The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews

  Huge thank you to @netgalley for the free audio-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author and Queen of the Beach Reads delivers her next page-turner for the summer with The Newcomer.

In trouble and on the run...

After she discovers her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain she knows who did it: Tanya’s ex; sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. Even in the grip of grief and panic Letty heeds her late sister’s warnings: “If anything bad happens to me—it’s Evan. Promise me you’ll take Maya and run. Promise me.”

With a trunkful of emotional baggage...

So Letty grabs her sister’s Mercedes and hits the road with her wailing four-year-old niece Maya. Letty is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where? Tanya, a woman with a past shrouded in secrets, left behind a “go-bag” of cash and a big honking diamond ring—but only one clue: a faded magazine story about a sleepy mom-and-pop motel in a Florida beach town with the improbable name of Treasure Island. She sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel.

The No Vacancy sign is flashing & the sharks are circling...

And that’s the good news. Because The Surf, as the regulars call it, is the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and down-right hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Can Letty find romance as well as a room at the inn—or will Joe betray her secrets and put her behind bars? With danger closing in, it’s a race to find the truth and right the wrongs of the past.

Genre? Contemporary, Romance, hint of Mystery

Backlist? Nope. Publishing May 4, 2021.

New to me Author? Yes.

What did I think? 

This was my first introduction to a Mary Kay Andrews book and between the time when I requested this ARC and the time I actually read it, I totally forgot what it was supposed to be about. But that didn't matter to me. I greatly enjoyed this novel. It's got the right mix of suspense, fun characters, seriousness, and fun. Although there is some suspense and waiting impatiently, I would not classify this as a thriller. It's deeper than that. I would call it Contemporary, maybe Romance, with a hint of Mystery. I really enjoyed the characters and I would be very happy if this was actually a series (though it does not end on a cliffhanger, so that's doubtful.)

Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone

 Huge thank you to @netgalley for the free audio-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

In this debut middle-grade girl-power friendship story, an eighth grader starts a podcast to protest the unfair dress code enforcement at her middle school and sparks a rebellion.

Molly Frost is FED UP...

Because Olivia was yelled at for wearing a tank top when she had to keep her sweatshirt wrapped around her waist.

Because Liza got dress coded and Molly didn't, even though they were wearing the exact same outfit.

Because when Jessica was pulled over by the principal and missed a math quiz, her teacher gave her an F.

Because it's impossible to find shorts that are longer than her fingertips.

Because girls' bodies are not a distraction.

Because middle school is hard enough.

And so Molly starts a podcast where girls can tell their stories, and soon her small rebellion swells into a revolution. Because now the girls are standing up for what's right, and they're not backing down.

Genre? Middle Grade

Backlist? Yes. It was published July 7, 2020.

New to me Author? Yes.

What did I think? 

Dress Coded was a cute novel about a girl named Molly who is sick and tired of her middle school's dress code, especially the way it is enforced. Some girls get dress coded, while others can wear the same exact outfit with no issues. One girl was dress coded for being sick. Another was dress coded for her HAIR. Yep.

I really liked that this story told about Molly starting her podcast and really trying to advocate for change. It's a great example of ways that even young people can stand up for what they believe in and possibly even create change. BUT, and maybe this is just me being old fashioned, why are middle schoolers wearing crop tops to begin with? Yes, the shoulders issue and the collarbone issue, I can see. But please don't petition for me to be allowed to see your belly. You're right about the shorts - nowhere makes them long enough. I had that struggle too. And thank you for pointing out that boys do NOT get distracted by SHOULDERS. They just aren't that sexy. Sorry.

I do think the added storyline about the vaping was unnecessary. It really seemed like it was just pushing the anti-vaping agenda (not saying that's wrong or right) and not helping the story along at all. The story could have been just as good without that tidbit.

Bad Luck Club by Denise Grover Swank and A.R. Casella

 Huge thank you to the authors for the free ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

The fourth book in the USA Today bestselling Asheville Brewing series.

A grumpy man. A recovering people-pleaser. And the secret club that brings them together.

Lee Buchanan is a hot mess.

Turning one’s father in to the feds can do that to a man.

He had nothing to do with his father’s Ponzi scheme, but he’s blacklisted from commercial real estate all the same. Which is how he ends up in Asheville, working at the brewery he inherited with his siblings. He’s salty as hell, and he doesn’t care who knows it.

Until the gorgeous, intriguing Blue Combs issues the most peculiar invitation he’s ever received: Come to the Bad Luck Club. We can help you.

It sounds like a cult or, worse, a group of Mary Sues, but Blue is different from any woman he’s ever met. For better or worse, he’s drawn to her.

Just like she’s drawn to him, even if she has no intention of going all in with another man. She’s been there, done that, twice, and the life she’s built for herself is too important to risk.

What starts as one person’s desire to help another turns into a connection too powerful to be denied—but can two broken people grow together, or will they tear each other apart?

Genre? Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Backlist? No. This book is being published April 5, 2021.

New to me Author? Not at all.

What did I think? 

You would think that these women would eventually run out of plot lines but you would be extremely wrong.

Somehow they just get better and better with each installment of the Asheville Brewery series.

In Bad Luck Club, we finally get to follow sweet, unique, Blue and get a little more background about why she is who she is. We also get to see Lee as he tries to bounce back from what happened in the last book.

Seriously, I could not have asked for a better story to come out of this. These two authors are extremely talented and you can tell they put their whole hearts and souls into each project. I can't wait to get ahold of their new series this summer!

In the meantime, you should definitely catch up on the Asheville Brewery series and grab Bad Luck Club when it comes out later this week! 

Yes & I Love You by Roni Lore

Huge thank you to @netgalley for the free audio-ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Amazon

Synopsis from Goodreads: 

Everyone knows Miz Poppy, the vibrant reviewer whose commentary brightens the New Orleans nightlife. But no one knows Hollyn, the real face behind the media star...or the fear that keeps her isolated. When her boss tells her she needs to add video to her blog or lose her job, she's forced to rely on an unexpected source to help her face her fears.

When aspiring actor Jasper Deares finds out the shy woman who orders coffee every day is actually Miz Poppy, he realizes he has a golden opportunity to get the media attention his acting career needs. All he has to do is help Hollyn come out of her shell…and through their growing connection, finally find her voice.

A beautifully emotional new contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestseller Roni Loren

Genre? Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Backlist? No. Published March 2, 2021.

New to me Author? Yes.

What did I think? 

I didn't know what to expect when I opened up this audiobook, but it definitely wasn't this. Hollyn is a woman who has been working on an online review blog called Miz Poppy. She hides behind this character she's created because she does not have confidence in her every day life. Hollyn suffers from Tourette's syndrome and anxiety triggers some of her ticks. One day, she's told that she needs to show herself on video, Hollyn doesn't know what to do. In walks handsome Jasper, the new coffee barista who has dreams of being an improv actor. The two of them create an unexpected friendship that challenges each one in their own way. 

Obviously, I'm not a newbie to romance books, so I was fairly sure I knew how this would end. However, that did not stop me from enjoying the journey. I loved seeing all of the growth Hollyn went through as she navigated finding herself, while also having challenges that I can't imagine. Very cute book, I would recommend.