The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison

A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip where she knows the grass is greener: Ireland. Specifically, the quaint little village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving—a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee’s life a decade ago.

When Meg arrives, the people in town are so nice, treating her not as a stranger, but a friend. Except for the (extremely hot) bartender giving her the cold shoulder. Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached within an inch of its life, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like… well, her old nose. Her real nose.

Her phone reveals hundreds of pictures of her life in this little town: with an adorable dog she doesn’t know; with the bartender who might be her (ex?) boyfriend; and at a retail job unrelated to acting. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all? In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive and well…but wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.

Kindle Edition, 320 pages

Audiobook, 10 hours, 22 minutes

Expected publication June 3, 2025 

by St. Martin's Press/Macmillian Audio

4.5/5 stars

From the time I requested this on Netgalley until I read it I totally forgot what this book was about. So I headed in blind, which is so much fun.

The book starts on Meg Bryan’s 30th birthday, she is a Hollywood star and out of sorts. On impulse she books a trip to Ireland and left immediately. The story begins when she steps off the plane and begins exploring her way through this acquaint little town.  But something just feels off. Turns out she stepped into a alternate timeline where things that happened in the past 12 years didn’t actually happen.

I really enjoyed this book, it was witty, had some great characters and the storyline worked. The changes in her life begin to mess with her mind, because maybe she just likes this  new life better.

The Other Side of Now is a story of family, friendship, grief, and forgiveness.  It's about second chances and following your heart. I love the Ireland setting, yeah it’s on my bucket list.

The blurb advertises that this is great for fans of a couple well-known authors, but I think Ashley Poston would be a better comparison.

This was a hybrid read for me, the audio and the digital e-book, I highly recommend both formats.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio and Saint Martin’s press for advanced copies of both the digital and audiobook.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an artist herself, knows otherwise and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending their days laughing and telling stories out on a pier. There’s Joar, who never backs down from a fight; quiet and bookish Ted who is mourning his father; Ali, the daughter of a man who never stays in one place for long; and finally, there’s the artist, a boy who hoards sleeping pills and shuns attention, but who possesses an extraordinary gift that might be his ticket to a better life. These four lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be put into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. As she struggles to decide what to do with this bequest, she embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn the story of how the painting came to be. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more she feels compelled to unleash her own artistic spirit, but happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this fresh testament to the transformative power of friendship and art.

Kindle Edition, 448 pages

Published May 6, 2025

 by Atria Books

4/5 stars

Fredrik Backman’s new book released last week, it's a tad different in writing style, but the story has his signature wit, one-liners and heartbreak.

There are alternating perspectives, even changes within a page or scene and Backman makes it work. The common denominator throughout is a painting, as the story alternates between present day and 25 years previous. It revolves around this painting and 4 teenagers, their unique friendship and their life.

A unique story by an auto-read author, it was full of memorable quotes that had me pausing to reflect on them. It took me back to my teen years and those carefree summers by the water.  It was filled with memories that explored many themes and the repercussions years later.   With authentic characters, a slow burn weaving of the past to the present, Fredrik Backman has again pulled at heartstrings.

Released just last week, I recommend both the print and audiobook.

My thanks to Atria Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Bookstore Family by Alice Hoffman

New York Times bestselling author Alice Hoffman takes her sweet bookshop series to Paris with an emotional short story about chasing your dreams—and finding your passion where you least expect it.

Growing up, Violet was so busy helping others realize their dreams, she found little time to pursue her own. But five years ago, she took the chance of a lifetime, leaving the family bookshop on Brinkley’s Island, Maine, to attend culinary school in Paris. Now she’s working her dream job as a pâtissiere in an upscale Parisian restaurant—yet all she can think about is home.

Feeling unmoored, Violet finds herself still searching for something…Connection? Maybe. She hasn’t made any real friends in the city. Inspiration? Possibly. Her desserts are lovely, but they’re definitely lacking something.

After her aunt Isabel urges her to keep on looking, Violet finally gets a taste of what she’s been missing in the café at the Museum of Romantic Life. But just as life begins to come into focus, she’s abruptly called home to Maine. Like her aunt before her, Violet soon learns that family could hold the key to discovering what she truly needs.

Kindle Edition, 43 pages

Published May 13, 2025

 by Amazon Original Stories

4/5 stars

This is the 4th book in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories. I’ve read the previous 3 and have quite enjoyed myself. They come in around 43 pages so a quick read and again I was left feeling that this would make a great full length story. But alas, this installment was still an enjoyable read.

It was great to get caught up with his family again. This installment takes place mostly in Paris as Violet is working for a Patissiere. She seems at odds within herself and feels a little lost. Then she meets someone.

Haven’t gotten to know the two sisters that run the family bookstore this point of view from Violet, the daughter/niece brought the story full circle. It was sad and happy at the same time. A powerful message in a short story

My thanks to Amazon Original Stories for an advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

Paperback, 416 pages

Audiobook, 9 hours, 59 minutes

Published April 1, 2025

 by Piatkus/Forever

5/5 stars

This is Abby Jimenez's new book and I went into it totally blind. I had no idea what it was about, but it’s Abby Jimenez, so I knew that I would love it.

Told from the point of view of Xavier, a veterinarian who just happens to be gorgeous and that of Samantha, a spunky woman who brings her kitty in for a pet visit. What follows is the perfect date and then life gets in the way with Sam moving across the country.

I listened to most of this in audio format on a recent road trip.  The reader did a fantastic job of bringing this story to life, but ultimately it was the author that wove an intricate story about Xavier and Samantha's relationship and the struggles they faced. As someone who has dealt with dementia in an elderly parent, this book was spot on in all the struggles that come with that diagnosis. For Samantha, I could feel what this family was going through.

Say You’ll Remember Me is a story of caregivers, family, loss, past hurts and long distance romance. Along with all those serious subject matter, Abby was able to write a story that played on a pile of emotions, I laughed out loud, my heart broke for this family, I felt anger of past betrayals and I enjoyed the furry friends that rounded this cast out nicely.

The ending was nice and considering this is book one in a series I can’t wait to see what happens next.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge (#27) with the audio through the library via CloudLibrary

Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag". In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one's life through new eyes and the will to change it.

Paperback, 336 pages

Audiobook, 12 hours, 11 minutes

Published February 8, 2018

 by Random House Trade Paperbacks/Audible Studios

4/5 stars

This book has been out for a while, I finally listened to the audio which was read by Julie Whalen (one of my favorites). I found it captivating as well as heartbreaking.

Educated is a story told from the point of view of the author. She talks about her life in the mountains of Idaho being part of a survivalist family. There’s so much going on here with the family as they stockpile for the end of the world.

Tara is 17 years old when she enters the school for the first time. Supposedly being homeschooled, oh let’s just say that her parents have different ideas of what type of education she needs.  Living with the family, especially a father who is suspicious of Government, hospitals, and basically other people. She had a sheltered upbringing.

Educated is a well written memoir that doesn’t mince words when she describes her upbringing, whether the abuse at the hands of her brother, the illogical thinking of her father and so much more. The fact that she made it out alive is a testament to her resilience, determination and at times her ignorance towards the world she was unfamiliar with.

Definitely a book i recommend, especially in audio format, it's like Tara is telling me her story.

My copy of the audio was through Audible - it's actually the only place to get it.

The Winemaker's Wife by Kristin Harmel

Champagne, 1940: Inès has just married Michel, the owner of storied champagne house Maison Chauveau, when the Germans invade. As the danger mounts, Michel turns his back on his marriage to begin hiding munitions for the Résistance. Inès fears they’ll be exposed, but for Céline, the French-Jewish wife of Chauveau’s chef de cave, the risk is even greater—rumors abound of Jews being shipped east to an unspeakable fate.

When Céline recklessly follows her heart in one desperate bid for happiness, and Inès makes a dangerous mistake with a Nazi collaborator, they risk the lives of those they love—and the vineyard that ties them together.

New York, 2019: Recently divorced, Liv Kent is at rock bottom when her feisty, eccentric French grandmother shows up unannounced, insisting on a trip to France. But the older woman has an ulterior motive—and a tragic, decades-old story to share. When past and present finally collide, Liv finds herself on a road to salvation that leads right to the caves of the Maison Chauveau.

Paperback, 432 pages

Audiobook, 11 hours, 32 minutes

Published March 17, 2020 

by Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster Audio

3.5/5 stars

Here is a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf probably since close to publication day. I have to be in the mood for a WW2 story, and apparently I was last week.

The Winemaker‘s Wife is a dual timeperiod story. In 1940 Ines, a recent newlywed is married to the owner of a famous champagne house. She is naïve, insecure, and second guesses herself at all times. In New York, 2019 Liv has just finalized her divorce when her grandmother shows up. She flies her back to her home in France. There is a story there that grandma wants to share, but she struggles.

I’m usually drawn to one storyline over the other, with this book I was intrigued with the present day story and how it connected to the past.  I found Ines's story to be intriguing as the German invade. Revolving around the champagne house I found the little tidbits of the operation interesting as well as the caves and how the different houses work together.

I am not new to Kirsten Harmel, her books usually show a side of the war that I am unfamiliar with, her writing style that is comfortable and holds my interest. 

The Winemaker‘s Wife is a story of resilience, betrayal, heartache, and guilt. The ending is not one I saw coming, which just made the present day story all the more compelling.

I’ll continue to slowly read my way through Harmel's books as I've enjoyed some of her other books.

This book was part of my 2025 reading off my shelf challenge and is booked # 25.

The Breakdown by B.A. Paris

If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust?

Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods. It was on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, and a woman was sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm, and she probably would have been hurt herself if she’d stopped. Not only that, her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing. Where she left the car; if she took her pills; even the alarm code.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

And the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her…

Kindle Edition, 337 pages

Audiobook 9 hours, 25 minutes

Published March 1, 2019

 by St. Martin's Press

3/5 stars

This was my first time reading a book by this author. The Breakdown started with an enticing scene that had me hunkering down as I listened to the audiobook. I also had the Kindle version and alternated while not driving.

Like I said the opening scenes really grabbed my attention.  A dark stormy night, deserted country road until it wasn't, the guilt Cass feels for not stopping...I was feeling the vibes.  But then it lost a little momentum. It got bogged down with repetitiveness as Cass feels like she is losing her mind. Since her mother passed away after having dementia diagnosed while young, Cass feels she has inherited this trait. Cass also feels guilt for not helping the woman stranded on the side of the road though that is her little secret that keeps eating away at her thoughts, thus creating tension within.

It wasn’t until the last quarter that things really picked up, it became an addicting read that I had to finish before retiring for the night.

The Breakdown is a story of inner demons, tragedy and mystery. Is Cassie really losing her mind or is something else to play?

Like I said I listened to the audio for most of this book and I’m glad I went that route, I think if I read I might have given up at the halfway point.

The audiobook was obtained through CloudLibrary with the Kindle via the publisher, St. Martin Press

The Mirror by Nora Roberts

When Sonya MacTavish inherits the huge Victorian mansion on the coast of Maine, she has no idea that the house is haunted. The footsteps she hears at night, the doors slamming, the music playing, are not figments of her imagination. In her dreams she sees glimpses of the past. In the present she finds portraits of brides. And when she has visions of an antique mirror, she is drawn to it, sensing it holds dark family secrets.

Then one night the mirror appears and Sonya glides through this looking glass, into the past—and sees a bride murdered on her wedding day, the circle of gold torn from her finger. It is a scene that will play out again and again—a centuries-old curse that must be broken—and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking the curse.

Hardcover, 435 pages

Audiobook, 16 hours, 48 minutes

Published November 19, 2024

 by St. Martin's Press

4/5 stars

Book 2 in Nora Roberts, The Lost Bride Trilogy continues right where Inheritance left off.

