Summer Is Here With These 10 New 2022 Book Releases

Better late than never, but, hey summer’s not over yet! I’ve had this sitting in my drafts for a little bit (back when most of these ARCs had not been released), but summer procrastination is real, y’all. So, without further ado, welcome back to Miranda’s Book Nook as I share some new summer 2022 book titles that I can’t get enough of and that should be on your radar this year. Happy reading!

Fireworks by Alice Lin

This book is described as a K-Pop teen rom-com, which already has my heart. It gives me girl-next-door meets Shine by Jessica Jung vibes to create an all-around adorable, sweet and wholesome YA romance read.

Here, Lulu is 17 and getting ready to head off to college after one final summer at home. However, she doesn’t expect her neighbor slash childhood best friend Kai (Kite) to return home after several years away, where he’s been working in South Korea as a K-Pop superstar. Lulu’s equally starstruck about seeing her former friend, post-stardom, and rekindling their all-encompassing friendship. What she doesn’t expect is that there may be some unexpected types of feelings brewing underneath the surface.

It’s super, super cute and sweet, innocent too. The main character is so authentic, real and raw, and together Lulu and Kite make a super-cute and sugary-sweet pair.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


Meant to Be Mine by Hannah Orenstein

I’ve savored Hannah Orenstein’s previous novels and even by the plot summary alone, I knew this one was primed to fit right in.

Here, Edie is a native New Yorker, millennial and fashion stylist who grew up believing in the concept of true love and soulmates. In fact, it’s an old wives’ tale that her beloved grandmother Gloria had predicted the date she would meet her future husband — and then the dates for every single family member. Edie has long known her date fell on June 24, 2022, at the age of 29. On that day, she was flying to attend her twin sister’s surprise engagement. So, when she sees that a handsome indie musician, Theo, is sitting beside her, she’s ecstatic thinking this is fate. However, fate comes at a price when deep down her gut thinks something is off.

While it’s a romantic love story on the surface, it ended up primarily being a women’s fiction story that highlights other types of love too, and for that, this read had my heart. It was about more than just finding romantic love but also about family and traditions. As someone who lost a beloved grandparent, parts involving Edie and her grandmother hit very close to home, so potential trigger warning there.

I was truly intrigued by the premise, captivated by the writing and just instantly — and I do mean instantly — hooked. It’s fun, cute and so darn enjoyable that I just needed to keep reading and could barely put it down. Loved this one!

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


The Heart of the Deal by Lindsay MacMillan

This was a cute, fun and emotional women’s fiction read that I could barely put down. Any twentysomething or millennial who’s navigating a work-life balance in New York City can relate to Rae’s story because it’s so timely and authentic.

Here, Raelynn “Rae” is a Wall Street banker, who’s feeling adrift in both her career and potential dating prospects by the age of 25. Realizing her biological clock is ticking faster, she vows to get married by the age of 30 so she has time to have multiple children. However, life is what happens when you’re not making plans? I think I read that somewhere. Anyway, so with her encouraging group of friends, she starts swiping on dating app after dating app not really meeting any real contenders until Dustin comes along. While she thinks he’s another poetic soul trapped in a finance suit, she can hear wedding bells chiming in the distance, though his story is a complicated one — and his future is uncertain.

It’s more a women’s fiction novel than a straight-up, true-blue romance just since it’s not all hunky-dory about love, but hey, life’s not always like that either. It’s the tale of a hopeless romantic who learns to stop chasing expectations and live in the moment. Even more so, I really liked its honest and vulnerable account about a woman chasing her dreams even if there are no set plans to get you there.

Content Warning: Mentions of depression, mental illness, and self-harm

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


The Sizzle Paradox by Lily Menon

After devouring the author’s previous YA and adult romances, I was instantly intrigued by her next novel’s premise, especially with a woman in STEM protagonist, fresh off of the success of The Love Hypothesis. Told in dual perspectives, there are so many good friends-to-lovers slash forced proximity tropes at play.

Here, Lyric is a Ph.D. candidate studying sexual chemistry in romantic partners though hasn’t had any worthy options in her own love life. To complete her thesis, she needs a personal connection to connect to her “sizzle paradox” and so, she enlists her BFF and roommate Kian’s help. Kian, for his part, is an engineering doctoral student with a lengthy dating record as he offers to tutor Lyric in all things love to better apply it to real suitors. However, as one can expect, their fake-dating scenario opens up their eyes to something that they didn’t see before after years of platonic friendship.

True to Menon’s style, it is full of well-written and compelling language, yet something was just off for me. Maybe that it was very, very, very sweet, like, saccharine almost. That being said, it is a cute and fun romance that’s you’ll particularly enjoy if you liked The Love Hypothesis or The Roommate.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

Told from dual first points of view, this romance novel weaves compelling accounts with a fake dating story at its finest.

Here, former teen starlet Grey Brooks is desperate to keep her career afloat after her long-running series ends. In order to secure a life-changing audition for a big-time role, she agrees with her publicist to enter into a fake relationship with another star: Oscar winner Ethan Adkins. Ethan, for his part, has been disgraced and reclusive after his public divorce and sobriety struggles. If he wants to get his next film financed, he needs a PR makeover, STAT. Enter: the perfect fake relationship agreement, signed contract and all. Though, it’s apparent that these two have some sizzling chemistry that becomes too hard to just fake their way through.

It’s a cute, fun romance with some spicy content, however, it is not one I’d read again and again. One and done is perfectly satisfactory for me. It’s fine. The epilogue feels cute, HEA-worthy that makes me smile, and more importantly, earned after all these two flawed characters went through to get it.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean

I didn’t have any preconceived notions of this book before I started reading other than it looked like a sweet YA novel, it was set in the UK (my Kryptonite) and it potentially had a bookish theme per the “Great Expectations” part of the title.

Here, Britt is a California-based high school senior who is solely focused on her budding soccer career and future collegiate scholarship. However, an unexpected ankle changes everything and forces her suddenly change course. Luckily, she gets the chance to head to England for 10 days this summer and compete for a life-changing prize that could cover the tuition she needs for school. The catch? It’s a literary-inspired scavenger hunt and she’s not the best in English class. Ever-competitive and in need of the cash, Britt signs up and is on her way. Then, she bumps into bookish and British Luke who takes a liking to her, even offering to join her time along the way.

Well, I was immediately drawn into this story, so richly told with such an authentic, vulnerable and relatable MC in Britt. It is completely, totally, wholeheartedly cute, fun and bookish, which just stole my heart. It’s a travel book with a bookish quest, like yes please, I want one too! (Seriously, I want to be in her shoes so bad, I’m literally living vicariously through this book.) I’m so into this read from its unique and fun premise to its compelling language that makes it unputdownable. It’s just so so so cute, fun, enjoyable and sweet. I just feel so warm and happy right now.

Rating: Five Stars

Available: Now


Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic by Lauren Ho

By the summary and the cover alone, I was curious about this women’s fiction novel. I was intrigued by this pragmatic yet authentic main character, so much so that I didn’t want to put the book down and just wanted to find out what would happen next!

Here, Lucie is a business consultant based in New York City, who is tired for waiting for the perfect partner, but she wants a baby. So, she looks into a coparenting website to find a stranger partner. (Think Tinder but for finding a platonic coparent.) Collin ticks all of her boxes and then some, but she’s unsure if her conservative family back in Singapore will approve. Once the pair learn they are expecting, they decided to move back to Singapore to be closer to family. And as expected, the family’s not on board. And then, there’s Mark: Lucie’s ex-fiancé who reappears in her life as unresolved feelings bubble up.

This read has a compelling hook, full of rich language that pulled me in and intrigued me. I dug it, I think that’s fair to say. It does read quite quickly that I hardly noticed the novel’s sheer length. It was definitely difficult to put down, I was completely sucked in. It’s compelling yet authentic and fun — with a dash of romance.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now


How Maya Got Fierce by Sona Charaipotra

After devouring Sona Charaipotra’s novels with Dhonielle Clayton (Tiny Pretty Things, Shiny Broken Pieces, and The Rumor Game), I was instantly excited about her next YA novel — especially considering it was described as Younger meets The Bold Type. As a fan of both those shows and a magazine alum myself, that storyline already won me over.

Here, Maya is a 17-year-old farm girl, set to attend “Cow Camp” outside NYC for the summer. The camp, an agricultural training program for aspiring farm managers, is not what Maya would prefer to be doing. She would much prefer traipsing around the city and working as a magazine staffer for her beloved Fierce magazine. While staying with her older cousin Roop, Maya discovers her cousin’s girlfriend actually works at the mag! It seems like fate when Maya is offered a chance to visit the fashion closet and apply for a coveted internship — which she miraculously got. The twist? It turns out she wasn’t hired as an intern but a full-fledged assistant editor because no one knows she’s still in high school. Considering this is her dream, Maya starts to live a double life to balance an adult job and her teenage reality.

The book, much like a diverse adaptation of the short-lived Jane By Design, was so enjoyable and fun. It had so much compelling language that drew me in, desperate to learn how this average teenager could make it as a legit magazine editor. Alongside a precious summer camp-esque romance, it’s an authentic coming-of-age tale of empowering young women. So captivating.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: July 12, 2022


Accomplished by Amanda Quain

First things first, I love a good Pride & Prejudice retelling or contemporary adaptation, and this one hit that sweet spot. Imagine Pride & Prejudice but in a contemporary, YA setting and told from Georgiana Darcy’s perspective, and she was a marching band-playing, fanfiction-writing misfit and I’m into all of it!

Here, Georgiana “Georgie” returns to her boarding school junior year after an incident with Wickham nearly threatened expulsion and all she wants to prove is that she can live up to the Darcy name and her big brother Fitzwilliam’s legacy. To get Fitz off her back while she tried to do just that, she comes up with the ingenious idea to distract him with love and decides to secretly play matchmaker between Fitz and Lizzie Bennet. This book has such funny, witty language that just pulled me in from the start. Very, very cute.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: July 26, 2022


Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan

The moment I picked up Julia Whelan’s My Oxford Year, there was just something that just spoke to me (maybe it was my Anglophile side or just the book’s captivating nature, not quite sure). So, when I learned that Whelan had penned another novel *and* it had a bookish setting, I was instantly excited.
Here, Sewanee “Swan” Chester is an audiobook narrator who’s strayed a long way from her acting aspirations. However, her successful narration means it’s more possible for her to care for her ailing grandmother. When the book starts, Sewanee arrives for a last-minute appearance at a book convention where she spends the night with a mysterious stranger who’s gone by the next morning. After returning to her L.A. home days later, she gets the offer of a lifetime to return to romance narration and perform the final work of a late romance novelist — alongside Brock McNight, the hottest and most elusive male narrator. While Sewanee is nearly ready to let go of romance and audiobooks for good, forging a connection with Brock — whoever he really is — brings an unexpected connection she cannot shake.
As I started reading, I found it so easy to get drawn into this pen pal-like romance that was very fun, very cute and very adorable. While the chapters were pretty long and drawn out, it still read quite quickly.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: August 2, 2022


Advance reader copies of the books listed were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The 20 Best Books I’ve Read in 2020

This crazy, insane, bizarre year is finally almost over. And as you well know by now, I’ve coped with that time and everything I was dealing with by reading more and more books. Between purchasing books I was looking forward to or reviewing new ARCs (courtesy of NetGalley), I read so many new books that I can barely fit them on my bookshelves and much less count how many of them I completed during lockdown. While it’d be way too long of a post to recap each new book I read, I narrowed it down to the top 20 (get it, 20 in 20??). So, keep reading for the best books I’ve read in this freaking insane year, and hopefully, at least one of them gives you TBR inspiration when you need it.

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

Ever since I read this ARC and then purchased a print edition after its pub day, I’ve been hooked. It may be my penchant, err fine, obsession for all things Bachelor Nation and reality TV, but this book was so intriguing about the behind the scenes of such a production. It also stars a plus-size, body-positive lead, which is such a new change for adult fiction, and a long time coming one at that. This book was so refreshing, endearing, honest, authentic, sweeping, and fun. Hey, it was even a five-star read from me! I just couldn’t put it down and absolutely adored it. 

