Review: Viscount in Love by Eloisa James

Two eccentric orphans bring together a grumpy viscount and the free-spirited heroine who steals his heart in the first novel in Eloisa James’s new Accidental Brides series, in which haughty aristocrats find themselves married to the wrong women. 

VISCOUNT IN LOVE by ELOISA JAMES

Series: Accidental Brides #1

Publication date: July 23, 2024

Published by: Avon  

Genre: historical romance

 

SYNOPSIS

He wants a nanny, not a bride…

Suddenly guardian to twins, Viscount Dominic Kelbourne is luckily betrothed to a suitable lady—until she elopes. With no time to woo, Dominic decides to marry his fiancée’s unconventional sister. Torie isn’t perfect, but their kisses are so passionate that society thinks he’s actually chosen her.

She wants to marry for love…

Torie has never been able to make sense of words on a page, so she has turned her talents to art. She longs for a man who values her as she is… but marries for the sake of the twins. She doubts Dominic is capable of love, let alone respect, but as their heated debates turn into something more, Torie begins to imagine a life as a wife, not a nanny. 

But when the arrogant viscount finds that his viscountess has stolen his heart, he’ll have to give all he has to win her love.

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Praise for Eloisa James:

“Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love. Her style is exquisite, her prose pure magic. Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than a new novel by Eloisa James.” — Julia Quinn

“Bestseller James’s fun third Would-Be Wallflowers historical romance (after The Reluctant Countess) sets itself apart in the depth of its interpersonal complexities. Lovers of historical romance will delight in these well-rounded, flawed characters learning to live their best lives.” — Publishers Weekly on Not That Duke

“The third smartly sexy and sharply witty addition to James’ Would Be Wallflowers series offers everything fans could hope for and expect from this romance genre luminary.” — Booklist on Not That Duke

“This enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance uses humor to show how a match that looks perfect on paper may be no match at all when it comes to chemistry… a compelling and delightful read. Enjoy this light and humorous historical romance.” — Library Journal on Not that Duke

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

New York Times bestselling author Eloisa James writes historical romances for HarperCollins Publishers. Her novels have been published to great acclaim. A reviewer from USA Today wrote of Eloisa's very first book that she "found herself devouring the book like a dieter with a Hershey bar"; later People Magazine raved that "romance writing does not get much better than this." Her novels have repeatedly received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and regularly appear on the best-seller lists.

After graduating from Harvard University, Eloisa got an M.Phil. from Oxford University, a Ph.D. from Yale and eventually became a Shakespeare professor, publishing an academic book with Oxford University Press. Currently she is an associate professor and head of the Creative Writing program at Fordham University in New York City. Her "double life" is a source of fascination to the media and her readers. In her professorial guise, she's written a New York Times op-ed defending romance, as well as articles published everywhere from women's magazines such as More to writers' journals such as the Romance Writers' Report.

Eloisa...on her double life: 

When I'm not writing novels, I'm a Shakespeare professor. It's rather like having two lives. The other day I bought a delicious pink suit to tape a television segment on romance; I'll never wear that suit to teach in, nor even to give a paper at the Shakespeare Association of America conference. It's like being Superman, with power suits for both lives. Yet the literature professor in me certainly plays into my romances. The Taming of the Duke (April 2006) has obvious Shakespearean resonances, as do many of my novels. I often weave early modern poetry into my work; the same novel might contain bits of Catullus, Shakespeare and anonymous bawdy ballads from the 16th century.

When I rip off my power suit, whether it's academic or romantic, underneath is the rather tired, chocolate-stained sweatshirt of a mom. Just as I use Shakespeare in my romances, I almost always employ my experiences as a mother. When I wrote about a miscarriage in Midnight Pleasures, I used my own fears of premature birth; when the little girl in Fool For Love threw up and threw up, I described my own daughter, who had that unsavory habit for well over her first year of life.

So I'm a writer, a professor, a mother - and a wife. My husband Alessandro is Italian, born in Florence. We spend the lazy summer months with his mother and sister in Italy. It always strikes me as a huge irony that as a romance writer I find myself married to a knight, a cavaliere, as you say in Italian.

One more thing...I'm a friend. I have girlfriends who are writers and girlfriends who are Shakespeare professors. And I have girlfriends who are romance readers. In fact, we have something of a community going on my website. Please stop by and join the conversation on my readers' pages.

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REVIEW

Viscount in Love by Eloisa James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I have quite a few Eloisa James books under my belt at this point, some have been enthusiastic five star reads, some have been just middle of the road. Despite not knowing which way things will fall each time I pick up a new book by this author, I keep coming back for more. Typically she pays meticulous attention to historical detail. Her cast of characters in each series are ones that I'm eager to revisit to watch find their personal HEAs. The dialogue is witty, and the backstories typically well fleshed out.

Unfortunately a lot of the things I usually love were missing in this new release and I felt the absence of that magic to the point that I almost DNFd. With the exception of Torie's best friend and Dom's 11 year-old wards, every single character is infuriating and unbearable. The romance was frustratingly inconsistent, lacked any true chemistry, build, or anticipation. As well, the reader is left in the dark about the hero's internal conflict until late in the book leading you to almost despise him at points due to not understanding what drives his thoughts and intentions. The heroine is similarly not fully shown to her full potential until the end and I don't understand why this was done.

I read this title because I was intrigued with the heroine's learning disability and how it would affect her life in the 19th century. Torie has dyslexia in the year 1800 and I was excited to read this fresh plot point going in. It's obvious that a woman would face prejudice about the inability to read as part of the upper class. That is certainly a realistic representation, but the verbal abuse was constant from everyone around Tory in almost every conversation. Little jabs about her being "addled" with pitying looks and disparaging comments about her worth. At one point her father compared her to livestock. It felt very overdone to have the prejudice that constant and extreme when she is clearly a well-spoken woman perfectly capable of carrying on a well-informed conversation. She has a strong vocabulary, an eidetic memory, and she's a gifted painter. She just learns through experience or verbally rather than textually. Yet she's treated as if she's a babbling loony without a thought in her head at all times. It could have been shown without beating us over the head with it.

  Why shouldn’t a lady be frivolous? Why should 

a woman read or write? It’s like asking a pig to 

sing opera.” Torie didn’t flinch. It wasn’t as if 

she hadn’t been compared to livestock before.

She is so used to the verbal abuse from everyone around her that she lets it roll right off her back and ignores it. Her sister and father make these humiliating comments in front of other people and she never gets angry or upset. That's just the tip of the iceburg of what her father does to her. 

Dominic's character was so incoherent. In the beginning of the book he is portrayed as a very serious sort with no sense of humor to speak of. He's described as intimidating to others due to his temper in the House of Lords, but we aren't really shown that-it's more that he's stern and emotionless. When he's engaged to Leonora, he has no passion or affection for her. He simply chose her based on her perceived intelligence and refinement. He goes from very little personality or emotion at all to flirting with sexual innuendos once he's jilted and sets his sights on Torie. How does he go from one extreme to the other literally overnight? He goes from seeing Torie as silly and shallow with a lack of intelligence (and ZERO sexual attraction after three years) to lusting over her and getting offended at people's rude comments towards her in one day. I found his outrage so hypocritical due to his own insulting internal dialogue about her.

   It had taken him several months to find a lady 

who could be a true partner and offer an intelligent 

assessment of current events. Most ladies fell into 

Torie’s camp. Granted, she kept the nursery 

laughing with her wry observations about 

Odysseus’s adventures, but that wasn’t 

the same as sharing lucid analysis.

  Torie was charming, fresh, and 

funny. Useless, perhaps, but enchanting.

True, he had hoped to marry a woman who 

would challenge him intellectually, 

but he could reconcile himself.

These are the thoughts of someone with honor? He jumps from cold to flirty and back again without the reader having a deeper understanding of why. On top of that, he had fully intended to keep his mistress when he was engaged to Leonora and was outraged when confronted by Torie about it days before their wedding. He literally got angry when she demanded that he be monogamous because he doesn't like being told what to do. I wanted to drop kick him so hard I almost rage quit. It isn't until MUCH later that he finally explains himself over this and a certain humiliating situation that occurred two days before they married. Even though it did ease my anger some, he still acted clueless and insensitive towards his wife. When an 11 year-old child is more insightful and intuitive about your wife than you...you have a problem. He doesn't start to genuinely see his wife for the brilliant, talented woman she is until after 80% in the book. *sigh*

The sexual scenes didn't work for me because we are led to believe they have instant chemistry overnight after completely platonic interactions and thoughts for three years. It just comes over them like an epiphany that she is a "buxom" beautiful woman, and he is her preferred buff, bulky, muscular body type. It was like flicking a switch with them. The dirty talk and spice comes off as very artificial when they consummate their marriage one day after the wedding. Not to mention, Torie is supposed to be a virgin whose only knowledge of sex is having seen rabbits copulate and yet she jumps on him with no timidness or lack of skill. She does things that she wouldn't even know existed in bed. We are just told that she may be incapable of the written word, but when it comes to this, she's a "natural." It doesn't work that way! It made everything so unrealistic and unbelievable. 

This book was a little under 400 pages and it was really noticeable. The page really dragged, especially in the middle of the book. I kept checking the percentage constantly only to see that barely any progress had been made. I think the lack of connection to the couple and the two MCs separately made a big contribution to that. Their communication issues over important matters and very little time spent understanding each other outside of bed caused their relationship to feel very superficial to me. Dominic did redeem himself late in the book a little bit, but overall the characters were just messy and unsatisfying. Unfortunately, this one was a miss, but I have faith that others in this new series may win me over.

