April 2026 – My Sanctuary

Review Card & Book Review – Tomorrow Starts Today By Jessica Redland

It’s never too late to find yourself… 💫

After unexpectedly losing her husband, Yvonne Kellerman’s world turns quiet and grey. Five years on, her days are filled with the gentle chatter of her loyal parrot, Trevor, and the comfort of her crafting table—but she can’t shake the feeling that life is slipping her by and Yvonne feels lost and lonelier than ever.

Joining the local crafting club at Willowdale Village Hall, Yvonne expects nothing more than a few afternoons of sewing. Instead, amongst the other local crafters, she discovers friendship, laughter and a renewed appreciation for her gorgeous Lake District home. It’s a reminder that she isn’t alone and, with each new stitch, her confidence returns, and so does her belief that it’s never too late for fresh starts and new beginnings.

When a familiar face from her past reappears, Yvonne finds herself standing at a crossroads: will she protect her heart, or embrace the chance to love—and truly live—again?

About The Author

My Review

This is a warm, comforting story about new beginnings, friendship, and finding hope when life feels painfully quiet. Yvonne’s loneliness is immediately relatable, especially as her world has shrunk to supermarket chats and conversations with her parrot. Her decision to attend the Cake and Craft Club feels like a brave step, and watching her slowly build confidence and connection is genuinely uplifting.

Willowdale Village Hall quickly becomes a haven of kindness, tea, cake, and creative energy. The group’s warmth, alongside Saffy’s fresh ideas and Yvonne’s growing desire for change, creates a gentle yet engaging storyline filled with possibility. I loved how the friendships developed naturally, and the romance thread is handled with sensitivity and charm.

The character list at the front is a thoughtful touch, making it easy to settle into the series. Like all Jessica Redland’s books, this one offers a beautiful setting, emotionally rich characters, and that wonderful feeling of community. It’s a story that reminds you it’s never too late to start again—and that tomorrow truly can begin today.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

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Happy Publication Day – 30 April 2026

The Hopeful Hearts Bookshop By Debbie Johnson

“Take a leap of faith and visit our perfect little bookshop by the sea.” Bookshop owner Moira writes the first of many invitations she’ll send out into the world. They’ll find the right people, she’s certain…

Single and in a dead-end job, Kate feels hope spring when an anonymous invitation falls from the pages of a book. Now, she’s standing in a charming Scottish village and trying to ignore the six-four silver fox by her side. He’s got an invitation too, a husky Chicago accent, and dangerously gorgeous sea-blue eyes…

Widowed ex-police officer Brody never expected to be stranded in Scotland with a cute British lady. Her smile might be bewitching… but her attitude? Way too cheerful. And eccentric bookshop owner Moira says they can stay for free, as long as they don’t mind sharing one very cozy little cottage.

That’s the least of their problems. Turns out Moira’s bookshop needs them just as much as Kate and Brody need a fresh start. And with a twinkle in Moira’s mischievous matchmaking eye, things are soon hotting up in surprising ways!

The Sunshine Teashop By Jaimie Admans

Welcome to Thimblenouth: where the kettle is always on and fresh starts and unexpected love are waiting. 🧁🫖

Dolly Lymford is having one of those days…The kind that starts with dreams of opening a café… and ends with discovering your boyfriend kissing your best friend!

Heartbroken and with nowhere else to go, Dolly accidentally-on-purpose borrows her now-ex-boyfriend’s campervan and drives until the road runs out. This leads her to Thimblenouth, a picture-perfect Yorkshire Dales village where life moves more slowly and the kettle is always on.

After literally bumping into gorgeous local builder Reece Sterling, Dolly begins to feel something she hasn’t in a long time: safe. She also rediscovers her love of baking, filling the campervan with the scent of warm scones and freshly brewed tea. And Reece is always around to share a lemon pie or two…

When Dolly has an idea to open her own pop-up café, Reece is all too happy to help. And as the summer sun begins to warm everything it touches, Dolly wonders if she’s finally found a place to call home… maybe even with Reece.

Review Card & Book Review- Chasing Dreams By Carolyn Brown

Chasing Dreams

Nita, Sharlene, and Billy Joe, all about to turn 80, enlist Billy Joe’s great-grandson, Ford, who has just gotten out of the Air Force, and Sharlene’s great niece, Joelle, a schoolteacher who has the summer free. Their mission—to drive the three bickering old people on a road trip to remember. Each of the octogenarians is determined to tick off at least a few bucket list items before they go. Somewhere along the journey, Ford and Joelle discover that their elderly companions aren’t the only ones who need to take some risks in life…and in love.

