REVIEW: Always the Bridesmaid by Whitney Lyles

Title: Always the Bridesmaid (Cate Padgett #1)
Author: Whitney Lyles
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 2004
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: What do you do after you walk down the aisle in four weddings in a few months-none of them your own? What's left after you've donned the must-have-not dresses of the season, forked over your cash, and fake-smiled your way through countless photos? After you've dealt with the smashed guest, the smooshed cake, the dashed hopes, and the missed bouquets? That's what Cate Padgett is starting to wonder, as she embarks on stint after stint on the sidelines, watching friends swap bar-hopping for baby-naming...while her own love life goes nowhere fast. But is Cate unwilling to settle down-or just unwilling to settle? And can anyone really judge her if they haven't walked in her dyed-to-match shoes?

Wild, witty, and full of weddings to cry over, Always the Bridesmaid is an endearingly romantic comedy about standing out in the crowd even when everyone's wearing the same celery-green dress...and daring to make every day The Happiest Day of Your Life.

My Thoughts: In Always the Bridesmaid, new-to-me author Whitney Lyles introduces Cate Padgett, a teacher and budding photographer whose résumé could easily include “professional bridesmaid.” After several weddings in as many months, she’s an expert at walking down the aisle—just never toward her own groom. She and her boyfriend, Paul, have been dating for nearly a year, yet neither the “L” word nor a conversation about their future has made an appearance. His cavalier attitude grated on me: Cate seemed less like his partner and more like an optional accessory. Thankfully, she isn’t a pushover. I loved watching her speak her mind and make it clear that a relationship requires more than simply keeping her on the guest list.

During one of her bridesmaid stints, Cate discovers that the caterer is Ethan, an old friend from high school who would happily trade the friend zone for something more. As they reconnect, Ethan shows her what being treated with care actually looks like—a refreshing change from Paul’s approach. I appreciated her reluctance to send mixed signals, but I suspected her certainty was more self-protection than a settled verdict. After Paul, letting someone in probably feels about as sensible as catching a bouquet with a warning label.

I enjoyed the parade of weddings, especially the Halloween celebration where costumes replace the usual wedding finery. That’s one way to make a bridesmaid outfit worth wearing again. This book has been buried in my to-be-read mountain for decades, and now I’m kicking myself for leaving it there so long. It’s the first in a three-book series, which should be read in order—so apparently my reading pile has just acquired two more guests.

Overall, this was a thoroughly fun read with characters I loved—Paul being the conspicuous exception. Weddings are meant to be joyful, but the planning can serve up enough chaos to rival the reception’s open bar. Lyles captures that hilarity beautifully, making Cate’s trips down the aisle entertaining even when they aren’t the trips she hoped for.

My Final Verdict: I happily RSVP “yes” to this funny, charming romance. Between Cate’s backbone, Ethan’s thoughtfulness, and the wedding chaos, there’s plenty to love—Paul can sit at the table nearest the exit. If you enjoy romantic comedies with heart and a heroine who refuses to settle, move Always the Bridesmaid up your reading pile. Mine waited decades for its turn; don’t make yours catch that same bouquet.

REVIEW: Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Title: Invincible (Chronicles of Nick #2)
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Narrator: Holter Graham
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: March 2012
Genre: Fantasy / Teen-Young Adult
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Nick Gautier's day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he's even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can't even mention and the girl he's not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he's being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn't learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them...

My Thoughts: Invincible is the second installment in Sherrilyn Kenyon’s eight-book Chronicles of Nick series, a spinoff of her Dark-Hunter series. If you’re new to the Dark-Hunter world, I recommend starting there for the backstory and familiar faces—this supernatural crowd does not come with name tags. If you already know that world and want to see how Nick got tangled up in it, this series delivers. Nick is every bit as feisty, snarky, and smart-mouthed as I hoped. I love that about him: his quick wit helps him think on his feet, even when his mouth might be better off taking a day off.

Kenyon’s detailed world-building continues to impress me, and it carries over beautifully into this series. Nick’s world is nightmare fuel, complete with demons, shapeshifters, zombies, and otherworldly beings whose intentions range from questionable to potentially murderous. Apparently, surviving high school wasn’t enough of a challenge. Nick also has magical abilities of his own that haven’t been fully explored yet, and I’m eager to see what he can do—and what trouble comes with it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this installment. Nick barely has time to process surviving a zombie attack before becoming a target for people he should be able to trust. Nothing says “welcome back to school” like betrayal with a side of mortal danger. And here I thought high school was bad enough without anyone actively trying to kill you.