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Blog Tour with Excerpt: The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa

Life, rewound…

THE BACKTRACK by ERIN LA ROSA

Series: n/a

Publication date: July 16, 2024

Published by: Harper Collins

Genre: romance, magical realism, time travel

 

SYNOPSIS

From the author of FOR BUTTER OR WORSE and PLOT TWIST comes a new speculative contemporary romance. One woman is sucked into the past—and shown glimpses of what her life could have been—as she listens to nostalgic hits on her old CD player. For fans of Rebecca Serle and Allison Winn Scotch.

When pilot Sam Leto jet-setted out of small town Georgia, she promised she’d never be back—even though it meant leaving behind her best friend, Damon Rocha. Now on a forced vacation home to pack up her childhood house (and help her injured grandmother), Sam is unexpectedly hit with nostalgia from her teens--especially her bedroom, perfectly preserved from the time she left all those years ago. Sam discovers an old CD player among her teenage possessions, and in listening to the burned disc inside, she receives flashbacks from her past life--senior prom, graduation, leaving home. But the memories aren't as she remembers them. They show an alternate past. What could have been. If she never left Georgia all those years ago, would she now have the life (and love) she always wanted for herself?

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Ripped Bodice

EXCERPT

Prologue

   At fifteen years old, Sam Leto knew a few things: humidity was not her hair’s friend, she was going to graduate valedictorian of her class and music was life. 

   “‘I Will Follow You into the Dark’ was by far the best song of last year.” Sam tucked her thumbs into the loops of her jeans, narrowly avoiding the spiky knobs of her metal studded belt. The spider-web chain she’d bought from Hot Topic slapped against her thigh as she walked across the asphalt of the Tybee Island High School parking lot.     “It’s mesmerizing and so poetic, and Ben Gibbard—” 

   “What are you talking about?” her best friend, Damon Rocha, interrupted. He threw his head back to get a strand of long dyedred hair off his forehead. He’d smudged dark black eyeliner all around his eyes to the point where he looked like he was cosplaying as the Hamburglar. She’d told him as much, but in the loving way they told each other everything. They walked so closely that they lazily bumped into each other, as if swaying to music only they could hear. “‘Sugar, We’re Goin Down’ reignited the genre.” 

   Sam blew air out through her lips to suggest her disagreement, then added, “That song is tight, but there are way too many words in the chorus. You can’t even hear what Patrick Stump’s saying.”

   “It doesn’t matter what he’s saying.” Damon hoisted his snare drum backpack higher on his shoulder. Night had settled, but the fluorescent glow from the football field lit their way to his car. “They owned that melody.” 

   But Sam knew why Damon was making such a hard push for Fall Out Boy. “You just want me to like Pete Wentz so those dyed red tips make sense.” She gave him a half grin. 

   “Whatever,” he said, holding back a smile of his own. Sometimes they agreed on music, but when they disagreed it was even more fun. And Sam knew she was right about this one. “I read in Kerrang! that Ben wrote the song in fifteen minutes. Can you believe that?” Sam looked off, knowing that if she was in a band, she’d be talented like that, too. 

   “Yes,” Damon said. “I believe it only took fifteen minutes, because it’s not the best song of 2005.” 

   She was choosing to ignore that dig. “What he wrote is totally romantic. To love someone so much that you’d follow them into the afterlife. It’s cool, don’t you think?” Sam realized she sounded a little ridiculous, but Damon always made her feel safe enough to say anything. 

   “Yeah, or pretentious.” Damon pursed his lips. 

   “Whatever,” Sam mimicked his sullen tone back. Then she jabbed him with the corner of her sticker-covered clarinet case. 

The sky was inky-black, and her arms prickled against the brisk air. Fall in Tybee was hard to plan for. The air was almost always balmy, because they were so close to the ocean, but it occasionally cooled down, as it had tonight. Still, she’d nearly sweat through her graphic skull T-shirt as their marching band played Beyoncé’s “Déjà Vu” during the football halftime show. 

   Now, though, they weren’t marching across a field lit by hot lights, and she shivered. Damon pulled her in close as they walked. He’d often tuck her under his arm this way. Sam was tall, close to six feet, but Damon always made her feel delicate in those moments. It was something she got unexpected comfort from, but didn’t dare tell him.

When she looked up, Damon looked down with the most genuinely sweet smile she’d ever seen. His mouth quirked up as they reached someone’s Ford Explorer. 

   “Hope you don’t hate Fall Out Boy too much, because I put one of their songs on this.” He pulled a CD sleeve out of his back pocket and handed it to her. His slanted writing and doodles were visible through the clear plastic, and Sam bit her lip. 

   They were constantly trying to impress each other through music—a kind of unspoken game of who could make the best mixes. And while Sam prided herself on finding obscure bands, Damon had the uncanny ability to put together songs that made her feel something. She wanted to listen immediately, but wouldn’t show her excitement that easily. Before she could think of something nonchalant to say, he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. 

   Sam was taken aback by the gesture and nervously touched the spot his fingers had just left. She’d spent nearly a half hour flat-ironing it that morning, but now it was frizzed and tangled. As her fingers clumsily tried to untangle a knot, her earring fell to the ground. Before she knew what was happening, just as Sam went to reach for her earring, Damon closed the gap between them. 

   “You look really great.” He longingly admired her face. Damon reached for Sam’s hand and squeezed her open palm. 

She instinctively squeezed back, but her heart raced. Damon and Sam were best friends. They had been since middle school. Yes, Damon was inarguably cute. He understood her like no one else did, and she had already admitted to herself that she had a crush on him…but he was also all she had, in so many ways. Her mom had left her a year ago. Damon was her only friend.

   Sam knew that what he was doing might lead to a kiss, and she needed to stop him before he said something that would change them forever. She couldn’t lose his friendship, but if he tried to make them more, then she’d have no choice. Because she wasn’t going to end up stuck in Tybee. 

   Before she could find the words, he tilted her chin up gently with an index finger. His eyes locked on to hers as he asked, “Can I kiss you?” 

Sam sucked in a deep breath to slow the intense rush of adrenaline that flew through her at his words. Damon wanted to kiss her. And her heart soared at that fact, until her mom’s voice broke through. 

Don’t end up stuck in this place. 

   That’s what her mom, Bonnie, had told Sam right before she’d left.       And Sam had taken the warning to heart. 

   She was getting out, even if that meant she had to leave Damon behind. 

   As Damon searched her eyes, Sam silently implored him to stop. They could still be friends, couldn’t they? If she gave him another few moments, maybe he’d take the words back, or say he’d just been joking. 

   She waited, but he was waiting, too. And she was going to have to answer him, even if what she said irrevocably changed them. 

She took a step away and looked down at her Converse sneakers. She’d have to lie. She’d never lied to Damon before, but now she would. Her lower lip trembled, as unsure of the words as she was.           “Actually, I’m not feeling well.” 

   And she didn’t feel well. She felt nauseous from this whole situation and the confusion that flashed across Damon’s face. 

   “Oh,” Damon said. “Let’s, uh, let’s bounce, then.” He ran a hand through his hair and avoided her eyes. 

   As Damon turned toward the driver’s side of the car, Sam instinctively reached for him. Maybe she should just do what her heart wanted and kiss him. Because what if not kissing him meant he wouldn’t want to be her friend anymore? 

   But then, she also knew Damon. Knew that he wanted to stay close to his family. Knew how much he loved Tybee. And knew that if she didn’t break him now, she’d do it when she left. 

   Sam pulled her hand back and hoped that he could forgive her. She held on to his CD so tightly she was sure it would snap in half, but it didn’t. In fact, the CD seemed to pulse in her hand with the throbbing of her heart. As she walked herself to the passenger side of the car, she tried to forget how the light in his eyes dimmed just before he’d turned away from her.

Excerpted from The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa, Copyright © 2024 by Erin La Rosa. Published by Canary Street Press.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ERIN LA ROSA is the author of For Butter or Worse and Plot Twist, and on her way to writing romance, she’s also published two humorous nonfiction books, Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and four daughters (two humans, two felines). Find her on Twitter and Instagram @erinlarosalit and on TikTok @erinlarosawrites.

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Review: A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

A NOVEL LOVE STORY by ASHLEY POSTON

Series: n/a

Publication date: June 25, 2024

Published by: Berkley 

Genre: contemporary romance, magical realism

 

SYNOPSIS

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

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Praise for A Novel Love Story:

"“A romance lovers dream of a book. Whimsical, romantic and packed with charm, Ashley Poston is the queen of high concept love stories.” 

—Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Part

“Ashley Poston has done it again. I fell into these pages just as effortlessly as Eileen tumbles into Eloraton. Whimsical, emotional, and tender, A Novel Love Story is another enchanting romance from Poston."

—B.K. Borison, author of Business Casual

“This slow-burn love story from Poston is as much an ode to romance novels and friendship as it is about romantic relationships. Fans of small-town contemporary romance will sink easily into quaint Eloraton.”

—Library Journal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ashley Poston is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Dead Romantics. 

After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s in English, she spent the last decade working in the publishing industry before deciding to pursue writing full-time.

When not writing, she likes trying various arts and crafts (she’s currently addicted to building miniature rooms) and taking long walks as an excuse to listen to Dungeons & Dragons podcasts. She bides her time between South Carolina and New York, and all the bookstores between.

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REVIEW

A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When I read the synopsis for this novel, I couldn’t wait to read it. It’s a gloriously original plot which is hard to come by nowadays. More importantly, it’s every book lover’s fantasy with a bibliophile heroine we can all see a little bit of ourselves in. What’s not to love? But let’s be real, I absolutely adored Ashley Poston’s The Seven Year Slip, so I would have read the follow-up with zero hesitation regardless of the synopsis. Once again, Poston weaves magical realism into this love story that takes place in the fictional town of Eloraton that has come to life right out of a romance novel series.

This reader had many questions along the way: how did Elsy transport herself into this place that only should have existed in the pages of her favorite book series? Why is Anders there if he wasn’t in any of the books? How does he seem to know more that the townspeople do about the curious things going on, and how is any of this happening? These things, among others, were running through my mind while reading but it wasn’t an urgent mystery that needed to be solved. My main focus was on the charm of the small town characters and Elsy’s budding interest in a certain grumpy bookstore owner. One of the things I loved was that we get to jump right into the quirky town of Eloraton almost immediately without having to wade through intro chapters of heavy character background first. The action begins simultaneously with the character development making it very easy to get settled in.

  My story wasn’t that interesting, anyway. 

A three-star read at best. I could imagine 

the trade reviews—Though she tackles the 

mundane of her life with aplomb, nothing 

happens to Eileen Merriweather. Angst-ridden 

backstory told in deeply regrettable prose. 

An utterly skippable read.

Elsy has just gone through a pretty heartbreaking and brutal two years after a nasty breakup. She’s been feeling stuck, depressed, and unable to move on after being blindsided by the man she thought she’d be spending the rest of her life with. Now that he has officially found his happily ever after with someone else, she’s been clinging to hope that the retreat with her best friend and their book club will help bring her a little happiness. After all, the book club dedicated to all things Eloraton and the love of reading is her true happy place. As a teacher of English 101, she gets to work in a classic literature related career, but romance novels are where her true passion lies.

When everyone backs out the trip, she ventures off on her own to the cabin where they had planned to meet-only somewhere along the way, her GPS blanks out and she somehow enters a town that seems oddly familiar. Everything, that is, except Anders, the man she almost ran over on the way into town.

That didn’t exactly start them out on the right foot, and her upbeat personality didn’t exactly mesh well with his prickly attitude. She never let him get to her though, I don’t see how anything could when she was reveling in meeting all of the fictional places and characters that she knew so well. It was fun imagining myself in her shoes as she swept through town giddily taking in every familiar detail. She was surrounded by some mysterious magic that for a little while helped her to forget her problems. Unfortunately, she soon started to see that all of the couples’ HEAs weren’t as perfect as they appeared to be in the books, and some were suspended in time-frozen. All of her efforts to solve everyone’s problems only seemed to make matters worse as she waited for her car to be repaired so she could leave town and back to real life. But the closer she grew to Anders as they got to know one another, the less she wanted to leave. Could she stay here in her ultimate happy place, or start on a new path that led her to being the main character in her own story in the real world?

  She was the main character, and I was along 

for the ride to bask in her glow. Her heart 

never led her wrong—not once. I 

wished I could say the same about my own.

I enjoyed the premise of the book very much, and it wasn’t without its charm, but I just didn’t feel the chemistry with Elsy and Anders that I should have. Anders is left quite mysterious (for a reason) and I didn’t quite understand who he was or his motivations because of that. When his history was finally explained later on, at that point an emotional disconnect had already set in for me because it took so long to understand him. Even though they were very sweet together in the end, there was something missing for me. When it came to Elsy’s self-exploration that was addressed well, and I think her character in general was wonderfully three-dimensional. Overall, it was a good read, though it did fall a little below my very high expectations. I think many would still love this one for its unique storyline, and I’m excited to see what this author has in store for us next.

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Review: Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello

HBO’s Hacks meets Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After in this hilarious and sweeping love story about a comedian forced to return to her Jersey Shore hometown and confront everything she left behind ten summers before—including the man who broke her heart.

SUMMERTIME PUNCHLINE by BETTY CORRELLO

Series: n/a

Publication date: May 21, 2024

Published by: Avon 

Genre: contemporary romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Then. Delfina Silva-Miller wants one thing: to leave behind Evergreen, New Jersey and never look back. Despite her adoring grandmother’s best efforts, Del can’t bear to live another moment at the whims of her deadbeat dad (so cliché) and her ever-temperamental crush, Eddie Rodriguez (humiliating).

Now. If there’s one thing Del knows how to do, it’s spin her bad luck into a killer joke. After years of hard work, she’s finally landed a coveted spot at a huge comedy festival, molding the often tragic raw material of her life into comedic gold. But when Del loses her job, boyfriend, and apartment in the span of a few hours, she’s forced to pack her bags and return to the home she swore off at eighteen.

Del is determined not to let her history with Evergreen distract her. She has 45 days to perfect a new comedy set and march into her new life. Instead, she marches right into Eddie Rodriguez. But he’s nothing like the boy she left behind ten years ago.

As the festival draws closer, Del is faced with the terrifying possibility that everything she’s ever wanted isn’t as far away as it once seemed.

Vividly evoking the boardwalks and beaches of the Jersey Shore, Summertime Punchline is a hilarious, vulnerable, and sweeping love story celebrating the complicated relationships—romantic and not—that impact our lives, for better or worse.

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Praise for Summertime Punchline:

"This is a hilarious and sweeping love story about a comedian forced to return to her Jersey Shore hometown and confront everything she left behind ten summers before. A plucky heroine remaking herself. A beach setting. The meaning of home. Humor. Romance. This one ticks all the boxes.” — Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author

“Fun and fresh...Wry observational humor and a dose of romance strike a good balance with some tough family dynamics.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This novel will provide the LOLs and feels for you this summer.” — Cosmopolitan

“I'm in love with Corrello's voice. Vivid, fresh, and wholly singular, hers is a voice that's been missing from the romcom pantheon. Wonderfully real characters, unexpected heart-twists, and knee-buckling humor makes Summertime Punchline a surprising stand-out. What a delight. Please welcome to the stage... Betty Corrello!” — Julia Whelan, author of Thank You for Listening

"A vibrant sunbeam of a book — I simply inhaled it. Betty Corrello's writing is both achingly vulnerable and wildly funny. The ideal summertime (or anytime) read, guaranteed to make you crave both a funnel cake and a cute single dad." — Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Business or Pleasure

"Funny and keenly crafted, Summertime Punchline is packed with messy people, perfect chemistry and a satisfying amount of heartfelt forgiveness. I tore through it, you will too." — Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script

"Summertime Punchline is killing it! Betty Corrello brings a fantastic and fresh new voice to modern rom-coms with sharp writing, nimble humor, and an enchanting romance. I can’t wait to read what’s next.”  — Amy E. Reichert, author The Kindred Spirits Supper Club

“Humor, heart, and steam collide in this charming story about how people and places change and grow whether we're there to witness it or not. Betty Corrello's debut is the romcom equivalent of a tight five—everything hits exactly how you want it to. My spouse kept asking what I was laughing at, and the answer was always just, ‘This book!’” — Sarah Adler, author of Happy Medium and Mrs. Nash's Ashes

“A charmingly heartfelt and genuinely funny second-chance romance. Summertime Punchline is a wonderfully witty love letter to stand-up comedy, true love, and there being no place like home. Betty Corrello is a hugely exciting new voice in rom-com. I absolutely loved this book!” — Georgia Clark, author of It Had to Be You

"Betty Corrello writes big-hearted, hot romance and perfectly crafted jokes that kick your ass; reading this book was like taking a beach vacation with an extremely hot single dad and the funniest person you know." — Lex Croucher, author of Infamous

"Summertime Punchline is the funniest romcom I’ve read in years– while also delivering all the chemistry, angst, and emotional depth I could ever want. I was torn between wanting to savor it and devour it as fast as possible. I’m officially a Betty Corrello superfan." — Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake it in Hollywood

“Betty Corrello’s hilarious and sincere debut completely swept me away. The beautifully messy heroine narrates with a dry wit that gives way to a surprisingly earnest and tender core. I laughed, I swooned, I dabbed my eyes. Corrello is a voice to watch.”  — Rachel Runya Katz, author of Thank You for Sharing

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Betty Corrello is an incredibly beautiful and normal woman. Despite her hardened exterior, she is biologically 95% marshmallow. She blames this on the abundance of water in her astrological chart. Her greatest passion is writing stories where opposites attract, but love is chosen. When she's not writing, she can be found fretting about niche historical events most have forgotten––or petting her very tiny dog. In addition to writing books, she previously performed stand-up and sit-down comedy all over the east coast. She calls herself a stand-up comedian to avoid bullying, but she is actually an improv nerd. She does not like The Harold. She is Italian and American and spent time growing up in both countries. She is a proud Philadelphian. Go Birds.

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REVIEW

Summertime Punchline by Betty Corrello
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I decided to review an advanced copy of this book because I recently started watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime (Yes, I'm regrettably this late to the fantastic series). Like Maisel, this story's heroine is a comedian and the author herself wrote the character using her own real-life experiences in comedy. Generally, when authors draw from their personal experiences, the voice is often strong and genuine, so I was excited to give this debut book a chance. The humor did not disappoint-there were many laugh-out-loud moments, but it was also an introspective look at serious themes as well.

Delfina is returning to her hometown in Jersey feeling very humbled at the turn her personal and professional life have taken.

  There I went, swan-diving into a bright new day

and the crystal-clear pools of my future. What 

I didn’t know was that, when I hadn’t been 

looking, someone had drained the lake.

