Death Row by Freida McFadden Alibis Collection #1

Title: Death Row

Series: Alibis Collection

Author: Freida McFadden

Publisher: Amazon Original Stories

Release Date: June 1, 2025

With all hope of an appeal fading away, the fate of a condemned murderess takes a shocking turn in a breathtaking short story.

Talia Kemper is on death row for murdering her husband. She had an alibi and no known motive, yet Talia’s unwavering protestations of innocence have always been ignored. Then one day in the visiting area, she sees a recognizable stranger she’s certain is her husband. It turns out the man she’s been convicted of killing may not be dead after all. But as the days tick away toward Talia’s execution, what will it take for her to be believed?

Freida McFadden’s Death Row is part of Alibis, a collection of stories about lies, truth, and deception. It’s just a matter of what you can get away with. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

Amazon

A gripping short story!

If you’re after an audio under two hours or a 70-page read, this one is perfect!

Talia Kemper sits on death row, accused of murdering her husband, Noel.  Talia says she is innocent, and she even had an alibi for that night.  Then, days just before she gets the needle, she thinks she sees him again.

Did she do it, and is he truly gone? And does the ending deliver a deadly twist?

Grab this $1.99 audio if you want to find out. 

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Title: It's a Love Story

Author: Annabel Monaghan

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: May 27, 2025

From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as "Poor Janey Jakes," the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America's fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack. Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane's idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?

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A great summer read!

Jane Jackson, in her thirties, is a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studio. Her latest optioned romance, True Story, is one she’s determined to see on the silver screen. She’ll do anything to make it happen, even lying to her boss by claiming she knows Jack Quinlan, the top popstar, and that he’ll write the movie’s soundtrack.

In reality, Jane’s stretching the truth. She does know Jack—from when she was a teenager, and he broke her heart. Most people don’t know that Jane once played “Poor Janey Jakes,” the punchline of a famous sitcom.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. To reach Jack, Jane agrees to travel to Long Island with Dan Finnegan, a cinematographer. Jane dislikes Dan, but she needs this movie too much to refuse.

Arriving at Dan’s parents’ home and meeting his family, Jane realizes her preconceived notions about Dan were wrong. Dan himself is nothing like she expected.

Annabel Monaghan has become an auto-request/auto-buy author. Her stories are wonderful romances with quirky characters, sharp humor, and emotional scenes.

It’s a Love Story is another winner. I fell for Dan and his family and rooted for Jane to find love and support.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

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

The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison

Title: The Other Side of Now

Author: Paige Harbison

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Release Date: June 3, 2025 

A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip where she knows the grass is greener: Ireland. Specifically, the quaint little village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving—a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee’s life a decade ago.

When Meg arrives, the people in town are so nice, treating her not as a stranger, but a friend. Except for the (extremely hot) bartender giving her the cold shoulder. Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached within an inch of its life, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like… well, her old nose. Her real nose.

Her phone reveals hundreds of pictures of her life in this little town: with an adorable dog she doesn’t know; with the bartender who might be her (ex?) boyfriend; and at a retail job unrelated to acting. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all? In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive and well…but wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.

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Magical realism at its best!

I expected to smile, but I wasn’t prepared to cry!

What a story Paige Harbison has created! It’s truly unforgettable. The idea of walking through a door into a different life—the life you could have chosen if things were different—has been done before, but Paige Harbison’s spin on this novel felt unique. I fell deeply for the characters in Avalon. I wanted to visit and meet these fabulous, normal, lovely people.

So, what is The Other Side of Now about?

Meg Bryan, now a famous actress known as Lana Lord, stars in a hit TV show called Brilliance. She’s recognized by most but isn’t truly happy. After a difficult thirtieth birthday, she decides she needs a break from Hollywood and her famous actor boyfriend. She books a trip to Avalon, Ireland, a place she and her best friend Aimee once dreamed of attending college. In reality, that never happened—Aimee died a decade ago.

When Meg arrives in Avalon, she feels at home. The locals, especially Kiera, are kind to her. No one treats her like a Hollywood star, but when she asks for a drink, the bartender, Cillian, seems upset. When he calls her Meg, she senses something is off. Everyone acts like they know her, and when she looks in the mirror, the “improvements” Hollywood forced on her are gone. She sees her former self and likes it. The strangest revelation comes when she discovers that, in this reality, Aimee is alive!

The last third of this novel had me so worried. I didn’t want Meg to lose her Avalon friendships. I hoped she could keep Cillian, Aimee, Kiera, and, of course, the dogs in her life!

I won’t reveal what happened, but I felt content with the epilogue.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by the author. She did a great job!

Cliffhanger: No

5/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

So Happy Together by Olivia Worley

 

Title: So Happy Together

Author: Olivia Worley

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Release Date: June 3, 2025

Jane and Colin are soulmates. He just doesn’t know it yet.

For twenty-four-year-old Jane, finding love in New York City is even harder than making it as a playwright—especially when all her swiping through the apps leads to one meaningless connection after another.

So when Jane meets Colin, a sweet software engineer, she can’t believe her luck: they’re perfect for each other. Even when Colin breaks off their blooming relationship after six dates, Jane is certain this is just a stumbling block. She’ll get him back. She knows she will.

That is, until Colin starts dating Zoe—perfect, luminous, up-and-coming Brooklyn artist Zoe. Even worse, she’s actually kind of nice. But Zoe doesn’t have what it takes to love Colin. She’d never stay with him through thick and thin. All Jane has to do is prove it, and they’ll be so happy together.

But when Jane sneaks into Colin’s apartment, she makes a shocking discovery—one that will ensnare them all in a dark and complicated web of lies, secrets, and murder.

Unrelentingly twisty and utterly compelling, So Happy Together is an unputdownable, shattering read for fans of You, Riley Sager, and Promising Young Woman.

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Reader beware....entering crazy town...but so compelling!

Have you ever been so obsessed with a guy after he breaks up with you, desperately wanting him to fall back in love with you?

This is what our protagonist, Jane, is dealing with. Jane, a playwright, meets Colin, a software engineer, and feels an instant connection. After six great dates, they sleep together. The next day, Colin goes MIA and soon dumps her. Yet, Jane can’t let him go. She’s convinced they belong together.

Jane devises a plan for a “fortuitous” meeting with Colin, arranging to be on a date with another guy when she sees him again. What she doesn’t expect is that Colin is also on a date with a new girl, Zoe, a confident, up-and-coming artist.

This doesn’t deter Jane. She believes she can make Colin fall in love with her again, even as she forms a budding friendship with Zoe. When Colin returns to Jane, Zoe will understand, right? Can Jane pull it off?

So many personality disorders in this novel! Jane is a compelling (and delusional) character I couldn’t stop watching. Her obsession with Colin made it painful to see her throw herself at him repeatedly. I wanted to yell at her to let him go—he wasn’t worth it. Some scenes made me squirm for her. Michelle H. Lee, the audiobook narrator, portrayed her brilliantly.

The few twists in So Happy Together were well-executed, if not always believable.

If you’re looking for a fictional, compelling, deranged character to follow, this novel hits the mark.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Macmillan Audio in exchange for an honest review.

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bankby Elle CosimanoFinlay Donovan #3.5

Title: Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank

Series: Finlay Donovan #3.5

Author: Elle Cosimano

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Release Date: November 7, 2023

A hilarious short story diving into Finlay Donovan's partner-in-crime Vero's past.

Anyone can spot a window of opportunity, but not everyone can manage to fall straight through one.

Veronica Ruiz is on the run for the first time in her life—though certainly not the last. After being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority, she packs up and heads to her cousin Ramón's apartment, planning to change her name and rebuild start over away from backstabbing girls and university drama (and far, far away from her arrest warrant in Maryland).

At the local bank on the first morning of her new life, it occurs to Vero that she'd be a better bank teller than most of the current employees: she may not have much money, but what little she does have, she knows how to manage. Unfortunately, the only available position is a cleaning job and so, desperate for a fresh start, she takes the bank manager’s offer.

But nothing in Vero's world has ever been simple, so of course shortly after she begins work, she overhears a conversation between her new boss and a security guard: someone who works there has been stealing. Seeing a window of opportunity, Vero sets out to find the identity of the thief, present the evidence, and then push for the perfect job. All of which would be easier if her irresistibly infuriating childhood crush Javi wasn’t living in the same damn town.

Offering the insight that listeners have been craving into fan-favorite Vero's past and a closer look at the moment Finlay and Vero first meet, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a can't-miss addition to the Finlay Donovan series.

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A short story in the Finlay Donovan series!

As a fan of Finlay and Vero, I couldn’t pass up Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank.

Vero is Finlay’s sidekick in every sense—a true friend and a supporter of their wild schemes, if not the instigator.

In this short story, we meet Veronica after she drops out of college but before she meets Finlay.

Veronica stays with her cousin and aims to get a job as a bank teller, but instead lands a janitor position. That’s fine, though—she knows someone is stealing from the bank, and if she can uncover the thief, she might take their place.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Stacy Gonzalez. As always, Vero is scheming, with some crazy ideas. We also get some interactions with Javi and her first meeting with Finlay.

What’s not to enjoy?

I can’t wait for Finlay’s next book.

Cliffhanger: No

3.5/5 Fangs

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

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Title: One Golden Summer

Author: Carley Fortune

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: May 6, 2025

A radiant, new escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune

I never anticipated Charlie Florek.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

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Good things happen at the lake!

Alice Everly, in her thirties, has a successful career as a photographer. She’s skilled at her job. Since her recent painful breakup, she’s thrown herself into work. Then, her beloved grandmother, Nan, falls during dance class and breaks her hip. After surgery, Nan needs time to heal and do her exercises. Noticing Nan’s depression, Alice clears her schedule and decides to take her grandmother to Barry’s Bay, a place she hasn’t visited since she was seventeen.

Before they arrive, they must make the place safe for Nan. Alice is told to contact Charlie Florek to fix the house to prevent another fall. Charlie agrees to make the necessary adjustments.

Arriving at Barry’s Bay stirs fond memories for Alice. It’s where she became a photographer after capturing a photo of three teenagers in a yellow speeding boat. That image, entered in a contest, launched her career. When she finally meets Charlie, she realizes he’s one of those teenagers. She also can’t look away from his intense green eyes.

What begins as a friendship soon edges into romantic territory, despite neither seeking a relationship. Can they make it work long-term after the summer ends?

I didn’t know Charlie was a character from a prior book, so I got spoiled about Sam and Percy. My suggestion is to read the books in order. Still, I enjoyed this love story. I liked how Alice grows as a character. Charlie was funny, charismatic, and able to see the real Alice. Nan was also lovable, and her struggles felt authentic.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

The One by Audrey J. Cole

 

Title: The One

Author: Audrey J. Cole

Publisher: OrangeSky Audio

Release Date: March 1, 2025

To save their marriage, Sloane must forgive her husband's affair. Instead, she tries a more tempting option–settling the score. But will it prove to be a deadly mistake?

ER doctor Sloane Marks is shattered when she learns her husband Ethan slept with his partner at Seattle Homicide. She considers leaving him and joining The One, having gone to college with the popular dating app's billionaire founder, Brody Carr. But at forty-two, Sloane feels she has no choice but to forgive Ethan if she wants a chance at creating the family she never had.

Months later, Sloane bumps into Brody, who's recently returned to Seattle. In due time, Ethan worries she's cheating. His suspicions are confirmed when he learns the rich app founder took Sloane on a freediving excursion in the San Juan Islands. Soon after, Brody's famous wife dies in an accident. Ethan becomes the lead investigator in her death, which he suspects wasn't at accident at all.

Caught between a distrusting husband and a powerful billionaire who protects his secrets at all costs, Sloane is in a fight for her life. And the only way out is to take matters into her own hands.

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Popcorn worthy!

Sloane Marks is an ER physician, and her husband, Ethan, is a homicide detective. She thought they were happy until Ethan cheated with his homicide partner. Sloane isn’t sure she can forgive him, yet she finds herself wanting to be a mother. Ethan has always wanted a family, but Sloane wasn’t ready.

Sloane believes that if Ethan knew how she felt, they might move forward. In college, her chemistry lab partner was Brody Carr, now a millionaire and the well-known founder of the app The One. When she bumps into Brody at the store while buying ice cream, she learns he recently separated from his wife. Their chance meeting lifts her spirits. She knows Brody finds her attractive, but can she have an affair? Soon, Sloane joins Brody for a weekend trip to the San Juan Islands, certain it will drive Ethan crazy.

A week after returning, Brody’s wife drowns. The police are investigating Brody, and Sloane has so much to lose. What has she gotten herself into?

The One was truly addictive. I couldn’t stop listening. Sloane and Ethan were somewhat unlikable characters, but I needed to know where the story was headed and how it would play out. I wasn’t disappointed.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs