The Love Haters by Katherine Center

 

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 pretends that she can.

Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. 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 maybe 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.

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.

Pick up your copy here...

The Love Haters: A Novel: Center, Katherine: 9781250283825: Amazon.com: Books

BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, The Bodyguard, and her newest, Hello Stranger. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The movie adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and the movie of her novel Happiness for Beginners, starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes, opens July 27 on Netflix. Katherine’s summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, was an instant New York Times bestseller, a People Best New Books pick, and nominated for Book of the Year by Book of the Month Club. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “a shot of pure joy,” and bestselling author Helen Hoang calls it “a perfect feel-good rom-com.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

My Thoughts...

This is my favorite book by Center. I devoured this one so fast. I loved the connection for the characters. the plot was so good. This Rom-com is number one on my reading list after reading it.

 Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

All the Captive Girls Linda Hurtado Bond

 Tampa Bay crime reporter Mari Alvarez thought the worst was behind her. She thought she could return to work, her sister, her friends, and her still-undefined relationship with Detective Tony Garcia. To find something almost normal…until a killer everyone thought was dead contacts her.

Because he wants to play a game—a twisted dance of revenge, where Mari must play by the rules…or lose everyone and everything she loves.

Now Tampa Bay’s lively Gasparilla pirate festival has turned into an event filled with terror and horror, and Mari is the unwitting star. Every move she makes is being watched by social media, even as the killer twists the truth and manipulates her with lies, deepfakes, and misinformation.

He can take her job. He can take her reputation. He can take everyone who loves her.

And unless she can stop him, he’ll hold her captive in the one cage she won’t be able to escape: her own fear.

Pick up your copy here..

All the Captive Girls: Bond, Linda Hurtado: 9798308667117: Amazon.com: Books

Linda Hurtado Bond is an award-winning journalist for Tampa's Fox 13 by day and author of romantic thrillers by night. She has won 13 Emmy awards, numerous Society of Professional Journalist and Associated Press awards, as well as a Florida Bar and an Edward R. Murrow award. A breast cancer survivor, she’s also active in the Tampa community with The American Cancer Society, Hooked on Hope, and The Shoot for a Cure, raising money and awareness any chance she gets. She’s the mother of five, four athletes and an adopted son from Cuba. She has passion for world travel, classic movies and solving a good mystery.

I love a great thriller and Bond never disappoints me. This is a fast-paced thriller and a super-fast read. I read it in one sitting now I have to wait for Bonds next book.  It is part of a series, but it can be read as a standalone.

 Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore

 As a world-renowned chef, single dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when it’s suggested that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction.

Now, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless… Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy romantic mystery with a single dad and found family dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes

• Single Dad
• Forced Proximity
• Slow Burn

• Found Family

Pick up your copy here..

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House: A brand new small town romance from the author of TikTok phenomenon The Pumpkin Spice Cafe (Dream Harbor) (Book 4): Gilmore, Laurie: 9780008713348: Amazon.com: Books

Laurie Gilmore is a No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller and a USA Today bestseller who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.

She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.

My Thoughts...

This is my favorite Dream Harbor book. This whole series is really good, but The Strawberry Patch pancake hoe was my favorite because Olive was the star of this one. I did really enjoy Iris and Archer and their banter as well.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Welcome to the Honey B&B by Melody Carlson

 Jewel McKerry is on the brink of unraveling as she heads home to Oregon to help care for her father who has early-onset dementia. Her thirteen-year-old daughter is upset about the move. Her beekeeper dad is a humorous handful. Her mom is overworked and overwhelmed. Finances are stretched tight. And, according to her father, the neighbors are nothing but trouble.

Despite all of these challenges, Jewel takes on one more when she convinces her parents to turn their decrepit farmhouse into a B&B in order to make some needed money. Her old high school flame turned contractor steps in to help, but Jewel isn't sure she can really trust him. And those "troublesome" neighbors? The handsome widower and his teenage daughter just might be the key to making all this work.

Get ready for a summer filled with family, good humor, and new beginnings!

Pick up your copy here...

Welcome to the Honey B&B: (A Contemporary Clean Romance Novel about Family and New Beginnings): Melody Carlson: 9780800746025: Amazon.com: Books

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

My Thoughts...

I'm a fan of Carlson and I love all her Christmas books and all her fiction books. But this one really touched me. I loved the whole story line. the family dynamic was the best. New beginnings are the best. This is a must read. Such an inspiring read.

 Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Planted with Love by Natasha Tripplett

 

A heartfelt picture book about one child's experience in foster care that reminds all kids that—just like a garden—love from the right source will help them bloom.

Lamar has lived in seven homes in three years and has never stayed anywhere long enough to put down roots. As he watches his new foster mom tend to her garden each day, he soon joins her with cautious curiosity. Together, they plant, they weed, they water . . . until one day Lamar's anger and feelings of uncertainty lead him to destroy the garden.

But through his foster mother's love and care, Lamar discovers that just like her garden, he is wanted, he is loved, he has been planted, and he will bloom.

Written by a licensed social worker, Planted with Love illustrates that a loving home and a loving adult can provide a safe place for any child to grow and thrive.

Pick up your copy here...

Planted with Love: Growing into a Family: Tripplett, Natasha, Predoi, Adriana: 9780593580769: Amazon.com: Books

Natasha lives in Northern California where she writes from a tree house perched in a sycamore tree. Natasha is a Jamaican Jewish American author who is passionate about cultural representation in children's literature. She bubbles with excitement over antiques, chocolate, coffee on the front porch, and cozy movie nights in front of the fireplace with her husband and four children.

And they Had a Great Fall by Shelby Fall

 

If Jake Laurent is the “human equivalent of Friday,” Kat Green is “Monday.” Nevertheless, the two shared a secret (if casual) affair during the pandemic, and now, almost exactly one year later, they’ve reunited in Copenhagen, the “city of fairy tales.” Only neither one of them is living a fairy tale.

Jake is a young actor who’s cracking under the public pressure that comes with rising celebrity. Kat is a single mother at the top of her career who believes she’s holding it all together but is barely living. Each one is a simple escape for the other—until the security Kat has worked so hard to build for her tiny family comes under threat, and Jake has to decide if he can keep Kat a secret even if it’s at the expense of his own fame.

And They Had a Great Fall is the story of two people who are going through the motions in life—until they finally look inside themselves to figure out what it takes to find a happily ever after.

Pick up your copy here...

And They Had a Great Fall: A Novel: Saville, Shelby: 9781647428464: Amazon.com: Books

Shelby Saville resides in a suburb west of Chicago, but she grew up in a town of 2,000 people and is still a small-town girl at heart. Her first writing job was for the Lacon Home Journal, where she covered local news. But the city was calling, and when she got her dream job in the advertising industry, she moved to Chicago. She’s spent the last twenty-five years at Publicis Media, where she’s focused on media investment—how advertising space is bought and sold. When not at her computer, Shelby can be found in the cafes of Chicago and Elmhurst, IL, or hanging at home with her husband, Scott, teenage daughter, three dogs, and one mean cat.

My Thoughts...

 I love a good debut, from a new author who is very talented. Saville gives us a read to enjoy on a quiet afternoon. A romance you can't put down.  Thank you Booksparks for the opportunity to read this one.

 Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Keeper by Charles Martin

 

Bones--Murphy Shepherd's teacher, mentor, priest, and friend--is gone. Devastated by the loss and unsure how to continue the rescue work they started, Murph has no choice but to jump back in when the worst happens. His longtime friend and current United States vice president, Aaron Ashley, has been a silent partner in the fight against trafficking. But in spite of having the best security available, his three daughters have been taken bound and blindfolded from their home by an extraction team that left no clues and no trace--just an empty house, a bereft mother, and nine dead Secret Service agents. Only Murph and his team have a hope of finding them.

Bones may have made the ultimate sacrifice by taking down his own brother and the dark network he led, but there are still others in this network where evil is the currency and power is the prize. Soon Ashley drops out of the presidential race and a new candidate emerges--someone who is ready, too ready, to step into the race and the Oval Office.

Bones taught Murph that the needs of the one, the lost one, outweigh those of the ninety-nine. In his first rescue without Bones beside him, Murph's fight against human trafficking takes him across the globe and through the halls of government to destroy the network and save the lives and souls of those taken.

Pick up your copy here....                                                                                                                                    The Keeper (A Murphy Shepherd Novel): Martin, Charles: 9780840722478: Amazon.com: Books

CHARLES MARTIN is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, 'The Record Keeper.' His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.

My thoughts...

This is book four in the Murphy Shepherd series, and I would say the best wrap up book. I would not read it as a standalone I think the whole series needs to be read in order to not miss a lot or be confused.

