Don't Fall in Love With Me by Paige Toon

 

Title: Don't Fall in Love With Me

Author: Paige Toon

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: April 14, 2026

What if the person you love the most is the one you can’t have?

Grace has loved Jackson since she was fifteen – when they spent every childhood summer exploring France's breathtaking Ardèche region together. They were best friends, until life took its course and Jackson married someone else.

Years later, Jackson re-enters Grace’s life with an irresistible her dream job in the very town where their story began. And he’s newly single.

As memories from those idyllic summers flood back, Grace encounters an old friend Étienne, who proposes a plan to help make Jackson jealous. But as their scheme unfolds, Grace finds herself questioning if the sparks between them might not be so pretend after all…

Unbeknownst to Grace, Étienne is harbouring a secret that could shatter her world.

Will learning the truth finally set her heart free?

Or is this the beginning of a love story bigger than she ever imagined?

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From the prologue, I knew this was going to be a good book.

When the book starts, we meet Grace, who has been in love with her childhood friend, Jackson, for years. It’s Jackson’s wedding day, and her heart is breaking.

Three years later, Jackson asks her to come work for him at his grandfather’s property in France for the summer. He is now divorced, and Grace can’t say no to a job she knows she’ll love—plus the chance to be close to him and her grandmother, Mellie, who lives in the same town.

Then we meet Étienne… and for me, the rest is history!

Don’t Fall in Love With Me made me laugh and made me cry. Paige Toon always makes me feel deeply through her characters. She has become one of my favorite romance authors. I fell in love with Étienne and the French setting.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who needs a break from real life. It won't disappoint!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by G.P. Putnam's Sons via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lethal Prey by John SandfordLucas Davenport #35

 

Title: Lethal Prey

Series: Lucas Davenport #35

Author: John Sandford

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces to track down a ruthless killer who will do whatever it takes to keep the past buried.

Doris Grandfelt, an employee at an accounting firm, was brutally stabbed to death . . . but nobody knew exactly where the crime took place. Her body was found the next night, dumped among a dense thicket of trees along the edge of an urban park, eight miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota. Despite her twin sister Lara Grandfelt’s persistent calls to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the killer was never found.

Twenty years later, Lara has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Confronted with the possibility of her own death, she’s determined to find Doris’s killer once and for all. Finally taking matters into her own hands, she dumps the entire investigative file on every true-crime site in the world and offers a $5 million reward for information leading to the killer’s arrest. Dozens of true-crime bloggers show up looking for both new evidence and “clicks,” and Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in to review anything that might be a new lead.

When one of the bloggers locates the murder weapon, Lucas and Virgil begin to uncover vital details about the killer’s identity. But what they don’t know is the killer lurks in plain sight, and with the true-crime bloggers blasting every clue online, the killer can keep one step ahead. As the nation maneuvers the detectives closer to the truth, Lucas and Virgil will find that digging up Doris’s harrowing past might just get them buried instead.

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Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces to find a murderer.

Doris Grandfelt was working for an accounting firm when she was murdered twenty years ago. Her body was found in a park eight miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota. Her twin sister, Lara Grandfelt, has tried for years to find the person responsible for her death, but with no luck.

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, Lara decides to try one more time. She offers a five-million-dollar reward to any true crime site that leads to finding the person responsible for her sister’s death.As true-crime enthusiasts start showing up and more information is unearthed, Lucas and Virgil follow the leads. This time, it seems Lara might finally get the answers she has been seeking.

I always enjoy these books, and this one features a great sociopath who is smart and cunning. It wasn’t easy for Virgil or Lucas, which made it exciting.

I do have to mention that we don’t get a real conclusion for this book. There is a huge open-ended question.

Cliffhanger: In a way...not all the answers were given

4./5 Fangs

Handle with Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Title: Handle with Care

Author: Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: pril 14, 2026

Three women walk into a post office. No, this isn't the beginning of a joke. It's the beginning of a hostage situation.

