Review: Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer

Magical Meet Cute by Jean Meltzer
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Magical Realism 

ISBN: 9780778334415
Release Date: August 27, 2024
Source: Publisher
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Is he the real deal…or did she truly summon a golem?

Faye Kaplan used to be engaged. She also used to have a successful legal practice. But she much prefers her new life as a potter in Woodstock, New York. The only thing missing is the perfect guy.

Not that she needs one. She’s definitely happy alone.

That is, until she finds her town papered with anti-Semitic flyers after yet another failed singles event at the synagogue. Desperate for comfort, Faye drunkenly turns to the only thing guaranteed to soothe her—pottery. A golem protector is just what her town needs…and adding all the little details to make him her ideal man can’t hurt, right?

When a seriously hot stranger mysteriously turns up the next day, Greg seems too good to be true—if you ignore the fact that Faye hit him with her bike. And that he subsequently lost his memory…

But otherwise, the man checks Every. Single. Box. Causing Faye to wonder if Greg’s sudden and spicy appearance might be anything but a coincidence.

After an antisemitic attack in her neighborhood, ceramicist Faye Kaplan is shaken. Having found her connection to her faith through magic, Faye is a practicing Jewitch. On a drunken night after the attack, Faye crafts a golem to protect her…one that happens to have all the qualities of her dream man inscribed on it. The next day, she accidentally runs into a guy with her bike. The man hits his head and awakens in the hospital with no memory. What’s a girl to do but take him home and help him recover? Greg turns out to be a great houseguest; he’s protective, funny, intelligent, kind, enjoys Scrabble…all the things Faye inscribed on her golem. Could it be coincidence or is magic at play?

Magical Meet Cute is a mix of fluffy magical romcom and serious, realistic trauma. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but Jean Meltzer balances things fairly well, though for me – someone who actually enjoys fluff more as a rule – the heavier topics were more interesting.

Faye is a trauma survivor. She came from an abusive household and though she’s caring and loving, she has high walls to protect herself. She lives with a disability that is a constant reminder of what she survived, and the disability rep is well done. With the rise in antisemitism her trauma response is triggered, and Meltzer handles this heavy topic very well. I really connected with this part of the story, of the small and large ways antisemitism affects people. It’s not something you see in romances and generally not something covered in-depth and I really appreciated the time and care Meltzer took with this topic.

Magical Meet Cute is also a romcom with a quirky dog, nosy friends, and hijinks. For the most part the blend of the heavier and lighter moments work, though I will say that the book isn’t quite as light as the cover and blurb make it out to be. I enjoyed the mystery of whether Greg was a man or a golem, but I do wish it had been resolved a bit earlier to give the romance more time to breathe and develop. The rom of the romcom could have used a bit more work because the chemistry wasn’t as strong as I would have liked. Greg was a wonderful hero, protective and caring to the max. Faye was an interesting heroine, complex and skilled both as a ceramicist and Jewitch. But she also has a few traditional romcom heroine quirks to her that didn’t always work for me.

I struggle with rating Magical Meet Cute because I was so-so on the romance. However, the parts of the book that work really work. The Jewish, Jewitch, and disability representation are solid and the examination of antisemitic attacks through the eyes of the victims really meant something to me. There’s emotional honesty in these plotlines that really stand out and make me recommend this story.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Passions in Death by J.D. Robb

Passions in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 59
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250289568
Release Date: September 3, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

On a hot August night, Lt. Eve Dallas and her husband, Roarke, speed through the streets of Manhattan to the Down and Dirty club, where a joyful, boisterous pre-wedding girls’ night out has turned into a murder scene. One of the brides lies in a pool of blood, garroted in a private room where she was preparing a surprise for her fiancée—two scrimped and saved-for tickets to Hawaii.

Despite the dozens of people present, useful witnesses are hard to come by. It all brings back some bad memories for Eve who once suffered an assault in the very same room—but she’d been able to fight back and survive. She’d gotten justice. And now she needs to provide some for poor young Erin.

