Luca and Emery prove once again what this powerful author duo does best: creating characters that somehow feel like real people you’ve known forever.

From the very first chapter where we get to see how Luca and Emery meet and get together, I was head over heels in love with Luca (just like everyone else in that scene).

How Christina Lauren can make me root for a couple who gets married after an insanely short amount of time knowing each other is beyond me but man, was I rooting for them. Emery is incredibly confident, smart and sassy. Even though most of what she does on a daily basis she can’t talk about, you can tell as the reader how driven, passionate and altogether goal-oriented she is and that kind of translates to how she sees Luca and immediately decides yes, this one’s mine.

Meanwhile Luca is an absolute sweetheart, someone that oozes charisma and that could probably seduce a lawn mower. The man somehow manages to make everyone want to be around him and I can’t even be mad about it because the way he’s written made me want to crawl into the book and give him a hug. He’s so understanding and supportive of Emery and her career (even when he doesn’t know what she does exactly) and would move heaven and earth for her…even though he gets discarded and forgotten time and again when Emery’s work comes between their plans or their relationship.

I think the first few chapters truly shine here because you immediately get the feeling that this isn’t going to be a flirty summer romance and instead have a lot more meat to it. The more serious, sophisticated tone pairs well with the couple in question and makes you realise that something is afoot way before Luca’s accident.

Now, for the romance. I love me a good amnesia plot and am an absolute sucker for someone trying to make their partner fall in love with them again, but I admit, I thought this could have been handled better here. While the foundation is there, I wanted more tension, more focus on their relationship and finding their way back to each other. There was an emotional connection, yes, but sometimes the sci-fi plot did overpower the romance. And while we do get short glimpses at the reconnection between Emery and Luca and both deliver on the funny quips to lighten the somewhat heavier read, the story’s anxiety and tension was mostly driven by the external factor of Emery trying to hide the technology she invented – or the fact that she kind of illegally used it on her husband (and succeeded!).

The focus of the story was more so on the actual scientific revival and its implications than the romance, which isn’t bad, just not what I was hoping for. In the end this does come down to personal preferences I’d say.

While I’m not the biggest fan of romances that involve a lot of technical or science-y exposition (don’t get me wrong, we love women in STEM, I just don’t have the brain capacity to understand anything no matter how often I ask people to explain it to me like I’m 5, it’s a problem, I’m aware of it) and therefore found myself with my eyes glassing over during the more explanatory stuff especially once it started spanning more than three pages, when it comes to Luca’s revival, I still thought the concept was really unique. It also made me chuckle at the cheeky title and the double meaning. Talk about resurrecting a marriage in crisis, alright.

I also couldn’t help but think time and again that people who adore Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis would probably be frothing at the mouth over this and that alone made me persevere even when scientific things went over my head.

Something that I love about this author duo is that they’re not afraid to try out new formats or plots within the romance genre.

Yes, they have cornered the market and are firmly placed at the top of contemporary romances, yet many years later, they still stretch their creative muscles and shoot their shot at something out of the ordinary. And, as it is with all books, that might work for some readers and not for others – but it’s the way they combine this new set-up with their trademark funny banter and heartwarming characters that make you invested whether you dig the plot or not.

So, while this might have not been completely up my alley, it is and always will be a treat to dive into a new Christina Lauren book!

Putting an altogether new spin on the concept of reviving a marriage in crisis, Christina Lauren’s The Romance Revival is a second-chance romance with a heap of we love women in STEM vibes that’s perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood!

The Romance Revival is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 14th 2026.

Will you be picking up The Romance Revival? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Christina Lauren returns with an unforgettable romance in which a fateful accident erases a troubled marriage from memory—and a scientific breakthrough gives love one extraordinary do-over.

Three years ago, scientist Emery Finch did something completely out of character: She got married. To Luca—the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel.

But now, Emery is consumed by her top research, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge discoveries come to light. Until the unthinkable happens: A tragic accident takes Luca from her.

Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule, using the classified technology she’s developed to bring him back to life. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together…all of it is gone.

It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it’s her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won’t waste it—because true love is always worth reviving.

The post Review: The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Throw Away the Key by Jason M. Hough, which releases on July 14th 2026.

Lars Bergman is no ordinary janitor. He’s the CIA’s locksmith. 

Formerly part of the CIA’s infamous Surreptitious Entry Team, Lars is now responsible for every padlock, safe, and secure door across the CIA headquarters. He’s never met a lock he couldn’t pick…except one, which he tried and failed to open during a botched mission in Warsaw at the end of the Cold War. 

Cruising toward retirement, Lars’s life is upended when a senior CIA official dies and he’s called upon to open the safe in her office. Inside the safe is a clue only Lars would notice, left by someone he’d worked with in his heyday. As he investigates, Lars soon realizes that his failed Warsaw operation has come back to haunt him and perhaps give him another chance at picking the one lock that’s ever eluded him. 

What Lars doesn’t realize is that what the lock is protecting could have dire ramifications for the organization he has spent his whole adult life safekeeping.

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If you’ve yet to pick up a book by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé, you are missing out. So far all of her work has featured well-constructed plots, superb characterisation and twists that will leave you reeling. She is a phenomenal author and I will continue to read the stories she decides to tell. The Heirs is an excellent addition to that list. It takes the twisted genius of

The Umbrella Academy and adds the tightly plotted murder mystery of And Then There Were None. The concept is intriguing and incredible, and what Faridah turns it into is astonishing.

The Heirs is twisty, compelling and explores this world in fascinating ways. I read this book in public and had to stop myself from audibly gasping at some of the twists. Time seemed to just slip away as I was utterly lost in the story of The Buttons and this fiendish mystery that plagued them all. For me, that is the mark of a truly great book, where you can escape reality for a while and completely lose yourself in a story. It’s a layered story that you won’t be able to put down.

Each of the siblings feels three-dimensional and I enjoyed following their narration as we got to learn more about them. All of them are hiding secrets, even from the reader at times. I liked how easily things shifted and dynamics were suddenly altered as you revisited events from a new perspective. They all have their defining gift and react to their upbringing in vastly different ways. This event forces them all back together again, which reignites old tensions and passions in equal measure. Every voice felt distinctive and I was impressed at the way Àbíké-Íyímídé was balancing all of their stories and competing timelines. The narrative structure of this book is astoundingly complex and truly a puzzle box. Once you find your way through the maze of the plot, the treasure is well worth the journey. The mystery is well-plotted with plenty of rabbit holes to lose yourself in and the twists are excellent as always. Ensure you keep your eyes peeled throughout though as Àbíké-Íyímídé keeps you guessing until the very end. This is a story that pays attention to detail and rewards any reader that does the same.

There is a lot to explore here around the concept of genius and the conditions which allow it to thrive. This social experiment has defined the lives of these children for better or worse and I enjoyed the way in which we see the ramifications of this play out. The use of multiple narrators allows us to see everyone’s perspective and gradually get a sense of the wider picture at play. There are plenty of secrets and lies to unpack and some messy dynamics to untangle. We move between the present investigation and the fateful time before to truly see the details and the domino effect of these events that ends in death. It keeps you on tenterhooks, racing through the pages to uncover just whodunnit and why. This is sharp and clever writing that keeps you engaged. It strikes a perfect balance between pacing and characterisation, giving you enough of each person to dig into who they are beyond their public facade. Each of them has shouldered the immense weight of these expectations and the perfection they are supposed to deliver. Their lives have been used as a game and now they are pawns in a new and deadly one.

The Heirs is a stellar work from a powerhouse YA author. Do yourself a favour and treat yourself to the twisted mystery within these pages.

The Heirs is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up The Heirs? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From the award-winning New York Times and Indie bestselling author of Ace of Spades comes a mystery about five teen geniuses, their billionaire father, and the aftermath of his murder—perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games, Umbrella Academy, and Knives Out!

Five prodigies, one dead father, a mansion full of suspects…

Octavius the Maestro.
Fola the Brain.
Bilal the Olympian.
Perdita the Artist.
Romeo the Failure.

These are the five heirs of the illustrious billionaire Leontes Button. Adopted and viciously trained with their father’s infamous “Button Method” to prove his hypothesis for creating prodigies—child geniuses—the Button siblings have had no choice but to be brilliant according to their father’s impossibly high standards.

Until he is murdered at his annual Prodigy Ball.

Now, all who attended the ball are required to stay in the Button Manor while the police investigate. But the officers have their work cut out for them—each of the Button siblings has something to hide, but The Heirs aren’t the only ones with secrets. After all, Leontes Button was especially good at making enemies…

The post Review: The Heirs by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and and excerpt from A Date with Death by Kelly Creagh, which releases on July 14th 2026.

Helena Hart isn’t having the best night. Her date just ditched her, her Halloween costume bombed, and her only sympathetic ear is a dead silent partygoer in a Grim Reaper get-up. But when she falls off a balcony and he catches her with a very real skeletal hand, she realizes he may not be a party guest at all. Before she can process the near-death experience, he vanishes, leaving her to wonder if she hallucinated the whole thing.

Grim isn’t supposed to save souls. He’s supposed to reap them. And while he’s not sure why he spared Helena, he does know that if his superiors find out, he’s as good as dust—which is saying something for a guy who’s mostly bones. But keeping away from Helena is proving harder than expected—especially when she isn’t the least bit afraid of his monstrous form.

Worse, to his horror, Helena makes him feel. And for a reaper, feeling is a fate far more dangerous than death.

Given that we’d reached mid-October—and, more importantly, Halloween season—I shouldn’t have been surprised to find a man dressed up as the Grim Reaper on the balcony of Anatole Manor. Still, the historic Gothic home turned event venue made him look so perfectly picturesque, I couldn’t resist investigating.

I rapped a knuckle against the sliding glass door, but the impossibly tall, hooded man didn’t look up. Instead, he stood in profile at the banister of the stone balcony, lonesome and cutting an ominous image, the handle of his huge scythe propped against his shoulder. Its curved blade gleamed as silver as the slivered moon that floated high above.

Opening the door with my free hand, my other cradling a plastic wine cup, still half full of cheap Chardonnay, I stepped into the night.

I closed the door behind me, muffling the thumping techno remix of “Monster Mash.” The music bled from the crowded ballroom that I’d given the slip—right along with my otherwise-occupied date, who hadn’t noticed my exit anyway.

As the sound subdued to a fainter heartbeat rhythm, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Was that why Tall, Dark, and Gruesome was out here? Maybe his ears—and nerves—needed a break from the ultra-kitschy spooky-themed tunes, too.

“Wow,” I said, turning to my fellow party absconder. “That costume is a ten out of ten on the epic scale.”

The figure didn’t move. And though he remained still enough to be one of those overpriced-lawn-ornament-type deals, the dramatic brooding act wasn’t fooling me. This guy had clearly spent weeks planning this. And no one poured that much time into a costume unless they were dying to show it off.

Not only that, but the man had implemented the special effect of gray fog tendrils curling off the tatty hems of his robes. I wasn’t sure how he’d accomplished that, but my educated guess was that he’d sewn dry ice packs into the fabric.

A glowing hourglass hung from his belt, multicolored orbs floating within—another off-the-scale special effect.

“Truly,” I said as I approached, the floor-length skirts of my sparkly lemon-yellow taffeta ball gown rustling with my movements, “that look is movie-level authentic. Did you rent those robes? Or maybe you made them. Either way, please tell me you’re entering the costume contest. I think there’s a cash prize. Runner-up gets a spa gift card. I guess you don’t have flesh, but you could still get your phalanges done.” I wiggled my rainbow-painted nails at him. “You’d certainly get my vote.”

He didn’t answer. I didn’t care.

He didn’t own the balcony, and I needed to get away, too.

As the quiet wore on, a pleasantly chilly breeze stirred my wheat-blond hair, which I wore long under my crown. My dress didn’t have sleeves, but it had been warm in the manor, and thanks to the wine, I probably had a good ten minutes before I started to shiver.

“Nice and quiet out here,” I observed. “Are you waiting for someone?”

Could be he was loitering (sulking?) outdoors because his date had left him alone as well. Mine, an actuary I’d been chatting up on a dating app for weeks, had bailed on me the moment he’d caught the attention of a brunette dressed as a sexy librarian—a costume I wasn’t sure if I should be offended by since I actually happened to be a librarian.

I stopped next to the enormous looming, dooming Reaper Man, and straightening my spiky crown—spray-painted with love and dunked in gold glitter—I grinned up at him. “It’s obvious who you are. But can you guess what I am?”

He didn’t say anything. He still refused to move, too. But he wasn’t running away from me, so why not continue the one-sided conversation? So far, this interaction was still going better than any of my exchanges with Dale, who had already blocked me on the dating app.

I knew because, while I’d been sitting alone at our table, I’d had plenty of time to check my phone.

Maybe I shouldn’t have quoted Hamlet when he said he didn’t believe in ghosts.

