Review & Giveaway - - The Love Fix

The Love Fix

by Jill Shalvis

Sunrise Cove - Book 8

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 24, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Lexi Clark’s life is falling apart around her, so when she’s summoned home to Sunrise Cove, the last thing she wants to do is face all the complications she left behind. Her past, her stepsister Ashley, and especially her infuriatingly gorgeous childhood nemesis-turned-crush Heath Bowman.

Yep, Lexi’s pretty sure being home again just might kill her. She’s an overachieving art appraiser who doesn’t believe in trust, love, or Happily Ever Afters. Free spirit Ashley, on the other hand, is so full of life it hurts to look at her. But Lexi can’t refuse Ashley’s plea to honor their late mother’s final wish to make amends with the people she’d wronged.  So, on behalf of her estranged mother’s estate—and with Heath in tow as the executor—Lexi embarks on a road trip to repay all the people her gambling addicted mother owed money to. 

Complicating everything are the feelings that well up for Lexi: for her mom, for Ashley, and most of all, for Heath. And for the record, she doesn’t like it, or the way he has of scaling the walls she’s built around her heart. The road trip shenanigans that ensue are both funny and heartbreaking, but Lexi finds something shocking along the way. Acceptance. Family. And unbelievably—if you ask Lexi anyway—love.

PJ's Thoughts:

By the time I finished this book I felt like I had spent several hours with good friends. Such is the magic of Jill Shalvis' storytelling and character development. The Love Fix (wonderful title and very appropriate for this book) centers on found family, forgiveness, growth, healing, and love (both romantic and familial). It takes the three main characters on a journey of self discovery that strengthens bonds and offers new perspectives about each other as well as the person (now deceased) who ties them all together. 

As is usually the case with a Shalvis book, I laughed, shed a few tears, and turned the final page with a deep, heartfelt sigh of satisfaction. She does it to me every time.

This book brings Shalvis' Sunrise Cove series to an end. As with the other seven books in the series, The Love Fix is a standalone story with the Sunrise Cove location being the only element binding the eight books together. If you're looking for stories that will touch your heart and tickle your funny bone, check them out. I enthusiastically recommend the entire series. 

Have you been reading the Sunrise Cove series? Do you have a favorite?

I love that I can read the books in this series in any order. Have you read any other series that are comprised of standalone stories? 

What's on your reading agenda for this weekend? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (EDT), June 28 will receive a print copy of The Love Fix. 

U.S. only

Must be 18

Review - - Better Than Friends

Better Than Friends

by Jill Shalvis

The Sunrise Cove Series - Book 7

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: January 21. 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.

So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward?

PJ's Thoughts:

In my opinion, the books in the Sunrise Cove series are some of the best Jill Shalvis has written. They're a blend of women's fiction and romance with a touch of mystery in some, combining the author's quirky humor with heart-tugging emotion. Better Than Friends, the newest addition to the series, is one of my favorites. 

There are three main threads in this book: friendship, family, and romance. Let's tackle friendship first. I loved the relationship between Olive and Katie, two very different people whose bonds have stood the test of time, distance, and near tragedy. The respect, understanding, and support between these two is unbreakable, as evidenced by the fact that Olive drops everything in a heartbeat to fly across the ocean when Katie's husband is injured. I love how these women love, support, respect, and challenge one another; how they bring out the best in one another while at the same time not trying to change who they are at their core. On the flip side of their friendship is the one between Noah (Katie's brother) and Katie's husband, Joe (Noah's best friend). Shalvis captures a strong, loving, supportive friendship between two men that touched my emotions with both its strength and its vulnerability. 

Families are another important facet of this book. We have your mildly dysfunctional, extremely dysfunctional, and lovingly supportive family members, all of whom play critical roles in the evolution of the main characters and all of whom are realistically depicted by the author.

And then there's the romance between Noah and Olive, a childhood friends-to enemies-to lovers journey that is humorous, heartfelt, emotional, and helped along by matchmaking friends and one adorable little boy. I really pulled hard for these two. 

