When Life Gives You Lululemons:: {3/5 Red Blend rating} If you liked The Devil Wears Prada this one is a cute follow-up of 3 character’s aging coming to grips with their age, the strange suburban lifestyles people lead {really strange –or maybe I just live in a very small bubble}, and how 3 friends come together to squash a cheating husband.

Scroll on down for the 2023 & 2022 list of Rom-Com, Mystery, and good non-fiction reads.

Killers of a Certain Age:: {4/5 Blood Red Cabernet rating} Billie, Natalie, Alice, Mary, and Helen are being retired from the Museum and given an all-expense paid cruise to thank them for their years of assassination-al service.

People never suspect the woman in the knife-slicing, club thumping, or shoot-em under the cafe table mystery killing…And that’s been their prime advantage in their “job”

These 5 would also be under-estimated when a hit was put on their heads. Eliminate and frame the retired Broads, that should be easy😬 I love a good kick-butt story of the 60+ generation - I think you will too in this who is after us & why mystery.

The Mystery Guest:: {4/5 Chardonnay rating}

Molly the maid is back at the Regency Grand Hotel doing what she does best…Notice the fine details that others miss.

This is the sequel to The Maid mystery murder.

There’s been another murder at the Regency Grand and this one makes Molly fall into her past, but she doesn’t want to tell Detective Stark she knows the dead man.

I love how Nita Prose bestows the hero-status on the typically overlooked Molly. A feel-good who-done-it story.

Full blog post on book 1 ☞ The Maid

None of This Is True:: {4.5/5} Lisa Jewell’s imagination has no boundaries! Not her darkest book I’ve read, but the complexity of back-story and the pinball guess work keeps you reading about where Josie and Alix will end up.

Alix is making a podcast about Josie after a chance meeting at their birthday dinners. Josie calls it a Birthday Twins podcast telling, but Alix is far more curious about the strange things of Josie’s life that make her uneasy, but she can’t stop meeting with her.

How far will Alix go for the REAL story and who will pay the price?

Scroll down for the 2023 & 2022 list of Rom-Com, Mystery, and good non-fiction reads.

Lessons in Chemistry:: {5/5 perfectly balanced coffee made in a beaker} Her scientific brain weaves from the lab at Hastings Institute to her cooking and even her perfect cup of coffee.

It’s the 1960’s and Elizabeth Zott is a brilliant scientist surrounded by less smart men in the world of science. She doesn’t let the 1960’s stop her from getting what she wants. Not even the Noble-Prize nominee Calvin Evans changes her mind when it comes to science. But he does melt her heart.

There isn’t a formula for this kind of love, heartbreak and redemption story

Soulmate Equation:: {4.5/5 Coffee & Rumchata rating} The sign of a really good Rom-Com is that we already know they end up together, but the ‘HOW’ the get there + the ‘HICCUP’ in the middle that they get past is the gushy-feel-good stuff that makes a

GREAT Rom-Com.

Jess has seen Mr Americana every morning at precisely 8:24 in the local coffee shop that she makes her workspace.

Crunch data with DNA science and spit out a match of 2 unlikely people to make a match made in science.

Cute, adorable, rom-com read. Perfect for a bumpy airplane ride to the Northwest.

First Lie Wins:: {4.8/5 Fireball & Irish Cream rating} You’re not sure what the story is with Evie Porter, but when the first lie presents, you’re hooked and flipping the pages to see how Evie is staying one step ahead of Mr Smith.

There are a lot of names to keep track of going present to past in this mystery, otherwise it would have been a perfect 5 for me. If you take this on your next flight, you won’t mind sitting in row 31 just to read a few more pages. ✈️

Then She Was Gone:: {3/5 Dark Merlot - reallll dark} I enjoy Lisa Jewell’s writing. I rated this one lower because it was as twisted as a curly-Q french fry!

Elle is finishing up her school exams and looking forward to a relaxing summer. Then she was gone!

Mom, Laurel, struggles with finding answers {what mother wouldn’t}, when she meets Poppy…An adorable and precocious little girl who resembles her Elle too much so to be coincidence – right? Did Elle run away? Is she really gone?

1- Being a mom {this story twisted me in knots}
2- A chill-me-to-my-toenails plot.

I’ll read more of Jewell’s books, but this one was this Mama’s unthinkable nightmare. But it did have me reading to the end🫣

The UNhoneymooners:: {4/5 fruity beach drink} Rom-Com where the unlucky twin Olive Torres is about to get lucky - unlucky - and then lucky again. But it’s not really luck, it’s life.

But when Olive gets sent to an all expense paid trip to Maui with her nemesis, Ethan, is it really that bad of luck?

Cute Rom-Com and sets us up for the sequel, The Honeymoon Crashers.

Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice:: {5/5 Sparkling Moscato rating} The finale I’ve been waiting for!

Finlay and Vero are running rom the mob, keeping one-step-ahead of the police, and trying not to find anymore dead bodies.

It’s a mystery – It’s comedic – It’s a fun read {or listen} for your next road trip. This is a 4 book series that you won’t get tired of read!

1- Finlay Donovan is Killing it!
2- Finlay Donovan Knocks’Em Dead
3-Finlay Donovan Jumps The Gun

No One Can Know:: {4.5/5 Dark roast coffee rating} 3 sisters, 3 murders and a whole lotta secrets. Catch up on your mystery skills as you weave from past to present to find out who the killer{s} are.

Kate Alice Marshall can write a mystery that keeps you turning the page, with just a touch of freaky-factor. I’ll be looking up more of her books.

Get full synopsis by clicking on the title above.

Learning To Love MidLife:: {3.5 Spinach & Mango Smoothie rating}

Life is full of ups & sinkers at any age! This MidLife adventure has been a very crazy and fast pace that I wasn’t expecting. Conley’s book has some good examples ad phrases that made me pause and re-think a few ideas of this chaper in life.

Most important reminder for me…Everyday we get in this middle life is a blessing. Find at least ONE PIECE each day to be grateful.

The Unmaking of June Farrow:: {2.5/5 Cold Brew Coffee rating}. While I liked the characters and storyline {mostly}, it became a little hard to follow once the secret was revealed. I found myself going back over how it all came to be in the last few chapters.

Curious to know what you thought if you’ve read this one.😊

The Burnout:: {4/5 Green Kale Smoothie rating} You feel for Sarah right from the beginning. She is burnt out on her job, has no life outside of work, {almost} joins a convent…she was going mad & needed a drastic change.

Instead of becoming a nun, she takes a much-needed holiday. And in Kinsella fashion, the adventure starts when she arrives at the lodge. 🤗

Fun characters in this one, and of course, the RomCom pieces fit together perfectly.

The Lost Bookshop:: {4.5/5 Sparkling glass of Moscato rating}

It’s a whimsical, bit maddening, hopeful, sad, but most of all enduring story told from 3 people’s perspectives about how books keep the magic alive.

A little bit romance, little bit history of the times, and

A LOT GOOD BOOK.

The Black Book:: {4/5 L’Ecole no.41 Cabernet rating} Dark blood red is the only wine for this mystery twist. I’ve read a few Patterson books and somehow there are enough twists & turns that I don’t see the biggest GOTCHA of all.

The list of suspects is long and you’ll keep guessing all the way through this one. A dark & good mystery without being too thriller-ish.

The Marlow Murder Club:: 4/5 Scotch rating- If I was scotch drinker like Judith}

3 women - a dog walker, crossword writer, and vicar’s wife have nothing in common. Unless you count 3 murders in the town of Marlow that they live.

Nothing brings a group together like murder {in a good book}.

It was a slow beginning, book 1 set-up’s usually are, but I liked how these 3 women, of very different ages, came together to forge friendship and solve murders.

