Book Club July 2026- Cherry Baby

By: Rainbow Rowell
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 416

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Everybody knows that Cherry's husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie . . .

Almost nobody knows that he isn't coming home.

Tom is the creator of Thursday—a semi-autobiographical webcomic that's become an international phenomenon.

Semi-autobiographical. That means there's a character in this movie based on Cherry . . . "Baby."

Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby.

Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page—let alone on the big screen. But there's no getting away from it. Baby looks so much like Cherry that strangers recognize her at the grocery store.

While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles getting rich and famous and being the internet's latest boyfriend, Cherry is stuck in Omaha taking care of the dog he always wanted and the house they were going to raise a family in . . . and wondering who she's supposed to be without him.

Cherry had promised to love Tom through thick and thin.

She'd meant it.

One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems, including Tom's overgrown puppy, at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album . . . and someone recognizes her from across the room.

Russ Sutton knew Cherry when she was a young art student with a fondness for pin-up dresses and patent leather heels. Before Tom.

Russ knows Cherry. He likes Cherry.

And best of all . . . he's never heard of Thursday.

Tender, funny, and utterly human, Cherry Baby is Rainbow Rowell's richest, most surprising—sexiest—novel yet.

What I thought

Rainbow Rowell is one of my favorite authors. I didn’t love her last book, Slow Dance, but I was excited about this one. I do love the cover and the summary sounded very intriguing. That’s why I picked it for book club!

Cherry and her husband Tom have separated after his graphic novel has become a world wide sensation. Tom’s characters are based off of his life, with Cherry being a main character named Baby. The novel has been turned into a movie and as a result, Tom has been spending a lot of time in LA. Now Cherry has to answer the question of what comes next.

This book took turns I didn’t expect. I think the description makes it sound more like a romance but I feel like it’s more a story about finding yourself after the end of a long relationship. I always love Rowell’s characters. They’re so fleshed out and unique. None of them are perfect and yet I always find them so likable. I loved Cherry and was cheering for her this entire time. She also has 4 sisters who are prevalent in the book and I enjoyed their dynamics. I don’t feel like I really could tell them apart but I enjoyed them all and their relationships with Cherry.

It's so hard for me to review this because I went into this without knowing too much about it and I feel like that helped me to enjoy it more. This book is much deeper than I expected it to be, which, I should’ve expected given everything I’ve read by Rowell before. Suffice to say, she is staying one of my favorite authors.

What Book Club Thought

This is a weird one. I was on a completely different page than the rest of book club. No one liked this book as much as I did and we honestly spread the entire range of liking it. It made for some good discussion but also was a little weird because I almost felt like I read an entirely different book than everyone else and I don’t feel like that has happened at book club before. The only thing I can think of is that as someone who has ended a long term relationship that maybe I did read a different book than they did. Different life experiences can change how you read and relate to something so maybe that was it. The one thing I would agree with after our discussion is that the summary of the book is not super accurate to what the book is which might ultimately change your point of view.

Extracurricular

By: Rachel Lynn Solomon
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 400

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

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

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

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

First Impressions

I have loved Rachel Lynn Solomon’s books. I was so excited when I saw she was coming out with a new book. I thought the cover was so cute too.

What I thought

The only way to describe how I felt about this book was disappointed.

Ramona Wilder was a child actress who became a popstar. When she finishes her most recent tour, she decides that she isn’t happy and wants a normal life. She retires from being a popstar to enroll in UCLA. One of her professors is Dr. Nick Navarro. At first, he doesn’t like Ramona’s entitled attitude until their physical chemistry is undeniable.

Ok, so admittedly, I think a major part of my issues with this book is a me problem. I do not like the professor/student dynamic. Even though she’s 26 and he’s 36 and she’s well traveled and mature it still just gave me the ick. I don’t like the idea of a professor sleeping with their student. The power dynamic just feels wrong. And the fact that he’s going for tenure and decides to risk it anyway? I don’t know, I think I’ve just found a new trope I can’t handle.

