Mini-Reviews: Rom-Com To Kick Off Summer

The end of the school year brings about such busyness that a rom-com is about all I want to read.  These typically keep my attention and are fast and enjoyable.  These four are my latest reads.

 

Phoebe Berman's Losing It by Brooke Averick is an enjoyable story about Phoebe who is approaching her 30th birthday and is still a virgin.  She would love to be in a relationship but anxiety (and an unfortunate experience that included vomiting on a guy) has prevented her from ever getting close to anyone.  There was a development in this one I didn't see coming, but this is a solid rom-com.

Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews isn't a true rom-com, but when I think of summer reading, MKA books are a staple.  Generally set in the South, this time MKA has placed her story in Ireland as sisters are forced to take a week-long trip together to find the origin of a painting their mother had in her possession.  As they clean out their recently deceased mom's house and realize that both have no money and there is no inheritance, the possibility that this painting could be worth something is one the sisters can't ignore.

Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune is one I haven't quite finished up yet.  It's Frankie's wedding weekend and she's not sure if George, her childhood best friend will even show up to be her best man. But he does, and when the wedding is called off, George suggests that the two of them go on the honeymoon for the week.  I feel like I already know how this will end, but I'm also OK with that.  Carley Fortune is hit or miss for me, so we'll see how this one ends.

Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan is Monaghan at her best.  Dolly has always been the one to take care of things having assumed many responsibilities after her mom left when she was a teenager.  She and her son are coming to stay with her dad for the summer to help out, and runs into Stewart Whitfield a wealthy bachelor who is getting over a bad breakup.  Dolly is in need of a new roof and Stewart is needing a girlfriend for the sake of publicity, so the two strike up an arrangement that benefits them both.  I could see where this was going, but it didn't bother me a bit.  I've read everything Monaghan's written and this is her at her finest.

I am sure I'll find a few more rom-coms this summer to enjoy, and I'm looking forward to more leisure reading.

Friday Five

Friday was the official last day of the school year - but with the changes coming next year and the fact that I had four buildings to clean up, I am not really done.  I will probably go in for shorter times and I won't go in nearly as early, but I want to leave everything cleaned up for the fall.  

For the first summer in quite a few years, there is no summer school being offered, so I am truly off for the summer.  I'm not sure I will like that, but I do have a house that I'd like to go through and purge of clutter.  

And meanwhile, while I'm purging things, I am also finding a lot of clothing that I'd like to purchase.  It never ends.

Enjoy this week's finds!

 

1.  Textured Knit Button-Front Shell Top

2.  Oversized Cotton Twill Popover Shirt

3.  Arizona Big Buckle Raffia

4.  Fiorella Graphic Shorts

5.  Gabby Top

6.  Adidas Originals Taekwondo Mei Ballet

7.  100% Suede Driver Loafer

8.  Pilcro Swing Sweater Tank

9.  Women's Mackie Mary Jane Espadrille Flats

10.  The Royal Wedding of Peter Philips and Harriet Sperling

 That's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Whale Harbor

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Whale Harbor by Mary Beth Keane 

Due out: September 29, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From New York Times bestselling author of the “magnificent” (Fresh Air), “propulsive” (People), and “profound” (Vogue) Ask Again, Yes, a sweeping multi-generational saga inspired by the author's own family history, following eleven brothers torn apart and set on different paths between Ireland, England, Montana, and New York.

1960s, Ireland. In the wake of tragedy, a father makes choices for his eleven grieving sons. The older brothers will emigrate to England for work, while the younger ones will stay behind. The second eldest, Macdara, is offered a job on a Montana cattle ranch and sets off. His spirited younger brother Rian begs Mac to take him along and Mac promises to bring Rian to America as soon as he's old enough. But then one day Mac gets a call that Rian has disappeared. It's a call that will haunt Mac and his family across decades.

Spanning lifetimes and continents, Whale Harbor is an expansive and unforgettable novel written with award-winning author Mary Beth Keane's signature wit, eloquence, and attention to the emotional resonance of family.

Friday Five: June Is Upon Us

 Many of the small school districts surrounding the one I work in have already finished up for the year.  I still have another full week and then perhaps even a little bit more since I have four buildings to close up and neither of the two paras I was allotted made it through the year (one lasted twelve days!).  On a day to day basis, I hobbled through.  But the damaged books I didn't have time to repair, the weeding I couldn't get done, the organization/re-organization that was started and never completed is all awaiting me.  

I'm hoping next year is less stressful when we return in August.  

I've found some nice warm weather clothing and if I weren't crawling around moving books all over the place, I would love to wear them.  Right now I'm showing up in clothes I can get dirty in.  

June is right around the corner and I am so ready!

1.  USA Navy and Ivory Striped Sweater

2.  Voy Maeve Top

3.  Divy Woven Ballet Flats

4.  Gauze Soft Gathered Shirt

5.  We The Free Benny Boat Loafer

6.  Preston Linen Short

7.  Women's Lands End T&T the Tiffany Midkini Square Neck Set

8.  Airy Denim Utility Pocket Shirt

9.  Heritage Madras Stallings Button Down

10.  You're Killing Me - new series starring Brooke Shields on Acorn TV

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: The Thoroughbreds

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released novel I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand

Due out: Septemer 15, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

September at Tiffin Academy is always a heady time, especially for the senior class—“sixth formers,” in Tiffin-speak—a season of college applications and intense pressure, of partying hard and last hurrahs. As the chapel bells ring in students and staff, everyone has something to look forward to—but in the midst of the anticipation and excitement, nagging questions and dark secrets lurk beneath the surface…
 
Are Tiffin’s It Couple, Charley and East, on the rocks? What sparked the rift between football star Dub and his best friend Hakeem? Will Pippa Sacks, posh day student, topple the delicate social hierarchy—or wreak even worse havoc? Can Head of School Audre Robinson save her job—and the school—after a disastrous financial mistake? And what was in that email attachment Cinnamon Peters sent to Dub before she died? 
 
Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham answer these questions and more in The Thoroughbreds, a page-turning story about friendship, treachery, ambition, and growing up, at any age.

Friday Five: A Monday Post When The Weekend Gets Away From You

 It's Memorial Day and I am just now getting around to publishing Friday's post.  We've had a busy weekend here with all the girls being home (the older two just for visits and Little Sister is home for the summer), and one of my best friends and her daughter are here as well, visiting from North Carolina.

I'm trying not to look at any great Memorial Day sales because I know I will find something I love but don't actually need.

However, I did manage to find plenty of thing to share with you.  Enjoy!   

1. Lina Midi Dress in Gingham

2.  Jeffrey Campbell Gum Drop Studded Jelly Sandals

3.  Pilcro Short Sleeve Smock Tee

4.  Riptide One-Piece Black Cocoa Dot

5.  Fate Gauze Short Sleeve Top

6.  Smocked Peplum Top

7.  The Perfect Crewneck Tee

8.  Smocked Shell Tank Top in Floral

9.  Swim Cover-Up Mini Dress

10. Puff Sleeve Maxi Dress

That's it for me this week. What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Hollow Bones

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I highlight a soon to be released book I can't wait to read.

This week's pick: Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult

Due out September 22, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name comes a riveting novel about the risks we take to protect the ones we love in a world where crisis is always just around the corner.

On September 11, 2001, when Molly Fitzgerald was only two months old, her mother went to an appointment at the World Trade Center and never came home. Her father and the stepmother who raised her couldn’t have loved her more, but she still grew up with a healthy dread of disasters.

Now an adult, she runs the Rhode Island Department for Emergency Preparedness, mapping out ways to save lives during storms, epidemics, and airplane crashes. She and her husband, Jesse—a police polygraph expert with his own history of crisis—have found a love that is a solace in a dangerous world. But then the unexpected upends their new marriage, leading them both to question everything they thought they knew.

Moving between past and present, Hollow Bones is an epic story of the lies we tell ourselves as we write the narratives of our lives, the plans we design to protect ourselves at the worst moments, and the ties that bind mothers and daughters.

Monday Mini Reviews: Five Star Read: The Burning Side

I loved The Bright Years, Damoff's debut, when I read it last year.  And if it's possible, I think I love The Burning Side even more. 

This story begins on the night that Alice and Leo escape from their burning house with their young children.  This is also the night that Leo has told Alice he wants a divorce.

From that starting point, the story moves back and forth in time, narrated by Alice, Leo, and Deb (Alice's mother).  

We are able to see how Leo and Alice met, and the beginning of their relationship and marriage. At the same time, Deb also shares the origins of her marriage to Billy.  We see Deb and Billy as Alice's parents, devoted to each other and their family, but through Deb's narration, we get a fuller depiction of things.

In some parts I wanted to page ahead to make sure things turned out alright for everyone. I would inwardly groan at conversations that ended with hurt feelings, or in anger.  These characters felt so real to me - all of their imperfections made them human.

And I love the way Damoff writes about marriage.  We get to see the highs and lows, the small moments that make up everyday life, and the reality that marriages endure some hard times.

This would be a great book club selection. It's for anyone who loves character driven novels, or well written fiction.  And I can't wait to see what Damoff writes next.

Friday Five

 

1. Linen Blend Popover Top

2.  Knotted Muscle Tee

3.  New Balance 327 Denim Shoes

4.  Lottie Love Sleep Set

5.  Izzie Relaxed Pull On Shorts

6.   9" Downtown Bermuda Shorts

7.  French Terry Oversized V-Neck Sweatshirt

8.  The Lodge Pant "Crepette"

9. Gola Hawk Sneakers

10.  Four Seasons- Season Two

That's it for me this week.  What's caught your eye?

Waiting on Wednesday: Valley of the Moms

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly feature where I share a soon to be released title I can't wait to read.

This week's pick Valley of the Moms by Hannah Selinger

Due out: June 16, 2026

Synopsis taken from Amazon:

Stepford Wives meets Big Little Lies in this twisty thriller that uncovers the untruths, petty grievances, and local school politics underneath a seemingly quaint small town.

Hamilton, Massachusetts is one of those suburban towns that appears untouched by the outside world where stay-at-home moms wear 2ct diamond studs to the playground, where a million-dollar property is “affordable,” and where the Parent Teacher Organization is a hotbed of controversy. Sure, some people struggle to make ends meet, but residents would say discussing such ugly matters is impolite. Hamilton has been like this forever, and everyone likes it that way. Or: almost everyone.

It's not that Anna Plummer doesn't like Hamilton, but she never thought she'd be married with two young kids, comfortable, complacent…and growing more bored by the minute. So, when she realizes her second grader won't be able to attend the "Ziti with Your Sweetie" school dance because she didn’t pay for a “Premium” membership, she snaps. She sends an email to the terrifying president of the PTO—and all hell breaks loose.

One year later, Anna is found dead in the frozen Ipswich River. Left to pick up the pieces, her husband, Denny, is shaken to his core. He's no expert, but he's seen enough Dateline to know that the police think he's the main suspect. If they aren't going to get justice for Anna, he will. Told through the alternating perspectives of Anna and Denny exactly one year apart, and with a shocking concluding twist, Valley of the Moms is a gripping look at the underpinnings of grief, the social structures of wealth, and the secrets people keep—even among friends and loved ones.