Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday July 21, 2026

 

Here are the books I'm excited about this week.

Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine

Lavine's first book cemented her as an auto-read author for me. I was super excited to see her publishing a second book. I got to read it early and I was not disappointed in the least. Let me tell you it has one of the sexiest sex scenes I've ever read. Check out my thoughts HERE.

Married With Benefits by Ellie Palmer

I've loved all the books I've read by Palmer. I was excited to get an early copy of this and you can see why I loved it HERE.

Yes, Chef by Grace Reilly

This book has such a cute premise. I got both an audio and kindle early read and, while it had it's moments, it was just ok for me. See why HERE at 8am ET today!

What about you?

ARC Review: Married With Benefits by Ellie Palmer

 

"I’ll devour anything Ellie Palmer writes." —Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of The Ex Vows

A trope-filled delight of a rom com about two strangers who enter into a marriage of convenience that becomes anything but convenient.

For better or worse is just the beginning.

Lainey Davis can't wait for the day she'll be able to escape her tiny Wisconsin town. But she’s not even close to covering her health insurance premiums and pricey migraine medication, let alone saving up enough to start over some place new. That is, until Lainey learns that through the archaic legal doctrine of adverse possession, she’s inadvertently squatted her way into owning a marvel of modern architecture.

But Lainey owns only the house. The surrounding property, a lakeside money pit the previous owner used as a front to deal illegal reptiles, has been willed to Elliot Hodges, a D.C. architect who wants to rent out the place to fellow architecture lovers. Their assets are tied together, but neither can move forward without the other.

Desperate, Elliot proposes an unconventional arrangement: marry him for health insurance and in exchange, Lainey will allow him to buy her out. Win-win: Lainey will finally have a way out of town, and he’ll own the house designed by his idol. Married in name only and living together while fixing up the property, Lainey and Elliot find themselves unable to keep their hopes, dreams, or bedsheets from getting entwined. And as their connection grows, Lainey’s no longer sure what’s more terrifying: leaving Elliot behind or letting him in.

Titel: Married With Benefits

Author: Ellie Palmer

Publisher
Expected Publication Date:

Review:

Thank you to Putnam/G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Ellie Palmer quickly moved into my auto-read/auto-buy author nook when I read her first book. She hooked me and reeled me in. So I knew I would love anything else she writes. And I wasn't wrong. This book hit me with all the feels!

Lainey Davis makes her way in the world one moment at a time: scheming and finding any way she can manage to make a buck. She wants to escape her small town in Wisconsin but just can't find a break. Especially when it comes to affording the medicine for her chronic condition. Enter Elliott Hodges, an architect from Washington D.C. who has been willed the property on which the architectural genius of a house Lainey has been living in all her life resides. The two strike a deal to make some money, get Lainey the medication she needs, and eventually sign Lainey's house over to Elliott by agreeing to get married, in name only. But with the close proximity of living together and fixing the house up as a rental, the two find their arrangement melting into something more than just a marriage with benefits.

Oh boy can Palmer write characters who you just cannot help but love. Lainey is a bit of a con-artist/hustler with a penchant for being artistic. She fights her way through life in the small town where everyone knows her, and her grandmother's, names. She's spunky and easily manipulates situations to her advantage. But her chronic condition for which she cannot afford medication is often debilitating, keeping her from doing what she must to survive. Tack on the underlying feeling of her unworthiness and you have a recipe for a woman who needs to be shown just how wonderful she truly is. Palmer handles the chronic condition with great care, and truthfulness. Being the wife of someone who suffers from this condition, it was easy to relate to what Lainey was going through and how hard it would be to stay on top of it without having the proper insurance to cover the costly medication needed to do so.

Elliott, OH MY! He's a golden retriever/cinnamon roll for sure. While at first he comes off as a little hard around the edges, he has such tenderness about him. How he cares for Lainey in her times of need is top notch romance! He was my favorite character in this story.  And he, too, has some underlying trauma that makes him rigid and somewhat predictable. But he slowly sheds that rigidness to show his soft underbelly.

Lainey and Elliott has undeniable chemistry in this book. You can feel it from their first encounter but also in the way they banter. Every encounter they have opens them up more and more to each other until they cannot fight what has been brewing between them.

Add a cast of characters who ramp up the banter but also give great background and the story rounds out well.

