I don't mind not really knowing when it's me and you: ALICE RUE EVADES THE TRUTH.

Alice Rue Evades the Truth by Emily Zipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So While You Were Sleeping is perhaps my favorite movie of all time. A sapphic homage to the movie definitely piqued my interest.

The beginning definitely echoes the film. Alice saves the life of a man in her office building whom she's been lusting after from afar. The EMTs then tell his family that she's his girlfriend and Alice finds herself unable to tell the truth. Saving Nolan's life is winning her points with her hateful boss, but more importantly, long orphaned Alice finds herself swept up in the warmth of Nolan's boisterous, loving family.

She's soon spending a lot of time with Nolan's butch sister, Van--and Alice, who identifies as bisexual--is quickly drawn to her. There's forced cuddling on the couch and long chats in the car, but it does seem like the two bond a bit quickly. Alice also has a side plot with the reintroduction of a long lost family member and her children.

This story is cute and even funny, but often dark. Alice's backstory is sad, and there's an emotional depth to her feelings for Van. There's nothing wrong with this--just be prepared that it's not always a chipper romcom. It's surprising that this is a debut--it's nuanced and complex, with much depth of feeling.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback in return for an unbiased review.

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And maybe she'll be your karma: DESTINATION FUNERAL.

Destination Funeral by Paige Harbison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Didion and Sammie's mother, Babe, passes away on Mercy Island, at the family's beloved home, Birdsong. Didion has been mostly estranged from her mother and sister for some time, but she returns home for the funeral. There she also finds her childhood friends, Austin and Matt.

It is soon revealed that Babe's will stipulates that the foursome will have to spend the funeral weekend together at Birdsong -- no phones allowed -- if they want to inherit the house. Didion can't think of anything worse, but she reluctantly agrees. They spend a painful, resentful Saturday together, only to wake up and discover... it's still Saturday! Again and again.

The Groundhog Day aspect is cute and whimsical; much of the story itself is not. Didion is such an unlikable character that you find yourself having very little desire to spend one Saturday with her, let alone infinite ones. She carries a grudge against everyone--some of her anger against her late mother, who was rather tough on her, was justified, but still. This girl is angry and mean. Said anger extends to her sister, her friend Matt, and her once boyfriend, Austin.

Since most of the plot involves these characters stuck at Birdsong, rehashing old gripes, it gets a bit stale. We do get flashbacks to beachy summers past--some happier, some not--giving us a chance to learn a bit more about our characters. And yes, again, there's a reason for some of the bitterness. But while the story can have its light and funny moments, I often found this more of a rant rather than an enjoyable, magical tale.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in return for an unbiased review.

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Remembеr me happy when you remember what was: ALL THE LIES WE SEE.

All The Lies We See by Christina McDonald
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Another excellent entry in the Jess Lambert series.

Jess is a grieving mom and dedicated cop--she's trying to continue living since the death of her young daughter, Isla, which occurred while Jess was driving. She's a recovering alcoholic and slowly rekindling her marriage to her husband, Mac. Jess hopes the trial of a local woman, Melanie, will help provide her closure--she partially holds Melanie responsible for the accident with Isla.

But, overnight everything changes on Jess again. After learning that Melanie has cut a plea deal, she wakes up in a strange hotel room. She feels as if she was drugged--and soon she realizes that there's a viral video circulating of her murdering Melanie. Jess, who depends on her instincts and investigation abilities, feels helpless--she has no memory of the night and no idea how to prove her innocence.

As with most of this series, this is a raw and emotional book about grief. This story adds in the theme of revenge and what it takes to move on, or to seek forgiveness. This is a particularly personal investigation for Jess--she has to exonerate herself while confronting more demons about Isla's death. Melanie is truly a horrible woman, and be prepared for a dark and gruesome read.

Jess quickly realizes that current events may be tied to her last case before Isla died--the disappearance of a young woman, Cece, who has since passed away. Because Jess has the special ability to sometimes see the dead, including Isla, and now Cece, the young woman tries to help her find the truth.

As always, McDonalds gives us a well-written story with flawed, nuanced characters and intricate storylines. We delve more into Jess' relationship with her ex-husband Mac, her feelings about Isla's death, and her attempts to be a better person and reconcile her grief.

In addition, the book makes excellent and timely points about how AI can make it impossible to tell the difference between reality and alternate, faked perspectives. How can anyone--included trained professionals--trust their instincts in the world of AI, the story asks? It's a great question, and a scary one.

An excellent mystery--definitely recommended.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Intrigue Ink Publishing in return for an unbiased review.

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My heart turned a flip as I stood next to you: PLAY YOU FOR IT.

Play You For It by Samantha Saldivar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This sapphic romance has a basketball-themed plot. 🏀 Need I say more?

Jordan gets promoted to head coach of a D1 men’s (!) basketball team and along the way falls for the amazing sports reporter covering the team, named Beck. It's a tad cheesy at times, but had me rooting for Jordan's team, and of course, Jordan and Beck.