One Perfect Couple:: {4.9/5 Ice Cold Water rating} Alright, none of us wish for a flight delay, but this book HAS IT ALL! It’s listed under “thriller” but I don’t like heart-thumping thrillers. There was a few pages toward the end of the book that my heart started racing, but not enough to stop reading.

A twisted mystery with affable characters to cheer for, have pity on, despise, and respect.

Click the link above & read the synopsis, and then grab this one for your next trip!

The Briar Club:: {4.5/5 Sweet Tea rating} I love historical fiction books + how Kate Quinn weaves stories into her book seamlessly.

This 1950’s McCarthy-ism brings 6 very different people together under one roof to give a glimpse into how their lives shaped + taught them how to find ‘Grace’ in a very tumultuous time.

The Block Party:: {4/5 Summer White Sangria} Everyone on Alton Road comes to the block party each year. But this year there will be some missing from the party.

A backward look into the ‘who did it’ and ‘who is dead’

Late Bloomers Club :: {☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️/5 rating} Any book that has a cake recipe at the end is the book for me! A sweet story {pun intended} with big choices in a small town. Grab you java cup and a blanket and nestle in for a feel-warm read this month.

My Not So Perfect Life :: {🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Rom-Com Some things aren’t what they look like. And in this read, NOTHING is what it seems. Sophie Kinsella books are similar, but her writing is precious + she introduced me to Glamping, which you need to try!

Whisper Network :: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷.5/5 coffee cups} The success story of powerful women learning the deathly way of how important it is to support and stand up for one another. Pairs perfectly with the Amavi Cellars, Ceres {tastes of chili peppers and blackberry}. Spicy & dark, like the book you’re reading! There were a few catty moments that brush me wrong, but the grand SHE-POWER draws me in every. day.

Fangirl :: A YA book from Emma’s book shelf. A shy fan-fiction blogger learns to stand up for herself and finds that standing up & correcting a few mistakes will change your life.

The Chanel Sisters :: {🍷🍷🍷🍷.5/5 rating} I paired this book up with a style post. It’s Coco Chanel, you have to match a story of hers with style. A wine match to a good story with style! READ MORE

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo :: Rated🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷/5} IN LOVE with this historical-fiction that both E & I read + compared ON THE BLOG. Reading this one is seen a bit different at 50 vs 20. TJR wrote another FANTASTIC ONE!

The Paris Apartment :: Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷.5/5 on this mystery. Only .5 less because I was comparing it to her Guest List book, which is a favorite of mine. How many character perspectives can you write from? Read a few Lucy Foley novels and you’ll see. Grab a glass of dark red like this Alton bottle to match the plot in this Paris apartment building.

Can You Keep a Secret :: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 in Kinsella rom-com land} I’m a Sophie Kinsella super reader/listener! And the Emma Corrigan quips in this one made me snort-giggle as I listened while editing photos. Careful as you drink your coffee or wine with this one—just may sputter out when you laugh.

The Last Thing He Told Me:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷} I listened to this one at 1.75 speed to get past the twists and up to the turns in the plot. Can’t wait for the movie to drop with Jennifer Garner! My glass of RULO Cabernet 2017 and popcorn are at the ready!

Silver Girl:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷} My third Hilderbrand book, and thankful she skirted death in this one. I had to take a break from her books, because just when I thought I’d escape a sad ending…another character died. Always well written with beautiful mending relationships. Pour a L’Ecole Rosé and read on a nice sunny deck {where Connie and Meredith sit often}.

The Guest List :: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷} Cold, foggy, and mysterious…The upscale wedding resort sits away from the banks of Ireland with spotty cell service, crashing waves, and a guest list with intertwining stories {not all of them good}. One guest won’t be leaving the resort alive. Pour a glass of Amavi Cellars Ceres and dive into this twisted plot!

The Menopause Manifesto:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷} Candid, upfront and filled with good research. Dr Jen Gunter also gives new possibilty for this fun chapter of life. I’m changing a few things up after reading this one. And dropping a few others. Her snarky humor will go great with a glass of L’Ecole No 41 Perigee. And she says red wine can help😉

Second First Impressions:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷-1/2} What do you get when endangered turtles, a sweet talkin’ tattoo artist, and a 25-yo cardigan wearing retirement villa director collide into each other - for the second time? A good RomCOM. Read {or listen} with a glass of SMAK Wines Summer Rosé and see 😉

The Alice Network:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷.8} WWI and post WWII collide in this book to bring a harden female spy of the first war together with a young, scared girl together. Some pop up surprises how the two women fit, with a few unexpected turn of events. Read this one with a wine mix of POP UP sparkling wine, pour of Aperol, splash of club soda + orange garnish for your own Aperol Spritz.

Book Lovers:: {Rated 🍷🍷🍷🍷.8/5 in Rom-Com land-ia} Cute, enduring rom-com with book editor rivalry and sister love beyond measure. Similar predictable rom-com theme, with a good twist along the way. Save this one for a back patio read in late Summer/early Fall with a SMAK Rosé .

The Tattooist of Auschwitz:: {Too horrific to rate} And a very - V-E-R-Y well written with heart, emotion. Heather Morris captured the will + luck they survived over and over again. This historical book begs to be read with a spicy, dark, red wine and followed up with a light-n-fluff rom-com.

Counterfeit:: {🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Part 1 you think you’ve got it… Part 2 I’m wondering if I’ve cured myself from wanting a Louis Vuitton designer bag {is it real?–main reason for the 4/5 rating ;)– This book is in parts here too…quarter cultural, quarter mystery, quarter psychological, and all a good book.

The Rose Code:: {🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Historical fiction with female leads at the center💖 War brought 3 unlikely friends together, tore them apart, and brought them back together to catch a traitor. Favorite:: Authors write how they gleen inspiration for their story and the parts they pulled from history.

The Maid:: {🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Molly The Maid would pick a glass of white wine from the Olive Garden, but I’m pouring a glass of Dusted Valley Petite Sirah. This mystery read is Amelia Bedelia meets the game of Clue. Along with the reminder to NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the prowess of anyone. HERE is the full blog post.

The Club:: {🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} All of the elite are dying to get into The Club, even the hired help. Who gets out alive is the mystery of the book, and of course the seedy motive behind the murders in this multi-character narrative. A glass of the dark current and cheery taste in the Amavi Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect pairing.

The Paris Library {☕️☕️☕️☕️/5 rating} “A library is a bridge of books between cultures.” Best quote in the book! A story wrapped around how librarians continued getting books to patrons under Nazi Germany in WWII. The side story twist {1980’s timeframe} added a nice twist to the plot of how young and old can save each other without ever knowing it.

This Time Next Year:: {🍷🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Highly recommend this semi-unpredictable Rom-Com. Bonus points for reading over the holidays {New Year’s theme}. I thought I knew what was coming, but Sophie Cousens added a twisty-tie to the end. Only downside was the lag in getting there in the last quarter of the book.

Cross-Country Christmas:: {☕️☕️☕️.5/5 double-shot espresso rating} For a 7-day road trek from CA to IL double me up on the coffee cup. If you’re road-tripping this RomCom is written with friend second chances, family Christmas moments, a second chance job, and a puuuurfect Hallmark Christmas ending. Yes, you’ll see the gooing + ahhhhh coming between Will and Lauren, but it’s a cute holiday read.

Such a Fun Age:: {🍷🍷🍷/5 rating} Do you remember your middle 20’s? Emira Tucker's life is working 2 jobs, with one babysitting sweet Briar. She loves watching her. But the inner-monologue of it not being a sustainable job weighs on her. This book took some weird turns for me. Race and the different ways people saw/reacted looked more like a conflict in lifestyle than race. It’s a mixed box of thought but maybe that’s how the author wanted it to be. It raised questions from the different character reactions. No free wine deliveries like Alix, but I have some favorites I’d recommend with this read…