Tag: book review

header with brand information and book pages
Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: CD Reiss’s Fake Crowne, a Crowne Brothers romance ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Tropes: fake relationship; work romance; LA romance; contemporary romance; billionaire brothers; band of brothers

Bear with me as I ramble about CD Reiss’s newest Crowne family story, Fake Crowne. There’s so much I want to say, but it’s not organized or probably even insightful; however, I need to say it anyway. 

Reiss is attempting (I actually believe she did it — but I really want to hear from people) to capture a voice in romancelandia that is burgeoning: the voice of the later Millenials or the older Gen Zers. I’ve been thinking about this generation in romancelandia. They live in a different world than the former generations, and they connect in spaces that are visual and muted. They’ve been raised with trauma infused into their systems and parents who have recognized that and created safe spaces to fall. All of that has conspired to build people with mental health struggles. How does this generation fall in love? It’s both the same and different from the past. And CD Reiss builds the space and unspoken words into the relationship between Colton Crowne and Skye. 

As I was reading this book, I was imagining my son’s voice as Skye’s voice. They have very similar mental health struggles, and Reiss elaborated on them in a real way. Both Colton and Skye are overwhelmed by and push against parental expectations. Colton rebels against it, while Skye contends with them within a set of stifling boundaries she sets for herself. Through this struggle, Colton and Skye forge a fake relationship, upend their own set boundaries of that relationship, and fall in love on their own terms. This is CD Reiss imagining correctly, I think, a love forged in the 21st century by people who simply don’t know the depth of their future. They’ve either denied themselves, rebelled against tradition and expectation, or made concessions to avoid failure. 

In fact, that seems to be the battle cry of Fake Crowne: “There’s something comforting about failure. Like I don’t have to be responsible for my work or my choices because…whoops, I failed, color me shocked. Oh well, no big deal. And it’s easy, right? I don’t have to improve. I don’t have to face the next stage. I don’t have to learn. […] I’m weak, but sometimes weak is a choice.” Through Colton and Skye’s journeys, Reiss suggests that we can treat life in one of three ways: play it safe; fail incredibly and stay down; or fail on some level and get up and try again. Each of these has consequences, and Reiss illustrates it beautifully through Colton and Skye’s falling in love. 

Are Reiss’s style and storytelling flair all over this book? Yep. In fact, as I read this book, I felt like it straddled her Crowne Brothers series and her Hollywood A-List/Star-Crossed/Lead Me Back stories. It’s very LA…and freaking Gene Testarossa is back wreaking havoc. Given I’m a So. California girl, I love Reiss’s characterization of LA for her readers. But her knack for wordsmithing and her infusion of spice and steam are encompassed in this book. 

Please…read Fake Crowne and tell me she’s capturing some of Gen Z in it. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not of that generation. I simply need more stories in it so we keep Gen Z readers gobbling books, and they need to find themselves in the books that are served. And I believe CD Reiss has done it with her newest book. 

In love and romance,

Professor A

Sorry for the rambly quality of the review. I just had so many words to say about this book.

header with brand information and book pages
Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: Devney Perry’s Jasper Vale, a The Edens romance ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Tropes: fake marriage; marriage of convenience; Vegas wedding; opposites attract; grump/sunshine; wealthy MMC; found family; romantic suspense elements

I’ve been sitting on my review for Devney Perry’s newest book in her The Edens series, Jasper Vale. Trying to find the words to express my adoration for this story isn’t easy because it’s a story that feels a bit like a departure for Perry. Yes, this is a Vegas mistaken wedding turned fake marriage. It’s a common trope, but Perry’s books sparkle, by my estimation, from start to finish. And Jasper Vale reads grittier. In fact, I think it’s one of her $exiest books in that her main characters, Jasper and Eloise, simply can’t help themselves around each other. $ex comes first for this couple out of a pure chemical connection. Jasper is bossy and super-alpha, and it’s titillating and $exy in all the best romancelandia ways. And it feels so different from Perry’s usual fare, at least with recent stories. I loved Jasper and Eloise’s struggles. 

