning to stay, the boy next door who never wanted to leave and also never owned up to the crush he's been nurturing since they were kids, and the simmering attraction between them threatening to burst into flame. Think forced proximity, sparkling banter, awakening attraction, a bit of steam, and a deep, enduring, emotional payoff.  

Bowman surrounds the main couple with a terrific cast of supporting characters, building a community of citizens who offer up humor, teasing, and the unsolicited advice that comes from people who have known you your whole life. We also meet friends and family members who not only contribute to the progression of this story but also set up future books in the series with intriguing pairings and characters I can't wait to learn more about. 

And then there are the four-legged characters. How could I possibly resist Argos, Aiden's donut stealing Lab, Miss Guin, Ellie's parents' overly enthusiastic goat, or Pumpkin, her family's laid-back, orange pajama wearing Pug? All three pretty much steal every scene they're in. 

If you're looking for a warm hug of a book to take you from summer into fall with humor, heart, and happy endings, pick up a copy of The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn by Valerie Bowman. I highly recommend it. 

What are your favorite things about autumn? 

Are you an all things apple person (like I am) or do you have other seasonal foods that make your taste buds dance?

Have you read any books by Valerie Bowman yet?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, September 11 will receive a print copy of The Honeycrisp Orchard Inn.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - Gabriela and His Grace

Gabriela and His Grace

by Liana De la Rosa

The Luna Sisters - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

A scandalous arrangement between a hellion heiress and destitute duke reveals truths that neither can outrun….

As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.

For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?

PJ's Thoughts:

Before I talk about this book, I'd like to pay tribute to the creators of the beautiful cover. The Luna Sisters trilogy has been blessed with covers that are representative of the rich, colorful, Mexican heritage of the main characters as well as the beauty of De la Rosa's writing but they have outdone themselves with the cover of this final book. It. Is. Stunning. 

I approached this last book in the Luna Sisters trilogy with mixed feelings. Saying goodbye to these characters filled me with sadness but at the same time, I was eager to take this journey with Gabby and Sebastian, the couple whose story I had been eagerly anticipating since book one. I just knew all that snarky banter in books one and two had to be hiding some amazing chemistry. I read their story in one day. They refused to let me set them aside until they had reached their hard-won happily ever after.

De la Rosa sent the series - and our couple - out on a high note with a fast-paced, adventurous, swoony story that made the most of many of my favorite tropes: road romance (on land and sea), forced proximity (only one ship cabin), only one bed (in that cabin), and adversaries to lovers (so many sparks). I loved the development of these characters, individually and as a couple. The author took her time with them, revealing hidden layers that showed the strengths and vulnerabilities of each along with the deep, emotional wounds delivered by members of their families. The growth, healing, and love found between Sebastian and Gabby was a joy to experience. I pulled so hard for these two. 

The Mexican historical and cultural representation in this book - in the entire series - added texture and richness to the stories, making them even more enjoyable and unique. The way De la Rosa weaved historical facts and figures into the fiction created a vibrant and authentic picture of what life might have been for these three Mexican heiresses whose parents sent them to England when their country was occupied. They made their mark across the ocean but the hearts that held their beloved Mexico close never wavered. 

If you enjoy richly textured historical romance with beautifully developed characters, historical accuracy, authentic cultural representation, complicated family dynamics, humor, heart, and happy endings, I highly recommend Gabriela and His Grace, as well as books one and two of this trilogy, Ana Maria and the Fox and Isabel and the Rogue. 

Review - - The Summer We Kept Secrets

The Summer We Kept Secrets

by Hope Holloway and Cecelia Scott

The Destin Diaries - Book 4

Publisher: Self published

Release Date: August 15, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

Seven summers. Two families. One beach house. And a diary that holds all the secrets.

As the sun beats down on Destin, life at the Summer House takes a dramatic turn—starting with its tiniest new arrival. As Jonah settles into life as a single father of a newborn, he has to imagine a future he never dared to dream. When his seemingly perfect sister shows up with a few secrets of her own, the entire family dynamic is forced to shift.