The book followed plus-size fashion blogger Bea Schumacher, who becomes the new show lead of the hit Main Squeeze reality show after her tweets and blog post about the show’s lack of diversity goes viral. And after a major breakup that left her reeling, this is the perfect chance to get over that and up her brand all at once. While she claims she’s only here to promote better beauty messages and not to fall in love, things get complicated when she meets some dashing, charming suitors who may help her find the real-life HEA she didn’t know she was missing. This book is funny and witty; equal parts empowering, glamorous, and indulgent. It’s very juicy, and was I just so intrigued and hooked.

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Beach Read by Emily Henry

Everyone was talking about this book this summer, and for good reason, because it’s so darn cute and impactful that I just devoured it in mere days. Here, romance writer January Andrews and acclaimed literary fiction author Augustus Everett are living in neighboring beach houses for the summer, both broke and suffering from writer’s block. One evening, the two opposites place a bet that they can each write something different: Augustus will pen a story with a happily ever after, while January must take a stab at the next Great American Novel. The plan is for each of them to finish their book and for no one to fall in love. She takes him on inspirational field trips worthy of a rom-com, and he takes her to investigate some backwoods death cult. While embarking on these field trips and sending inspirational ‘beat that writer’s block’ notes from their respective windows, it’s obvious that the only place they want to be is with one another.

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You Have a Match by Emma Lord

This was another five-star read that I just couldn’t get enough of, and just made me positively sob. It’s set at a summer camp, and I adored all of the different activities and friendships (Savvy, Mickey, Finn, and Leo know there’s nothing like camp besties, and now I just wanna call my BW sisters!) because it reminded me of my best days as a BW girl and how those days at camp with my fellow camp sisters were some of my all-time favorite memories. Overall, I’m not quite sure how to put this book into words. It’s more than a teen romance, more than a summer camp adventure, more than a familial drama, more than a story of friendship and sisterhood, more than a comedy, and more than a deep, emotional novel. It’s a book in a class all its own and had me captivated until I read that very last word on the final page.

Seriously, I can’t imagine not having read You Have a Match, and in a way, it’s made me feel closer to my late grandfather, who’s my own version of the character Poppy. And after every single page, it’s clear this book rightfully deserves this five-star rating and a coveted place on my must-buy TBR list once it’s published. Here, we follow 16-year-old Abby, who in a bet with best friend Connie, takes a DNA test to find out her ancestries along with their other best pal, Leo. So, the DNA test revealed that Abby has a secret full sister, Savannah, who’s an 18-year-old Instagram star. The two are polar opposites to their cores but want to get to know each other. To figure things out and get to know each other, Savvy invites her new sister to attend the camp where she’ll be a junior counselor. Then, there’s also a precious slow-burn romance between Abby and her best friend and neighbor, Leo. This book is just so much fun and I actually cannot put it down, staying up way too late in two nights just to finish it. Then, we get so much juicy drama and a big family secret that overshadows romance for a bit, and things escalate that make me actually want to ship Abby and Leo at screaming and squealing levels, because that definitely happened. Things get super heartwrenching, and gut-punching emotional that I’m legitimately in tears when it’s revealed all their grandfather did for the girls.

Read the Book starting January 12


The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

So, in all honesty, I had seen this contemporary romance on bookstore shelves for a while now but had no real pull to pick it up. Then, I saw something on Instagram about the movie starring Lucy Hale, who side note is the perfect casting for main character Lucy. Seeing that inspired me to check out the summary for this enemies-to-lovers romance, which had me hooked. I pretty much immediately Amazon’d a copy to my front door. And boy, am I glad because I couldn’t put this fun, engaging read down. Here, Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman are rival executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. When news of a promotion is on the table, their hating game ramps up a notch as their daily battles hit a fever pitch. However, all this tension between the two has reached its fever pitch too and they discover maybe they don’t hate each other after all. It’s such a fun E2L romance read that I cannot wait to see play out on the big screen.

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Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

After devouring the Netflix adaptation, I knew I had to check out the book. And guess what, it definitely lives up to the holiday and bookish goodness of the TV series. This is definitely the best of all three of the books in the D&L series, but they are all great with such a fun, dreamy meet-cute premise and gah, it’s beyond adorable. Here, when Lily is all alone for the holiday, her brother helps to create a scavenger puzzle in a red Moleskine, to be left at The Strand. Which, side note, this is like all I want in my serious lack of a love life, just saying. So, a surly teen Dash finds the book and accepts its dares. Soon, they start trading dares, hopes, dreams, and desires all over New York City, oh and feelings too. It’s beyond cute, every bit as adorable as the show, and gives me all the fun butterflies while reading.

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Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma

This was an unexpected five-star read that I still can’t stop thinking about because I just want to read it again. It’s like Crazy Rich Asians meets American Royals, and since I loved both books, this was obviously a must. And every part of this lives up to that hype. It’s a coming-home story and one of pursuing her dreams. Once aspiring actress Gemma meets her doppelganger cousin when she arrives in China to film her first movie, she discovers a long-held family secret. The book is full of drama, secrets, dreams coming true, and it’s so captivating and engaging. It’s more than just a YA story, it is so rich and wow, I loved it. Every single page, chapter, and character. 

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The Duke and I by Julia Quinn

From the first moment I heard Shonda Rhimes was producing a TV series based on this juicy AF book series, I knew it was something I needed. But naturally, I had to read the books first. So, I started with this first one and was so hooked that I had to quickly order Anthony’s and Colin’s sequels soon after. If this Netflix is every bit as witty, indulgent, fun, and romantic as this book then it’s sure to be a winner. Here, we start with Simon and Daphne’s story. Daff is hoping to secure a suitable prospect by the end of this Season, someone who isn’t as horrendous as Nigel Berbrooke. Meanwhile, Simon, the Duke of Hastings, wants to avoid all the marriage-minded society mothers parading their daughters around him. So, they hatch a scheme to enter a fake courtship to boost her profile slash eligibility, and lower his. But, of course, fake dating only opens the door to real feelings. This quick read got me more into the historical genre and this series, and it’s just so fun, grandiose, salacious, and romantic.

