All Books Considered

History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook Blurb from Goodreads : A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague's murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood. As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies. The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam—something the killer will stop at nothing to get. Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find ...

Lush by Rochelle Dowden-Lord Blurb from Goodreads : Four wine experts, each at a crucial point in their lives, arrive at a French vineyard estate for an unforgettable experience-but not the kind they expected. Avery gave up her hard-won but exploitative sommelier job to come, while wine prodigy Cosmo is trying to disguise that his life is in freefall. The chemistry between the pair is unmistakable, but so are the signs of danger. Millionaire Sonny owns a tacky wine brand and can't help aggravating Cosmo, while caustic magazine writer Maëlys hovers with her pen poised. It seems at first that these four have little in common except for their love of wine and their belief in its transformative power. But, as the quartet awaits the penultimate night of the trip, when they will taste the only bottle of one of the rarest wines in the world, it becomes clear that each of them grapples with a private crisis. Each projects their ultimate hopes and fears onto the cont...

Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose Blurb from Goodreads : A spoiled heiress must investigate her grandmother’s death in order to gain back her trust fund, all while discovering how to be her own person and maybe even in falling in love in this rom-com meets murder mystery. When Pomona Afton, Upper East Side hotel heiress, stumbles out of a gala and upon the scene of her grandmother’s murder, her first thought is that the society queen won’t be missed for her kind, cookie-baking ways. In fact, she was mean, greedy, and paranoid—so paranoid that she secretly slipped a clause into her will mandating that, should she die an unnatural death, all the family assets get frozen. And if the “unnatural death” isn’t explained? Those accounts stay frozen. Practically overnight, Pomona is locked out of her penthouse with no other option than to move in with a Gabe, the irritable (...

The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson Blurb from Goodreads : She’s written dozens of smash-hit romance novels. Too bad no one knows it. Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother’s financially struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitch session, she stumbles into correcting another author’s work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on. No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one she’ll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Ag...

Pick-Up by Nora Dahlia Blurb from Goodreads : Sasha Rubinstein is not on her game. Parenting with an absent (and objectively douchey) ex has never been a cake walk, but, lately, the judgmental side-eye from people at school pick-up feels extra. It doesn’t help that some entitled dad—with his perfect t-shirts and perfectly punchable (yet adorable) face—keeps stealing the last after-school spots and school hoodies out from under her. Ethan Jones is not trying to trip Sasha up… at school or otherwise. In fact, ever since they met (which she promptly forgot), he’s been hoping for the exact opposite…or at least to stop thinking about her. When a game-changing job lands them trapped together on an exclusive private island, they resolve to stop sniping at each other and keep things professional. But with tension building between them and the permeating intoxication of island time, temptat...

Someone Like You (Ever After Agency #4)  by Sandy Barker Blurb from Goodreads : What do you do when you realise you've fallen for your best friend, but he sees you as the sister he never had? And to make things worse, you're stuck in the middle of a matchmaking scheme to find him someone else! Best friends Gaby and Raff are inseparable and know each other inside out. But with Raff's string of disastrous relationships and his newfound fame as Britain’s Best Baker, it's time to enlist the Ever After Agency to help him find true love. At first, Gaby is all in – Raff is a catch, after all. But as she secretly helps to find his perfect match, she’s hit with unexpected pangs of jealousy. And before she can act on her feelings, Raff falls for one of his dates. Can Gaby keep her emotions in check, or will she risk ruining their friendship to find out if Raff feels the same w...

Una, Unwanted by Elin F. Styve Blurb from Goodreads : When Una, a child of infidelity, as an adult decides to do everything she can to reunite with her father, it is with a sense that something important is missing in her life. The father is the well-known self-help expert MotivaTor, and Una follows everything he does through YouTube and social media. Inspired by his encouraging life advice, she finds the courage to seek him out to become a part of his life, despite warnings from those closest to her. MotivaTor's inflated self-image is nourished by the admiration he receives from his audience, but does it reflect his actual life and personality? Along the way in her quest for her father, Una realizes that everything she has dreamed of looks different than what she expected. When she gets to know her half-brother Kalle, her faith in her father takes a dramatic turn, and she make...

The Wayside by Caroline Wolff Blurb from Goodreads : When Kate Cleary’s son, Jake, dies at his elite liberal arts college, she refuses to believe it was suicide. Something sinister is at play, and Kate becomes determined to retrace Jake’s steps during his final days. Descending into a spiral of obsession as she finds herself up against unknown forces at every turn, Kate falls further into a dangerous mystery that brings her closer to a terrifying truth even Jake himself wanted to keep hidden. Combining elements of dark academia and domestic fiction with a modern twist, The Wayside is a sharply observed story of suspense, devotion, and the secrets we keep from those who love us most. My Review:   Unfortunately, this book just didn't work for me.  I found large swaths of it to not make any sense.  It was incoherent and also boring at the same time.  The chara...

Dashed by Amanda Quain Blurb from Goodreads : In this contemporary update of Sense and Sensibility, Margaret Dashwood is setting sail on an adventurous summer cruise—unless love sinks her first. Margaret Dashwood lives her life according to plan, and it involves absolutely zero heartbreak, thank you very much. Five years ago, love tore her family apart, and since then, she’s kept her own heart as safe as possible. It hasn’t been easy, especially since her sister Marianne—the world’s biggest romantic—has conveniently forgotten that love burned her so badly she literally almost died. So when their oldest sister Elinor invites Margaret along for a Marianne-free summer cruise, she can’t wait to soak up every scheduled moment with sensible Elinor before heading off to college. But just before they set sail, a newly-single Marianne announces that she’s crashing their vacation. Suddenly, M...