Martin never disappoints.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Record Keeper Charles Martin

 Murphy Shepherd's last rescue mission very nearly cost him his life. He'd like nothing more than to stay close to his wife and daughters for a while. But Bones's nemesis must be stopped, and there are so many who still need to know they are worth rescuing.

As the cat-and-mouse game moves into the open, Murphy is tested at every turn--both physically and mentally. Then the unthinkable happens: his beloved mentor and friend is taken. Gone without a trace.

Murphy lives by the mantra that love always shows up. But how can he rescue Bones when he has no leads?

With Charles Martin's trademark lyricism and poignant prose, the Murphy Shepherd series is at once a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, an exploration of the terrible cost of human trafficking, and an anthem to the power of love to create change when it shows up regardless of the cost.

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     The Record Keeper (A Murphy Shepherd Novel): Martin, Charles: 9780785255963: Amazon.com: Books

CHARLES MARTIN is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, 'The Record Keeper.' His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.

The Letter Keeper Charles Martin

 Murphy Shepherd has made a career of finding those no one else could--survivors of human trafficking. His life's mission is helping others find freedom . . . but then the nightmare strikes too close to home.

When his new wife, her daughter, and two other teenage girls are stolen, Murphy is left questioning all he has thought to be true. With more dead ends than leads, he has no idea how to find his loved ones. After everything is stripped away, love is what remains.

Hope feels lost, but Murphy is willing to expend his last breath trying to bring them home.

With Charles Martin's trademark lyricism and poignant prose, the Murphy Shepherd series is at once a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, an exploration of the terrible cost of human trafficking, and an anthem to the power of love to create change when it shows up regardless of the cost.

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     The Letter Keeper (A Murphy Shepherd Novel): Martin, Charles: 9780785230953: Amazon.com: Books

CHARLES MARTIN is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, 'The Record Keeper.' His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.

The Water Keeper by Charles Martin

 

Murphy Shepherd is a man with many secrets. He lives alone on an island, tending the grounds of a church with no parishioners, and he's dedicated his life to rescuing those in peril. But as he mourns the loss of his mentor and friend, Murph himself may be more lost than he realizes.

When he pulls a beautiful woman named Summer out of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway, Murph's mission to lay his mentor to rest at the end of the world takes a dangerous turn. Drawn to Summer, and desperate to find her missing daughter, Murph is pulled deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world of modern-day slavery.

With help from some unexpected new friends, including a faithful Labrador he plucks from the ocean and an ex-convict named Clay, Murph must race against the clock to locate the girl before he is consumed by the secrets of his past--and the ghosts who tried to bury them.

With Charles Martin's trademark lyricism and poignant prose, The Water Keeper is at once a tender love story, a heartrending search for freedom, an exploration of the terrible cost of human trafficking, and an anthem to the power of love to create change when it showed up regardless of the cost.

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                        Amazon.com: The Water Keeper (Murphy Shepherd Book 1) eBook : Martin, Charles: Kindle Store

CHARLES MARTIN is a New York Times bestselling author of 16 previous novels, including his most recent, 'The Record Keeper.' His work is available in 35+ languages. He lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife and their three sons.                                                                                         

An Overdue Match by Sarah Monzon

 

Can a librarian's matchmaking mischief lead to a love that rewrites their stories?

If the covers of every romance book ever published didn't convince librarian Evangeline Kelly that she isn't heroine material, her fiancé calling off their wedding when she lost her hair to alopecia did. But what's a girl head over heels for love to do when her feelings are unrequited? Matchmake, that's what. Armed with library patrons' check-out histories, she's determined to make at least one love connection--even if it's not her own.

Tattoo artist Tai Davis is used to people judging him with a single glance, so it doesn't surprise him when the town's quirky new librarian believes his bad-boy reputation without giving him a chance. He can't help being intrigued by her, though, so when he discovers Evangeline's secret matchmaking scheme, he's not above striking a bargain with her. She just has to agree to one date with him for every time she uses his hometown knowledge to set up library patrons on a romantic rendezvous. The deal is made, but in the process, they both might learn you can't judge a book--or each other--by the cover.

Pick up your copy here...

An Overdue Match: (A Book about Books Closed Door RomCom with a Librarian Heroine) (Checking Out Love): Sarah Monzon: 9780764243745: Amazon.com: Books

Winner of the Holt Medallion and Selah Award, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain's wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her.

