Watching everyone around get there before I do: WISH YOU WERE HER.

Wish You Were Her by Elle McNicoll
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I need to come to terms that Elle McNicoll books and me are not compatible!

Famous actress Allegra Brooks, age 18, wants one normal summer, so she escapes to Lake Pristine to spend the summer with her dad at his bookstore. Once there, she meets Jonah Brooks, who is helping run the town's annual Book Festival. Jonah immediately insults her and then spends much of his time avoiding her.

Meanwhile, Allegra is emailing an anonymous person at the bookstore, whom she knows has to be Jonah's co-worker. Allegra is autistic--something she's never shared with her fans--and she feels like this anonymous pen pal just gets it, gets her.

WISH YOU WERE HER hits us over the head with the idea that its two main characters are autistic. I love stories about neurodivergence, love seeing familiar traits reflected in the stories I read, but this topic deserves to be woven into a story, not just thrown in readers' faces over and over. Show us, don't tell us. Repeatedly.

As for Jonah, he was very hard to like, even with his own character influenced by his autism. He seemed to like Allegra only because she was pretty, and the two's "instalove" feeling was chalked up to... wait... wait... oh my gosh, if you guessed autism, you're right!

There was a gaggle of townspeople, but most were not redeemable besides teenage Grace and a reappearance from Jasper, who is the MC in a previous McNicoll book. Allegra's father even holds a ridiculous grudge against Jonah for the silliest reason... honestly I just have to stop listing all the reasons this book was frustrating.

There's a cute lake setting and some fun book references. I respect the attempt to include autism in the story, but it would be better to acknowledge that autism is just one part of a person, not their entire entity.

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

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One day, she's looking over her shoulder at the past: MISSING SISTER.

Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Twins Penny and Nix grew up incredibly close, but Penny lost Nix to a drug addiction. Nix's last voicemail has haunted Penny for five years. Now Penny's a rookie cop, hoping to save others from Nix's fate. But on one of her early training cases, she recognizes the victim as one of the men she blames for her sister's death. While on scene, she comes across a woman covered in blood, a weapon by her side.

Incredulously (seriously, it seems a shocking way to start this book!), Penny lets the woman go, thinking her whispered "sisters" has ties to Nix. She pockets the box cutter this woman was holding and lies to her training officers and fellow cops. The woman vanishes, but of course, Penny's behavior is suspicious, leading to a suspension.

What follows is a story that focuses both on Penny's feelings about Nix's passing and the death of the man she blames for Nix's death. A few of the outcomes seem a bit obvious but other twists are excellent and surprising. This is a dark and gory story, with a focus on the dangers of drug addiction. It also delves into sisterhood and the complicated feelings that family can dredge up.

Penny is a tough woman, even if she makes some questionable decisions. Her love for Nix shines through the story, giving it added depth and dimension. This is a complicated, dark, and twisty tale.

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

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Freeze frames in time move through me: STRANGERS IN A VILLA.

Strangers in the Villa by Robyn Harding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very dramatic thriller set in picturesque Spain!

After Sydney's husband, Curtis, cheats on her, the two decide to leave their life in New York City behind and buy a Spanish villa. They hope a new house and location will allow them to start fresh and focus on their marriage. But then a young couple shows up and destroys their peace--Bianca and Damian, two Aussies, are traveling in their camper van when it breaks down outside the villa. At first, the group gets along well (with the exception of Curtis, who resents the intrusion), but soon, cracks begin to form.

This is an interesting book--the tension builds slowly, and it feels like a locked room mystery at time, with both couples mainly trapped in the villa. As such, Harding does an excellent job creating a claustrophobic feel. There's a strange forced sexual tension between the group, which made me feel awkward. Lies and secrets abound, with information gradually revealed across various perspectives, and ratcheting up the mystery and suspense.

Be prepared for a tale that takes some dark turns and centers on often quite selfish and unhappy people. It's a good quick read though, and one which will keep you guessing. 3.5 stars, rounded up here.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing in return for an unbiased review. Look for STRANGERS IN THE VILLA on 03/03/2026!

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Time that you notice the girl next door: JOY MOODY IS OUT OF TIME.

Joy Moody Is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Be prepared, this is a quirky and sometimes weird story, but it's truly quite touching.

Twins Joy and Cassie grew up believing they were from the future. Isolated, with most of their life occurring at the family's laundromat, they know little about the real world. So when their mom, Joy, dies shortly after their 21st birthday--right after the twins realize they aren't returning to the future as promised, their lives are turned upside down.

