Romantic Comedy Review: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake (Winner Bakes All #1) by Alexis Hall

Published: May 18th, 2021

Publisher: Forever

Genre: Romantic Comedy/LGBTQ+

Heat rating: 🔥🔥

# of pages: 448 

My rating: 3.5 stars

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration

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Buy: Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo

Warning: This review contains mild spoilers

Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way...and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.

Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.

Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart.

It’s no secret Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material was one of my top favourite books of 2020. Because of that, Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, and I was extra excited that one of my favourite publishers, Forever, was publishing it. After reading this book, I have so many thoughts and feelings. So many. I will say it started and ended great - I was laughing within the first few pages and I was cheering for Rosaline in the end - but the whole rest of it was a bit of a roller coaster for me.

My main issue with this book was how preachy it felt. Within the first 20%, there were three instances where Rosaline was super preachy, and it continued on throughout the book. I’m here for inclusivity and calling out injustices and wrong assumptions, but the fact so many scenes turned into ‘teachable moments’ where Rosaline climbed up on her soapbox and told people they were wrong and why, it got to be a bit much. All of that was paired with the fact it seemed like nobody in the entire book had ever known someone who’d had a baby at 19 and made a huge deal over the fact Rosaline did. Maybe it’s because I know so many people who had babies in their late teens and early twenties so it’s not a big deal to me, but it was a massive deal to literally everyone in the entire book when they found out. Plus it really irked me that someone Rosaline barely knew - a love interest, no less - asked her why she hadn’t had an abortion. Who asks that of someone they just met?!

I got to a point where I rolled my eyes when a conversation was heading a certain way or someone said something even remotely offensive because I knew Rosaline would dust off the ol’ soapbox and we’d get another lesson. On the one hand, I appreciate that these things were included in an overall lighthearted, fun book, but I think a sprinkling would have worked better than having it dumped in repeatedly. The whole preachy aspect was made even..funnier? Stranger?...by the fact Rosaline herself was incredibly judgemental and often made snap judgments about people the moment they opened their mouths.

I’m also not 100% sure how I feel about the romance(s); Alain quickly revealed himself to be a jerk, yet Rosaline seemed determined to make things work with him because he was everything she thought she should want. I kept wondering at what point the red flags from Alain would smack her on the head and knock some sense into her. Harry was sweet, swoony, and very different from the typical love interest, which I loved. I enjoyed his interactions with Rosaline, but I would have loved to see more of the focus on him and not the guy who turned out to be a completely irredeemable scumbag. I’m not a huge fan of love triangles to begin with and this one fell flat for me because of how obviously wrong one of the guys was for her, plus a general lack of chemistry.

Okay, now that all that’s off my chest, I’ll move into the positive. As with Boyfriend Material, this book had me giggling so much. I love Hall’s wit and humour; the way he writes inner dialogue and banter is genius. Despite my issues with Rosaline’s preachiness, I did like her and connect with her, and I genuinely ended up rooting for her and wanting her to succeed. She reminded me of Lorelai Gilmore from Gilmore Girls in a way; despite having rich parents who put a lot of pressure on her, she wanted to forge her own path, raise her daughter on her terms, and find a sustainable (and enjoyable) way to support herself. I enjoyed watching her figure out what mattered to her, and felt like her stumbles along the way were realistic. Even when the things she did made me shake my head or roll my eyes, I still appreciated that more than a perfect, unrealistic character. And even though she came across as preachy, I appreciated how she learned to stand up for herself. 

Overall, despite my issues with Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, I did enjoy it. I was fully invested in Rosaline’s story and felt like she was a friend I was cheering on from the sidelines. This is apparently the first of three books in the Winner Bakes All series, and I’ll be curious to see what Hall has in store for us next.

Read my review of Boyfriend Material

Have you read Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake? Have you ever thought about trying out for a cooking show or any other reality show?

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Contemporary Romance Review: Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Published: March 2nd, 2021

Publisher: Forever

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Forced proximity, fake engagement, friends-to-lovers

Heat rating: 🔥.5 (kissing + closed-door sex scenes)

# of pages: 384

My rating: 4 stars

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration

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Buy: Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo

Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall—with hopes that Reena will marry him.

But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.

As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine—secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved. 