Or maybe I should have worn something saucier.

“I’m sunshine!” I spread my arms. Then I snapped my multicolored spandex belt with my free hand. “And rainbows.”

Next, I lifted the hem of my dress, accented with cotton to simulate clouds, and flashed the rainbow, rhinestone-covered pumps that were officially killing me. “I made and repurposed everything myself. Thanks to my job, I’m pretty crafty. Not to mention thrifty. It was Abigail, one of my regular patrons—I’m a children’s librarian—who suggested this concept. She’s five.” I raised a finger. “And a half. Except, everyone keeps asking me if I’m Belle from Beauty and the Beast.” I shrugged. “But that’s cool, too, so . . . I just say yes.”

I took a big swig of the wine, which, to be fair, I’d already had enough of.

When I went back in, I’d call an Uber and scarf down some cheese puffs and bruschetta to counteract the effects of the adult grape juice. Then I’d go home and do my usual bedtime routine of washing my face, brushing my teeth, and reading about other people falling in love until I fell asleep.

“What do you do?” I asked him, but he kept the stoic shtick going.

Either he was annoyed, or he just wanted to stay in character. Possibly both were true.

*******

“Listen,” I said next, “I’m going to get out of your hair, er, I mean your skull now and head back in. I really do like your costume, and I hope you have a nice night.”

Why did it never fail? Always in these situations—situations with guys—I did something to make a fool of myself. I said too much. I did too much. I was too much.

I drained my wine and, tears already pricking at my eyes, I moved to push off from the banister, mortified. Before I could get my footing, the stone railing supporting my spine cracked and jolted backward, crumbling. I dropped my plastic cup, which bounced away with quiet taps.

Eyes wide, I toppled with a shriek, following after the chunks that broke free, blond curls rushing ahead of me, screening my view of the hooded man who, instinctively, I reached for.

He moved fast—too fast, somehow unfurling into smoke and vapor before rematerializing in front of me to seize the wrist of one outstretched arm with a freezing and literally skeletal hand.

“Omigod!” I gasped as he yanked me to him, the fallen chunks of balcony cracking loud as gunshots on the flagstones below.

My feet under me again, I teetered on my two-dollar Goodwill heels, my free hand going to his chest.

Instead of plastering themselves against a solid pectoral, my fingers dipped into the black fabric, curling around . . . ribs?

I snapped my hand back as if burned, and swiveling me away from the broken balcony, he released me.

Skittering in reverse with a cry of shock, I lost my balance a second time, my heels snagging in the hem of my dress, and I went spilling onto the stone floor.

I landed on my hip, catching myself with my hands, palms seared by the stone, my crown knocking askew, one knee screaming from the jolt.

But then, I wasn’t lying broken and bleeding on the flagstones below, was I?

“H-how?” I managed as I swung my head back toward my rescuer.

Except he was gone. Vanished from the balcony altogether.

Excerpted from A DATE WITH DEATH by Kelly Creagh. Copyright © 2026 by Kelly Creagh. Reprinted by permission of Gallery Books,  an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC.

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from The Weight of One Pomegranate by Brynne Rebele-Henry, which is out now.

A discovery of authentic self and sapphic love—perfect for fans of Nina LaCour and Lily Braun-Arnold.

Seventeen-year-old Isadora is reeling after the sudden loss of her older sister, Eleni, to a pulmonary embolism. Her grieving parents can’t offer much support—her only reprieve is her close friend Ani, but lately the intensity of her feelings for Ani have been more confusing than comforting. Then Isadora discovers secret letters in Eleni’s belongings that suggest her artist sister was hiding more from her family than Isadora ever expected.

Isadora travels to her uncle’s apartment in New York City, where Eleni lived, determined to unravel the threads of her sister’s life. As she searches for clues, Isadora embraces her own sexuality and begins to fall in love. But can she learn to live when Eleni will never have the same chance?

Heartbreaking and healing, this gut punch of a novel is an essential read for anyone who’s ever lost—and loved.

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Pretty as a Peach by Grace Helena Walz, which releases on July 14th 2026.

When a new beauty company threatens everything she holds dear, Delilah must find the courage to speak up and reveal the truth.

Delilah Thomas has a stellar track record of avoiding conflict. Her life mantra? Keep the peace. Born to a family she has never fit in, Delilah learned early that no matter what it costs her, it’s best to keep quiet, nod, and agree. Now in her late thirties, she has mastered the art and employs it daily with the preschoolers she teaches.

Then Peach Pit sets up shop in her small hometown and infiltrates every female relationship, including Delilah’s lifelong best-friend group. A direct sales business, Peach Pit claims its beauty products are organic and all-natural and recruits women to become “Darlings” who host parties to sell products to friends and family. Delilah’s friend Betsy is ecstatic to join, drawn by promises of sisterhood and easy income. But something seems off to Delilah.

When customers, including her pregnant friend Eliza, start reporting rashes, Peach Pit refuses to take responsibility. Then Betsy lets an unsettling secret slip, and Delilah can’t hold her tongue any longer. With the help of her retired neighbor, Mrs. Chopra, and travel journalist Jasper–Delilah’s longtime pen pal and childhood crush, finally in town for a visit–Delilah investigates the company and uncovers the grim truth. She is faced with a choice: Stop pushing and keep the peace, or find her courage and expose Peach Pit’s shady business practices, even if it costs her the unthinkable.

A story about enduring friendship, Pretty as a Peach paints a vivid portrait of choosing bravery in the midst of uncertainty and reminds us that the sweetest things in life are worth fighting for. Perfect for fans of Kristy Woodson Harvey, Lauren K. Denton, and Joy Callaway.

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Intrigued? Well we are delighted to be revealing the cover for Sharpen Your Knives by Lauren Ho! Releasing on March 9th 2027, read on to discover the cover, synopsis, and excerpt below!

Robert West has had five wives, but they’ve never all been in a room together—until now. Summoned to the aging movie star’s house in the Highlands, they expect a weekend of grandstanding and perhaps some clue about who will inherit his vast fortune one day. They don’t expect Robert to announce that he’s dying, and penning a memoir that will dish the dirt on each of his notorious marriages.

The wives each seize on his offer to preview their chapter of the story. But after they’ve read the ruthless exposé, one of them decides not to stand for it—and soon Robert has a knife in his back.

It might not be the most tearful murder scene, but now the police will get involved and decades of scandals and secrets could become very public knowledge, and no one wants that. So, along with Robert’s devoted ghostwriter, the suspects strike a bargain to solve the case themselves. . .

EXCERPT

An introduction to all five of Robert West’s Wives and Children in chronological order/eras, in Robert West’s words and as transcribed by Rosie Bailey-Cheng

Eveline–1978-1995—What Goes Around… Comes Around

The first wife that almost made me swear off marriages—almost. We got married in our twenties and stayed married for eighteen years—seventeen years and eight months too long. If it weren’t for Phillip—my first child—coming along we might have separated earlier, but children have the power to hold together marriages that otherwise have all the structural integrity of wet kitchen paper. 

Jackie Owens—1996-2000—Toxic

In hindsight, maybe picking my second wife from the Playboy Mansion was not the wisest strategy for someone seeking stability and low drama on his second go. But no one could have resisted Jackie in her heyday—I loved her, I’ll admit. We were like the Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor of our generation. Eventually, however, one does tire of the drama she stirs up wherever she goes. And she is so clingy—ankle-monitor level clingy.

Charlotte—2001-2016—Renaissance

My best, most stable marriage, arguably the only one that could be described without the intervention of a licensed therapist, even if we did meet under questionable circumstances.

Still, what a life we built together, and what a daughter—Chloe—she gifted me with. Charlotte stood by me through the roughest period of my life after the cancer diagnosis. My greatest regret in life is not, in turn, being the best support system for her after her horrible accident, even if we were already done with each other by then—romantically, at least.

Chloe has paid the price for many of our mistakes. I can only hope that one day she’ll understand what every divorce lawyer (especially mine) already knows: love is the easy part.

Inez—2016 (annulled after three months)—Hollaback Girl

A spectacular lapse of judgement. I should never have married Inez, no matter how much it made sense at that point of time (it was a decision we took at two in the morning for a number of reasons, including warding off Jackie!). Maybe I did it because I was afraid I’d lose her too, after Charlotte’s near brush with death.  It was flawed logic, of course. We had the perfect working relationship, and it should have stayed that way.

Suzette—2018—ongoing—So Much For My Happy Ending

The woman who finally taught me the difference between true love and expensive delusion. When we first got together I thought I’d finally found my true match, but now I’m here to tell you the truth: she’s as hollow as the remakes she directs. Suzette is the living embodiment of fool’s gold—beautiful, expensive and ultimately worthless.

