Published by Forever on March 24, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
A beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way.
In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything...
For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.
But Chris isn't the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago—Chris is her boyfriend's best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy.
When faced with two choices for a ride home, Larissa chose Mike, not Chris, and now she is starting to think that she chose the wrong guy.
I don't think I will ever have a bad thing to say about an Abby Jimenez book even when she writes a very complicated romance like this. Mike and Chris were lifelong friends and part of tight group who grew up together. When Mike began asking Chris to cover for him and do favors for Larissa, Chris found he had a connection with this woman. They became friends, texting, talking, and even coparenting a dog together. They were perfect for each other except for the fact that Larissa was dating Mike.
Chris was such a soft touch with a big heart. He was secretly doing nice things for Larissa and giving advice to Mike, and he had to constantly wage a war with his heart. I could feel Chris' anguish as his head and his heart did battle. It seemed like he was in an impossible situation even if we all knew Mike was not the right one for Larissa. She needed Chris and he needed her. They were each other missing puzzle pieces.
Larissa was not dealt the best hand. She was dealing with a severe nut allergy, identity theft, and poverty. Her life wasn't easy, but she had grit. This woman did what had to be done, and I think that's why Chris showing her so much kindness and secretly trying to make her life easier hit me so hard. He didn't even want credit. He just wanted to see her happy. He encouraged and supported her dreams, helping her make them a reality, and he read the same books as her!!!
This book was quite a roller coaster, and I give Jimenez a lot of credit in being able to write a conclusion that was satisfying. I alternated between laughter and tears as "Jesse's Girl" played in my head while I flipped those pages in order to get to that HEA.
Published by Kristan Higgins on April 6, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
From the international bestselling author of PACK UP THE MOON and OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY…
Winnie Smith was never supposed to be that woman. She’s the responsible sister, the behind-the-scenes event planner, the one who avoids drama at all costs. So how did she end up publicly branded as the other woman—and promptly canceled by the Mommy Mafia of Cape Cod? One disastrous relationship, a missing background detail, and suddenly Winnie’s quiet life is in shambles.
Enter Lorenzo Santini, the world-renowned surgeon, feared and revered by colleagues, with zero patience for incompetence and life’s ordinary tasks. Known to hospital staff as Dr. Satan, Lorenzo needs a personal assistant—and Winnie needs a fresh start. It’s strictly business…until it isn’t.
As Winnie manages Lorenzo’s demanding schedule and carefully guarded life, she discovers there’s more beneath his intimidating exterior than arrogance and ambition. And Lorenzo begins to see that Winnie is anything but invisible.
Once in a blue moon, two people who seem to have nothing in common could turn out to be perfect for each other after all.
Winnie was unemployed after her name was dragged through the mud. Lorenzo was looking for a personal assistant. Could Winnie win the man known as "Dr. Satan" over?
I always enjoy Higgins' books, and it was a thrill to return to the world of the Smith family. Being one of five children was not easy for Winnie. She always felt like the invisible one. Though I am only one of two, I was always in the shadow of my sister, and therefore, related to Winnie. My heart ached for her as she dealt with the fallout from her romantic relationship, and I raged about how unfair it all was. But Winnie was a survivor. She took a challenging position as Lorenzo's assistant, and she worked hard to be the best, most efficient PA he ever had.
Lorenzo was a world renown surgeon who felt like an outsider in his own family. He perceived himself in a way that was disconnected from his actions. Lorenzo may have been called Dr. Satan, but he had a huge heart. There were some amazing ways he displayed this, and I could totally understand how Winnie fell for her boss.
Where Lorenzo "saw" and appreciated Winnie in a way no other man had, she understood him on a deeper level and softened him a bit. They were perfection together, and I was rooting for a love connection. But, seriously Lorenzo, that final part of the book - I may have cried from how beautiful it was.
Overall: Another amazing one from Higgins!
Let us know in the comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment