Book Review: Until Alison by Kate Russo
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A haunting literary mystery where memory, guilt, and truth collide.
Review Date: July 17, 2026 | Release Date: July 14, 2026
Thank you to the publisher/author for providing a review copy of Until Alison in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Kate Russo delivers a haunting psychological drama that is as much about memory and guilt as it is about solving a murder. Until Alison begins with a shocking death, but rather than rushing toward answers, it carefully peels back years of resentment, misunderstandings, privilege, and buried emotions to reveal the complicated truth behind two girls whose lives were forever intertwined.
Rachel and Alison’s relationship is impossible to define with a single word. They are rivals, reluctant observers of one another, and products of the same town who experienced it from entirely different worlds. Their shared history is layered with jealousy, assumptions, and moments that linger long after they happen. Russo excels at showing how childhood wounds rarely disappear—they simply evolve into something quieter and far more dangerous.
The mystery itself unfolds with a deliberate pace, focusing less on shocking twists and more on the emotional consequences surrounding Alison’s death. Rachel’s guilt over their final encounter gives every page an undercurrent of tension, and her search for answers becomes equally a search for understanding herself. The investigative journalism angle adds an engaging layer while allowing the story to explore truth, perception, and the stories people choose to believe.
What makes Until Alison particularly memorable is its emotional complexity. Rather than presenting clear heroes or villains, Russo fills the novel with deeply human characters whose motivations are shaped by grief, class divides, insecurity, and the need to belong. Every revelation reframes what came before, making the novel feel less like a traditional thriller and more like an intimate study of identity and memory.
The writing is thoughtful and atmospheric, capturing the weight of a small town where everyone believes they know each other, yet no one truly understands what lies beneath the surface. Themes of privilege, female relationships, social expectations, and violence are woven naturally into the narrative without overshadowing the emotional heart of the story.
Readers looking for a fast-paced, twist-heavy thriller may find the pacing more reflective than expected, but those who enjoy literary suspense driven by character psychology will find plenty to appreciate. Until Alison is a quietly devastating novel that lingers well beyond its final pages, reminding us that the stories we tell ourselves about the past are rarely the whole truth.
Book Review: All You Had to Do Was Stay by Laura Starkey
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A heartfelt second chance filled with healing, hope, and love worth choosing twice.
Review Date: July 17, 2026 | Release Date: July 14, 2026
Thank you to the author/publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Some love stories don’t end because the love disappears—they end because life gets in the way. All You Had to Do Was Stay is a heartfelt second-chance romance that explores grief, regret, healing, and the possibility that some people really do find their way back to each other.
Hannah has spent years creating perfect weddings for everyone else while quietly convincing herself that her own happy ending is firmly in the past. Jude has spent just as long avoiding the memories tied to the city—and the woman—he left behind. When their siblings announce their engagement and Hannah becomes the wedding planner, neither has much choice but to spend the summer together.
What follows is a slow rebuilding of trust rather than an instant rekindling of romance, and that’s what makes this story so satisfying. Laura Starkey gives both characters room to acknowledge the hurt they’ve carried, confront the misunderstandings that separated them, and slowly rediscover the people they once loved.
The emotional tension carries the story beautifully. Every shared glance, awkward conversation, and reluctant moment together feels earned because both Hannah and Jude have changed over the years. They’re no longer the people who broke each other’s hearts, but they also can’t pretend the past never happened.
The wedding-planning backdrop adds warmth and charm without overshadowing the emotional journey. Family dynamics, sibling relationships, and the excitement surrounding the upcoming wedding create a wonderful balance against the heavier themes of grief and lost love.
Rather than relying on dramatic twists, the novel shines through honest conversations, emotional vulnerability, and believable character growth. It’s the kind of romance that reminds readers that forgiveness isn’t about forgetting—it’s about choosing hope over fear.
Tender, emotional, and quietly hopeful, All You Had to Do Was Stay is perfect for readers who love second-chance romances filled with heart, healing, and the reminder that sometimes love deserves one more chance.
Book Review: Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A charming slow-burn romance full of heart, healing, and beautifully imperfect love.
Review Date: July 17, 2026 | Release Date: July 14, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
Jenny Holiday delivers a romance that feels like settling into your favorite cozy reading chair with a cup of coffee and a story that quietly steals your heart. Book Club Boyfriend is witty, warm, emotionally layered, and filled with the kind of slow-burning chemistry that grows stronger with every page.
Blair Kellermoon has spent years being underestimated. While the world remembers her as the bubbly actress from romantic comedies, she’s determined to prove herself as a producer. When her newest project falls apart, she’s left questioning whether she’ll ever escape the expectations attached to her past. Meanwhile, bestselling author Jack Branksome is facing a crisis of his own. He’s creatively stuck, carrying the pressure of impossible expectations, and has unintentionally become the internet’s favorite literary grump.
