Book Review: The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A twisty island thriller packed with secrets, betrayal, and deadly nostalgia.
Review Date: June 7, 2026 | Release Date: June 16, 2026
The Last Time We Saw Her by Jaclyn Goldis is the kind of thriller that quietly lures you in with sun-soaked scenery and nostalgia before reminding you that the past never stays buried for long. Equal parts locked-room mystery, survival thriller, and dark summer camp reunion, this story blends atmospheric suspense with tangled friendships and long-held secrets in a way that feels impossible to look away from.
Set against the stunning yet isolated backdrop of the Azores, the novel follows a group of former summer campers returning to the island where, ten years earlier, one of their own disappeared during a treasure hunt gone horribly wrong. Sydney—the magnetic “it girl” of the group—vanished without a trace, leaving behind fractured friendships, unanswered questions, and whispers of betrayal. Now, reunited for a documentary meant to honor her memory and uncover the truth, old wounds begin to reopen almost immediately.
What makes this thriller especially compelling is its layered tension. The story thrives on distrust, buried resentments, and the uncomfortable reality that everyone remembers the past differently. The dynamic between the former friends feels messy and believable, with shifting loyalties that constantly make you question who can actually be trusted. Just when you think you understand what happened, another revelation changes everything.
The island setting is one of the book’s strongest elements. Between crater lakes, thermal springs, and rugged hiking trails, the Azores become more than just scenery—they feel isolating, eerie, and quietly dangerous. There’s a cinematic quality to the atmosphere that makes the mystery even more immersive, especially as the treasure hunt resurfaces and greed begins to creep back into old relationships.
While the pacing starts with a slower burn as the group reconnects and old history unfolds, the tension steadily builds into a twist-filled mystery full of suspicion and escalating danger. Fans of friend-group thrillers, vacation-set mysteries, and stories packed with secrets will find plenty to enjoy here.
If you love isolated settings, dual timelines, morally gray characters, and the feeling that everyone is hiding something, The Last Time We Saw Her delivers an addictive mix of nostalgia, suspense, and betrayal that keeps you guessing until the final pages.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: Good at Being Alive by Elizabeth O’Roark
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A swoony fake honeymoon romance packed with grief, healing, banter, and breathtaking chemistry.
Review Date: June 7, 2026 | Release Date: June 16, 2026
Elizabeth O’Roark delivers an emotional, witty, and deeply romantic story in Good at Being Alive, blending grief, healing, forced proximity, and sizzling chemistry into a romance that feels both escapist and achingly real.
At first glance, Bex and Theo seem like complete opposites. Bex is messy, impulsive, and barely holding herself together after unimaginable loss, while Theo is polished, controlled, and emotionally guarded to a fault. Throw them into a fake honeymoon reality show across Europe, and the setup practically begs for tension. Thankfully, O’Roark leans all the way into it—and the result is absolutely addictive.
What makes this story stand out is the emotional depth underneath the banter and romantic tension. Bex’s grief feels raw and unfiltered, the kind that doesn’t follow neat timelines or tidy resolutions. Watching her try to rebuild herself while carrying overwhelming loneliness made her incredibly easy to root for. Theo, meanwhile, slowly reveals layers beneath his grumpy British CEO exterior, and his quiet care for Bex becomes one of the most compelling parts of the book. He’s protective without being overbearing, emotionally restrained without feeling cold, and his dry humor sneaks up on you in the best way.
The chemistry between these two absolutely crackles. The fake newlywed setup creates plenty of delicious tension, forced closeness, and moments where pretending starts to feel a little too real. Their arguments feel charged from the beginning, and the gradual shift from irritation to trust to genuine vulnerability is handled beautifully. The romance feels earned because both characters have real emotional baggage to unpack before they can fully let someone in.
And then there’s the setting. From dreamy European destinations to luxurious villas and breathtaking travel moments, this book has all the wanderlust vibes while still staying grounded in emotional realism.
Good at Being Alive is romantic, funny, heartbreaking, and hopeful all at once. If you love emotionally layered romances with grumpy/sunshine energy, fake dating, and characters learning how to live again after loss, this one absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: The Great Outdoors by Kayla Olson
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A funny, swoony wilderness romance packed with heart and chemistry.
Review Date: June 7, 2026 | Release Date: June 16, 2026
There is something undeniably fun about a romance that throws a character completely out of their comfort zone, and The Great Outdoors delivers exactly that in the best possible way. Kayla Olson creates a charming, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt story about learning that sometimes the things we think we need aren’t actually what make us happy.
Sadie Whitlock is the kind of heroine who loves a plan, thrives on preparation, and absolutely does not belong hiking through the wilderness. After being dumped for being “too high-maintenance,” her determination to prove she can be spontaneous leads her straight into the rugged High Sierras for a guided outdoor trek that feels like her own personal nightmare. Watching Sadie attempt camping, kayaking, rappelling, and everything in between while clinging to her creature comforts made for some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments.
But what makes this story really shine is Sadie herself. Beneath the humor and polished exterior is someone quietly questioning whether she’s been trying too hard to fit into someone else’s expectations. Her growth feels authentic and relatable, especially as she begins realizing she doesn’t actually need to shrink herself or become someone different to deserve love.
