Can't Wait Wednesday!

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

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Love, Me by Jessica Saunders
Published by Union Square & Co. on January 16, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Goodreads

A pitch-perfect exploration of modern married life, Jessica Saunders’s deliciously readable novel embraces the truth that some old flames can’t be snuffed out, no matter how many years go by.

Rachel Miller is a lawyer and mother of two who’s just as comfortable in a courtroom as she is on the sidelines of a soccer field. Sure, her marriage is on autopilot, her parents are overly involved, and the other suburban moms are just a little bit catty. But if you ask Rachel, life is good. That is until her world is upended when racy photos of her and her high school boyfriend, the famous actor Jack Bellow—along with his love letters to her—are published in a tabloid, unexpectedly thrusting Rachel into the spotlight. This newfound attention calls into question her marriage, her career, and her superstar ex. Betrayed by someone she trusted and reunited with the man she tried so hard to forget, Rachel must ask herself, “How did I get here? And what do I really want?”

Reminiscent of novels by Sophie Kinsella and Rebecca Serle, Love, Me is a sweet, honest foray into love, marriage, and the fantasy of a second-chance romance with the one that got away. Readers will find this lively debut romance book easy to devour and hard to put down.

This one just came on my radar recently. I had seen it, but didn't realize what it was about. I blame the cover. After seeing in on some anticipating list, I had to add it to my TBR. I am interested in seeing how this second chance romance is handled because I love a second chance romance, but the character in question is married. Hmmmm. That's complicated, but I have read several books with similar situations that were handled beautifully. I guess you can say I am curious. The comps are perfect for me, so I have high hopes for this debut. 

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Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
Published by Atria Books on August 18, 2015
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Goodreads

To the Green-eyed Lovebird:

We met fifteen years ago, almost to the day, when I moved my stuff into the NYU dorm room next to yours at Senior House.

You called us fast friends. I like to think it was more.

We lived on nothing but the excitement of finding ourselves through music (you were obsessed with Jeff Buckley), photography (I couldn’t stop taking pictures of you), hanging out in Washington Square Park, and all the weird things we did to make money. I learned more about myself that year than any other.

Yet, somehow, it all fell apart. We lost touch the summer after graduation when I went to South America to work for National Geographic. When I came back, you were gone. A part of me still wonders if I pushed you too hard after the wedding…

I didn’t see you again until a month ago. It was a Wednesday. You were rocking back on your heels, balancing on that thick yellow line that runs along the subway platform, waiting for the F train. I didn’t know it was you until it was too late, and then you were gone. Again. You said my name; I saw it on your lips. I tried to will the train to stop, just so I could say hello.

After seeing you, all of the youthful feelings and memories came flooding back to me, and now I’ve spent the better part of a month wondering what your life is like. I might be totally out of my mind, but would you like to get a drink with me and catch up on the last decade and a half?

M

From the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a love story about a Craigslist “missed connection” post that gives two people a second chance at love fifteen years after they were separated in New York City.

I had a review for this book pop up on my GR feed late last year. Seeing it, I was reminded that I purchased this book back in 2018. It prompted me to add it to the spreadsheet, and though it got pushed back, again and again, I was determined to read it. I am happy to pick this one up. With over 100K ratings and a 4.3 star average, I think it could be a good one. 

What are you waiting on?
Let us know in the comments!