Their friendship begins through unexpected text messages and blossoms into something neither of them anticipated when Jack ends up staying in Blair’s pool house. What follows isn’t a whirlwind romance but something even more satisfying—a relationship built on shared vulnerabilities, quiet support, sarcastic banter, and countless small moments that slowly become everything.
Holiday excels at writing characters who feel wonderfully human. Blair’s optimism never feels forced, and her insecurities make her incredibly relatable. Jack could have easily become another brooding hero, but instead he’s thoughtful, awkward, deeply kind beneath his prickly exterior, and refreshingly self-aware. Watching him slowly let Blair into his carefully guarded world is one of the novel’s greatest strengths.
The supporting details make the story shine even brighter. The movie nights, cheesy pasta dinners, mysterious green pool, and unexpected crow friendships create a charming backdrop that makes their romance feel lived-in rather than manufactured. These little moments become just as memorable as the bigger emotional beats.
The novel also thoughtfully explores creative burnout, public perception, imposter syndrome, and the fear of disappointing both yourself and everyone around you. Rather than relying on unnecessary drama, the emotional tension comes from two people learning to trust themselves as much as each other.
If you love romances where emotional intimacy develops alongside romantic attraction, Book Club Boyfriend delivers beautifully. It’s funny without trying too hard, heartfelt without becoming overly sentimental, and full of memorable conversations that linger long after the final chapter.
A delightful celebration of second chances, found confidence, and discovering that sometimes the person who understands you best is the one you never expected to let in.
Book Review: Return to Sender by Stephanie Parente
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A heartfelt road trip filled with healing, hope, and unexpected love.
Review Date: July 17, 2026 | Release Date: July 14, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
Return to Sender by Stephanie Parente is a heartfelt debut that beautifully blends grief, healing, family, and romance into a road trip that proves sometimes the wrong address can lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.
Violet’s life has been turned upside down after the unexpected loss of her father. Suddenly responsible for raising her younger sister, Phoebe, she’s trying to keep everything—and everyone—from falling apart. When an undelivered love letter arrives at their home, Phoebe becomes determined to reunite its mysterious author with the person it was meant for. What begins as an unusual mission quickly becomes a cross-country adventure alongside the letter’s reluctant owner, Dex.
At its core, this story is about navigating loss while learning how to move forward. Violet’s grief feels authentic and deeply relatable, never overwhelming the hopeful tone of the novel. Her relationship with Phoebe is one of the strongest aspects of the story. Their bond is messy, emotional, frustrating, and incredibly loving, capturing the complicated reality of sisters trying to survive after life changes overnight.
The romance unfolds with patience and sincerity. Dex initially keeps everyone at arm’s length, but as the miles pass, his guarded nature slowly gives way to vulnerability. Watching Violet and Dex slowly build trust before falling for one another made their relationship feel earned rather than rushed. Their chemistry grows naturally through quiet conversations, shared experiences, and moments that reveal who they truly are beneath the grief and protective walls.
The road trip itself adds plenty of charm, introducing memorable stops and reminding readers that healing often happens in unexpected places. The mystery surrounding the letter keeps the story moving while adding emotional depth, making the final destination about far more than simply delivering a piece of mail.
Stephanie Parente delivers an impressive debut that balances humor, heartbreak, hope, and romance with remarkable warmth. If you love emotional contemporary romances filled with found family, healing journeys, slow-burning attraction, and unforgettable road trips, Return to Sender deserves a place on your reading list.
Book Review: The Next Lie by Camden Baird
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Every secret leads to another lie in this addictive domestic thriller.
Review Date: July 6, 2026 | Release Date: July 14, 2026
I received an advance review copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
After everything Sadie and Allen endured in The Last Morning, I thought the biggest battles were behind them. Camden Baird quickly proves otherwise in The Next Lie, delivering a suspenseful, twist-filled sequel that constantly keeps readers questioning who can really be trusted.
What begins as the shocking murder of a neighbor quickly spirals into something far more sinister when Allen disappears without a trace. As Sadie searches for answers, every revelation seems to expose another lie, another secret, and another reason to doubt the man she thought she knew. Just when I believed I had a handle on where the story was heading, another unexpected twist sent everything in a completely different direction.
One of the strongest elements of this novel is its exploration of trust within a marriage after unimaginable trauma. Sadie is a compelling protagonist whose determination, vulnerability, and resilience make her easy to root for. The emotional weight of rebuilding a life after tragedy adds depth beyond the mystery itself, making every decision feel meaningful and every betrayal hit even harder.
The pacing is relentless, with short chapters and multiple revelations that make it incredibly difficult to put down. The suspects continue to grow, motives become increasingly tangled, and the tension builds steadily toward a satisfying conclusion. Rather than relying on shock value alone, the twists feel earned and naturally woven into the story.
Camden Baird blends domestic suspense, psychological tension, and mystery into an engaging sequel that stands on its own while rewarding readers familiar with the first book. If you enjoy stories where every character has something to hide, marriages are built on fragile foundations, and the truth is never as simple as it seems, The Next Lie is well worth adding to your thriller TBR.