Tessa is stepping into a new chapter—one that asks her to choose between playing it safe or taking the kind of risk that changes everything. And when Kate returns to Destin to see if her spark with Eli still burns, they face a test that could easily mean the end of this budding romance.

Meanwhile, Maggie must confront her deepest fears as she and Jo Ellen set off on a secret adventure that is equal parts heartstopping and hilarious.

In a season of sunshine and second chances, some secrets are meant to stay buried. But others will come to light and bring these two intertwined families ever closer...and forever changed.

PJ's Thoughts:

Each book in this series has taken me on an emotional journey filled with laughter, tears, heartbreak, hope, and love. And, each book in this series has left me eager to return to this beautiful Destin beach house for more time with the Lawson and Wylie families. I have no idea what I'm going to do when I turn the final page of the seventh book. I guess I'll have to go back to book one and read them all again. I love these characters that much. 

The Summer We Kept Secrets continues the evolving relationships that have grown over the course of the first three books while also introducing course changes that will impact all of our characters. The authors have developed these characters to the point where they all feel like friends which, of course, heightens the emotional impact of every shift and obstacle life throws their way. I am so invested in each and every one of them!

One of the facets I love about this series is the attention given to each generation. Whether it's a young child struggling in school, twenty-somethings searching for their life path, middle-age couples testing romantic waters for a second time, seniors setting off on unexpected adventures, or an unexpected reunion that may (or may not) lead to a fifty-something woman finding love for the first time, each generation is given their due. 

In this book, I especially loved the time allotted to the two family matriarchs and their secret adventure. I laughed, cringed, laughed more, and sighed with deep satisfaction as two women (my age) challenged themselves, expanded their horizons, faced their fears, and opened their minds to new possibilities. 

I can't wait to discover what Holloway and Scott have planned for all of their characters in book five.  As each book in this series builds upon on the previous ones, I strongly recommend reading them in order. 

Review & Giveaway - - He Falls First

He Falls First

by Jill Shalvis

Colburn Brothers - Book 1

Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing, Inc.

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

No one is going to convince her to fall in love again...

Ryder Colburn has his hands full running the family business and caring for the ailing father who’s a virtual stranger from the cold, heavy-handed man he used to be. He’s got zero free time for hobbies or women. Or so he thinks until one walks into his life… and the path of an oncoming car.

Ryder doesn’t mind playing the hero for the skittish, scarred chef Penny. Maybe it’s the secrets in her eyes or the scar on her chin. Whatever the reason, he’s compelled to get closer.

Penny’s learned her lesson and now she’s paying the price. That’s why she’s sharing a dilapidated house in a tiny California town with her feisty grandmother and tween brother living off the leftovers from her catering job. It’s a far cry from her dream life. But who needs dreams… or love… or sex when there’s amateur plumbing projects to tackle and breakfast casseroles to bake?

One thing’s for sure, she’s never falling in love again. Not even with the sexy, snarky contractor who keeps testing the walls she’s built.

PJ's Thoughts:

Jill Shalvis is back and she's better than ever. He Falls First launches a new series from Shalvis featuring a family of four siblings with an emotionally fraught background. This first book is both sweet and steamy, with sparkling banter, complicated family dynamics, humor, emotional depth and a swoon-worthy happily ever after. 

I love the community of characters Shalvis has built within this book. Both Penny's and Ryder's families offer abundant opportunity for messy emotions, comic relief, growth, hope, and healing. Of course, Penny and Ryder are at the center of the story but their supporting cast is richly textured, both in moving the central relationship forward as well as introducing sibling personalities and setting the stage for future stories. 

Ryder is such a good guy. And hot. Did I mention he's hot? I really loved how caring and protective he was of Penney and how their deepening relationship helped them both begin to heal. I also loved Penney's commitment to her family, and her determination to move forward with her life no matter how difficult. I'm fully on board with their romance and looking forward to watching it continue to blossom as the series progresses. 

A strong element of this book is surviving abuse. In the case of the Colburns, it's made more complicated due to the fact that the man who abused them (their father) is now completely at their mercy due to a life-changing stroke. Having been through two severe strokes with family members, I was impressed by the authenticity and care used by the author in describing this character's current personality and actions without erasing his past actions. It's a complex storyline that raises a number of thought-provoking issues. 

If you enjoy immersive contemporary romances that pull you into the characters' lives, make you laugh, make you think, maybe shed a tear or two, and celebrate hard-earned happy endings, check out He Falls First by Jill Shalvis. The fact that there are more Colburn brothers waiting in the wings for their own story is a happy, cherry-on-the-top bonus! 

Have you read Jill Shalvis?

Do you enjoy a series that features siblings?

Penney turns out some mouth-watering breakfast delights in this book. Do you have a favorite breakfast item to make? Or, if you don't bake, what's your favorite item to order?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), August 7 will receive a print copy of Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis. 

U.S. only

Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - That Last Carolina Summer

That Last Carolina Summer

by Karen White

Publisher: Park Row

Release Date: July 22, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

As a child, Phoebe Manigault developed the gift of premonition after she was struck by lightning in the creek near her Charleston home. Plagued throughout her life by mysterious dreams, and always living in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Addie, Phoebe eventually moves to the West Coast, as far from her family as possible. Now, years later, she is summoned back to South Carolina, to help Addie care for their ailing mother.

As Phoebe’s return lures her back into deep-rooted tensions and conflicts, she is drawn to Celeste, whose granddaughter went missing years ago. Their connection brings comfort to Phoebe, while Celeste’s adult grandson Liam resurrects complicated emotions tied to Phoebe’s past.

But the longer Phoebe spends in her childhood home, the more her recurring nightmares intensify—bringing her closer to the shocking truth that will irrevocably change everything. Unfolding against the lush backdrop of the South Carolina Lowcountry, That Last Carolina Summer is an unforgettable story about the unbreakable bonds of family and the gift of second chances.

PJ's Thoughts:

Karen White paints a picture with her words of South Carolina's Lowcountry in her newest novel, That Last Carolina Summer. From the weather to the food to the topography, the southern turns of phrase, character traits, and more, the uniqueness of this region is brought to life on the pages of this book. I could feel the dense, sultry humidity of the air on my skin, hear the whispers of marsh grass swaying in the breeze, smell the brine of the nearby ocean, and tingle with electricity from incoming storms. And speaking of storms, there are more than a few, some created by the weather while others spring from long-held family secrets. 

This was such a compelling, immersive read. White kept me on my toes with these complex characters and their twisty, emotional journey. She plunked me right down in the middle of this fractured, three-generation family and the challenges facing them one turbulent summer. I never felt like an outside observer; I was right there with them experiencing each new revelation and the multitude of emotional reactions elicited. 

Then there's the masterfully constructed mystery element of the book surrounding an event at the core of those long-held secrets, a devastating truth with ripples still being felt many years later, with long-delayed answers just out of reach. I kept flipping pages long into the night trying to figure out if my guesses were correct and what, if any, impact those answers would have for the characters involved.  

If you enjoy multi-generation, Southern stories with rich authenticity, complicated family dynamics, romantic elements, and a twisty mystery, add The Last Carolina Summer to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

Have you read any of Karen White's books?

What book have you recently read where you felt immersed in a particular setting?

I named some of the attributes that are unique to the Lowcountry setting in That Last Carolina Summer. What are attributes that would describe the region where you live?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), July 25 will receive a hard cover copy of That Last Carolina Summer.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Review - - Sweet Thing

Sweet Thing

by Kate Meader

Chicago Players - Book 1

Publisher: Kate Meader LLC

Release Date: July 15, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

My dad's teammate needs a nanny and I need a job. Sounds perfect, right? Except for my massive crush on him ... the one he knows all about.

Lars

I just found out I’m a dad.

My one-night stand dropped a baby bombshell in my local bar where I was celebrating my team’s win. Then she fled, leaving me holding my new daughter.