I will say there were a few unresolved plot lines I would have liked to see more about including Lainey's relationship with both her mother and (potential) father. While these characters are talked about or introduced, the issues surrounding the relationships with them never come to a head or lead anywhere and this was a bit frustrating. I also felt the story wrapped up a little too easily for me. The tension created by the third act break up didn't really coincide well with the resolution. I needed more to happen. More fleshing out of the ultimate consequences surrounding the issue that caused it. 

But overall, these things did not bring down my rating for the book. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and the characters. The pacing was fast and kept me turning pages to find out how things would work out in the end. Palmer remains an author I will continue to read. I cannot wait to see what she might come up with next!

Author:

Ellie Palmer is a lifelong lover of love stories, a carrier of the BRCA1 mutation, and a prototypical Midwesterner who routinely apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them. When she’s not writing romantic comedies featuring delightfully messy characters, she’s at home in Minnesota, eating breakfast food, watching too much reality television, and triple texting her husband about their son.

ARC Review: Not That Kind of Proposal by Victoria Lavine

 

From the internationally bestselling author of Any Trope but You comes an enemies-to-lovers rom-com about a hopeless romantic wedding planner and the cynical divorce lawyer forced to help her plan her ex’s wedding.

Gracie Holland lives for Happily Ever Afters—just not her own. After a crushing breakup, she’s thrown herself into planning weddings at Larkwood, the ivy-covered Rhode Island estate where she also lives in the guest cottage. But when her beloved boss passes away and leaves the estate to her grandson, Gracie’s carefully rebuilt life is suddenly on the line. Jude Larkwood is everything she’s sworn ruthless, practical, and immune to romance—he’s a divorce lawyer, for crying out loud! Worse, he plans to sell Larkwood by the end of the summer.

Jude has spent his life cleaning up other people’s romantic disasters—and he has no interest in watching another love story fall apart on his family’s lawn. But inheriting Larkwood comes with one its maddeningly optimistic wedding planner. Gracie’s sunshiney faith in love unsettles Jude almost as much as her ability to push through his defenses. He’s built a life on keeping emotion out of the equation—but something about her keeps slipping past his guard.

When Gracie’s ex calls out of the blue asking her to plan his wedding, she sees an unexpected opportunity. Jude reluctantly agrees to give her until the wedding to change his mind, and in exchange, she drags him into a two-month crash course in love to make even the most hardened cynic start to wonder if love might not be such a scam after all.

But as cake tastings and vendor emergencies give way to late-night confessions and undeniable chemistry, Gracie and Jude must confront the fears they’ve spent years avoiding. But can a hopeless romantic and a confirmed cynic find a future they both believe in?

Title: Not That Kind of Proposal

Author: Victoria Lavine

Publisher: Atria

Expected Publication Date: July 21, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I truly enjoyed Lavine's debut book when I read it and knew she would go on my auto-read author list as soon as I finished it. I was excited to be approved for this one because I knew she would make my heart stutter with this story just as she had with the first one, I didn't even have to read the blurb. I just requested it because it was written by her. And I was not disappointed in the least.

I will admit, I didn't read the author's note prior to starting. I didn't want to have any spoilers since I also didn't read the blurb. So I went into this one completely blind of what the tropes might be. I have zero triggers so I was ok with doing this.  But if you are one who needs to know triggers, I highly suggest reading the blurb and the author's note so you know what this book includes because I can see how the themes might be hard for some to read: implied physical and emotional abuse. Lavine includes serious and real topics that need to be spoken about.

Gracie Holland is a wedding planner for the last three years after her bridal dress business tanked. She loves what she does. But when she suddenly finds herself fighting for her job after the death of her mentor, she is determined to ensure her mentor's vision continues. Jude Larkwood has other plans. Having inherited the wedding venue, he plans to sell it off to a private client. He has no love of marriage or weddings as he's seen more than his share of dissolution in his job as a divorce attorney. Gracie and Jude are enemies from the start but agree to work together to see if things can be salvaged. What they don't expect is the connection they feel or how it will change what might happen in the end.

Lavine just knows how to write complex and deep characters that grab your heart. Gracie is a people pleaser. She's messy and has so much baggage. Having grown up in a family who don't seem to appreciate her, she is determined to ensure everyone is always happy. It drains her battery but she feels like this is the only way people can love her. I loved her outlook but also felt so badly for her as people totally stepped all over her. She just wanted to be seen and known for how wonderful she truly is, but ended up being taken advantage of at so many turns. I wanted to hug her and slap her all at the same time.

