Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery

Otherwise Engaged by Susan Mallery

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778387268

Hardcover, $30, 368 pages

From the publisher:

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

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

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

My thoughts:

The premise of this novel is intriguing and unique. Victoria has always known she was adopted, but when she discovers that she was not the baby her parents thought they were getting, it knocks her for a loop. It also causes more friction between her and her mother.

Shannon discovers that her mother, who raised her as a single mom, almost gave her up for adoption. She loves her mother even as she feels her mother is a bit too close to her. She works for her mom and is engaged to a great guy, but she feels something is missing in her life.

Victoria now thinks she understands why she and her mother never had a close relationship; she was second choice. It should have been Shannon that her parents raised. 

Running into Cindy after twenty-four years has brought back so many feelings that Ava had buried. She felt that Cindy was like a sister to her, they took her into their home and lives, and then she just disappeared with the baby that thought would be theirs.

There is a lot here for great book club discussions especially about mother-daughter relationships and how fraught they can be. People will see themselves in these characters and wonder if they would react the same way. I know I did. 

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Fall 2025 Blog Tours.

The Dating Prohibition by Taj McCoy

The Dating Prohibition by Taj McCoy

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778368588

Trade paperback, $18.99, 320 pages

From the publisher:

In this spicy new rom-com, an ambitious entrepreneur working to get her speakeasy supper club off the ground is pushed off balance when her childhood crush turns up, hotter than ever––then tells her she's off-limits.

Now that Kendra’s returned home, she can’t help feeling like a kid again—back in her big brother’s shadow, trying to get her restaurant off the ground while his new venture is flying high right out the gate. It doesn’t help that everyone refuses to stop calling her Keke, the childhood nickname she loathes.

The only bright spot is her longtime crush BJ. He’s been her big brother’s best friend for most of her life, and he’s always been that cool, chill guy who was easy to talk to and made her laugh. Now he’s looking at her like she’s all grown up, and there’s nothing childish about the chemistry brewing between them. Even better, he takes her dreams seriously, and he’s ready to help her make her supper club a reality.

But then BJ extinguishes the sparks flying between them, insisting nothing romantic can ever happen because she’s “off limits.” As her investors fall through and her best chance at fulfilling her professional dreams points toward leaving home again for a fresh start, will BJ be ready for love before Kendra moves on? Or will he sweep her off her feet when she least expects it?

My thoughts:

I truly enjoy a novel where the main character is a driven person trying to make their dream come true. Kendra left her job in tech to travel the world and learn from chefs and cooks with the dream of opening up her own speakeasy supper club in Washington, D.C., following in the footsteps of her brother Logan who just opened up his own restaurant there with his wife.

I loved immersing myself in their foodie world, as Kendra and her family and friends pulled together to make Logan's restaurant a success. Reading about all the work that goes into the preparation- ordering supplies, creating the atmosphere, testing recipes- I found it all fascinating.

Watching Kendra work to make her own dream come true, and seeing how even though she faced so many obstacles she wouldn't give up, was inspiring. The relationships among the characters, especially Kendra and her cousin Lani and Kendra and her Auntie Mack, were wonderful and joyful. 

The story has a lot of spicy scenes between Kendra and her brothers best friend BJ, and I did find myself at times feeling like BJ was not being straightforward with Kendra- saying one thing (we can't be together) and doing another (see spicy scenes above). 

I adored the last part of the book watching Kendra's dreams come true. If you are a fan of TV's The Bear, you will love The Dating Prohibition as much as I did. 

This is the second book I've read by Taj McCoy (Zora Books Her Own Happily Ever After- my review here) and I look forward to many more from her.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Fall 2025 Blog Tours.

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi

The Cover Girl by Amy Rossi

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778368267

Hardcover, $28.99, 336 pages

From the publisher:

Find them early enough, and they will always be her girls.

