Happy Pub Day 1/18/21

Happy Pub Day to 4 books! 

Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson 

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Must Love Books is the story of Nora, a disgruntled editorial assistant who is hit with the bad news that her salary is being cut. Desperate to make ends meet and find a way out of her situation, she takes a second job at a rival publishing company. When met with the dilemma of choosing sides when it comes to author Andrew Santos, Nora finds herself with some difficult decisions to make.

The cover and description of Must Love Books drew me in, but wow, this book is a lot different than what I expected. Nora's character is written in a brutally honest manner and confronts a lot of difficult topics, including mental health issues and letting go of the concept of a dream job. The romance aspect between Nora and Andrew is interesting to read, and really portrayed from the perspective of a struggling person. As much as I liked the writing style, I sometimes had issues with staying engaged with the plot. Again, I think I just expected something different. Must Love Books is an honest and relevant book; I would recommend it for those interested in the summary, but be prepared for some heavier topics.

Thanks to Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

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How to Love Your Neighbor is a rivals to lovers story involving interior designer Grace and developer Noah. Grace is excited to have the opportunity to work on and live in a small fixer upper on the beach. However, her neighbor, Noah, wants the house to himself so he can complete and sell his own flip. As the competition heats up, so do the feelings between these two. 

Home renovation TV show addict over here, which is why I was immediately drawn to the plot of How to Love Your Neighbor. This book is easy to get into and is packed with a lot of great themes: humor, rivalry, romance, and family drama. I liked the relationship between Grace and Noah from the start and had no trouble following along with them through the end of the book. And seriously, who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers story? Throw in a heavy dose of drama from Grace's less than stellar upbringing and you have one good book. How to Love Your Neighbor is an entertaining romance novel that I would recommend for the HGTV enthusiast reader.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

What Might Have Been by Holly Miller

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What Might Have Been is the story of Lucy, who quits her job and is contemplating her next step. She is presented with two opportunities: to stay in her current town with new love interest Caleb, or to move to London with her rekindled romantic interest Max. Both storylines are presented in alternating POVs, to stay or to go.

What Might Have Been is an interesting take on a love triangle, with both of Lucy's potential love interests and life choices shown in alternating chapters. Neither relationship is simple or straightforward, and Lucy is continuously confronted with a lot of difficult decisions. It is easy to get engaged in the book; the story moves quickly and there is a lot going on. At the end of the book, the reader will likely be left thinking of which option they would have chosen......though one is definitely more clear than the other in my opinion. What Might Have Been is a good pick to start the year.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.

Perfect Fifths by Megan McCafferty (Audiobook)

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Perfect Fifths is the fifth and final book in the Jessica Darling series and follows early twenties Jessica Darling. As Jessica attempts to catch a flight to her friend's Caribbean wedding, she has a second chance run  in with Marcus (as awkward and funny as only Jessica can). Perfect Fifths chronicles their time together after Jessica misses her flight and is the reader's first chance to read/listen to the story from Marcus's perspective.

I really looked forward to listening to Perfect Fifths and having the chance to find out how the Jessica Darling series ended. After Fourth Comings, I wasn't quote sure what to expect. Two constants throughout the series: I love Jessica's snark/brutal honesty and I find the audiobook narrator to be a great fit for the books. I liked that the book gave a glimpse into the mind of Marcus; I recall watching a Megan McCafferty interview after the release of Sloppy Firsts and I agree that having his perspective in only the fifth book was a good choice for the series. The book spans a pretty short period of time and there was definitely no shortage of interesting moments. Some side stories were a bit odd in my opinion, but I have to say I stayed interested because I just HAD to know how the series would end. Perfect Fifths wraps up Jessica's story well, and I think fans of the series will appreciate the final installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC; this is my honest and voluntary review.