In The Mirror, the ghosts of the past are getting restless. And for Sonya McTavish, her newly inherited mansion begins to take on more of a life of its own. Aside from the footsteps, the piano playing and music, she now dreams of the past and the pieces are finally clicking together in regards to the seven brides. She knows what needs to be done, but alas, that will be for book 3, which comes out in the fall.

As a new Nora Roberts reader I enjoyed this one just as much as Inheritance. It has things that go bump in the night and the acceptance of Sonya and her friends makes it not as creepy as one would anticipate. Because seriously if someone started playing the piano at 3 AM every single night I wouldn’t really be staying there for very long.

 There are twist to the backstory and part of me wishes that there was a family tree available just so this old brain can remember who is who and what year each bride was from. All in all a fun and entertaining read/listen.  Yes I did have the audiobook on hand also.

My copy of the book was through my local public library and the audiobook via Everand

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

Kindle edition, 320 pages

Audiobook, 10 hours

Expected publication May 20, 2025

by St. Martin's Press/Macmillan Audio

5/5 stars

Oh how good it feels to jump into a Katherine Centre story, some of my favourite rom/coms she has penned.  The Love Haters releases in less than a month, I highly recommend it.

Told from Katie Vaughn's point of view she takes on a job she is nowhere near qualified for, She is not only trying to help a coworker out but also possibly saving her own job. She gets way more than she bargained for.

As I’ve come to expect with this author, this wasn't just a rom/com, she also deals with relevant subject matter. For Katie, it is dealing with her inner demons in terms of body image, love ability and being too hard on herself. With a wonderful cast of characters I was thoroughly entertained with a story that was heartfelt. It made me laugh, smile and feel for all the characters, even George.

I was lucky enough to get both the e-book and audiobook for review purposes and I listened and read both. Center’s books are a perfect fit for audio since they are usually from the point of view of the main character, it's like she’s telling her story. The reader did an awesome job bringing Katie's story to life with heart and emotion. The e-book worked great for curling up on the couch to read and unwind. I will be adding the print copy to my shelf to go with her other books.

The Love Haters is a story of friendship, loss, self love and stepping out of your comfort zone. There is a Great Dane named George Bailey, who one can’t help but love along with Lucky his new little friend.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for advanced copies in exchange for a honest review.

The Last Thing to Burn by Will Dean

A woman being held captive is willing to risk everything to save herself, her unborn child, and her captor’s latest victim in this claustrophobic thriller in the tradition of Misery and Room.

On an isolated farm in the United Kingdom, a woman is trapped by the monster who kidnapped her seven years ago. When she discovers she is pregnant, she resolves to protect her child no matter the cost, and starts to meticulously plan her escape. But when another woman is brought into the fold on the farm, her plans go awry. Can she save herself, her child, and this innocent woman at the same time? Or is she doomed to spend the remainder of her life captive on this farm?

Intense, dark, and utterly gripping The Last Thing to Burn is a breathtaking thriller from an author to watch.

Audiobook, 8 hours, 29 minutes

Published April 20, 2021 

by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

4/5 stars

This book has been on my TBR for so long, ever since I heard thebakingbookworm rave about it. Finally, I grabbed the audiobook while on a recent vacation. It was my listen while I walked on the beach, needless to say I did a lot of walking

The Last Thing to Burn was a fast paced story about a young woman kept hostage by someone who was supposed to offer her freedom. In exchange she is trapped going on seven years. I really didn’t know what to expect here but what I got was a suspenseful story that was atmospheric in that I could tell the surroundings that Jane was forced to live in. It was told from her point of view, which was great showing everything that she has gone through

Though I’m not usually into these types of stories, this was well written and hard to read/listen to at times, since it deals with both physical and mental abuse. It was great to witness her bravery, resilience, and thought process.  As for the ending yeah I didn’t see that coming.

This listen it isn’t very long, approximately 241 pages or 8 and half hours for the audiobook.  
I highly recommend the audiobook if that is available to you.

My audio was obtained through my subscription with Everand