The Matchmakers

Dotty, Minnie and Sookie have been best friends for decades, so when they all retired they decided that living on a cruise ship was cheaper and a lot more fun than living in an assisted living facility. But after a cruise or two, they got bored and decided to become matchmakers. Not knowing that they were choosing a couple that was already bound for divorce, they had their work cut out for them. Could they get this poor couple who evidently were still very much in love back together?

A Summer to Remember (Sisters in Paradise series prequel novella)

Before she moves to the Paradise in Spanish Fort, Texas, Great Aunt Bernie runs a bar where she listens to all kinds of people’s problems. One day, Nash, Hershel, and Clara walk into her bar and change the trajectory of Bernie’s life forever. After seeing the sparks between Clara and Nash, Bernie decides to try her hand at matchmaking. If she’s good at it—and it turns out that she is—she intends to retire and get to work marrying off her seven great-nieces.

About The Author

My Review

This is a charming, heartwarming collection of three novellas that celebrate friendship, romance, and the courage to embrace new beginnings at any age. Carolyn Brown delivers warmth, humor, and emotional depth in each story, creating a delightful reading experience.

The opening novella, Chasing Dreams, follows three lifelong friends nearing eighty who embark on a cross-country bucket-list adventure. Their lively personalities, humorous mishaps, and matchmaking schemes for their young companions, Ford and Joelle, make this story especially joyful and uplifting. The Matchmakers shifts to the high seas, where three retired women living aboard cruise ships attempt to save a struggling marriage. Their wit, wisdom, and persistence bring both laughter and heartfelt moments. The final novella, A Summer to Remember, offers a tender and hopeful conclusion as Bernie, a small-town bar owner, faces life-changing decisions and plays cupid for her great-niece before starting a new chapter of her own.

Together, these novellas form a warm celebration of family, love, and second chances. Chasing Dreams is a comforting, feel-good read that reminds us it’s never too late to follow your heart.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Kobo

Happy Publication Day – 29 April 2026

An Italian Island Love Story By Leonie Mack

When wedding planner Toni Goschl arrives on the sun-drenched Tuscan island of Elba, she can’t wait to finally meet her online friend Gabri in person.

There’s only one small problem… instead of the female florist she’d been expecting, waiting for her is heartbreakingly handsome, jaw-droppingly gorgeous, Gabriele Orzati. With only a week to go until the beach-front wedding Toni and Gabri are working on, they decide to make the best of an awkward situation and spend the time together as planned.

For seven unforgettable days, as Toni gets to know the breathtaking island – and the open-hearted man who calls Elba home – she finds it increasingly difficult, in the close quarters of Gabri’s clifftop villa, to resist turning their friendship into something more.

But Toni and Gabri both have heartache in their pasts, complex lives and commitments and as the week of the wedding gathers pace, real life swims back into focus. When the time comes for Toni to head home, there’s only one question she will have to answer – can a romance begun under the dreamy Italian sun ever become a happily-ever-after?

Review Card & Book Review- What Happened That Summer By Laura Pearson

You think you know what happened that day… But what if you’re wrong?

Everyone who was around in the 1990s remembers where they were when they heard that AJ Silver had died. In the summer of ’96, there was no avoiding the story that America’s biggest teen pop sensation had plunged to his death on a rollercoaster at a family-run amusement park in rural England.

Now, 27 years have passed, and – even if you’re too young to recall the event – you’ve probably heard AJ Silver’s songs topping the charts again. So what better time to take a forensic look at what happened that summer?

I’ve spent hundreds of hours interviewing everyone who was there that fateful day: workers, friends, family… the people who gained from his death, and the people who lost everything.

But you’re going to want to pay attention. Because I’ve found out a secret. One you’re all going to want to know… Perhaps it wasn’t such an accident after all?

About The Author

My Review

Laura Pearson delivers a quietly devastating and beautifully constructed novel in What Happened That Summer, a story that examines how truth fractures over time and how memory reshapes the past. Set against the cultural backdrop of 1996, the book revisits the sudden death of global teen idol AJ Silver, who fell from a rollercoaster at a rural English amusement park, a moment that once dominated headlines and shaped a generation’s youth.