For one, they are opposites. Jasper’s life is one big secret for everyone. It’s not healthy in the least, and it informs how he responds to Eloise’s family in the face of their surprising marriage. This is unlike the other partners of the Edens who fit so seamlessly into the Eden family. And I liked the trepidation and discomfort of his first meeting because he responds to them out of a protectiveness and compassion for Eloise as well as the experiences of his past. Jasper is one of the darkest Perry characters, I believe. 

Eloise is the sunshine to Jasper’s grump. She is his light. Perry puts her through her paces in this story as she must mine for Jasper’s secret gold, surrounded by an almost impenetrable wall. For every step forward, Eloise finds herself taking a step back. This tango both wrings out the heart of the readers and sets up the anticipation of the eventuality of their relationship: pure love. It takes much of Jasper Vale to get to this point with quite a bit of heartache woven into the story. 

So Jasper Vale reads like this: surprise, $ex, silence, separation, $ex, a building of a nugget of vulnerability, confusion, more $ex, silence, $ex, secrets revealed, deeper involvement, $ex, drama, reconciliation, healing, abiding love. Or at least something like this with more $ex added in. 

Perry’s Jasper Vale is a revelation to me. I still think she needs to work on the last 10% of her stories because she deftly develops her plot but the endings always seem rushed, at least until the epilogue and bonus epilogue. Those are always pure gold; however, the falling action and resolution of the inciting incident(s) of her plot points always read underdeveloped to me. Or maybe I want to sit longer with characters like Eloise and Jasper. Bottom line: Devney Perry’s Jasper Vale is MY favorite The Edens romance.

In love and romance,


Professor A

header with brand information and book pages
Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 5 ⭐️ Review: Catherine Cowles’s Whispers of You, book 1 of The Lost & Found series ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: small-town romance; second chance romance; romantic suspense; forced proximity; found family; band of brothers

Have you ever seen that episode of Grey’s Anatomy where the active shooter invades the hospital? The one that incites terror in you as you watch it. I will never forget that episode of television. Catherine Cowles’s Whispers of You has shades of that episode with its compelling, terror-inducing hook, incremental slow-burn second chance journey, and the story twist that you don’t quite see coming. For me, Whispers of You is my favorite Catherine Cowles story of her recent stories. In simple terms, this book is the rib-eye of books to her former porterhouse stories. Whispers of You held me in its thrall and engaged me to the very last page of her bonus epilogue.

Here’s the why:

  1. The hook of this book is terrifying and heartbreaking. Don’t let that dissuade you from reading it. Like I said earlier, it felt inspired by that emotional and anxiety-inducing episode of Grey’s Anatomy. I originally read this book’s beginning in one of last year’s books, and I couldn’t WAIT to read Whispers of You because of it. 
  2. I adore a resilient character. Wren is the embodiment of it. Instead of becoming a victim who lives in the shadow of her trauma, she becomes an advocate, instead. Holt is lucky to earn her heart because, honestly, she is too good for him given his choices. Cowles grants Colt grace for these choices due to his age. But had this been real life, he might not have won over his love. 
  3. The balance, however, of this story is Holt’s capacity to love and cherish Wren. Once he recognizes his former short-sightedness, he’s a delicious male character: all alpha-hero with a protective streak. Cowles deftly balances Wren’s strength and resilience with Holt’s adoration and compassion. So incredibly good!
  4. I didn’t see the depth of Cowles’s revelation coming. Yep. I’m usually attuned to the story, but I gasped at the story’s twist. I love that Cowles doesn’t take it easy on her reader.

Catherine Cowles knows herself as a writer as well as the interests of her fans. Whispers of You was an unputdownable read. It was impossible to walk away from Wren and Holt because their story is just that compelling. Fans of small-town romantic suspense – this story is for you! Oh, and there’s an impressive husky to boot!

In love and romance,

Professor A

header with brand information and book pages
Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: L.B. Dunbar’s Letting Go at 40 ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Tropes: small town romance; husband’s best friend; second chances; band of brothers; single dad; widow

If you’ve read any of L.B. Dunbar’s first three books of her Lakeside Cottage series, you grabbed Letting Go at 40 with two emotions: elation and trepidation. How do you write a story about two characters falling in love in the specter of one of the character’s beloved husbands? Seemingly a challenge, I entered Letting Go at 40 figuratively holding my breath. Ben was beloved. He was the perfect husband for Anna. How would Dunbar successfully craft a story for Anna and the forever-pining Mason, the playboy of the guys’ friend group? With aplomb. 

