To be honest, I thought Every Summer After did Charlie dirty. So I'm glad in One Golden Summer, he finally gets the story and the happily ever after that he deserves.

Cracking open this book and stepping back into Barry's Bay was a bit like coming home. I fell in love with this lakeside town during Sam and Percy's story, and was forlorn at the prospect of having to say goodbye. So when I heard there was a sequel, of course I jumped at it. To get the chance to visit Barry's Bay again and see Charlie's love story come to fruition seemed like a dream come true.

The progression of Alice and Charlie's relationship was surprisingly refreshing and relatable. It didn't quite fit with many of the exaggerated, well-worn romance tropes out there as is often the case with this genre. Instead, we have the simple story of boy meets girl, boy and girl are attracted to each other, but along with the intrigue also comes some reservations. And what follows is a friendship first, with benefits, that then blossoms into real love.

All the things that make a romance compelling—the yearning, the sizzle, the genuine connection—were here by the bucketful. And the things that readers usually cringe at—dramatic breakups and miscommunication—were kept to a minimum. Instead, we just have two authentic characters slowly and surely getting to know each other. And as we come to understand their reservations, they made sense and provided the necessary tension to move the story along without being too over the top.

There’s something about Carley Fortune’s writing that is instantly transportive. It's suffused with the sort of longing for the carefree days of youth that I think everyone can relate to. It's nostalgia at its purest form, a wistful affection for the lost days of summer that feels comforting and bittersweet at every turn. To read her books is to be swept away to a younger version of ourselves, one where the limitless possibilities of life still stretch out in front of us.

There is a keen awareness throughout the story of time and its forward march. Charlie's grief over the loss of his parents is a testament to that, as is Alice's bucket list for her seventeen year old self. And her work as a photographer, capturing brief moments and slices of life, was a way of trying to hold on to all that is fleeting and ephemeral. That awareness helped elevate the book to a new emotional height, one that kept me in its grips throughout.

This was a wonderful read. Fortune's nostalgia-tinted writing felt like magic. I laughed, I cried, I was swept away. This was first and foremost a romance, but it was also a love letter to Barry's Bay, a reverent nod to the golden days of summer, and a gentle reminder to live life to its fullest while we still can.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

If nostalgia for young love and the lost days of summer had a name, it would be Every Summer After.

I'm always on the lookout for the quintessential summer read. There's nothing more satisfying than finding that perfect book to suit my mercurial moods during the long, lazy, too-bright days of my favorite season. And Carley Fortune has been on my radar for ages, ever since this book, her debut, catapulted her to the stratosphere of famous beach read authors. So it was with quite a bit of excitement and glee that I turned to that first page and prepared to be wowed.

But nothing happened, at least not initially. I was not pleased, nor was I displeased. It just felt like a very generic start to such a story, and there are many ones like it out there. But then, the more I read, the more I was taken in—with the characters, with the drama, but most importantly, with the feelings it evoked in me of a time gone by and the bittersweet memories it left behind.

And I think that's where this story really shines. It isn't so much that the more I read, the more I grew to love the tale, but rather, the more I was reminded of my own youth—the magical feeling of having my whole life stretched out in front me, the limitless possibilities and loves and adventures, the inevitable mistakes, and hurting the people I loved on the path to discovering who I really was.

This is a second chance romance, and I personally think those are hard to write. You have to not only come up with a strong enough love to begin with, but then you have to add in a plausible reason why such an auspicious couple cannot possibly be together, often for many years. And then after that, you have to come up with even more plausible reasons why these two sad characters can finally resolve all their previously unsolvable problems and get their happily ever after. Like phew, just thinking about all that makes me tired.

But no worries here, Fortune did a good job. She expertly interweaved the two timelines, one spanning the six years of Percy and Sam's youth, the other over one weekend twelve years later. Each brought something to the table, though it's clear the past timeline was the heart of this story. Percy and Sam's developing friendship and relationship through all the summer days of their youth, sketched through the glittering lens of Fortune's writing, captured all that is wonderful and beautiful and heartbreaking about growing up.

It's been a minute (or a few decades) since I was a teenager, and nowadays, I often have trouble connecting with stories featuring such young leads, usually finding them too immature or angsty to endure for a few hundred pages. But the ones in here were uncommonly responsible, with enough emotional depth to make them feel relatable and compelling.

While this wasn't a perfect tale, and there were definitely moments it felt like a debut author trying to find her legs or I had to suspend yet more disbelief in order to buy into the characters' actions, it did hold me in its thralls the way a good beach read should. I ended it feeling a little bereft at having to say goodbye to Barry's Bay, so I was happy to discover the existence of a sequel.

If you haven't tried Carley Fortune and you're a fan of beach reads, this is absolutely worth a gander. As for me, I've had the urge to listen to "The Boys Of Summer" this entire time. (Of course the original by Don Henley is fab, but my favorite remains the cover by DJ Sammy). So I'm going to go do that right now.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

For a fictional biography to work, it's almost entirely hinged on its characters. They really have to shine, convincing us that people who have never existed are in fact real. But the ones in The Future Saints are so bland, they never truly came alive. They lacked personality, clinging to the sort of superficiality that hobbled them the entire time.

Who is Hannah other than someone who loves and misses her sister? How do I tell the other two members of the band apart? What does Theo even see in Hannah? The book never adequately addressed these crucial questions, and so my feelings toward the characters remained fuzzy and ambivalent.

Character depth matter, never more so than when it's a character-driven story. And so here, it was an uphill climb almost the whole way to try to differentiate and connect with these rather lackluster ones.

But perhaps the blame lies with me. All the comparisons to Daisy Jones had me thinking this was a fictional rock 'n' roll biography. But it was less that and more written in the style of women's fiction, with explorations of grief and addiction and a love story embedded in, and the rock 'n' roll provided the setting rather than the focus.

About halfway through, I finally started getting into the story. But even then, I didn't feel much for the band. My favorite character was Theo, whose earnestness and sobriety and desire to help others finally won me over.

This was fine. But I think I just expected more. The writing, the characters, even the events in the story, all felt more generic than memorable, which just doesn't line up with my expectations of what a fictional biography, let alone a rock 'n' roll one, should be.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

"Cause of death, age of death."

There are certain themes that speak to just about every reader, and the idea of learning your future is one of them. What would you do if you knew how long you had left to live? Would you try to change the outcome for the better, or just surrender to destiny? Those are the thoughts that every single passenger on the flight from Hobart to Sydney would grapple with in the weeks and months following that fateful journey.

But the problem with that theme is that inevitably, the premise is more profound than what comes after. And so here, we have the same problem. After the portentous event, we follow multiple characters as they go back to living their lives, and they're all the sort of somewhat interesting but mostly humdrum lives you'd expect of anyone learning they could (or could not) die in the near (or far) future.

I don't blame Liane Moriarty, at least not entirely. I can't recall a single time any book has tried to tackle this theme and ended up wowing me. No doubt it's a seductive topic, but it's one where when you dig a little deeper, the result can only be one cliché after another — live each day as if it's your last, do the thing you've been putting off, don't let love pass you by, open your eyes to what's in front of you, so on and so forth.

But what I do blame Liane Moriarty for is the extreme unevenness between the various points of view. In true ensemble cast style, every character must have a turn, no matter how compelling or dull their perspectives. And it's just our luck that the one Moriarty chooses to focus on the most, the lady who makes the predictions, is the dullest of them all.

At least with the other characters' points of view, they have all just learned of their supposed demise, and so there is something worthwhile and interesting to fixate on. But with Cherry, there isn't anything of that sort. She's the catalyst of everyone else's crisis, but she herself is rather boring, fussy, and even a bit unlikeable. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, we are forced to read through her entire origin story, and it really sucked the life out of the whole tale.

I'm honestly puzzled. This book was way too long for its content, and we could've easily trimmed off the bulk of the meander by condensing or even axing Cherry's point of view. But as it stands, her parts were such a nonstory, they just added dull upon dull to the narrative. I thought maybe her account was included because we would eventually come upon some incredible revelation or insight, but no, I read/skimmed through it all just to be sure there wasn't.

Liane Moriarty does best when she focuses on dysfunctional domestic drama while adding in her signature sprinkles of wit and satire. But this story veered too far off course. Even though some of the characters were interesting, the Cherry narrative really dragged the whole thing down and left me with a rather tedious taste in my mouth.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

I've got to hand it to Liane Moriarty. Apples Never Fall has got to be one of the most scintillating family dramas I've ever read.

Joy Delaney, beloved wife and mother of four, has disappeared. Her adult children are rightfully aghast, but they're reluctant to report her missing. They know the prime suspect will be their father, and to be honest, they're not quite sure of his innocence. When the police starts asking questions, it quickly becomes clear everyone in the family has stories to tell and secrets to hide. But how long can they hold out before all is laid bare?

First and foremost, this is a story about dysfunctional families, and I just love me a good one of those. Every member of the Delaney family is distinct and compelling, and when you throw in the game of tennis, sibling rivalries, the mother's disappearance, and that decidedly strange interloper to their family home, the tale gets interesting real quick.

I can't get over the premise. It's such a fascinating dilemma, and I couldn't stop myself from chewing it over. What would I do in this situation—would I side with my father or against him if I suspected he murdered my mother? I love a good moral quandary, and this story perfectly captured the nuances that such a predicament would bring to a family.

What I've always adored about Moriarty's writing is her sharp and astute observations about people and their flaws. She has this ability to peel back the layers of family relationships and what it means to be human, and to expose everything beautiful and ugly within, all the while injecting just the right amount of humor. This book hit upon tender subjects familiar to everyone, yet instead of making me cry, it made me laugh.

Needless to say, I found the whole thing to be utterly riveting. The characters were memorable, the dialogue snappy, and the strife felt all too real. I devoured it in just a few days. And while the mystery wasn't the core of this book, there were still plenty of revelations along the way to keep me on my toes.

If I had one quibble, it would have to be the ending. I'm not a fan of when a story is clearly wrapped up, and then the author goes on to continue some more, often to its detriment. And that's kind of what happened here. The last few chapters really weren't necessary, and including them caused the story to veer off course and end on a slight odd note. But that's a minor complaint, and I could very well ignore that last bit in my head (which I've already done) in favor of the rest of the story.