If you're looking for a book to pull you out of the mid-January doldrums, pick up a copy of Better Than Friends. The spice is light, the emotion is deep, the humor is classic Shalvis, and the ending is happy and hopeful. What more could I ask for? 

Review & Giveaway - - The Summer Escape

The Summer Escape

by Jill Shalvis

The Sunrise Cove Series - Book 6

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 11, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest—especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything—so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace? 

It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their departed dad’s name. Owen, though, is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together Anna and Owen go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot).  

On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen—their hearts have been as well.

PJ's Thoughts:

The Summer Escape, the sixth (standalone) book in the Sunrise Cove series, is going straight to my personal Jill Shalvis Hall of Fame. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it's one of my top five all-time Shalvis favorites. I've already read it twice. I have no doubt I'll visit it again. It double checked all of my happy reader boxes. 

Shalvis has packed this book with everything I enjoy about her writing and them some. The book is perfectly paced. At no point in the reading did it lag or lose my interest. The snappy banter between Anna and Owen barely conceals the growing chemistry between them in an adversaries-to-lovers trope that evolves into sleuthing partners before pesky feelings show up to play and things get real. I loved these two and the way their relationship unfolded, especially with Anna's sister along for the ride. 

Let's talk about Wendy, Anna's bedridden-bored-out-of-her-mind-enornously-pregnant-with-triplets older sister. I adored the dynamics between these two. Love, snarky humor, exasperation...did I mention love? Their bond is unbreakable but also contains issues that need to be worked through. Such is the case when the older sibling has not only been your mother figure since birth but is also an unapologetic meddler/matchmaker (she just wants her sister to be happy!). Shalvis gives us all the emotion between the sisters, wrapping it up in a way that's poignant, relatable, and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Seriously, I lost count of the number of times I snort laughed when these two hit the page. 

There's also a mystery/adventure/treasure hunt element to this book that kept me on my toes right up to the breath-stealing conclusion. I'd like to see Shalvis do more of this. She's really good at it. 

And finally, is it really a Jill Shalvis book without an animal? I think not. Meet Turbo, Owen's big, fluffy, overly enthusiastic dog who is terrified of stairs, metal grates, and cats. I dare you to not fall in love with him. 

If you're looking for a fun getaway this summer, complete with romance, adventure, a bit of danger, snappy banter, laugh-out-loud humor, and endearing emotional depth, add The Summer Escape by Jill Shalvis to your reading list. It's a winner. 

Have you read Jill Shalvis?

Do you enjoy sibling dynamics in books?

Do you have a pet? I'd love to hear about him/her.

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, June 16 will receive a print copy of The Summer Escape.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

*Anonymous posters must include a name, screen name, or email address in their comment to be included in the giveaway.

 

Review & Giveaway - - The Bright Spot

The Bright Spot

by Jill Shalvis

Sunrise Cove - Book 5

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: January 16, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Luna Wright is a lot of things, but sweet and trusting isn’t on the list. However, she’s a sucker for the underdog and a hard-luck story. Adopted at birth, with scant knowledge of her biological family, she’s created her own inner circle, a motley crew which includes her bestie Willow, to help her run the struggling but charming Apple Ridge Farm.

With a farm-to-table café as well as a menagerie of rescued animals (complete with a baby goat who keeps escaping to the pantry to eat the secret stash of decidedly not organic potato chips), it’s the best home she’s ever known. But when the owner Silas, who they secretly call The Grinch, passes away, Luna discovers the farm is now under control of his investment manager, the enigmatic Jameson Hayes….and her. And that Silas had many, many secrets.

Now Luna’s carefully controlled corner of the world is threatened and she—along with some help from her friends—has to dig deep to find true strength and the real meaning of love and family.

PJ's Thoughts:

The Bright Spot is the fifth book in Shalvis's Sunrise Cove series. Each book in the series stands alone, having only location as the common factor among them so feel free to jump in and enjoy at any point.  

The Bright Spot is indeed a bright spot on the reading landscape. There's found family (both two and four legged), heart-tugging rescue animals, an over-the-top grandmother (a hilarious handful), friend drama, opposites-attract romance, and more than a little emotional baggage.

I love that many of the characters in this series are flawed and have multiple layers to be explored. I love the relationship between Luna and her adopted grandmother, how their conversations expose some of those layers and help Luna evolve. I do wish there had been a bit more exploration of those layers when it came to Luna's relationship with Silas and the decisions he made. 

It was fun watching "by the numbers" investment manager, Jameson slowly loosen his tie and fall under the spell of Luna, Apple Ridge Farm, and especially Dammit Ziggy, an adorable orphaned baby goat who thinks Luna is his mama but falls head over heels in love with Jameson. No lie, Dammit Ziggy pretty much steals the whole book. Jill Shalvis and adorable animals are a magical combo. 

Luna's found family at the farm offer plenty of humor, conflict, emotion, and insight into this woman - who has found a way to draw people to her while still keeping them at a safe distance - to keep the story moving forward. I love their complex relationships, the way they (mostly) have her back (friend drama, remember?), and bring Jameson into the fold. Their antics provide humor, poignant emotion, and those much needed nudges for those times certain characters are reluctant to move forward on their own. 

If you're looking for an upbeat, charming, opposites-attract story with emotion, humor, growth, and animals who will steal your heart, give The Bright Spot a try. But don't be surprised if you spend at least a week happily going down the online rabbit hole of adorable baby goats once you turn the final page. 

Have you read any of the books in the Sunrise Cove series?

Have you ever spent time with goats, babies or otherwise?

What are your favorite animals to be featured in the books you read?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, January 17 will receive a print copy of The Bright Spot. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

 

Review & Giveaway - - The Sweetheart List

The Sweetheart List

by Jill Shalvis

The Sunrise Cove Series - Book 4

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 13, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

What makes life sweet?

• Freshly baked bread
• A cool lake on a hot summer day
• The comfort of a cozy bookstore
• Second chances and new beginnings

When Harper Shaw’s life falls apart, she knows it’s time for a change. She removes everything that doesn’t spark joy—from her soul-sucking job to eating kale to making lists—and sets off for the last place she was happy, Lake Tahoe (who wouldn’t feel good there, right?) to fulfill her dream of opening her own bakery.

With her Sugar Pine Bakery in between a tavern, owned by sexy, grumpy Bodie Campbell, and a bookstore, run by her new BFF, she feels a peace she’s never experienced since…well, forever.. Then she meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, who barrels into her heart. She sees a lot of herself in Ivy and takes her under her wing, but the teenager has secrets…

When those secrets explode, it changes Harper’s new world, and she’ll learn, it’s never too late to start over, it’s never too late to figure out your life, and best of all, it’s never too late to let yourself believe in love.

PJ's Thoughts:

Connection. It's a facet of the books in this series that has had a profound impact on me. In The Sweetheart List, those connections come in the form of biological family, friendships formed, romantic relationships, chosen family, and, yes, even pets and humans. In this case, that animal connection comes in the form of Hambone, a huge, goofy, Bernese Mountain Dog with a weakness for treats, belly rubs, and the people to whom he happily gives his heart. I adored him.

I love this author's ability to create a cast of multi-layered, complex characters, bring them together, then slowly, carefully, begin to unravel all the complications that are keeping them apart. There are heart-tugging emotions, life-changing revelations, steamy desire, and hopeful new beginnings on the horizon. If the characters are brave enough to reach for them. There are poignant moments throughout but also plenty of perfectly placed humor. Kudos to those authors who can make me laugh, cry, and sigh with happy satisfaction when I turn the final page. 

I fell hard for the Campbell family, those characters born into it and those invited to be a part of it. Shalvis nailed the dynamic among the brothers as well as the love and respect they all have for their petite but powerful mother. There's absolutely no doubt about who rules this family with a loving hug and an iron resolve. 

Harper, Bodie, and Ivy all captured my heart. I was in each of their corners all the way through to their hard-won happy endings. Harper's kindness reeled me in, just as it did to everyone else she meets in Sunrise Cove. Ivy's tough outer layer that hides a vulnerable center aching for love had me in tears more than once. And Bodie. He's such a good guy. Dealing with issues, still a bit of a grump (but with a heart that is always in the right place), slowly healing and opening himself up to those who love him. I won't be forgetting any of them anytime soon. 

Also, I want to be the next one to live in the apartment above Harper's bakery (without raccoons, please). Just the thought of waking each morning to the aroma of her cinnamon rolls has my taste buds happy dancing, not to mention her chocolate and mint cookies, and her special blend of coffee, and her Red Velvet cake, and...and...and... Yes, well, you get the idea. 

The Sweetheart List is book four in the Sunrise Cove series but is a standalone story as is each book in the series. I enthusiastically recommend adding this warm hug of a book to your summer reading list. 

Have you read any of the books in the Sunrise Cove series?

Between Harper's bakery and Bodie's pub, food is an important part of this book. What breakfast aromas are sure to pull you out of bed? 

Do you have a pet connection? Tell me about him/her.

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, June 16 will receive a print copy of The Sweetheart List. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Thank you to Avon Books for today's giveaway. 

Review - - The Backup Plan

The Backup Plan: A Novel

by Jill Shalvis

Sunrise Cove -  Book 3

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: January 17, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

When Alice receives a call about an unexpected windfall, she’s stunned to learn the gift is a falling-apart-at-the-seams old Wild West B&B she once considered home—and she’s inherited it along with two strangers. Except they weren’t always strangers. Once upon a time, they were friends. One is her ex-BFF Lauren. The other is Knox, the only guy to ever break her heart, all while never even knowing she existed.

It turns out their lives are unknowingly entangled because they once separately helped the same woman without expecting anything in return. Years later, Alice, Lauren, and Knox are broken in their own way, with their own history—and secrets— causing them to start out on the wrong foot with each other. But according to the will, they must renovate and be partners in the inn for one year or else lose their inheritance.

Stuck together, they make a list of rules to keep the peace—rules that end up doing the opposite, but by some miracle they find what they didn’t even know they were looking for—acceptance, true friendship, and in a case (or two!), true love.

PJ's Thoughts:

Friendship, loss, betrayal, forgiveness, self-discovery, hope, love...this book has all the feelings!

Once again, Jill Shalvis has created an immersive, complex, heart-tugging story that captured my attention and my heart. These characters are fully developed, flawed, relatable, and real. Each is on an individual journey while, at the same time, all three are slowly, sometimes painfully, extending tendrils of forgiveness and hope as they begin to reconnect with one another. Once I began reading, I was hooked. There was no way I was going to be able to put this book down until I reached the final page. 

Just as Shalvis's characters are complex and fully developed, so too is her choice of setting. The Lake Tahoe area is majestic, stunningly beautiful, and deceptively dangerous, all facets that are explored in intimate detail by an author who knows the area well. The pictures she paints with her words bring it all to vivid life and convince me I'm right there with her characters as they breathe in the scents, navigate the dangerous roads, and discover all they never realized they were seeking. 

Sometimes, I finish a book happy for the characters who have found their happy endings. But, other times, I turn that final page feeling as if I've just spent several hours with a group of dear friends. I know them, I care about them, I want only the best for them. That's how I felt when I turned the final page of The Backup Plan. I want Knox to build me a home that's harmonious with the surrounding nature. I want to buy Lauren's book then lose myself in her words. And nobody, but nobody, touches my car except Alice! I'm fully confident that Knox, Alice, and Lauren are all living their best lives in Sunrise Cove and I want to be there for all the future happy events in their lives.

It should be noted that while The Backup Plan is the third book in the Sunrise Cove series, it is a complete standalone. 

Review - - The Friendship Pact

The Friendship Pact

by Jill Shalvis

Sunrise Cove -  Book 2

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: June 14, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

 

Alone in the world, Tae Holmes and her mother April pretty much raised each other, but as Tae starts asking questions about the father she’s never met, April, for the first time in her life, goes silent. To make matters worse, Tae is dangerously close to broke and just manages to avoid financial meltdown when she lands a shiny new contract with an adventure company for athletes with disabilities and wounded warriors.