Rather than offering a conventional mystery, Pearson builds her narrative through layered interviews, recollections, and long-buried secrets, creating a textured and deeply human exploration of grief, fame, identity, and longing. Each voice adds emotional weight, revealing how public tragedy intersects with private heartbreak. Her prose is restrained yet incisive, allowing the story’s emotional truths to surface without melodrama.

The novel’s strength lies in its balance between suspense and reflection. Pearson understands that the most compelling mysteries are not simply about what happened, but about how people survive what happened. By the final pages, the reader is left both unsettled and deeply moved.

Haunting, thoughtful, and unforgettable, What Happened That Summer lingers long after the book is closed.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Kobo

Review Card & Book Review – Where the Dawn Finds Us By Kate Hewitt

In this powerful conclusion to the Lost Lake trilogy, a mother faces her greatest test yet in a reborn but dangerous America.

After years of survival and devastating loss, the promise of a new settlement in North Dakota feels like salvation. A chance for my children to reclaim some semblance of normalcy, studying and making friends again, and for me to find new purpose, reporting on this strange new world we’re living in for a newspaper. I’m even forming new friendships as I grow closer to Jack Norman, the settlement’s deputy leader.

But I can’t help feeling haunted by what—and who—we left behind. I desperately miss my eldest daughter, Mattie, who chose to stay in Canada, forging her own future in the community I left behind. I tell myself she’s safe there. But as I learn more about the world I belong to, I begin to understand the disturbing truth of how it has been formed—and I am terrified that Mattie might be in their sights.

I’ve already lost too much to this broken world—I won’t lose my daughter too.

About The Author

My Review

This is a quietly powerful and emotionally resonant conclusion to the Lost Lake trilogy, capturing both the fragility and resilience of hope in a shattered world. Following the aftermath of nuclear devastation, the novel tracks Alex and her children as they attempt to rebuild life within a tightly controlled North Dakota settlement—while eldest daughter Mattie remains behind, clinging to the illusion of safety in a different community.

Hewitt’s alternating perspectives deepen the emotional impact, allowing readers to witness survival from both a mother’s and a daughter’s vantage point. Alex’s struggle between security and freedom mirrors Mattie’s growing realization that protection can quickly become imprisonment. The moral questions surrounding leadership, sacrifice, and autonomy are layered and uncomfortable in the best way, making this more than simple post-apocalyptic fiction.

What truly distinguishes the novel is its emotional honesty. Survival here is not heroic—it’s exhausting, uncertain, and deeply human. By the final pages, the sense of closure feels genuinely earned, leaving readers thoughtful, moved, and quietly hopeful long after the story ends.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Amazon

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Happy Publication Day – 28 April 2026

Stupid Spellbound Love By Amy Boyles

Secret witch Coco Higginbotham has the perfect cover: magical land preservation in Mystic Meadows, Georgia. Here magic threads through the land and unicorn critters roam free, though human magic is strictly forbidden. But when billionaire developer Stone Maddox threatens the town’s magical flow with his resort construction, what’s a closeted witch to do but cast a spell to make him see reason?

Unfortunately, Coco accidentally wipes out his memory too. Thanks to his uncanny connection with her (and some convenient lies of omission), he soon concludes they’re a couple. And this new Stone? He’s kind, caring, and nothing like the man who threatened everything she loves.

As Coco scrambles to reverse her spell and restore Stone’s memory, she faces an impossible choice. Tell the truth and lose the man she’s falling for—or keep lying and risk exposing the magical secret that could destroy her life.

And what is more dangerous—being discovered as a witch, or discovering she can’t let him go?

The Little Bookshop By The Harbor By Jean Stone

A new life filled with the celebrated seaside charm and small-town heart of Martha’s Vineyard, a newfound family, romance—and an exciting venture. What more could Maddie Clarke ask for?
And why would anyone want to stop her?

It’s been a life-changing year since Maddie moved to the picturesque, historic fishing village of Menemsha on Martha’s Vineyard, where her late mother was born. Maddie has rediscovered her grandmother as well as her own Indigenous roots as half Wampanoag, along with the tribe’s rich history and traditions. She’s also found an unexpected second chance at love with restauranteur Rex Winsted. And then she spots a vacant shop right on the harbor . . .

Maddie boldly decides to end her days as a college journalism professor and open a bookshop that will also serve teas her grandmother makes from island herbs. Maddie’s son, Rafe, a college senior, plans to craft baskets in the ancient Wampanoag way, sell them at the store, and donate the profits to benefit Wampanoag kids. For Maddie, it’s all too good to be true . . . until the threats begin.

Not wanting to spoil the dream, Maddie tells no one. But an unexpected incident makes the situation worse, and just as the shop is about to open, revelations from the past erupt. And another surprise ahead could radically impact not only Maddie’s future, but Rex’s, too. Facing a decision she never saw coming, Maddie learns that even peaceful waters must weather storms . . .

Summer With My Cowboy By Linda Lael Miller & Maisey Yates

COWBOY WANTED by Linda Lael Miller
A painful divorce has brought Kendra Spencer home from Seattle to sunny Copper Ridge, Arizona. Despite a comfortable settlement, Kendra needs to keep busy—and keep herself from stalking her ex on social media. So she starts waitressing at the local diner, finding comfort in the regulars and her thankfully ordinary days. . . . Until far from ordinary newcomer Gage Elder walks in. Not only is he a champion bronc rider, turns out he’s a widower—and maybe the one man understanding enough, kind enough—not to mention charming enough—to inspire Kendra to put the past behind her, and open her heart once
more . . .

ONE MORE SUMMER WITH YOU by Maisey Yates
Between a fiancé with cold feet and a blocked promotion at the law firm where she works, it’s as good a time as any for Jane Cahill to help out at the Oregon camp where she spent her summers as a troubled teen. But the place brings up a mix of memories, mostly about Spencer Quinn, who has also returned to volunteer. Now a ranch owner, Spencer was Jane’s romance of three summers—plus one unforgettable night. In fact, neither has ever forgotten the other. And though fears about the future led Jane to break away, that future has arrived—and maybe this summer will be the one to last a lifetime . . .

Her Cameron Bodyguard By Beth Cornelison

A woman on the run.

The unexpected bodyguard who saves her.

Actress Kara O’Quinn knows too much—and now she’s fleeing a corrupt businessman determined to silence her. Enter Daryl Cameron. The former military officer turned computer analyst helps her escape from the UK to the US, stepping into the role of de facto protector…and fighting an attraction neither can afford to entertain. Until the unthinkable happens: Kara has been recognized and their picture is spread across the internet. Now there’s nowhere they can hide…

Backstage Night With The Billionaire By Mariah Ankenman

Once upon a fixer-upper…

A handsome handyman arriving without warning to renovate down-on-her-luck aerialist Piper’s rented theater throws her into a spin—she can’t afford anyone finding out she’s living backstage. Only Kellen is no ordinary contractor: He’s a billion-dollar tycoon with a tool belt! Thanks to a lifetime of letdowns, he doesn’t believe in happily-ever-after…but Piper’s idealistic charm makes him wish he did. And as their chemistry erupts right under the stage lights, can he really keep his well-built walls up?

His Forced Sicilian Bride By Jackie Ashenden

Taken…
to love, honor—and obey!

Vincenzo. Every cosa nostra family will bow to me. The Salvatores are no exception. I’ll force their loyalty by kidnapping their heir, Caterina, from her arranged nuptials. The woman I once saved during a hit on her family will be my bride by nightfall. Though, submissive is one thing Caterina isn’t. I find I like that…

Caterina. I should be immune to the Sicilian’s dark allure; he’s a reminder of all I’ve lost, including my freedom. Yet the respect he gives me is intoxicating. And soon I’m willingly surrendering myself to our wedding night…

Doctor Boss With Benefits By JC Harroway

When the night shift ends, passion ignites…

Consultant Greer Thorn thought the adrenaline surge of the ER was the most alive she’d ever feel. Then she met Nate Hunter. Her red-hot reaction to her new registrar should not feel so exhilarating… And yet, her younger colleague is making divorcée Greer go weak at the knees! Surely some harmless flirting and discreet dating will be enough to satisfy temptation…? Far from it! It leaves Greer breathlessly realizing there’s only one way for this to end—with the boss in Nate’s bed!

Her Colorado Firefighter By Eliza D. Collins

He’s a firefighter, a cowboy…

And a whole lot of trouble!

Dispatcher Sienna Herrera can handle almost any emergency—until her best friend announces she’s getting married in just three weeks! Now Sienna’s trying to plan the best wedding their small Colorado town has ever seen with the one person least equipped for the task: the charming best man, firefighter Troy Tyler. He has zero interest in Sienna’s super-organized, color-coded task list, and she has even less in his no-worries attitude. But time is running out, and Troy is on call for the Wildland Fire Team. Will their mismatched differences save the wedding or ruin it completely…along with the spark Sienna and Troy can’t ignore?

Capturing The Cowboy By Elizabeth Bevarly

When it’s high heels versus boot heels, something’s gotta give.

When cheery Mia Hawthorne arrives at Whispering Winds Dude Ranch, Silas Crockett sees right through her sunny facade. Mia is here for a two-week anger management program. Calling it R & R and oozing city slicker charm won’t change the storm of anger she’s hiding. Silas knows about weathering black clouds—and the brooding cowboy is determined to help Mia manage her fury.

If Silas can get her to let loose, Mia may find the path to healing. But Mia counters every poke and prod with sunshine and daisies. As their fiery connection intensifies, Mia awakens feelings—and a tragic secret—Silas had buried long ago. Can two hot heads master their demons and recognize that they are truly mad…for each other?

Kill For A Million By Janet Dailey

Frank Culhane’s murder remains unsolved while his widow, Lila, is still battling to keep her beloved ranch from the grasp of his embittered first wife and grown children. As for arresting Frank’s killer, time is running out for Detective Sam Rafferty to prove himself and save his career, and for his number one suspect—and Lila’s lover—Culhane ranch manager Roper McKenna, to prove his innocence. Both men are staking their fates on the outcome of the imminent reining event of the year: the Run for a Million.

Roper’s dream of riding in Run for a Million is finally coming true. And for his struggling family, the
million-dollar prize will mean everything. He’ll be competing on borrowed stallion Fire Dance, with Lila’s legendary stallion, One in a Million, as one of his backups. For now, only winning matters. But suddenly, even that is in jeopardy . . .

On the road, a huge semi almost sideswipes Roper’s truck and horse trailer. He just manages to save the rig from rolling, but the horses are severely shaken. Was it an accident, or an attempt to sabotage Roper—or to kill Lila, who was supposed to have accompanied him?

Meanwhile, others are in turmoil of their own. There’s Sam’s clandestine affair with Lila’s pampered stepdaughter—and murder suspect—Jasmine; dangerous information Jasmine has about her mother; and a long-buried secret Roper’s sister harbors that could explode the Culhane dynasty. Then there is the sole witness to Frank’s murder—a witness who can’t speak, but may have a one in a million chance at revealing the truth . . .

Wed Or Alive By Portia MacIntosh

Sometimes love shows up in cowboy boots 🐎❣️

Whitney’s life is not going to plan. Her romantic comedy novel isn’t selling, her career feels stuck, and by the time she realises she’s in love with her best friend and roommate, Andy, he’s back from his work trip with a fiancée – and a wedding date that is alarmingly soon.

Enter Jake: a cowboy with his own problems, including a country estate he’s desperate to buy and an owner who doesn’t trust developers – or men without roots. When a viral moment throws Whitney and Jake together, they strike a deal. Whitney gets the real-life love story publishers want. Jake gets to look like a committed, family-minded man who belongs at Rosewood. All they have to do is pretend they’re in love.

As Andy’s wedding approaches, Whitney uncovers a plot twist that could change everything for him – but the romcom she’s acting out with Jake is starting to feel dangerously real.

Review Card & Book Review- Legacy Of Redemption By Kenna Scott

She’s used to fighting alone.

But now she needs him to survive.

Former socialite Sylvia Harrington can’t wait to flee her hometown of Fairfield—forever. But when her felon father’s cartel sets out to dismantle her life bit by bit, her only hope is to fight back. Who knew that battle would lead her straight to firefighter Ryan Pierce? After Sylvia brutally shattered his heart long ago, wrong-side-of-the-tracks Ryan never forgave her—but he never forgot her, either. Rekindling their feelings is more than Ryan ever imagined—and so is walking straight into the crosshairs of a ruthless enemy…

About The Author

My Review

This is a gripping, emotionally rich novel that balances high-stakes suspense with deeply personal healing. Sylvia Harrington begins the story as a woman desperate to escape her past, only to find it violently resurfacing when her father’s cartel connections start dismantling her life. Her journey from polished socialite to determined survivor is compelling and believable, especially as she’s forced to confront the consequences of choices she once made—including the painful rejection of the one man now capable of helping her.

