New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024

New-to-Me Authors I Discovered in 2024

1) Abby Jimenez

2) Ilona Andrew

3) Elsie Silver

4) Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka

5) Meghan Quinn

6) Emily Henry

7) Jane L Rosen

8) Adam Allsuch Boardman

9) Dante Fabiero

10) Hannah Hillam

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Waiting on Wednesday (38)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme originally created by Jill at Breaking the Spine and now hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings under the heading “Can’t Wait Wednesday” where bloggers share books they're excited for, that have yet to be released. I’m sticking with the original name “Waiting On Wednesday” because I like continuity.

For this Waiting on Wednesday, I picked Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Release Date: April 1, 2025

Book Summary: 

"There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an a@@hole wrong…

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering."

My Thoughts: 

After rating Abby Jimenez's “Just For The Summer” 5 stars, I'm eager for a follow-up and curious about the direction her new work will take.

I've never claimed to be much of a Taylor Swift fan, although I liked “Midnights” well enough, so the title doesn't influence my judgment either way. Pop music is just pop music to me.

Thinking back, I'm not entirely sure if I've ever read a romance with a veterinarian hero. However, since I was a pet mom long before I became a kiddo mom, this could definitely be swoon-worthy. Here’s to hoping!

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Review: Book Lovers By Emily Henry

 

Book Lovers By Emily Henry

My Rating: 4 out 5

The synopsis reads:

"One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves."

I feel like this one was on everyone’s TBR or wishlist, and I finally got around to it a bit late.

While the plot was solid, I found it hard to relate to the New Yorkers wanting to escape to a small town. Even though I don’t share that experience, I could still appreciate and imagine the appeal. The chemistry and some of the bookish banter between Nora and Charlie were enjoyable, and book lovers will definitely appreciate the insider look at a literary agent’s life. However, the characters themselves frustrated me. I didn’t really like any of them. Despite having seemingly good lives—with successful careers, the ability to travel, and only a few setbacks—they all came across as perpetually miserable. I guess misery loves company. I would have enjoyed the book more if the characters had balanced their seriousness with a little more fun and lightness.

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Review: Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

Just For The Summer by Abby Jimenez

My Rating: 5 out 5

The synopsis reads:

"Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?"

This book came highly recommended, although I’ll admit I was hesitant and delayed buying it because the idea of toxic family members unexpectedly showing up sounded like a lot of melodrama—reminiscent of the days of Sally Jesse and those soap operas you’d watch with your grandmother.

Thankfully, Just for the Summer is a well-written, emotionally developed romance that perfectly balances fun with a mature handling of issues like abandonment and family secrets. It was refreshing to read a romance where not only the relationship between the hero and heroine grows, but the characters themselves experience realistic personal growth. This was my first Abby Jimenez novel, but it won’t be my last—I’m now a huge fan. It was nearly perfect.

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