Jude, ugh! He's a total cinnamon roll. You absolutely do not get this from him at the start. He's stoic and closed off. He is a no holds barred kind of person who jumps in and gets what he wants. He has no time for love or romance. But he also holds a huge secret. Lavine chooses to keep this from us for most of the book, which is fine by me as it really helped build the tension between him and Gracie.

Add in a slew of amazing side characters that truly add so much to the story. Best friends, family members, mentors, and others. I enjoyed them all. I never met a character that didn't somehow add to the story. Lavine uses her side characters well in creating tension and side information in the story, adding to the over all plot.

THE BANTER! If you love a true enemies to lovers story, this is it. Lavine does banter so very well. I had so many laugh out loud moments in this book. The ire between Gracie and Jude was palpable. Every scene where they interacted was fraught with tension and fun. You could feel their attraction and chemistry despite how much they tried to hate one another.

I had a hard time putting this one down. The pacing was on point. If I could have stayed up all night to read it, and not totally ruin the next day, I would have. It was very fast paced and had me turning pages quickly. 

And the spice! OOF! Lavine has written what I would call one of my all time favorite spice scenes in a romance. These two were so freaking sexy together. I loved Jude's kink (not going to spoil it but let's just say it's a green flag). And I loved how Gracie came into her sexuality in this book, realizing what she liked and what she needed from her partner. I was squirming in my seat whenever the two wer together. 

If you're looking for a book where hurt people hurt people, this one is it. It's strewn throughout this book. While I did give this book all the stars, there were some betrayal themes I wasn't 100% happy with. At the same time, I truly understand the FMC and MMC's inability to stay away from each other.

Lavine has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me. I devoured this story just as I did her first book. She has top tier yearning her books for sure. I love her characters, her themes, and how she can absolutely make me laugh despite her tough tropes. I cannot wait to see what else she brings to the page in the future.

Author:

After many years and bookshelves crammed with Romance novels, Victoria has finally taken things to the next level by writing her own. When she’s not reading, writing, or enjoying the great state of Maine with her family, you can find her coming up with excellent reasons to make the next pot of coffee.

Fat Stack Friday July 17, 2026

I'm on vacation but still managed to grab a few books for myself!

Kindle:

A Forsaken Prophecy (The Artisan Trilogy #2) by Stacey McEwan

Pretty excited about this one. I really wanted to read it early but it wasn't in the cards.

Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

I read one book by this author and enjoyed it. This one looked cute so I grabbed it.

Score to Settle (Oakwood Ranch #1) by Bella North

I have the second book in this series to read early so I gabbed this one as I hate reading stuff out of order (even if they say it can be a stand alone with cross over characters - I need all the backstory!).

What did you get?

 

ARC Review: Ruinous Ends (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #2) by I.V. Marie

 

The Decennial is over, but for the students of Blackwood Academy, the fight for the afterlife has just begun.

The infamous school was hiding more secrets—and lies—than any of the Decennial’s participants could have imagined. And there’s still so much that remains buried beneath its ancient foundations. Now the future of the academy, and all the souls within it, rests in the hands of six former pupils:
The charmer and the golden boy . . .
The traitor and the girl desperate to save her . . .
The Chosen One and the one who would choose her over and over again . . .

Any of them could be the hero the afterlife needs . . . or the villain who will destroy it for good. Because the truth is, Blackwood’s biggest secret has yet to come to light—and when it does, it will shake the institution to its core.

Title: Ruinous Ends (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #2)

Author: I.V. Marie

Publisher: Random House Children's Delacorte Press

Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Random House Children's/Delacorte Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

If you have not read the first book in this series, stop here. Do not proceed. Reading the first book is a must to understand the world and the characters you meet in this book.

This book picks up where the last book left off on a cliffhanger. The Blackwood Academy crew has been dismantled after the Decennial has happened and everyone now knows the truth of Silas's plan. But there are still secrets and people to be usurped. And this crew will get to the bottom of it all if it's the last thing they do.

Warning, there are six POVs in this book. I usually like multiple points of view but something having so many can be confusing. Marie did a great job keeping each POV obvious of who was speaking not only by using their names as the chapter heading but by always making sure you to mention their name in the first or second sentence. I liked this approach and it really did make it easier for me to keep everyone straight. The differing POVs were also necessary, in my opinion. It solidified a lot of emotions between the characters as well as showed me the different things happening. Especially during the very action packed last quarter of the story.