Scott excels at blending danger with heart. The tension never fades, but beneath the threats and secrets lies a powerful story of forgiveness, second chances, and learning how to trust again. Watching two wounded people rebuild not only their relationship but their understanding of family is genuinely moving.

Although this is the second book in the series, it stands strongly on its own while clearly rewarding readers who’ve experienced the first installment. Ultimately, Legacy of Redemption delivers on its promise—offering suspense, emotional depth, and a hopeful, satisfying conclusion that makes continuing the series an easy choice.

My Rating

Link To Purchase

Happy Publication Day – 27 April 2026

Back where We Belong By Jo Bartlett

Fifteen years ago, one desperate act tore sisters Bex and Briony apart. 👭💕✨

Growing up side by side against the backdrop of a feckless father and a hardworking mum, they were inseparable—until Briony’s attempt to save Bex from a disastrous engagement shattered their bond.

Now Bex has the life she dreamed of: a loving family, a new glamping site on the family farm, and roots she’s proud of. Briony, living under the online alias “Holly Day,” drifts from place to place in her van, watching her sister’s happiness from afar.

When their beloved mum falls seriously ill, Bex must track down the sister she hasn’t seen in over a decade. But finding Briony brings more than old wounds—it brings unexpected closeness, new beginnings, and the realisation that some bonds never truly break.

Playing For Keeps By Bella North

It’s all fun and games until fake starts to feel like forever…

My life revolves around two things: football, and family. Romance? Not so much. But my fans have other ideas. And they’ve turned my easy-going life into a nightmare with their campaign to find me a wife…

My childhood best friend Serena thinks it’s hilarious. She’s always wanted the big, swoony love story, but instead, she has a controlling ex she can’t shake breathing down her neck. And then the solution to both our problems hits me: a fake romance. ‘Settling down’ with Serena will get the fans off my back, and having a muscly football player on her arm should be enough to warn off her ex. Plus, we’re best friends, so what could go wrong?

Our first date is set for the city’s annual charity ball. I’m smug as I imagine how easy my life will be after tonight. Except, when my lips touch Serena’s in front of the flashing cameras, when I hear her soft sigh as I dip her lower, something like panic creeps through my chest. I’m not meant for love—letting people down runs in my genes. I can’t do that to Serena. I won’t.

As the story we’re spinning gets bigger, so do the feelings I’ve worked so hard to chase away. We want completely different things. But I can’t stop wondering: do we both want the one thing that counts—each other?

Review Card & Book Review- Thirty Flirty And Forever Alone By Christine Riccio

When your name literally means “forever alone,” it takes a lot of positive self-talk to stay optimistic in the hellscape that is dating. But on the cusp of thirty, Rikki Romona is determined to find her person.

Columnist, therapist, podcaster, entrepreneur—Rikki is an overachiever who thrives on schedules. She can absolutely handle two weddings in two days, and lock down someone to drag along as a plus-one.

And yet, spoiler: She doesn’t.

Rikki finds herself flying hopelessly solo at a themed wedding in New Jersey. A lonely Rapunzel waiting for her Flynn.

Enter Reed Tyler: writer, podcast producer, wannabe actor. Surprisingly single with startling blue eyes, he seems perfect. The catch? He lives kind of far away, so dating him would be a bit of a hike. Like an intense, all-the-way-across-the-country hike.

After one unforgettable night together, Rikki’s sure this is the end. But as she braces herself for heartache, the universe, it seems, has other plans…

About The Author

My Review

This blends contemporary romance with gentle magical realism to create a story that is both playful and emotionally thoughtful. At its heart is Rikki Romona, a heroine navigating the challenges of a long-distance relationship while also confronting her own fears, insecurities, and patterns of self-sabotage. Though the novel includes elements of wish fulfillment—supportive friends, an accommodating partner, and even the universe seemingly rooting for her—it never loses its emotional sincerity. Instead, it feels like a personal exploration of what it means to be truly ready for love.

Riccio’s writing voice is the book’s strongest asset: warm, humorous, and sharply observant. Her portrayal of emotional messiness, especially from a woman’s perspective, feels honest and relatable. While the plot grows somewhat loose in the second half, that uncertainty mirrors Rikki’s internal journey and ultimately strengthens the theme of personal growth. What begins as an idealized, cinematic romance gradually transforms into a deeper meditation on self-discovery, emotional readiness, and the work required to build lasting love. The result is a charming, heartfelt novel with a satisfying emotional payoff.

My Rating