If you're considering this, do keep one thing in mind—to properly enjoy it, you have to have the right mindset. This isn't a mystery/thriller and you would be sorely disappointed if you went in expecting that. In fact, this isn't even its milder domestic suspense cousin. This is straight up a dysfunctional family drama, and Joy's disappearance is simply a plot device used to drive the narrative forward.

I feel like when Liane Moriarty writes what she knows best, there's almost nothing better. And this tale of the dysfunctional Delaney family certainly turned out to be quite the startling and dazzling gem.

Readaroo Rating: 4.5 stars

Well, fuck me. This was about the most lackluster astronaut book I've ever read.

You have to understand, I'm a huge space nerd. I've read countless books on NASA, space exploration, astronauts, the shuttle program; you name it, I've read it. In fact, if we were to stack rank random topics, all my top spots would be taken up by everything space. So when I heard one of my favorite authors was writing a book about one of my favorite topics, I about fainted.

But right off the bat, I could tell something was off. We open with the most climactic, pivotal scene of the story. It should've grabbed me with the force of a thousand suns, but it didn't. It somehow was both too detailed and also not enough, throwing what seemed like twenty new characters at me in the span of two pages while lacking the technical details that would've convinced me we really were in the midst of a space mission. It left me feeling more confused than anything else.

Since this is a dual timeline, we then proceed to alternate between this climactic scene and the seven years leading up to it as Joan becomes a full-fledged astronaut. And while I did enjoy Joan's journey of finding herself and growing through her relationships, I can't help but feel that something was lacking here too. There was so little time spent on her actual astronaut training and so much time spent on her personal life, that it felt like I was reading generic women's lit instead of the singular, exciting story I was promised.

I zoned out constantly. There were so many characters (all introduced around the same time and none of whom stood out) that I had trouble keeping everyone straight in my head. And what should've been the exciting, technical, space portions of the book were replaced by seemingly endless discussions about constellations (my love for space does not extend to star configurations, it seems) and pseudo-philosophical chitchats about the meaning of life. I was worn down.

But even the lack of an astronaut story aside, this still had the feeling of being aggressively bland while also being overly emotional. Every scene in this book—from the contents of the pivotal scene, to the intercutting of it throughout the book, to Joan's relationships with Vanessa and Frances, to all the meaning of life chats—felt like it was set up for maximum emotional hit, almost superficially so. And while I'm not opposed to being emotionally manipulated, this book did it so openly and so obviously that I can't help but cry foul.

Looking back, I should've known my expectations were too high and I was bound for disappointment. It says right there on the cover that this is "a love story" after all. But the heart wants what it wants, and mine wanted an astronaut story, damn it.

In my defense though, what was I supposed to think? Andy Weir blurbed for this book, for crying out loud! And after Carrie Soto, in which TJR managed to take the complex, technical game of tennis and make it absolutely mesmerizing to us plebs who know nothing about the game, I thought she could write anything. After all, Carrie Soto was amazing because TJR didn't shy away from including all of its technical intricacies, not in spite of it.

So of course I thought lightning would strike twice, and TJR would do so again here. I thought I would get the perfect symbiosis of astronaut and woman, technical and emotional, science and love. But instead, the astronaut part of the story was so watered down that it felt almost like an afterthought and we'd have pretty much the same story if Joan had chosen some other career.

Clearly, I wasn't the right audience for this book. My thoughts are decidedly in the minority, and I'm pretty sure my issues here are exactly why so many other readers loved it. So don't let me dissuade you. But do set your expectations correctly before going in—this is a love story, not an astronaut story.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

This book feels a lot like its more famous successor Big Little Lies, only without any of the fun or insight.

In both stories, we follow three women facing their own problems and dilemmas. Here in The Husband's Secret, we have Cecilia, Rachel, and Tess. Cecilia is at the center of this story. Her husband is the one with the earth-shattering secret, and before we are through, each of the three women will feel its repercussions.

Okay, if I had to pinpoint the biggest issue for me, it’s probably the bland and strangely indistinguishable characters. I had trouble keeping them and their children and relatives—of which there were many—square and straight throughout the story, and they somehow all blended together in my mind.

They also weren't exactly the most likeable of people. They were fairly wrapped up in themselves, and it made it hard to connect with them. Here we have these characters each dealing with their own bad fortunes and predicaments, and yet, I just couldn't make myself care. At times, I even caught myself hoping things wouldn't work out in their favor, which was rather discombobulating since I knew I was supposed to cheer for them.

And then there were the actual issues they were each facing. Their moral dilemmas should’ve been interesting and given me much food for thought, but here again, I just couldn't get into them. There was something that didn't quite ring true about the whole thing, as if I knew these characters were not real and neither were their issues, and I was being sold a story all along.

This all sounds terrible, but it really wasn't that bad. It just lacks the wit and spark I've come to associate with Liane Moriarty. Of course, this story is one of her older ones and every writer grows with experience, so maybe this was the necessary stepping stone on the way to writing bigger and better books. If so, I guess I'm okay with that.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

My favorite Liane Moriarty, Big Little Lies is so compelling, so superb in a multitude of ways, it makes me rethink every 5-star rating I have ever given.