I love when a new book is part of a series, and this is book one in the Checking Out Love series. You had me at Rom-Com but then add books about books and throw in a bad boy you got me. You are in for a real treat with this book.

The Cover is great, but this story lets us know not to judge a book by its cover.

Tai is boyfriend of the year material and oh so swoon worthy.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

The Perfect Rom Com by Melissa Ferguson

 Aspiring author Bryony Page attends her first writers conference bursting with optimism and ready to sell her manuscript with long-shot dreams of raising awareness for The Bridge, her grandmother’s financially struggling organization where she teaches ESL full-time. But after a disastrous pitch session, she stumbles into correcting another author’s work in a last-ditch attempt to make a good impression with the agent. And she, as it turns out, is spot on.

No one is more surprised than Bryony when the agent offers her the opportunity to be a ghostwriter for Amelia Benedict, popular rom-com novelist. Bryony agrees on one condition: she’ll write books for this vain, demanding woman just as long as Jack Sterling, literary agent of the legendary Foundry Literary Agency, works to sell her own book too.

What nobody predicted, however, was that Bryony’s books would turn Amelia Benedict into the Amelia Benedict, household name and bestselling author with millions of copies sold around the world.

And just like that, the Foundry Agency can’t let her go.

But on a personal note, Jack is realizing he can’t either.

Pick up your copy here....                                                                                                                                   Amazon.com: The Perfect Rom-Com: A Romance Novel for Book Lovers: 9780840716880: Ferguson, Melissa: Books

 Melissa Ferguson is the bestselling author of titles including Meet Me in the Margins, Famous for a Living, and How to Plot a Payback. She lives in Tennessee with her family in their growing farmhouse lifestyle and writes heartwarming romantic comedies.

You can find her on her socials at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse.

Friends to lovers what else needs to be said. I will say this I read this book so fast, but it was a little bit slow for me. But I enjoyed it none the less. I always love a fun romance.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Canvas of Healing by Suzette Welling

 

Megan Hart has it all . . . a lakefront house, standing midday tennis dates with a crew of see-and-be-seen ladies of status in Lakeland, and an enviable husband. But in the depths of Megan's seemingly perfect life, tragedy strikes with the sudden death of her beloved Blake, unveiling a hidden world of secrets—a web of lies that unravels everything Megan thought she knew. Seeking solace amid the ruins of her shattered world, Megan finds herself drawn back to Destin, the place where their love once bloomed.

There, in the tender embrace of grief, Megan encounters Sam, an enigmatic figure harboring secrets of his own. As their connection deepens, Megan senses there is more to Sam than meets the eye, a magnetic pull that ignites her curiosity. Yet just as their friendship begins to blossom, Megan stumbles directly upon her former husband’s secret in the flesh: Tabitha. Determined to uncover every detail of the truth and protect her assets, Megan’s focus becomes infiltrating Tabitha’s world.

While embarking on a journey of self-discovery and the chaos of her newfound reality, Megan must grapple with confronting her darkest demons and incorporating tools into her life to paint a brighter future—under the guidance of unexpected friendships and the power of vulnerability. Will Megan crumble as she uncovers the truths that lie hidden in the shadows of her past? Or will she find her path back to the light, to healing, with the strength to paint a brighter future one brushstroke at a time?

Pick up your copy here....

Canvas of Healing (Journeys of the Heart): Welling, Suzette: 9798396278905: Amazon.com: Books

Suzette has a passion for personal and spiritual growth and is a lover of all things creative. Her passions include writing, painting, music, cooking, jewelry design … the list goes on. She is a true believer in the book Refuse to Choose. God has blessed her in so many ways, and her purpose is to share everything she learns in an effort to make a difference for others.

Although she published her first novel in 2023, Suzette has been a lifelong writer. A creative in many areas, she is also a musician / vocalist and visual artist. The former lead singer of the popular Upstate New York country rock band Brahma, followed by solo performances in Central Florida in the 2000's, she now focuses more on her writing and painting.

Suzette connects with her readers through a private book club on Facebook called Suzy's Book Club. Lovers of women's fiction are invited to join this group of supportive women.

Learn more about her art and read her blog on her website, suzettewellingart.com.

Suzette lives in Central Florida with her husband, Danny, her dog, Abby, and loves spending time with her family and friends.

Miles Lewis Pet Sitter by Kelly Lyons

 When Miles and his classmates welcome a few frogs as class pets, it's a reminder that what he really wants more than anything is a dog to call his own. But his parents don't think he's ready, and his attempts to show them that he truly can care for critters all end in disaster. Can Miles pull it together and prove that he's responsible enough for a pet once and for all?

Pick up your copy here....

Amazon.com: Pet Sitter #5 (Miles Lewis): 9780593752739: Lyons, Kelly Starling, Spencer, Wayne: Books

Kelly Starling Lyons began her journey to become a children's book author in her hometown of Pittsburgh. She learned the art of storytelling from her mom who took her to productions at a children's theater, wrote plays and made up bedtime tales. Her grandparents, who showed their imagination through cooking and gardening, taught her to honor the magic of history and home. Surrounded by creativity, Lyons began to write.

She curled up near the radiator behind her bedroom door and allowed her pen to take her to other worlds. A canopy of trees transformed into a make-believe fortress, backyards hid treasure and tunnels to faraway lands, bridges that crossed the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers spanned distance and time.

Now a children's book author and teaching artist, her mission is to center Black heroes, celebrate family, friendship and heritage and show all kids the storyteller they hold inside. Many of her books have won accolades including a Caldecott Honor for Going Down Home with Daddy, illustrated by Daniel Minter; Christopher Award for Tiara's Hat Parade, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell; a Geisel Honor for Ty's Travels: Zip, Zoom, illustrated by Nina Mata and Junior Library Guild selection for Dream Builder: The Story of Architect Philip Freelon, illustrated by Laura Freeman. Her latest picture book, My Hands Tell a Story, illustrated by Tonya Engel, earned two starred reviews.

Kelly also writes for chapter book readers. Her Jada Jones series has earned praise for celebrating an African-American girl who loves science, friends and family. The latest is Jada Jones: Nature Lover. In 2022, Kelly's Miles Lewis spin-off series debuted. The first book, Miles Lewis: King of the Ice, is a Junior Library Guild selection. Stay tuned for more easy readers, picture books and chapter books.

Find out more about Kelly at www.kellystarlinglyons.com. Thanks for your support.

This is such a cute chapter book. It's a sure way to get your kids to read.

I plan on putting this copy if my little free library for the kids to enjoy.

The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone

 No one would ever call Ava Monroe a people person, which isn’t ideal for a barista in a busy London coffee shop. She’s sarcastic, blunt, and cynical, and her relationships are strictly no strings attached. With her best friend Josie soon leaving for a year, Ava knows she’ll be all alone unless she shakes up her routine. But she can’t risk bringing chance back into her carefully controlled life.

Then insufferably cheerful, country-hopping, undeniably gorgeous Finn O’Callaghan rolls into her coffee shop with a horrifying proposal —a strictly friends-only summer fling. Finn needs a local to help him complete his London bucket list, and Ava needs to reassure Josie she won’t be on her own. And it’s only for a few months.

To Ava’s surprise, their mismatched friendship of convenience becomes oddly tolerable, and as they work their way through Finn’s list and around the sun-drenched city, from rooftops and floating bars to nights at the museum, their adventures—and Finn’s company—start to feel . . . nice. Incredibly, terrifyingly, dangerously nice.

Still, rules are rules—Ava has good reasons for them—and as the days get shorter, Finn’s departure gets closer. Because that’s the thing about summer: it always ends. Right?

Pick up your copy here...

The Friendship Fling: A Novel: Stone, Georgia: 9780063434790: Amazon.com: Books

Georgia Stone is a London-based author of contemporary romance. She writes love stories that she hopes make people laugh out loud and clutch at their hearts in equal measure.

After dabbling in fan fiction as a teen growing up in rural Switzerland, she didn't write her own stories for years, until one fateful day, she had the idea that sparked her debut novel. She fell back in love with writing and now very much appreciates that being a fiction author is essentially just a socially acceptable way of having imaginary friends.

When she's not reading or writing, you can usually find her trying out DIY projects in her ridiculously colourful flat, spending far too much time feeding The Algorithm, or acting unhinged at gigs with her friends.

You can also find her at @georgiastonewrites on Instagram and TikTok.

My Thoughts...

This was my first book by Stone, it will not be my last. I laughed out loud so much while reading this book. The Banter takes the cake it was the best. This book was a pleasure to read.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.