The other thing that unfortunately didn’t work for me was Ramona and Nick’s chemistry. As the book went on I found myself caring less and less about them being together. I normally don’t feel this way about Solomon’s characters so this was so weird for me. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t like Nick or if it was because I didn’t like Ramona or if I just didn’t like them together. I’ve read a few books that have had popstars or former popstars as the main characters and I found Ramona to be a little stereotypical. The one storyline that could’ve given her depth felt so, not even secondary. Like, it was mentioned so briefly in the beginning and ten nowhere in the middle and then the final 10% it came out as a huge part to wrapping up the story and Ramona’s life moving forward.

There also was a scene where Nick goes over to Ramona’s house because she’s super sick and he goes to take care of her. But then the day after he gives her medicine, after she has legit been sick for 5 days, they sleep together? Like, I get that it was supposed to be romantic that he wants her in that way even after seeing her like that, but it just wasn’t to me. One day after Nyquil and you’re finally feeling good enough to sleep with someone? No.

I have this book about 2.75 stars. It’s the lowest I’ve ever rated one of Solomon’s books. Something about it just didn’t have the magic her other books have had for me. I didn’t like either of the main characters and the trope itself didn’t work for me. She’s still going to be an auto-read author for me, but I would recommend checking out her other books first.

Fever Dream

By: Elsie Silver
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 448

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance.

Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, she’s the last woman who should pique his interest.

Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, she’s sworn off relationships.

But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and then… something more.

Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.

Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His family’s land and legacy depend on him completing the show.

The problem is, he’s already fallen in love.

Just not with a contestant.

First Impressions

I am obsessed with this cover. The colors are my absolute favorite and there is nothing I would change. I’m not normally a cowboy romance person but between this being written by Silver and the cover? Not even a hesitation.

What I thought

While this wasn’t my favorite of Silver’s books, it was still a fun read.

Emmett is a top tier bull rider. However, bull riding doesn’t make enough to support his grandparent’s farm. When he is offered the opportunity to be the next bachelor on a reality show called Romance Ranch, he immediately declines until he finds out how much they’re willing to pay. Julia is the younger sister of Emmett’s bull riding rival Theo. She is also the location manager for Romance Ranch. When they start working together on the reality show, Emmett starts to find romance in places he didn’t expect.

I really liked Emmett and Julia. I liked their history and their chemistry. I also liked that Julia didn’t take any shit from Emmett and called him on his bull (no pun intended). What I didn’t love, even though I thought I was going to, was the reality show storyline. Here’s the thing, I didn’t mind Emmett having to take part in a reality show and date other women. What I did mind was the sleezy producer. I have read a few books that center around dating reality shows (One to Watch being amazing) and I’ve watched TV shows about fake reality dating shows. I feel like I’ve seen this type of story done well and I don’t think it’s done well here. It felt like it was all stereotypical and the reality show and the contestants weren’t fleshed out at all.

I also felt so uncomfortable as Julia and Emmett started dating. They kept talking about how they had to be careful and not get caught because Richard, the producer, would stop Emmett from getting his pay day and then they would go and do things like make out in a former contestants room! I just keep freaking out internally because I was like, there are cameras and microphones everywhere. It made me nervous and uncomfortable which made the back half of the book difficult for me to read.

I do think it works really well as the first book in a new series. It set up the world of Emerald Lake really well, as well as the Brandt family. I am looking forward to reading more books in the future.

This book is a solid 3.5 stars for me. I found the first half of the book more enjoyable than the second but I really enjoyed Emmett and Julia. I thought their whole story was the strongest part which is the most important piece of a romance novel. However, the reality dating show storyline and how icky it made me feel drops it down a few points. While it isn’t my favorite of Silver’s books, it’s still solid.

Abby Offsides

By: Anna McCallie
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 368

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Seeking a fresh start after leaving her cheating fiancé, Abby McIntyre makes a series of spontaneous decisions: She quits her job. She books a one-way flight to the UK. She even gets bangs!

Newly arrived in Liverpool, she lands a job with the Mersey Football Club and meets Lachlan Ramsay, the recently recruited Scottish star midfielder. Both lonely in a new city, the pair bond quickly, and Abby finds it nearly impossible to deny their chemistry—despite the nagging guilt she feels about Lachlan’s mysterious wife who didn’t relocate with her husband.

When Abby’s housing falls through, Lachlan insists she move into his massive penthouse. As they spend almost every waking moment together, Abby wonders if it’s possible that the world-famous footballer could be falling for her, too. But with her job and his marriage dependent on them staying firmly in the friend zone, can Abby risk being caught offside?

First Impressions

I’m pretty sure I saw this cover on Instagram and immediately went “I need to read this book” so I’d say that’s a solid first impression. I am a huge soccer fan so reading about an American who moves to England and works for a soccer team? My dream!

What I thought

I wish I could live inside this book.

After finding out her fiancé was cheating on her, Abby quits her job working for the Red Sox and moves to Liverpool for a job at the local football club, Mersey. One her first day, she meets Lachlan Ramsay- star footballer who is coming back to Mersey after years in Spain. They hit it off right off the bat, but Abby knows he still has a wife back in Spain.

The banter in this book is elite. Lachlan and Abby right from the start have great chemistry. I was rooting for them from day one. Abby has a lot of stuff going on in her life and this story is just as much a story of self-discovery as it is romance. I read a review that described this book as having Ted Lasso vibes and I feel like that is spot on.

It is interesting because this book could fall into very icky territory with Lachlan still being married and Abby being single. I did appreciate that Abby’s friends were honest with her. She had one friend who was not for the relationship building between them and another friend who was kind of feeding into the fantasy.

I enjoyed every character in this book. Even Lachlan’s wife Claire. I also fell in love with the Mersey club a little bit and find myself wanting to be a fan and go to a match. I feel like I’m at a loss for words as to what it is I loved about this book so much. The characters were spot on, the banter was popping, there was no 3rd act breakup over some stupid miscommunication. There was a lot of depth to both Abby and Lachlan and seeing them grow and now just do stupid things was so refreshing. Honestly, one of my favorite sports romances of the year.

I can’t believe this is a debut novel. It’s written so well. I can’t wait for McCallie to write more so I can read her next book. I think that she does a really nice job of writing a romance with depth and not falling into the tropes that are easy. I highly recommend this book if you’re a soccer fan or a fan of Ted Lasso.

Book Club June 2026- Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil

By: V.E. Schwab
Published Year: 2025
Publisher: Tor
Pages: 535

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads) This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life—
how it ends, and how it starts.

What I thought

I was a little hesitant when Meghan picked this book. First, it’s long. Second, it has a decent amount of hype. Third, lesbian vampires. I enjoyed Invisible Life of Addie Larue, but not as much as the general public did which made me hesitant about this one.

Bury Our Bones follows 3 women, Mary, Lottie, and Alice. Each woman’s story takes place in a different era. Mary starts in the 1500s followed by Lottie in the 1800s and finally Alice in 2019. Each of these women is a lesbian and each of these women becomes a vampire.

I don’t really want to give too much away in my summary because not a lot happens in this story and I don’t want to give away anything enjoyable. I did enjoy this book more than I thought I would. It wasn’t necessarily unputdownable, but I was invested in each of their stories and wanted to see how they tied together and played out.

Schwab writes beautifully. Everything in this story is very well written. Admittedly, I think if she wasn’t as good of a writer as she is, this book would’ve felt drawn out and boring. Like I said, not much happens. I did enjoy the different perspective of vampires and how they lived. It was also interesting to see how they changed over time, from the 1500s to present day.

In that way it’s not your typical fantasy/horror novel. There isn’t really a lot of world building and a lot of the lore is based in vampire history we already know. It is more so a story that focuses on women, how they have suffered at the hands of men throughout history, and love. If that isn’t what you’re looking for or what you’re expecting when you pick this one up, I do think you’ll be disappointed.

What Book Club Thought

This was a really fun one to discuss. The more we talked about it the more we realized there was to discuss. We all agreed this isn’t a book we would’ve necessarily picked up on our own but that we ended up liking it more than we expected. I do think it was interesting because we kind of spanned from  one member feeling bored by the book but still enjoying the reading process, to people not being able to put it down. Another interesting thing that we learned is that Schwab describes this as being her most autobiographical work, so that lead to an entire rabbit hole of discussion. I think this book was a pleasant surprise. I would not have expected it to lead to the type of discussion that it did. I would highly recommend this book as a book club read as opposed to a solo read.

Yesteryear

By: Caro Claire Burke
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Knopf
Pages: 400

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel.

My name was Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive.

Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle. Her charming farmhouse is rustic, her husband a handsome cowboy, her six children each more delightful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, her husband the heir to a political dynasty? What Natalie’s followers—all 8 million of them—don’t know won’t hurt them. And The Angry Women? The privileged, Ivy League, coastal elite haters who call her an antifeminist iconoclast? They’re sick with jealousy. Because Natalie isn’t simply living the good life, she’s living the ideal—and just so happens to be building an empire from it.

Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn’t hers. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity, her children are dirty and strange, and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she’s expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a ruthless reality show? Could it really be time travel? Is she being tested by God? By Satan? When Natalie suffers a brutal injury in the woods, she realizes two things: This is not her beautiful life, and she must escape by any means possible.

First Impressions

One of my friends posted about this book before I saw it start to pop up everywhere. The cover and title intrigued me immediately and the summary sounded interesting. I also trusted this friend who posted about it because she and I have similar tastest. Once I saw everyone talking about this book I knew I needed to read it.

What I thought

I haven’t read a book that’s made me think like this in a long time.

Natalie is an influencer. She built her account around being a “Good Christian Wife” who makes bread from scratch and homeschools her kids. Her husband is the youngest son of a political family, but when her world starts falling apart all of a sudden she wakes up in the 1800s. Her hosue is not her house. It has no appliances and an outhouse. Her husband is not her husband and her kids are not her kids. Yet they all act like they are.

This book was so fascinating to me. I have never gotten sucked into the Trad Wife influencer world but I know that they push traditional values and God and obeying your husband. Yet then you find out they come from very rich families and this “simple” life is actually a very costly one.

I honestly had no idea where this book was going from one chapter to the next. I listened to it on audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. I think it let me feel a lot more of the satire. Natalie is not a likable character by any means. I think if you go into this book expecting to like her or wanting to root for her you will be sorely disappointed. I think Caro Burke does a great job of capturing the seedy underbelly of the influencer world.

I could see a lot of people who might dislike this book and claim it’s “cheap” or disrespectful. I think those people are ones who see themselves negatively reflected in the characters of this book. I was hooked pretty much from page one and found the entire thing to wrap up in a very satisfying way.

This is a book that’s going to stick with me for a while and one that I will continually enjoy discussing with people. I think there are so many talking points and people who take this book too seriously are going to be disappointed. I feel like books like this that entrance the entire public come once in a blue moon and we need to enjoy it while it’s here.

By the Bootstraps

By: Alexa Martin
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 400

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Fueled by a love of romance novels, Luna Starr was destined for a life with her head in the clouds. Her delusional tendencies serve her well…or at least they used to. When life throws her a curveball, she decides it’s time to turn her cowboy fantasies into reality and purchases a tiny farm in Celestial, Texas. After all, don’t all heroines try to outrun grief?

Tate Jacobs hates cowboys, which is a small problem, considering his family happens to own the largest ranch in Celestial. Life might not have gone the way he wanted, but as head coach at his old high school and the town’s best (and only) handyman, he’s figured out how to stay busy and keep his head down—until the new girl in town shows up. Luna’s new property is a bad accident waiting to happen unless someone helps her with her DIY home renovations.

As Tate and Luna spend more time together fixing up her house, unexpected feelings and undeniable chemistry bubble to the surface. Luna might’ve moved to Celestial to make her cowboy dreams come true, but somewhere beneath the vast Texas skies, she discovers that love in the real world can be far better than she imagined.

First Impressions

I love Alexa Martin but haven’t read any cowboy romances so I was intrigued. I have to admit, I really don’t like the cover and would not have picked it up if I didn’t already like Martin.

What I thought

The majority of this book was really cute.

After her mother passes away, Luna decides to move from Denver to Celestial, Texas. She uses her mom’s life insurance to purchase a home on some acres of land ad fix it up to make it her dream home. When she moves down, she meets not one but two hot cowboys who are seemingly into her. She settles in and finds herself and a new lease on life.

We’ll start with what worked with me. The town of Celestial is adorable. I could live in this town for a few books and be very happy. All of the side characters were so sweet. I also liked Luna and Tate and Silas. I didn’t necessarily get Luna’s instant attraction to Tate over Silas, but I liked them when they were together. Tate seems like a really good guy and I enjoyed his football coach scenes specifically.