And then there’s August Thorn.
The rugged, capable trek leader with a soft center? Immediate book boyfriend potential. August and Sadie have the kind of chemistry that sneaks up on you—equal parts banter, tension, and emotional vulnerability. Their dynamic feels natural, and the forced proximity of wilderness life only adds to the charm. August’s calm steadiness balances Sadie’s anxious overthinking beautifully, and together they make every moment feel effortless.
The wilderness setting almost becomes its own character, painting the story with mountain views, outdoor mishaps, and moments of unexpected beauty. Even readers who aren’t exactly “camping people” (hi, same) will appreciate how the story captures both the discomfort and magic of stepping outside your comfort zone.
The Great Outdoors is funny, swoony, and full of heart—a reminder that growth doesn’t mean changing who you are; it means finding the people who love you exactly as you are, even if you pack way too much luggage.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: A Pack for Summer by Eliana Lee
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Cozy, spicy, and heartfelt—a bakery romance with all the summer heat.
Review Date: June 7, 2026 | Release Date: June 16, 2026
A Pack for Summer is the kind of romance that wraps you up in warmth, feeds you something delicious, and then turns up the heat when you least expect it. Equal parts cozy and steamy, Eilana Lee delivers a charming why-choose omegaverse romance filled with found family, healing, chemistry, and enough baked goods to leave you craving dessert.
Summer Pham is impossible not to root for. She’s ambitious, independent, and determined to build the life she wants, even when disaster literally floods her plans. Watching her fight for her bakery while trying to hold herself together emotionally made her feel refreshingly real. She’s strong without being untouchable, vulnerable without losing her spark, and the heart of this story from beginning to end.
Then there are the Beaufort brothers—and wow, the chemistry here absolutely works. Each relationship feels distinct, which is something I always hope for in a why-choose romance. Lucien brings steady, protective energy beneath his polished exterior, Mercer leans fully into that grumpy pastry chef charm (and yes, the kitchen tension is chef’s kiss), while Jae delivers all the swoony childhood-crush feelings with a tattooed, grown-up edge that is impossible to resist.
What stood out most to me was how naturally the emotional connection developed alongside the spice. The friends-with-benefits arrangement could have easily stayed surface-level, but Lee gives these characters room to reconnect, heal old hurts, and rediscover what “pack” really means. Beneath the humor, flirtation, and sizzling chemistry is a genuinely emotional story about belonging, grief, and finding people who feel like home.
The cozy small-town setting adds another layer of charm, especially paired with the bakery atmosphere and community feel. This book somehow balances comfort and chaos beautifully—one moment you’re smiling over banter and pastries, the next your heart is aching for these characters.
If you love cozy omegaverse romances with strong emotional beats, forced proximity, lots of heat, and a found-family vibe, A Pack for Summer absolutely delivers. Sweet, spicy, and full of heart, this was the perfect feel-good escape with enough emotional depth to leave a lasting impression.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: Wildcard by Jennifer Iacopelli
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A fun, chemistry-filled tennis romance packed with ambition and heart.
Review Date: June 7, 2026 | Release Date: June 9, 2026
Wildcard by Jennifer Iacopelli serves up the perfect mix of sports drama, secret romance, ambition, and emotional growth in a fast-paced tennis rom-com that feels every bit as intense as championship match point.
At the center of the story is Indiana Gaffney, a fiercely driven tennis player whose life revolves around one thing: earning her shot at Wimbledon. Indy’s determination practically radiates off the page, and it’s impossible not to root for her as she trains relentlessly, fights for recognition, and pushes herself toward a dream that constantly feels just out of reach. Her ambition is refreshing because it never feels performative—tennis isn’t just something she loves, it’s who she is.
But while Indy’s game is heating up on the court, things get complicated off of it. Enter Jack Harrison: charming, successful, slightly forbidden, and undeniably swoon-worthy. Their secret romance adds a delicious layer of tension to the story, especially given his connection to Penny Harrison, Indy’s friend and tennis superstar sister. The sneaking around, stolen moments, and growing feelings made their chemistry impossible to ignore, and the emotional stakes felt just as high as the tournament ones.
What really makes Wildcard stand out, though, is that it doesn’t rely solely on romance. Jennifer Iacopelli balances friendship, rivalry, pressure, and self-discovery beautifully. The multiple tennis perspectives add depth to the story, showing how complicated life becomes when ambition, relationships, and competition collide. Jasmine’s storyline especially adds emotional weight and highlights how personal struggles don’t stop simply because the spotlight is on.
The tennis setting is one of the book’s strongest elements. Even if you’re not a sports fan, the energy of the matches, the pressure of rankings, and the behind-the-scenes grind make the story incredibly immersive. The pacing keeps things moving quickly, making this an easy book to devour.
If you love sports romances packed with chemistry, friendship drama, career ambition, and a little forbidden tension, Wildcard absolutely delivers. Equal parts heartfelt and addictive, this one proves that sometimes the biggest risks happen off the court.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