On the surface, this seems like a story I've read a thousand times before. A neighborhood of women keeping secrets. A death, or could it possibly be murder? And an investigation into what really happened underneath the calm, placid facade of small town Pirriwee. And yet, this was so much more, and I'm still reeling from just how hard it hit me.

From the very first page, this book held me in its thralls. I couldn't put it down, I couldn't look away. Every scene, every character, every conflict, they all felt so vividly drawn. There is a sharpness to the writing and the observations that is so searing and spot-on, it could almost feel a little painful if not for the humor.

And this book was definitely funny. I often found myself grinning and chuckling along, trying to savor all the witty lines. If I were the sort to freely wield a highlighter at every whim, I'm pretty sure I would've marked up the entire thing. With satire, my preferences are always for the subtle. Is Liane Moriarty actually being serious or is she really poking gentle fun at the characters and us in turn? That fine line between truth and exaggeration is where her writing style really shines, as does her keen eye for the absurdity of human nature.

We take our turn following three different characters. Now usually when that's the case, it would inevitably lead to one or the other perspective being more interesting, while the rest are relegated to the role of the ugly stepchildren. But no such fears here. Every single narrative arc was just as interesting and compelling as the next, and I couldn't gobble them up fast enough.

I have to talk about one of the core themes of this book and a big reason why this was such an impactful read for me. Domestic violence, at least for those of us who are fortunate enough never to have experienced it, has always felt like a somewhat nebulous concept. Of course we sympathize with the victims, but underlying all that is always the vaguely puzzled questions—why do they stay? why don't they just leave? With this story, Liane Moriarty has sketched out with so much skill and emotional clarity exactly all of those reasons why. And in the process, she has given a voice to domestic violence victims and brought them to life.

Every page of this book has felt like a breath of fresh air, equal parts biting and invigorating. Everything I'd want in a story—light and dark, funny and scary, entertaining and insightful—is all here. Surely it should be impossible to achieve all that in one single book, yet through some special alchemy, Liane Moriarty has managed to do just that. And the result is something memorable and extraordinary indeed.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

Elin Hilderbrand's final Nantucket novel, Swan Song feels like both a fond farewell to her book franchise, as well as a love letter to the island that is her cherished home.

Chief of Police Ed Kapanesh is set to retire. But before he does, he has to get through one more summer in Nantucket. Of course there's no chance of smooth sailing. Trouble arrives soon in the form of a new couple who comes to town, and they immediately take the island by storm, stirring up all sorts of drama and intrigue.

What is it that makes Elin Hilderbrand's books so irresistible? Is it her plot or her characters? Or is it that Nantucket is an aspirational place for most of us, filled with seemingly wealthy and beautiful people with nothing better to do than soak up the sun and stir up drama? So to step into these stories feels like a break from normal life, a vacation of sorts. Or even better, a staycation without the hassle of having to leave the comfort of one's couch.

And Hilderbrand definitely understands and plays that up. Her stories always have that light, playful, conspiratorial tone, inviting the reader into the exclusive lives of these Nantucket elites. She never takes the stories and the characters too seriously, and the result is the perfect dose of fun and escapism.

Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket year round and knows the island inside and out. And you can feel that in her stories. All the local restaurants and beaches and gathering places she includes adds so much authenticity and charm to the whole thing, and it makes you want to visit Nantucket. In fact, now that Hildebrand is done writing Nantucket stories, maybe their tourism board can just scoop her up since she's pretty much already doing that job.

One thing to note is that the blurb makes this seem like a mystery, but it isn't really. Coco disappears off of a boat, and we alternate between the police trying to figure out what happened and the events leading up to it. But that's rather misleading because it implies there are suspects and motives and clues, not to mention a denouement that explains it all. But none of that really happened here. So just make sure you don't have the wrong expectations going in.

The other thing worth mentioning is that I didn't really like any of the main characters. Now that isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for me, but in this case, I feel like I could've connected with the story just a little bit more if I did. Initially, Coco and Kacy were both interesting, but then as the story went on, they started to annoy me a bit with their inability to communicate and make good decisions. In other words, they were both rather immature, and then you add in the Richardsons, and at times, this felt like a story about a bunch of teenagers rather than adults. But that is a small quibble since I obviously had a lot of fun with it.

Oh, one last thing. This is marked as part of a series, though I've only read one other book in it. I neither felt like I was missing out on the ones I haven't read, nor did I feel like the one I did read contributed anything substantial to this. The books in the series share some similar characters as they take place in the same Nantucket universe, but it isn't necessary to read all of them (or even one) prior in order to maximumly enjoy this one.

There's definitely a bittersweet feel to this final book. But fortunately for me, I am rather late to the Elin Hilderbrand party. I only discovered her a few years ago, though she has written 30 books. So even though she may be done with Nantucket, I still have many more of her books to go before I have to call it quits.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

'It's sometimes easy to feel left behind at my age, as if the world has a future and you have no place in it... but I hope to discover that there is meaning and adventure still to be found.'

I have a huge soft spot for stories of growing old and finding joy and purpose, so it's no surprise that I adored Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame.

Jenny Quinn is 77 years old and looking forward to celebrating her diamond anniversary with her beloved husband Bernard of 60 years. They both agree that at their age, it's best to just take it easy. But when the opportunity presents to compete on Britain Bakes, Jenny knows she can't pass it up. After so long, here finally is her chance to prove herself and show what she's capable of.

I have yet to meet a literary septuagenarian I'm not fond of, and Jenny continues the trend. Her quest for purpose and meaning past when she thought she'd have the chance makes my heart swell with so much emotion. I can't help but cheer her on through every bake, hoping she'll achieve the dream she's reaching for.

Even though I don't have much of a sweet tooth, I've certainly watched a few seasons of The Great British Bake Off like everyone else out there and enjoyed them immensely. And this book pays such a lovely homage to the show with its own Britain Bakes. We follow Jenny as she competes in each episode, turning out delicious treats while making friends and discovering the joy of doing something for herself, all at the ripe old age of 77.

If you're like me and not an aficionado of baked goods, you might be unsure if your eyes will glaze over from all the baking in this story. But don't worry because while I did have to look up each baked good mentioned just to see what they look like, it was smooth sailing from then on out. And just like The Great British Bake Off, this story does a great job pulling you along and not getting bogged down in the baking weeds. In fact, I found the whole thing quite riveting.

But it's not just the baking that got me. It was also Jenny's journey of self-discovery. We see through her flashbacks how she came to be the person that she is, while also understanding the secret she's keeping from her husband. At where I am in my life, that part of the story really grabbed me. It was both heartbreaking and redemptive, and I definitely had the tissues ready.

What a delightful, heartwarming story this turned out to be. I'm loving the recent trend in books to feature folks of old age realizing their dreams, and I hope it continues.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

I usually have a lot to say about a book (shocking, I know), but this one left me a bit befuddled. Did I enjoy it? I think so. And yet, I wanted more than what I got.

Daphne has an unusual quirk—every time she meets a new man, she gets a piece of paper with his name and the exact amount of time they will be together. Until one day, she gets a piece of paper with just a name: Jake. It seems all her waiting is over, and she has finally met the one. But as their relationship continues, Daphne starts to wonder what it means to be with someone she isn't entirely truthful with.

With a premise like that, I was expecting something, well unexpected. To know the future before it happens is a double-edged sword. Do you forge your own destiny or do you let yourself be steered by what you know your destiny to be? Ah, a subtle but important distinction and a quandary to be certain. So I settled in for what is sure to be an interesting read.

We follow Daphne as she meets Jake and their relationship grows. And through flashbacks, we see some of her other relationships in the past, including her three-month romance with her now best friend, Hugo. As time goes on, she can't help but be cynical as relationship after relationship ends, exactly as the papers predict.

But then as the story continues, I started to realize that it isn't what I was expecting. Or rather, it is, but I thought there would be more. For such an fascinating premise, this seems more like a romance or women's fiction rather than the profound read I was hoping for.

Yes, we do spend a little bit of time contemplating Daphne's unusual issue, but otherwise, this story unfolds along the same vein as any other fictional relationship. In fact, the story focuses a lot of time on another thing altogether, which while worthwhile, feels a bit like a bait-and-switch to me.

It doesn't help that Daphne and Jake lacked chemistry together. They feel rather bland, so it was hard to invest in their relationship or to understand what they saw in each other. The only chemistry was between Daphne and Hugo, which made this a somewhat confusing read because I wasn't sure who to cheer for.

But that isn't to sell the story short. There were definitely moments when it got ahold of me and I felt its emotional pull. And its message of living your life to the fullest because it's the only one you've got is a worthy one, even if it got a little muddled in the tale.

So yes, I did enjoy this, even if it didn't end up being as profound as I'd hoped for. The undeniably fascinating premise and little nuggets of emotional moments left me with some interesting food for thought.

Readaroo Rating: 3.5 stars

Let's face it—it isn't a proper summer without the quintessential beach read. And Elin Hilderbrand's books have become a go-to for me in recent years. But unfortunately, The Five-Star Weekend didn't quite end up scratching that summertime itch.

Hollis is grieving for her dead husband. She gets the idea to host a weekend get-together for her best friends, inviting one from each phase of her life, in the hopes that being surrounded by friends will help her heal and move on. But each of these women is battling her own issues and the weekend doesn't really turn out the way Hollis expects.

Elin Hilderbrand's books always feel light and fun, and this one's no different. It's the sort of story I pick up when I need a distraction. It's easy to get sucked into the island of Nantucket, with all of its water, sunshine, and delicious food. But at the end of the day, something about this story just didn't click for me.

Maybe it's because this feels more like a disjointed collection of stories about the different women rather than a cohesive whole. They're each having their own issues, and for the most part, they don't overlap. Hilderbrand could very well have written separate stories for each of them, and it would've still made sense.

Or maybe I just don't buy into the premise. I can't imagine a former friend dropping everything to fly out and spend a weekend with me and a few others they don't know, just to comfort me. But perhaps that's me being cynical and this sort of thing really does happen.

