Review & Giveaway - - Tomorrow is for the Brave

Tomorrow is for the Brave

by Kelly Bowen

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: May 14, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

1939, France: Lavish parties, fast cars, and a closet full of the latest fashion—to the average eye, socialite Violet St. Croix seemingly has it all. But what she truly wants is a life full of meaning and purpose. So when France falls to Germany, Violet defies her parents’ wishes and joins the war effort.  With her impeccable skill for driving under pressure, she is soon sent to North Africa to shepherd French Foreign Legion officers carrying valuable intelligence through dangerous territory.

But as the Allies encounter one mishap after another, Violet becomes convinced there is a spy in their ranks. And when her commanding officer is murdered, Violet realizes she might be the only one who can uncover the traitor and save the lives of countless soldiers on the front lines. Convincing others to believe her is difficult enough. Finding someone she can trust just might be impossible.

PJ's Thoughts:

I have a book hangover. I started reading Tomorrow is for the Brave yesterday. It didn't take long before I realized that I may as well toss my to-do list to the side. Clearly, nothing was going to be accomplished until I had read the entire book and I didn't care. I was that deeply immersed into the life of Violet St. Croix. With each chapter read, I was that much more invested in her, a woman who defied her family - and fiancé - to do what was right for her country, a woman who risked her life on the front lines of the WWII North Africa campaign, a woman who became a symbol of hope against the murderous Nazi regime, a woman who seemed to be the only person willing to entertain the idea that there might be a deadly spy among them. I simply had to know what happened next!

Kelly Bowen, a historical romance auto-buy author for years, has now become one of my go-to authors for WWII historical fiction. Her research is impeccable with fictional and actual events - and people - woven together into compelling stories that are darn near impossible to put down and a sense of place that puts the reader in the middle of whatever is occurring. Each time I looked up from the pages of this story, it took me a minute to realize that I was reading a book in the comfort of my home in 2024 and not on a twisty coastal road in southern France in 1939 or a dug-out desert bunker in North Africa in 1941. It's that immersive and realistic.

Bowen's character development is so complete that it's difficult to not think that these were actual people who lived. Violet, George, and Henri, in particular, are characters who engaged my interest - and affections - completely. I was right there with them through all of the peaks and valleys of their intertwined journeys and fully invested in what happened to them. (While all three of these characters are fictional, Violet was inspired by a real woman, Susan Travers, the only woman to ever serve in the French Foreign Legion. Be sure to read the Historical Note at the back of the book for more information about Travers as well as events depicted in the book.)

As if the trials of war weren't enough, Bowen has also woven a deadly mystery through this book with plenty of twists and turns to keep me guessing as to the actual identity of the "spy among us." Just when I decided I had figured out the spy's identity, she would throw another twist into the mix that had me second guessing. I love when authors stump me like that. I did finally figure it out but even then, it in no way took anything away from the suspense and danger as events played out.  