My Final Verdict: Invincible delivers a nightmare-worthy world and a hero whose mouth clearly missed the survival briefing. I thoroughly enjoyed Nick’s mix of quick wit and supernatural trouble, and I’m eager to see where his emerging abilities take him next. Recommended for Dark-Hunter fans who want more of Nick—and readers who like their fantasy with a generous helping of sarcasm. High school is rough, but Nick makes detention look like a spa day.

REVIEW: And Then There Were Crumbs by Eve Calder

Title: And Then There Were Crumbs (A Cookie House Mystery #1)
Author: Eve Calder
Narrator: Christa Lewis
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Publication Date: July 2019
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: She’s a talented pastry chef - with a secret recipe for solving crimes…

WELCOME TO THE COOKIE HOUSE
Kate McGuire’s life was sweet in Manhattan before she lost her restaurant job and fiancé both. But sometimes that’s just the way the cookie crumbles, and soon she finds herself starting from scratch in the island town of Coral Cay, Florida. It has everything she’s looking for: sunny beaches, friendly locals, and a Help Wanted sign in the bakery shop window.

Once she convinces the shop’s crusty owner Sam Hepplewhite to hire her, Kate can’t tie on her apron fast enough. Little does she know that trouble, like warm dough, is on the rise. . .

WHERE CRIMINALS GET THEIR JUST DESSERTS
Stewart Lord is a real estate developer with a taste for a different type of dough: the green kind. He knows that he could make a killing by purchasing the Cookie House from Sam, who flat-out refuses to sell. But when Stewart turns up the heat on Sam - then turns up dead after eating a fresh batch of Sam’s cinnamon rolls - all eyes focus on the town’s beloved bakery. When the police arrest Sam for murder, Kate must somehow prove that her curmudgeonly boss is innocent.

Enlisting the help of a team of lovable locals, Kate sets out to catch the real culprit with his hand in the cookie jar…before someone else gets burned.

My Thoughts: And Then There Were Crumbs, by new-to-me author Eve Calder, introduces pastry chef Kate McGuire as she trades Manhattan for Florida. She lands a job at the aptly named Cookie House, only to discover that her new boss, Sam, has no interest in selling pastries. Kate sees the job as a temporary stop while she pursues her dream position at one of the resorts.

When a real estate developer dies after eating one of Sam’s cinnamon rolls, Sam is immediately arrested. He has an obvious motive: the developer had been pressuring him to sell the bakery. With no one else available to keep the business running, Kate teams up with her new friend Maxi, the local florist, to manage the bakery and uncover the truth behind the deadly cinnamon roll.

I was charmed by Coral Cay, the bakery, and the characters—especially Oliver, the stray dog the whole town seems to claim as its own. Kate’s knack for guessing someone’s favorite cookie just by looking at them was another delightful touch.

I listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed Christa Lewis’s narration. Her portrayal of Maxi, particularly her Cuban accent, brought warmth and humor to the story and captured Maxi’s feisty personality beautifully. The culprit’s identity was a genuine surprise—I didn’t see it coming.

With three books in the series at the time of this review, I recommend reading them in order to fully appreciate Kate’s backstory. I hope there will be more to come.

My Final Verdict: And Then There Were Crumbs is a charming cozy mystery with an inviting small-town setting, lovable characters, and a culprit who genuinely surprised me. Oliver and Kate’s cookie-guessing knack were delightful highlights, while Christa Lewis’s warm, lively narration made the audiobook especially enjoyable. I recommend this series starter to cozy mystery fans, particularly those who enjoy a bakery setting, and I look forward to spending more time in Coral Cay.

REVIEW: Ghosting: A Love Story by Tash Skilton

Title: Ghosting: A Love Story
Author: Tash Skilton
Narrator: Johnny Heller, Neil Shah, Cindy Kay, Catherine Ho
Publisher: Kensington Books
Publication Date: May 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: Online Dating Ghostwriting Rules to Live by:

· Do not present a “perfect” image. No one will trust it. Nor should they.

· Think of your quirks—such as cosplaying B-movies from the 1980s—as a “Future Honesty.” Save these as a reward only for those who prove worthy.

· Never remind the client you’re their voice. Once you’ve attracted a good match, let the client take over ASAP.

Dumped by his fiancée, not only is Miles couch-surfing across New York City, but downsizing has forced him to set up shop at a local café. Also, he no longer believes in love. Not a good look in his line of work…helping people find love as a ghostwriter for a failing dating site.