After seeing Accidentally Engaged everywhere for months, I was excited to dive into the story of a bread-baking Indian-Canadian woman and her fake engagement to a hot, British-accented, ‘brown Captain America’. I was especially excited the book was set in nearby Toronto, a city I’ve spent countless hours in throughout my life. Accidentally Engaged was funny, touching, romantic, and dealt with a lot of relatable, real-life issues.

I liked Reena so much. She wasn’t happy with her life - she hated working in finance but wasn’t sure what else to do; her meddling family drove her crazy; she’d had a string of unsuccessful relationships; and she had struggled with her mental health in the past. The only thing she truly loved was cooking, especially bread making. I really appreciated the fact Reena was in her thirties and was still figuring things out; she felt lost and uncertain and like everyone around her had their life together, which I think a lot of people can relate to. When she began to form a connection with Nadim, she didn’t believe it could actually be that easy, so she tried to keep it light and friendly. Add in the fact her parents wanted them to be together, plus the fact she knew Nadim was keeping secrets, and she was just looking for a bit of fun with her hot neighbour. I enjoyed these two together so much - their banter was funny, they had great chemistry, and they balanced each other nicely.

I loved the cultural aspect of the book. As a white Canadian who grew up in an area with very little diversity, I love learning about other cultures, and I loved the Canadian ties in this book. I found Nadim’s history so interesting - he was originally from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, then he was sent to boarding school in England before working in London, and then he was eventually sent by his dad to Toronto to work for Reena’s dad. I loved that the pair shared a passion for food and connected over the food they grew up with. I also loved how Nadim, who had lived all over, connected home to the senses - a feeling, a scent, a taste - and he found a home in Reena.

I also really appreciated the complicated family relationships in this book and that nothing was resolved ‘neatly’. Reena’s whole family dynamic was wrapped in secrets, lies, jealousy, and resentments. Throughout the course of the book, the Manjis learned to open up and be more honest with each other - usually when forced rather than voluntarily - and instead of things being magically solved with a hug and a five-minute conversation, they learned to (mostly) accept and love each other. I liked how realistic it felt. It also helped that some of the interactions, especially when confessions were involved, were absolutely hilarious.

I loved the beginning of the book and found it compelling and fun, but the middle - and the main conflict - made me lose a bit of interest in the story. It was all so complicated and dramatic, and there were so many characters - people we never even met, only heard about - and I found it hard to keep track of all of them. The story began to drag for me and I went from loving the book to setting it aside for longer periods of time. Thankfully it picked up again and I ended up appreciating how things were resolved, and I thought the ending was really sweet and romantic.

Overall, I really enjoyed Accidentally Engaged and I know I’ll recommend it often to fellow romance lovers. 

Have you read Accidentally Engaged? Do you enjoy books about other cultures? Do you like to bake? Do you consider yourself a foodie?

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Regency Romance Review: The Duke Heist by Erica Ridley

The Duke Heist (The Wild Wynchesters #1) by Erica Ridley

Published: February 9th, 2021

Publisher: Forever

Genre: Historical Romance (Regency Romance)

Heat level: 🔥🔥

# of pages: 352 

My rating: 4 stars

Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration

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Chloe Wynchester is completely forgettable—a curse that gives her the ability to blend into any crowd. When the only father she's ever known makes a dying wish for his adopted family of orphans to recover a missing painting, she's the first one her siblings turn to for stealing it back. No one expects that in doing so, she'll also abduct a handsome duke.

Lawrence Gosling, the Duke of Faircliffe, is tortured by his father's mistakes. To repair his estate's ruined reputation, he must wed a highborn heiress. Yet when he finds himself in a carriage being driven hell-for-leather down the cobblestone streets of London by a beautiful woman who refuses to heed his commands, he fears his heart is hers. But how can he sacrifice his family's legacy to follow true love?

Continuing on with my new-found interest in regency romance, my second foray into the genre was The Duke Heist. In this book, we’re introduced to the eclectic and eccentric Wynchester siblings - a group of orphans who were adopted by a baron. I love stories about found families and strong bonds, and the Wynchesters quickly became one of my new favourite groups of siblings. This book was highly entertaining - it was laugh-out-loud funny, had a swoonworthy romance, and a lot of heart.

Chloe Wynchester is completely forgettable - or at least that's what she thinks. This comes in handy when she needs to slip in and out of situations that require her to become a certain character - like while infiltrating a reading group to steal a painting that once belonged to her family. She’s used to being invisible and even prefers it because it means people can’t get close and she can’t get hurt. But when she accidentally kidnaps a duke, she soon finds herself in a situation she’s never been in before: Lawrence, the Duke of Faircliffe, sees her. Truly sees her. She’s no longer invisible and forgettable, and she finds herself falling for the man she once assumed was a stuck-up, pompous jerk.

This book was so much fun. I spent a good portion of it with a smile on my face and I laughed out loud often. I really felt for and identified with Chloe - feeling invisible and forgettable, longing for connection. It was so heartwarming seeing her with her siblings and watching as she learned just how much they loved, supported, and saw her in ways she never realized. Just like I love books about found families, I also love stories where people find a sense of belonging, and Chloe and Lawrence both found that from each other and from the people already in their lives. As for the romance, I loved Chloe and Lawrence’s chemistry and banter, and found it easy to root for them.

I did find the pacing of this book a bit off at times. What I assumed was the climax happened about three-quarters of the way through and wasn’t actually the climax. Also, for some reason I can’t quite pinpoint, this book often felt like a young adult novel. As I was reading, I’d frequently forget Chloe, her siblings, and Lawrence were in their twenties and thirties rather than in their teens. It’s not a bad thing, but it was a bit strange at times, especially as the romance heated up.

The Duke Heist was a delight. It was exactly the type of fun, entertaining, light-hearted yet pull-at-your-heart-strings romance I’m after these days. I can’t wait for more of the Wynchester siblings (I’m particularly excited for the second book), and I’d love to see this made into a TV series.

Have you read The Duke Heist? Do you have any recommendations for a regency romance newbie like me? Do you enjoy books about found families too and do you have any recs?

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Book Review: Friends Like Us by Sarah Mackenzie

Friends Like Us (Cranberry Cove #2) by Sarah Mackenzie

Published: January 26th, 2021

Publisher: Forever

Genre: Romantic women’s fiction

Heat level: 🔥

# of pages: 272

My rating: 4.5 stars

Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration

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Buy on Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo

Bree Rhodes and Jill Kelly have been best friends since kindergarten. When Bree survives a cancer scare, the knitting shop assistant takes it as a sign to step out of her comfort zone...or at least take a few tentative tiptoes. But in no time she's in over her head with a hot architect, a new puppy and a shot at buying her dream inn. And the harder she tries to stay afloat in her new normal, the harder it is to hold onto her friendship with Jill who seems to be ebbing away.

While her best friend is living her best life, art boutique owner, Jill, is simply trying to live. Still struggling after a freak motorcycle accident took the life of her husband, Jill doesn't know how to start over—or if she even wants to. Life isn't easy as a young widow, especially when she's hiding a painful secret. But when she learns that the fairytale Maine cottage she'd once dreamed of buying with her husband is on the market, she has to decide whether she's ready to let go of the past and to write a new chapter. But the only way to do really heal is by revealing to Bree a truth that will either destroy their friendship forever or bring them closer together.

 

While I love romance, I have a special fondness for books about friends. Bonus points if those friends have known each other forever, like Bree and Jill, because my own bestie and I have known each other since the first grade. I enjoyed Sarah Mackenzie’s 2019 debut, Forever Friends, but I LOVED Friends Like Us. It was realistic, funny, hopeful, and heartwarming.

After a cancer scare, Bree makes an anti-bucket list: things that will push her outside her small life and her comfort zone and help her truly live. Her first task seems simple but it sets a whole new life into motion. Jill is grieving the loss of her husband, along with the life she knew and the life they’d planned together. She has a successful business, but the rest of her life is a mess; she’s stuck and doesn’t know how to move on or even if she wants to. With each other’s love and support, both women learn to take chances, open their hearts to love (and not just romantic love), and see the possibilities life has to offer.

Friends Like Us spoke to me in so many ways. I loved how Bree and Jill leaned on each other and were strong for each other, but also learned to be strong for themselves. I loved seeing them both open themselves up, and I cheered them on throughout the story. I enjoyed the romance storyline in this one more than the first book, I think because I relate to Bree much more than I did to Sadie or Renee. I also appreciated that Jill’s story didn’t include a front-and-centre romance because she was still deep in grief and figuring things out. I can’t say much more without the risk of spoilers, but I was pleased and satisfied with how the romance storylines progressed. I also enjoyed seeing the characters from the first book and ‘catching up’ with them and seeing them happy. I hope there’ll be more books in this series because I’d love to see Essie and Ashley get their chances at happily ever after.

Friends Like Us is going to be one of those books I recommend often. Love books about friendship? Self-discovery? Taking chances? Finding love in unexpected places? This is the book for you. Also, if you love Jill Shalvis’s Wildstone series (which I discovered last year and continue to love this year with the newest installment), Friends Like Us has a similar vibe - an emphasis on character growth with a swoony side of romance.

Read my review of Forever Friends by Sarah Mackenzie

Have you read Friends Like Us? What are some of your favourite books that feature close friendships? 

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10 Romances I'm Excited for in the First Half of 2021

*Please note: Each book has a link to Amazon, which is an affiliate link - all earnings go into the upkeep of this blog, and I truly appreciate your support - but if you have a local indie bookshop you can support, please be sure to do so!

There are so many fantastic-sounding books coming out in 2021. While one of my goals for this year is to read more backlist books, there are plenty of upcoming releases I can’t wait to get my hands on. I narrowed the list down to ten books I’m excited for that are coming out between January and the end of June. Seven of these are from authors I read and loved last year, and the others are new-to-me or debut authors I’m excited to try for the first time.

Love at First by Kate Clayborn

Coming February 23rd, 2021 from Kensington

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Sixteen years ago, a teenaged Will Sterling saw—or rather, heard—the girl of his dreams. Standing beneath an apartment building balcony, he shared a perfect moment with a lovely, warm-voiced stranger. It's a memory that's never faded, though he's put so much of his past behind him. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor. Instead, he encounters a woman, two balconies above, who's uncannily familiar...

No matter how surprised Nora Clarke is by her reaction to handsome, curious Will, or the whispered pre-dawn conversations they share, she won't let his plans ruin her quirky, close-knit building. Bound by her loyalty to her adored grandmother, she sets out to foil his efforts with a little light sabotage. But beneath the surface of their feud is an undeniable connection. A balcony, a star-crossed couple, a fateful meeting—maybe it's the kind of story that can't work out in the end. Or maybe, it's the perfect second chance.

The Knockout Rule by Kelly Siskind

Coming February 24th, 2021 from CD Books

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Growing up with an adoring father for a boxing legend isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. It looks more like hospital visits, bloody noses, and cracked ribs.

Isla Slade now works as a physiotherapist, helping athletes heal their bodies. Except for boxers. She has no interest in reliving the stress of her teen years. Dating someone in the boxing world? She’d rather snort wasabi powder.

Until she meets Preston Church.

Preston manages heavyweight boxing darling Brick Kramarov. A brute who’s built tougher than his name, with a cocky attitude to boot. She wants nothing to do with either man, but her father begs her to help them prepare for a huge Vegas fight.

She doesn’t expect Preston to recite romantic poems and slowly break her resolve. His fascinating mind gets under her skin, even if his star athlete reminds her how much she hates boxing.

Too bad it’s Brick coaching Preston how to woo Isla, falling for her from the sidelines. Once she finds out, she’ll have to decide if she can risk loving another man who puts it all on the line for the knockout.

Accidentally Engaged by Farah Heron

Coming March 2nd, 2021 from Forever

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Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall—with hopes that Reena will marry him.

But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.

As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine—secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self-preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

Coming March 9th, 2021 from Avon

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Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

Sandcastle Beach by Jenny Holiday

Coming March 9th, 2021 from Forever

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Maya Mehta will do anything to save her tiny, beloved community theater. Put on musicals she hates? Check. Hire an arrogant former-pop-star-turned-actor? Done. But what Maya really needs to save her theater is Matchmaker Bay's new business grant. She's got some serious competition, though: Benjamin "Law" Lawson, local bar owner, Jerk Extraordinaire, and Maya's annoyingly hot arch nemesis. Let the games begin.

Law loves nothing more than getting under Maya's skin, and making those gorgeous eyes dance with irritation. But when he discovers the ex-pop star has a thing for Maya, too, Law decides he's done waiting in the wings-starting with a scorching-hot kiss. Turns out there's a thin line between hate and irresistible desire, and Maya and Law are really good at crossing it. But when things heat up, will they allow their long-standing feud to get in the way of their growing feelings?

Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez

Coming April 6th, 2021 from Forever

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Vanessa lives life on her own terms—one day at a time, every day to its fullest. She isn’t willing to waste a moment or miss out on an experience when she has no idea whether she shares the same fatal genetic condition as her mother. Besides, she has way too much to do, traveling the globe and showing her millions of YouTube followers the joy in seizing every moment.

But after her half-sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her infant daughter, she is housebound, on mommy duty for the foreseeable future, and feeling totally out of her element.

The last person she expects to show up offering help is the unbelievably hot lawyer who lives next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. But as they get closer, Vanessa realizes that her carefree ways and his need for a structured plan could never be compatible for the long term. Then again, she should know better than anyone that life’s too short to fear taking the biggest risk of all. . .

The Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan

Coming April 6th, 2021 from Berkley

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Naomi Grant has built her life around going against the grain. After the sex-positive start-up she cofounded becomes an international sensation, she wants to extend her educational platform to live lecturing. Unfortunately, despite her long list of qualifications, higher ed won't hire her.

Ethan Cohen has recently received two honors: LA Mag named him one of the city's hottest bachelors and he became rabbi of his own synagogue. Taking a gamble in an effort to attract more millennials to the faith, the executive board hired Ethan because of his nontraditional background. Unfortunately, his shul is low on both funds and congregants. The board gives him three months to turn things around or else they'll close the doors of his synagogue for good.

Naomi and Ethan join forces to host a buzzy seminar series on Modern Intimacy, the perfect solution to their problems—until they discover a new one—their growing attraction to each other. They've built the syllabus for love's latest experiment, but neither of them expected they'd be the ones putting it to the test.

Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst

Coming April 20th, 2021 by St Martin’s Griffin

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All Maggie Bliss needs to do is write. Forty-eight years old and newly single (again!), she ventures to Paris in a last-ditch effort to finish her manuscript. With a marvelous apartment at her fingertips and an elegant housekeeper to meet her every need, a finished book—and her dream of finally taking her career over the top—is surely within her grasp. After all, how could she find anything except inspiration in Paris, with its sophistication, food, and romance in the air?

But the clock is running out, and between her charming ex-husband arriving in France for vacation and a handsome Frenchman appearing one morning in her bathtub, Maggie’s previously undisturbed peace goes by the wayside.

Talk Bookish to Me by Kate Bromley

Coming May 25th, 2021 from Graydon House

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Kara Sullivan’s life is full of love—albeit fictional. As a bestselling romance novelist and influential Bookstagrammer, she’s fine with getting her happily-ever-after fix between the covers of a book.

But right now? Not only is Kara’s best friend getting married next week—which means big wedding stress—but the deadline for her next novel is looming, and she hasn’t written a single word. The last thing she needs is for her infuriating first love, Ryan Thompson, to suddenly appear in the wedding party. But Ryan’s unexpected arrival sparks a creative awakening in Kara that inspires the steamy historical romance she desperately needs to deliver.

With her wedding duties intensifying, her deadline getting closer by the second and her bills not paying themselves, Kara knows there’s only one way for her to finish her book and to give her characters the ever-after they deserve. But can she embrace the unlikely, ruggedly handsome muse—who pushes every one of her buttons—to save the wedding, her career and, just maybe, write her own happy ending?

Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur

Coming May 25th, 2021 from Avon

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Brendon Lowell loves love. It’s why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he’s convinced “the one” is out there, even if he hasn’t met her yet. Or... has he? When his sister's best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He’s crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time.

Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She’s not looking for love, especially with her best friend’s brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie...wants him? Oh yes.

Getting involved would be a terrible idea—her stay is temporary and he wants forever—but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he’s determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron’s playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie’s time in Seattle, and Brendon’s starting to realize romance isn’t just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be as perfect as the movies...as long as you think your partner hung the moon.

BONUS BOOK:

After writing this post, a reveal was done for Alexis Hall's new book. Since Alexis's Boyfriend Material was one of my top favourite books of 2020, I had to add a bonus book to this list: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake, which comes out on May 18th, 2021, and is published by Forever

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Which books from the first half of 2021 are you most excited about? Are any of these books on your TBR?

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