Falls from Grace by Ruby Landers

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

This is one helluva good book. The plot, the characterizations, the interactions — everything is excellent. Ruby Landers makes the characters feel alive, the conversations real, the struggles true.

At its core, it’s about two women who are forced to face their fears, heal old wounds, and take a chance on love even when the odds—and their pasts—seem stacked against them.

Savannah Grace, once a star whose life has been bruised by betrayal carries herself with both strength and fragility. Brynn, by contrast, feels untethered and uncertain of her own future (though I absolutely love her sister's perception of Brynn's life. One of the most effective shows of experience vs perception. Also, it makes you really think about an individual's propensity towards self-pity and victimhood). The inner conflicts of both are relatable. 

The chemistry between the MCs is lovingly rendered. The slow burn is beautifully articulated (though I do have doubts that songwriting is really as easy as Landers' makes it). 

The backdrop and environment are well chosen and create a perfect setting. The combination of music, fame, past baggage and failure, and family responsibility adds depth beyond the central love story. The presence of Savannah’s son, for example, grounds the novel with a sense of realism and higher stakes, showing how love can ripple outward into family dynamics.

Conflict in the last two-thirds of the book. This is one of my pet peeves since usually it is forced. But here it is perfect. The cause is justified, the aftermath is believable, and the earn-back is truly worked-for. It only adds to both the characters and their relationship.

The biggest issue with the story is Brynn's easy, breezy ride into fame on pure luck. It's enough to make Brynn forever rest many steps below Savannah for me. 

Savannah, on the other hand — what can I say — I'm something of a fangirl for that one. She's everything.

Falls From Grace is a heartfelt and emotionally layered romance that blends celebrity drama with deeply personal struggles. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

My Heart is Beating for You by særling

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆★

This is a completely unique idea inasmuch the writer særling is also a singer/musician and has written this novella based on her song My Heart is Beating for You.

The story follows Elena, a literature professor in a small coastal town, whose life is defined by the aching absence of Leah, a wandering musician. The narrative weaves between the present, where Elena moves through her days in a haze of quiet grief, and the past, where we witness the electric, soul-deep connection that blossomed between her and Leah. 

The writing is competent, and even lyrical in places. In less than a hundred pages, særling writes a complete story — a first meeting, attraction and sparks, building memories together, physical intimacy, parting, distance, longing and aching, and a final reunion — engagingly and engrossingly. 

This isn’t a loud, drama-packed romance. It’s softer, more poetic. There's an emotional honesty in both MCs and særling effectively writes with affection. 

But what truly raises this novella from a four plus to a 5+, is the 5+ rating for the song. The song My Heart is Beating for You is haunting, sensual and sensuous — reminiscent of One Night  by The Corrs (an all-time personal favourite).

This is a quick, flowing read. Plus, the song is outstanding. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆★

Sing With Me by Bette Hawkins

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

Sing With Me is an enemies-to-lovers story about two successful musicians. And it is so good. 

Georgia (Gigi) Lark is a popstar with one prestigious Vangaurd award under her belt. She's also recently had her heartbroken via a toxic ex-wife and facing a writer's block. Like this isn't bad enough, her latest release is something of a wash-out.

Ashley Archer is Georgia's contemporary, but a musician taken more seriously than pop. Her star's on the rise at this time. 

Despite never having met, the two have been positioned as rivals by the media and also by their mutual label. And things would remain status quo but for a reclusive, legendary producer, Johnny Rail, wanting to work with the two of them—together. Sequestered in his ranch. 

This one is slow burn, done really well. Both the MCs are well characterized and likeable. Since they're both equally successful, neither needs to really bend backwards to accommodate the other's insecurities around fame (this kind of equality where on MCs doesn't carry the entire emotional burden of the relationship is always a plus). 

The author gives them immediate mutual attraction and high lust-quotient but takes her time building their relationship. They grow into one another, spend a lot of time together, so by the time they actually kiss, it is like a a moment that we've been waiting for. 

This is also a no angst story. That is good because oftentimes conflict gets forced in to maintain an expected pattern. 

Sing With Me is a simple story, told engagingly and with heart. 

About the cover: I don't see either of the leading ladies in the lady on the cover, but she is what their daughter would look like 😆

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

Lost in the Starlight by Kiki Archer

 

⭐⭐⭐

This is a celebrity-journalist romcom that leans into the com aspect so hard that almost all characters are stereotypical caricatures. 

Honey Diamond is a mega-pop star. She is incredibly talented, famous and good looking. (Hello Taylor Swift). Her mother was also famous and she’d brought up Honey in a protected bubble. Margaret (Meg) Rutherton is a kind of a journalist who runs a trashy and frankly, salacious website SelebSecrets which seems to have a single aim of being nasty to celebrities. 

Honey isn’t exactly in the closet but has never discussed her sexuality in public. Meg (on whom she has a crush for like forever), via SelebSecrets, is determined to ‘expose’ Honey as a lesbian. Because of some unseemly and underserved gossip, Honey writes a song about her sexuality and insists that it should be a part of her new album. This is against the advice of her mother and manager. She also (against advice) decides to give an interview about the song and about her sexuality. It just so happens that the selected magazine has recruited Meg to replace their erstwhile correspondent, Margaret, and Meg turns up for the interview. 

Like we said, this book is filled with over-the-top caricaturised comedic characters and moments. Not that this detracts from the fun and funny parts. All characters except the two MCs are caricatures. Initially, Honey is also made out of the Disney Princess template but as the book progresses, she somehow makes her way into your heart with is purity.