Thank God for Adeline. The daughter of my teammate and closest friend on the Chicago Rebels, she practically raised her little sister and knows exactly how to deal with this situation. I need a nanny; she needs a job. Problem sorted, right?

Not so fast …

Adeline

I think you’re the sexiest guy alive.

That’s what Lars Nyquist overheard me say while recounting my embarrassing crush on him. Yeah, that Lars Nyquist. Defenseman for the Chicago Rebels. Owner of the thickest thighs in the league. More than a decade my senior. Oh, and my dad’s teammate.

My only option? Leave the country, of course. Luckily, I’d already planned a round-the-world trip with my bestie and by the time I returned to Chicago a year later, I expected my blunder would be long forgotten. Shows what I know. Now I’m lying awake in the bedroom next to his while playing nanny to his surprise little girl. But I can ignore this stupid infatuation. I have to. Even though the sight of Lars learning to be a dad leaves me breathless and takes that crush to a whole other level.

One that has the potential to break my sorry little heart …

PJ's Thoughts:

Kate Meader keeps upping her game with each book she writes. Fan of her Chicago Rebels and Rookie Rebels hockey romance books? You're going to love this first book in her next generation series. Fan of Theo Kershaw (Insta Crush) - and c'mon, who isn't? - you're going to love seeing him still playing hockey (he's team captain now), still wildly in love with his wife, a father five times over, and the protective dad of this book's heroine. New to the Rebels world but a fan of steamy, humorous, emotion-packed, feel-good romance with characters who feel like friends by the time you finish their book? Jump right in with Sweet Thing. Lars and Adeline are ready to take you on the best kind of ride. 

Kate Meader has mad writing skills and they are all front and center in this newest book in her Chicago hockey world. Filled with delicious tropes (surprise single dad/age-gap romance/chosen family/teen crush/teammate's daughter), I was hooked from the first chapter. I laughed, I cried, I felt all the feelings. 

I appreciate that Adeline was given the time away to experience life a bit between her awkward crush declaration and the beginning of her romantic journey with Lars. Though she's 13 years younger, she's now at a point in her life where she holds her own in the relationship with quiet strength and maturity. I love how she grows into the self realization of those qualities while not only finally finding her path in life but also her own Great Love Story. Trademark.

How could I not fall in love with Lars. He's a man alone, carrying some significant emotional baggage, who craves the warmth and acceptance he's found with Adeline's family during her year abroad (while not entirely sure he deserves it), acceptance - and friendship - that could be sacrificed if he gives in to his growing feelings for his best friend and teammate's daughter. I love the yearning between these two, the foundation of support and respect that centers their friendship, the ever-deepening feelings, the sensual chemistry, and the love that, ultimately, will not be denied. I pulled so hard for them.

The balance of humor and emotional depth in this story (in all of Meader's stories, really) gives it the heart and authenticity that mirrors real life. By the time I finished, I felt like these characters were my friends, like I knew them intimately. I hadn't just read about their journey; I had experienced every ebb and flow with them. 

While Lars, Adeline (and baby Mabel) are the primary focus of this book, the heart and soul do not reside exclusively with them. The supporting cast - including Adeline's family and other Rebels families - are an integral part of the story, offering fond remembrances of the past, a richly textured tapestry in the present, and a glimpse of the future. 

Other Kershaw siblings are waiting in the wings for their own stories and I, for one, cannot wait to discover what Meader has planned for them. Next up is Rebel Bride, featuring Addy's older brother, Hatch, scheduled to be released October 21, 2025. 

Review - - Keeping it Real

Keeping it Real

by Tracy Solheim

Milwaukee Mayhem - Book 1

Publisher: Sun Home Productions

Release Date: June 30, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

His best friend stole his girl - and married her.

Now, Milwaukee Mayhem goalie Alek Bergeron is riding payback straight to the top of his game. He's got one goal left: hoist the Cup and rub it in his former best friend's face. But just as the season is about to start, a phone call from the past lands like a body check to the gut.

A twist of fate.

Sheridan Cobert has made a career out of caring for others, but nothing prepares her for the loss of her only sibling-or the shock of learning he named Alek Bergeron, not her, as guardian of her nephew. The same Alek who shattered her teenage heart nearly a decade earlier.

Alek's life is on the ice, his schedule insane. The last thing he needs is a rambunctious little boy and a jockstrap-murdering dog-not to mention the not so little sister of the guy he hates-upending his neatly ordered world. But neither of them is willing to give up custody, so they strike a fragile truce: cohabitation until the end of the season.

What could go wrong?

Only everything.

Because sharing his home with the girl he was never supposed to touch is messing with Alek's game. Especially now that she's grown into a tempting, sexy woman. For her part, Sheridan is having difficulty keeping her lips off the guy she's crushed on for half her life. As the season heats up, so do the nights-and so does the guilt. Because Sheridan is keeping a decade-old secret that could destroy the fragile future their makeshift family is building.

PJ's Thoughts:

All the feelings. 

This first book in Tracy Solheim's new hockey romance series gave me everything I could have wanted...and then some. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough the first time through. During the second reading, I slowed down and savored each step, each word, each twist and turn of this deeply emotional, healing, heart-tugging journey of found family, second chances, and forever love. 

Solheim has filled this book with humor, forgiveness, a bit of a mystery, locker-room antics, instant fatherhood, complex feelings, an adorable dog, all kinds of chemistry, and swoon-worthy romance. It's a winning combination that sent Keeping it Real straight to my Tracy Solheim keeper shelf.

I'm already excited for the next book in the Milwaukee Mayhem series where team owner, Max Kellogg will take center stage. I can't wait to discover what Solheim has planned for his story!

 

Review - - Thus With A Kiss I Die

Thus With A Kiss I Die

by Christina Dodd

Daughter of Montague - Book 2

Publisher: Kensington: A John Scognamiglio Book

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

“Woe, for I am the bug that meets the windshield's might,
No longer the speeding glass, smooth, clean and bright . . .”

You’re right. I, Rosie Montague of Verona, am lousy at iambic pentameter and Shakespeare speak, but you get the point: Sometimes you’re the windshield and sometimes you’re the bug. I, who for my whole life, have cruised along, unruffled by life’s trials, am suddenly smashed flat and speeding recklessly up the WhattheHellHappened Highway.

Why? you ask . . .

I’m 20-years-old and by my own design, never been wed, free as no married woman ever is. I’m beautiful, but without conceit, for Juliet, my legendary Mamma is the most gorgeous creature to ever walk the earth. Just ask Romeo, my legendary Papà. (Rumors of their deaths were premature.) I was heartwhole until I fell (literally) in love with Lysander of the House of Beautiful. But our love was not to be, for I was thwarted by Escalus, the Prince of Verona . . . who had designs on me.

I’m trapped.

Then! I’m presented with a solution. Escalus’s father, Prince Escalus the Elder, appears to me. He tasks that I find his killer. Did I mention Elder is a ghost?

Given that I only recently dispatched Verona’s first serial killer, I’m less than pleased. Yet Elder promises to unite me with my One True Love, so I gather clues. Meanwhile, revolution threatens, for beneath Verona society’s glittering surface lurk dark shadows—and an enemy eager to make me a tragic heroine in my own right . . .

PJ's Thoughts:

I highlighted so many brilliantly witty and downright hilarious passages in this book it would be easier to tell you what I didn't highlight than what I did. Remember this paragraph from my review of book one, A Daughter of Fair Verona?

Five minutes into the book, I was already snort-laughing while reading passages out loud to my sister-in-law. On almost every page, I would call out, "OMG! You have to hear this!" then read a sentence, or a paragraph, or the whole darn page to her. She left after about the tenth time I did this because (a) she wants to enjoy the book in its entirety once it's published and (b) at the rate I was going I would have read the entire book out loud because it's just that good and she had things to do. 

I did the exact same thing with book two. Warning: Do not read this book while eating. Or drinking. 

This newest installment in Dodd's Daughter of Montague (yes, that Montague) series follows the continuing journey of irrepressible, irreverent, amateur sleuth, Rosie Montague, her big, loving, madcap family, another murder to solve, and her unexpected romantic dilemma. When you're being pursued by both the Prince of Verona and the impossibly handsome Lysander (her One True Love...or is he?) and everyone has an opinion, including your heavily pregnant and hormonal mother (Juliet), overprotective father (Romeo), meddlesome family nurse (aren't they always?), all of your younger siblings (so many opinions), and (never forget) a pesky ghost with a whole lot at stake, hijinks, hilarity, danger, and a bit of romance are sure to follow, especially when placed in the uber-talented hands of Christina Dodd. She can have me gasping one second and laughing out loud the next. 

This one's a keeper. Along with book one, A Daughter of Fair Verona (I highly recommend reading them in order-read my review here), Thus with a Kiss I Die is the perfect summer book to bring warmth, laughter, a twisty mystery, a bit of romance (who will she choose?) and a bright burst of sunshine into your life. I read it in one day then turned around and read it again. Already counting down the days until the 2026(?) release of book three!

Review - - Confessions of a Grammar Queen

Confessions of a Grammar Queen

by Eliza Knight

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

There are no female publishing CEOs in 1960's New York. And that is exactly what savvy, ambitious Bernadette Swift plans to change.

Bernadette Swift, a young copyeditor at Lenox & Park Publishing, is determined to become the first female CEO in the publishing industry. But first she needs to take the next step up that ladder with a promotion that her boorish and sexist boss wants to thwart. Seeking a base of support, Bernadette joins a feminist women's book club at the New York Public Library, and soon, she's inspiring her fellow members to challenge the male gatekeepers and decades of ingrained sexism in their workplaces and pursue their personal and professional dreams.

And that is precisely what Bernadette does on a daily basis: keeps her eye on the prize—equality for women in the workplace, and a promotion—while fending off the ire of her boss and the sabotaging efforts of a jealous coworker. With the support of her book club buddies and a certain charismatic editor at Lenox & Park who has completely fallen for her, maybe, just maybe, Bernadette will prove able to claim victory for herself and the young women coming after her.

PJ's Thoughts:

Eliza Knight brings the 1960s to life with this well-researched, uplifting, unapologetically feminist story of women fighting for a seat at professional tables. I loved it!

I was with Bernadette every step of the way as she navigates the sexist culture of the New York publishing industry and her particularly horrid boss. As a grammar loving little girl who grew into a grammar-loving woman (why, yes, I did red-pencil memos I received from corporate execs), I was absolutely gleeful soaking in her extensive vocabulary and perfectly placed punctuation while editing a plethora of manuscripts (8 to 1 vs. the men!).

Female bonds are strong in this book. I especially enjoyed the clandestine book club that meets at the library. Think banned books, supportive sisters, and, ultimately, a rising up against the injustices of the reigning patriarchy. It's fun, emotional, and empowering. It is found family and sisterhood on the very best level though it isn't always easy. Knight goes deeper to explore issues, especially generational ones, that bring differing perspectives to the fore. 

While serious issues are centered in this book, the overall tone is lighter than one might expect and that is due, in large part, to Bernadette's beloved Frank. In fact, there are chapters sprinkled through the book that are told from Frank's perspective. And who, you may ask is Frank? Is he Bernadette's romantic interest? No, that title goes to a certain editor who more than earns his romance hero title. Frank is Bernadette's protector, her confidante, her best friend, and her roommate. Frank is a dog, a huge Harlequin Great Dane to be specific, and Frank has opinions. Frank's chapters bring humor, endearing emotion, and fierce loyalty to the story. I cannot imagine the book without him. 

If you're in the mood to take a step back in time (I graduated high school in 1969. I can't bring myself to call this historical fiction) and cheer on Bernadette, her co-workers, friends, and Frank as they fight the good fight for respect and equality in the workplace, add Eliza Knight's Confessions of a Grammar Queen to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it.