Eve knows that the level of violence and the apparent premeditation involved suggest a volatile mix of hidden, heated passion and ice-cold calculation. This is a crime that can be countered only by hard detective work and relentless dedication—and Eve will not stop until she finds the killer who destroyed this couple’s dreams before the honeymoon even began…

A bachelorette party at the Down and Dirty turns from a rowdy night out to a horrible tragedy when one of the brides is murdered. Everybody loved Erin and her fiancée – they have a tight circle of friends and no one can imagine who would do this. But someone in their inner circle did. Lieutenant Eve Dallas doesn’t know Erin Albright, but she will come to as she stands for her and finds the killer in Passions in Death.

Within the more case-centric In Death stories, there are two kinds of tales: one where it’s a race against time and others like this one that have a more measured pace. This story is the latter and it’s a nice breather to the more tense installments while also being a compelling story on its own. The crime Eve, Peabody, and company are trying to solve is engaging because the victim at the heart of it seems so likeable, was on the verge of a joyous occasion, and as Eve notes, it was a crime that was committed not just of passion but of a meanness, a pettiness that adds its own flavor of cruelty. I liked watching Eve and Peabody do the legwork, consult others and work the case. I especially liked that Eve was torn between suspects and her reasoning kept me switching back and forth as well.

At fifty-nine full-length books into the series, Eve and Roarke are fairly settled into their marriage but that doesn’t mean things are less interesting. I love watching them grow together and this case puts them in a more reflective mode over marriage and partnership. J.D. Robb doesn’t bring us any dramatic highs or lows in this story and that’s just fine by me. The longer I sit with it the more I like this story.

Most of the In Death books can be read on their own, but I will warn that if you don’t like spoilers then you should be up-to-date before starting Passions in Death as past cases (and whodunit) are mentioned. I admit, being a longtime fan is also why I so enjoyed the quieter character moments, the bonds of love and friendship weaving throughout the background of this story. It’s not just Eve and Roarke who continue to grow, it’s their circle as well. Any time spent in the world Robb has created is a delight and this trip was no exception.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding

Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
Series: For the Love of Austen, Book 2
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781668052556
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher
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It’s a truth universally acknowledged—well, by Elizabeth Bennet anyway—that there’s nothing worse than summer in the Hamptons. She should know: she’s lived out there her whole life. Every June, her hometown on the edge of Long Island is inundated with rich Manhattanites who party until dawn and then disappear by September. And after twenty-five years, Lizzy wants to leave, too.

But after putting her own dreams on hold to help save her family’s failing bakery, she’s still surfing the same beach every morning and waiting for something, anything, to change. She’s not holding her breath though, not even when her sister starts flirting with the hot new bachelor in town, Charlie Pierce, and he introduces Lizzy to his even hotter friend.

Will Darcy is everything Lizzy Bennet is not. Aloof, arrogant…and rich. Of course, he’s never cared about money. In fact, it’s number one on his long list of things that irk him. Number two? His friend Charlie’s insistence on setting him up with his new girlfriend’s sharp-tongued sister. Lizzy Bennet is all wrong for him, from her money-hungry family to her uncanny ability to speak to him as bluntly as he does everyone else. But then maybe that’s why he can’t stop thinking about her.

Lizzy is sure Will hates everybody. He thinks she willfully misunderstands them. Yet, just as they strike an uneasy truce, mistakes threaten Charlie and Jane’s romance, with Will and Lizzy caught in the undertow. Between a hurricane and a hypocritical aunt, a drunken voicemail and a deceptive party promoter, the two must sift through the gossip and lies to protect the happiness of everyone they love—even if it means sacrificing their own. But when the truth also forces them to see each other in an entirely new light, they must swallow their pride to learn that love is a lot like surfing: sometimes the only way to survive is to let yourself fall.

I love a good Pride and Prejudice adaptation and Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding are truly wonderful at taking Austen’s classics and putting their own spin on them. Elizabeth of East Hampton is a fresh and fun take on Elizabeth and Darcy’s story.

Lizzy Bennet is at a crossroads in her life. She put her plan for a master’s at Columbia on hold after her father’s stroke and spends her days surfing then running the family bakery. She also tries to manage the many strong personalities in her household. Then Manhattanite Charlie Pierce shows up and dazzles Lizzy’s sister, Jane. Unfortunately, Charlie also brings his stuck-up friend, Will Darcy, with him. Will is snobby, rude, and someone she could never get along with…or is he?

