Review: When It Falls Apart by Catherine Bybee

Summary

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes a bittersweet romance about the power of love in the face of heartbreak and loss.

Brooke Turner has always had a complicated relationship with her father. But when his health takes a turn for the worse, she drops everything to care for him. He’s her dad, after all, and he needs her. What Brooke doesn’t anticipate is the unraveling of her long-term relationship and a cross-country move to San Diego’s Little Italy.

Luca D’Angelo is the oldest of three children and a single father to a young daughter. When his mother rents the top floor of their house to Brooke, he’s angry. Who is this beautiful stranger with no ties to the neighborhood? Can she be trusted in such close proximity to his family?

As Luca learns of Brooke’s difficult journey with her ailing father, his heart softens. And Brooke, who witnesses Luca’s struggle as a single parent, develops feelings for him, too. But when it all falls apart, will love heal their wounded hearts?

Review

When It All Fall Apart, is the first book of two in The D’Angelos series by Catherine Bybee. This book will takes us through the journey of Brook and Luca.

If you never have had to be in Brooke’s shoes, than you will never understand the weight on your shoulders to make decisions for a parent that has fallen ill. Depending on the relationship you have, it can either be wonderful or in Brooke’s case, a struggle. She didn’t know her father until she was a teenager. He can be challenging at times and with no one other than her, she is left to care for all his needs. Despite their complicated relationship, all they have is each other. After experiencing this latest turn in his health, Brooke decides the best option for them both would be to relate across the country to San Diego.

Things start to look up for Brook when she is offered a place to rent with the D’Angelo family. It gives her a chance to get settled in and be available to help her father. Everything seems to be going well until Luca D’Angelo sees this stranger living with his family and has reservations about trusting her. With assurance from his mother, he eases back and slowly gives her a chance.

As Luca warms up to Brooke and learns about her struggles with her father, he becomes less rigid. As she witnesses his own struggle as being a single dad, their walls begin fall and they find comfort with one another.

When Luca’s past comes and challenges their present, we watch their journey get tested and see if their love is strong enough to keep them whole.

I loved everything about this book. I didn’t want to put it down. There is something special about books surrounding strong families that pull you in and keep you close. You get love, a great family and forgiveness to give it great depth.

Dealing with aging parents is such a sensitive subject that can be complicated. I loved how Catherine captured how so many people feel. That decision to put a parent in a home comes with many emotions depending on the relationship. The relationship between Brooke and her dad was already complicated but the added layer of this new transition in life and the affects emotionally and physically really grab at you.

Beyond that aspect of the book, there are so many of laugh out loud moments with her dad. He has such a great sense of humor. Much attributed to his age with that I don’t care mentality really made me smile.

The fierce loyalty of the D’Angelo family just made you want to be a part of their family. All of them brought collectively something special to the book that complimented the storyline and made you want to not book put the book down. I really just want to pull up a chair and have Sunday dinner with them.

The next book, Be Your Everything will share the journey with Chloe and Dante. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with these two. This is the pair that was wished upon for their destiny when they were young from their mothers so they better live up to it. Here’s another series to add to that list.

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Review: The Decoy Girlfriend by Lillie Vale

Summary

A laugh-out-loud funny and whip-smart romantic comedy from the author of The Shaadi Set-Up, about a young woman who takes the place of her celebrity doppelgänger, and must fake-date the actress’s sexy costar boyfriend.

Writer Freya Lal has a huge secret: she's a dead ringer for It-girl actress Mandi Roy. Her second novel is due in a month, but inspiration is nowhere to be found. Desperate to shake off her writer's block, Freya leans into her look-alike abilities and indulges in some mistaken identity for simple perks, like scoring a free mimosa or getting into a trendy nightclub. 

Actor Taft Bamber appears to have it all: gorgeous, talented, and Mandi's love interest both on- and off-screen. But what nobody knows is that their relationship is a PR stunt, and after years of playing make-believe, he's yearning for something real. 

When Freya's latest impersonation of Mandi goes viral thanks to Taft's accidental interference, rumors of a breakup threaten Hollywood's golden couple. To make amends, Freya is forced to give Mandi a little time off: she'll pretend to be the actress for a month, move in with Taft, and squash the rumors by acting completely in love. But as Freya and Taft play house, it becomes impossible to ignore that their instant chemistry isn't just for the cameras. While faking it, they might have just found the real thing.

 Review

The Decoy Girlfriend was fun, and I thought that it had a very intriguing concept. Freya is a writer who is suffering from extreme writer’s block and the deadline for her second book is approaching quickly. Her mom, who was her main supporter, has passed, and she is dealing with that grief. She’s moved from NY to La, and sometimes pretends to be the actress Mandi Roy, since people always mix them up.