Birdie Rhodes was only thirteen when legendary modeling agent Harriet Goldman discovered her in a department store and transformed her into one of Harriet’s Girls. What followed felt like the start of something incredible, a chance for shy Birdie to express herself in front of the camera. But two years later, she meets a thirty-one-year-old rock star, and her teenage heart falls hard as he leads her into a new life, despite Harriet's warnings. Then, as abruptly as it began, it’s over, like a lipstick-smeared fever dream. Birdie tries hard to forget that time—starting over in Paris, in the dying embers of the LA punk scene, in Boston at the height of the AIDS crisis. She’s not that person anymore. At least, that’s what she’s been telling herself.

Decades later, Birdie lives a quiet life. She works modest gigs, takes Pilates and mostly keeps to herself. Maybe it’s not the glamor she once envisioned, but it’s peaceful. Comfortable. Then a letter arrives, inviting Birdie to celebrate Harriet’s fifty-year career. Except Birdie hasn’t spoken to her in nearly thirty years—with good reason.

Almost famous, almost destroyed, Birdie can only make her own future if she reckons with her past—the fame, the trauma, the opportunities she gave up for a man who brought her into a life she wasn't ready for. Just like she’s not ready now. But the painful truth waits for nobody. Not even Birdie Rhodes.

For fans of My Dark Vanessa and Taylor Jenkins Reid, this striking debut novel explores the dizzying fallout of being seen and not heard in a high-stakes industry that leaves no silhouette unscathed.

My thoughts:

At first glance, I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book, the modeling industry doesn't particularly intrigue me, but I was immediately captured by Birdie's story. Birdie was just a young teenager when her parents, who seemed not very interested in their own daughter, willingly allowed her to travel on a world tour with the much older rock star, even agreeing to give him what they thought was temporary guardianship of Birdie.

Birdie and the rock star are inseparable, and even though her mentor Harriet tries to move her away from this relationship and back towards her career, it's no use. Birdie is devastated when the rock star dumps her, as the life span of that relationship was doomed from the beginning.

Watching Birdie spiral is so awful; she has no support as she hasn't seen her parents in years and Harriet's past efforts to help Birdie were rebuffed. Thank goodness Birdie has a friend in Bernice, a fellow young model. As Bernice's star rises, Birdie's flames out.

This is a strong debut novel, Amy Rossi has created a memorable character in Birdie. The reader is so invested in her life, pulling for Birdie to get her life back on track even though the adults in her life failed her. I highly recommend The Cover Girl.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting on their Summer 2025 Blog Tours.

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan

Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778387251

Hardcover, $30, 400 pages

Allison Brennan usually writes romantic suspense novels (I've previously read her Quinn and Costa FBI Thrillers and enjoyed them), and here she takes a turn towards a more cozy mystery-type novel in Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds.

Her heroine here is Mia, an accountant in a small firm where she is about to be named partner. She has worked hard to get this opportunity, but she also knows that accepting the partnership will mean even longer hours at the office.

Her boss books her a vacation at a fancy private island resort and insists she take it. Mia is sort-of looking forward to hanging out at the beach, reading her favorite romance novels, and maybe even having a vacation fling with Jason the hot bartender.

She didn't realize she would get caught up in a mystery when a guest goes missing. Mia and a teenage guest (who doesn't trust the woman her father wants to marry) team up to find out what happened to the missing guest.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this fun page-turner of a novel, and it does have a White Lotus feel to the story. Everyone has secrets that appear to be related to the missing guest who was perhaps blackmailing several of the guests.

The hot bartender has his eye on Mia, and after several attempts at romance are interrupted, they finally connect in some steamy scenes. Mia begins to question whether this is a vacation romance or could it be something more?

Brennan does a wonderful job balancing the romance and the mystery/suspense here, and bibliophiles like myself will enjoy and perhaps even recognize the quotes from popular mystery/thriller novels that opened each chapter. And I also loved that her heroine is an accountant, many readers will be able to relate to Mia's job. Careful readers may also be able to figure the secret that Jason is hiding.

All in all, Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds is a perfect beach read for those who like their romance mixed with a lighter mystery. I truly enjoyed it.