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Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels

I’ve actually read my digital ARC some four times in completion already, and then just its sweeping HEA an additional 2-3 times when I want to feel that level of comfort all over again. This romance novel is just that cute yet grounded. A slow-burn can be hard to feel connected to, but Kate and Ben’s quick-witted, feisty, and playful banter makes it delicious. That, and you can’t keep me from a good enemies-to-lovers book starring these two congressional aides from opposite sides of the aisle and the office building; that makes the inevitable romance so much more earned and justified by the time the HEA does happen. I just can’t wait to order a physical copy, so I can read this story an additional ten more times.

Read the Book starting February 2

 


Pretending by Holly Bourne

From page one, narrator April is snarky, relatable, witty, and I just love this tone and language. It’s so relatable and fun that I just want to keep reading because April feels so honest and real. She’s vulnerable and genuine, making a stellar protagonist and I’m so invested in her journey and story. Now, April, at the beginning, hasn’t exactly had the best luck with dating, and she’d fed up with that. So, she’s after revenge on any guy that’s hurt any girl and made them worthless. She sets out to make a new dating profile and date (or catfish) men as Gretel, the girl in her head that she thinks men want and is the complete opposite of the real her. This way she can break their hearts like they so often do to her. She matches with Joshua, and their first date is super cute, except that she’s pretending to be someone else. But, this experiment is helping the real her because April is becoming more confident and not overanalyzing every little detail, but of course, she starts to see they are quite compatible even though she’s admitted that he’s not good-looking, not bad-looking, and not a good kisser.

All in all, this book is witty and captivating, and I can’t put it down; I have to keep reading.  I loved this read because I get it, everything April feels, and it’s real, authentic yet still frothy, light, and fun that keeps you turning the pages. So many women’s fiction nowadays revolve around a man or romance, and getting a man to fall in love with a girl, her needing or wanting love. And it’s refreshing to see that this book isn’t that because love and relationships are real, raw, and messy, just like life really is. 

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Shine by Jessica Jung

I’d heard a lot about this next read before I even picked it up off the YA shelf. Sure, the summary was intriguing: All about a teenaged K-pop trainee eager to live her dream and make it into a band. Oh, and the shiny love story with a fellow K-pop star didn’t hurt. But, in all honesty, I didn’t know what to expect when I’d actually start reading it, and OMG, this YA debut novel delivers! It was absolutely precious and a book I just couldn’t put down.

Here, seventeen-year-old Korean-American Rachel Kim loves K-pop and would do just about anything to be chosen for a group and live her dreams. Six years ago, she’s recruited by Korean label DB Entertainment as a trainee where the rules are clear. Train and practice all the time. Be perfect. Don’t date. At first, the rules seem like no-brainers, but soon enough, Rachel realizes all the dark scandals of the controlling industry and the pressure to constantly be perfect, and she questions everything and if she has what it takes to shine and be the star. Plus, once she captures the attention of DB golden boy, K-pop superstar, Jason Lee, the rules get increasingly difficult to mindlessly follow. He’s the label’s big star, has the voice of an angel that blends in perfect harmony with hers, is flirty and charming, and only seems to have eyes for her. This book pulls the veil back on the glamorous, picture-perfect world of K-pop and K-pop girl groups, which is so interesting to get this behind-the-scenes viewpoint, plus an empowering protagonist, amazing sets, and a sweet-as-doughnuts teen romance.

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Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

The second I first learned that Kevin Kwan was coming out with his first new book since the worldwide phenomenon that is the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, I was stoked. Here, we get a brand-new tale of a young woman torn between two men: her influential WASPy fiancé and George Zao, the man her family’s tried to keep away from her since she was a teenager. This book was so indulging and deliciously decadent that I just couldn’t put it down and had to devour it in a single setting.

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Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

Sittenfeld’s newest novel reimagines Hillary Clinton’s life and political career stemming from one question, “What if she hadn’t married Bill Clinton?” The fact that this compelling novel was based upon one of my feminist heroes and was authored by one of my favorite authors, I was initially drawn to this book. Then once I started it, I just couldn’t put it down! The beginning feels a bit like Hillary Clinton’s biography, but that just proves how well researched it was on Sittenfeld’s part. Then, you get into her fictionalized portrayal of relationships, career What Ifs, and more.

It’s so cute, interesting, feisty, and fierce at the same time, I honestly couldn’t stop reading. Sittenfeld’s portrayal of Hillary is everything a young Miranda wanted to be and to see that woman can be strong and powerful without the help of a man was inspiring. This book is like the empowering twist of history we’ve needed and yearned for since 2016, and I’m so glad to have read it.

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Act Like a Lady by the Ladygang

The hosts and besties behind the “LadyGang” podcast wrote this advice-filled, self-help, and humorous guidebook about what it means to be a woman in the twenty-first century. It’s a fun yet relatable book of essays that’ll inspire just about any girl to rise up and be a powerful force to be reckoned with. From taking on lessons with dating, friendship, career, self-confidence, and more, it’s all the message we all need to hear more. It’s empowering as heck and something most women should have in their arsenal to remember. These pearls of wisdom make a perfect coffee table book for any millennial apartment. You can read this in a day, you can read it again and again because it’s evergreen, it’s timely, it’s what you just need to hear every once and a while. 

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Kate in Waiting by Becky Albertalli

A close runner-up is her cowritten Yes No Maybe So novel, but this ARC just bewitched my soul as a reader. The summary sounded so intriguing and fun on its own when I first saw it. Also,  as a former theater kid and current theater nerd slash fangirl, this plot seemed right up my alley.

Here, best friends Kate and Anderson do literally everything together, even share communal crushes that don’t go anywhere. But when they both have huge, deep crushes on their theatre camp friend Matt, who just so happens to be new in school, everything goes crazy. This quick, one-sitting read is so easy to get sucked into from seeing Kate’s confidence grow, watching things with her brother’s best friend Noah blossom, and seeing her relationship with Anderson evolve as they all get older. It’s so much fun, and so cute for a YA novel, and like, eep, I definitely, actually, audibly squealed at one part. Bravo, Ms. Albertalli, you’ve done it again.

Read the Book starting April 20


Four Days of You and Me by Miranda Kenneally

As I’ve previously mentioned, I’ve been reading other books by Miranda Kenneally for years, so drawn to the strong characterizations, friendships, and of course HEA and love stories. And her latest YA novel has not disappointed me. It’s teeming with dramatics, yet feels grounded and relatable, and I love it no matter how many times I restart it.

It’s so juicy yet grounded, I absolutely love it. From the very beginning, I just want to know all the gossip and I couldn’t stop reading; I needed to find out what happened next. The book takes place across Lulu’s four years of high school, based around the class trips at the end of the year, which somehow always brought her and Alex closer and closer. Of course, not all was revealed during the present timeline, the book seamlessly wove in flashbacks to fill in the missing gaps of Alex and Lu’s love story. It’s absolutely adorable and so easy to get sucked into.

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The Fangirl’s Guide to the Universe by Sam Maggs

This handbook for geek girls is so much fun!! It’s a fun, uplifting guidebook is for all the unapologetic fangirls out there, no matter what you stan. This book is for the fangirls and guys that are living their best stan lives passionately and free.

Author Sam Maggs writes from her own fangirl experience, which makes the book all the more realistic. With her first-person essays and lists, the book is chock full of empowering and informative language, plus fun, cute illustrations and graphics. It’s all about finding your geek tribe and then embracing this weird, wonderful geek life. Then, Maggs also interviews some of the top geek girls who use fandom in their careers, which is so cool to see their takes on the fandom world. All in all, it’s all about embracing your inner fangirl loud and proud, which I love to see it. Fangirls unite, it’s time to suit up and change the universe!

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Together, Apart by Erin A. Craig

This was everything I’ve needed to stay sane and happy during lockdown. Nine acclaimed, witty, and popular YA authors did what they do best and wrote short stories starring diverse and complex teens facing the pandemic, lockdown, and adorable first love stories. Each story was equally compelling and told a complete story with an interesting protagonist who learns that love always finds its way. The characters and storylines are all relatable, endearing, and engaging which makes the story so much fun, authentic, and beyond precious.

There’s one about a cute pizza delivery boy who gives the new girl in town a free book and cake; one where a girl is desperate to impress her crush on TikTok; two dog walkers getting closer; a new boy in town who can’t stop thinking about the girl next door; an enemies-to-lovers sitch from across apartment balconies; an unexpected romance that stems from a fortune reading and a take-out order; a flirty exchange that begins over two balcony herb gardens, a roommate enemies-to-lovers journey; and a mask-making entrepreneur and her famous crush. There’s something for every romance fan, and it’s just absolutely adorable and heart-melting. They are all so freaking cute in their own way between the love stories and the HEAs. It was something to make me smile during such a freaking hard time.

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Dearly by Margaret Atwood

In this brand-new book of poetry from acclaimed author Margaret Atwood, there’s an assortment of compelling and impactful poems, each that tells a story full of compelling language. These poems aim to make you think, feel, dream, desire, yearn — basically all of the feels.

Each poem effortlessly flows from one to the next and the book is impeccably organized, where I can see how poems and stories are related to each other with its seamless, well-positioned transitions. The tones and points of view are very realistic to the modern world, and while most are less doe-eyed optimistic, it skews on the darker side. There’s definitely a motif of sisterhood and women sticking together in their fight for survival, forgiveness, love, and strength. The poems have such rich language and captivating word choice that tells complex stories that capture the readers due to strong symbols and metaphors.

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The Trouble With Hating You by Sajni Patel

Seriously, re-reading this gave me all of the zings and goosebumps, even more than the first time. Like, every time I read this, and Jay and Liya realize their feelings, I swear, I can feel my heart beating so loud. This romance read is sweeping, romantic, and adorable. It’s hard to resist.

This novel lives up to that and is 100 percent adorable and totally squeal-worthy. I love how independent our protagonist Liya is and how cute Jay is as he’s head over heels in love with her, even when she tried to push him away. Their love story feels so real, authentic, and earned as these two people break past their boundaries to eventually find love and acceptance. The book starts where headstrong engineer Liya walks out the door of a dinner party set up with an eligible bachelor whom her folks are trying to marry her off to. It’s a shock to both of them when Liya keeps spotting her one-time suitor around town, and it’s Jay. Jay has everything right on paper, but after Liya’s behavior during that first meeting, he’s embarrassed and infuriated to see her. Although, that tension is too much to resist in this second chance love story.

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The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz

I was intrigued from the get-go while reading thanks to its relatable language that feels like you are in the main character’s head. It reads very quickly and is really intriguing. In this women’s fiction novel, high-achieving Alex Vogel accepts a job at a prestigious law firm in NYC as she soon finds herself seduced by the firm’s promise of glory, money, and powerful energy. She finds herself succeeding in the hyper-competitive Mergers & Acquisitions division and neglecting what we originally thought was a settled, happy personal life. Soon, a scandal rocks her corporate world and reveals the dark reality at the firm, she soon understands all the ways women are told to act to succeed and she cannot stand idly by anymore.

The book is less about romance or friendship but more about a woman’s drive to succeed on her own terms yet play by the “boys club” rules of the legal profession to get there. You aren’t rooting for Alex and a partner but rather her succeeding at shattering the glass ceiling for future female attorneys to come. It’s inspiring and empowering to see that as the primary theme of the story.

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15 Books to Read Based on Your Favorite Songs From Taylor Swift’s ‘evermore’

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been listening to Taylor Swift’s “folklore” on repeat ever since it came out. Then, as of late last week, dropped everything to give her ninth album “evermore” its due diligence. There’s something so special about this album from its pretty melodies, storytelling lyrics, and the catchiness of literally every single track. And since each song tells such specific stories, I couldn’t help but think that many of the “evermore” songs remind me of some of my favorite books, and then I saw similar trends going around on TikTok. So, here we go! Keep reading for all sorts of my personal book recommendations based on each track off of “evermore.”

Writer’s Note: In case you were wondering how I put this together, I was meticulous in my choices. I listened to each track while simultaneously studying the lyrics. From there, I went to my digital and physical bookshelves, plus my Goodreads already-read list, to search for at least one book I’ve read that somewhat fits the song’s lyrics or stories. Now, not all are perfect matches, of course, since they are both original works with their own stories. But, I tried to pull books with a similar plotline, character, or love story; something that is quite similar to one another.

If You Like: “willow”

Try: Not If I Save You First by Ally Carter

This is probably one of my favorite songs off the album with its totally ethereal vibe. After hearing the lyrics, I really kept picturing a story of two people in the middle of nowhere, in the snow, falling in love again. That brought me to Ally Carter’s Not If I Save You First. Here, Maddie and Logan used to be best friends. You see, Logan’s dad was the POTUS while Maddie’s was a Secret Service agent, so they were always around one another. Then, suddenly, Maddie’s life turns upside down when her dad moves her to a remote Alaska town without any word from Logan. Then, one day, Logan shows up in her remote town and a mystery assailant is after them. Sure, she’s not happy their friendship dissolved without a word uttered, but she has to save him before they can hash any feelings out.

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If You Like: “champagne problems”

Try: Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

For fans of the glitzy yet dramatic song, I’d recommend Kevin Kwan’s latest, Sex And Vanity, about a glittery world and all sorts of drama. Here, Lucie Churchill is torn between two men: Her influential WASPy fiancé Cecil and George Zao, the man her family’s tried to keep away from her since she was a teenager. It’s so indulging, decadent, juicy, and dramatic — much like the Swift song. When the ruggedly handsome yet cultured George reappears in her Upper East Side world, she does everything in her power to dissuade him from permanently occupying his own place in her carefully curated world.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “gold rush”

Try: Shine by Jessica Jung

When listening to this track, I heard a story all about someone who appears to have it all on the surface. That premise reminded me of Shine by Jessica Jung. Here, seventeen-year-old Korean-American Rachel Kim is a K-pop trainee who works her butt off to make it into the rose-colored world of K-pop girl groups and fame. Throughout the book, she wonders and dreams — much like the song — what it’ll be like to have this fame and the world to know your name and love you.

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If You Like: “’tis the damn season”

Try: In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

For this holiday song, you definitely need a cute holiday romance book to read next. In the latest Christina Lauren novel, we head to a cozy Utah mountain cabin and a Groundhog’s Day-type tale. Here, Mae visits the family cabin with her family and their longtime friends. A love triangle brews when, that first night, she kisses Theo but has always had a crush on his brother Andrew. After that embarrassing encounter she and Theo try to forget, she gets into a car wreck trying to escape the secluded cabin. From there, she enters a Groundhog’s Day-type of situation where she gets to relive the whole trip to the cabin and get it right and fall in love with the right guy for her. With every injury and wrong turn, Mae gets a fresh chance to relive it and get things right. Eventually, she learns that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing and to stay true to herself as her many reboots buck tradition and allow her to be her true self.

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If You Like: “tolerate it”

Try: Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

For this song all about a polar-opposite couple coping with one another, I realized that it fits this new Sophie Kinsella read so well. Here, Ava meets “Dutch” at a writing retreat in Italy. Without knowing each other’s real lives or names, these two form such a connection in their vacation flirtmance. With such an undeniable pull and connection, it’s clear they want to continue whatever this is back in London as they head back to their vastly different real-world lives. There are dogs, jobs, exes, family drama, friends, and apartments in the way and, outside of their retreat bubble, it’s almost as if they are just tolerating their lives rather than trying to join them. This song perfectly captures their London relationship journey to a tee.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “no body, no crime”

Try: The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn

For a mystery story song, you’ve gotta read a thrilling murder mystery. After about two or three listens (and the countless times in my head because it won’t leave my mind), I couldn’t help but think of the ARC of The Girls Are All So Nice Here that I just finished. Here, former best friends Ambrosia and Sloane (aka Amb and Sully) are summoned back to their college with some mysterious letter. The letter forces them to reunite to find someone who wants to get revenge for some dark deed these ladies did ten years ago, sans proof. Sure, there’s no body or proof, but these girls have to revisit everything to find out what happened and who is behind this revenge. Plus, the end of the book and its eventual epilogue are very, very similar to this track. Just you wait and see.

Read the Book starting March 9 | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “happiness”

Try: Majesty by Katharine McGee

Okay, the first time I heard this song, it immediately reminded me of Bea and Connor’s love story from American Royals and its follow-up, MajestySo, to clarify, this song is best for just their love story. Here, we pick up with Bea becoming queen after her father’s somber funeral and the royal family’s grief slash her trying to figure out her next steps as the reigning queen. Without anyone alive knowing about her relationship and engagement to Connor, they all try to push back to Teddy. She tries to do what’s right and push Connor away and tries to get to know Teddy, but little details here and there, especially his nickname for her, also force her to remember their relationship as she figures out who she is as a woman and a monarch. The song’s first stanza sum these two up the best: “…But now I’m right down in it, all the years I’ve given is just shit we’re dividin’ up. Showed you all of my hiding spots, I was dancing when the music stopped and in disbelief, I can’t face reinvention I haven’t met the new me yet.”

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “dorothea”

Try: Four Days of You And Me by Miranda Kenneally

This song focuses on looking back on a relationship (or friendship) from when they were younger. That reminds me of Four Days of You And Me as Lulu looks back on how her relationship with her first love Alex on the same days, four years apart. We follow where their relationship (both the good and bad parts) has taken them on the end-of-the-year class trip between freshman and senior year, and throughout the school years in between.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song

 


If You Like: “coney island”

Try: Most Likely by Sarah Watson

This song talks of looking back on a memory and if a “lifetime of achievement” is even worth it without that one special relationship. That gave me similar vibes to this debut novel from Sarah Watson. Here, we follow four best friends throughout their senior ear of high school, and one of them will eventually be President of the United States — except you have no clue who it is. Ava, CJ, Jordan, and Martha have been a foursome for their entire lives, but by senior year start to take divergent paths as they grew up. They are all interesting, smart, and engaging characters on their own. And together? They are a powerful force to be reckoned with in this tale of four best friends who have each other’s back through all the highs and lows of high school and beyond.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “ivy”

Try: The Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

The setting of this song reminded me of this holiday read. Here, it’s Christmastime and for the first time in years, the whole Birch family will be together at their aging country estate. Within seven days, the family’s locked down in quarantine and are “forced into each other’s orbits” once again. They each have their own secrets and lives, but one may disrupt everything they know and change everything.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song

 

 


If You Like: “cowboy like me”

Try: The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich

This is a song about a “dangerous game” of a romance and having plenty of tricks up one’s sleeves to win. That reminds me of The Love Interest as these two teen spies use all their tricks to get the girl to fall for them and ignore their own feelings for one another. Caden and Dylan are “Love Interests” spies tasked with getting close to people destined for great power to obtain and protect their secrets. When these boys both are sent to the outside world for the first time, they may be highly trained to win, but new feelings start to bubble and could threaten everything and their safety.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “long story short”

Try: By The Book by Julia Sonneborn

In this song, the main character looks back on this grand literary-like relationship, but can’t stop thinking about it even when they’ve moved on. Actually, that reminds me of this bookish romance. Here, Anne is a literature professor up for tenure at a small college making do, until her ex-fiance shows up as the new university president. She’s forced to wrestle her current and former feelings for him and her new boyfriend while still keeping her head above water at work and with her family.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song

 


If You Like: “marjorie”

Try: You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

This song starts off with a hateful tone and being so clever to best one another, much like the beginning of this contemporary novel. Here, it starts like an anti-love story where engaged couple Naomi and Nicholas cannot even stand one another or even remember how they met and fell in love. But, with time and pages, you get to see firsthand how Nick and Naomi slowly warm to each other again as accomplices, teammates, best friends, and lovers to become even stronger. It’s not a romance where you expect the lead couple to be together without any problems, but Nicholas and Naomi have to work for love and to open up, discovering who they are as individuals in the process. By the time they reclaim their love, it feels earned and justified.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “closure”

Try: Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

This song gave me such “the one that got away” and first love vibes, so I was looking for a similar type of book, which led me to this Mhairi McFarlane one I read as an ARC a few years back. Here, Georgina is reeling after being fired from her job and learning her boyfriend cheated on her. Trying to move on, she snags a job at the first job she finds as a barmaid for a new pub that’s run by the first boy she fell in love with at school, Lucas McCarthy. Where she’s done nearly nothing with her life, he’s been way more successful and grown-up. Seeing, and working for, him again throws her present into disarray and brings a secret from her past back up again. 

Read the Book | Listen To the Song


If You Like: “evermore”

Try: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

It may be all the writing and time passing mentioned the song, but I get such *Polin* vibes from this Bridgerton book. Here, the charming Colin Briderton returns to London after years abroad and sees his sister’s best friend, the aging spinster Penelope Featherington is different from what he remembered when they were kids. Meanwhile, Penelope has had a crush on Colin for ages and thinks she knows everything about him. Soon, they each discover one another’s deepest secrets and fears as they find solace in one another.

Read the Book | Listen To the Song

5 One-Sitting Reads That I Haven’t Stopped Thinking About

Hey, it’s me, and as you can guess from this title, I’m still reading a lot. I mean, that’s just me. C’est la vie. The other weekend, I ventured out to Barnes & Noble for a little book buying excursion, because second to reading books, buying them is another super fun hobby. And, I’ve already been reading the heck out of my latest TBR additions.

So, settle back into another edition of Miranda’s Book Nook for even more book recommendations that I’m absolutely obsessing over. (Side note: If only you could see me night after night, reading my latest novel underneath the teeny light of my flashlight. It feels like I’m 9 again, desperate to stay up later just to keep reading my book without getting caught by my parents for staying awake past my bedtime.)

Shine by Jessica Jung

I’d heard a lot about this next read before I even picked it up off the YA shelf, from both TikTok’s #BookTok crew, its NetGalley profile, and the fact that the author was once in one of the biggest K-pop bands of the decade. Sure, the summary was intriguing: all about a teenaged K-pop trainee eager to live her dream and make it into a band. Oh, and the shiny love story with a fellow K-pop star didn’t hurt. But, in all honesty, I didn’t know what to expect when I’d actually start reading it.

And OMG, this YA debut novel delivers! It was absolutely precious and a book I just couldn’t put down. Plus, my shipper heart was going crazy with everything between Rachel and Jason. Apparently, Jung’s team is adapting this into a film, and I can’t wait to see these rich characters and vivid stories play out on the big screen. Based on what I just read, any film version is sure to be huge, incredible, empowering, and feature one of the cutest teen love stories about two pop stars.

Here, seventeen-year-old Korean-American Rachel Kim loves K-pop and would do just about anything to be chosen for a group and live her dreams. Six years ago, she’s recruited by Korean label DB Entertainment as a trainee, where the rules are clear. Train and practice all the time. Be perfect. Don’t date. At first, the rules seem like no-brainers, but soon enough, Rachel realizes all the dark scandals of the controlling industry and the pressure to constantly be perfect, and she questions everything and if she has what it takes to shine and be the star. Plus, once she captures the attention of DB golden boy, K-pop superstar, Jason Lee, the rules get increasingly difficult to mindlessly follow. He’s the label’s big star, has the voice of an angel that blends in perfect harmony with hers, is flirty and charming, and only seems to have eyes for her. What could go wrong? You know, except for the controlling record label. But may I remind you, the book cover includes the phrase, “All’s fair in love and K-pop,” so I’ll just leave that there.

This book pulls the veil back on the glamorous, picture-perfect world of K-pop and K-pop girl groups, which is so interesting to get this behind-the-scenes viewpoint, plus an empowering protagonist, amazing sets, and a sweet-as-doughnuts (Writer’s note: If you read the book, you’ll get this line) teen romance.

Available: Now


The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

Alisha Rai’s been on my romance radar for a while after I devoured Girl Gone Viral in a single setting. I knew it was the second book in her “Modern Love” series and that her first book in it, this one, was beloved by romance readers, but I suppose I was so preoccupied by everything else on my TBR to pay due diligence to this romance read, and clearly that was a mistake.