What didn’t work for me was the third act break. I found the reason for Luna breaking down to come out of nowhere. The issues that come up were not built up to at all. She has some difficulties with her mom and how she passed as well as her mom’s brother. I think we could’ve easily focused on those and not added in another breakdown that was unjustified. This kind of left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth right at the end of the book.

I wish that Martin had focused more on the exploration of the trauma Luna was dealing with regarding her mom’s death and a little less on her home renovations. I also read this following Abby Jimenez’s newest novel and there were some similar storylines that Jimenez executed better.

This is a fun read. Luna and Tate are very cute and the setting is 5/5. I am hoping that Martin continues this as a series because I want to read about Silas, Ciara, and Millie. Is this my favorite of Martin’s books? No. Is it still a solid romance? Yes. I would recommend it if you enjoy small town romance books for sure. Here’s hoping she continues in Celestial!

Rachel West and the Fallen Starlet

By: Emma Mills
Published Year: 2026
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Tis in no way shape or form influence my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Celebrity gossip can cut to the quick, but when it turns deadly it’s up to an aspiring reporter and her quirky neighbors to close the case in the first of a witty and nostalgic new mystery series.

Baby doll top, gladiator sandals, and fully loaded iPod at the ready—it’s 2008 in Los Angeles, and Rachel West is a little less starry-eyed than your average ingenue. There’s never been a better time to be an entertainment journalist, but the road to writing glossy profiles starts with copyediting a celeb gossip rag. Hey, it pays her bills. Most of them, at least.

Everything changes when Rachel befriends Molly Byrne—former child star and current tabloid fave due to her drunken escapades and rotating cast of boyfriends—in a nightclub bathroom.

When Molly is found dead, all of Hollywood accepts her death as an overdose. But Rachel knows for a fact her friend was clean, so when Molly’s favorite paparazzo, Casper, tells her he thinks Molly was murdered, she believes him.

With the help of a ragtag group of residents from her apartment building, a handsome detective, and her trusty flip phone, Rachel must solve the mystery of Molly’s death before she’s written off for good.

First Impressions

This cover is so fun. I was immediately intrigued between that and the cover. Very solid first impressions. The summary also caught my eye as I’m always down for a light mystery. I also didn’t initially realize this was an author I had read and enjoyed about 10 years ago so that made me extra excited.

What I thought

This book was so fun.

Rachel has recently become friends with Molly Byrne, a former child star and current paparazzi darling. When she winds up dead of an apparent overdose, Rachel is beside herself. But then Casper, Molly’s favorite paparazzo, finds Rachel and convinces her that Molly didn’t overdose- she was murdered.

This book is the perfect mix of all the things I like. Drama, a fun group of ragtag side characters, banter, and a little mystery. Rachel did get on my nerves a tiny bit, but everyone else more than made up for it. This book is set in 2008 which I think is perfect for the story. 2008 was such a time of crazy paparazzi following all of the young starlets from club to club. It caused so much drama and the celebrity media was so hard on all of the actresses. This book captured that time period perfectly.

I was a little iffy on the Casper/Rachel dynamic. Casper confused me until the end and Rachel was a little unstable which sometimes made her unlikable. I loved the people in her apartment building, her friend/co-worker Anton, and the detective. I could see them coming together again for another book, but I worry that it would get a little too silly for the sake of getting them back together to solve another mystery.

What I found most intriguing about this book was it’s commentary on stardom, mental health, and how people view you. While this is mostly a light mystery, it has a strong underlying message which I think takes it one step above other novels within this genre.

I can’t remember at what point in the novel I solved the mystery, but I wasn’t completely taken by surprise. I found the resolution to be a little disappointing, but everything was wrapped up which I greatly appreciated. It also never felt like Mills was writing twists just to write twists and confuse readers.

If you are looking for a cozy mystery that’s a step below cozy but a step above thriller, this is the perfect book for you. I remember enjoying Mills’ previous novels and I enjoyed her writing just as much with her debut into the adult fiction world. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys ragtag characters with heart, even if the resolution of the mystery felt a little unsatisfying.