Act I—Come, All Ye who are Vengeful

1.   Rosalind “Rosie” Bailey-Cheng

It is a dark and stormy night, the lights are flickering, and Rosie Bailey-Cheng is stumbling around an unlit hallway of West Manor and seriously contemplating murder.

“Rosie, oh Rosie, where are you? Over,” Robert West, her employer, occasional tormentor and Hollywood legend, demands over the walkie-talkie.

Rosie sighs, pushes the talk button, and responds. “I’m coming up, Robert. Over.” She squints in the dim corridor, trying to orient herself while balancing a priceless tray of pu er tea. The twelve-bedroom manor is humongous, and even after twenty-days since her arrival, she occasionally gets lost in its warren of corridors. This time, she took a wrong turn because she wanted to avoid walking past the naked bronze sculpture of Robert in the reception hallway. Trust Robert to not request for a modesty fig leaf.

“Good,” Robert says, his voice rich and theatrical, like he’s broadcasting, fully-clothed, from the Royal Albert Hall. “Because you know what the Chinese say about tea—”

“No, I don’t,” Rosie mutters under her breath, even though the walkie-talkie isn’t live, “but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

“—it’s only good for you when it’s hot. In fact, during the Qing Dynasty—”

Robert launches into an unsolicited treatise about imperial tea etiquette and digestive qi with impeccable enunciation as Rosie finally locates the right hallway and clatters upstairs as mutinously as she dared considering the vintage Meissen porcelain set she’s using costs more than her month’s salary as Robert’s ghostwriter—a fact she uncovered due to the high-pitched noise Suzette, Robert’s current wife, emitted when the latter saw Rosie plunk it in the dishwasher yesterday. She’d snatched it up and glared at Rosie. “Mais non! You never wash a Meissen in the bloody dishwasher, you plebe,” she’d said. OK, fine, she didn’t say you plebe——but she certainly implied it from the curl of her upper lip. The way she’d cradled the teacup you’d think Rosie had put a freshly minted kitten into the dishwasher to drown. It was the first time Rosie had seen Suzette care about anything other than herself, so naturally she Googled that bloody tea set and quickly came to the conclusion that yes, Suzette had been right.

Sighing, Rosie steels herself when she reaches the study and raps the door in quick succession; Robert is particular about the number of raps (three) and the quality of it (he doesn’t like a weak rap).

Robert is particular about many things, come to think of it. She lists them out in her head: no fragrances (unless it’s Robert’s signature room fragrance as concocted by Robert’s personal friend and master perfumer, Douglas Little, of the This Smells Like My Vagina fame—the name of Robert’s fragrance is unprintable); no music in the common area (“aural clutter”), strictly no stepping on the 4^th and 17^th riser on the stairs (“too squeaky”) before 7am and past 9pm (“Just skip those, Rosie,” Inez, Robert’s ex-wife-turned-PA had intoned dryly, knowing full well the staircase was far too steep to do that safely), no mentions of his former business partner Saul Kaplan, the entertainment mogul rumoured to have slept with one of his wives once or twice, and most importantly, no mobile phones in the house—Inez exempted, of course—because the government and tech companies could “listen in on your business”; and Robert, bless him, had a lot of business. Especially the kind that occurred between the sheets. As such, Rosie has to turn in her phone during the week when she’s working in Casa West, only getting it back on her day off, Sunday—a fair demand, given Robert’s status and the nature of the project she’d been hired to work on, which is a once-in-a lifetime memoir for the elusive Robert Quincy West.

Still, Rosie’s twenty-eight, and she’s never known life without a smartphone. So it’s understandable that she’s experiencing some withdrawal symptoms and is a little snippy by Friday. The toughest part is missing her online community—her found family of cold case obsessives and paranormal seekers. Her handful of contacts in Florida? Not so much.

On her first Sunday off since she got here twenty-five days ago, her phone was unceremoniously returned to her by the stern-faced Inez once she was out of the house and her small handbag was thoroughly searched in case she’d tried to smuggle out copies of her work—as though Rosie would be so stupid as to risk violating the scary NDA Robert’s lawyer, Harold Frampton had made her sign on her first day of employment. Rosie had immediately tried to go online, but she was only able to get network somewhere around the last third of her drive down from what she calls ‘Glencoe Mountain’ but which is actually Meall a’ Bhùiridh. She then spent the rest of the day catching up with the missed episodes of her favourite investigative true crime podcast, Cold Casing with Moira Cuthbert, while eating all the deep-fried food stuff she could find in the local pub, since Robert—or maybe it was Suzette—had banned seed oils and deep frying in the West household. Bliss.