When I was book shopping, I found this on the shelf, and everything I loved about Girl Gone Viral came back to me in a flash. I remembered everything I loved about that, and how Rhi and Samson were living out their HEA by then. Now, that her third book in the series, starring the girls’ other roommate Jia, is scheduled for publication early next year, I needed to go back and read this now more than ever.

Here, in the introduction to the series, we start with empowering and fierce Rhiannon Hunter. She owns and runs a successful Bumble-like dating app, and career is her main, and well only, priority. Occasionally, she engages in brief hookups, like when she matched with the one-photo-only Samson for a night of good fun on the beach. While their dalliance went well and she actually was willing to give him another chance, he ghosted her and she shut off her chance.

The book starts up, months later, when the cynical app founder heads to a tech conference and unexpectedly spots Samson there, on stage, discussing her competitor that he’s now an ambassador for. Turns out, Samson is the one-and-only former pro-football player Samson Lima and he still has eyes for Rhi. According to the summary “he won’t fumble their second chance” because, ahem, this dude has it bad for her. A temporary work truce and friendship soon reveals an intimate bond that is too precious to miss. 

Just like Girl Gone Viral, this romance book is witty, playful, fierce, and fun — that I could devour this read in a single sitting, feeling plenty of zings as I did for Jas and Kat. Now, I can’t wait to find out Jia’s love story even more when that’s released to the public.

Available: Now


Recommended For You by Laura Silverman

It’s a bookish romance, y’all! So, if you know me by now, I’m already sold. Quirky book nerd teens, working at a bookshop, set in the small-town South, and enemies to lovers. It’s like this book was made for my bookshelf. Plus, the summary describes this YA novel as “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail,” which, like yes, please!

Here, Shoshanna Greenberg is working double shifts over her high school break for the holidays when she’s tasked with training new hire Jake Kantor for the gig. Their rivalry starts small when he seemingly is not listening to her and admitted he’s not a reader. Which, like GASP. Things are heightened when the Once Upon shop owner announces a bonus for the top bookseller this holiday. The ever-competitive Shosh sees this as the perfect chance to flex her skills in her favorite place (the shop!) and earn enough cash to fix her broken-down car. But, Jake also wants the dough for what is such a NJB, sweet reason, and I swear, I’m melting into a pile of goo over here once that reasoning revealed.

Soon, they’re neck and neck for the top seller honor and we get such a delish enemies to lovers trope for these two teens. Sure, she may despise him for actually working hard or not being a hardcore book nerd, but he’s like a Netflix teen movie BF type of cute and a fellow Jew, so like she’s smitten. As their competition ramps up, these two grow closer and closer and that spark burns bright. This YA romance was so cute and so pure, I can’t stop smiling now that I finished it.

Available: Now


Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory

OK, give me any Jasmine Guillory romance and I’m fairly certain that I can polish it off in a day and feel all the feels. And her latest novel is no exception.

Her initial romance book, The Wedding Date, first introduced us to Alexa Monroe when she met her now-hubby (in The Wedding Party) Drew. Now, it’s Alexa’s older sister’s turn. Olivia Monroe has just returned to the West Coast, and LA, in particular, to start her own law firm with dating being the last thing on her mind. However, one of her first days in town, she meets and strikes up a conversation with a cute, funny, and witty stranger named Max in a hotel bar. After spending the entire night flirting, she discovers the man she was flirtatiously discussing cake with, was the handsome junior senator Max Powell. Cut to weeks later, when she shows up at a fundraiser he’s speaking at, only now, he can actually ask her name and where she works because this dude’s got it bad and hasn’t been able to get her out of his head.

To get her attention and ask her out, this man sent her a freaking CAKE to her office along with his personal phone number on a note. I’d like to point out, if any prospective suitors are reading this blog, take note because you’d definitely get my attention with baked goods, and specifically, cake. So, yea, I’m liking Max already. This chance meeting soon sparks a whirlwind affair and relationship with plenty of heat, passion, and emotions. She’s caught off-guard that he, a U.S. Senator, is sweet, funny, and honest, and not just another privileged, rich white guy as she first thought. Due to his job in the spotlight, they start dating in secret full of clandestine excursions and random disguises to conceal their identities. However, once they are ready to go public with their love, the media scrutiny is a lot considering he’s one of LA and DC’s Most Eligible Bachelors and her rocky past. While they have such a strong connection, Olivia has to figure out if this life is what she really wants and if their love can survive the rocky media storm. 

OMG, this steamy romance read was absolutely adorable and had me rooting for these two from the jump and that HEA/epilogue made me squeal. Also, we got to check in with Alexa and Drew post-HEA, which that type of thing always warms my heart as a reader. Plus, considering the fact that many of Guillory’s books occur in the same universe with some of the same characters, I wouldn’t be opposed to a new book following Max’s roommate Wes falling in love in DC, and maybe even, we’d get a check-in from Max and Olivia there. Just saying, I’d buy that.

Available: Now


When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon 

I just finished reading an ARC of the author’s latest adult romance novel, Make Up Break Up, (be on the lookout for that review coming soon) and adored that read so much, that I immediately went to look up her other works because I was so captivated by that romance. So, I read this summary and was instantly intrigued by the premise.

Here, 18-year-old Dimple Shah is ready for a break from her overbearing family and their quest for her to meet and marry her future Ideal Indian Husband. Her first taste of freedom is at a pre-college summer program for aspiring web developers, her dream summer opportunity and future career. Turns out, her folks were in cahoots were their old pals and Rishi Patel’s parents to set up an arrangement for their two kids. The hitch he knows the truth and she does not. Rishi, oh sweet and pure Rishi, he’s a hopeless romantic and believes in fate and kismet about these two. And well, Dimple does not and, in fact, only sees all the ways they are fundamentally different and incompatible. But what happens when they are paired up for the program’s main assignment and they start to realize all the ways that maybe this is meant to be?

Now, this was a good and captivating read that I was sucked into and just couldn’t put down. That being said, however, something about Rishi just… I don’t know… he just tried way, way, way too hard and that freaked me out, let alone Dimple, and gah, I just wanted him to slow down. Once he did and they later embrace both their authentic selves, we do get a smile-worthy, cute yet predictable HEA to conclude this cute, sweet YA novel.

Available: Now