Her boyfriend cheated, she quit her job, and she's currently without a place to live. The one bright spot on the horizon is her upcoming performance in a huge comedy festival that could skyrocket her career to stardom. Unfortunately, her ex had recently become the main topic of her comedy and now she needs to create a whole new set from scratch for the festival. Coming back to the town that held so many painful memories only brings up feelings she's spent that last decade trying to suppress. Two people have kept her away from Evergreen: her father and Eddie Rodriguez. Her father was an alcoholic and consistently let her down. Eddie...was complicated. When trying to think of the tropes in this book you can kind of classify it as friends to lovers and kind of enemies to lovers. I'm going to go with frenemies to lovers because these two were bouncing from one extreme to the next before settling on "the one that got away." When Del returns to town, we know that things were left in a bad place between them, but their full high school history is revealed gradually through flashback chapters. These two have some baggage-unresolved teen angst that caused hurt on both sides which grew into resentment.

  I had not seen this guy—man?—in a decade, but a 

Silva-Miller never cedes to her enemies. I would 

know. I’ve interviewed every single Silva-Miller

in existence (one—me), and we all agree.

At times, their teen flashbacks were sweet, and then other times you just felt like smashing their heads together until they learned how to communicate their attraction and depth of feeling for each other. Eddie inexplicably would suddenly pull back and retreat just when they were starting to get close and I felt that there wasn't enough shown to the reader to explain his actions. His motivations were either skimmed over or weakly explained. I never disliked his character-he was actually a wonderful hero in the present time, but I wish he was a bit more fleshed out. I don't gravitate towards the single parent trope, but Eddie was so sweet with his daughter and I loved how tender and adoring he was towards her. The way he's wrapped so tightly around her little finger would probably melt the blackest of hearts.

Del must tackle not only writing the best jokes of her life for the upcoming festival, but deciding whether or not she wants to let her father back in her life. All while trying to sort out her mixed emotions involving her former (sometimes) friend. Unfortunately she's not exactly known for her ability to face uncomfortable emotions.

  Being a comedian meant spending 90 percent of 

my time with people who feared earnestness like 

it was an airborne brain-festering pathogen. It 

was exhausting to exist around people who 

consistently skirted intimacy and then, I don’t 

know, gave you their car. An unfortunate 

personality trait that I also suffered from.

For a debut book, this was very well written. I powered through it with ease in less than a day. There was no difficulty getting invested with the characters, no pushing myself through lags in pacing. I was fully engaged and highly entertained. I'm so glad I decided to try this book. It was the perfect mixture of humor, heart, and healing. It's about a woman at a crossroads in her life who must come to terms with her life expectations vs reality and what she truly wanted moving forward. There was also a little twist towards the end of the book that I hadn't predicted and genuinely took me by surprise. That doesn't happen for me all that much, so I applaud the author for putting that element in. I would definitely recommend this book so give it a chance if you're on the fence. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Betty Corrello in the future!

  Eddie must have studied the exact places I was 

sewn together, because he had no problem 

pulling me apart, one thread at a time.

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Review: Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay

When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading.

LOVE AT FIRST BOOK by JENN MCKINLAY

Series: n/a

Publication date: May 14, 2024

Published by: Berkley 

Genre: contemporary romance

 

SYNOPSIS

When a librarian moves to a quaint Irish village where her favorite novelist lives, the last thing she expects is to fall for the author’s prickly son… until their story becomes one for the books, from the New York Times bestselling author of Summer Reading .

Emily Allen, a librarian on Martha’s Vineyard, has always dreamed of a life of travel and adventure. So when her favorite author, Siobhan Riordan, offers her a job in the Emerald Isle, Emily jumps at the opportunity. After all, Siobhan’s novels got Em through some of the darkest days of her existence.

Helping Siobhan write the final book in her acclaimed series—after a ten-year hiatus due to a scorching case of writer’s block—is a dream come true for Emily. If only she didn’t have to deal with Siobhan’s son, Kieran Murphy. He manages Siobhan’s bookstore, and the grouchy bookworm clearly doesn’t want Em around.

When Siobhan’s health takes a bad turn, she’s more determined than ever to finish her novel, while Kieran tries every trick in the book to get his mother to rest. Thrown into the role of peacemaker, Emily begins to see that Kieran's heart is in the right place. Torn between helping Siobhan find closure with her series and her own growing feelings for the mercurial Irishman, Emily will have to decide if she’s truly ready to turn a new page and figure out what lies in the next chapter.

Purchase your copy now!

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Praise for Love at First Book:

"Hilarious, deeply emotional, and brimming with swoon-worthy passion, this is an enemies-to-lovers tale that every romance reader should have the pleasure of enjoying at least once in their lives. Dazzlingly fabulous!”

—Holly Cassidy, author of The Christmas Wager

"Whimsically wonderful and wryly witty…. This is a swoon-worthy romance that has not only a great deal to say about self-love, forgiveness, and the importance of living in the moment but also celebrates the undeniable magic of books and the important place they hold in a reader’s life."

—Booklist (starred review)

"A cleverly written forced proximity romance for book lovers."

—Kirkus Reviews

"The ultimate bookish romance! With the endlessly charming backdrop of a cozy bookshop in the idyllic Irish countryside, a wholly lovable supporting cast, and several heartstring-pulling subplots, Love at First Book is the perfect escape for any romance fan."

—Nicolas DiDomizio, author of Nearlywed

"Love at First Book is so tender-hearted, and I couldn’t help but root for Kier and Red! A delight for book lovers and anyone who loves to armchair travel, I couldn’t love this novel more! The setting in Ireland was an escapist dream. I read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down!"

—Jamie Varon, author of Main Character Energy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.

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REVIEW

Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay


I have a personal rule: if a book manages to make me cry, then it gets an automatic five stars. Which is why I am giving this book an enthusiastic five stars with zero hesitation. A story has to really reach your heart in order to bring on a physical, emotional reaction. What elevated this book to another level was the fact that not only was it a deep-diving, emotional story, it managed to give the feel of a lighthearted rom-com at the same time.

Within the first few pages, I immediately connected to Emily. She's a romantic dreamer, a book lover, and occasionally a bit socially awkward. Her inner dialogue was often a funny daydream or a connection between her current situation and something in classic literature. 

His brow was furrowed and his mouth 

turned down in the corners. 

I was struck by how much he 

resembled the Fitzwilliam Darcy 

of my imagination from Jane Austen’s 

Pride and Prejudice, 

a favorite novel of mine. Oh, yes, 

I was a hardcore Mr. Darcy fangirl.

Her anxiety and insecurities produced a hilarious meet cute with the hero who happens to also be her new boss. Judging by the synopsis, I was imagining an enemies-to-lovers trope, but I wouldn't exactly call them enemies. Kieran was unwelcoming, sure, but his animosity was shown and explained in a way that made you understand his reasoning behind it. One of the big problems I tend to see with this trope is that the animosity/rivalry is written in a way that their behavior or attitudes make no sense. Their anger feels very contrived and surface level in order to present them as enemies. She never really, truly dislikes Kier, she is upset that he's trying to drive her away and that he uses underhanded tactics in order to do so, but she's crushing hard from minute one. On his side, he may be a bit of a jerk early on, but there are subtle hints that he thinks she's cute and that he respects her intelligence and backbone. Their shared encyclopedic minds filled with infinite book quotes is something that he can't help but challenge her with. He is constantly surprised and impressed with her ability to match his knowledge of books. I really loved that about these two.

Kier is a protective son whose only concern about Emily's job assisting his mother is that her health will suffer again if she becomes too focused on writing again. After a 10 year writing hiatus, Siobhan wants to write the long awaited conclusion to her bestselling series, but a horrible case of writer's block has prevented her from doing so. After receiving an inspiring letter from Emily, she invited her there to help her find her passion for writing again. As much as I loved Emily and Kier's combative/cute connection, I loved Emily and Siobhan's equally so. What really touched me was the deep friendship that developed between them in a short amount of time that Emily so desperately needed. She became a loving mother figure that she had never had and it was wonderful to see her blossom under Siobhan's sass and affection for her.

  It struck me that ever since I’d arrived 

Siobhan had shown me more maternal affection 

and kindness than my own mother had in 

my entire life. Siobhan always listened to me 

when I spoke, she asked questions 

about me and my life, and she . . . cared.

Emily is still dealing with insecurities and issues with hypochondria because of her mom's manipulative control and verbal abuse. Through therapy, she's much better, but she desperately needed more people in her life to give her positive affirmations and care. Kier's mother gives that to her, but the small town as a whole gives her a feeling of home and family that was beautiful to read.

Finn's Hollow was a quaint small town in Ireland that was described to perfection. The small town was so picturesque that you could imagine yourself there along with Emily, exploring and seeing exciting new places with new friends. You can tell when a book has been well researched based on the descriptions of food, clothing, locations, and the culture in general. Without a doubt, the author did her homework because it shows without feeling too wordy. As well, I found the writing to be beautifully heartfelt in the most unexpected moments.

  They smiled at each other and it was such a look 

of pure affection and devotion that I found myself 

smiling as well, as if they’re love for each other

included me just because I was there to bask in it.

The ending really hit me in the feels. Some of it was bittersweet, but Kier and Siobhan's complex mother-son relationship was closely tied to her last book. The lingering resentment that he held for her writing tied into painful memories from his past. They both needed to make peace with some traumatic events and Emily helped bridge the gap between them. Just as Emily found comfort and peace in Finn's Hollow, she helped to bring the same to the new people in her life she had come to love. None of the characters were without their own flaws, but was what helped them shine. We saw the light and the shadow, the pain and the strength in all of them and it's what brought them to life so well. This book was grand (as Kier and Siobhan would say) and I recommend it to anyone who loves these things in books:

• small town destination story
• found family
• great banter and rivalry
• endearing heroine with quirks
• brooding but sweet and protective hero
• poignant/emotional plot with humor
•literature quotes and references

I'm a new fan and can't wait to read more from this amazing author! This is going on my 2024 favorites list for sure!

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