If you’re familiar with Pride and Prejudice then you’ll know the rhythm coming as Lizzy and readers come to see the real Darcy who is so much different than what Lizzy first thinks of him. Will is an utterly endearing hero; he’s kind, protective, and a bit vulnerable. He’s a fantastic update of a timeless, dreamy hero. Lizzy I had a harder time connecting to than I do with her Austen counterpart and I can’t quite put my finger on why, only that I felt something was slightly missing from her. Because of this, the first half of Elizabeth of East Hampton was a bit slow for me and I didn’t truly start connecting with the story until Lizzy started letting her walls down. Once she did, I was all in.

One of the strengths of Bellezza and Harding’s storytelling is they follow the spirit and plot points of Austen’s classics but make them fully their own, changing details that make the story unique while never losing the essence of the characters. I loved what they did with the supporting cast in particular, how they changed and evolved characters like Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. It added a richness to the story I didn’t expect but absolutely loved. And if you enjoyed the first For the Love of Austen novel, you’ll surely delight in seeing George and Emma again. Their relationship with Will is not just a treat for fans but also works in the larger story, filling in the gaps of Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana at times. But even if you haven’t read Emma of 83rd Street or the original Pride and Prejudice you can still enjoy this book on its own.

Elizabeth of East Hampton had its ups and downs for me in the beginning of the story but by the end I was completely enthralled. I love Bellezza and Harding’s writing and the way they retell Austen’s classics absolutely thrills me. I hope they have been persuaded to continue this series, especially since they’ve introduced a Freddie Wentworth who’s practically begging for an Anne Elliot.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca
Series: Boneyard Key, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance with Paranormal Elements 

ISBN: 9780593641217
Release Date: August 13, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she's catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don't get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie's worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing…and Nick's afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

Author Jen DeLuca leaves the Ren Faire circuit behind for a small, specter-filled town in Haunted Ever After. Nick and Cassie’s story is sweet, fun, and absolutely charming.

When Cassie uprooted her life and moved from Orlando to the small coastal town of Boneyard Key, she expected some changes…but none quite so dramatic as the ghost in her house. Nick has lived in Boneyard Key all his life and is very aware that ghosts are more than something used to get tourists’ money. So when Cassie bursts into his coffee shop, Hallowed Grounds, for a latte and a power source, the idea that a ghost may be tinkering with her electricity doesn’t faze him. It's Cassie that knocks him off his feet and for Nick, who hasn’t had a real relationship in a long time, that’s saying something.

Cassie and Nick are both charming, likeable characters. Cassie is at a crossroads in her life and she’s taking things in a new direction when she moves to Boneyard Key. I liked watching her find her place in the town and among the ghosts. It was fun learning about the supernatural residents of Boneyard Key; as much fun as it was meeting the living breathing residents of the town. Nick, in turn, is a sweetheart of a hero. He’s kind, a little vulnerable, and like Cassie is easy to be charmed by. Their romance is a slow burn one that is delightful. DeLuca saves the majority of the high drama for the ghosts, but what happens there I’ll leave readers to discover on their own.

Haunted Ever After is the first book in the Boneyard Key series and it’s an entertaining start. I loved the town DeLuca built and the supporting cast definitely has me looking forward to more haunt-filled love stories.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh

Primal Mirror by Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling Trinity, Book 8
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9780593440735
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
Nalini Singh Reading Order

Daughter of two ruthless high-Gradient telepaths, Auden Scott is not the child her Psy parents wanted or expected, even before her brain injury. Her thoughts are scattered, her memories fuzzy—or just terrifyingly blank. The only thing she knows for certain is that she must protect her unborn baby…a baby she has no recollection of conceiving and who draws an unnerving depth of interest from her dead mother’s closest associates.

Leopard alpha Remi Denier is a man driven by the primal instinct to protect. Protect his pack, protect his allies…and protect the mysterious woman who has become a most unlikely neighbor. With eerie eyes that see too much and a scent that alters in ways disturbing and impossible, Auden Scott is the enemy…but nothing about this strange Psy is what it seems, and Remi’s feline heart is as fascinated by her as his human half.

