Title:   Sweet Home Alaska
Author:  Jennifer Snow  
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  3.5 out of 5

Skylar Beaumont never wanted to return to Alaska. Still, when duty calls, she can’t refuse. And, as a third-generation “Coastie” and the only female captain in the local coast guard, she has too much to prove. Being stationed in her hometown of Port Serenity isn’t ideal—but she’ll tough it out until her transfer goes through and she can move on to warmer waters. That’s the plan, at least, until she crashes into Dex Wakefield. Again.

Shocked to see his secret high school sweetheart after all this time, Dex can’t help but wonder if he should finally come clean. Skylar deserves to know the real reason why he abandoned the dream they’d shared—and broke her heart. But this small tourist town is home to one big grudge where their families are concerned… And leaving the past behind might be the only way Dex and Skylar will finally realize that their first love deserves a sweet second chance.

Usually, I enjoy linked standalone romance series, especially in a small-town setting, but this one was just alright. I didn’t hate it, but maybe it just wasn’t a good fit for me. There was too much of the no communication thing, when everything would have been easily solved with a few words, and that just gets on my nerves. And…what about the loose thread of the mythical sea snake? It’s probably a series thread, but some sort of resolution with these characters would have been good, instead of just dropping the thread and ignoring it.

Jennifer Snow is an award-winning author. Sweet Home Alaska is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Title:    Funny You Should Ask
Author:  Elissa Sussman  
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Then. Twentysomething writer Chani Horowitz is stuck. While her former MFA classmates are nabbing book deals, she’s in the trenches writing puff pieces. Then she’s hired to write a profile of movie star Gabe Parker. The Gabe Parker–her forever celebrity crush, the object of her fantasies, the background photo on her phone–who’s also just been cast as the new James Bond. It’s terrifying and thrilling all at once . . . yet if she can keep her cool and nail the piece, it could be a huge win. Gabe will get good press, and her career will skyrocket. But what comes next proves to be life-changing in ways Chani never saw coming, as the interview turns into a whirlwind weekend that has the tabloids buzzing.

Now. Ten years later, after a brutal divorce and a heavy dose of therapy, Chani is back in Los Angeles, laser-focused on one thing: her work. But she’s still spent the better part of the last decade getting asked about her deeply personal Gabe Parker profile at every turn. No matter what new essay collection or viral editorial she’s promoting, it always comes back to Gabe. So when his PR team requests that they reunite for a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she’s forgotten about the time they spent together, years ago. But the truth is that those seventy-two hours are still crystal clear, etched in her memory. And so . . . she says yes.

Chani knows that facing Gabe again also means facing feelings she’s tried so hard to push away. Alternating between their first meeting and their reunion a decade later, this deliciously irresistible novel will have you hanging on until the last word.

This was an entertaining read, despite the…sheer unbelievability of the premise. Chani was an open-mouth-insert-both-feet person, so I was alternately horrified and amused at her shenanigans. This was a light and fluffy read, so nothing requiring too much thinking, but it was a fun way to spend a couple of hours.

Elissa Sussman lives in Los Angeles. Funny You Should Ask is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)