Leigh Kramer

Midnight At The Wandering Vineyard by Jamie Raintree {review}

Genre: Women's Fiction

 

My Review - 4 Stars

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I love books that explore friendship. The good, the bad, and the ugly—I’ll read it all. I was highly intrigued when I saw this one took the angle of making our main character the one who did her friend wrong. Mallory left her small hometown for NYC ten years ago and she hasn’t been back since but when she comes back to celebrate a milestone at her family’s vineyard, she has the chance to make things right.

I was here for this. Mallory and Kelly were best friends ever since Mallory stood up for Kelly in kindergarten and I wanted to know what could have driven them apart and just how Mallory would atone for her actions. And right away, I knew this wasn’t going to go the expected route as Mallory completely bungled the "come back into town and apologize to the estranged best friend" thing. I wanted to smack my forehead and give her a stern talking to but I could see her heart was in the right place, even if she expected things to magically be all better without doing the work.

But eventually Mallory and Kelly take tentative steps forward, going so far as to resurrect their Summer Bucket List from the summer it all came undone for them. It made me wonder what my friends and I would have put on a Summer Bucket List when we were 18. And what we would have thought of those things 10 years later. As you might imagine, some of the items works better for the women than others.

While Mallory is making amends with Kelly, she’s also becoming reacquainted with the person she used to be and making sense of what she wants out of her life. What expectations she’s taken on that she doesn’t need to carry and what it means to be happy. We can see where things got derailed for her and it was heartbreaking to watch her shuffle through the past ten years and realize she’s not where she wants to be. And at the same time, I could so clearly see a path forward for her and I just wanted her to stop naval gazing and take it already. Too bad it’s so much easier to see this for other people.

Mallory has to take stock of what she did ten years ago. She has a second chance with Kelly and with Sam, the man she fell for back then. But does she want a second chance? Is she worthy of a second chance? That’s what she has to figure out. I did feel like this dragged out a bit, especially in finding out just exactly what her fight with Kelly was all about. If my estranged best friend wanted back into my life, you’d best believe we’d be hashing it all out right then and there if I gave them another shot. But perhaps Kelly is more evolved than me. It’s entirely possible.

What I liked about this story was the discrepancy between Mallory then and now and how she still had people who loved her fully and believed in her. She has such wonderful parents and great friends in Kelly and Tyler. And this helps her believe in herself again. I didn’t always understand why she did or said the things she did or why everyone saw her as such a unicorn. But I really liked the journey she went on, even if the ending was a little overly neat and predictable.

There were plenty of moving moments in this story, especially given what Kelly goes through with her mother. At the end of the day, Kelly and Mallory have to decide what really matters and whether their friendship is worth saving and that’s something worth reading about.

CW: depression, disability (unsure about representation), death of a parent, grief

 

Synopsis

The follow-up to Raintree's sparkling debut Perfectly Undone, MIDNIGHT AT THE WANDERING VINEYARD brilliantly meshes the provocative relationship fiction of Jennifer Weiner with the nuanced family dynamics of Karen White in this story of a young woman who reconnects with her estranged best friend to complete their teenage bucket list, but the man who came between them years ago reappears to challenge their bond once again.

A young woman at a crossroads in her life returns home to her family's vineyard in California when tragedy strikes and reconnects with her estranged childhood best friend. They decide to complete the bucket list they created the summer they were 18, the summer that saw their friendship torn apart. But when the man who came between them all those years ago reappears, it challenges their fragile new bond and pushes each woman to confront past hurts and buried truths.

 

Buy The Book:

Amazon (affiliate link) | Barnes & Noble

 

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Harlequin Publicity Team in exchange for an honest review.

American Fairytale (Dreamers #2) by Adriana Herrera {review}

Genre: Contemporary Romance, MM Romance

 

My Review - 5 Stars

I’ve been anticipating this book ever since the series was announced because of the social worker hero. Herrera just graduated with her MSW and has worked in the field of intimate partner violence for a while before that. Fiction so often gets social work wrong and I was hopeful this one would get it right. And boy were my hopes exceeded!

