family

Stops Along the Way

by Anna Sortino

coming May 19, 2026

(3.5 / 5)

I want to thank Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I liked this book for the most part – it was quick to read and pulled me out of an impending reading slump. I’m always up for a fun road trip, which was a big part of the story. There was a lot of disability representation since Iris, the narrator, had hearing loss and her sister, Amelia had vision loss. I liked that both of their disabilities were normalized while still showing some of the challenges they experienced. There’s also a pretty big gaming theme, which I thought was fun. The romance that developed was cute at first, but then things just felt confusing and changed quickly. I ended up losing interest in that part of the story by the end, especially since the pace changed and there was a jump in time. In the end, I think I would have liked to see a bit more character development with a less rushed ending, but the book did keep my interest pretty well along the way.

First and Forever

by Lynn Painter

coming May 12, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

First and Forever is a sports romance between a football player and a fan of the team. I thought the book was a cute story that I enjoyed. It was a quick read, and I felt like I was flying through the pages. It’s no surprise that football was a big theme, but it didn’t really matter that I went into it with minimal knowledge about the game. The main characters, Duffy and Connor, were likable, and I especially liked their flirty banter. The plot basically went in the direction I was expecting it to, so nothing really surprised me about it. That said, the book was a nice little escape and kept my interest well. The spice level was pretty low since it was closed door. Possible content warnings include sick family members and the previous loss of a parent.

March 27, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Women's Fiction 0

Second Chance Duet

by Ana Holguin

Narrated by Jacqueline Sol

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Forever, and NetGalley for providing a free review audiobook of Second Chance Duet! All opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed this one! I thought both Celia and Oliver were relatable characters in their own ways. They were both very driven, leading to a rivalry between them when they were in college. The book has a dual timeline, so we are able to follow their story in the present as well as get perspective about their history and rivalry from the past. The present timeline was definitely my favorite, and I loved seeing the walls between Celia and Oliver come down as they finally got to know each other better. Even though there was a lot of friction between them at times, I liked that it didn’t feel mean or unjustified. Oliver had issues communicating so often came across in ways he probably didn’t intend to… I couldn’t really blame Celia for feeling the way she did about him. It was nice to see how much Oliver improved over time. He was actually quite sweet once Celia got to know the real him. A lot of Celia’s story is about her struggle trying to break into a tough industry composing music. I liked learning about Celia’s Latina heritage (with some basic Spanish mixed in here and there) plus her strong bond with her family. I absolutely loved the romance that developed and was glad that it didn’t feel rushed. The theme with the characters composing music for a TV show was fun too!

I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook copy of this book. While the narrator wasn’t quite as expressive as some narrators I’ve listened to, I still think she did a good job. The various characters had different voices, and she really captured Oliver’s quiet nature. A couple times the audio quality seemed reduced, but most of it sounded fine.

March 13, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fiction Romance 0

Rolls and Rivalry

Gaming and Romance #3

by Kristy Boyce

coming May 5, 2026

(4 / 5)

I received a free review copy of this book from Random House Children’s Books and Delacorte Romance through NetGalley; all opinions are completely my own.

Rolls and Rivalry is the third book in the Gaming and Romance series by Kristy Boyce, but all of the books can be read as standalone. There’s no character overlap beyond a couple cameos, which were fun since I had read the previous books.

At first I wasn’t sure if I’d like this book as much as the first two books in the series because I really wasn’t loving the rivalry that was going on. Some of the pranks seemed a bit mean. But as I got to know the characters better and the walls between them starting coming down, I liked the book a lot more. It turned out to be pretty cute actually, and I felt like the characters learned a lot about themselves and each other over the course of the story. A big theme in the story was Dungeons & Dragons. Since the characters in the book were new to the game I was able to follow it fine even though I’ve never personally played before. I liked how D&D was able to bring the characters together in multiple ways. Another big theme in the book is marching band, which was described really well and felt interesting. The book itself was very readable and I found it hard to put down, reading almost the whole thing in a single day. I’m glad I ended up reading this whole series and would love to read more by the author in the future!

March 2, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Deathly Fates

by Tesla Tsai

coming April 14, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions about the book are completely my own.

When I first started reading this book, I have to admit I was a bit unsure about it. I wasn’t feeling very connected to the characters and also didn’t feel like there was much world building at first. I’m really glad I stuck with it though. It’s funny, because it was one of those books that just sneaks up on you, and suddenly I realized just how invested I’d become and how attached to the characters I was.

The story was heavily rooted in Chinese folklore, introducing me to things that I wasn’t at all familiar with before. Since it revolved a lot around death, it did have a lot of sad undertones, but I also found it left me with feelings of hope. There were recurring themes about seeking justice and things not always being what they appeared to be on the surface. It had some really insightful messages. Our main characters had their flaws but really did learn and grow. I liked the dynamic between Ren and Siying and thought it was very sweet. The romance wasn’t front and center but enjoyable to watch amidst the adventure and thrills of the story. The book had some plot reveals that really ended up surprising me along the way too! In the end I really enjoyed this debut book and look forward to seeing more from the author.