Marie does a great job reintroducing us to the characters from the first book. There are some allusions to the first story and how relationships formed during that book but for the most part this book assumes you remember what you've already ready previously. I do wish Marie had taken a bit of time to remind the reader of the previous story and how this one spins off of that but it didn't totally kill the story for me.

I truly enjoyed this book. It wrapped up really well. I definitely had many emotional moments while reading it. My hope was dashed and then pieced back together many times over during the conclusion of this series. The author chose the fates of all the characters so well. 

I very much enjoyed the pacing and plot of this story. I'm excited to see what I.V. Marie comes up with next. She's definitely been added to my auto-read author list!

Author:

I.V. Marie is the instant New York Times, USA Today and Indie Bestselling author of Immortal Consequences. She was born and raised in Miami to a Peruvian mother and Chilean father, where she acquired a penchant for afternoon cafecitos and developed an all-consuming obsession with books. Her writing ambitions began behind her grandparents’ computer, where she spent her childhood crafting spooky and fantastical short stories. When she is not writing, you can find her rock climbing or watching atmospheric Youtube videos with her dog, Mr. Darcy.

ARC Review: Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi

 

“I'm obsessed.” —Ali Hazelwood

"I never wanted [it] to end...Stunning." —Lyla Sage

What my eyes are showing me can’t be possible. Can’t be real. Because if they are, then I have to accept that Julian Conrad has been alive for a very long time.

Too long to be human.

A stay-up-all-night, smart, spicy romance following a doctor who finds herself falling for an alluring, much-younger man with a deadly secret

Sean’s not in the market for love. The only female, let alone Black, interventional cardiologist at her hospital, she’s watched too many of her male colleagues divorce their first wives to marry younger models—and then there’s the abusive relationship she’s spent the better part of her early 30s healing from. Her passions are reserved for her best friend, her goddaughter, and her job.

Then she meets Julian. Brooding, beautiful and eleven years her junior. In short: A bad idea.

Julian pursues her in a way that sets off alarm bells in her mind, but she finds herself unable to resist their undeniable chemistry—even starts fantasizing about him in dreams that feel altogether too real. They also have a lot in common despite their age gap. So, to hell with it: If men can date younger, why can’t she? But the more Sean gets to know him, the more impossible Julian seems: He has a depth and sorrow to him that’s beyond his years, and sometimes there’s a look in his eyes that’s less than human, and leaves her feeling more like prey. Plus, Sean herself has been exhibiting odd symptoms—memory lapses, a lack of restraint that's unlike her, persistent exhaustion—that all trace back to Julian, making Sean feeling more than a little afraid. Who—or what—is she falling, irrevocably, in love with?

Extraordinarily transfixing, suspenseful, and addictive, Die for Me is nothing short of a seduction.

Title: Die for Me

Author: Shirlene Obuobi

Publisher: Viking Penguin

Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Viking for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed her are my own.

I'll be honest, I took the widget for this one simply because Ali Hazelwood blurbed it and had it featured in her newsletter. I love Hazelwood and figured I could not go wrong with a title she enjoyed. I didn't even read the blurb for this, so I really had no idea what I was getting into. And boy was I pleasantly surprised. I was not expecting a paranormal romance. Nor was I expecting what the paranormal creatures actually were. This is actually the first time I've read a book with this type of supernatural being as the main "monster." I do not know much about this type of creature, except from what I kind of learned through the show Supernatural, so I was totally engrossed in trying to figure out what was going on.

Sean is a cardiologist who has spent her life making sure those around her know she is just as talented as anyone else who might be in her position. Her fight as not only a woman but a black woman is at the forefront of this book from the beginning. The opening chapter totally makes it clear she has had to claw her way to the top and fight to stay there. Her dedication to this is evident in her life choices of not having settled down, gotten married, or had kids. It has not been her priority to fit romance into her life. When she meets Julian at her best friend's ex's wedding, she is surprised by their instant connection despite their age gap. But as their relationship progresses, she notices things are not quite how they seem and takes a deep dive into finding out what Julian and his sisters, Rose and Leila, truly are. But this deep dive comes at an expense: her relationship with Julian and possibly her life.

I love that Sean is a such strong character. She can very much take care of herself. She has formed a found family with her best friend and her daughter. She lives the life she has set for herself and doesn't let anyone else dictate things for her. She's completely settled in her self. Strong and undeniably independent. Her letting Julian into her life is unusual. Her falling for him so quickly is even more so. I also enjoyed that Obuobi chose to write this book from just one perspective: Sean's. Everything we see, everything we feel, everything we know is because this truly capable woman shows it to us. It was refreshing and I was kind of surprised I was ok with is (I normally like dual POV for romances).

