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
Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young
Published by Dell on January 28, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
High school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood have always been a sure thing. For the past seventeen years, they have had each other’s backs through all of life’s ups and downs, achievements, losses, stages, and phases.
But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?
When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.
That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.
The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?
In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.
What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.
I fell in love with Bonam-Young when I read Out on a Limb. I continued reading her backlist which was solid, and am over the moon that there is a new book coming out. This is a marriage in crisis book. Though those usually make me nervous, I do love seeing two people with history fall back in love. In a way, they ware sort of second chance romances, and you know how much I love those. I have faith that Bonam-Young crafted a beautiful and feel-good story that will move me, and I cannot wait to read it.
Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows
Published by Avon on January 21, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
A swoony, steamy, STEM romance in which two curators at a science museum—a handsome but grumpy astronomer and an anxious but sunshine-y entomologist—realize they are the perfect match. Equal parts nerdy banter and fiery tension, it’s perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey.
Millie was never one to take the expected path. She's an entomologist who loves her job as a natural science curator, inspiring museum visitors every day. It's her dream to take a larger role in the planning of her department, so when a director position opens up, she is determined not to let anything distract her from her goals. Especially her grumpy coworker with his permanent scowl, electric blue eyes, and nerdy astronomy ties.
. . . Not that she’s spent much time noticing any of those things.
Finn doesn’t mean to glare at everyone, but he’s juggling his role at the museum, navigating the grief of losing his sister, attempting to make his nieces smile, and trying not to ruin dinner for the fifth night in a row. He can't afford to let anything slip, and certainly doesn't need anything more on his plate. Millie literally stumbling into him with her bright smile and sunny optimism, is the last thing he needs.
They want nothing to do with each other. But with Finn on the interview committee, avoidance is impossible. And Millie soon realizes it's one thing when a job is on the line. It's quite another when it's her heart.
I was so confused about this book. I saw it on Netgalley and added it to my TBR. The release date in slated as January 2025, but then I saw it available at my library. It seems to be a re-release, so I am listing this as a backlog book. Anyhow, it's a STEM romance, and with my background, I tend to enjoy a bit of science in my romance. This is also a grumpy-sunshine romance, and let's face it, those grumps are always solid gold. I believe this one will be a hit for me, and I am eager to tackle it this week.
Let us know in the comments!
Some books seems to resurface now and then...maybe they get an update of sorts, but I think it's more often a case of changing publishers (which seems the case here), or the same publisher deciding to give them a second chance. It also says "Special Edition" on the cover, so I wonder...
ReplyDeleteThis one and its companion had been self-published, and I am glad because I loved it! I have the second book on loan from the library already, too, and I am not sure what the new release date is.
DeleteA marriage in crisis book actually kind of appeals to me - in romance books we so often see the beginning of a relationship and we assume they get a happily ever after, but we don't really get to experience the actual ins and outs of those relationships, which can be more realistic.
ReplyDeleteSometimes that after the HEA can be scary, but I honestly have really enjoyed the marriage in crisis books I have read (though Renee Carlino did me dirty with hers).
DeleteI'm really looking forward to Out of the Woods! Hope you love them both!!
ReplyDeleteButterflies was SO good! I gave it 5/5. It was fun and sweet and tender. All that stuff I like. I don't have Out of the Woods, but I hope my library gets it.
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