If you're in the mood for a compelling, immersive, coming-of-age story featuring a young woman raised in the lap of luxury who leaves it all behind for a greater purpose amidst the turmoil and danger of WWII, finding courage, love, and a sense of self in the process, look no further than Tomorrow is for the Brave by Kelly Bowen. It has my highest recommendation. 

~~~~~~~~

Have you read any of Kelly Bowen's books?

In Tomorrow is for the Brave, Violet is both an accomplished driver as well as mechanic, very unusual for a woman of her time. How are your driving/mechanic skills? Any wanna-be car racers among us?

I love historical fiction, especially those set in the WWII era. Have you read any WWII books lately that you would recommend?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, May 18 will receive a print copy of Tomorrow is for the Brave. 

*U.S. / Canada only

*Must be 18

 

Review - - Love, Lies and Cherry Pie

Love, Lies and Cherry Pie

by Jackie Lau

Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.

But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly: convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.

Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…

PJ's Thoughts:

I hadn't read Jackie Lau before this book so I really didn't know what to expect. What I discovered was a charming rom-com with strong Asian-Canadian roots, complex family dynamics, a cute fake (to real) romance, and a delightful Toronto setting. I need more books set there. It's a city I grew up visiting but haven't been to in much too long. 

There's a lot to like about this book. First of all, there's Emily's family. Lau does a great job of creating this loving, but very complicated, family of four sisters and their parents. The tensions are visceral but the strong bond is as well. The young nieces are hilarious and so well drawn. The babysitting scene between the nieces and Mark is one of my favorite scenes in the book and when I knew this man was a keeper. Parental relationships are also well developed, especially the one between Emily and her mom. I love how this relationship evolves over the course of the story. There's a discussion between them near the end of the book that I wasn't expecting but that brought me to tears. For good reasons. 

Friendships are also an important part of Emily's life. The relationships with her two girlfriends are lively, supportive, funny, and real. I enjoyed the humor and heart that they brought to the story. 

The first half of the book is almost entirely from Emily's point of view so I was surprised - but pleased - when it suddenly shifted to Mark's. It was fun to get inside his thoughts and see things from his perspective. The second half picked up the pace and I became more invested in their relationship, largely due to that dual perspective. 

If you're looking for a fun, slow-burn, rom-com with emotional depth, strong Asian-Canadian rep, drool-worthy food, matchmaking mamas, and a hard-won happy ending, give Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie a try. 

Review - - Love at First Book

Love at First Book

by Jenn McKinlay

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 14, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.

Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.

Emily persists, and spending her days bantering with the annoyingly handsome mercurial Irishman only makes her fall more deeply in love with the new life she’s built – and for the man who seems to soften toward her with every quip she throws at him. But when she discovers the reason for Kieran's initial resistance, Em finds herself torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her now undeniable feelings for Kier. As Siobhan's novel progresses, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

PJ's Thoughts:

Okay, who among us has had the occasional fantasy of moving to an Irish village and falling for the hot owner of the local book shop? Just me? That is certainly not what Emily had in mind when she accepted author Siobhan Riordan's offer to be her assistant but that's exactly what happened. Well, that's what happened after a fair amount of push and pull between the "let's modernize the bookshop" Em and the "change is not in my vocabulary" Kier. Oh, and did I mention that Kier - the bookshop owner - is also Siobhan's overprotective son? Or that there's a very good - and secret - reason for the fact that fans have been waiting ten years for her to write the final book in her wildly popular book series? Or that Em's main reason for moving to Ireland was to escape her suffocating existence under her emotionally abusive mother's thumb? Yeah, there's a lot going on in this book. I may have used more than a few tissues but there was also plenty of laughter and a whole lot of fun. 

Jenn McKinlay creates multi-layered stories with relatable characters with complex layers, giving them emotionally challenging circumstances, realistic flaws, and undeniable chemistry, then guides them through the fray, as they evolve and grow into the best versions of themselves. Sometimes there is heartache. Also, anger and frustration. But, just as often, there's humor, friendship, romantic awakenings, and love. 

I loved the chemistry - and conflict - between Em and Kier. It was fun to watch them spar and then, eventually, come together...for his mother and for themselves. I really rooted hard for these two.