If you’ve been reticent to read this story, don’t be. Dunbar has written the heck out of Mason and Anna’s story. I will say that it isn’t for the faint of heart. If you’re not a fan of a slow burn, this story isn’t for you. But the slow burn is necessary for this story. Dunbar has carefully plotted Mason and Anna’s journey with the premise of “two steps forward, one step back.” This was necessary. In doing so, Anna could grieve and begin to understand herself beyond Ben. And Mason could face his own challenges: becoming a better father and realizing that he can be good for Anna. It takes much of Letting Go at 40 to achieve this, but honestly, Anna and Mason had to learn to “let go” of expectations, other dreams, and guilt. While it could sometimes be frustrating for Anna to push Mason away, it was completely necessary to Dunbar’s story. 

What you earn at the end of this book is a journey of a thousand miles and the acceptance of Anna with Mason. Dunbar also deftly highlights the complications of friends’ and children’s perceptions in this story, and she rewards her readers with a gorgeous happy ending for these long-suffering characters. 

Please don’t miss this book. I believe it’s the best of the four Lakeside Cottage series, and here’s to hoping she will write the next generation of love stories for this group.

In love and romance,

Professor A

header with brand information and book pages
new release

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Helena Hunting’s Make A Wish, a Spark House romance ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: second chance romance; band of sisters; age-gap; single dad

Helena Hunting’s Spark House Sisters series has a steady brand of sweetness with a side of steam and unease. If you’ve read the first two books, When Sparks Fly and Starry-Eyed Love, you’ve encountered the growing pains of Avery and London as they transcend their core family unit, adding men to the mix. Make A Wish, the final story of this series, brings about Harley’s growth. In her newest book, Hunting shows her authorial strength as she crafts a main female character such as Harley to find her voice and position in the family business while reviving a long-forgotten love and finding her place within Gavin and Peyton’s family unit.

Make A Wish was a fast read for me. The plot structure is fairly uncomplicated as it begins in the past and moves forward seven years. While seven years might seem like a long time progression for Hunting’s main characters, it’s necessary. Harley is an interesting character in this series because, I think more than her sisters, her parents’ deaths factor heavily in her maturation. Even more, the inciting incident for her separation from Gavin and Peyton at the outset of this book keeps Harley in a safe space, stagnating to a certain degree. As her story progressed, my heart actually hurt for Harley as she tried to grow and find herself in an ever-changing Spark House. I hated that she seemed pushed out, which became my attachment to Make A Wish. 

Because of this, I struggled with Harley and Gavin’s pairing. It’s easy to love Gavin’s precocious daughter, Peyton, and Harley and Peyton’s relationship is a special one, as emphasized at the story’s end. Yet, I didn’t feel the chemistry between Harley and Gavin, and I believe it’s because we never really get his internal motivations. Their relationship felt uneven to me, and I didn’t fully trust Gavin’s feelings for Harley. This is further underscored later in the story when the couple struggles. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but I didn’t entirely love Gavin. 

What do I know about Helena Hunting’s Make A Wish?

Its ending will make you shed some tears because it’s heartfelt and ties the series up into a neat little bow. Harley’s journey, for me, is probably the most profound because she doesn’t have a distinct place at the story’s beginning; she has to make space for herself at Spark House and with Gavin and Peyton. And Make A Wish is a beautiful swan song for a sweet package of sisterly love. I will miss Avery, London, and Harley BUT I know Helena Hunting always has more to come for her readers.

In love and romance,

Professor A

header with brand information and book pages
new release, Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Corinne Michaels’s Keep This Promise✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: one-night stand; surprise baby; second chance romance; band of brothers; small-town romance; romantic suspense

Corinne Michaels’s Keep This Promise is quite the whirlwind of a story. Michaels forces her readers to run the gamut of emotions: surprise, grief, anticipation, shock, and adoration, to name a few. There is a LOT to this final story in her Rose Canyon series, and she puts her readers through the paces as she reaches its finale. 

What should you know?

  1. Holden is a surprise. He begins the story as an inveterate singleton, completely expecting to live his life married to his job. When Sophie and Eden enter his life, it’s all over for him. In fact, he doesn’t really put up much of a fight. One might say that his characterization is a bit uneven regarding how quickly he changes, but he is gone for Sophie and Eden immediately. He is as swoony as his friends in this series, Emmett and Spencer. 
  2. Sophie is the hold-up. For good reason, to be fair. In this series, Michaels asks a lot of her heroines/FMCs. They are entangled in some serious problems, and at one time or another, their lives are in danger. As such, Sophie’s boundaries are firmly in place until Holden weaves his magic and wins her over. It takes some time, but when it happens, it makes sense for Michaels’s story. 
  3. There are a lot of plot points to this story. Many of them are surprises, so I don’t want to reveal anything in this review. Once it seems that Holden and Sophie are beginning to find their groove and settle into each other, Michaels pulls the rug out from under them, and they find themselves embroiled in chaos. This leaves the reader of Keep This Promise sitting at the edge of their seat, waiting for the resolution to each situation. One of these plot points relates to the arc of the series. If I had to be disappointed by anything, it would be that resolution. For me, it came from out of nowhere; the villain isn’t someone you’d suspect. I still have questions about a couple of characters who acted suspiciously, and I don’t think Michaels wrapped up those questions. Additionally, I have never seen Jackson’s team be so inept as it is in this story, and that goes against character for his team of security professionals.
  4. However, even though this arc seemed like Michaels” jumped the shark,” the long-lasting, protective community grounded in friendship is this book and the series’ glue. Beyond the different romances in this series of books, Michaels’s ability to draw a friendship between life-long pals adds another depth to Keep This Promise and its predecessors. It’s one of the main reasons I continued reading this series. The ways the guys care for and protect each other and their loved ones is my favorite aspect of this series. 

As with her other books, I enjoyed Corinne Michaels’s Keep This Promise. It has her signature angst and community wrapped with a bow of romance. It’s a quick read that keeps you engrossed through to the sweetness of her bonus epilogue. Any fan of small-town, romantic suspense will surely enjoy this book and the rest of the series.

In love and romance,

Professor A

header with brand information and book pages
Review

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 5 ⭐️ Review: Vi Keeland’s The Game, a Playing for Keeps novel ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Tropes: insta-attraction; boss/player; found family; wealthy hero; sports romance

I was reading another book, and I needed a break from it. It was moving too slowly, and I was curious about Vi Keeland’s The Game. What I found was a one-day read that was engrossing and entertaining. I love how Vi Keeland throws “curve balls” in her stories. You begin her romances, and the MMC and FMC find their harmony fairly easily. But looks are deceiving, and before you know it, life has handed them lemons. How they turn that into the best of lemonade is Keeland’s superpower. 

What did I love about this story?

  1. I’m a fiend for MMCs who are tenacious in pursuing the reticent FMC. Christian Knox talks dirty and doesn’t hold back his interest in Bella Keating. It doesn’t matter that she’s his boss (although Keeland handles this plot detail easily). It doesn’t matter that she tells him “no” several times. He simply wants her, and he recognizes she’s exactly what he’s looking for in a relationship. He’s protective, flirty, and swoony.
  2. Bella Keating makes Christian work for her adoration. It doesn’t take much to be honest. He shows up for her over and over again. However, it’s her character development that draws you to her. She’s ambitious, intelligent (this is my favorite part of her character), and integrous. You cannot help but fall for her as Christian does. It’s natural for Christian and Bella to connect, as he is protective of her compassionate soul.
  3. The curveball of Keeland’s plot, I think, is foreshadowed, but still takes you by surprise. This is my favorite part of a Vi Keeland romance. She gifts you a story that you don’t expect. And this one is good. In fact, it was the story development that left me engrossed in The Game. 
  4. The ancillary characters of this romance simply add a bit more dimension to the story. From Miller to Talia to Jake, Christian’s twin, Christian and Bella are surrounded by interesting characters who help guide their journey. Even her evil half-sisters add some necessary tension to the story arc.

I simply loved Vi Keeland’s The Game. From the moment I jumped into Chapter 1, I hated to step away from the story, even to go back to the one I was reading as I started Keeland’s. In fact, I finished this one before returning to the former. The Game is a top January read for me.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 5 ⭐️ Review: Melanie Harlow’s Tempt, a Cloverleigh Farms romance ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“You’re my north, south, east, and west, Millie Rose. You ground me, you guide me, you inspire me..”

With Cloverleigh Farms Next Generation, it began with Winnie and Dex, next-door neighbors, grumpy-sunshine single dad romance in Ignite. Then, Melanie Harlow treated us to Ellie and Gianni in Taste, a surprise pregnancy, forced proximity, adversaries-to-lovers style romance. After that, friends to lovers, fake relationship was our catnip in Hutton and Felicity’s Tease. And now, Harlow has treated us to the piece de resistance of the newer books of her wildly successful Cloverleigh Farms crew, Tempt. 

From the beginning of this story, I was bought and sold on Zach and Millie. By my estimation, this is one of a few steamy stories in Harlow’s brigade of small-town heroes and heroines. Zach and Millie are delectable, as they struggle to find their happy ending in the face of an age-gap, Zach’s son as Mille’s ex, and living across the nation from each other. Honestly, through much of it, it seems hopeless for these two, mostly the proximity and the reconciliation of Zach and his son, Mason. But, have no doubt, Melanie Harlow juggles these issues well, while offering up a huge helping of spice. By the end of this book, my heart was so full of the journey that Zach and Millie took to find their happy ending. Tempt is my favorite Melanie Harlow story this year, and it is my favorite of the newest of her series. 

What did Harlow do well with Tempt?

For one, she juggled the difficulty of Zach’s reconciliation with his son, Mason, Millie’s ex. She crafted Mason and Millie in such a way that you don’t have any need for their reconciliation. Instead, she creates a barrier between Zach and Mason from the beginning that makes it difficult for the reader to believe Millie and Zach will find their happily ever after. It’s this plot tactic that keeps her readers engaged. Thankfully, at just the right moment, Harlow makes her story “right” between these two men, creating a way for her main characters to come together. 

Secondly, Harlow utilizes spice to bridge the gap between Zach and Millie’s ages and their proximity to each other. It reminded me a bit of one of my favorite movies, Same Time Next Year, as they meet up to reconnect and grow their relationship. Again, it’s secretive, so it lends a bit of suspense to Harlow’s story, captivating her readers.

Thirdly, Zach’s journey is complex. Millie is much like her sisters, amenable to most people. You can’t help but adore the McAllister sisters. Their relationship as sisters also adds a layer of adoration to their characterizations. But Zach is the grit and darkness of Tempt. He’s made choices that act as roadblocks to any potential relationship with Millie. This too adds to the drama of Harlow’s book, creating the angst that draws her readers through the story. When he finally has his epiphany about how he wants to live his life, that’s where the magic of Melanie Harlow’s writing shines. The last couple of chapters of the book along with her bonus epilogue reminds me of the moment when you eat a tart candy that makes your mouth ache. The same happens to her readers as they finish Tempt because they smile so big at the beauty of Zach and Millie’s ending.

In a nutshell, it was a pleasure to read Melanie Harlow’s Tempt. Once I started to read it, I couldn’t put it down, wanting to know that Millie would finally find a man who loves everything about her. Tempt is the read you want for your quiet days during this Thanksgiving holiday.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4 ⭐️ Review: Tia Louise’s For Your Eyes Only ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: ⭐️

Tropes: workplace romance; forbidden romance; virgin FMC/heroine; troubled billionaire hero

One of my favorite things an author can do is take a complicated character, one who acts in villainous ways, and turn them into heroes. I’m not talking about an anti-hero, although it’s possible to call Tia Louise’s Trip one. In For Your Eyes Only, Louise has moved him from a self-serving man to one who falls deeply for his FMC, Gia, and acts selflessly to protect her. Gia and Trip in this story are chapter after chapter of pure spice. In fact, that tends to be Tia Louise’s calling card in the world of romance. Yes, she gifts us complicated renderings of her heroes and heroines, but really her wheelhouse is bedroom steam…or wall steam…or counter steam. This also tends to be the catnip of many a romance reader.

