Some Kind of Famous

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder (2025, 432 pages)

Merritt Valentine was launched into stardom as just a teenager. Her musical career bloomed, and she had her fair share of roller coaster affairs, parties, drugs, and paparazzi. Now in her 30s, the fame has run its course and she's ready for a quieter, more stable life. For two years she's been living with her sister, Olivia, and brother-in-law, Dev, in the tiny Colorado town of Crested Peak. Strained relationships with her mother and LA music execs, combined with a desire to leave her fame behind, pushes her into isolation in the already small community.

Niko Petrakis, while only having lived in Crested Peak for 8 years, is considered a local. He's the town handyman -- doing house repairs and furniture building. Handsome and kind, he clearly has a soft side.

In a small town, of course everyone knows each other but after an awkward first encounter and deniable mutual attraction, Merritt and Niko tend to avoid each other. Until they can't anymore.

What I liked:
✨Complex families, relationships, and characters that address their own flaws and sometimes fix them but sometimes don't
✨ Feminist themes and subplots
✨Good romance and spice!
✨Inclusion of some Greek language and culture
✨Was brought to happy tears!
✨Very raw -- doesn't sugar coat things

What I didn't like:
💤Overused female tropes
💤Sister drama starting and ending within 6 pages (I get that's sometimes how it is though)
💤Bit of a Hallmark ending, but still fun 

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

My Best Friend's Honeymoon

My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl Wilsner, 304 pages

Elsie has always let her life be steered by others, going with whatever her parents, her siblings, even her college boyfriend (now fiancé, cuz she thought she should just say yes to his over-the-top public proposal) want to do. But when she learns that her fiance has fully planned the wedding she's been putting off, she realizes that she has to put her foot down. Because he's a good guy, he sends Elsie and her longtime bestie Ginny on what was supposed to be their honeymoon — a week at a tropical queer-friendly resort — to think things over. But while they're there, Elsie learns that Ginny has harbored a crush on her for 15 years and Elsie kinda feels the same way.

The premise to this book is fairly ridiculous, as many romance novels are, but what really made this one not great is the uneven pacing. Like nothing vaguely romantic happens for 100+ pages, and then BAM, 50 pages of sex. I liked the personal growth of both main characters, but I wish their romance had developed a bit more smoothly.