Once and Again by Rebecca Serle

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The women of the Novak family were each born with a gift: they can, just once, turn back time.

Lauren has known since she was fifteen that her mother Marcella saved Lauren’s father from a deadly car accident. Dave is alive and happy, and out on the Malibu waves. But ever since, Marcella, her power spent, has lived in fear of what she won’t be able to reverse. Her own mother, Sylvia, is her polar opposite: a free-spirited iconoclast with a glamorous past she only hints at. Lauren has spent her life between these two role models—and waiting for her own catastrophe to strike.

Then one summer, Lauren’s husband takes a job in New York and she moves back to Broad Beach Road, back into her childhood home on the shores of Malibu. Lauren looks forward to surfing with her dad again and perhaps repairing an unspoken fracture in her relationship with her mother. What she doesn’t expect is for the boy next to door to return home as well: Stone, Lauren’s first love, who broke her heart nearly a decade before.

As Lauren falls into familiar patterns, with her family and, more dangerously, Stone, she finds herself thinking about all the choices, large and small, that have brought her to this moment. And wondering, finally, if one of them should be undone.

I think it’s time I admit to myself that Rebecca Serle’s books just aren’t a good fit for me. I really enjoyed In Five Years, but One Italian Summer was a DNF, and I barely got through Once and Again. I found all three women to be incredibly selfish, which made it hard for me to connect with them as characters. Sylvia was easily my favorite of the three, but I still didn’t agree with many of her choices.

All three women are very different. Sylvia is aloof and fiercely independent, traveling often and preferring to be on her own. She cooks incredible meals and is extremely secretive about her past. She also wasn't a very present parent, frequently leaving her daughter with others while she went off to do whatever she wanted. 

Marcella, on the other hand, longs for a family. She doesn’t know who her father is (Sylvia is her mother), and she’s certain that she wants to be a mother herself. Unfortunately, she struggles to connect with her own daughter, though she does find love with Dave. She blames her mother for a lot of things, but mostly for their lack of a relationship.

Lauren is the daughter of Marcella and Dave, and Sylvia’s granddaughter. She doesn’t have the best relationship with her mother, but she’s very close to her father—and even her grandmother. She and her husband, Leo, are trying to have a baby, but fertility treatments haven’t been successful.

My heart broke for all three women. It felt like each of them was searching for something they never quite found, even though they could have found it with each other. Instead, they drift apart and only seem to come together when a ticket is used—or when one of them truly needs the others. Only then do they seem able to find comfort in one another.

I actually agreed with Sylvia’s reasoning about the tickets. She only told her daughter about the magical ticket when she believed it was really necessary. Marcella, however, chose to tell Lauren at a young age, and Lauren ultimately used hers for something that felt small by comparison. It might have seemed huge in the moment—most mistakes do—but it also felt like something she could have moved forward from without using the ticket.

I absolutely hated the ending. I hated the choices Lauren made. I hated the secrets all three women kept from each other. And I hated how the final ticket was used. After everything these women went through, it felt like the story threw away the chance for growth, honesty, and real connection. I had such high hopes for this one, but the ending left me feeling frustrated and disappointed. (★★⭑☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

DNF&Y [46]

 

DNF&Y is used to explain why I gave up on certain books, and what about them just didn't work for me. What I disliked about a book might be something you love, so it helps to share your thoughts even when they're negative! 

Fan Service by Rosie Danan

🎧 Narrated by Aaron Shedlock, Brittany Pressley

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The truth is stranger than fan fiction in this sexy paranormal rom-com.

The only place small-town outcast Alex Lawson fits in is the online fan forum she built for The Arcane Files, a long-running werewolf detective show. Her dedication to archiving fictional supernatural lore made her Internet-famous, even if she harbors a secret disdain for the show’s star, Devin Ashwood. (Never meet your heroes—sometimes they turn out to be The Worst.)

Ever since his show went off the air, Devin and his career have spiraled, but waking up naked in the woods outside his LA home with no memory of the night before is a new low. It must have been a coincidence that the once-in-a-century Wolf Blood Moon crested last night. The claws, fangs, and howling are a little more difficult to explain away. Desperate for answers, Devin finds Alex—the closest thing to an expert that exists. If only he could convince her to stop hating his guts long enough to help....

