Published by Simon & Schuster on May 19, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
From the author of The Bright Years, the story of April and Leo, a couple on the brink of collapse. When their house goes up in flames, family secrets and thorny histories emerge as they are forced to decide what is worth salvaging.
When April and Leo’s house burns in the middle of the night, they escape with their two young children and the quiet knowledge that the fire is not the only thing threatening their family. They retreat to April’s childhood home in Dallas, where her spirited parents and siblings provide both comfort and complication.
As the family reckons with the aftermath—grief, guilt, logistics, and memories scorched and intact—the fire exposes the cracks already forming in April and Leo’s marriage. The novel unfolds in alternating perspectives: from April, who feels the crushing weight of motherhood, marriage, and self-blame; from Leo, a high school history teacher shaped by a lonely, fractured childhood; from Deb, April’s generous and no-nonsense mother who has to contend with her husband’s recent Alzheimer’s diagnosis; and from flashbacks that trace April and Leo’s relationship from its earliest days of connection to the devastating decisions that led them here.
A family saga suffused with humor, longing, and heartbreak, The Burning Side is about what we inherit and what we choose, about forgiveness and the ache of being known. It is, above all, about the meaning of home and the costs of long love.
After a fire, April and Leo must see if their house, and their marriage, can be saved.
Damoff knows how to bring the pain! This story was incredibly heartbreaking with its exploring love and commitment.
The story was told primarily from three points of view and largely focused on two marriages. Both couples were facing serious challenges. One was trying to decide if they should call it quits while the other was dealing with a serious health condition. I saw glimpses of their pasts and learn a bit about their love stories, as well as how they got to this point. I appreciated the fight that both women were willing to put up, especially Deb.
Damoff is an incredible storytelling. She employed flashbacks which were very insightful and meaningful. This story made me cry and broke my heart, but it also filled me with hope. Hope that everyone gets to experience a love like these characters did. This is story that will stay with me for sure.
Published by Avon on June 16, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
In this lush, slow-burning romance, two childhood neighbors, connected by a shared tragedy, unexpectedly reunite to ghostwrite a love story for a reclusive author. Spending the summer at her secluded Hamptons estate, they soon discover that dozens of classic romance tropes, including the ones they’re crafting on page, are mysteriously playing out in real life.
Katie Caruso is a completely normal twenty-five-year-old girl. At least, for the past eight years, she’s tried to be. She likes glitter and sequins and flirting with cute boys at New York City bars. She’s also a ghostwriter for Meredith Bradford, the bestselling romance novelist of all time. But then Tyler McNally walks back into Katie’s life, and that bedazzled facade crumbles at her platform-sneakered feet.
Katie and Tyler haven’t seen or spoken to each other since the overdose death of Katie’s older brother, a standout MLB pitching prospect. Tyler was her brother’s best friend, and Katie—naturally—was the girl next door. But now, Tyler is a sleeve-tattooed, Ivy League-educated aspiring literary fiction novelist, nine years sober . . . and Katie’s writing partner for the summer.
As genre conventions require, Katie and Tyler soon find themselves removed from Manhattan and instead writing their love story in “forced proximity” at Meredith’s isolated Southampton home. As the summer unfolds, the tropes Katie and Tyler have written into their novel begin to play out in their own lives. Call it destiny, fate, or magic It’s clear their love story is unfinished. This time, though, they’ll fight for their happy ending.
Heart-wrenching and tender, Tropesick is a love letter to the romance genre. With a wink and a nod, Okie has packed the novel with listeners’ favorite
Grumpy/Sunshine Brother’s best friend Girl next door Forced proximity Forbidden love Kissing in the rain Groveling hero Second-chance romance Slow burn Only one bed
Katie has enjoyed a successful career as a ghostwriter, but when she is matched with a new writing partner, she finds her past crashing in. Determined not to let this derail her mission, Katie agrees to work with Tyler which reignites some strong feelings and sets them both on a personal journeys.
I loved the whole idea of this book, and I thought Oakie did it well. As an avid romance reader, I embrace and love the tropes, and it was delightful to see so many of them explored in this story.
Big emotions were evoked because these two shared a rather painful past. He was her first love but also her brother's best friend. They hadn't been in contact since her brother's death, and then fate brought them together as writing partners. Not only did Katie have to work with Tyler, she had to teach him how to write a romance. The whole set up was a powder keg waiting to ignite in a romantic way.
I am reading more and more books involving romance writers and readers where they are forced to justify the genre. But I am more than happy to keep reading books like these because I share their love and adoration. Tropesick highlights the aspects of romance that make it my favorite genre and incorporates them brilliantly into this tale of love, healing, and redemption.
And just when I thought I knew exactly what was going on, Oakie threw me a curve ball that I really didn't expect. I was wholly engrossed in this story. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.
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