Reasons to love Tia Louise’s For Your Eyes Only:

  • Spice — like 4 chili peppers of spice
  • Virgin FMC who doesn’t stay a virgin for long. 
  • Undeniable chemistry from the moment they meet
  • A twisty/turny story where her hero, Trip, sacrifices his happiness for the protection of his love
  • An epilogue and bonus epilogue that make your heart grow 
  • An underworld that adds darkness to the overall story without overpowering the beauty of Gia and Trip’s love. It also keeps you seated at the edge of your seat.
  • Gia takes control of her life and makes choices for herself, moving her from innocent to decided and strong

Tia Louise’s For Your Eyes Only is everything you expect of her as a writer and more. If you love a bit of dark romance with a huge helping of steam, grab this one quick.

In love and romance,

Professor A

Uncategorized

✍🏻 Professor Romance’s 4.5 ⭐️ Review: Meghan Quinn’s Runaway Groomsman ✍🏻

professorromance

Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️

Tropes: spurned MMC; small-town romance; forced proximity; friends to lovers; slow burn; soulmates

I have a cavity. Meghan Quinn’s newest story, Runaway Groomsman, is the sugar that gave it to me. You’ll feel various emotions as you read this book: humor, sadness, joy, and love. The Runaway Groomsman is a textbook in romantic edging; Meghan Quinn keeps you suspended in the friendship and eventual love of Sawyer and Fallon, and you’ll thank her for making you wait. 

Why should you read this book?

  1. There is something meta about Runaway Groomsman. I mean, Sawyer is a screenwriter who needs to write a romance movie under his contract with a movie studio. As he and Fallon’s feelings develop for each other, he’s writing the things that you’re reading about him and Fallon and Sully and Joanne (Fallon’s grandparents). It feels very Inception-esque if that had a place in the world of romance. I love when writers remind us of the perils and twists of writing, and Quinn does this well in this book. 
  2. I love Sawyer’s growth in this book. He moves from being a somewhat shallow spurned man to a man who finds his purpose. He doesn’t just learn this through falling in love with Fallon. His growth comes from living in a small town such as Canoodle and through a bit of mentorship by Sully, Fallon’s grandfather. He learns what matters, and it takes him from the wreckage of his former relationship to a relationship with Fallon that feels abundant and life-giving instead of life-taking. You cannot help but come to adore Sawyer in this story. He grows wise the longer he stays in Canoodle. 
  3. Fallon is an indomitable force in Runaway Groomsman. Her story arc involves her finding someone who accepts her choices and “sees” her. If you’re sensitive to FMCs starting with a boyfriend and then ending with the MMC, then you might have issues with her. However, Sawyer and Fallon maintain boundaries and hide their attraction while she’s with her former boyfriend. Quinn actually crafts these moments in ways that have you pining for them together. It never feels untoward while Peter is in Sawyer’s life. Yet, it acts as a wrecking ball of attraction when Fallon realizes Peter’s ineptitude at accepting her choices. I thought Quinn handled their situation and Sawyer and Fallon’s subsequent fall into feelings well. This is where she “edges” her readers the most. I’m certain several of Quinn’s readers will throw their books or e-readers in anticipation of Fallon and Sawyer’s physical coupling. 
  4. If you’re a fan of small-town romance like me, this will be your favorite part of Runaway Groomsman. Canoodle is quirky and fun and the people of this town are genuine: exactly what Sawyer needs to heal and find himself. You will laugh at the names of businesses, the diner infested by Trolls, the people, and the mayor of this little town. As a California girl, I love that Meghan Quinn has situated this fictional town inspired by Idyllwild in my home state. Everything you adore about small towns is found in Runaway Groomsman.

A warning: if you’re not a fan of sweet, then Meghan Quinn’s newest romance might not be your dessert. Honestly, it isn’t overpoweringly sweet. Instead, it’s really a story about never giving up on love, whether it’s the love of a grandparent, your romantic lead, or a town. The layers of this story will win you over and leave you with the biggest smile on your face. And maybe a cavity or two…

In love and romance,

Professor A