Zoey’s eccentric L.A. boss sent her packing to New York to “grow.” But beneath her chill Cali demeanor, Zoey’s anxiety makes her terrified to venture beyond the café across the street into the big city…

Finding themselves competing for space at Café Crudité, the only thing Miles and Zoey think they share is their daily battle for last day-old biscotti and a mutual dislike of each other. They don’t know they’re both writers, creating “authentic” profiles for rival online dating services. They think they have absolutely nothing in common. . . . until they meet anonymously online while pretending to be their clients and sparks fly.

As they become more deeply connected online, their mistaken identities get more complicated when their clients experience a dating disaster IRL. Once they find out their lives have crossed in more ways than one, will their online connection be the real thing—or vanish into the ether?

My Thoughts: Fans of You’ve Got Mail will enjoy this book’s familiar charm: a Manhattan setting and two people who click online but clash in person. Zoey and Miles work as ghostwriters for competing dating agencies, helping clients create profiles, make initial contact, exchange messages, and arrange dates.

I did wonder how this arrangement would work outside the story. Wouldn’t a potential match notice differences between the person they had been chatting with online and the one sitting across from them at dinner?

I liked Zoey and Miles, especially their daily competition for the best table at the café where they spend so much time. Their contrasting relationships with New York add to the dynamic: Zoey is new to the Big Apple and struggling to adjust, while Miles knows the city like the back of his hand. Neither realizes who the other is online, which makes their in-person rivalry all the more charming.

I enjoy the online dating trope, and this book did not disappoint. I was eager to see how things would unfold once Zoey and Miles discovered each other’s identities. The supporting characters added to the fun.

My Final Verdict: Ghosting: A Love Story is a charming romance with likable leads, a fun café rivalry, and an online connection that kept me eager for the big reveal. Although I questioned how dating ghostwriting would work in real life, I enjoyed the story and its supporting cast. I recommend it to fans of You’ve Got Mail and readers who enjoy online dating romances with a mistaken-identity twist.

Thank you to the publisher, Kensington Books, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

REVIEW: Whisked Away by Melanie Summers

Title: Whisked Away (Paradise Bay #2)
Author: Melanie Summers
Narrator: Matthew Lloyd Davies; Esther Wane
Publisher: Indigo Group
Publication Date: April 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: He’s a rich, famous writer. He doesn’t work or play well with others. He’s under an insane deadline. And I’m stuck on a private island with him for the next two months.

I was supposed to be taking my rightful place as head chef at one of my family’s resort restaurants.

Instead, I’m stranded on our new private island getaway, where I’ll be catering to Pierce Davenport, an infuriatingly arrogant guest with a palate that’s about as adventurous as a plain boiled potato.

His personality leaves a lot to be desired, too—imagine if the Grinch and Oscar the Grouch had a baby.

That child would end up almost as grumpy as Pierce.

So when disaster strikes and he’s forced to rely on me to type for him, we wind up spending twenty-four hours a day together.

And when I have to transcribe a sexy time scene for him…well, let’s just say things heat up like a gas burner—fast and hot.

I can’t be falling for him, can I? I hate him. Like really hate him.

Only maybe I don’t…

Whisked Away is an irresistibly romantic, delightfully funny, enemies-to-lovers tale of passion, books, and food. It stars a writer who’s as talented as he is hot, a feisty chef who won’t put up with his crap, a ferocious iguana, and one of the most hilarious grand romantic gestures of all time. It can be enjoyed as a standalone. Strawberry daiquiris not included.

My Thoughts: I don’t know where this author has been—or why it took me so long to discover her and this series—but I’m loving both. Although several of Melanie Summers’s books have been languishing on my enormous to-be-read pile, the Paradise Bay series is my first experience with her work.
I loved the first book, and this installment was even better. I had no idea how enjoyable the grumpy-sunshine trope could be, but I’m now a confirmed fan.

The story centers on Emma Banks, sister of the male lead from the first book. Fresh out of culinary school, she returns to her family’s resort expecting to take charge of one of its restaurants. Instead, she is assigned to the resort’s private-island retreat, where she must serve as the personal chef for a VIP guest.

Although disappointed, Emma sees the assignment as a chance to prove herself to her brother—and as a possible stepping stone toward running a restaurant of her own.

The VIP is Pierce Davenport, a wealthy, successful author who has retreated to Paradise Bay to overcome writer’s block and finish the latest book in his popular series. With the novels already adapted for television, the screenwriters are threatening to take control of the story if he misses his deadline.

Private, antisocial, and undeniably arrogant, Pierce clashes with Emma from the start. The two get along like oil and water.

Their banter had me laughing out loud, while their chemistry had me reaching for a fan. Pierce causes several unfortunate mishaps entirely on his own, yet it is difficult not to feel sorry for him—even if the iguana remains unconvinced.

Emma was instantly likable. She appears briefly in the first book, but not long enough for readers to truly know her. Here, her relatable personality and feisty nature shine. My opinion of Pierce softened as his character unfolded. Beneath his arrogance is a man who uses that façade to keep others at arm’s length.

My Final Verdict: Whisked Away is a funny, steamy, and thoroughly entertaining grumpy-sunshine romance. Emma’s warmth and determination balance Pierce’s prickly personality perfectly, and their witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and gradual emotional connection kept me invested from beginning to end. With its memorable characters, island setting, and scene-stealing iguana, this installment was even more enjoyable than the first. I highly recommend it to readers who love enemies-to-lovers romances filled with humor, heart, and plenty of heat.

REVIEW: Tailing a Tabby by Laurie Cass

Title: Tailing a Tabby (Bookmobile Cat Mystery #2)
Author: Laurie Cass
Narrator: Erin Bennett
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: July 2014
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN | Audible

Description: In the bookmobile, librarian Minnie Hamilton and her rescue cat, Eddie, roll out great summer reads to folks all over the lake town of Chilson, Michigan. And when real-life drama turns deadly, Minnie makes sure justice is never overdue.

The bookmobile is making its usual rounds when Minnie and Eddie are flagged down by a woman in distress. The woman’s husband, a famous artist, needs emergency medical care. After getting him into the bookmobile, Minnie races the man to the hospital in time…but his bad luck has only just begun.

After disappearing from the hospital, the artist is discovered slumped over the body of a murdered woman. Minnie knows that her new friend didn’t commit the crime, but the evidence paints an unflattering picture. Now this librarian and her furry friend have to put the investigation in high gear and catch the real killer before someone else checks out.

My Thoughts: Although the story was fairly predictable and didn’t keep me riveted, I loved the premise: a librarian and her rescue cat travel by bookmobile, deliver books to the community, and solve crimes along the way. As the second installment in a fourteen-book series, this adventure leaves Minnie and Eddie with plenty more ahead of them.

I like Minnie and Eddie and enjoyed their banter. I’m convinced that Eddie understands English, even though he can’t speak it. I paired the print book with the audiobook narrated by Erin Bennett. While the narration of Eddie’s mrrr began to grate on my nerves, I otherwise enjoyed Bennett’s performance. I’m not sure I’ll finish the entire series, but I’m committed to reading the first eight books.

My Final Verdict: A charming, cat-filled cozy mystery with an appealing bookmobile premise and likable leads. Although the plot was predictable and the audiobook’s repeated mrrr became distracting, Minnie and Eddie’s banter made this an enjoyable read—and one worth continuing with the series.

REVIEW: The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club by Lynsey James

Title: The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club (Luna Bay #2)
Author: Lynsey James
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication Date: August 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN

Description: The perfect summer romance for a sunny afternoon and a picnic in the park.

Emily Reed is having a bad day. Her mother has just dropped a devastating bombshell—the dad she’s known and loved for twenty-five years isn’t her biological father!

Desperately in need of answers, Emily heads to Luna Bay covering her personal quest up as a work trip to Sunflower Cottage B&B.

Setting up the ‘Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club’ should be a great way to meet the locals and maybe even find out who her father is. The only problem is brooding and insanely gorgeous, Noah, who is determined to make Emily’s stay perfectly uncomfortable.

Discovering the truth after all these years was never going to be simple, but Emily will stop at nothing to uncover her past… even if her heart is getting in the way!

My Thoughts: The Sunflower Cottage Breakfast Club by Lynsey James is the second book in the Luna Bay series. Although I enjoyed it, it did not engage me as much as the first book.

Emily’s indecision—both about securing the purchase of Sunflower Cottage for her job and about searching for her biological father—was frustrating. The breakfast club also felt like an afterthought; I wish the story had spent more time developing that part of the premise.

I enjoyed meeting Noah and Rose, and the subplot involving Noah’s mother was interesting. However, that storyline also needed more development.

I also struggled with Emily’s relationship with Diane. Their dynamic shifted dramatically before Diane discovered Emily’s identity, again after the truth came out, and once more at the end. The constant back-and-forth between them—and between Emily and Noah—was difficult to follow.

One book remains in the series, centered on one of the girls who attends the breakfast club. I plan to read it to finish the series, and I hope it draws me in more than this installment did.

My Final Verdict: Recommended for readers who enjoy gentle, character-driven contemporary romance, inviting small-town settings, and family-secrets storylines. While the underdeveloped breakfast club premise, uneven relationship dynamics, and Emily’s prolonged indecision kept it from being as engaging as the first book, fans of the Luna Bay series should still find this a pleasant continuation worth reading.