One day while working at her aunt’s bookshop, Taft, an attractive actor and Mandi’s boyfriend/co-star, walks in. It’s not love at first sight but there’s something there. One night Taft and Freya are accidentally photographed together at a bar, when she was impersonating his girlfriend. The photo makes rounds in the news cycle with speculation that Taft has cheated on Mandi, and Mandi comes up with a plan. While she is off doing whatever, how about Freya pretends to be her for a few weeks. With that comes having to share a house with him, close photoshoots, public appearances and almost kisses.

I was a big fan of all the characters in this book. I want to start by first saying that Mandi was incredible, and so funny. I would love a book in her POV, and I loved that her and Taft had such a strong friendship. On to Taft. I loved him. He was such a sweet character, and almost from the beginning he was bad down for Freya. I’m not sure how Freya resisted him for as long as she did because he was perfect. And vulnerable. And honestly just wanted his friends to call him and hang out. It’s not shocking but Freya was also amazing too. Equally as funny and had a great developmental arc. And I really loved that she had such a caring group of friends surrounding her, and that they all were writers as well and super supportive of each other.

The romance in this book had me giggling and kicking my feet. It was adorable and steamy. Taft and Freya? Great chemistry, great banter. I loved watching them turning his home into their home, and growing more comfortable with each other.

Final Thoughts

The Decoy Girlfriend has a perfect blend between realistic grief, emotional depth, and a great romance. 

Review: A Lot Like Forever by Jennifer Snow

Summary

Whitney Carlisle has everything under control–or at least that’s what she needs everyone in Blue Moon Bay to think. She has always faced the hard times in her life head-on and come out stronger for it. But this time, she isn’t so sure. Whitney knows she needs help, but how can she put that burden on Trent, her fiancé? How can she crush his dreams by telling him the plans they made for a future together have to change?

All Trent Connolly wants is to get married, have kids, and spend the rest of his life loving Whitney. Their relationship has had its share of ups and downs–like any other couple–and they’ve always managed to get through it unscathed. So when Whitney is clearly struggling with something, Trent is ready to help. His fiancée’s strong will is part of what draws him to her–but this time, it feels like it’s pushing him away.

Whatever Whitney is hiding from everyone has to be big. Possibly life-changing. She must believe that revealing her secret would do Trent more harm than good, even if it crushes her under the weight of it. The only thing he can do now is be there for her in whatever way she needs…until a secret of his own comes to light that threatens to steal their chance at forever.

Review

To my deepest disappointment, this is the last book in the Blue Moon Bay series. It's been a wonderful journey and I'm so glad that this book ended with Whitney and Trent. After the last book, Whitney left me feeling concerned about her with questions on my mind that I desperately needed answers to. Told through the perspective of the past and present, we follow the journey between Whitney and Trent leaving us with a bittersweet ending concluding our time in this beautiful small town.

Out of all the ladies in the series, I really took a liking to Whitney. Partly because I see so much of myself in her, which made me like her instantly. She is a people pleaser that works hard to get any task done at whatever cost, especially when it comes to her health and happiness. She represents so many women out there who don't see how amazing they are and never ask for help especially when it's desperately needed. So, when someone like Trent comes along, you desperately root for her hea because she deserves someone that will love her unconditionally and want to be by her side no matter what.

I love Trent. He is the type of guy that grew up into a better, wiser person. You know, young and wild but older and wiser. All it took was to meet the right person and life changed for him. He's got a great supporting family that also loves Whitney and amazing friends that give the balance to his life that make him a likable character. He works hard and loves Whitney.

These two were made for each other. In their story, it literally has ups and downs but they are the testament of the power of the strength of how much someone can love another. There are some revelations and heartbreak in this book but ultimately we see why these two were meant to be together.

Overall, this was my favorite but without bias, this book was supposed to be the final. I love how she wrapped up everything and gave the closure that we deserved and needed. This was a really nice conclusion to a wonderful series. It gives you love, friendship and the joy of a great family. For those who have followed along with this series, you will love how this ends. If you are new to the series, please start from the beginning to absorb all aspects of the book. You will be able to follow how their stories intertwine in each other's lives.

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Review: If You Only Knew by Emily Francis

The heart of the book is about a woman, through letters of shared experiences, reflect upon her journey from being an undocumented immigrant who came here as a young girl, to becoming a teacher. Inspiring and pulls at the heart, her thoughtful letters to her students, giving them hope and solace, shares a part of herself that leaves them feeling loved and appreciated.

I loved everything about this book. I found myself completely immersed in their experiences and empathetic to the plight of their fears, hopelessness and insecurities. Their personal journeys for a better place into a situation where many families are separated, many are alone, have no resources to begin their next chapter really presents a stronger appreciation of the life we have even with its impurities.

