Welcome to my June 2023 Favorite Books post! This monthly post is where I share the 5 star books I’ve read so far each month. I apologize in advance for my next wrap up post – I have read so many 4 star books this month that it’s going to be quite long! I only have a few 5 stars to share today. You can see the first half of my June reading here and I will share the rest next week. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Title: Once More With Feeling
Author: Elissa Sussman
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Dell, 5/30/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
After loving Elissa Sussman’s previous book (as well as her previous YA book), I couldn’t wait to read this one! This is a 2nd chance love story with 3 timelines – the earliest is from when Kathleen and Cal first met as kids in theater camp, the second is from when Kathleen was touring as pop star Katee Rose and Cal was with the band Crush Zone – along with Katee’s boyfriend at the time Ryan, and the present timeline is with Kathleen starring in a Broadway show directed by Cal.
“Then. Katee Rose is living the dream as America’s number one pop star, caught in a whirlwind of sold-out concerts, screaming fans, and constant tabloid coverage. Everyone wants to know everything about her and her boyfriend, Ryan LaNeve, the hottest member of adored boy band CrushZone. Katee loves to perform but hates the impossible demands of stardom. Maybe that’s why she finds herself in the arms of another CrushZone member, Cal Kirby. Quiet, serious Cal, who’s always been a good friend to Katee, is suddenly Cal with the smoldering eyes and very good hands. One unforgettable night is all it takes to blow up Katee’s relationship with Ryan, her career, her whole life. Now. Kathleen Rosenberg is okay with her ordinary existence and leaving her pop star image in the past. That is, until Cal Kirby shows up with the opportunity of her dreams—a starring role in the Broadway show he’s directing and a chance to perform, the way she’s always wanted. The two haven’t spoken since the joint destruction of their careers, and each of them blames the other, making their reunion a tense battle of wits and egos. Kathleen reluctantly agrees to the musical, as long as she keeps her guard up around Cal. But rehearsals are long, those eyes still smolder, and those hands are still very good. Despite everything, Kathleen can’t deny the chemistry between them. Is it ever a good idea to reignite old flames? Especially if you’ve been burned in the past?”
I really enjoyed the way the reader comes to understand Kathleen and to root for her with Cal. She makes mistakes but grows throughout the story. There were times I wanted to yell at her (talk to your friend!) but overall I loved this book, which also includes some subtle Jewish rep.
Title: Mrs. Nash’s Ashes
Author: Sarah Adler
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Berkley, 5/23/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
Mrs. Nash’s Ashes was high on my list of books to read and I’m glad to say I loved it. Millie meets Hollis at the airport and due to a canceled flight, they decide to travel to Florida by car together. Millie is traveling with her good friend Mrs Nash’s ashes in order to reunite them with Mrs Nash’s lost love, Elsie, who she knew when they were stationed in Key West in the Navy. Their story is told in flashbacks in between the chapters about Millie and Hollis.
“Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process. She just didn’t expect to have a living travel companion. After a computer glitch grounds flights, Millie is forced to catch a ride with Hollis Hollenbeck, an also-stranded acquaintance from her ex’s MFA program. Hollis certainly does not believe in happily-ever-afters—symbolic or otherwise—and makes it quite clear that he can’t fathom Millie’s plan ending well for anyone. But as they contend with peculiar bed-and-breakfasts, unusual small-town festivals, and deer with a death wish, Millie begins to suspect that her reluctant travel partner might enjoy her company more than he lets on. Because for someone who supposedly doesn’t share her views on romance, Hollis sure is becoming invested in the success of their journey. And the closer they get to their destination, the more Millie has to admit that maybe this trip isn’t just about Mrs. Nash’s love story after all—maybe it’s also about her own.”
I really enjoyed the banter between Millie and Hollis as well as the sunshine / grump dynamic between them. Millie is quirky and funny and even Hollis can’t resist her!
Title: The Museum of Ordinary People
Author: Mike Gayle
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 5/30/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I loved Mike Gayle’s previous book All The Lonely People and The Museum of Ordinary People had a similar feel and I loved it as well. When Jess is cleaning out her mother’s house after she dies, she finds her old set of encyclopedias. She doesn’t want to throw them away but has no room to keep them herself. This leads her to the Museum of Ordinary People – while museums are normally meant to display objects that belonged to the rich and famous, what about objects that meant something to ordinary people? The stories behind those items are important too.
“Still reeling from the sudden death of her mother, Jess is about to do the hardest thing she’s ever done: empty her childhood home so that it can be sold. As she sorts through a lifetime of memories, everything comes to a halt when she comes across something she just can’t part with: an old set of encyclopedias. To the world, the books are outdated and ready to be recycled. To Jess, they represent love and the future that her mother always wanted her to have. In the process of finding the books a new home, Jess discovers an unusual archive of letters, photographs, and curious housed in a warehouse and known as the Museum of Ordinary People. Irresistibly drawn, she becomes the museum’s unofficial custodian, along with the warehouse’s mysterious owner. As they delve into the history of objects in their care, they not only unravel heart-stirring stories that span generations and continents, but also unearth long-buried secrets that lie closer to home.”
This book has a found family, including Alex, who Jess finds herself drawn to, even while she is planning to buy a house with her jerk of a boyfriend, Guy. I hated how he kept referring to the things at the museum as junk! There are some surprises throughout the story and the meaning behind a special museum item which comes around at the end.
Come back next week for the rest of my June reads!
Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this month?