Today’s Thursday—three more days till seed oils and refined carbs. Just a little longer, Rosie, she promises herself.

She fidgets in the dim hallway as she waits for Robert’s permission to enter. The upper-floor of the manor is lit only with retro candle-style wall fixtures from its last refurbishment in the 1930s, casting long shadows that Rosie’s overactive imagination quickly populates with whispering ghosts. Finally—“Enter,” Robert rasps. Rosie gratefully pushes the heavy oak door open with her elbow.

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In Stormy Weather is a swoony and spicy “academic rivals to lovers” romance perfect for fans of books like Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows, Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, and First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison. It features themes and topics like women in STEM, sexism, loneliness, social media, appearance versus reality, family and found family, academia, unsatisfying careers, job searching and interviews, news reporting, weather, and natural disasters.

Quincy and Sebastian’s story features some of my favourite romance tropes including rivals to lovers, he falls first, forced proximity, best friend’s brother, banter as foreplay, and boy obsessed. I especially loved that Sebastian is Quincy’s biggest fan (secretly at first), and I enjoyed all of the cute nicknames (Sebastian calls her “Quinny baby”) and secret pining (that has been happening since high school). I’m not really knowledgeable about meteorology, but I really enjoyed how Quincy and Sebastian would nerd out about weather together on The Rainy Day Show livestreams as it was super cute and their fans even shipped them! If you know me, you know that I hate the dreaded third act break-up trope, so I really appreciated that it wasn’t included in Quincy and Sebastian’s story. I’ve also recently been reading Chelsea’s D.C. Stars hockey romance series, so I loved the little reference to Maverick (the male main character in Face Off).

The storm chasing scenes were definitely more fast-paced and something that I haven’t really seen in a romance before, so that was really unique. However, I feel like all of the on-page weather events and natural disasters (including evacuations and sheltering, search and rescue efforts, the aftermath and impact, and injuries occurring during natural disasters) could be triggering for some readers.

I feel like there’s definitely a potential for more books in this series (featuring Quincy and Sebastian’s friend group) so I’m excited to see what’s up next for Chelsea. If you’re looking for a unique read featuring nerdy meteorologists, fast-paced storm chasing, and swoon-worthy moments then I highly recommend picking up a copy of In Stormy Weather!

In Stormy Weather is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 14th 2026.

Will you be picking up In Stormy Weather? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From bestselling indie author Chelsea Curto comes an academic rivals-to-lovers romance about storm-chasing meteorologists during hurricane season in Florida—perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman in STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.

Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.

Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her longtime academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.

Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Paradise Pawn by Meg Richardson, which releases on July 14th 2026.

Teenage best friends Jackie and Kayla can sell anything. Alongside their fathers, they work at a pawn shop in Cherry Beach, Florida, handling everything from luxury jewelry to chainsaws and more. When the girls learn that Kayla’s family can’t afford a private school opportunity that Jackie’s can, Jackie becomes distraught about losing her best friend. With their sharp minds but youthful lack of foresight, they scheme a way to embezzle money from the pawn shop. As the hot Florida summer unfolds, the girls steal thousands of dollars from the shop. But when their heist is discovered, Jackie is faced with a situation that no amount of negotiating or charisma can fix.

With incredible heart and wit, and based on Richardson’s own experience working behind the counter of a pawn shop, Paradise Pawn navigates current-day themes of trust, familial love, female friendship, and class differences, and asks us how far we would go to protect the ones we love most.

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Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and the first two chapters from Eternally Yours by Anika Hussain, which releases on July 16th 2026.

They broke each other’s hearts. Now they’re working side by side to fix everyone else’s.

Poppy isn’t looking for love – she’s looking for a way to get her mum on the client list of Eternally Yours, the most exclusive matchmaking agency in town. So when she lands a summer job there, she’s ready to fake her passion for romance and keep her head down.

Except her ex-boyfriend Salman is also working there. And he somehow still knows exactly how to make her laugh when she’s trying to hate him.

As they’re forced to plan dates for other people, Poppy and Salman find themselves revisiting their own history – and maybe rewriting it. But will they be able to find their way back to each other for good?

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