On an ordinary spring afternoon in a small-town post office, a domestic dispute spirals out of control. The husband pulls a gun and barricades himself inside with four hostages--his wife, a young woman searching for her purpose in this world, a midlife mom facing her only daughter's graduation and imminent departure, and an elderly woman hiding a secret about her life at home. Outside, even the negotiator is forced to put aside her own personal baggage in order to find a peaceful resolution to a volatile situation . . . using exclusively words.

Each of the three women who walked into the post office is carrying something that, if mailed, would profoundly change her life. Through the course of the daylong siege, these strangers will forge unforeseen bonds and reveal things to each other they haven't even told those closest to them. And none of them will ever be the same.

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A hostage situation.

In Sunset Beach, North Carolina, three women enter the post office to mail their packages. Unknown to them, Nadine—the newest clerk—is running the office alone, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Tommy Harrell, is there trying to convince her to stay with him. When talking fails, he pulls a gun and takes them hostage.

Hope, who is new in town, is called in as a negotiator. She isn’t alone—retired FBI agent Bo is there for support.

From chapter to chapter, we learn what is happening with each of them. Sylvie Lawson is the eldest in the group, and mailing her package could mean a major change in her life. Blythe Howard isn’t sure getting married is the right decision, especially since her mother disapproves. Morrow King is dealing with her own problems, including a rebellious teenage daughter.

Handle with Care was a slow burn. My favorite character was Sylvie—she was smart and kept the group together.

FYI: The dog is not harmed in this novel.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

 

Title: Too Close to Home 

Author: Seraphina Nova Glass

Publisher: Park Row

Release Date: April 14, 2026

Nothing in this idyllic community is quite what it seems…

Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.

But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

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A captivating neighborhood thriller!

Too Close to Home stars three main female characters: Regan Hoffman, Sasha, and Andi.

Regan Hoffman is a widow. Her husband died recently, and she is still dealing with her grief while taking anti-anxiety medication for her panic attacks. At the annual Labor Day party thrown by the Cloverhill Lakes neighborhood, Regan’s car explodes when another neighbor offers to get ice from it, instantly killing him. The police think it was a prank gone wrong, but Regan feels she was the intended target of the bombing.

Andi is dealing with her ex-husband, Ray, and his new wife, Tia Hansley, who seems determined to torture her at every opportunity.

Sasha is new to the area and has become friends with Regan and Andi. She is worried about her son, who keeps lying to her. She fears he may have something to do with what is going on.

How are all these events connected to the three women? Who is behind them, and why?

Too Close to Home hooked me from the first chapter. The main characters were likable and relatable because of how flawed they were. I was rooting for them to survive. The novel was suspenseful and had the perfect amount of twists to make it a solid read.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Park Row via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Name Game by Beth O'Leary

Title: The Name Game

Author: Beth O'Leary

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: April 7, 2026

A man and a woman with the same name are looking for a fresh start only to discover they have landed the same job in this charming new romance by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

Charlie couldn’t be happier to take the job of farm shop manager on the remote, wild Isle of Ormer. She’s grieving, a little lost, and in desperate need of a new beginning.

Jones has come out of a difficult breakup and is looking forward to some peace away from the noise of his city life. Moving to Ormer couldn’t have come at a better time.

But when Charlie Jones and, ahem, Charlie Jones both turn up at Ormer’s one and only farm shop, claiming to have been offered the role of manager, everyone is baffled.

How could this have happened?

And just who is the real Charlie Jones?

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Can the real Charlie Jones please stand up?

Charlie Jones shows up at the Isle of Ormer to fill the position of local farm shop manager. To her surprise, a second Charlie Jones—this time a man—shows up for the same job. The store owner is confused as well. She sent the job opportunity to one of them, but isn’t sure which. In the end, she decides to keep both on a trial basis and will decide later who gets the position. However, they will both have to share the same living space.

Both Charlie Joneses have been through a lot. The female Charlie is done waiting to become a mother and is ready to do it on her own if necessary. The male Charlie goes by Jones to avoid further confusion. He is trying to stay sober after realizing alcohol had taken over his life.

As the reader, we learn all this and more because Jones writes emails addressed to Charlie Jones, while the female Charlie records her thoughts in her journal.

I would consider The Name Game a slow burner. The romance almost plays a secondary role.