 

Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja

Writing Mr. Right by Alina Khawaja

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778368663

Trade paperback, $18.99, 304 pages

From the publisher:

The Dead Romantics meets Book Lovers in this charming rom-com about struggling writer Ziya, who’s about to give up on her dream of publishing until she wakes up one morning to find a physical manifestation of her writing muse in her apartment.

Ziya Khan is a legal secretary by day, but she spends her nights working hard to be a published author. She’s spent the last few years trying to get her novel published about a young brown woman falling in love with a small-town brown man—but with no luck.

After one particularly painful rejection on the night before her thirtieth birthday, Ziya decides to give up her pen for good and instead just wishes to be happy. Then, the next morning, Ziya wakes up to find Aashiq, a physical manifestation of her writing muse, sitting on her couch.

Aashiq has materialized to help Ziya find her love for writing again, despite Ziya’s determination to keep her dreams in the past. But bit by bit, Aashiq starts to remind Ziya of why she loved writing and that her words matter more than she thinks. And impossibly, something more starts to blossom between them.

But as Ziya falls for Aashiq, he begins to disappear, which prompts her to choose: her art or her heart?

My thoughts:

Romantasy as a genre is quite popular, and Writing Mr. Right is more of magical rom-com, something you may have seen as a 2000s rom-com movie.

Ziya is very good at her day job as a legal secretary, but she dreams of becoming a published author. Her novel as been rejected many times for being "too small-town" and she is getting discouraged when she finds the physical manifestation of her writing muse in the form of a very handsome man in her living room.

She tells her roommate and best friend that Aashiq is her boyfriend because the truth is too unbelievable. Aashiq even follows her to work where she tells her coworkers that he is shadowing her for a new program. He gets Ziya to open up to her coworkers, become more friendly to them, even going to lunch with them.

As Ziya's world opens up, she finds herself falling for Aashiq and he for her. But how can this relationship work? And can he help her become the author she always dreamed of being?

I like reading books by diverse authors, getting to know more about their culture and family life, and I enjoyed that aspect of the story a great deal.

If you like your romance with a magical touch, but romantasy seems too dark for you, give Writing Mr. Right a look.

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold

Romantic Friction by Lori Gold

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778387657

Trade paperback, $18.99, 304 pages

From the publisher:

Sofie Wilde’s bestselling fantasy romance series has been breaking bestseller records and readers’ hearts for years. She’s primed to become a worldwide phenomenon as the tenth and final book is set to debut after the annual romance readers convention takes place in Chicago next week. As buzz continues to build toward the book’s release, Sofie is asked to headline the event for the first time, a career milestone. One she won’t let anyone take from her, especially “the next Sofie Wilde.”

That’s what they’re calling her—Hartley West, the self-published debut author who writes in the style of Sofie Wilde. Except she doesn’t actually “write” anything. After Hartley admits to using AI to create her novel, Sofie’s ready to watch Hartley be skewered on social media. Except in this unpredictable world, Hartley is instead lauded for being innovative, for being such a skilled editor to take what the AI churned out and massage it into a story that’s just as compelling as Sofie’s—maybe even more so.

After her unhinged rant unintentionally goes viral, Sofie loses her keynote, and she’s starting to lose all her support. That loss is Hartley’s gain—as her book sales start soaring, she’s given the headliner spot. Sofie is livid. And she’s not the only one. As the convention begins, Sofie is surrounded by fellow authors who also fear for their futures, their livelihoods, their art being stripped away, one AI prompt at a time. Something must be done. This has to be stopped. Now. With the clock ticking down to the keynote, Sofie enlists her fellow authors in a plan to stop Hartley, vowing, “‘The next Sofie Wilde’—over my dead body. Or hers.”

My thoughts:

As someone who doesn't know (or care?) too much about AI, I found Romantic Friction's look at how it steals from authors' works enlightening- and frightening. Hartley West at first appears to be just a Sophie Wilde superfan who writes fan-fiction in the same style of Sophie Wilde, but clearly there is more to her than meets the eye.

Hartley wants to be a successful author too and sees using AI as a way to do that. Sophie rightly feels that Hartley is stealing from her, and as things begin to spiral out of control at the romance convention, she must figure out a way to stop Hartley.

Other romance authors at the convention confront Sophie and insist that she stop Hartley or they fear that there will be more Hartleys coming their way stealing their books. I did feel that the other romance authors were less well-drawn that than other characters in the book.

And who is this handsome mysterious man oddly named Cooper-Brad who appeared at the infamous book signing and now shows up at the romance convention? Is he Hartley's partner in crime or someone who Sophie can count on to help her?

Sophie is a great flawed character. She drinks too much, is pretty anti-social with other authors, and has trouble with the concept of friendship. 

There are hijinks a-plenty as Sophie attempts to stop Hartley, and if you've ever been to a book convention, you'll enjoy that aspect of the story. (If you haven't been to a convention, you'll like it as well.) 

There's also a few twists in this fun inside baseball look at the publishing industry, and it's not all flattering, but it is thought-provoking.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2025 Blog Tour.

Sleeping With the Frenemy by Natalie Caña

Sleeping With the Frenemy by Natalie Caña

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778305460

Trade paperback, $18.99, 352 pages

I truly enjoyed getting to know the Vega family in Natalie Caña's first two novels- A Proposal They Can't Refuse and A Dish Best Served Hot- and I was so happy to discover that the third book in the trilogy, Sleeping With the Frenemy, is just as wonderful as the first two.

Leo Vega is recouperating from a gunshot wound from a year ago and is secretly trying to get strong enough to get his job back as a firefighter. In the meantime he is working at his soon-to-be brother-in-law Leo's whiskey distillery creating craft cocktails.

When his his sister Kamilah's best friend (and his secret on-again, off-again lover) Sofi returns to Chicago from Paris, Leo wants to pick up their affair and make it public. Leo wants Sofi to acknowledge them as a couple, something Sofi reluctant to do, fearing it will complicate her already rocky relationship with her best friend Kamilah.

While Sofi fights her growing attraction to Leo, he pulls out all the stops showing her what she is missing. When they end up living in the same apartment, sparks and more fly. Caña writes spicy scenes just about better than anyone. You may need to crank up the AC as you read these sexy scenes.

I love that once again, as in the first two novels, Leo's grandfather works overtime to get two people together, this time along with Sofi's grandmother.  I also liked that we circled back to Kamilah and Leo, the couple from the first Vega Family novel, as planning for their wedding plays a big part in the story.

I also get to brush up on my Spanish language skills reading these novels, and I like the feeling of community you get reading about this proud Puertominican neighborhood in Humboldt Park. I highly recommend Sleeping With the Frenemy and all of the Vega Family novels. I hope we get to see more of them in the future.

Vega Family Love Stories:

Book 1: A Proposal They Can't Refuse (my review here)

Book 2: A Dish Best Served Hot (my review here)

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on the Fall 2024 Blog Tours.

The Day Tripper by James Goodhand

The Day Tripper by James Goodhand

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778367646

Hardcover, $28.99, 368 pages

From the publisher:

What if you lived your days out of order?

It’s 1995, and twenty-year-old Alex Dean has it all: a spot at Cambridge University next year, the love of an amazing woman named Holly and all the time in the world ahead of him. That is until a brutal encounter with a ghost from his past sees him beaten, battered and almost drowning in the Thames.

He wakes the next day to find he’s in a messy, derelict room he’s never seen before, in grimy clothes he doesn’t recognize, with no idea of how he got there. A glimpse in the mirror tells him he’s older—much older—and has been living a hard life, his features ravaged by time and poor decisions. He snatches a newspaper and finds it’s 2010—fifteen years since the fight.

After finally drifting off to sleep, Alex wakes the following morning to find it’s now 2019, another nine years later. But the next day, it’s 1999. Never knowing which day is coming, he begins to piece together what happens in his life after that fateful night by the river.

Why does his life look nothing like he thought it would? What about Cambridge, and Holly? In this page-turning adventure, Alex must navigate his way through the years to learn that small actions have untold impact, even in a life lived out of order. And that might be all he needs to save the people he loves and, equally importantly, himself.

My thoughts:

James Goodhand's time travel novel leaves the reader with much to ponder. The only person he knows who comprehends what he is going though is Dr. Defrates, a professor at a local school. While Alex goes back and forth in time, he finds that making different decisions while in the past can change his future.

Dr. Defrates tells him that if he can "make more good changes, you might reap more benefit. Commit to making real difference, those changes may begin to add up. Good decisions lead to good decisions, just as bad decisions beget more bad decisions."

Alex sees this live out as he wakes up in different time periods of his life. Goodhand does a terrific job placing the reader in Alex's shoes. Can you imagine waking up on your wedding day and not recognizing anyone at your wedding and not knowing who your bride is? 

The reader finds oneself rooting for Alex to make good decisions, and feeling empathy for him when he does not. He wants desperately to find out what went wrong with him and his true love Holly, why they are not together in some versions of his life. Can he correct his past wrongs and get back to her?

Ultimately, The Day Tripper is a rewarding and uplifting story and if this doesn''t encourage the reader to reflect on the decisions made in their own life, I'm not sure what would. I recommend The Day Tripper.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Winter 2024 Blog Tours.

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West by Sara Ackerman

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West

Published by MIRA, ISBN9780778369516

Trade paperback, $18.99, 384 pages

From the publisher:

1927. Olivia ‘Livy’ Jones is a young and determined pilot with a love of adventure. She’s been bit by the flying bug and yearns to cross oceans and see the world, pioneering the way for other women pilots. When she learns of the Dole Air Race–organized immediately after Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight–a race to be the first to make the 2,400 mile Pacific crossing from the West coast to Hawaii, with a huge grand prize of $25,000–she sets her sights on qualifying. But it soon becomes clear that only men will make the cut. In a last ditch effort to take part, Livy manages to be picked as a navigator for one of the pilots, before setting out on a harrowing journey that will change her life forever.

 

1987. Wren Summers is down to her last dime when she learns she has inherited a remote piece of land on the Big Island with nothing on it but a dilapidated barn and an overgrown mac nut grove. She plans on selling it and using the money to live on, but she is drawn in by the mysterious objects kept in the barn by her late great-uncle—clues to a tragic piece of aviation history lost to time. Determined to find out what really happened all those years ago, Wren enlists the help of residents at a nearby retirement home to uncover Olivia’s story piece by piece. What she discovers is more earth-shattering, and closer to home, than she could have ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

Last week there was a news story about the possible discovery of a plane submerged in the Pacific Ocean and there was speculation that it was the plane of Amelia Earhart, who was lost at sea in 1937 during her attempt to be the first woman to fly around the world, so it's a great time to read Sara Ackerman's novel The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West.

Frequently in dual timeline novels, one storyline is stronger than the other, but in this one, I was equally invested in both stories and both women. Livy Jones is an intelligent young woman who figures out a way to make into the boys' club of aviation by working hard and taking advantage of every opportunity to be around pilots and eventually convincing one pilot to let her fly with him. 

In the 1987 timeline, when Wren's life appears to be falling apart, she leaves her home and when she sees the dilapidated barn, pulls herself together and works to make a new home for herself. Ackerman paints such a vivid portrait of the barn, I felt like if I closed my eyes I could see it.

Both characters are well-drawn and I enjoyed following the progress that Livy made during her flight to Hawaii and Wren made restoring her great-uncle's plane. There's history, romance, some interesting Hawaiian culture, and a nice twist at the end that careful readers may be able to guess. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction featuring strong women.

I reviewed Sara Ackerman's previous book Radar Girls here.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Winter 2024 Blog Tours.

The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan

The Missing Witness by Allison Brennan

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778369653

Hardcover, $30, 416 pages

I have always wanted to read one of Allison Brennan's novels so I jumped into the fifth book in her Quinn & Costa series, The Missing Witness. While it can be difficult to join an established series without having read the previous books, I was able to catch up, though it did take awhile to place all the characters relationships.

The book begins with LAPD Detective Kara Quinn returning to Los Angeles to testify against a dangerous human trafficker she went undercover to catch. Kara Quinn has been on loan to the FBI in Washington DC where she works closely with Agent Matt Costa, and with whom she has a more than collegial relationship.

Kara is eager to testify, and threats against her life by the trafficker's people have given her LAPD and FBI colleagues concerns about her safety. When the trafficker is shot and killed on his way into the courthouse, there is one witness to the killing- Amy, a civilian IT consultant who has been working undercover to get information on white collar financial crimes that may implicate people high up in the city government as well as the trafficker. 

Amy disappears following the killing, and there are questions as to whether she is a witness or the killer. Quinn and Costa and Quinn's former unit in the LAPD have to work together to find Amy and unravel the white crime syndicate that has now turned to murder to protect their secrets.

Brennan does a good job explaining the complicated scheme that involves nonprofit organizations that have contracts with the city to build housing for unhoused people, and the web of deceit that has created millionaires out of people high up in the government and their family members.

There are some truly tense scenes in this fast-paced novel, including a few shoot-outs, a rooftop chase, and Kara racing away on a motorcycle from killers on her trail. I was biting my nails on these scenes.

I found it interesting how Brennan built her story around a real world problem, the homeless issue, and dealt with it from the perspective of people living in the middle of it. She clearly did her research on it. (Here is a link to an essay Allison Brennan wrote about this.)

For people who have read the previous Quinn & Costa novels, they will no doubt enjoy seeing what their favorite characters have been up to in the interim, and there are a few surprises for them. After reading The Missing Witness, I will be looking the first four books in the series- Kara Quinn is a badass.

The Friendship Club by Robyn Carr

The Friendship Club by Robyn Carr

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778311881

Hardcover, $28.99, 336 pages

Nobody writes about female friendships better than Robyn Carr and her latest novel, The Friendship Club,  is a perfect example.

Marni hosts a successful cooking show on television. Like Ina Garten ( The Barefoot Contessa), the show is filmed in her own home, where she is ably assisted by Ellen, who has been with her for twenty years. Ellen is creative with food but has no desire to appear on camera, she is happy to leave that to Marni.

Sophia is interning with Marni and hopes to have a career in broadcast journalism. Marni's daughter Bella  is anxiously awaiting the birth of her first child with her husband Jason.

Although Marni has very successful career, her love life could use some work. She was widowed at a young age and now is divorced from her second husband after she caught him cheating on her. Ellen was a longtime caregiver for her seriously ill husband and is wary about getting into a new relationship. 

Sophia is excited about a new man in her life, but soon discovers that he is possessive and potentially dangerous. Marni had experience with that with her first husband and begins to worry about Sophia. Bella has concerns about her own marriage as well.

As the story progresses, Marni finds herself unexpectedly attracted to a new man in her life and Ellen's retired firefighter neighbor would like to start a romance with her. Marni jumps in with both feet and encourages Ellen not to let her past get in the way of a possible happy future.

I liked that we see relationships at all stages and ages- young Sophia, Bella and her husband as they await the birth of a baby, and Marni and Ellen in the 60s opening up their hearts to new possibilities. 

Robyn Carr's characters are always so interesting, and seeing older women excited about new romance is enjoyable and refreshing to read. And no matter how long ago you went through a pregnancy, you can relate to Bella's situation. Carr's male characters are well drawn and realistic too.

I enjoy foodie books, and reading about Marni and Ellen's recipes and Ellen's volunteer work feeding people fleeing wildfires was fascinating. The Friendship Club is a wonderful book to gift to your girlfriends on Galentine's Day, I highly recommend it.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Winter 2024 Blog Tours.