American Fairytale is a romance between a billionaire and a social worker that really wrestles with the financial disparity between them. With that disparity comes potentially complicated power dynamics when billionaire Tom makes a sizable donation to the organization Camilo works at. But there’s more to Tom than meets the eye and because of that, he does as good a job as he can at interrogating his privilege and minimizing the risks for Milo. Would that all billionaires behaved this way…

One of the reasons Tom and Milo work so well together is because of the way they see each other and are able to be fully themselves. Tom is white-passing Dominican-American (his white American father moved to the DR where he met and married his Dominican mother; he grew up in the DR and came to the US for college) and feels like he’s always one or the other in business, where appearing white helps get him ahead, and in his personal life. Milo is Cuban Jamaican and I loved hearing the story of how his parents met and especially how his mother Dinorah came to the US from Cuba on her own as a Marielita, a slice of history I’d never heard about before. Milo has a very close relationship with his mom but he also looks out for her because of her depression and anxiety. Tom and Milo both have things in their lives past partners haven’t necessarily understood but they aren’t barriers for one another and this was so nice to see.

This isn’t to say it’s all sunshine and roses for these two. While Tom initially seems perfect, he very much isn’t. He has to learn money doesn’t solve everything. And Milo has to learn how to let other people in and when it’s the right time to accept help. Their central conflict felt so real and I could clearly see where they were both coming from.

I adored Tom and Camilo but especially Camilo because of the way he practiced social work. What I found most fascinating in how Herrera structured the story is how client-centered and strengths-based it is in what she reveals about his work. While Tom and Milo both have loved ones affected by partner violence, his clients are never trotted out with their stories or put on display. Instead we see them at a dance class or in their apartment going hard after that fresh start. It was beyond refreshing to read a story to took clients’ agency to this degree.

As with the first book in the series, the side characters are a delight. Tom has such a wonderful group of friends and it was great seeing him as a single father, sharing responsibilities with his ex. I loved the glimpses we see of Nesto and Jude, as well as Juan Pablo and Patrice. It was interesting that Camilo’s friends are less central now, with both Nesto and Patrice in Ithaca. And yet they’re still clearly a priority for one another. It was an unexpected look at how friendships can change but continue to grow no matter where life takes us.

Herrera is clearly an author to watch and I cannot wait to read the next book in this series.

CW: domestic violence, references to microaggressions and racism

 

Synopsis

Fairy-tale endings don’t just happen; they have to be fought for.

New York City social worker Camilo Santiago Briggs grew up surrounded by survivors who taught him to never rely on anything you didn’t earn yourself. He’s always dreamed of his own happily-ever-after, but he lives in the real world. Men who seem too good to be true…usually are. And Milo never ever mixes business with pleasure…until the mysterious man he had an unforgettable hookup with turns out to be the wealthy donor behind his agency’s new, next-level funding.

Thomas Hughes built a billion-dollar business from nothing: he knows what he wants and isn’t shy about going after it. When the enthralling stranger who blew his mind at a black-tie gala reappears, Tom’s more than ready to be his Prince Charming. Showering Milo with the very best of everything is how Tom shows his affection.

Trouble is, Milo’s not interested in any of it. The only thing Milo wants is Tom.

Fairy-tale endings take work as well as love. For Milo, that means learning to let someone take care of him, for a change. And for Tom, it’s figuring out that real love is the one thing you can’t buy.

 

Buy The Book:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.

Just Past Two by Elia Winters {review}

Genre: Erotic Romance

 

My Review - 5 Stars

In general, I’m not interested in romances about married couples. I’m single and one reason why I read romance is to see how it works out for other people. But none of my romance reading preferences are hard-set and when an author I love has a book with my least favorite trope or I’m intrigued by a premise that’s the opposite of my usual tastes, I’ll give it a shot. In this case, Elia Winters made a believer out of me. This was amazing!

They say you never stop learning about your partner, no matter how long you’ve been together. That is especially true for Abby and Sam who have been together for 10 years and married for 7 of those. After attending Abby’s college reunion, Sam hears stories about Abby’s wilder side and after a chance experience with voyeurism, the two decide to spice up their relationship and I was here for it. 

This book is deliciously steamy and it does a great job of exploring kink and polyamorous relationships. But what I really loved was the way it delved into Abby and Sam’s sense of identity as individuals and as couples. They each had an idea of who the other person was, particularly Abby’s belief that Sam was predictable and dependable and would think less of her for her past exploits. Abby has to work through her shame about her past and figure out whether some parts of her adventurous side are worth resurrecting. Sam, on the other hand, has to work through and accept that what he thought was off limits and wrong is actually just right for him and for their marriage. As they try out their fantasies, they have to keep checking in with themselves and each other. Their reactions and fears and interests felt so organic. Their ability to be honest with each other through each evolution of their relationship was wonderful to see and a great roadmap for any relationship.

Elia Winters is quickly becoming one of my favorite erotic romance authors and this book is a perfect example of why. I can’t wait to see what she does next in this series!

 

Synopsis

Abby Burke put her wild days behind her, determined to be the adult she thought she needed to be. It was just a phase, right? But when her college reunion reveals her...adventurous...past to her straitlaced gentleman of a husband, Abby is terrified he’ll reject her. 

Except Sam is more than intrigued by what has his normally bold wife flushing with embarrassment…and desire. So when he and Abby stumble onto an especially hot scene that takes them over the edge, he proposes a challenge: confess their deepest fantasies and fulfill them together.

As their playful explorations escalate, their forays into exhibitionism and kink shift the way they see each other and their relationship—for the better. But when Sam finds himself longing to see her pleasured by other men, and Abby’s all in, they wonder if this will make their marriage stronger or end up tearing them apart.

 

Buy The Book:

Amazon (affiliate link) | Barnes & Noble

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Shadows You Left by Jude Sierra and Taylor Brooke {review}

 

Genre: Contemporary Romance, MM Romance

 

 

My Blurb

"Taylor Brooke and Jude Sierra are a dream team. Gorgeous prose, richly developed characters, and a captivating plot had me glued to the pages. No matter what Erik and River have to work through, hope and healing is at the center of this story and I could not have loved it more."

 

Y'all, I'm still geeking out over Jude and Taylor asking me to blurb their book. While some of my reviews have been used as blurbs, this is the first time I've been asked to read a manuscript for the purpose of blurbing it. I feel like a real author! But in all seriousness, I've become a massive fan of both Jude and Taylor's work in the past year or so. They are both tremendous authors in their own right and I was so excited when I heard they were teaming up to write a story. That this is the final product is beyond my hopes and expectations. If you read contemporary romance, you simply must read it.

I didn't write a formal review but you should know I gave this 5 stars. There's a demiromantic cage fighter and a bisexual tattoo artist. (Gah, my heart.) It explores grief, loss, codependency, and addiction in some really nuanced ways. I adored River and Erik and their found family from start to finish. I hope this author duo teams up again soon!

CW: addiction, codependency, casual drug use, alcoholism, violence (cage fighting), grief, reference to death of a loved one, anxiety, panic attacks, reference to death by overdose

 

Synopsis

ERIK

The white picket fence.
The happily-ever-after.
That life was never meant for him.
For years he’s been bouncing from city to city—from one cage fight to another.
That’s his outlet. That’s pain Erik can control.
But in Seattle, everything changed.
River’s an artist.
He’s a pretty boy.
He does yoga.
Someone so soft shouldn’t be intrigued by Erik’s rough edges.

RIVER

His life was quiet. He had a simple routine.
Designing tattoos, avoiding drama. Well, mostly.
Then Erik comes along—scarred and dangerous, shrouded in mystery.
A mystery River can’t resist trying to solve.
Maybe a secret as dark as his own.
Neither of them expected a relationship so complicated, so intense.
Neither of them expected…each other.
Erik and River are both trying to escape a shadowed past.
But the thing about shadows is: the faster you run, the faster they chase you.

 

Buy The Book:

Amazon (affiliate link) | Barnes & Noble

 

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from the authors.

Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors by Sonali Dev {review}

Genre: Women's Fiction

 

My Review: 2.5/3 Stars (or: it's complicated)

I’ve enjoyed Sonali Dev’s romance novels so I was curious what I would think of her women’s fiction, particularly one that is Pride And Prejudice-inspired. And I have to say, my feelings are complicated.

As a P&P-inspired gender bent story, it’s inventive and a great update. Julia Wickham’s character in particular was a great/treacherous take. This is not a straight retelling and this frees Dev up to make some interesting choices with the characters.

The food descriptions are one of the best parts of this story. DJ’s passion for his work as a chef was just as fascinating as Trisha’s response to his creations. I also really liked learning about the technology Trisha developed in order to do cutting edge surgeries on tumors. I have no idea if it's based on existing technology but I hope so!