Then Auden asks Remi to help her shatter the wall of secrets that is the Scott bloodline. What they unearth will reveal a nightmare beyond imagination. This time, the battle is to the death…

Primal Mirror is a story of survival and of love conquering evil. Auden Scott is the daughter of two former Psy Counselors, but her abilities weren’t the telepathic kind her parents wanted. She has survived her parents, but didn’t come out of it unscathed; something was done to her brain that causes blank spots and times where it feels like she’s not entirely herself. She is also pregnant and desperate to save her baby from whatever plans her mother had set in motion before her death.

RainFire alpha Remi Denier doesn’t quite know what to make of his new neighbor. The first time he meets her she’s eerily blank, then next time a heavily pregnant woman ready to fight for her unborn child. Remi is a protector at heart and he and his pack will do anything, risk anything to help Auden and her child. But Remi’s drawn to Auden on another, far more personal level. What will happen to the two of them as her mother’s plans are uncovered? And how can they fight an threat that is taking place inside Auden’s mind?

Remi is a hero who is easy to fall for. He’s kind, protective, and has worked hard to make his new pack strong and whole. Auden is more complex. Her brain injuries and what was done to her make her unpredictable. Primal Mirror is a bit slow to start because Auden isn’t always herself. The mystery of what was done to her and why unravels over the course of the story and I was rooting for Auden to beat the odds and destroy the evil plan her mother put in place. Remi and Auden are characters whose core is love – they will fight for those they love until their last breath. They make a great couple but their love story is understandably slow to build, given Auden’s mental state.

Primal Mirror isn’t just about Auden and RainFire’s survival. It’s about the survival of the whole Psy race. The PsyNet is continuing to fail and it’s incredibly tense throughout the story as characters we’ve come to love over the course of the series struggle to save as many people as possible. It’s doomsday time for the Psy and there’s a pall cast over the story by the imminent threat of millions of lives lost. How things work out and what the future looks like, I won’t spoil, but I am curious to see how Nalini Singh continues things for the Psy race.

Primal Mirror is the eighth book in the Psy-Changeling Trinity series and while you don’t have to have read all the books to enjoy Remi and Auden’s story, you definitely need to be familiar with the world to follow what’s happening in the overarching storyline of the Psy. In Primal Mirror, Singh continues to weave an intricate web of characters, connections, and powers that is utterly absorbing. I adored Remi and Auden and I’m very much looking forward to seeing where Singh takes the Psy-Changeling world next.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: The Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum

The Highlander’s Wild Flame by Heather McCollum
Series: The Brotherhood of Solway Moss, Book 1
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781649376541
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Entangled
Heather McCollum Reading Order

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. But taken as prisoner―in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird―is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom. But instead of returning to the welcoming warmth of home, Rory steps into a blazing trap…

Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.

Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara―unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane―they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.

Rory MacLeod knows all about betrayal. Trapped in an English prison he had to unite with three other warriors from rival clans to escape. After he returns home to heal, he catches sight of the enemy’s daughter, who happens to be intended for his brother. Sara Macdonald isn’t anyone Rory should want, but he’s drawn to her like a moth to flame. Then on her wedding day Sara’s father sets the church on fire, trapping the MacLeods inside. Only Sara’s quick actions save them, but leave her unable to return home and untrusted by the clan she’s at the mercy of. Now Rory will have to decide what to do as threats abound and he begins to fall for a woman he doesn’t know if he can trust.

Heather McCollum kicks off her Brotherhood of Solway Moss series with a forbidden romance that’s easy to fall into. Rory and Sara are both survivors; Sara from an abusive family and Rory from a horrid upbringing and an even worse time imprisoned in England. They know loyalty from one’s family isn’t ever assured but they’re still torn between wanting to protect their clans and the call to do what they know is truly right.

Rory is a strong Highland warrior who leads with skill. He’s got trust issues, that’s for sure, and it makes him unsure whether he can follow his gut and believe in Sara. Sara is independent and fierce in her own way, as equally protective as Rory. When she’s taken prisoner by the MacLeods (even after having helped them escape) she has to stay on her toes to survive. While Rory would protect her, his elder brother is as nasty and brutal as Sara’s treacherous father. Both Sara and Rory have their work cut out for them if they hope to achieve peace between the two clans.

At the heart of The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the romance between Sara and Rory. I liked them together and thought they had good chemistry. Rory makes mistakes due to his aforementioned trust issues, but overall they are a solidly entertaining couple. They are both kind, compassionate, and willing to fight for what’s right. I was rooting for them every step of the way even as I was unsure of how McCollum would make things work out with constant treachery afoot.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the start of a series that features four men who were imprisoned together after Soloway Moss. While only one other of the men (Sara’s brother) played a supporting role in this book, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how things come together over the course of the series. All in all I really enjoyed Sara and Rory’s romance. It’s sensual, sweet, and both Sara and Rory work to earn their happily ever after.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley

Hot Earl Summer by Erica Ridley
Series: The Wild Wynchesters, Book 4
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Romance 

ISBN: 9781538726150
Release Date: August 6, 2024
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

Bold, curvy Elizabeth Wynchester loves cuddling hedgehogs almost as much as she adores vanquishing villains with the sharp blade concealed inside her cane. Despite others’ opinions about her body and gender, nothing will stop her from seeing justice done. When her next mission drops her at the dastardly Earl of Densmore’s castle, she’s prepared to duel like gentlemen—only to be locked inside! Her trusty sword cannot defeat the castle’s hidden traps… or protect her heart from the devilishly handsome rogue guarding the keep.

When reclusive inventor Stephen Lenox agreed to impersonate his cousin for a few days, he didn’t expect the earl to vanish altogether. Nor could Stephen predict mounting death threats… or the arrival of a beguiling, blade-wielding spinster who declares herself his new bodyguard. As the earl’s enemies lay siege to the castle, Stephen fights his way past Elizabeth’s defenses. She’ll share his bed, but when the adventure concludes, she vows to sever their affair. Unless he can somehow convince a swashbuckling siren to surrender her heart…

Elizabeth Wynchester – aka Beth the Berserker – meets a most unexpected match in Hot Earl Summer. The most brash and impulsive of the Wynchester siblings always hoped to find love with a dashing warrior but it’s a brilliant tinker with unexpectedly delicious ab muscles who claims her heart.

Elizabeth swings her sword first and asks questions later. When she’s sent on a mission to find a will and prevent a villain from taking over a castle meant to be an orphanage, she’s ready to battle her way to victory. But the Earl of Densmore she comes to demand aid from is actually the man’s cousin, inventor Stephen Lenox. Stephen’s cousin had asked him to impersonate him for a few days but instead he finds himself trapped for months, fending off the enemy with clever traps. When Elizabeth arrives and decides to be his bodyguard, Stephen can’t help but fall for the beautiful warrior.

Over the course of the series I admit Elizabeth has been my least favorite Wynchester; she was just a bit too over the top for me. Erica Ridley changed my opinion on Elizabeth in this book – I loved seeing beneath the surface to what made Elizabeth tick. She’s bold and likes to charge headfirst into battle, yes. But there’s much more to her than “Beth the Berserker.” Ridley does a solid job of creating a heroine with chronic pain and a disability that can knock even the strongest warrior down. Elizabeth is a warrior at all times and I liked that she set boundaries and acknowledged what she needed, taking the time to rest and recover. Elizabeth isn’t perfect and she does make mistakes, but it makes her an interesting heroine. Stephen is a recluse more at home among his extravagant inventions than people, but he’s swept off his feet by Elizabeth. I loved how sweet and kind he is and how he practically swoons over how brave and strong Elizabeth is. The two of them have a lovely dynamic that’s fun, sweet, and sensual.

It wouldn’t be a Wild Wynchesters story without the entire family but I liked that Ridley kept the focus on Elizabeth and Stephen. The Wynchesters all play a part, never fear, and their unique talents along with how they all come together plays a part in Hot Earl Summer. You don’t have to have read the previous four books in order to enjoy this one, but it’s fun to check in with past protagonists. All in all, Hot Earl Summer is a charming romp with bold and clever characters, a very dramatic villain who must be defeated, and a sweet happily ever after.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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