It’s been months since my last post, but I’m excited to be back. I didn’t mean to take such a long hiatus, but time has just passed quickly this summer. Between multiple trips and some other exciting things I’ll be sharing on the blog soon, I just haven’t sat down to work on this blog. So, today I’m sharing my long-overdue book review volume III. Also, I’m always on the hunt for a good read, so if you have any recommendations, let me know in the comments!
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
I was ready for something heartwarming after reading some darker, heavier books in my last book review. I decided to reach for something I had already read before that I knew I loved. Even though this book is almost 13 years old, it was just as great as I remembered. Brittany Ellis and Alex Fuentes come from opposite sides of town — Brittany is a popular, pretty cheerleader who has carefully curated a “perfect” life, while Alex is a gang member. When Alex bets with his friends to lure Brittany into his life to boost his reputation and ruin her perfect one, he’s surprised when it turns into much more. Told from alternating perspectives, I think it made the story much more powerful. It’s a touching story about looking at what’s beneath the surface and breaking through barriers and stereotypes.
The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda
Okay, I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I don’t think Megan Miranda’s books are for me. I read All the Missing Girls at the beginning of the year and didn’t care for it, but I decided to give her books another chance after reading rave reviews for The Perfect Stranger. It’s about a former journalist, Leah Stevens, who runs into an old friend, Emmy Grey, at a time when they both need fresh starts. They decide to move to Pennsylvania together, where everything seems to be going well, but then a woman eerily resembling Leah is assaulted, and Emmy disappears. Leah has to put herself into the spotlight as she works with a police officer to find her friend. The story had potential, but it fell flat to me.
Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens
Once again, I’m in the minority of not liking a book because this one also has fantastic reviews. Lindsey and her daughter escaped an abusive relationship eleven years ago, and her ex-husband, Andrew, went to jail, and Lindsey started over. But then he’s released from prison, and now Lindsey senses someone tracking her. Is it her ex-husband? Or has he truly changed, and it’s someone closer to home? Since I’m writing this review a few months after reading it (I need to start jotting down notes!), I can’t recall why I gave it a low rating on Goodreads. I think it wasn’t the fast-paced read I was anticipating, and I found it to be a little long. Even though it wasn’t an edge-of-the-seat thriller, I still wanted to know who it was. There were multiple characters that I suspected at one point or another.
The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa
I loved this one, and the enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my guilty pleasures. It’s a cute, lighthearted romance that was perfect following a couple of thrillers. Lina Santos, a wedding planner, was left at the altar. Now she has a career opportunity of a lifetime. The catch? She’ll have to work with her ex-fiancé’s best man if they both want to succeed. While it’s a fluffy read, I think it does have more substance than similar books. Lina is a strong Brazilian protagonist, sprinkling many Brazilian cultural references throughout the book. I’ll keep my eye out for Sosa’s next novel, which stars another character from this book. If you are a Mia Sosa fan, let me know what else I should read by her in the meantime. Also, a fun fact: Project X Entertainment has acquired the film rights to this rom-com.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
Looking back, I must’ve been in a reading funk because a few of these books didn’t land with me like I thought they would. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for this one either. Like The Worst Best Man, it’s a light rom-com that aims to tackle serious issues. Chloe is chronically ill and creates a “Get a Life” list to get out and take more risks. While it’s refreshing to see marginalized identities represented, Chloe was insufferable to me. I didn’t connect to any of the characters or their storylines, and by the end, I was just ready to start a different book. I’ve heard the next book in the series (Take a Hint, Dani Brown) is better, so I may eventually get around to giving this author another go.
Overall, it was a mixed batch for me. What have you been reading? What should I add to my to-read list? Please let me know in the comments! xo
I love a good rom-com and thriller book. Although my TBR list is crazy long I’ll be adding a couple of these. Thanks for your honest review.
Never let you go was such a good book!! Also loved perfect stranger!
I like Megan Miranda books even though they’re usually a solid 3.5 for me on a 1-5 scale. I find them very readable.
I typically do not like Chevy Stevens books, but I read one this month that I really liked – Dark Roads.
I often find the “unpopular opinions” really important in helping me decide for myself whether to give a book a go, so thank you for that! Hilariously, I heartily disliked the Mia Sosa one you liked a lot 😉
I think there’s a season for all sorts of books. And lighthearted is a hard read if your mind is in a different place, sometimes. I’ll have to check out that old favorite though – thanks for sharing 🙂
These are such fun books you read this time! I will be adding the Worst best man to my reading list!
I thought The Perfect Stranger and Never Let You Go were both just okay reads. I thought Get a Life Chloe Brown was a cute read, but I haven’t been interested enough to read the second in the series.
Nice reviews! I enjoy reading and really need to get back to it!
And I appreciate that if you did not care for the story, you say so! That’s refreshing!! Thanks for sharing!
I am curious about Get a Life. I just finished Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake yesterday and really enjoyed it. I hope you have some amazing reads soon.
Enemies to lovers is one of my favorites, too! That first book sounds really good. I think I’ll give it a read! Thanks for the book rec!
Will have to check these out. I haven’t read a good book in ages!!
These all sound like amazing books.
I have several of these on my TBR list but haven’t had a chance to read them yet! Currently I am reading Shari Lapena’s new book The Not So Happy Family! I love a good thriller or fluffly romance novel though!
These are some amazing book reviews! As someone who has been trying to get back into reading, I’m going to check some of these out.
Kelly, I loved your honest book reviews. While I haven’t read any of the books that you mentioned, I look forward to reading The Worst Best Man. Here’s a list of some of my favorite reads: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, Godshot by Chelsea Bieker, The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Dare, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Puma Years by Laura Coleman, A Girl From Yamhill, and My Own Two Feet by Beverly Cleary, Your Blue Is Not My Blue by Aspen Matis, Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis, A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson, The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson, This Won’t End Well by Camille Pagan, Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Read, West With Giraffes by Lynn Rutledge, The Seven Day Switch by Kelly Harms, The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs, Confessions of A Curious Bookseller by Elizabeth Green, The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, and Crimes Against A Bookclub by Kathy Cooperman. I hope you find a book for your reading list. Happy reading!
Rosemarie, thank you for taking the time to share some of your favorite reads with me! I’ve requested Malibu Rising from my library and hoping to read it soon. xo
I just finished The Worst Best Man today-even though enemies to lovers isn’t my favorite, Lina and Max totally won me over! Also, I definitely think it’s worth continuing the Brown sisters series-although I didn’t hate Chloe, I definitely think the second and third books featuring Dani and Eve are a LOT better!
I think I would opt for the rom-com. I’ll have to check out that Worst Best Man book. Thanks
I looved Get a Life, Chloe Brown!
In the “chick lit with a little substance” category, Anne Tyler and Jennifer Weiner both are good authors, but some of their books grabbed me more than others. Here are my reviews of my favorites by each author: Saint Maybe and Mrs. Everything.
aw, bummer about the talia hibbert book – i adore her writing. funny though, because i heartily disliked the worst best man. funny how sometimes ruts can do that, i think i was in a rut when i read worst best man.
Completely agree on Get a Life. I could not stand Chloe. So much that I still haven’t finished the book and I started it in January!