Cherry Baby

Cherry Baby by Rainbow Rowell, 416 pages

Cherry's husband Tom is in Hollywood making a movie based on his semi-autobiographical graphic novel, a popular book that features a character that is 100% based on Cherry. What most people don't know, however, is that Cherry and Tom are separated, slowly working their way toward divorce as Cherry takes Omaha's advertising world by storm and Tom lives it up in L.A. But with trailers and movie posters coming out, Cherry can't avoid the man she so desperately wants/wants to forget.

Cherry is a complex character, dealing with a marriage that hit the doldrums while also balancing her close-knit family's uber-religious expectations, her career ambitions, and the everyday struggle of being a fat woman in the U.S. Really, it's the final element that gets the most ink in this book, as Cherry fights her own body image and the conflicting societal messages of a theoretically body-positive but also GLP-1-pushing society. Rowell handles the topic well, perhaps to the detriment of Cherry's character arc. Still, a good read.

This book will be published April 14, 2026.

Back After This

Back After This by Linda Holmes, 320 pages

Cecily has made herself indispensable at the podcast production company where she works. She's a great editor and producer, and literally wrote the book on how to save and properly access the company's audio files. She's been pitching her own ideas for podcasts for ages, and while her boss has shown some interest, there's always been one reason or another to not produce them. So when he comes to Cecily with a plan to center her on a self-help podcast with a trendy influencer, she says she'll participate but only if her newest idea can finally get produced. He agrees and suddenly Cecily finds herself the subject of Twenty Dates, a podcast in which influencer and relationship coach Eliza sets her up on, you guessed it, 20 dates, promising to find the right guy for Cecily.

There is something hard to believe about the setup of the podcast, and the fact that Cecily goes along with it (especially knowing her boss's track record with promises), as well as some of the other elements of the book that I won't spoil here. However, Cecily as a character is ridiculously relatable, as I feel like every hardworking woman has, at some time or another, been overlooked or taken for granted at a job, and can probably relate to the revelations Cecily has throughout the book. Overall, it's a good, enjoyable read, especially if you want a behind-the-scenes view of creating podcasts along with your drama.

Table for Two

 Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles  451 pp.

I'll start off saying I am not a big fan of short stories. However, I am a fan of Amor Towles writing. So, in spite of this being a series of short stories and one novella, I enjoyed it, a lot. The short stories all take place in New York City and encompass various takes on relationships in people young and old. All the short stories are written in a way that make you want to know what happens to the characters after the story ends. The novella, however, does exactly that. The main character is Evelyn (Eve) Ross who first appeared in Towles novel The Rules of Civility. That book ends with the unfortunate Evelyn leaving New York by train to be met by her parents in Chicago. As the train pulls into Chicago she buys passage to Los Angeles without getting off the train. Each chapter of the novella is titled with the names of the different characters Eve encounters. Eventually Eve becomes friends with the actress Oliva de Haviland and ends up helping her with a problem that could impact her career. This is an engaging collection, masterfully written. I wonder what Mr. Towles will come up with next. I listened to the audiobook version well read by Edoardo Ballerini and J. Smith-Cameron. Here is a link to Amor Towles discussing the Los Angeles novella on NPR.

Dominoes

Dominoes by Phoebe McIntosh, 288 pages

Layla McKinnon has always thought it was just a funny quirk that she and her fiancé, Andy, have the same last name — she's biracial and grew up in North London, he's from an upper-middleclass family with deep Scottish roots. But when she sees a documentary just a few weeks before their wedding day, Layla discovers that Andy's ancestors may have enslaved her ancestors. The revelation sends Layla into a tailspin, causing her to re-evaluate everything from her lack of genealogical knowledge to her upcoming nuptials. 

The premise of this book set it up to potentially veer into sappy cheese or dark and gritty (or, if the author really mishandled it, way too light and quirky). Instead, McIntosh walked that very fine line, and created a book that's an enjoyable, engrossing read that also addresses colorism, the generational impact of slavery, and privilege head on in the context of Layla's life. I was impressed, and highly recommend this one.