The relationship that developed between Siobhan and Em was heartwarming and also heart-wrenching. After a lifetime of emotional abuse from her own mother, it was wonderful to watch Em flourish under the nurturing attention of Siobhan. My only real quibble with the book is that we didn't get to see resolution between Em and her mother on the page. I really wanted that. 

The sense of place that McKinlay created transported me straight to that Irish village. I could hear the music from the pub, feel the mist on my skin, hear the lyrical tilt of voices from the locals, and want nothing more than to book a flight tomorrow. If this book doesn't make you want to visit Ireland, I don't know what will.

If you enjoy contemporary fiction with humor, heart, romance, complex characters, an Irish bookshop (complete with a broody - did I mention hot - Irish owner), and emotional depth, add Love at First Book to your summer reading list. 

For those of you who read McKinlay's Summer Reading (May 2023 - click to read my review), Emily Allen is the best friend of Sam, Summer Reading's main female character. Em is a secondary character in that book and Sam and Ben appear in Em's story, Love at First Book. You don't have to read the books in order but I enthusiastically recommend them both. 

This may be a bit of a spoiler but for those readers for whom these may be triggers, I feel it's important to know. Also, the impending death is revealed early in the book. 

Content Warning: emotionally abusive parent, cancer, death

Review & Giveaway - - Mistakes We Never Made

Mistakes We Never Made

by Hannah Brown

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Emma Townsend can sum up her situationship with hot-as-hell romantic red flag Finn Hughes in one word: almost. They almost dated in high school. They almost hooked up after college. They almost took things too far one magical night. Their whole story is one series of “almosts” and “nearlys,” and now they just kind of can’t stand each other. Like, at all.

But this weekend, one of their mutuals is getting married . . . and Emma and Finn will have to pretend they don’t remember how disastrous it was the last time they were in a room together.

Emma’s doing a stellar job of playing it cool—until the bride goes missing. Now, with two days before the wedding, Emma and Finn are hitting the road in a sweet vintage sports car in hopes of salvaging someone else’s happily-ever-after.

Yet somewhere between Emma’s breakfast burrito throw down, a high-stakes kayak chase (it can happen), and an outrageous Vegas detour, these sworn enemies are crossing more than just state lines. As old feelings spark once more, Emma begins to question whether risking your heart is ever really a mistake.

PJ's Thoughts:

I was intrigued by Hannah Brown when she first appeared on the national scene in Colton's season of The Bachelor though she wasn't one of my favorites that season. In her season on The Bachelorette, she quickly won me over with her sunny smile, quick wit, self-confidence, and genuine, authentic self. By the end of her season, I was Team Hannah all the way. When she was announced as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, I was ready to tune in every Monday night to cheer her on to her eventual victory (yes, she won the Mirror Ball trophy). So, it should come as no surprise that when Forever announced they would be publishing Brown's debut romance, I was giddy with anticipation. Is there anything this woman cannot do? But, at the same time I was also apprehensive. I mean, what if I didn't like her book? That would totally suck. I am happy to report that this book did, in fact, not suck, that I did like it, and that I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Ms. Brown has plans to take readers back to the fictional world she has created. There's a bit of a cliffhanger with a secondary character (okay, there's a big cliffhanger) and I need to know what happens!

Just like its creator, Mistakes We Never Made is sunny, sparkly, witty, and fun; a fast-paced story with plenty of humor, a solid emotional foundation, and for my fellow Bachelor and Bachelorette fans, a few amusing, well-placed Easter Eggs. I enjoyed getting to know the 'core four' girlfriends in this book. I hope we'll get to see more of them in future books. I love how different they each are, complementing one another's strengths and weaknesses to create a bond of friendship and support that may bend occasionally but never breaks. 

Friends to lovers is a favorite trope. So is enemies to lovers. Both are at play here so I was eager to see how the series of 'almosts' between Finn and Emma would play out. Brown gives them realistic and relatable circumstances at various ages that all contribute to the journey each of them needs to follow in order to reach a time and place where they are both ready to move forward together. They have flaws, they've each made mistakes. Emma has some serious emotional baggage to deal with. Finn owes her a sincere apology for past actions. Their path is humorous, endearing, heart-wrenching in places, and steamy in others, but the roads taken are all necessary to reach their happily ever after. You may want to grab some popcorn before you hit the road with them. It's that kind of a ride. ;-) 

If you're looking for a fun, flirty, fast-paced romcom with relatable characters, emotional underpinnings, and a happy ending, put Mistakes We Never Made on your summer reading list. I enthusiastically recommend it. 

