A Soapy Thriller, A Little Romance, and Even a Cozy Mystery
We’re in it now. Did you feel the disturbance in the Force? It’s May the 4th, so if you’re a Star Wars fan, it means one thing to you. And if you’re an avid reader, it’s the beginning of a four month stretch that’s gonna turn your TBR from a wobbly stack into a full-on avalanche. And I’m not sorry. Here are 4 new spring reads that are on my TBR, too. All available today.
Nothing says beach read like a soapy thriller, and if you liked Katherine St. John’s The Lion’s Den as much as I did, The Siren is a lock for your TBR.
Hollywood leading man Cole Power is on a Caribbean island to film the industry’s next blockbuster, The Siren. Starring opposite his ex-wife, Stella Rivers, the sparks are sure to fly on and off screen. When the rest of the cast and crew arrive, three particular women have their own stories.
One is attempting to rebuild her career in the aftermath of some very public breakdowns. Another, one of the producers, is trying to put some kind of scandal behind her. And finally, one of the new assistants, has her own MO that just may put a wrench in everyone else’s plans. Then, as the blurb says, “With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.”
JUICY, RIGHT?
Get THE SIREN from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | IndieBound | Amazon | Apple Books
Four friends in their 30s who’ve been tight since they were teens. Eve, Justin, Susie and Ed have a standing Thursday bar trivia night, and Eve is still carrying a torch for Ed, one she probably should have doused years ago. But neither she nor Ed can stop thinking about it. Then, their lives are turned upside down in a split second. Long held secrets are revealed, leaving Eve wondering if she knew her friends at all. Then, someone from the past returns, sending Eve in a completely new direction. It’s all sufficiently vague enough to reel me in. And for some reason, it’s giving me Four Weddings & A Funeral (2019 mini-series edition) vibes. I’m in.
Get Just Last Night from The Ripped Bodice |Bookshop.org | IndieBound| Amazon | Apple Books
Yay for Filipino American rep in a cozy! In Mia P. Manansala’s debut, Lila Macapagal is back in Shady Palms (just outside Chicago) to help her family shore up her Auntie’s struggling restaurant when they’re suspected in the murder a local food blogger, who it just so happens, was Lila’s high school boyfriend.
With her bestie Adeena in tow and Adeena’s brother acting as the family’s attorney, Lila does some amateur sleuthing herself to uncover the real killer. And there are many potential suspects who Derek crossed in Shady Palms. But the cops only seem to see Lila as the primary suspect. Can she identify the real killer before they slap the cuffs on her?
Along with the FilAm rep, expect a lot of delicious food.
Get ARSENIC & ADOBO from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | IndieBound| Amazon | Apple Books
If you love a rockstar romance, but think it’s about time the ladies got their moment in the spotlight, check out The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes. Antonia (Toni) Bennette and her band The Lilly’s are on the edge of stardom. Coming up in dive bars on the East Coast, Toni knows there are no constants, fame can come and go in a heartbeat.
Except, once, there was a constant — Seb. And she always thought they’d get out of these tiny towns together, until he turned 18 and left her behind. “When a friend suggests she try out for a hot new up-and-coming band, Toni decides to take a chance. Strong, feminist, and fierce as fire, Toni B. and the Lillys are the perfect match…except Seb’s now moonlighting as their manager. Whatever. Toni can handle it. No problem. Or it wouldn’t be if Seb didn’t still hold a piece of her heart…not to mention the key to her future.”
I’ve heard this one compared to A Star is Born and Daisy Jones and The Six, but I’ll be blasting The Runaways, Veruca Salt and Luscious Jackson with this one.
Get The GIRL WITH STARS IN HER EYES from The Ripped Bodice | Bookshop.org | IndieBound | Amazon |Apple Books
For more Spring Reads check out:
Escape Into These 5 Spring Reads
Spring Must Read: Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Book Review: Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras
