Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
I am combining CWW with Books From the Backlog hosted by Carole at Carole's Random Life in Books. This will allow me to feature some newly "rediscovered" books, which I plan on reading, alongside a new release.
This week I can't wait for
Adam & Evie's Matchmaking Tour by Nora Nguyen
Published by Avon on September 24, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
A rollicking, unforgettable romance about two strangers finding love despite their best efforts as they embark on a sweeping matchmaking tour through Việt Nam, perfect for readers of Carley Fortune and Abby Jimenez.
What’s a few weeks to a lifetime of promise?
Evie Lang’s life is in shambles. On the heels of losing her beloved aunt, she's unceremoniously fired from her poetry professorship by her secret boyfriend. Lacking income and inspiration, she's stuck in Ohio with no idea how to move forward—until hope arrives in a surprising letter.
Auntie Hảo left Evie the deed to her San Francisco row house, a place full of Evie’s happiest memories. The catch? To inherit, she must go on a pre-arranged matchmaking tour in Việt Nam. The last thing Evie wants is to spend time with a group of strangers looking for love. But she can't resist the chance to finally visit her family’s native home.
A world away, Adam Quyền has a chip on his shoulder. He’s working around the clock as CMO for his sister’s elite matchmaking business, a job complicated by her insistence that he knows nothing about love. He’s desperate to prove himself, so when she challenges him to join the inaugural tour, he reluctantly agrees.
Adam thinks Evie is chaotic and unpredictable. Evie thinks Adam is grumpy and uptight. But from the bustling streets of Hồ Chí Minh City to the soaring waterfalls in Đà Lạt, they keep getting thrown together, their animosity charged with attraction…and they discover that true love may be out there, if they are willing to take a leap.
Two stubborn hearts, one whirlwind adventure, Adam & Evie’s Matchmaking Tour is a story of how loving (and living) bravely can lead you to the most unexpected places—and the most imperfectly perfect loves.
You know I cannot resist a book described as rollicking, but there are many other things that made me add this book to my TBR. I am eager to go on this matchmaking tour because I like the idea of vacationing with people looking for love, but I will also get to tour Vietnam. I am hoping the author really pulls me in and "shows" me the sites. This hints at a grumpy-sunshine romance which is great when done well, and how can I argue with people looking for true love. It think this will be a good one for me.
Things Left Unsaid by Courtney Walsh
Published by Waterfall Publishing on October 1, 2018
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Goodreads
Lyndie St. James is thrilled that her best friend, Elle, is getting married but unprepared for the emotional storm of the wedding week and returning to her childhood summer home of Sweethaven. The idyllic cottage community harbors some of her best—and worst—memories. It’s not only the tragic death of her childhood friend Cassie that has haunted her for ten years, it’s the other secrets she’s buried that have kept her from moving on.
But Lyndie isn’t the only one with secrets.
Cassie’s mother, father and brother, still struggling with the loss, have been drifting further and further apart. And Elle herself, the last to see Cassie alive, carries an impossible burden of guilt. Now reunited, each of them has a choice: to reveal the truths of that night or continue to live in its shadow. That means embarking on a personal journey of the heart—to escape the darkness and all its regrets and to finally come to terms with the past and, especially, with each other.
Walsh won me as a fan with her masterpiece, The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley. Since reading that book, I was hoping to dig into her backlist. This will be my first, but I am sure it won't be my last. I can already tell this will be an emotional read, and you all know I love those. I am hoping this trip back home will be a healing one for the main character, and along with some grief and loss, there is a female friendship front and center which is always a plus in my book. Sounds like a good fit for me.
Let us know in the comments!
Adam and Evie sound precious - and there's something to be said for falling in love while touring a beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteTalk about a fun singles trip
DeleteCourtney Walsh's name is ringing a bell but I'm not sure why. I'll have to go look her up. Things Left Unsaid sounds like a good one - emotional but healing.
ReplyDeleteShe has a bunch of contemporaries. I started the book today. It's sadder than Isadora, as it deals with the anniversary of a friend's death, but it's good.
DeleteHope you enjoy these! I had to go look up Things Left Unsaid, the cover looked really familiar, but I don't think I've read it (or if I did, I wasn't tracking it at the time).
ReplyDeleteI liked Things Left Unsaid. It was a mostly sad-ish story as it dealt with grief, secrets, and guilt, but the ending was hopeful for all involved.
DeleteBoth of these are appealing, Sam. I have read books set in Vietnam, but during the war and other conflicts. It would be nice to visit and see what the country is like now. That Courtney Walsh books definitely sounds emotional. I will watch for your review. I hope you enjoy both of these.
ReplyDeleteThe Walsh book was sort of melancholy which was appropriate being as it was about grief, loss, secrets, guilt, but it was also about forgiveness and grace and ultimately hopeful.
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