Battle of the Bookstores

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The Story:

Rivalry and romance spark when two bookstore managers who are opposites in every way find themselves competing for the same promotion.

 

Despite managing bookstores on the same Boston street, Josie Klein and Ryan Lawson have never interacted much—Josie’s store focuses on serious literature, and Ryan’s sells romance only. But when the new owner of both stores decides to combine them, the two are thrust into direct competition. Only one manager will be left standing, decided by who turns the most profit over the summer.

 

Efficient and detail-oriented Josie instantly clashes with easygoing and disorganized Ryan. Their competing events and contrasting styles lead to more than just frustration—the sparks between them might just set the whole store on fire. Their only solace during this chaos is the friendship they’ve each struck up with an anonymous friend in an online book forum. Little do they know they’re actually chatting with each other.

 

As their rivalry heats up in real life, their online relationship grows, and when the walls between their stores come tumbling down, Josie and Ryan realize not all’s fair in love and war. And maybe, if they’re lucky, happily ever afters aren’t just for the books.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: I am a huge fan of Ali Brady having just finished some other books (The Comeback Summer and The Beach Trap - loved them both).  Absolutely love Jose and Ryan's battle of bookstores. You can't help but fall in love with both of them and cheer for them throughout the story.

I liked how both Jose's and Ryan's families were weaved into the story and it allowed us to get them even better. It also helps the readers understand their hesitation to get to know each other. I also loved that there were online friends without knowing who they really were, it just added a wonderful depth to the book. 

Quick read, wonderful characters you will love, laugh-out-loud scenes, and a great read.

I wish I had bookstores near me like the two in the story. How fun would it be! The duo writers Ali and Brady make reading so much fun! Looking forward to their next book!

Ali Brady is the pen name of writing BFFs Alison Hammer and Bradeigh Godfrey. The Beach Trap is their first book together. Alison lives in Chicago and works as a VP and creative director at an advertising agency. She’s the author of You and Me and Us and Little Pieces of Me. Bradeigh lives with her family in Utah, where she works as a physician. She’s the author of the psychological thrillerImposter.

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Just Beachy

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About:  A former actress in need of a reset reunites with her grandmother, her first crush, and the ladies of Ten Beach Road in this escapist novel from USA Today bestselling author Wendy Wax.

After losing her longtime acting gig on the hit show Murder 101, Sydney Ryan decides she needs a break from Hollywood politics. She heads to Treasure Island, Florida, where her grandmother has been visiting and now refuses to leave. Sydney’s plan to lie low for a bit quickly goes awry, though, as she is swept up in her grandmother’s now-flourishing social life—Grand not only bought a new house in Casas de Flores, she’s also helping her neighbor Myra open a bookstore in Pass-a-Grille. But when someone breaks into Grand’s house repeatedly, Sydney realizes her grandmother is keeping something from her.

 Determined to ferret out the truth and protect her grandmother, Sydney enlists the help of the Ten Beach Road ladies and Luke, a local police officer who was once her high school crush. While Sydney puts her television crime-solving skills to the test, she decides to act on the sizzling chemistry between herself and Luke. And as Sydney spends more sunsets toasting to true friends and new romance, she begins to wonder if the sun is setting on her time in Hollywood and if this town could be the dawn of a new chapter.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Just Beachy is my favorite of the "Ten Beach Road" books. Absolutely loved it and Sydney's journey.  So many laugh-out-loud moments when people can't separate Sydney the person and Cassie the actress! I want to shop at Sandcastle Books and Arts, which added a really nice touch to the book!

Great new characters, with a great weave-in of the "Ten Beach Road" characters.

Just Beachy is a must-read this beach season! 

Wendy Wax, a former broadcaster, is the USA Today bestselling author of sixteen novels and two novellas, including the popular Ten Beach Road series. After over thirty years in Atlanta, she once again lives on the water on the west coast of Florida near the home she grew up in and Ten Beach Road’s fictional Bella Flora.

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Busyboy Book Club

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  They can’t even agree on what to read, so how are they going to solve a murder?

Having recently moved from London to a small Cornish seaside village, Nova Davies started a book club at the local community center, but so far it’s a disaster. The five members disagree on everything, and to make matters worse, a significant sum of money is stolen during one of the meetings, putting the much-loved community center at risk.

Suspicion for the theft falls on book club member Michael, especially when he disappears and a dead body turns up at his house. But the book club has their own theories. Agatha Christie superfan Phyllis is determined to prove Michael’s been framed, while romance reader Arthur believes there’s a mystery woman involved, and teenage sci-fi fan Ash thinks dark forces are at play. 

While trying to locate Michael, solve the murder and recover the stolen money, each of them has their own secrets to protect. But despite the danger closing in, they won’t rest until they’ve cracked the case and gotten everyone safe at home with a book, where they belong.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: A small-town close book club group solves a murder and recovers the stolen money from the town center makes for a good read! My favorite characters were Arthur and Ash. They were to two most unlikely to become such close friends through the whole process, but it was beautiful to see it unfold. 

In the end, the book club misfits crack the case open and help Michael put together some puzzle pieces that fit beautifully into Phyllis' life.  Nova evolves into a strong individual and is even able to stand up to her finance and his family and do what is right herself.  Each individual grows during the story and ends up in a better place due to the group working together and supporting each other.

Freya Sampson is the USA Today bestselling author of The Last Chance Library and The Lost Ticket/The Girl on the 88 Bus. She studied history at Cambridge University and worked in television as an executive producer, making documentaries about everything from the British royal family to neighbours from hell. She lives in London with her husband, children and cats. Nosy Neighbours is her third novel.

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Someone to Tempt

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Book Blurb:  I’ve spent my whole life playing by the rules. It’s time to break a few…

Work hard. Do the right thing. Be a good girl. That’s how I survived growing up with a scandal-magnet mother and a brother who treated troublemaker like a part-time job. I thought if I followed the rules, I could outrun the chaos.

For the most part, I have. Being mayor of Skylark is everything to me, and I want to belong here. But competence and responsibility aren’t thecrowd-pleasing campaign qualities that will get me re-elected in this small town.

So I sign up for a ballroom dance class, determined to show everyone this good girl knows how to have fun. Then he walks in.

Jake Byrne. The reckless rule-breaker who ruined my family’s reputation and broke my heart.

I hate him. Obviously.

But hating is a lot harder with his body pressed against mine, moving like we’re made for each other. Turns out, Jake isn’t just gorgeous. He’s charming, perceptive, and what’s worse? He makes me feel. Everything.

And when he kisses me, I shatter right along with the rules.

Just when I start to believe in second chances, a scandal from my past threatens our future. Jake swears he’s in this for real—but I’ve been burned before. Trusting him might be the biggest temptation of all.

A small-town, enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance from USA Today and Top 5 Amazon bestseller Michelle Major. A HEA is guaranteed! If you like your happily-ever-afters swoony, steamy, and filled with laugh-out-loud moments, one click now to fall in love with The Skylark Series.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Ever since I read the first book in the Skylark Series (Someone to Love), I have been a fan of Michelle Major!  The second book in the series, Someone to Tempt,  didn't let me down.  I am a big Jake fan and was so happy that Iris was able to work through her past and realize all that she wants out of life.  Jake had his own past to reconcile as well.  It was a perfect story with a great plot with a happy outcome.  Can't wait for book 3 in the Skylark Series.

BTW- May I join the BOOK CLUB? Please Michelle????

Oh, PS! There is just the right amount of spice.....!

PSS: You don't need to read the first one in the series, Someone to Love, but I would recommend it!  I loved it!

USA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.

Connect with her at her website or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.

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Goalie Interrupted

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Summary:  Coaching him was never part of the plan. Falling for her should NOT happen. But in hockey—and love—sometimes the best plays come when you break the rules.

Elle: Coaching the River City Renegades is exactly where I want to be—hockey, small-town charm, and zero drama…but there’s him.

Dixon Andrews. The team’s broody, infuriating, gorgeous goalie. He’s got a jawline that could cut glass and a grudge he’s pinned on me for something I didn’t even do. Now, he’s making my life turbulent one smoldering glare at a time.

I’ve coached at the highest level and handled more egos than I can count, but Dixon? He’s in a league of his own. The worst part? Beneath all that attitude is a man I can’t stop thinking about.

Dixon: Elle Carter is the one woman I swore I’d never forgive, but she just walked back into my life. As my coach.

She’s as bossy and infuriating as ever, and every time she’s near, I can feel my blood pressure spike. She’s also breathtaking. Sharp, beautiful, and still capable of turning my world upside down.

I’ve spent years convincing myself she didn’t matter. But now? Game after game, practice after practice, she’s breaking down my defenses—and if I’m not careful, I’ll break the biggest rule of all: to never fall for her. Not again.

Goalie Interrupted is a closed door hockey romcom that includes tropes like enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, and found family. This is the second book in a series, and it’s filled with sizzling chemistry and swoony kisses.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I LOVED Goalie Interrupted! Honestly, my favorite part was a perfect female main character in a male-dominated environment.  A female professional hockey coach who is a legend in the hockey world. 

Coach Elle's prior history with the goalie, Dixon, didn't end well the last time their paths crossed.  However, once they clear the air it becomes steaming between the two (clean steamy). Great story that unfolds naturally. 

Another favorite character is Nan, Dixon's grandmother.  She was hilarious and continued to keep me laughing throughout the book. 

A fun and quick read with characters you will love. I highly recommend it!

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend's wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website - come say hi! She’d love to hear from you.

www.annekemp.com

On Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest: @missannekemp

On TikTok: @annekempauthor

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The Guncle Aboard

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Synopsis (from Amazon):  Patrick O'Hara is called back to his guncle duties . . . This time for a big family wedding in Italy.

Patrick O’Hara is back. It’s been five years since his summer as his niece Maisie and nephew Grant’s caretaker after their mother’s passing. The kids are back in Connecticut with their dad, and Patrick has relocated to New York to remain close by and relaunch his dormant acting career. After the run of his second successful sit-com comes to a close, Patrick feels on top of the world . . . professionally. But some things have had to take a back seat. Looking down both barrels at fifty, Patrick is single again after breaking things off with Emory. But at least he has a family to lean on. Until that family needs to again lean on him.

When Patrick's brother, Greg, announces he’s getting remarried in Italy, Maisie and Grant are not thrilled. Patrick feels drawn to take the two back under his wing. As they travel through Europe on their way to the wedding, Patrick tries his best to help them understand love, much as he once helped them comprehend grief. But when they arrive in Italy, Patrick is overextended managing a groom with cold feet; his sister, Clara, flirting with guests left and right; a growing rivalry with the kids’ charming soon-to-be-launt (lesbian aunt), and two moody young teens trying to adjust to a new normal, all culminating in a disastrous rehearsal dinner.

Can Patrick save the day? Will teaching the kids about love help him repair his own love life? Can the change of scenery help Patrick come to terms with finally growing up? Gracing the page with his signature blend of humor and heart, Steven Rowley charms with a beloved story about the complicated bonds of family, love, and what it takes to rediscover yourself, even at the ripe age of fifty.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Guncle series is my favorite Steven Rowley books. This is a laugh-out-loud while grabbing for a box of Kleenex for an ugly cry kind of book. 

GUP is back and have moved to New York. Maisie and Grant are a little older and back living with the father when they are whisked away to Italy for their dad's wedding. 

You will not be able to put this book down.  Make sure you have nothing on your calendar when you start it......because you will not want to put it down. 

You don't need to read Guncle first, but I highly recommend it because it is amazing and will make you just appreciate The Guncle Abroad even more.  

I can't get enough of Steven Rowley's books.  

Steven Rowley is the New York Times bestselling author of four novels: Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book; The Editor, an NPR Best Book of the Year; The Guncle, winner of the twenty-second Thurber Prize for American Humor and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for Novel of the Year; and The Celebrants, a TODAY Show Read With Jenna book club pick. His fiction has been translated into twenty languages. He resides in Palm Springs, California.

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Someone to Love

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Summary:  One month. One fake boyfriend. One shot at forever.

I’ve got four weeks to cross one thing off my bucket list—and it isn’t exactly PG.

I’m not the type to take risks, but when a friend battling cancer dares you to go big, you don’t say no. My mission? Lose my V-card before my baby sister’s wedding. Did I mention she’s marrying my high school crush? Yeah. There’s no way I’m walking into that ceremony as the awkward, untouched older sister.

Enter single dad Ian Barlowe—my sinfully hot, NFL legend neighbor, who owes me big time after his daughter breaks into my house. He offers to make amends by playing my fake boyfriend. How can I say no?

It should be easy enough—except nothing about Ian feels fake. The chemistry? Explosive. His unexpected sweetness? Heart-melting. And the way he seems to like me just as I am? Ruh, roh.

Here’s the thing—I don’t do vulnerability, and neither does he. But as the line between pretend and real starts to blur—especially in the bedroom—I wonder if happily-ever-after is a game we can win. I set out to score one for the bucket list, but now I’m playing for keeps. And if we’re not careful, I might lose my heart in the final play.

This small-town, single dad, standalone sports romance is perfect for readers of Jill Shalvis and Laura Pavlov. If you like your happily-ever-afters swoony, steamy, and filled with laugh-out-loud moments, one click now to fall in love with The Skylark Series.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I have never read a Michelle Major book and I can't wait to read another.  I LOVED IT!

Ingredients for an amazing book:

A small town in Colorado

Ian the single dad (ex-NFL player)

Riva the sassy daughter

Sadie the next-door neighbor in need of a date

Felix the NFL player and Ian's younger brother

Piper the bride-to-be and Sadie's younger sister

Bradley the groom-to-be and Sadie's ex

Great gal pal bookclub 

I thought Someone to Love was such a great story, that I wanted to keep reading and turning the next page even when life was calling for me to get moving.  Sometimes you just need to turn the next page and keep on reading!

Without giving away the book, I wanted to cheer when Sadie stood up to people that "push" her around in the past.  I loved watching her start to put her own happiness before others.  I can't wait for the second book in the Skylark Series.  In the meantime, I need to go read some of Michelle's other books like The California Girls series, Colorado Hearts series, Welcome to Starlight series, Crimson Colorado series, The Magnolia Sister Series, The Fortunes of Texas series, just to name a few.  So many options!

USA Today and Top 5 Amazon Bestselling author Michelle Major writes swoon-worthy stories full of heart, heat, and guaranteed happily-ever-afters. When she’s not dreaming up romance, you’ll find her hiking the trails (or avoiding housework) in her home state of Colorado.

Connect with her at her website or come say hi on Instagram and Facebook.

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