However, the medical plot didn’t work for me and that means a good portion of this book didn’t work, as Trisha is a surgeon and DJ is her patient Emma’s brother. There are major HIPAA violations throughout where Trisha readily discloses Emma’s medical history, options, and prognosis to her family. She even laughs off HIPAA, basically saying her family is exempt, which just no. They’re not. Then there’s the matter of Trisha, a health care provider, dating her patient's brother. Now there is some gray area here as Trisha’s cousin connected DJ to her for the sake of giving Emma more medical options. Technically they first met at Yash’s fundraiser as DJ catered the event. Although Emma was already her patient, DJ was never at the hospital when Trisha did her rounds. So I can see where the lines are blurred but they never address the possible ramifications of how a relationship could impact Emma’s care and I’m still pretty sure it would violate Trisha’s employer’s policies, if not her medical license.

Look. I don’t know how many times I need to say this regarding health care provider-patient/patient family member relationships but they’re wrong. If you are providing direct care to someone, then there’s a good reason to not become romantically or sexually involved with them or their family members. It’s an ethical violation for good reason and it boils down to relationship imbalance. If your health care provider ever tries this with you, please run in the opposite direction because they do not have you or your well-being in mind. I really need authors to stop with this pairing, unless it’s to paint it in a negative light or to show someone grappling with it. I will read those books but I cannot handle romanticizing an ethical violation.

The other thing that super bothered me about the medical plot was the lack of social work involvement. (Of course it did. I used to be a medical social worker.) Emma’s situation is the perfect reason to involve the hospital social worker. I would have been all over helping her process her treatment options and what the loss of her vision would mean for her life and career. This was a gross mishandling of her care and it’s no wonder she didn’t respond well to Trisha or her brother. Additionally, the story was filled with ableism, some of which is countered but most is not. I was irritated Trisha and DJ wouldn’t respect Emma’s wishes to not get the surgery if it meant losing her eyesight—again pointing to why social work involvement would have helped. Patient-centered care is paramount and I didn’t see it here.

The Yash-Julia storyline was quite troubling. Without spoiling why, I’ll say it was a poor understanding of #metoo. And frankly, it didn’t seem like the best way to adapt or update P&P.

Lastly, Trisha’s family was quite toxic. I found myself willing Trisha to confront them or to at least stop avoiding the issue but she never did, which was quite puzzling as she’s very confident and assertive professionally. While we can be different people at work vs. home, the difference was jarring. By the time she did stand up to them, I was rooting for her to just cut them out of her life altogether. I wanted better for her. And along those lines, the antagonism between her and DJ lasted far too long for my comfort and I could not buy a happy ending for them.

Like I said, this book was complicated. I’m still turning over the elements from Pride And Prejudice over in my mind but the rest of it was a struggle.

CW (highlight text to see): [cancer, ableism, grief, loss, fatshaming, racism (including a white cop questioning a POC main character), microaggressions, reference to past rape]

 

Synopsis

Award-winning author Sonali Dev launches a new series about the Rajes, an immigrant Indian family descended from royalty, who have built their lives in San Francisco...

It is a truth universally acknowledged that only in an overachieving Indian American family can a genius daughter be considered a black sheep.

Dr. Trisha Raje is San Francisco’s most acclaimed neurosurgeon. But that’s not enough for the Rajes, her influential immigrant family who’s achieved power by making its own non-negotiable rules:

·       Never trust an outsider

·       Never do anything to jeopardize your brother’s political aspirations

·       And never, ever, defy your family

Trisha is guilty of breaking all three rules. But now she has a chance to redeem herself. So long as she doesn’t repeat old mistakes.

Up-and-coming chef DJ Caine has known people like Trisha before, people who judge him by his rough beginnings and place pedigree above character. He needs the lucrative job the Rajes offer, but he values his pride too much to indulge Trisha’s arrogance. And then he discovers that she’s the only surgeon who can save his sister’s life.

As the two clash, their assumptions crumble like the spun sugar on one of DJ’s stunning desserts. But before a future can be savored there’s a past to be reckoned with...

A family trying to build home in a new land.

A man who has never felt at home anywhere.

And a choice to be made between the two.

 

Buy The Book (includes affiliate links):

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from William Morrow Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review.