February 23, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

In Time With You

by Kristin Dwyer

coming March 3, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s one of those books that breaks you and then puts you back together again. It starts out quite sad, as our FMC Nieve is attending a funeral for her boyfriend that just died. Her emotions through this were so raw and authentic, making her feel real. Then imagine being able to relive a year of your life after something terrible has happened… what would you do differently? This book was so thought-provoking as it explored this idea. The ripple effect that happened in this time loop was different and unexpected. The portrayal of this disorienting and terrifying situation through Nieve’s perspective was done really well. It was interesting to see how Nieve’s perceptions about things changed during the 2nd timeline, especially when it came to Carter (the boyfriend that dies) and Max (his best friend). I kept thinking about how it was a great example of how “hindsight is 20/20”. I also appreciated how many different types of relationships were explored and how they evolved through this fluid reality situation. The progression of Nieve’s changing feelings for Max felt natural and not rushed. Some of the quiet moments between them were incredibly intimate, and I couldn’t help but hope for a happy ending for them. I had a really hard time putting this book down and couldn’t stop thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. It’s my first book by the author but it won’t be my last!

January 31, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Heat of the Moment

by Camilla Isley

coming February 16, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Heat of the Moment! All opinions are completely my own.

The Heat of the Moment was a romance that was quick to read, kept my interest well, and was enjoyable to read. It’s the 2nd book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I liked this one even more than the first book! Both of the main characters, Lily and Josh, were likable, and I had a lot of respect for both of their professions as a nurse and firefighter. Lily’s daughter was also a fun character. The California setting was a nice escape, and I especially enjoyed the nature scenes. The plot didn’t really have any big surprises, but honestly it wasn’t something I went into the book expecting. It definitely had a sad undertone to it since Lily is a widow still grieving her late husband. Needless to say, it made the romance understandably complicated, but I thought it was handled well with a natural progression. There were some very intense scenes of emergency situations, so this was one of those books that really pulls at your emotions!

January 26, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Roommate Arrangement

by Samantha Markum

coming January 27, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books, RBmedia, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Roommate Arrangement! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

In The Roommate Arrangement, we follow Blair who is just starting college. When her best friends tell her that she can’t share an apartment with them with very little notice, she has to take what she can find. Except, it turns out that now one of her roommates will be her brother’s best friend, Jamie, and let’s just say that these siblings do not get along at all.

This was a book that I absolutely devoured and was sad when it was over. The text was so descriptive and immersive. Blair was a very relatable character. While on the surface the book is a young adult romance, it really dives into some tough subjects for teens. Through the book, Blair has to navigate changing friendships, a strained sibling relationship, controlling parents, a chaotic living arrangement, academic struggles, mental health, and a budding relationship that would not be approved of by others. Her journey to self acceptance and standing up for herself was enlightening. I liked the romance, and while it eventually turned sweet, the bickering at the start was quite entertaining. The supporting characters were diverse and I liked how they added depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to experience the audiobook version of this book! The narrator did a great job, and I especially loved how each character had a different voice.

January 22, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

An Academic Affair

by Jodi McAlister

(4 / 5)

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of An Academic Affair! All opinions are completely my own.

An Academic Affair brings us to Australia, where we follow academics Jonah and Sadie. The two have been rivals for years, but a potential job opportunity leaves them considering the ultimate truce.

I enjoyed reading this book and found it very easy to read, making it hard to put down. Our main characters, Jonah and Sadie, both have some complex challenges in their personal lives that they are dealing with in addition to difficulty in finding full-time academic work. I thought both were relatable and I especially liked their dynamic together. While they have been fighting each other for years, I liked that they still seemed to respect each other. It was nice to see how much their ability to communicate and work together improved. While this book is primarily a love story, it also takes a hard look at academic careers and how difficult the industry can be. It was eye opening, and I was pretty shocked at how toxic the workplace was for our characters. Unfortunately I couldn’t really appreciate the numerous literature references throughout the book, but it didn’t really take away from the story for me. I think I would’ve like to see a bit more of the story before it ended, but maybe I just wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. That said, I feel like maybe this book will be the start of the series, since I picked up on some possible connections between side characters that I’d love to see more of.

November 11, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Julia Song Is Undateable

by Susan Lee

coming October 28, 2025

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for providing a free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

Julia Song Is Undateable is a love story that follows Julia and Tae, two Korean Americans who grew up as neighbors. When Julia agrees to let her family set her up on three dates, she asks Tae to be her dating coach.

At first I was a little unsure about this book, but I became more invested the farther I got into the story. The book was very readable and kept my interest well. I liked the glimpse at Korean American culture. The book dives into mental health which was portrayed well and really gave the story meaning. There were plenty of lighthearted moments as well that helped balance the story. Both Julia and Tae were relatable characters and made a cute couple that I was rooting for. I loved watching how much they both grew and evolved over the course of the book.

October 6, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0