Once he makes her an offer she can’t refuse, these reluctant allies lower their guards trying to wrangle his inner beast. Unfortunately, getting up close and personal quickly comes back to bite them.

I really liked Danan's The Roommate so I was super excited to get an early copy of Fan Service. Unfortunately, I DNF'd this one after an hour (roughly 10% of the audiobook). The MMC was too over-the-top for me and really got on my nerves. He didn't act his age which made it hard for me to wrap my head around some of his behaviors and choices. He's supposed to be in his forties, yet he acts like a hormonal, prepubescent teenager that treats people horribly. He gave me the ick. Some of the things he said were just gross (e.g. chub), and I can't get behind a love interest that's just a terrible person all around. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Exes & Foes by Amanda Woody

🎧 Narrated by Jeff Ebner, Kristen DiMercurio

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When two ex-best friends decide to hold a competition for the new girl's heart, they don't expect to fall for each other instead.

Emma has been a thorn in Caleb’s side since middle school. Having tarnished their friendship in eighth grade, she’s now little more to him than an unkempt, unruly, disastrous bisexual mess. Over the years, she’s gotten in the way of every romantic relationship he’s attempted to settle into, using little more than mischievous charisma to lure them into her clutches.

To Emma, Caleb sets the record for World’s Largest Stick in the Mud. Uptight, unbearably tidy, and a rule-follower, he’s exactly the kind of boring person her mother wishes she was. When she discovers they’re both after Juliet, the new girl, Emma proposes a competition to nudge him out of the way. Whoever can get Juliet to kiss them first wins, and the opposition must bow out with the promise of never talking to her again.

But plans go awry when Juliet seems mostly interested in hanging out with both of them together. Emma and Caleb just have to figure out whether winning Juliet’s heart is worth the torment of constantly dealing with each other, and the risk of reopening wounds from a past they thought they had left behind.

DNF'd around 45 minutes (7% of the audiobook). The characters in this book would definitely benefit from therapy. They're supposed to be teenagers in high school, and some of their behaviors didn't reflect that. The dialogue was also super cringey. It was honestly really painful to listen to. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

🎧 Narrated by Lauren Graham

Synopsis (via Goodreads): When Katy’s mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn’t just Katy’s mom, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, their planned mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town Carol spent the summer right before she met Katy’s father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.

But as soon as she steps foot on the Amalfi Coast, Katy begins to feel her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and, of course, delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.

And then Carol appears—in the flesh, healthy, sun-tanned, and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how—all she can focus on is that she has somehow, impossibly, gotten her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman before her. She is not exactly who Katy imagined she might be, however, and soon Katy must reconcile the mother who knew everything with the young woman who does not yet have a clue.

DNF at 40%. I really liked Rebecca Serle's In Five Years (even though it broke my heart), but struggled to get through One Italian Summer. I thought Katy had an unhealthy view of her relationship with her mother, and it ended up negatively impacting her marriage. She saw her mother as her "great love," and it didn't leave much room for him. He was incredibly supportive of her and she dismisses his efforts and affection. When she gets to Italy, it's almost like he doesn't exist and she makes decisions that I didn't agree with. Highlight to view spoiler: There's only so much you can blame on the death of a parent, and choosing to have an affair is inexcusable, especially when he's done nothing to deserve it. Katy was really unlikable as a character, and I struggled with the story because of it. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory

🎧 Narrated by Heidi Franklin, Ryan Vincent Anderson

Synopsis (via Goodreads): An intoxicating and sparkling new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

Margot Noble needs some relief from the stress of running the family winery with her brother. Enter Luke: sexy, charming, and best of all in the too-small world of Napa, a stranger. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Margot is delighted that she lucked into the perfect one-night stand she'll never have to see again. That is, until the winery's newest hire, Luke, walks in the next morning. Margot is determined to keep things purely professional, but when their every interaction reminds her of the attraction still bubbling between them, it proves to be much more challenging than she expects.

Luke Williams had it all, but when he quits his high-salary tech job in Silicon Valley in a blaze of burnout and moves back to Napa to help a friend, he realizes he doesn't want to tell the world--or his mom--why he's now working at a winery. His mom loves bragging about her successful son--how can he admit that the job she's so proud of broke him? Luke has no idea what is next for him, but one thing is certain: he wants more from the incredibly smart and sexy woman he hooked up with--even after he learns she's his new boss. But even if they can find a way to be together that wouldn't be an ethical nightmare, would such a successful woman really want a tech-world dropout?

Set against a lush backdrop of Napa Valley wine country, nothing goes to your head as fast as a taste of love--even if it means changing all your plans.

DNF after 3 hours (28% of the audiobook). A lack of communication totally ruins a book for me. I struggle to enjoy a story when a single conversation would solve the majority of the plot. It also felt repetitive and redundant even early on. This was my first book by Guillory and I don't think I'll be seeking her out again in the future. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

The Dangerous Ones by Lauren Blackwood

🎧 Narrated by Angel Pean, Jay Ben Markson

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A romantic historical fantasy from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blackwood, set in the American Civil War with vampires and people with demigod-like abilities.

1863, Pennsylvania

War doesn’t scare Jerusalem—she’s a Saint. Thanks to powerful demigod-style reflexes, endurance, and strength, she’s fearless. And ever since the Confederates declared civil war, partnering with the vampires who benefitted off slavery, she and her battalion of Saints are essential to the Union army.

Jerusalem herself had been enslaved by a vampire, escaping North only after her family was murdered. She knows the enemy better, hates the enemy more than anyone in her battalion, and has been using it to her advantage since she joined the war a year ago. More than anything she wants revenge, but if she can help Black people gain freedom and equality without having to steal it for themselves like she had to, then all the better.

But she never expects to have to team up with a vampire to do it. Alexei is one of those handsome, arrogant Ancient Vampires. But he’s on the Union’s side, and in the year they've known each other, has never done anything but prove he’s on hers.

Together, they set out to change the course of the war and take down the vampire who destroyed everyone Jerusalem loved. But for her, it’s about more than justice.

It's about killing a god.

I can't remember where in the book I stopped, but I know I didn't make it very far. The story is supposed to take place in 1863, but the language felt too modern and out of place. The MC was also really unlikable and came across as being much older than described. The pacing was painful, the characters themselves were uninteresting, and the story didn't hold my attention. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.

In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral's family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they're lucky―survive.

When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family's financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can't afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral's only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.

But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister's―before the whole island burns.

She grew up battling the monsters that live in the black seas, but it couldn't prepare her to face the cunning cruelty of the ruling elite.

Perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and These Violent Delights, this South Asian-inspired fantasy is a gripping debut about the power of the elite, the price of glory, and one girl's chance to change it all.

I really liked the premise for this one, but I don't think it was executed very well. The first part of the story held my attention, but it really started to drag after awhile. The MC was very naive and far too trusting considering the world she lived in. I couldn't connect with her at all. There's also entirely too much telling and not enough showing, which is a bookish pet peeve of mine. (★★☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Where Shadows Meet (Where Shadows Meet, #1) by Patrice Caldwell

🎧 Narrated by Alexis Campbell, Khaya Fraites, Melinda Sewak

Synopsis (via Goodreads): The dark and thrillingly romantic debut vampire fantasy that questions what it truly means to sacrifice for love.

You have no idea what I’ve done for love. Just as you have no idea what you may one day do.

Once long ago, a girl named Favre sacrificed her wings for love. Thana, the young goddess she so willingly gave them up for, sacrificed that same love for power. But everything has a cost.

Favre never got over the loss of her wings. And Thana’s choices led to a life of eternal night, and later, their destruction. Favre has bided her time ever since, waiting for the chance to resurrect the girl she loves who turned her into the creature she hates.

Now, a thousand years later, Leyla, the crown princess of the malichora—an ancient race that survives on human blood —must travel to the Island of the Dead when her best friend is captured during an attack on her nation’s capital. Along with Najja, a fierce, beautiful seer, and the last person she expected to help her, Leyla forges down a dangerous path, intent on saving her friend. But nothing is as it seems. The closer she gets to her goal, the more she risks awakening an ancient evil and destroying everything she holds dear.

Set in the aftermath of a war between vampires, humans, and the gods that created them, Patrice Caldwell’s devastatingly romantic fantasy debut, Where Shadows Meet, centers the heart-wrenching pain of loss and the struggle of self-discovery to ask: do we choose our fates, or do our fates choose us?

