Published by Penguin Books on February 24, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
Follow the seashell path along Tokyo Bay until you get to the Chibineko Kitchen, where a traditional Japanese meal can summon anyone you choose from your past, but only for as long as it continues to steam. . .
Menu
Tofu no Misozuke: Miso-marinated tofu
Buta Bara no Kara-age: Fried pork belly
Iwashi no Kabayaki-don: Soy-glazed sardines over rice
Shime no Curry: Curry using leftover hotpot
If you could speak one last time to someone you’ve lost, what would you tell them?
Nagi Hayakawa is facing an impossible choice. With only a few years left to live, should she marry the man she loves? Desperate for advice from her mother, who died years ago, she reserves a table at the Chibineko Kitchen. When she takes her first bite of the miso-marinated tofu and rice, the resident kitten meows, the air grows hazy, and she embarks on a reunion with the departed that has the potential to restore her love of life.
"It is said that if you eat a remembrance meal at the Chibineko Kitchen, you'll be able to hear your loved ones' voice again... What's more, this restaurant has a cat"
It was wonderful being back at this seaside restaurant where I got to share remembrance meals with four new people. *MY EMOTIONS, MY EMOTIONS* I forgot how emotional these stories could be, and Takahashi started with one that had me bawling early on. It's not just the emotional punch of these stories that keep me coming back. I love the comfort they bring, how thoughtful they are, and that each short tale comes with a takeaway.
The first story convinced me that life is short, and I should grab every opportunity with both hands. The second showed me that it's never too late to start anew, while the third story convinced me that we are not alone. There are people supporting us even when we don't know it. The last story was the toughest for me. It was very sad, and though it did not go in the direction I had hoped, it was encouraging and was about living life to the fullest.
As with the previous installment, these stories are emotional but heartwarming. They tugged at my heartstrings and elicited tears, both happy and sad, from me. Most of all, they left me with hope that we can all heal following a loss, and that remembering our loved ones is a beautiful way to honor them.
Published by Gallery Books on February 10, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
In this sexy small town romance from the author of Birding with Benefits, a type-A beekeeper and a former bad boy join forces to plan a summertime Honey Festival.
Like the bees she keeps, Penny Becker lives by a golden rule: never stop working. That mantra kept Becker Farms running when her grandfather, dad, and ex all left for greener pastures. But after taking out a loan for an expansion plan that crashed and burned, Penny has to find a way to pay or risk losing it all, and she’s betting everything on the Sullivan’s Glen Honey Festival. To save the farm, she has to make the festival bigger, better, and more successful than ever before—and she plans to do it all on her own.
Reformed bad boy turned restaurateur Zander Bouras left Sullivan’s Glen in a blaze of glory and vowed to never return. But when his ex-wife wants to go back for the summer, Zander grudgingly follows. He refuses to miss time with his son, and figures it’s finally time to deal with the farmhouse his grandfather left, for some reason, to him.
His first day in town brings Zander face to face with Penny, the girl whose perfect life mocked him from next door. It’s just his luck that his son loves her and her bees, and before he knows it he’s been volunteered to help plan a honey festival with the sexy, stubborn beekeeper whose braid he just wants to tug. As they learn to work together, Zander faces his demons and learns to see Sullivan’s Glen in a new light as Penny realizes that accepting help isn’t so bad—especially from the right person. But as the festival day and Zander’s departure draw near, they’ll have to decide if the romance buzzing between them can last past the sweet days of summer.
Zander finds himself back in the town where he spent his summers as a teen making a reputation for himself and is forced to face down his demons. One of them being perfect Penny Becker. But when his son takes a shine to the bee keeper, Zander volunteers to help Penny organize the annual Honey Festival. The more time they spend together, the closer they grow but will their relationship survive when Zander returns to his life in Boston?
Birding with Benefits was a huge hit for me, so I was eager to read Dubb's newest book. I enjoyed spending the summer with Zander and Penny. They both had some baggage to unpack related to old wounds and some pressing issues to deal with.
Zander had spent summers with his emotionally distant grandfather since his mother was unable to care for him due to her mental health issues. He came back to Sullivan’s Glen following his grandfather's death to get his his home ready to sell while staying close to his son who was spending the summer with his ex and her family. Zander thought he had a lot of prove and wanted to show everyone how much he had grown and changed. I really like the this storyline as people surprised by me and Zander. It was sweet and feel-good. The type of stuff I love.
Penny came from a long line of women who had been done wrong by the men in their lives. Her ex left her with a huge debt putting the future of the farm in jeopardy. The success of the Honey Festival was a vital part of her plan to clear the debt and the pressure was mounting. I was glad she finally let someone help her. She lived her whole life feeling like she had to do everything by herself, and after trusting her ex-husband and that backfiring, she was leery of people offering any assistance. I felt bad for Penny and was overjoyed when things between her and Zander took off, leaving her with someone to lean on. In reality, they both needed someone to support them, and I was thrilled they found it in each other.
I am always down for a save the [insert place] plot, so this was great for me. I also loved being out on the farm and learning more about the bees. It was cute the way Zander's son took such a keen interest in the bee keeping which was a great way to work all that information into the story. I am sure others will argue, but I loved the way Dubb wrapped this one up. It made me smile and filled me with glee.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed this small town romance which was had fun and feelings galore.
*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER
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