Honey is naïve, innocent, positive, playful, honest, open, vulnerable and totally loveable. Meg, initially is not likeable. As we move into the second half and spend more time in Meg’s head, she moves from ‘not likeable’ to ‘dislikeable’ to ‘ohmygod, she’s quite terrible’. There is absolutely nothing to make Meg anywhere near a good match for Honey. So, while Honey kept us engaged and rooting or her happy ending, Meg made us want to DNF. We hate it when one of MCs is awesome and the other is awful. While we want awesome to find love we want that love to be the awful – so the HEA doesn’t make us feel completely good. 

We want to give Honey a 5+ rating but Meg goes into the negative on the scale. So we’ll have to settle with saying this book is okay. 

⭐⭐⭐

Let the Beat Drop by Cheri Ritz

⭐⭐⭐☆

Sadie DuChamp's fledgling rock career comes to. Grinding halt when the bank breaks up in a flurry of bad blood. In the aftermath of an awful relationship and the band going bust, Sadie returns home. She is assailed with guilt that she's not been home more or taken care of her mom after her father passed away a few months back. Sadie's mother is in the grip of depression and Sadie decides to spend a year with her before embarking on anything new. 

A group of Sadie's mother's friends drop by for a regular coupon-exchange and chat session and led when Sadie starts playing her drums, led by one of the women Marley Moran, the group ends up having an impromptu jam session. Sadie is delighted to see her mother joining in and thinks that music is the way to help her mom back. She floats the idea of the group performing and Marley is happy to create an opportunity at her annual party.

Marley is in the business of manufacturing vodka. Her daughter, Jessica, a couple of years older than Sadie is studying business and keen on joining her mother's business as soon as she finishes studies. Home for the holidays, Jess is a little discomfited by the new development viz. her mom performing in public with a band and she is also madly attracted to the woman creating this turbulence, viz. Sadie.

This is a very well written book. While the romance is front and centre the relationships of both the girls with their mothers also are important threads. Characterisations of every single person, including those making very brief appearances, are so well done that you can practically see everyone.

Sadie and Jess are very likeable. This is a new adult book, which means both the women are in a transitory phase between teen and adult. So they have the teen ability to love and forgive. Despite Jess' blow-hot-blow-cold behaviour, Sadie is able to be totally into her. Both of them want to be responsible and take care of their mothers but are a little clueless, a little too young and a little ham-handed in how they do it. All this just makes it all so real and both of them endearing. Kudos to Ritz for the way she's written Sadie and Jess keeping them so perfectly in character. 

We really enjoyed this one.

⭐⭐⭐☆

Irregular Heartbeat by Chris Zett, Narrated by Abby Craden (Audiobook)

⭐⭐⭐☆★


Diana Petrell is a new intern under the mentors hip of Dr. Emily Barnes. Diane is returning to pre-med after a hiatus of nine years and is keen on doing it right. Not that Emily makes it say for her. But then, Emily is equally professional and curt with everyone else. Despite her prickly exterior, Diane is drawn to Emily. Both have their own secrets / baggage that takes careful handling and navigation as they get closer to each other.

The chemistry in this is good and the romance steady. Diane quickly establishes herself as a mature, amiable and likeable person. Emily is more challenging. And also where Zett really creates an impression.

Most people are somehow messed up in or damaged while growing up. One of the most insidious and invisible chipping is by polite distance, emotional neglect and lack or love from a parent. The damage this causes can be different for different people, but Emily is clearly what is now recognised as a 'sensitive child'. Zett draws Emily in great detail with sympathy and understanding and then get invested in her a whole character arc and trajectory as love enters her life in form of Diane.

Yes, this is slow burn. Yes, there was one (note, just one) point where we thought Emily's pull Diana close and feint away from her was unjustified. But otherwise, this is a wonderful commentary on the power of the love and patience from the right person which makes a person transform from a tightly closed bud to a fresh, dancing bloom.

Abby Craden does a competent job and kept us hooked for the entire duration of the fairly long book.

Yes, we'd surely recommend this one.

⭐⭐⭐☆★

Pursuing Pandora by Maggie Brown

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is a fun escapist romcom starring lovely leading ladies with awesome chemistry.

Winter Carlyle – corporate lawyer, divorced from a TV personality drama queen, mostly foil to her player lady-nip (as in catnip) best friend, family trouble shooter. Pandora – sizzling lounge singer, Gussie is seriously distressed when her son, Michael    (in his twenties), declares that he’s going to marry a woman much older than him. She makes Winter go to the lounge (Silver Fox) where Pandora performs and report back to her about the cradle-snatching woman. Winter goes to the lounge with her bestie, Jessie (a consummate player) and a couple of other friends. Winter finds that Pandora is not interested in or encouraging the besotted Michael in any way but more alarmingly, there seem to be sparks between her and Pandora. Pandora and Winter meet ostensibly to figure out how to handle the Michael situation but find their connection growing deeper.

Mad attraction, crazy ploys, cop-and-robbers, witchy-bitchy ex, a clutch of Pandora admirers (and broken hearts) fill this thoroughly enjoyable book.

Pandora and Winter both have their insecurities about each other but are dealt with on gentle, tender (and sometimes grand gesture) ways. We loved how they both jump to each other’s defence more than once and do not shy away from calling out anyone who is not giving the other respect. The attraction and chemistry between the two is fabulous. While there are really no surprises in the book it is constantly interesting and totally engrossing. We thoroughly enjoyed reading this one.

Definitely recommended.   

⭐⭐⭐⭐