What I loved most was how Ormer sounded like a wonderful place for people in need of a fresh start. The quirky town and its people made it truly special.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

About Our Deal by Stacey Lynn HafnerThe Abbotts Series#1

 

Title: About Our Deal 

Series: The Abbotts Series#1

Author: Stacey Lynn Hafner

Publisher: Rainmaker Publishing

Release Date: August 27, 2024

Welcome to the world of the Abbotts—where love is unexpected, family is everything, and sparks fly in the most deliciously complicated ways. 💖

Teagan Abbott may be the youngest in her powerful, wildly successful family, but she’s no one’s baby sister. She’s been prepping to take over the family empire her entire life, and she refuses to let anyone—or her reputation as the fun-loving Abbott—stand in her way. When whispers about her party-girl image start threatening her career, Teagan does what any savvy businesswoman would do—she strategizes a solution.

Enter Lincoln Thomas.

Linc finally has everything he’s ever wanted—his own restaurant, a solid reputation, and the promise of a thriving future. If only his personal life looked as good as his business. He’s tired of the pitying glances, the unsolicited dating advice, and the constant reminders that his ex-fiancée has moved on. He’s over her. Really.

When Teagan decides the two of them may be able to help each other out, will ‘Linc’ be able to resist her unique charms?

Their chemistry is off-the-charts, their fake relationship is feeling a little too real, and the meddling of their friends and family is only making things more complicated. When emotions get involved, will their “perfect arrangement” give them what they need? Or will they both end up getting burned?

Amazon

I started reading this book on the plane back home after listening to an excerpt by one of the narrators at Book Lover Con. He did a fantastic job, and the interaction between the two main characters piqued my interest.

Teagan comes from money and power. Her father is a U.S. senator, and Teagan is resilient, strong, and determined to prove to the board members that she can take over the company one day. However, some of them still think she is too immature because she doesn’t have a stable relationship.

Lincoln Thomas is determined to make his restaurant, Cielo, a success. He works long hours and has no time for dating, especially after his ex-girlfriend hooked up with his best friend. To make matters worse, his mother has asked him to cater their wedding after they lost their original caterer. Linc doesn’t want to do it, but he can’t say no to his mother. If only he had someone in his life who could help him get through it.

About Our Deal was engaging and entertaining. Fake dating at its best!

I liked both characters and how relatable they were. Even though they came from completely different worlds, they made sense together despite being so different.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

This Book Made Me Think of Youby Libby Page

 

Title: This Book Made Me Think of You

Author: Libby Page

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 3, 2026

Twelve stories. Twelve months. Once chance to heal her heart...

When Tilly Nightingale receives a call telling her there’s a birthday gift from her husband waiting for her at her local bookshop, it couldn’t come as more of a shock. Partly because she can’t remember the last time she read a book for pleasure. Mainly because Joe died five months ago…

The gift is simple – twelve carefully-chosen books from Joe, one for each month, to help her turn the page on her first year without him.

Tilly sets out on a series of reading-inspired adventures that take her around the world. But as she begins to vlog her journey, her story becomes more than her own. With help from Alfie, the bookshop owner, her budding new following and her friends and family, can Tilly’s year of books show her how to love again?

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A year of books!

Tilly Nightingale is called by the owner of a local bookstore six months after her husband, Joe, died. Joe had arranged for her to receive a year of books. She will get a new book each month, specifically selected for her.

Alfie is the bookstore owner. He inherited the shop after his father passed away. Alfie feels he must keep the bookstore going—he can’t lose his father’s legacy.

Tilly and Alfie have both experienced loss, and when she comes in, Alfie wants to help her. At first, she is angry, but by the time February arrives, she is eagerly waiting for her next book.

Each book takes her to a new place or introduces her to something new to do or try. Joe has provided her with so many new experiences, including a visit to her in-laws in Connecticut.

As the weeks and then months progress, she and Alfie become close, but neither will admit their feelings. She tries to ignore them because she is still grieving Joe, and Alfie tries to ignore them because he knows she is grieving and probably doesn’t feel the same way about him.

A hopeful story with some very sad moments. Grief is different for everyone, and it can take a long time to heal. I thought Libby Page made a true and caring portrayal of grief.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs