The e-banter between Elle and Kevin (their alternate identities) is fantastic. In real life, they meet as Ravi tries to escape out of Yael’s apartment after a one-night stand with her roommate. So, of course, she immediately hates him for hurting her roommate. When he shows up to volunteer at her queer teens book club, she tries to put that aside for the good of her students. This novel explores identity, both culturally and regarding sexuality as a teen and twentysomething in the 2020s. It’s a celebration of books and found family. Realistic characters who deal with mental health issues and trauma come alive on the page. Of course, it seemed like they should have realized the mistaken identity sooner, but that makes it more fun to read. By the way, this book is spicier than I typically prefer to read, so keep that in mind if you plan to give it to a young person or if you are affected by that content. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The post Isn’t It Obvious? review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

You, too, may have missed this wacky but true story of the year football came to Texas, many years prior to the Dallas Cowboys’ establishment in the Lone Star State. In the early 1950s NFL teams were losing money nearly every season. The New York Yanks were one of these failing franchises that the owner sold back to the league. Then young Texas millionaire Giles Miller gathered investors to bring professional football to their state for the first time. It was a mess from the very beginning, making for an entertaining read.

The Jim Crow South meant African-American athletes were treated terribly despite their athletic skills. The players were out of control with barroom brawls and strip poker parties. With unbelievable stories of excess and dysfunction, A Big Mess in Texas makes for a fascinating and informative quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The post A Big Mess in Texas review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

When we last left these two, Vero had been extradited to Maryland to await trial on charges that she betrayed her sorority sisters, stole a lot of money that resulted from their illegal gambling events, and skipped town. On house arrest with her strict mother and aunt watching over her, Vero hasn’t been responding to Finlay’s calls or texts. Vero’s “husband” Javi (their drunken Atlantic City nuptials still aren’t official) is mooning over his absent “wife,” spending too much time at the Donovan home. When “hot cop” Nick offers to watch the kids for her, Finlay and Javi hit the road to check on Vero.

Unsurprisingly, the laughs start quickly and never stop in this wild ride. From evading the officer assigned to monitor Vero’s house arrest to pursuing an old college boyfriend who could provide the alibi for Vero’s whereabouts the night the money disappeared, it’s just one thing after another for these crazy friends. Crazy agent Sylvia, hacker Cam, and new nosy elderly neighbors provide even more over-the-top ridiculousness. Towing the line between questionable activities to downright illegal choices, readers wonder just how long these two can get away with things before they’re caught trying to exonerate Vero. 

Are you in need of a good laugh? If so, I highly recommend checking out the Finlay Donovan book series. If you haven’t read the other books in the series, go back and start at the beginning before jumping into book six. Unlike some mysteries, these aren’t totally predictable. Add in the rom-com bits, friendship and family dynamics, and what-can-possibly-happen-next antics, and you’ve got guaranteed entertainment!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC preview. I enjoyed the audiobook production as performed by Angela Dawe. All opinions are my own.

Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.

The post Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

While this book follows many of the romance formulas (enemies to lovers, fake dating, and workplace romance are some), Last Night was Fun stands out in my mind as a great book for romcom and sports fans. Emmy works in the male-prevelant field of professional baseball where she struggles to be taken seriously by some of the good ole boys. Other heavier topics are addressed in her backstory but they don’t distract from the overall feel of this romance. Gabe, the accidental texter and her workplace rival, is a great male main character. Though Emmy is surprised when his identity is revealed, it’s obvious to the reader from the start, giving off You’ve Got Mail vibes throughout their anonymous exchange. You’ll find yourself rooting for the two of them throughout the story. By the way, for my more sensitive readers, there are some steamy scenes later in the book which can be easily skimmed or skipped without missing main story points.

I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version read by Patti Murin, who is the voice behind many of Katherine Center’s novels, as well as one of my recently reviewed books, Sally Blakely’s Friends to Lovers. She is an actress who you may even find in a Hallmark movie (we saw her in Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story just as I finished this book!).

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon (Harper Voyager) for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.

The post Last Night was Fun review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

Told from both of their points of view, the readers enjoy deeper insight into the characters’ motivations and reasoning. A significant amount of the story deals with growth for both main characters with pretty deep topics including abandonment, death of a loved one, infidelity, eating disorders, and emotional abuse. The romance plot of this book follows the established tropes (grumpy/sunshine, enemies/lovers, opposites attract) and makes for some enjoyable reading. After a lot of personality clashes and misunderstandings, things heat up between Mari and Leo, and the book includes some spicy scenes. The side characters are also enjoyable and make important contributions to the plot. I loved the banter between Mari and Leo, as well as the interactions with his family and staff members. 

Lovers of independent bookstores will especially enjoy Love Walked In as the cozy setting places the reader amidst the stacks and behind the scenes. Bibliophiles with wanderlust will adore the prominence of London and the surrounding area throughout the novel. I enjoyed the dual audiobook narration of this book by Kate Hanson and Stewart Crank. 

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (St. Martin’s Griffin) for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.

The post Love Walked In review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

Joni and Ren have been best friends since anyone could remember. Something happened that has changed all that for them, but they’ve been keeping it a secret from their families. The physical distance they had between them due to their jobs on opposite coasts has disappeared due to Joni’s sister getting ready to marry a friend of Ren’s at the beach house their families have shared for ages. Ren and Joni have to get through all of the activities leading up to the destination wedding without letting their secret out.

There are secrets, misunderstandings, and mishaps in this sweet and funny story. I enjoyed their banter and friendship, but the title was a little misleading. This story is actually more about what happened when they messed up their friendship by crossing a line, told in flashbacks and mixed in with the current event (giving Happy Place by Emily Henry vibes). Joni and Ren made a plus-one pact for weddings, so her sister’s wedding is the current timeline alternating with the past weddings they attended together. If that sounds confusing, that’s because it was slightly hard to follow. However, I found that I just sat back and enjoyed the storytelling to find out what would become of their relationship. I recommend the audiobook read by Patti Murin; she’s read many of Katherine Center’s latest and I adore her narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Canary Street Press) for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.

The post Friends to Lovers review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

This magical realism tale is silly, with some deeper topics and serious subjects. However, the plot was so unmemorable that I can’t recall much more than that it was just okay (I gave it three stars. Look up trigger warnings if you are concerned and need to know more before reading this romcom.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The post The Good Boy review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

Yet Felicity still has so much growth to go through. Her trust issues haven’t even been touched as the story opens. A sweet then sad event occurs in the opening chapters, and for some unexplainable reason Felicity is acting as maid of honor for her friend Bex’s wedding to her horrid ex-fiance, Adam! Add to that an unexpected new co-worker at the animal shelter and the surprise arrival of a long-absent relative, and Felicity begins to wonder if she and James can truly be happy together.

True to the vibes from the first book (Bridget Jones returns!), The Day After Christmas continues Felicity’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth. However, as was seen in the first book, her story is not as light and fluffy as a reader might think based on the title, cover, and description. (Check for trigger warnings online.)

This book was a pleasure to read, though the ending was a bit too unbelievable for me. I enjoyed the audiobook narration by Hannah Curtis. There were countless laugh-out-loud moments, but many heavy ones as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC audiobook. All opinions are my own.

The post The Day After Christmas review appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

Fans of Finlay Donovan books will enjoy Nina Simon’s debut novel Mother-Daughter Murder Night, a humorous and heartwarming mystery featuring strong women and family bonds. My book club and I read this one together and enjoyed it a lot, everyone rating it 4 out of 5 stars. It feels like it would make a great series with its crazy cast of characters. It was a book I felt I could fully immerse in, with great pacing to keep the story moving along. While it’s not an edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller nor a cozy mystery, Mother-Daughter Murder Night offers a great story that will keep you guessing while laughing at the antics of these amateur sleuths.

Check out my bookshelf of recommended reads here. This is an affiliate link. Thank you for your support of my writing.

The post Mother-Daughter Murder Night appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.

I hope you’ll check these posts out here.

The post Guest Post on What Grievers Really Need appeared first on Writing by Michelle Habrych.