Five Star Friday - April 2025

Five Star Friday is my version of the monthly wrap-up. On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.

This month, I was able to read 27 books, and I had  4 five-star reads. 

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Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
Published by Forever on April 1, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

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.

As always, Abby Jimenez brought the pain. My heart ached for Samantha and her family, though I admired the way they all rallied to care for their loved one. There were so many heartbreaking and painful scenes, but the relationship that was growing between Samantha an Xavier was beautiful. They were dealing with a tricky situation, but they decided it was more important to be in each other's lives. As with all Jimenez's books, this one will packed with humor, warmth, and fuzzy friends to balance the very heavy topics involved. Yes, there were a plethora of tears shed, both happy and sad. 

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Songs of Summer by Jane L. Rosen
Published by Berkley on May 20, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

A young woman crashes the wedding of the summer on Fire Island in search of her birth mother—and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for—in this warm, heart-stopping getaway from Jane L. Rosen

Maggie Mae Wheeler is content with her life. At 30, she has grand plans for her vintage record shop in the charming Midwestern town where she grew up, and is soon to be engaged to her childhood best friend.

But when she discovers a letter she wrote to herself at thirteen, being content doesn’t feel like enough anymore—Maggie needs answers to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Since losing her parents, the only family she has ever known, Maggie decides that finding her birth mother is the best place to start.

Her search leads her to Fire Island, an idyllic summer getaway where her birth mother is attending a wedding. As Maggie observes her biological family from a distance, she sees that they come with a lot of… drama. Torn between diving deeper into their world or returning to her peaceful life and cozy relationship, her decision gets more complicated when a handsome local offers to take her to the wedding — if she will pose as his date.

Is it the magic of the island, the rush of the music, the fun of jumping into the weekend’s events with her fake beau? Suddenly, playing the part of his girlfriend starts to feel way too real, and the words to every love song seem to be about them.

It was exciting to return to Fire Island for a third time! I love that Rosen expanded this world a bit and let me get to know some characters on a different level. As expected, this was funny and touching and it tugged at my heartstrings. I absolutely adored catching up with everyone! 

[review]

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A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote
Published by Random House on January 1, 1956
Age/Genres: Adult, Short Stories

Goodreads

“The mill owner's wife persists: 'A dollar, my foot! Fifty cents. That's my last offer. Goodness, woman, you can get another one.' In answer, my friend gently reflects: 'I doubt it. There's never two of anything.”

'A Christmas Memory' is a short story written by Truman Capote, first published in 1956. This much sought-after autobiographical recollection of Capote's rural Alabama boyhood has become a modern-day classic.

Seven-year-old Buddy knows that the Christmas season has arrived when his cousin, Miss Sook Falk exclaims: "It's fruitcake weather!" Thus begins an unforgettable portrait of an odd, but enduring, friendship between two innocent souls—one young and one old—and the memories they share of beloved holiday rituals.

These three stories were lovely and very southern. I appreciated the peek into Capote's youth, as well as holiday celebrations during that time period. These stories were well crafted, and it was fantastic when the tender parts snuck up on me. 

[review]

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Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (On a Dead Man)
 by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Published by Berkley on April 1, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Mystery

Goodreads

Vera Wong is back and as meddling as ever in this follow-up to the hit Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.…

Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for.

Online, Xander had it a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.

Vera is back! It was so wonderful to spend more time with Vera. She is still hilarious, wonderful, and wacky. What delighted me most, was that the "suspects" from book one were still part of the story. It was just a matter of Vera's "family" expanding with this mystery. 

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Honorable Mention

April was packed with great reading. Here are my honorable mention books. All earned 4.5 stars.

• Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty Cayouette
• Pomona Afton Can So Solve a Murder by Bellamy Rose
• Hate Mail by Donna Marchetti
• All the Signs by Jessie Rosen
• The Love Haters by Katherine Center
• The Strawberry Patch Pancake House by Laurie Gilmore
• The Forbidden by Sawyer Bennett
• Love and Other Paradoxes by Catronia Silvey
• The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison
• Before We Forget Kindness by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
• All Together Now by Matthew Norman

What were the best books you read last month?
Let us know in the comments!