There’s been much debate about the subject of young undocumented people but many don’t see the pain they go through and despite their opinion, they are somebody. For all the stories you hear or see, that is the minority. The majority are parents and who selflessly are willing to risk their lives for their children to have a chance to be better than and in many cases, break the cycle of what they desperately want to leave behind.

In a climate where young people are ridiculed and pushed to a place of feeling not good enough, I can only imagine kids such as this who feel inferior to fit in. The insecurities of comprehension with English to assimilate create a barrier that can leave many feeling defeated. Its teachers like this whom they can have a connection that inspires their hopes, dreams and tenacity to persevere. You can be anything you dream you can be becomes tangible rather than a myth.

For every student that has a shared experience, this would be such a wonderful book to read. Not just for the content but the author has made herself available to connect to spare them the unnecessary obstacles and promote confidence and strength that they can pursue their dreams. For teachers in general who work with kids that English isn’t their first language, this would be a great way to get a perspective for them from the experiences of others.

Overall, this was a wonderful read. If you get a chance, this is a wonderful example of someone who worked hard to achieve the American dream and is paying it forward.

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Review: The Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America Jason Reid

I’m not a fan of football but there was something about this book that called me to read it. Before I share my thought about the book, I need to talk about this cover. It has an empowering presence of visuals that draw you in. Unsure if this was intentional or not, the emphasis of the gold lettering of certain elements of the title, speaks volumes before you turn the page. It has a commanding presence. It definitely sets the tone to be game ready with anticipation to dive right in.

Thought provoking and insightful, Rise of the Black Quarterback was a necessary book not only for football fans to broaden their knowledge of important players trailblazed the game but offer a history lesson of how the past paved a way for the present and future athletes that have been bestowed upon them the privilege of being a quarterback. Inspired by his well-received articles from his ongoing series, this book shares of the history and influence of the black players including trailblazers and others that supported their journey.

The commentary expressed in the book gave a voice to many that haven’t been heard. We experience their heartbreaking moments, hardships and discriminations that prevented their light to shine. Jason Reid so eloquently presents their voice through his words to share their experiences. From an outsider, this leaves you inspired from their perseverance through their obstacles to leave their impression on a sport they fought so hard to be a part of.

Overall, for a non-football fan, this book got me excited to learn more about the history of football from this perspective. There are many untold stories I’m sure and hope to see a follow-up to this the book. This has inspired me to check out the series to learn more about other players and their impact to the game. If you love football, this would be a fascinating read that highlights players from the past and currently. With the author’s first account experiences covering the NFL, you will get a more informative perspective that takes you right to the heart of the story.

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Review: The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

Rosie Graham has a problem. A few, actually. She just quit her well paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer. She hasn’t told her family and now has terrible writer’s block. Then, the ceiling of her New York apartment literally crumbles on her. Luckily she has her best friend Lina’s spare key while she’s out of town. But Rosie doesn’t know that Lina has already lent her apartment to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been stalking—for lack of a better word—on Instagram for the last few months. Lucas seems intent on coming to her rescue like a Spanish knight in shining armor. Only this one strolls around the place in a towel, has a distracting grin, and an irresistible accent. Oh, and he cooks.

Lucas offers to let Rosie stay with him, at least until she can find some affordable temporary housing. And then he proposes an outrageous experiment to bring back her literary muse and meet her deadline: He’ll take her on a series of experimental dates meant to jump-start her romantic inspiration. Rosie has nothing to lose. Her silly, online crush is totally under control—but Lucas’s time in New York has an expiration date, and six weeks may not be enough, for either her or her deadline.

Review

After reading The Spanish Love Deception, this was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I’ve been counting it down. I’ve heard mixed feelings about The American Roommate Experiment however, I was determined to read it, and was so sure that I would enjoy it.

I was very wrong, and it pains me to admit that. Let’s start with the basics. It’s a sequel to The Spanish Love Deception; a book that I enjoyed so much that I have three copies of.  This book was to be centered around Lina’s best friend, Rosie, and her cousin, Lucas. It was supposed to be giving roommates, and friends to lovers. Which yay! Two tropes if done well make me sworn.

Unfortunately, this is not the case here. This book felt like the author was provided a list of tropes to check off and a few buzz quotes that’ll go viral on tiktok. It felt like overkill; and they failed at setting up a cohesive and well-developed romance. There were sweet moments that are almost forgettable now. But those moments were few, and the only thing I remember feeling from this book the majority of the time is boredom.

Lucas and Rosie were likable characters and were fast friends. Which is fine. But then we run into the issue of why is this book so slow burn if they already knew they liked each other and had been openly flirting since day one? It seems a little pointless. There were really no obstacles about them being together. And when they got together, there wasn’t this grand moment of joy.

Final Thoughts

The American Roommate Experiment introduces too many tropes and not enough substances to make them feel entertaining nor is able to develop and sustain a memorable romance.