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778305200 

Trade paperback, $18.99, 416 pages

Noelle Salazar's fascinating novel  The Roaring Days of Zora Lily begins in 2023 with a curator at the Smithsonian Museum of American History's discovery while working on an exhibition of iconic movie costumes from 1920's through today. She finds a label underneath another label with the name of Zora Lily on it.

Who is Zora Lily and why was her label hidden underneath the label of a famous costume designer? That takes the story back to the days of Prohibition and the 1920's. Zora Hough was a teenager from a poverty-stricken family in Seattle. Zora helped her mother support her family as seamstresses, repairing clothes for others.

Zora's talents lay in designing and sewing beautiful dresses for wealthy women in Seattle. She spent all her time either in school or working to help her mother. Zora's best friend dances in a club downtown and convinces Zora to join her in some well-deserved fun at the clubs.

Zora is introduced to a whole new world in the dance clubs, and catches the eye of a handsome and wealthy man, a man whom all the other women desire for themselves. The dicotomy of her life at home and her night life in the clubs is striking.

Soon Zora's talents are put to use repairing the costumes for the dancers and when Zora's friends are drawn to the bright lights of Hollywood, Zora accompanies them and gets a job at a studio as a seamstress. 

Although Zora was led to believe that she would be designing clothes for the movies, in fact she spent all her time sewing and repairing other people's designs. She became frustrated and was set to return home for good when an opportunity arose for her to possibly realize her dreams.

Noelle Salazar transports the reader to the 1920's era in The Roaring Days of Zora Lily. You can almost hear the music in the clubs, taste the fizzy drinks, and see the beautiful dancers moving. I also liked the Hollywood setting, meeting people like Greta Garbo. Zora being torn between her loyalty to her family and her own big dreams is something people can relate to as well.

Fans of Karen White's jazz-era Wicked City trio of novels (The Wicked City, The Wicked Redhead, The Wicked Widow) and Adriana Trigiani's All The Stars in the Heavens, (a fictionalized account of actress Loretta Young's life) should put The Roaring Days of Zora Lily on their TBR list. I recommend it.

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Fall 2023 Blog Tours.

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

Published by MIRA Books ISBN 9780778334408

Trade paperback, $18.99, 432 pages

I enjoy reading Jean Meltzer's romances (The Matzah Ball and 

Mr. Perfect on Paper) because I've learned so much about Jewish customs and traditions, and her newest novel, Kissing Kosher, adds another layer of learning.

Avital manages her family's popular Brooklyn Jewish bakery, Best Babka. Her twin brother is the creative baker, and Avital runs the business end of things. Avital also lives with a chronic illness called Interstitial Cystitis, which causes her disabling pelvic pain that makes everyday living difficult. Doctors haven't been very helpful, they are unable or unwilling to give her pain medication, and nothing else seems to work.

Business has been good at Best Babka, so Avital decides to hire a new person to join their tight-knit crew.

Ethan Rosenberg applies to work there, and Avital hires him unaware that Ethan has an agenda. He has been sent there to steal the recipe for the famous Pumpkin Spice Babka Bread.

Ethan's grandfather Moishe and Avital's grandfather used to be business partners until a serious falling-out resulted in a breakup of the partnership and friendship. The men became sworn enemies, trading insults and expensive lawsuits over the years.

Of course, Ethan is attracted to Avital which complicates matters. The more time he spends at the bakery and with Avital, the less he wants to do his grandfather's bidding, but there are family complications that he can't ignore.

I loved learning all about the bakery business, I found it fascinating. It made me want to search out the closest Jewish bakery near me to try their delicious treats. 

 Author Jean Meltzer lives with a serious chronic condition and she gives the reader a true look at the challenges of that. Her descriptions are so visceral, the reader can almost feel Avital's pain.

As Ethan and Avital's relationship blossoms, it can only be a matter of time before Avital learns the truth about Ethan's identity. What will happen then?

Once again, Jean Meltzer has created interesting characters and put them in a sticky romantic situation. Kissing Kosher is a little deeper than her previous books, dealing with a serious medical condition that many people (including myself) know little about. 

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Summer 2023 Blog Tours.