~~~~~~~~

Have you watched The Bachelor or The Bachelorette?

What's your favorite romance trope?

What's the last book that made you laugh out loud? 

Do you follow Forever Publishing on social media (Facebook) (Instagram)? They have some terrific books coming out this summer. 

Do you follow The Romance Dish at Facebook or Instagram? Sometimes, I post about things there that don't make it to the blog. 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment no later than 11:00 PM, May 15 will receive a print copy of Mistakes We Never Made. 

*U.S. and Canada only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - Three Little Wishes

Three Little Wishes

by Debbie Mason

Sunshine Bay - Book 2

Publisher: Forever

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

 

Nothing gets Willow Rosetti down. She adores everything about her life in Sunshine Bay, particularly the close proximity to her beloved family and her job as a meteorologist. So when she finds out Channel 5 may close and she and her coworkers will be out of work, she goes behind her family’s back to call her estranged aunt, a famous actress. Willow has never met her aunt and has no idea why her family disowned her, but she’s hopeful Camilla can deliver the ratings they need to convince Noah Elliot, the station’s gorgeous and grumpy owner, to save Channel 5.

When Camilla Monroe learns her niece Willow is trying to contact her, she fears the worst—that her secret has finally come out. Distracted, she doesn’t see the e-bike in the road. Now a case of amnesia has Camilla back in Sunshine Bay, and she’s getting Willow into one mess after another.  

 
With a little bit of scheming and a whole lot of heart, this unlikely duo might just have the summer of a lifetime, saving the station, healing their fractured family, and even paving the way for love.

PJ's Thoughts:

Debbie Mason takes readers back to Sunshine Bay and the Rosetti family with a new tale filled with unexpected twists, long-held secrets, laugh-out-loud humor, and heart-tugging emotion. It's everything I expect - and enjoy - when reading a Mason novel. 

I love the dynamics among the women in the Rosetti family - the focal point of this series - the complex relationships, the layers within each of the women, the steadfast bonds among Willow and her two cousins, and the unexplained estrangement among their grandmother, mothers, and aunt. Mason took time to give each character the attention and development they deserved. That also included Noah and his teenage sister, Riley. In fact, the relationship between by-the-book, 15-year-old Riley and mischievous, 40-something Cami (who, because of amnesia, thinks she's 17 for the first half of the book) was one of my favorite parts. 

Willow and Cami are the Rosetti women who evolved the most in this book. I appreciated the complexities of each of their situations as well as their places within the Rosetti family. Or, in Cami's case, outside the family. I really enjoyed watching the growth of both of these women; with Cami as she worked to mend the rift between her, her sisters, and her mother and with Willow as she worked to find her calling and prove her worth. One of the facets of Mason's writing that I especially enjoy is her willingness to dig deep into emotionally fraught and thought-provoking situations. 

The romantic relationship between Willow and Noah is also an important part of this book and one that I enjoyed. Mason is so good at threading together multiple relationships in her books without causing confusion or sacrificing the importance of any one singular relationship. Whether it's friends, co-workers, siblings, mothers and daughters, other extended family, or romantic couples, each gets the attention it deserves and each has the necessary thread to form a complete tapestry. Things got pretty messy at times (just like real life) and there were places in the book where I had no clue how it would all work out - for any of the characters - but, of course, Mason guided them expertly forward to a heartfelt, believable conclusion with laughter and tears along the way. I'm already looking forward to whatever she has planned for this family next. 

Three Little Wishes can be read as a standalone but for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the Rosetti family, I would recommend reading book one, Summer on Sunshine Bay, first (Click the title to read my review).

Have you read Debbie Mason yet?

What books are on your summer reading list?

Do you enjoy multiple-generation stories or do you prefer books that focus on only one couple? 

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, May 13 and follows @ReadForeverPub at either Facebook or Instagram will receive a print copy of Three Little Wishes from Forever Publishing. To be entered into the giveaway, you must  include your social media handle in your comment and at which social media platform(s) you follow Forever.

* U.S. and Canada only

* Must be 18 

Second-Chance Winner - - The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island

 

Annette N already has this book and has asked that

I choose a new winner.

The second-chance winner of

a print copy of

The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island is:

Nicole B

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - Happily Never After

Happily Never After

by Lynn Painter

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: March 12, 2024

Reviewed by Hellie

 

Their name? The objectors.

Their job? To break off weddings as hired.

Their dilemma? They might just be in love with each other. 

When Sophie Steinbeck finds out just before her nuptials that her fiancé has cheated yet again, she desperately wants to call it off. But because her future father-in-law is her dad’s cutthroat boss, she doesn’t want to be the one to do it. Her savior comes in the form of a professional objector, whose purpose is to show up at weddings and proclaim the words no couple (usually) wants to hear at their ceremony: “I object!” 

During anti-wedding festivities that night, Sophie learns more about Max the Objector’s job. It makes perfect sense to her: he saves people from wasting their lives, from hurting each other. He’s a modern-day hero. And Sophie wants in. 

The two love cynics start working together, going from wedding to wedding, and Sophie’s having more fun than she’s had in ages. She looks forward to every nerve-racking ceremony saving the lovesick souls of the betrothed masses. As Sophie and Max spend more time together, however, they realize that their physical chemistry is off the charts, leading them to dabble in a little hookup session or two—but it’s totally fine, because they definitely do not have feelings for each other. Love doesn’t exist, after all. 

And then everything changes. A groom-to-be hires Sophie to object, but his fiancée is the woman who broke Max’s heart. As Max wrestles with whether he can be a party to his ex’s getting hurt, Sophie grapples with the sudden realization that she may have fallen hard for her partner in crime.

 

Hellie’s Heeds: 

5 stars, Top Dish, Awesome Beach Read 

The only reason why I wasn’t able to get this review to PJ before she went a-journeying was because I kept stopping in mid-read to hit my husband in the shoulder and go, “Listen to this, listen to this…” and then read it aloud–and then we’d cackle–and I’d go back to reading. It takes me twice as long to listen to the book as it would for me to read it–and here we are. That said, this book was so funny I had to stop every other page or so and read it aloud to whatever half-willing victim (after giving them a “brief” synopsis of the story so far) so they too could enjoy Lynn Painter’s brilliance.  

The story is told in back-and-forth first person POVs of Sophie and Max. Sophie is the greater of the two nihilists, a complete believer that “love” as defined by poets and adolescent idiots does not exist. She’s certainly never felt it. Even when she was about to be married. She felt a companionship for Stuart, an intense friendship–but not “love” of the passionate, all encompassing kind…and she thought he was on the same page. He was not. Turns out he did want a more passionate kind of love–at least on the side–which is how our story starts. Sophie’s bridesmaid hires an Objector, dear Max, to break off Sophie’s wedding so she doesn’t have to marry the cheating SOB. After the failed wedding, when Max comes to collect his paycheck, the drunk almost-bride convinces him to stay and drink with her and the bridesmaid–and he’s almost immediately hooked. 

Neither of them think they’ll see each other again until Max needs her to play the part of Objector in a wedding. Soon they start going to other weddings together, playing Objectors together and having the time of their lives. Each needs the other as a sort of “relationship camouflage” to keep family and coworkers off their backs, which works really well for them until they begin to realize: I really like him/her. Which is shocking to Sophie who does NOT do feelings. Ever. Max isn’t keen on feelings either–but Sophie really doesn’t do feelings.  

As someone who also doesn’t “do feelings” in a Brene Brown kind of way (“It was a year long street fight”), Sophie was very easy for me to relate to. To those of us in the crowd who may have had less dysfunctional parents or childhoods, you may want to shake her a few times for being so obstinate of what is so clearly obvious: LOVE. It’s a nice change of pace to have the girl being the one who struggles with feelings rather than the guy–in contrast, Max is much more a romantic and is much sooner to admit to himself he loves Sophie.  

The black moment was good–but the Groveling was adorable. I *heart* a great Grovel scene…and Sophie’s presentation will have you laughing out loud. It was a quick read with great pacing and hysterical banter. I think it would be perfect in your beach reading (I know how TBR piles can be). Oh, and the secondary characters? Did I forget them? OMG, Larry! Sophie’s cats! Seriously…go read it. 

Winner - - The Best Life Book Club

 

The randomly chosen winner

of a print copy of

The Best Life Book Club by Sheila Roberts is:

Patricia B

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island

 

The randomly chosen winner of

a print copy of

The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island is:

Annette N

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - Effie Olsen's Summer Special

 

The randomly chosen winner of

a print copy of

Effie Olsen's Summer Special by Rochelle Bilow is:

flchen1

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Winner - - May Coming Attractions

 

The randomly chosen winner 

of a print copy of

A Summer of Second Chances by Miranda Liasson is:

Penney Wilfort

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Review - - The Summer Swap

The Summer Swap

by Sarah Morgan

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Cecilia Lapthorne always vowed she’d never go back to Dune Cottage. So no one is more surprised than Cecilia to find herself escaping her seventy-fifth birthday party to return to the remote Cape Cod cottage—a place filled with memories. Some are good—especially memories of the early days with her husband, volatile artist Cameron.  But then there are the memories she has revealed to no one.

After dropping out of medical school, aspiring artist Lily is cleaning houses on the Cape to get by, guilt-ridden for disappointing her parents. Unoccupied for years, Dune Cottage seems the perfect place to hide away and lick her wounds—until Cecilia unexpectedly arrives. Despite an awkward beginning, Lily accepts Cecilia’s invitation to stay on as her guest, and a flicker of kinship ignites.

Then Todd, Cecilia’s grandson—and Lily’s unrequited crush—shows up, sending a shock wave through their unlikely friendship.  Will Lily find the courage to live the life she wants? Can Cecilia finally let go of the past to find a new future? Because as surely as the tide erases past footprints, this summer is offering both Cecilia and Lily the chance to swap old dreams for new…

PJ's Thoughts:

I always look forward to a new novel by Sarah Morgan. She writes stories I can sink into, characters who are intriguing and relatable, and settings that bring everything together in a vibrant, visceral way. The Summer Swap is another shining example of all the facets that make a Sarah Morgan book hard to put down. 

I love character-driven stories and Morgan's are among the best. I appreciate the way she develops her characters, giving them a multitude of layers, realistic flaws, and challenges. The three primary women in this book are of different generations, each at a defining crossroads in her life, each facing a different set of challenges, and yet each with something of value to teach - and learn from - one another. 

Relationships: that's something else Morgan writes especially well. The way the relationships among these women - as well as romantic relationships for each of them - weave together is flawless, encompassing all the emotion and strife to be expected from real-life situations when secrets, betrayals, forgiveness, and unexpected new beginnings are at play. Whether family, friends, business partners, adversaries, or romance, Morgan's ability to guide her characters through the complicated peaks and valleys of difficult relationships, delivering them to the other side - usually happier, stronger, and more complete - is one of the main reasons her books resonate so strongly and are always on my must-buy list. This one is no exception. I loved it the first time through. I'll probably love it even more when I revisit it, likely sometime this summer, as Sarah Morgan once again carries me away to cozy cottages, sandy beaches, and the soft, sultry breezes of a summer's day on a coastal island.

Add The Summer Swap to your summer reading list. I highly recommend it. 

 

Review - - This Summer Will Be Different

This Summer Will Be Different

by Carley Fortune

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Reviewed by Santa

This summer they’ll keep their promise. This summer they won't give into temptation. This summer will be different.

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

Santa Says:

The book This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune really is a gem. Felix and Lucy make an explosive connection as soon as they meet on Prince Edward Island. Lucy is planning to meet her friend Bridget there and spend some time at her house. Felix does not know she is his sister Bridget's best friend Lucy ‘Bee’ Ashbey. Bridget’s friendship means too much to Bee. They realize a relationship is out of the question.  

Bee is escaping to Prince Edward Island (PEI) at a crossroads in her life. She quit the corporate world and is trying to figure out her next move. Felix is coming off a breakup with his high school sweetheart. He is as rudderless as Bee is.  

Over the course of five years they become friends. Bee returns to PEI with Bridget over the years to recharge her batteries. She vows to keep Felix at arm's length which is easier said than done. They keep in touch and exchange gifts and books. They even date other people but still find themselves in each other’s arms. They seem to deny that their feelings go any deeper.  

No one is the wiser. Bee comes to love the island and visits every year with her friend Bridget.  She takes over her aunt’s floral business and thrives. Felix and his business partner create vacation cottages on the island and become a great success. 

The true test of their relationship comes when pre-wedding jitters send Bridget to PEI. Bee follows her there. Will this be a catalyst for Bee to pursue her dream of owning her own flower farm? Will Felix and Lucy finally come to declare their love out in the open and live happily ever after? I was rooting for them throughout the book. I think I may have even yelled at them to get on with it! 

I highly recommend this book. Every character added a roundness and real texture to the story. Even PEI was like another character in the book and I think a very important one. Felix calls it home but it becomes Lucy ‘Bee’ Ashbey’s lodestone. Its beauty and simple joys were heartwarming to me. I am adding Prince Edward Island to my bucket list. I think you will, too.