This book has such a fun cast of characters, despite mainly taking place at the laundromat -- we meet the three other business owners who share the laundromat's building -- and each play such an important role in the story. My favorite was Monty, the locksmith who was madly in love with Joy. Each character bounces off the pages, pulling you into the strange world of Joy Moody and her children.

This is a lovely story, touching on the importance of found family, and delving deeply into the powerful bonds of motherhood and what you would do for those you love. While not a conventional read, it's a poignant, well-written one.

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

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If we'd known ten years ago today would be ten years from now: GONE IN THE NIGHT.

Gone in the Night by Joanna Schaffhausen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another excellent mystery from Schaffhausen, as always.

In book #5 featuring Detective (now PI) Annalisa Vega, we have incredibly well-developed characters and an excellent plot that ties disparate threads together so well while still keeping you guessing until the end. By now, Annalisa and Nick are married (again) and expecting their first child. Annalisa takes on a new case, a client recommended by her brother (who is in jail, as is her new client). But the new case drudges up an old one Nick worked as a cop. Joe claims he's in jail for something he did not do; Annalisa agrees, but soon realizes the situation is far more complicated than it seems.

While investigating on Joe's behalf, Annalisa meets the crew at Ruby's Place, a shelter for abused women. Did Joe abuse his wife? How about his first wife, Jessica? Schaffhausen does an excellent job tying together intricate plot pieces about Joe's life, Nick's past investigation, and Annalisa's current case, giving us an intense and moving story of spousal abuse and family ties (and, of course, murder). We also get to see Nick and Annalisa emotions, as they feel forced to compete against one another, with Annalisa's investigation into Nick's old cases not exactly helping the couple's relationship.

This is a great mystery, and it gives us more insight into Annalisa and Nick as well. Such a good series.

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

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So I laid in broken pieces on the floor: THE LOCKED WARD.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is one of those crazy page turners that kept me flipping the pages like mad. This reads like a soap opera. There's not always logic here, but it's exciting!

Georgia is in a mental ward, suspecting of killing her adopted sister. Her wealthy family is now shunning her. With no one else to turn to, Georgia reaches out to her birth twin, Mandy, to get her name cleared. Only problem? Mandy has no idea Georgia exists.

Pekkanen alternates the POV between Georgia and Mandy, as Georgia pulls Mandy into her web and forces her to investigate on her behalf. Along the way, we get drama with rich families, ambitious senators, suspicious ward patients, and angry grudges and secrets. It's all a bit histrionic and crazy, but it makes for a compelling and wild tale that dips into sisterhood and family ties.

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

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And I had to break your heart to make you see: NO BODY NO CRIME.

No Body No Crime: A Novel by Tess Sharpe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The lesbian crime thriller we all need in our lives.

At Chloe's sweet sixteen party, she and Mel kill a boy. The ramifications extend far beyond what the two could have ever imagined, and two years later, Chloe disappears. Mel becomes a Private Investigator (PI) and with the help of her mentor, tracks her down.

This is a wild tale filled with crooked politicians, drug dealers, and secrets piled on top of lies. But there's also the intense love between Chloe and Mel, paired with simmering tension and chemistry. Nothing like lesbian longing that endures gun fights and years apart!

The duo's story is told with sarcasm and humor, giving us a quick-moving page-turner that's part love story and part crime thriller. There are plenty of surprise twists to keep you guessing, with intense suspense and heightened emotions. This is a very enjoyable read! 4+ stars.

I received a copy of this book from Farrar, Straus and Giroux/MCD and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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Everything you do, you do just right: THE FINE PRINT.

The Fine Print by Lauren Asher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love the #bookstagram community; thanks to them, I stumbled across this book. This was such a fun read.

Is it cheesy? Sure. But it's an adorable and moving story, too.

Also I had no idea that "Dreamland" references a theme park and conglomerate similar to Disney. Being a huge Disney fan, I loved all the inside jokes and fun allusions to the park.

Rowan's grandfather started Dreamland. With his death, his will dictates that Rowan and his two brothers must complete certain tasks to earn their shares of the billion-dollar company. For Rowan, he must serve as Dreamland director for six months and come up with plans to rejuvenate and improve the park.

Enter Zahra, who works at a boutique in Dreamland, but dreams of becoming a Creator. When Rowan learns of her ideas to revitalize rides and park lands, he recruits her, but he's quickly interested in more than her brain.

The story plays up the vulnerable, grumpy guy trope, while Zahra is the quintessential tough girl hiding a hurt heart. Zahra and Rowan absolutely ooze tension (and about a million HR violations!). But there's a tenderness to their story that makes it irresistible. I really enjoyed their fairy tale romance.

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In silence, my darkness is denied: THE FUTURE SAINTS.

The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It seems as if books about bands are a dime a dozen lately, but Winstead's latest offers a unique twist on the premise.

When we first meet The Future Saints, they are in fairly bad shape, overdue on an album owed to their label and giving drunken concerts. Their label, Manifest, sends in the "Fixer," Theo, to try to get the band back on track--and record their long overdue album (before dropping them).
Soon some performances go viral, as does their new sound--a darker type of rock influenced by the death of their manager, Ginny, who was also the sister of their lead singer, Hannah.

Theo quickly finds himself caught up in the lives of the band. He realizes how talented Hannah and her bandmates are, despite the self-destructive bent. Hannah's drowning in grief over Ginny's death, resulting in amazing music but intense pressure on the band.

The resulting story is raw and an intense look at the power of sisterhood and friendship. It explores the debilitating effects of grief without pulling any punches. Theo and Hannah grow closer, but the specter of Ginny's death hovers over everyone and every decision. How do you move on after losing someone so dear to you--and at what point do you move on when someone you love is not willing to help themselves? The book asks these hard questions and many more. It's unflinching yet tender and while the characters can sometimes be frustrating, it's a good read.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Atria Books in return for an unbiased review. Look for THE FUTURE SAINTS on 01/20/2026!

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The wind blows where it will: ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI.

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an excellent page-turner that keeps you guessing!

We have Camille, a wealthy woman married to a well-known lawyer, Ben. And we have Aubrey, a waitress whose life was drastically changed by an accident over ten years ago. Camille and Aubrey's lives are about to intersect--and Ben's is about to end. My favorite character was easily Hank, Ben's law partner. We get narrations from Hank, Aubrey, and Camille.

It's good to go into this book blind and just enjoy it. Sure it's wild with a slightly preposterous plot, but it's twisty and dark and a really good read, too.

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

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Never seen anything wild as you: THE STORM.

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins


Ok, THE STORM is just pure, delicious fun!

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is well-known for its hurricanes—and the many deaths that have accompanied them. During it all has stood the Rosalie Inn, a beach hotel that has made it through every storm. And during Hurricane Marie in the 1980s, it’s where the infamous Gloria “Lo” Bailey was accused of murdering her lover, Landon Fitzroy, the far older son of Alabama’s governor. Lo got off on a hung jury, but the scandal has stuck with Medard’s Bay all these years.

Geneva now owns the Rosalie, passed on from her parents, and is thrilled when she hears a writer, August, is coming to stay at the Inn. He wants to research Lo and Landon’s murder; Geneva hopes a mention of the Inn could help drum up some much-needed business. But when August shows up, he isn’t alone—he’s brought Lo Bailey with him—and soon it looks like things will never be the same in St. Medard’s or at the Rosalie.  It takes a minute to get into this one – so many names and dates to place! But once you do, it reads like an amazing soap opera.

At its heart, is this: did nineteen-year-old Lo Bailey, St. Medard’s “most beautiful girl” bash in the head of Landon Fitzroy and leave him to drown the night of Hurricane Marie? Lo claims no, and August’s book is going to tell her story in her own words. As it does, we get clippings from that time period, excerpts from Lo’s old journals, and flashbacks to other various major storms in St. Medard’s history.

What results is an incredibly dark and twisty tale that keeps you reading (and often guessing) until the very end. This is a stormy book (ha!) filled with anger and betrayal and centered around big events that occurred at various hurricanes. It covers the power of friendship (and the power of wealth and class). Overall, though, I found this to be a fun page-turner with a dark side that does an excellent job of playing up its ominous beach setting. 4+ stars.  

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press in return for an unbiased review. Look for it on 1/6/2026! 

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Know the things we need to say: FRIENDS TO LOVERS.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story just felt so long and slow. Joni and Ren have been friends since childhood. When Joni moves from Washington to New York for work, the two agree that they will be each other's "plus ones" for weddings. It all goes great, until something happens at one wedding, and the two don't speak for nearly 2.5 years.

Now it's the wedding of Joni's sister, Stevie, and so Joni and Ren are forced together at their parents' shared beach house.

The book alternates between Stevie's wedding preparations and the various weddings Ren and Joni attend over the years, building up to whatever happened to cause the two to stop talking. It is a lot of fuss and drama about nothing. These two are the best of friends, talking constantly, until they aren't, and you just want them to freaking communicate.

Also, Joni seems completely clueless that she and Ren do not have a normal friendship--they speak constantly, gaze into each other's eyes, and their lives are basically entwined. You sort of want to shake her when she's surprised to "suddenly" care for Ren.

Joni and Ren share some moments of chemistry, though often their friendship is the best part. This is an emotional story, often overwrought, with a big emphasis on LOVE. The families are far too involved and are often irritating. This is a cute story, but nothing memorable.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press in return for an unbiased review.

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You best walk her way and watch it shine: PLAYING FOR KEEPS.

Playing for Keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this one - a fun, escapist love story (x2)!

We have Poppy, publicist to football player Cash. Cash sends a tweet to mega popstar Poppy, asking for a date. Said date is managed by Lyric's well-known, longtime publicist, Rosaline. Poppy has a history of making bad decisions, causing her to second guess her career choices, and often feels tossed aside by her family--her friendship with Cash is paramount in her life. Rosaline, meanwhile, feels incredibly protective of Lyric, who has a history of tumultuous relationships.

Lyric and Cash give off a smoldering Taylor/Travis vibe, but the true stars are Rosaline and Poppy, who start off as friends with benefits, but slowly build up trust as they work through their clients' own very public relationship.

There's not always a ton of in-depth character development, but we get plenty of laughs and lots of sexual tension. The story is LGBTQIA positive and makes it easy to root for all the characters. Poppy and Rosaline's story (and Cash and Lyric's) is interspersed with social media snippets to move the tale along and keep everything light. This is a fun, sexy romance with a celebrity twist!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Avon in return for an unbiased review. Look for PLAYING FOR KEEPS on 01/06/2026!


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Noticing isn't what makes it so: THE SANDY PAGE BOOKSHOP.

The Sandy Page Bookshop by Hannah McKinnon
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I can count on Hannah McKinnon to pull me into an engaging story.

Here she takes a fairly routine plot – a woman loses her job and simultaneously sees her engagement end and therefore escapes to the beach – and brings a fun and heartfelt twist.

Reeling from the changes in her life, Leah leaves Boston for some time at her father’s beach cottage. Instead of wallowing (more power to her!), she starts a bookstore inside a vacant historical building. (Seriously, this is one determined woman.) The bookstore brings together a wide range of people. We have the anxious widow and former school counselor, Eudora; teenage Lucy, who is dealing with her sister’s recovery from a car accident; Brad, who is hiding is true self from his grandmother; and Luke, the handsome contractor (and childhood acquaintance of Leah) helping fix up the place.  

What follows is a sweet and touching story as these folks join together to bring the store to life, while also changing each other’s lives. Yes, there’s a romance between Luke and Leah, but it’s more of a slow burn awakening with these two than a full-on romance plot. There are lots of POV, with McKinnon doing a great job of capturing everyone from the older Eudora to teenage Lucy. She also gracefully portrays Eudora’s anxiety and panic attacks and Brad’s attempts to date another man while hiding it from his grandmother.  

Overall, this is a very cute story that leaves you wanting to be both at the beach and a bookstore—what sounds better than that, really?! (3.5 stars) 

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

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Cheating time cheating death: YOU BELONG HERE.

You Belong Here by Megan Miranda
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am always willing to read anything by Megan Miranda, even if some books are more of a hit than others.  YOU BELONG HERE is a solid 3.5 star read.

I found its overly theatrical writing style a bit much at times, but it’s a great twisty thriller with some excellent turns that took me by surprise. Plus, I’m always a sucker for a Virginia setting, even if it’s fictious (I hope!). Beckett attended local Wyatt College, thanks to the fact that her parents were both professors there. But senior year, tragedy strikes, leaving two local men dead, and Beckett is shipped off to finish her college years overseas. She returns pregnant with her daughter Delilah and rarely speaks of the incident again.

So, imagine her surprise when Delilah secretly applies to Wyatt and receives a scholarship! When she gets a strange phone call for Delilah and can’t reach her, Beckett worries that the past is coming back to haunt her.  This is such a tense book, brimming with parental fear and small-town anger and secrets! The dark, academic setting shines; you can practically hear the wind (“the howling”) whipping through the mountains behind Wyatt College. Miranda deftly ties together Delilah’s story with her mother’s past, slowly revealing what happened with Beckett via flashbacks that intertwine with the present-day story. It’s a very effective mechanism, as I found this story very difficult to put down. At the same time, beyond its eerie vibes, this is a story of motherhood—and how far a mother would go to protect her daughter. It’s a little wild sometimes, but a good page-turner.

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

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