To Have and to Hoax

To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters, 360 pages

Despite a forced wedding to preserve her reputation, Lady Violet Grey and Lord James Audley were madly in love for the first year of their marriage. And then they had a HUGE argument that led to four years of an icy, loveless marriage. But when Violet receives news that her estranged husband has been gravely injured, she rushes to his side...only to discover that he's just fine and her worry was unnecessary. To get back at this, she devises a plot to convince him she's ill, convinced that it will prove to them both that he still cares about her. As you can probably guess, things don't go quite as planned.

Second-chance romance is a genre trope that I've always had trouble with, in large part because all of the conflict upon which the plot depends could usually get solved with a single honest conversation between the two main characters. And that's definitely the case here. Yes, each of them has their own issues to sort out, but those aren't the sort of things that can be solved by love (even in the world of a romance novel), and those issues would be monumentally easier to deal with if they sat down, chatted, and worked on them with the support of a loving spouse...which is exactly what happens 300 pages later than necessary. There are some other books in this series that I'm interested in reading (which is the main reason I picked up this series-starter) — I can only hope that they center on a different trope.

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

 

Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa  149 pp.

This is a sweet, small book translated from Japanese by Eric Ozawa. It's about two of my favorite things to read, Asian culture and bookstores. The protagonist, Takako has an unfortunate romance and while she is recovering from it and the loss of her job, she goes to work in her uncle's used bookshop (formerly her grandfather's shop). Her uncle has been running it alone since his wife left him. Soon Takako moves on to a new job when things take an interesting twist. Actually two twists. The characters are gentle people going about their quiet lives without much turmoil. In spite of the tranquility of the tale, there is just enough movement to carry the story along. 

Ghosts

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, 303 pages

Nina has a successful career as a writer and she's finally living in an apartment she bought by herself in London, but as one of few single women in her friend group, she's seen as a sad lonely woman who must find a spouse to participate in all of the couple- and family-focused activities her friends now do. When she meets Max on a dating app, it seems like she's finally found someone who will help her move to that next stage of life. But just when things get serious, he ghosts her. This book is about the ways that Max and Nina's relationship changes her, and the way that his inexplicable sudden absence forces her to face the challenges of her relationships with her closest friends and parents. It's funny, it's full of heart, and it's pretty darn awesome. Highly recommended.

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake by Alexis Hall, 435 pages

Single mom Rosaline Palmer has a dead-end career working in a shop, and her dwindling financial resources aren't enough to make the needed repairs to her house or fund her future education. So OF COURSE signing on for a baking reality TV show in the hopes of winning its grand prize money is the right financial choice. On the way to the first weekend of filming, Rosaline meets another contestant and promptly falls into a relationship with him. But the longer she's on the show, the less comfortable she gets with him, and the more comfortable she gets with her own abilities.

OK, so let's first address the elephant in the room: yes, this baking show in the book may be called Bake Expectations and be filmed in a ballroom, but it's actually the Great British Bake Off. The challenges are remarkably similar and so are the judges and hosts. And Rosaline's relationship with her parents is so similar to that of Lorelai and her parents in Gilmore Girls that one can almost picture Hall binging both GBBO and Gilmore Girls while writing this. However, that's not to say that this is a bad book. It's actually quite charming and enjoyable, and I really appreciated Rosaline's personal journey. Check it out if you're a fan of GBBO and quirky romance.

The Echo Wife

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey, 256 pages

Just after receiving a prestigious prize for her work on cloning, Evelyn learns that her ex-husband, Nathan's, new wife, Martine, is pregnant. While this would be upsetting for many, Evelyn's particularly angry because Martine shouldn't be able to get pregnant, as she's a clone. One that Evelyn's ex made and based on Evelyn (but without the "disagreeable" parts, of course). But when Martine accidentally kills Nathan during an argument, Evelyn grudgingly gets involved in helping Martine cover up the murder, risking her career in the process.

Clone novels always introduce an element of ethical debate, and The Echo Wife is no different. What makes this one stand out, however, is the multiple layers of ethics up for debate. Are clones people or tools? Can a woman who was programmed to want a child and be subservient to her husband really make an autonomous decision to have the child? Can a clone be blamed for the crimes of its source human? Gailey is an angry person, and in this book, their anger crystallizes into a wonderfully told, taut drama solidly based in science fiction. This will make a wonderful book group title.

Writers & Lovers

Writers & Lovers by Lily King, 324 pages

At 31 years old, Casey feels like she should be more solid in life. She's been working on her novel for six painstaking years in between shifts as a waitress, slowly attempting to pay off massive student loan debts while paying rent at the only place she can afford (a potting shed behind her brother's friend's massive house). Compounding those problems, she's also dealing with the unexpected death of her mother several months earlier and a love life that just keep turning up duds. Though the novel is set in 1997, so many of these issues echo through to the present day. While the writers Casey interacts with can be a bit hipstery, the story of a woman working her way through grief, panic, health scares, and a confusing love life are classic and wonderfully told.

Dear Emmie Blue

Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis, 312 pages

When she was 16 years old, Emmie Blue attached a message to a balloon and let it go from her home in England, hoping that someday someone would find it. As luck would have it, a British boy who recently moved to France found it and sent her an email, starting a friendship that spanned the English Channel. In the 14 years since she sent it, Emmie slowly fell in love with her balloon-finder, Lucas, and when they meet up for dinner in a seaside restaurant, she's gutted to find out that instead of returning her unspoken feelings, Lucas wants Emmie to be the "best woman" at his wedding to someone else. Emmie is suddenly thrown into wedding planning for a marriage she doesn't want to have happen, attempting to sort out her emotions while being a good friend.

This is a fun, and funny book that would make for an excellent romantic comedy movie (I'll admit I was casting it in my head as I read it). Is it completely believable? Not at all. Doesn't mean it can't be an enjoyable read though.

His Only Wife

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie, 278 pages

Afi is a beautiful, smart young woman well on her way to success as a seamstress when her mother arranges her marriage to a successful man that Afi does not know. However, Afi accepts her lot, going through with the marriage, moving to Accra, and doing her best to please the husband that she barely ever sees. However, as she learns more about her husband she both falls in love with him and learns that he's spending time with another woman, one that his mother hoped would go away after Afi married him. As she becomes more successful and learns more about her situation, Afi must decide if she's going to let him continue to keep his mistress (or even take her on as a second wife, a distinct possibility in Ghana) or if she's going to learn to share the man she loves.

What a wonderful story of independence, growth, and family! I enjoyed this glimpse into the life of a woman halfway around the globe and found that while there are many differences, some things never change. An excellent book, and I can't believe it's a debut novel. Can't wait to see what else Medie has to say!

You Were There Too

You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley, 327 pages

Artist Mia and her surgeon husband Harrison have just moved into the small town of Hope Springs, Pennsylvania. It seems to be a perfect life, except Mia keeps having these vivid dreams about a very specific random man. Imagine her surprise when she meets that man and finds out he's been having dreams about her too! Soon Mia and the dream guy (Oliver) are investigating all of the possible implications of their dreams, straining Mia and Harrison's already fraught relationship, brought on by Harrison's long hours and Mia's third miscarriage. Mia is soon questioning whether Harrison or Oliver is who she's really meant to be with.

This was a really tough premise for me to swallow, and even though the book got easier to read as I went, the first half involved so many eyerolls on my part (at the premise, not the writing or anything) that I had a really tough time getting into it. But if you're OK with more mystical possibilities than I am (and that could include just about everyone), it's probably a good read. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

My Cousin Rachel

 

My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier  352 pp.

I first read this book when I was in my twenties and found it disappointing and not even close to the caliber of du Maurier's Rebecca. I decided to revisit it in audiobook form to see if my opinion of it had changed. I can say this time around I found it somewhat better. The author did an excellent job of keeping the reader guessing as to Rachel's motives. However, the behavior of Philip grows tedious. He first believes Rachel to be the cause of his cousin's death, then becomes smitten with her before once again believing she had an evil streak and was trying to kill him. My opinion of this book is better than the first time I read it because I appreciate the author's writing more but I will never reread it again (unlike Rebecca). 

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick

Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories from the Harlem Renaissance by Zora Neale Hurston  304 pp.

I love this recently published collection of Hurston short stories and I am not a fan of short stories in general. Some include characters that appeared in other works, especially the stories set in Florida. Other stories take place in Harlem. There is a recurring theme of couples having difficulties with infidelity, substance abuse, gambling, or other issues. Some of them are laugh out loud funny in spite of their serious undertones. My favorites are the ones like "Book of Harlem" that Hurston wrote in a Biblical style with numbered verses. This is a marvelous collection of her works. Included are a forward by Tayari Jones and a scholarly introduction by Genevieve West. 

A Rogue of One's Own

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore, 430 pages

Suffragist Lucie has finally achieved a major goal for the cause: she's the new co-owner of a publishing house, meaning she can now publish a treatise arguing for the rights of married women to own property. But before she's even set up her office at the company, a major block has been placed in her path — the other co-owner, notorious womanizer and Lucie's longtime nemesis, Lord Ballentine. But he has his own problems, including a horrendous father who is holding Ballentine's mother as hostage until the lothario chooses a wife. Will the pair learn to work together and solve their problems?

This is a fantastic historical romance novel, with complex lead characters, believable challenges between them, and great chemistry. Dunmore obviously did plenty of research on the plight of women in the Victorian era, which provides a firm structure on which to hang this enemies-to-lovers story. And there are cats! What more could you ask for?

Last Tang Standing

Last Tang Standing by Lauren Ho, 403 pages

Andrea Tang is a workaholic junior partner at a multinational law firm, just steps away from her goal of becoming a senior partner. But at 33, she's a disappointment to her Chinese-Malaysian family, as she's one of very few women of her generation that are still unmarried. Even her lesbian cousin has agreed to a (sham) marriage with her personal banker to appease the aunties! Taking her mother's advice, she finally agrees to try to find someone suitable through blind dates and dating apps, with mixed results of course. This snarky book examines a woman trying to follow Sheryl Sandberg's advice to "lean in" and have it all, while appeasing an overbearing family. It's billed as "Crazy Rich Asians meets Bridget Jones's Diary," which is pretty apt, though Last Tang Standing pales in comparison to either. It's not a bad book by any means, especially for a debut novel, though it's definitely not making my list of favorites of the year.

Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding by Diksha Basu, 288 pages

Indian American Tina Das has never felt truly comfortable as an American, despite parents that always encouraged her to embrace American culture. So perhaps when she travels to Dehli for her cousin's lavish wedding, she'll feel a bit more comfortable. Nope. Turns out, she doesn't fit in there either. As she finds herself at a crossroads both personally and professionally (she's a producer of Indian American content for a streaming video service), Tina's floundering alongside her divorced parents who are both trying to figure out the later-in-life dating thing and her best friend Marianne, who also doesn't seem to know what's going on in her life. 

This book is an interesting examination of imposter syndrome in its many forms, and Basu does a great job of balancing everything while giving everyone the agency to change their own lives. And props for creating the fantastically hilarious character of wedding planner Bubbles. She's a hoot!

This Won't End Well

This Won't End Well by Camille Pagan, 287 pages

Annie Mercer's life seems to be falling apart. She was fired from her job as a chemist after breaking equipment in an attempt to avoid sexual advances from her boss. And just days later, her fiance, Jon, has left for a spur-of-the-moment month-long trip to France — and not only did he go without her, he asked her not to contact him for the whole time he's gone. So Annie has gone into cocoon mode, living with her mother, determined to avoid people she doesn't already know. Of course, that plan is derailed when an Instagram influencer moves in next door, and a creepy guy starts staking out the neighborhood.

Told through Annie's emails, journal entries, and the neighborhood listserv, this is an enjoyable story of modern relationships of all sorts, as well as a story of a woman figuring out her life when everything she's relied upon is swept out from under her. It's smart and funny, and I enjoyed seeing Annie grow up through her experiences.

If Beale Street Could Talk

If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin  197 pp.

This was Baldwin's only book narrated by a woman. Nineteen year old Tish is in love with a young sculptor named Alonzo, known as Fonny. Shortly after they become engaged Fonny is arrested for rape by a police officer who has it in for him. While Tish and her family fight to get Fonny freed, Tish learns she is pregnant with their child. The story addresses the frustration of navigating a justice system that is not favorable to people of color in the 1970s. The audiobook was read by Bahni Turpin who does an excellent job, as always. Now that I've read it I will see the film.