I'm pretty much a sucker for a sports romance with lesbians. If that sport is basketball--even better. This story drew me in because it features "grown-up" gays, not students playing basketball. (Although there's a very compelling storyline with Jordan winning the trust of her new team.) Jordan and Beck fall for each other immediately, but can't act--Jordan is worried about trusting a reporter, while Beck fears what dating Jordan will mean for her burgeoning career.

Much of the story focuses on the fact that Jordan is the first female D1 coach--a very timely plot piece--and it makes excellent points about the unfairness in basketball: how women are treated, how lesbians are treated, etc. There are some major misogynistic moments for both Jordan and Beck, and the book does a great job of realistically portraying how difficult it can be to be a woman in the sport of basketball. It also captures the drama of basketball so well--the excitement of advancing in a tournament, per se, or the pain of losing.

Overall, this was an enjoyable romance -- with honest characters who reflected the real-world around them. I loved the sports angle and was definitely swept up in the story! 3.5 stars, rounded up.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Dell in return for an unbiased review.

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Got a strange sense of deja vu: THE MISSED CONNECTION.

The Missed Connection by Tia Williams
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sasha has had a rough go of it, but she's getting back in the game at work. That same adage doesn't apply to her romantic life: she's not interested in dating. But on flight to Paris, she has a magical connection with "Seat F," a charming man who makes Sasha feel as if there could be something between them. Unfortunately, they part ways before exchanging names and contact information.

Sasha turns to Wes, a private detective who helped her in the past. Wes is no longer a PI, but he agrees to help. Sasha and Wes once had their own fleeting connection--a sizzling chemistry that they now try to squash, but it just keeps rising to the surface.

In fact, Sasha and Wes' chemistry just keeps popping up--over and over. I enjoyed this book, but it feels as if pieces of the plot are rehashed a few times too many. We cover how Wes rescued Sasha in the past, but she's searching for the new guy; Wes can't commit to anything and is a bit of a hot mess (he's running a food truck now, you see), but oh their chemistry--rinse and repeat.

One of the best aspects of this story is the coverage of Sasha's anxiety disorder, which is done thoughtfully and fairly. It affects many of her decisions, and the author treats anxiety honestly and respectfully, as well as using it to flesh out Sasha's backstory.

MISSING CONNECTION is a bit mystery, bit romance. At times, I wanted to shake Sasha--why was she so obsessed with this plane guy? Some of the avenues taken to find him seemed ridiculous, making the whole tale a bit far fetched. I did enjoy Sasha and Wes' chemistry and the character development is pretty well-done. There's also a cameo from Ricki Wilde's husband that made me grin. 3.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing in return for an unbiased review.

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I'm waiting for an answer, listening for hope: IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER.

It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell


Out walking her property one day, Jane Trevally comes across a small white dog. She tracks down the dog's owner after she realizes that the girl who was with the dog has disappeared. The owner lives in London, nowhere near Jane, but when she arrives at their home, she discovers she's had an eerie encounter there before. Jane doesn't believe the owner that Hugo, the dog, ran away, and starts her own investigation.

Her amateur sleuthing leads her into the twisted depths of a deeply messed up family. Jane slowly learns more about the spooky house, its history, and the family that lived there. The house--and therefore the story--gives off a creepy, horrifying atmosphere, especially as Jane slowly uncovers each layer.

Jane is an interesting character (she appears in a previous Jewell book, briefly). She's a nosy, somewhat lonely, woman, who finds joy in trying to solve mysteries. The crime is interspersed with Jane's own personal issues, as she struggles to maintain her family's home and interacts with her gaggle of former stepchildren. It seems ridiculous that she'd try to track down Hugo's owner... but somehow it works. We get the POV of multiple other characters, as well.

Overall, this is a really dark tale, with some deeply disturbing plot turns. It keeps you guessing as you attempt to put together all the complicated plot pieces. I am in awe of how Jewell comes up with all these books!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review.


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My home it's got your name on it: BANK SHOT.

Bank Shot by Josie Mae


I quite enjoyed this story. We have GJ, a star women's college basketball player, and Leah, a cheerleader at the same college. GJ is not known for settling down--with anyone. She's also having a tough season adjusting to life without her former teammate (and still best friend) and isn't playing well. Meanwhile, Leah feels like she's in the constant shadow of her twin, who plays basketball with GJ. Her family focuses all their attention on her sister, instead of Leah.

In an attempt to stand up for herself--and defy her sister's rule of not dating her teammates, Leah makes a flirtatious play for GJ. But their one-night-stand turns into more, much to each's surprise.

Watching GJ and Leah develop a relationship is endearing, and it's incredibly easy to root for the two of them. There is some character maturity as well as sexy bits. As a basketball fan, I enjoyed the focus on the game, even if this seemed to be some magical world where every player was headed for the WNBA.

This is fun, sexy, basketball romance with a serious side. Highly enjoyable!

I received a copy of this book from Book Funnel and Honky Tonk Angels Publishing in return for an unbiased review.

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