Her first big fundraiser event falls flat, but what starts out as a terrible, horrible, no-good night turns into something else entirely when Tae finds herself face-to-face with Riggs Copeland. She hasn’t seen the former Marine since their brief fling in high school, and while still intensely drawn to him, she likes her past burned and buried, thank you very much. Hence their friendship pact.

But when April oddly refuses to help Tae track down her father, it’s Riggs who unexpectedly comes to her aid. On a hunt to unlock the past, the two of them find themselves on a wild ride and learn a shocking truth, while also reluctantly bonding in a way neither had seen coming. Now Tae must decide whether she’s going to choose love … or walk away from her own happiness.

PJ's Thoughts:

So many layers. So many feels. This is a romance, yes, but also much more. Shalvis seamlessly weaves together multiple relationships and plot threads into a story that pulled me in and kept me eagerly turning pages. I loved the slow-burn, second-chance romance between Riggs and Tae but the various family relationships were just as impactful. 

I enjoy couples who share a significant moment as teens then go their separate ways, only to be unexpectedly reunited years later, especially when weighty baggage is being carried by both. I enjoyed the fact that both Tae and Riggs were complex, flawed characters. The chemistry that had ignited between them was still there but the road forward was filled with emotional potholes. Shalvis made them work hard for their happily ever after. I loved it.

The family relationships in this book were a vital part of the makeup of Tae and Riggs. Tae's co-dependent relationship with her mother, a woman only 15 years older and still searching for her identity, was a critical piece of Tae's evolution as well as April's (her mother). April's journey, decisions she made as a teen, and the fallout when an unexpected character enters the picture, were important parts of the story that impact April, Tae, and even Riggs. 

Then there's the relationship between Riggs and his brother, a landmine of emotions with a troubled history but love at its core. Shalvis nailed the dynamic between the brothers, the antagonism, the guilt, the tenuous unspoken hope, and the love that won't be denied.

Some of my favorite parts of the story were scenes involving the company co-owned by Riggs and his brother, an organization that offered recreational opportunities and hope to injured veterans and at risk youth. Shalvis brought each of the characters in those scenes to vibrant life, engaging my emotions and making me want to sign up to volunteer today. I love how she makes me care deeply about even secondary characters. 

The Friendship Pact is the second book in the Sunrise Cove series but, really, the only connection between the two is the setting of Lake Tahoe. The books stand completely on their own and can be read in any order. Add this one to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

Review - - The Family You Make

The Family You Make

by Jill Shalvis

The Sunrise Cove Series - Book 1

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Release Date: January 11, 2022

Reviewed by PJ

During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend—right before his phone dies.

But Levi and Jane do not.

Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.

As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.

PJ's Thoughts:

I've been reading Jill Shalvis for a long time. I would hazard a guess that I've probably read at least 80% of her books, if not more. Considering she's published more than 50 books, that's a lot of stories, a lot of beloved characters. Among all of those, this book - The Family You Make - is one of my favorites. It took me on a roller-coaster ride of emotions, leaving nothing untouched, tossing me out at the end with a deep, heartfelt sigh of satisfaction. I want to go back to the adrenaline-inducing beginning and read it all over again.

There are so many relationships to explore in this book. Shalvis gives readers not only Levi and Jane's romantic journey but a secondary couple as well. But that isn't all. She also explores family relationships, female friendships, and male friendships. She delves into dysfunctional family, estrangement, atonement, and forgiveness as well as the support, love, and validation within chosen family. She also balances all that deep emotion (and there's plenty) with impeccable comedic timing and laugh-out-loud humor. A word of caution: do not eat or drink anything while reading the dinner scenes at Levi's family's home. Yes, that advice comes from experience. 😂

The character development in this book is wonderful. Shalvis seamlessly interweaves the various threads without missing a beat, allowing her characters, and their respective journeys, to evolve realistically. I never felt out of step with any of them. I shared their sorrows, their anger, their fears. I rejoiced in their courage, their tentative hope, and, ultimately, their joy. And I fell head over heels in love with Levi's adorable, unfiltered niece. 

This one's going straight to my keeper shelf. I loved it.