Tag: summer read

What’s Ashley Reading?: The Rom-Commers

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

Summary: Emma has spent the last ten years taking care of her disabled father. Then one day her best friend calls her with the opportunity of a lifetime. She is being asked to work on a screenplay with her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. As she reads the screenplay she realizes that this will take a lot of work but it is a challenge she is willing to pursue but she worries about her father. Leaving him with her sister who has little idea of what Emma has done to take care of him she takes a leap of faith and embarks on her chance at advancing her career.

But upon arrival she discovers that Charlie did not know she was coming. After some convincing and perusal of her work he reluctantly agrees but this job will not be as easy as she imagined. Charlie does not appear to care about the script or even believe in love. Emma is determined to show him that rom-coms are worthwhile and she will prove it to him no matter what.

My Thoughts: This is my second Katherine Center book and I enjoyed it just as much as the first, Hello Stranger. The title, The Rom-Commers, is exactly why I have enjoyed these two books. They are easy to read, have cute scenes between the two main characters and follow the usual pattern of a rom-com. Sometimes I just want something easy and silly. This fits that bill exactly.

Each character is hard-headed. They constantly butt heads and argue but this perfect romantic tension. At times I did find the story a little drawn out but it was easy to overlook. I enjoyed it, laughed at some of the silliness and got frustrated with the characters at appropriate times. This is perfect for reading at the pool side on vacation or with a cup of tea on the patio.

**Release date is June 11, 2024.

What’s Ashley Reading?: Not a Happy Family

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena

First line: There are many expensive houses here in Brecken Hill, an enclave on the edge of Aylesford, in the Hudson Valley.

Summary: In the rich neighborhood of Brecken Hill live the Mercer’s. They have lived here for years where they raised their family, grown a business and been the envy of all. But one Easter weekend after a family dinner the Mercer parents are found brutally murdered in their home. It appears to be a robbery but with all the secrets in the Mercer family the police are sure that one of the adult children has something to do with it. As they dig deeper they find that there are more secrets than anyone originally thought.

My Thoughts: This was a solid book. Lots of suspense. Red herrings around every corner. Lots of backstabbing, threats and secrets. I finished it in just a few days. It kept me interested throughout but I feel like it has been done before like so many thrillers lately. All the characters were awful people. Not one was likeable. There were some loose ends that I felt were not dealt with and characters that seemed a little nonessential. But did I have fun reading it? Yes. Will I recommend it? Yes. It was fun for a quick summer read.

FYI: Perfect for fans of B. A. Paris and J. P. Delaney.