I only made it three minutes into this book. Opening with “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life” (John 6:54) in a vampire novel is disrespectful and mocks religious beliefs. (★☆☆☆☆)

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Where do you see yourself in five years?

When Type-A Manhattan lawyer Dannie Cohan is asked this question at the most important interview of her career, she has a meticulously crafted answer at the ready. Later, after nailing her interview and accepting her boyfriend’s marriage proposal, Dannie goes to sleep knowing she is right on track to achieve her five-year plan.

But when she wakes up, she’s suddenly in a different apartment, with a different ring on her finger, and beside a very different man. The television news is on in the background, and she can just make out the scrolling date. It’s the same night—December 15—but 2025, five years in the future.

After a very intense, shocking hour, Dannie wakes again, at the brink of midnight, back in 2020. She can’t shake what has happened. It certainly felt much more than merely a dream, but she isn’t the kind of person who believes in visions. That nonsense is only charming coming from free-spirited types, like her lifelong best friend, Bella. Determined to ignore the odd experience, she files it away in the back of her mind.

That is, until four-and-a-half years later, when by chance Dannie meets the very same man from her long-ago vision.

Brimming with joy and heartbreak, In Five Years is an unforgettable love story that reminds us of the power of loyalty, friendship, and the unpredictable nature of destiny.

“You mistake love. You think it has to have a future in order to matter, but it doesn’t. It’s the only thing that does not need to become at all. It matters only insofar as it exists. Here. Now. Love doesn’t require a future.”

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

Before starting In Five Years, I thought it would be similar to Josie Silver's One Day in December (it's not). I also assumed there would be a love triangle, and one that took place over the span of a few years. Thankfully, there's no love triangle. There's actually very little romance at all, to be completely honest. It was like a Diet Romance - - all the calories with none of the flavor (there's nothing hot and steamy about this one).

Dannie knows what she wants, and she knows how she wants it. She has a plan, and she has stuck to that plan for years. She and her fiancé are compatible, equally successful, and more than a little stuck. They've planned for everything, except each other. Aaron, the guy from her dream, plays a large role in the blurb, but really doesn't impact her life in any big way. He's simply there or around from time to time. She doesn't entertain feelings for him, and he doesn't seem interested in her (other than friendship). I'm not sure if the synopsis was intentionally misleading, or if I was supposed to look at it differently.

Bella is Dannie's best friend and total opposite - - sisters in every way that matters. Dannie has always felt like Bella was her responsibility, and didn't notice that Bella nurtured in her own way. They really complimented each other, and I enjoyed the ease of their conversations and interactions. Their love for each other was palpable; something to be treasured.

I wish the author had elaborated more on the death Dannie mentions, and how her visits with a therapist helped her deal with what was happening in her life (if they helped at all). Both the death and the therapist were mentioned on multiple occasions, but it was always brief and without much of an explanation. Everything fit into the story, but those two things really stuck with me for some reason.

The characters start out in their mid-twenties, and we see them in their early thirties. However, I always felt like the characters were much older, like in their late forties. They didn't act like they were in their twenties, and I'm sure that was a character trait for Dannie, but everything about them felt older. It would always throw me when Dannie mentioned someone's age, because I'd been picturing people differently. I'm not sure how else to explain it, haha.

There are no surprises in this book, but it was an enjoyable read. My eyes were misty for a couple of pages, but it wasn't like the book dropped something unexpected into my lap at the last minute. There's a small twist towards the end, but it fits Dannie's character, and it ties the rest of the story together.

Overall, I thought In Five Years was a wonderful book about friendship, and the complexities of relationships in general. Neglectful parents, present parents, married couples, engaged couples, dating couples, and people who just seem to get along really well from the start. It was nice seeing so many different dynamics between the characters, and I thought the author told a wonderful tale that was both meaningful and memorable. It was a love story, just not the one you're expecting. (★★★⋆☆)

"It feels impossible how much space there can be in this intimacy, how much privacy. And I think that maybe that is what love is. Not the absence of space but the acknowledgment of it, the thing that lives between the parts, the thing that makes it possible not to be one, but to be different, to be two."