Julian is this sexy, broody man who knows what he wants and he wants Sean. His whole persona is a mystery. He is also single minded in getting Sean's attention and having her as his. To the point that he seems utterly obsessed with Sean. He moves so quickly, which was a red flag for me, to be honest. But given what he is, it's understandable Sean had very little control in her attraction to him.

On top of the romance is a mystery of what Julian and his siblings are. Slowly Sean reveals what she finds. Along the way we get to know her best friend, Winona, Winnys' daughter Sophie, their ex-husband/best friend Brandon, and her adorable dog Onix. All the supporting characters in this book brought something special to the story. There were no extraneous characters who made you wonder why they were there. 

Finally, the pacing of this book was great. I would have finished it in one day had I not been on vacation and exhausted from a boating trip we took. I didn't want to put this one down. I had to know what was actually happening and once it was revealed I was definitely a bit shocked. Like I said above, I haven't really read books with this kind of monster in it so it was very new to me. By the 75% mark when all is finally truly revealed, the book really takes off. There is action and more mystery and some gore (nothing horrible but horrible enough). I was so worried Obuobi would leave me with heartbreak and had no idea how she would actually wrap it up so I'd be happy but she managed to do it! This book solidified that I will be reading Obuobi's future works and going back to see what her other books are about. 

Author:

Shirlene Obuobi is a Ghanaian-American physician, cartoonist, and author who grew up in Chicago, Illinois, Hot Springs, Arkansas and The Woodlands, Texas. When she’s not in the hospital (and let’s be honest, even when she’s in it), she can be found drawing comics, writing on her phone, and obsessing over her three cats. She currently lives in Chicago, where she is completing her cardiology fellowship.

ARC Review: Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon

 

When a former pop star enrolls in college, the last thing she expects is A-plus chemistry with her psychology professor in this sexy and tender romance from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Ramona Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids’ TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she’s done—with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she’s starting with college.

Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career.

Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick’s buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can’t be so easily finished with her old life, and they’ll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.

Title: Extracurricular

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for supplying me with a copy of this title to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I've not read any titles by this author before. I have seen them around but haven't had a chance but the reviews have been good so I wanted to give her a try. And I was not disappointed at all. I enjoy a really well written forbidden love story and Solomon did a really good job with this while also including an age gap!

Romona Wilder has retired from being a pop star after years of abuse from the industry. She's gone back to school at UCLA to see where she wants her to go. Nick Navarro is just off a divorce from his childhood love. He's trying to make a new life for himself but is also having a hard time moving on. What does keep him going is his niece and his job as a psychology professor at UCLA. When Romona chooses his class as one to take, he is skeptical she is in school for the right reasons, But there's an attraction between them that neither seems to be able to ignore. As they grow closer as "friends," Nick finds himself at risk of not only losing his job but also losing his heart.

Romona is a fabulous character. She is extremely well developed. It was easy to relate to her despite having no association in the music industry. So much has been brought to light in the last few years about how pop stars are treated and what they go through and Romona's character embodied so much of that.  I was impressed with how Solomon addressed some very difficult topic in this book: abuse. Romona's character was emotionally and sexually abused by those she trusted. It took pulling herself out of the industry and an accusation of assault against her ex-boyfriend to reveal these things to her. She is slowly learning none of what she went through was ok and trying hard to take her life back. She does not expect her attraction to Nick, nor does she expect the friendship they form and now it supports her.

Nick is such a golden retriever but with a bit of a dominant side hiding beneath. I loved his character. His own trauma, while different from Romona's, was just as powerful in shaping who he is. He's experienced so much pain. I really loved how he and Romona had honest conversations with each other that helped them truly understand one another. And I love his relationship with his niece. It's just so sweet that they are so close and she feels like she can come to him and call on him for things.

I'm not going to lie, the plot for this one is messy. It was hard for me to see a good outcome in the distance while reading this. I just could not see how things would work out. And the actual attraction was little on the fast side for me. It was not insta-love, but I wish there was just a bit more build up to it. Thankfully, Solomon does choose to give us happiness at the end (I'm not good at total heartbreak). And she does it without the third act break up which I was very happy about. Solomon explores self-discovery, growth, and resilience. Both characters work through their traumas and help each other realize it's ok to be a little messy.

What this book did was made me realize I need to read everything Solomon decides to write. Her pacing was on point. Not too quick, not too slow. But just enough to have me finishing this in less than 24 hours. And her plot was so much more than just a romance. It's a story about kindness. It's about accepting yourself despite the traumas in your past. Accepting those are part of who you are and will help you grow into who you can be and feel safe doing it. A story that touches on so many deeper themes beyond chemistry and spice. Definitely one of my top reads this year!

Author:

Rachel Lynn Solomon is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk, Today Tonight Tomorrow, and other romantic comedies for teens and adults. Her books have been translated into more than fifteen languages and optioned for film. Originally from Seattle, she's currently navigating expat life with her husband in Amsterdam, where she can often be found exploring the city, collecting stationery, and working up the courage to knit her first sweater. Connect with her on Instagram @rlynn_solomon. 

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday July 14, 2026

 

Here are my most anticipated releases for today.

In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto

The cover of this one is so cute! I haven't read this author but I got this one as a read now and it was so much fun. THE BANTER! Check out my thoughts HERE.

The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

I'm down with anything by these authors. I was lucky to receive a copy of this and it was a great book. A bit different from their other romances. Check out why HERE.

Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Another read now book that I was excited to read as I've been wanting to read this author. I really enjoyed this one. Check out my review HERE.

Die for Me by Shirlene Obuobi

This one was sent to me by the publisher and also suggested by a few authors I love. I just finished today and my review will go up tomorrow HERE. It's a great read!

Ruinous Ends (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #2) by I.V. Marie

I loved the first book in this series. I was so excited for this one and I got an early copy but I just started reading it. Hoping to get my review up by the end of the week.

A Forsaken Prophecy (The Artisan Trilogy #2) by Stacey McEwan

I wanted this early so badly but I didn't get it. I was sad since I got the first one early. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. I love McEwan.

The Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

I've read one other book by this author. This one looks cute!

A Darker Shore (Six of Crows #2.5) by Leigh Bardugo

I love anything Bardugo. This one is only out in hardcover right now. I cannot wait to read it when it's available digitally!

What are yours?

ARC Review: In Stormy Weather by Chelseas Curto

 

From USA Today bestselling indie author Chelsea Curto comes an academic rivals-to-lovers romance about storm-chasing meteorologists during hurricane season in Florida—perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman-in-STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.

Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.

Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her long-suffering academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.

Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?

Title: In Stormy Weather

Author: Chelsea Curto

Publisher: Atria

Expected Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is my fist Chelsea Curto book. I've seen this author's name around in my book groups and I was always curious about her books so I grabbed this as a read now and I was not disappointed. This book was so much fun.

Quincy is a woman in weather who is always fighting to be seen as an equal to the men in the field. This includes her old time high school/college enemy, Sebastian. Despite her one million followers and her smarts, she still gets looked down on. But she just wants to report the weather and keep people safe. Sebastian has a great job with notoriety. But he's missing what initially pulled to weather, being in the thick of it and helping others. When Sebastian takes a sabbatical to do a docuseries and returns to his home town, it's unsurprising that he and Quincy bump into each other and bump heads.

Curto can do banter! I absolutely adored the back and forth between Quincy and Sebastian in this book. It was the best part of the romantic build up and really helped solidify the chemistry between them. It's truly what kept the book moving for me. I loved them together. The author did a great job developing the characters and making them unique. I could truly feel how hard it was for Quincy to be a woman in her field, fighting to be heard and recognized for her expertise. And Sebastian really came across as a man who loves on all those who are important to him. His relationship with his friends, Cooper and Nate, was really fun. 

The side characters were also great. They really helped round out the story. I'm hoping Curto decides to move forward with the two characters who definitely seem to have a connection. It would be fun to see their story. 

I loved the inclusion of all the weather stuff. It was interesting to see what it all meant. It was also great to learn a bit about how it works. I can see Curto did a good amount of research for this book given the words and explanations she used.

The pacing in this book is really great. I kept wanting to turn the pages to find out what happened. The action, emotional, and sexy times are balanced really well. I never felt like any of it was overdone. It's a really great summer read with fun characters, a good plot, and amazing laugh out loud times. I cannot wait to see if Curto writes more in this world!

Author:

Chelsea is a flight attendant and romance author who writes fun, fresh and flirty love stories with plenty of spice. When she's not making fictional characters banter for twenty chapters before they finally kiss or serving chicken or pasta on an airplane, you can find her trying to pet as many dogs as she can.


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