Or maybe it's because while the women's issues are real, the resolutions somehow end up feeling a bit shallow. Everything is wrapped up too neatly by the end of the book, whether the issue was medical, spousal, or work. Like the proverbial happily ever after, everyone gets one, even if the circumstances are too convenient or magical to be believable.

Whatever the reason, this story just didn't quite rise to the level of beachy magic I usually associate with Elin Hilderbrand. Don't get me wrong, I still had fun with it. But I always hope for a memorable reading experience, and this one was all too forgettable.

Readaroo Rating: 3 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

It sends a tiny thrill through me . . . staring up at a mountain I have yet to scale, each match a step toward the top. It has been so long since I have felt the perfect ache of climbing.

I'm always drawn towards stories about overcoming adversity at great odds and achieving the impossible through sheer determination and hard work. So is it any surprise that this story totally grabbed ahold of me and refused to let go?

Carrie Soto, the greatest player in tennis history, knows the joy and sacrifice of victory. Trained by her father since she was a toddler, she holds the record for the most Grand Slams to her name. But that achievement has come at great personal cost. When a new crop of upstarters threatens her legacy, she is left with no choice. Now she is coming out of retirement to defend her record, working with her father one last time to show herself and the world what she is capable of.

What an absolutely captivating story this was. From the very first page, I was mesmerized both by the well-drawn characters as well as the compelling narrative. Yes, this is fiction, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Instead, it feels like a piece of real tennis history brought to life, and we the readers are there to witness it in all of its glory and heartache.

One aspect of this story that surprised me is that the character of Carrie Soto isn't altogether likable. She's brash, confident to the point of arrogance, and often rude to all who stands in her way. She isn't always in it for the love of the game; rather, she wants to win at all cost, even if the price is her own happiness. But it really speaks to Reid's strong storytelling abilities that such a character doesn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the book. In fact, Carrie's flaws make her portrayal and her eventual personal growth that much more compelling.

There is a lot of tennis in this book. And I absolutely lapped it up. Even as someone who doesn't play the game (though I do occasionally watch a match on tv), I found all the tennis jargon in here easy to follow. In fact, reading it reminds me of how riveting this game can be, and I was impressed with Reid's ability to capture not just the grueling physical aspects but also its mental facets as well.

But this book isn't just about competing and winning. In true Taylor Jenkins Reid fashion, it's bursting with heart and soul. It shines a stark spotlight on what it means to be human, to want to strive to be the best you can be, and to achieve whatever you set your heart to. It reminds us that hard work matters, and that age ain't nothing but a number. But it also shows that it's okay to fail, that letting go is sometimes the right thing to do, and that greatness isn't always measured by what everyone else says.

Carrie's father compares her to Achilles, and that feels particularly apt. Achilles craved glory and greatness, and he worked hard towards it his whole life. He finally achieves all that he dreams of during the Trojan War, but it comes at a steep price. And so Carrie does too. She is a warrior of the highest caliber, training every moment of her life, for that one moment of glory so that she will go down in history.

What a story! It's exciting and uplifting and inspirational, but it never loses sight of its heart. In fact, that is a hallmark of Taylor Jenkins Reid's recent books. And it shows that she is still a master of her craft, taking us on literary journeys so intimate and exhilarating, we can't help but feel they're real.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

Ah, is there a more satisfying feeling than finding the perfect beach read during the waning days of summer?

I can't believe this is Elin Hilderbrand's 28th novel (of which I've only read a paltry few)! I'm always a little hesitant when an author has been around for so long. What if they've lost their verve and zest for writing and are now just doing it to put out one more book? But gosh, I didn't need to worry at all.

The Hotel Nantucket was the consummate summer reading experience. It transported me to Nantucket, and I fell in love with the island, the atmosphere, and all the wonderful characters.

Instead of focusing solely on one or two individuals, this story is more of an ensemble cast, with many characters taking up the pages. And while that took me a few chapters to get into, once I did, I was all in. I can honestly say there wasn't a single character I wasn't fond of, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know everyone and seeing them grow through the pages.

If I had to nitpick something, it would be that there were two characters with almost the same name. There's Sweet Edie (a main character) and Fast Eddie (only a side one). Thankfully, Fast Eddie only appears a few times, though it did confuse me every time he did. But I really had to reach hard to come up with this minor quibble.

No doubt about it, I just about savored every moment of this book. I read it almost entirely outside, soaking up the sunshine and with various fruit-flavored bubble teas in hand. Summers are so special and inevitably too short. Especially this year, having lost half of my summer due to moving and feeling unwell, I'm doubly thankful to have found this gem of a story. It totally buoyed my spirits and added that extra spark to my otherwise abbreviated summer.

Now my only remaining question is: could the ending have been a teensy-weensy wink towards a sequel? I sure hope so!

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

This right here. This is why I read. For the joy and privilege of coming across an exquisite story like this and being swept up in its magic.

Could The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo really be fiction, dreamt up entirely in Taylor Jenkins Reid's mind? Every moment felt so real, so tangible. When I reached the end, it was hard to let go, hard to return to a world where this was nothing more than a figment of the imagination.

Evelyn Hugo, revered Hollywood actress and icon, is finally ready to tell the story of her life. But she wants to make sure that whatever comes out is authentic to who she is. So she contacts Monique Grant, a mostly unknown writer, to be her scribe. Everyone is surprised by the choice, no one more so than Monique herself. But to be given the chance to write Evelyn's memoir and to understand the person behind the legend is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, one that Monique can't pass up.

When I first started this, I thought I was in for a fluffy, gossipy romance set in the golden Hollywood era. After all, why would anyone need so many husbands unless one was in it for a good time? But this turned out to be so much more. At its heart, it's a stunning and brutally honest portrayal of love in all its different forms. It shows not just the joy of love, but also its sacrifices and heartbreaks.

I was blown away by how complex of a character Evelyn Hugo is. She is the heart and soul of this story, and her character shines so bright, it's hard to look away. She feels real, coming off the pages wholly formed. She's not perfect. In fact, her flaws and numerous questionable actions make her human, and it's easy to relate to her and cheer for her.

The book is written in alternative viewpoints, a little bit from Monique's perspective as she interviews Evelyn and a lot from Evelyn's perspective as she shares the story of her life. When a book has two different viewpoints, there's always a fear that one is more interesting than the other. But not here. I can honestly say that every moment of this book was equally riveting.

I adored Reid's writing style. It's filled with so much charm that it just oozes off the pages. The story obviously tackles serious issues, but the writing never takes itself too seriously. It's witty and funny, drawing me in and making me feel every emotion. It manages to convey so much nuance without ever slowing down the pacing or seeming long-winded. I'm in awe.

You guys know I'm a romantic through and through. And this story is all about finding and holding on to that great love of your life, no matter what it takes. I mean, how could I not be drawn to that? I'm also a realist and I know that love takes so much sacrifice. So this story spoke to my heart and my mind.

I never really had a chance. This book had me good and hooked, right from the first page. It's the sort of story I know I'll come back to again and again, savoring it anew every time.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

Imagine if all men took women seriously . . .

When you come across that perfect read, at what point do you realize? For me, it was from the very first page of Lessons in Chemistry.

Honestly, who does Bonnie Garmus think she is, coming in here and writing a book that completely speaks to me? And on top of that, it's her debut. Well, just knock me over with a feather too while you're at it, why don't you!

Elizabeth Zott is a chemist in the 1960s. The problem is, she is the only one who views herself that way. Her male colleagues cannot get past the fact that she's a woman, and treat her more as a secretary and doormat, acknowledging her only long enough to steal her work. That is, until Calvin Evans, another brilliant chemist, comes along and really sees all that she is capable of. But life is unexpected, and so a few years later, Elizabeth is somehow the host of a cooking show. But in her heart, she still desires to be truly seen as a chemist.

You guys know how much I love strong female characters, and Elizabeth Zott is all that and more. She's fearless in the face of adversity, she stays true to herself, and she never lets others intimidate her into being less than all she can be. In other words, she is my hero.

It's not just Elizabeth who warms my heart. This story has the most wonderful collection of supporting characters. They add so much color and spirit to the whole thing. I wanted to hug them all. And if you're an animal lover of any sort, just be ready to have your heart burst into a million ooey gooey pieces. In fact, Six-Thirty might just be my favorite literary dog of all time.

The writing is so witty and brilliant. There's a zing to it that makes it feel zippy and wholly original. I couldn't stop laughing and I couldn't put it down. Usually I can't wait to reach the end of a book so I can check it off my long TBR and move onto the next. But I wanted this to go and go and never end. I tried to savor every moment, but I ended up devouring it.

What an absolute delight this was, from the very first moment to the last. It possesses all the hallmarks of the very best stories. It made me laugh, feel, think, and wonder. It filled me with joy and buoyed my spirits. It gave me everything I wanted and everything I didn't even know to ask for.

So many books come and go that often a true gem ends up buried in the deluge. Please don't let this one pass you by. Go read it. You'll be glad you did.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review.

If your mother is the love of your life, what does that make your husband?

I think that quote pretty much sums up everything that didn't work for me with this book.

When Katy's mother Carol dies after a battle with cancer, Katy is lost. She and her mother were extremely close, their relationship being one for the ages. They'd been planning a trip to Italy together, so Katy decides to go by herself. She leaves her life and her husband behind and jets off to Italy for the closure and clarity she desperately needs.

I'll be honest, I had a really hard time connecting with Katy. She just goes on and on about her mother being the one great love of her life. And for some reason, she thinks she's her mother's great love too, and that her father must only be Carol's distant second love. My eyes rolled so hard. You would think Katy was five years old, but she's thirty and married! It makes no sense. It's as if her only identify as a person is being Carol's daughter.

And the way Katy treats her husband was really hard to stomach. He's there for her through thick and thin, supporting her emotionally and physically during her mother's decline. Yet Katy just whines about how she can't possibly love him anymore because he's not her great love (which is her mother). And when she gets to Italy, she immediately latches onto some random dude and proceeds to have an affair.

Then as Katy learns more about her mother and the fact that she had a life outside of being a parent to her, she is shocked. I'm sorry, but I just don't get it. What adult feels this insane level of attachment to their parents? It's too bad, because the story would've been a lot better had Katy's love for her mother been generous instead of self-centered. There is so much hypocrisy and selfishness in Katy's behavior and her treatment of everyone around her, it really detracts from the story's emotional impact.

However, one thing the book does do right is its ability to transport me so completely to another place. It's as if I'm really in Positano, at the elegant Hotel Poseidon, soaking up the Italian sun and eating all the wonderful food there is to offer. Everything is so vividly portrayed, it fully engaged all my senses. I was swept away to this beautiful location.

Readaroo Rating: 2.5 stars

What do you get if you remove the romance and comedy from a rom-com?

Answer: One Night on the Island

DNF - I stuck it out for 120 pages, and I'm calling it quits. I don't really understand what this book is supposed to be, but it sure isn't a rom-com. Where is the spark, the chemistry, the steam? Or the humor? Or even just a halfway interesting story? Give me something!

So far, the defining theme of this story is that Cleo is an entitled brat who whines constantly and has her feelings easily hurt. And Mack is a dad who misses his kids so much that he has to get away from them for their own good. Okaay. And whenever Cleo and Mack "talk", they just throw random facts about themselves at each other from across the room.

There's nothing for me to work with here. This story is so bland, I'm not sure who I could recommend it to. Maybe if you're suffering from an injury and any kind of emotions/laughing would make you double over in pain. Or if you're a nun and your habit forbids you from reading anything remotely funny or romantic.

Readaroo Rating: 2 stars (DNF)

My heartfelt thanks for the copy that was provided for my honest and unbiased review. 

Looking for the perfect beach read and murder mystery, all in one go? Well, look no further, cause this is it right here.

Let’s be real, it isn't a proper summer without that perfect beach read. And in order to qualify, it must meet certain requirements. One, it has to be fun and frothy but never superficial. Second, it has to have that je ne sais quoi that grabs you from the very first moment and keeps you glued to the pages. And last but certainly not least, it must take place on a beach or in a beach town, so that you can live vicariously that sun-drenched lifestyle wherever you may be. And this fulfills it all.

On the morning of Celeste Otis's extravagant Nantucket wedding to wealthy heir Benji Winbury, she wakes to find her maid of honor floating dead in the water. As the investigation heats up and the police carefully comb over every member of the wedding party, shocking secrets are slowly revealed. It seems everyone has something to hide.

The narrative alternates between the present-day investigation and the events leading up to it. Sometimes with a dual timeline, I'm only really there for one or the other, but not in this case. Here, both were equally riveting, and my attention never wavered, not even a blip. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough and utterly inhaled the whole thing.

I have to applaud the murder mystery in here. It was superbly done and has all the hallmarks of a classic whodunnit: a small cast of characters, red herrings galore, and delicious twists and turns everywhere. The ending even managed to surprise me, which is saying something coming from a mystery aficionado like myself.

One thing to note is that while this book is marked as #3 in a series, it's fine to be read as a standalone. In fact, I haven't read either of the first two books and didn't even know this was part of a series when I started. As far as I understand it, the books all share some characters around town and that's about it, so you won't miss anything by jumping straight in.

I've been wracking my brain, trying to figure out when was the last time I found a perfect beach read that also happens to be a clever whodunnit. Certainly there are plenty of beach reads out there, and many incorporate a mystery element or thriller vibes. But a true whodunnit à la Agatha Christie? I'm coming up empty. Even Elin Hilderbrand, the queen of the former, has only written this one of the latter. And that's why this book is so special.

Every year, I look forward to my summer beach reads with glee. I anticipate the moment when I finally get to sit out in the sun and crack open that perfect book, ready to soak up the vibes and be transported to all that is glorious about the season. If you're anything like me, be sure not to miss this gem of a read.

Readaroo Rating: 5 stars!

Women's fiction at its best, What Alice Forgot is everything I've come to love from Liane Moriarty.

Alice gets bumped on her head and loses ten years of her memory. The last thing she remembers is being twenty-nine, in love with her husband Nick, and pregnant with their first child. Instead, she's now thirty-nine, has three children, and is about to get divorced. As she tries to piece together what happened, she must figure out who she really is and all that's important to her.

At first glance, this seems like a fluffy beach read of second chances and domestic drama. But the more I read, the more I discovered. Relationships are not easy, and the complexity of them and how the years can cause them to deteriorate is deftly captured in here. I found both Alice and Nick to be sympathetic characters, and could see how life and the stress of raising three children wore them out.

I also enjoyed the storyline with Alice's sister. Though I normally don't gravitate towards plots with siblings falling out or infertility, something about the way this was written made it feel universal. We all have family members we have less than stellar relationships with, and we all dream of things we want that we don't have. I found the exploration of when to give up and move on, versus staying and hoping, to be skillfully done.

Moriarty's writing is always eminently readable, and this book is no different. Once I started, I found it unputdownable. It was easy to get swept away into this story of interesting, complex characters and their difficult choices. There's also this subtle humor sprinkled throughout that keeps it from becoming too maudlin or sappy.

Still, it stays true to the genre, so eventually everyone gets what they want and everything is wrapped up neatly. But that doesn't detract from the story, which I found to be nuanced and fascinating. This is definitely one of my favorites from Liane Moriarty.

Readaroo Rating: 4 stars