Five Star Friday - January 2024

Five Star Friday is my version of the monthly wrap-up. On the first Friday of each month, I will share my five-star reads from the previous month. Fingers crossed, I have lots of books to tell you about.

This month, I was able to read 29 books, and I had  3 five-star reads. 

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The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons
Published by William Morrow on September 8, 2020
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

It's never too late to start living.

Infused with the emotional power of Me Before You and the irresistible charm of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Be Frank with Me, a moving and joyous novel about an elderly woman ready to embrace death and the little girl who reminds her what it means to live.

Eudora Honeysett is done with this noisy, moronic world—all of it. She has witnessed the indignities and suffering of old age and has lived a full life. At eighty-five, she isn’t going to leave things to chance. Her end will be on her terms. With one call to a clinic in Switzerland, a plan is set in motion.

Then she meets ten-year-old Rose Trewidney, a whirling, pint-sized rainbow of color and sparkling cheer. All Eudora wants is to be left alone to set her affairs in order. Instead, she finds herself embarking on a series of adventures with the irrepressible Rose and their affable neighbor, the recently widowed Stanley—afternoon tea, shopping sprees, trips to the beach, birthday celebrations, pizza parties.

While the trio of unlikely BFFs grow closer and anxiously await the arrival of Rose’s new baby sister, Eudora is reminded of her own childhood—of losing her father during World War II and the devastating impact it had on her entire family. In reflecting on her past, Eudora realizes she must come to terms with what lies ahead.

But now that her joy for life has been rekindled, how can she possibly say goodbye?

Reminding me of A Man Called Ove, this book really tugged at my heartstrings. Eudora was alone and growing older, and I learned why via flashbacks. Though sad and heartbreaking at times, things take a turn for the better when Eudora's neighbors befriend her. This was a lovely found-family type situation which really touched me and was elevated by some wonderful characters. A beautiful and touching story of love and connection that made me smile and cry and long for a loving "family" who will care for me when my end comes.

[review]

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Right on Cue by Falon Ballard
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on February 27, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

From the beloved author of Just My Type and Lease on Love comes a new romantic comedy in which a former actress-turned-screenwriter finds herself back in the spotlight, only for her romantic lead to be the one man she can’t stand.

Hollywood darling Emmy Harper is considered the queen of writing romantic comedies. That is, until tragedy struck and she swore she’d never write another happy ending again. After some time away, and lots of encouragement from family and friends, Emmy is finally ready to dive back into the genre with her latest project. But more is riding on this movie than just her return to the big screen. This time, Emmy’s also been convinced to star as the lead, dusting off acting skills she hasn’t used in over a decade.

Emmy’s nervous, yet excited, to give performing another shot, until a last-minute injury benches her trusted co-star. With filming about to start, there’s only one other actor available on such short Grayson West. A blockbuster action star known for his mega-watt smile and impossible abs, Grayson is anyone’s dream of a romantic lead. Anyone except Emmy that is, who still blames him for her disastrous first movie and the early end to her acting career.

As filming begins, the friction between Emmy and Grayson is palpable and it’s anyone’s guess if it’s unresolved awkwardness or simmering sexual tension. The two are pushed to get their acts together—and quickly—or they risk tanking the entire movie, but if working things out leads to sizzling chemistry on screen, what might happen when the cameras stop rolling?

Ballard has fast become a favorite of mine, and she wowed me once again with this wonderful rom-com. It's a rom-com in a rom-com which is a delight, but it also had some depth via the main characters' backstories. A fantastic cast of character and a picturesque setting added to the fun, but it was Emmy and Grayson who owned my heart. I was so invested in them resolving their past issues, acting on their sizzling attraction, and falling in love. I enjoyed seeing their bond grown with each page. An absolute pleasure to read.

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Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle
Published by Atria Books on March 19, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.

From the New York Times bestselling author of In Five Years and One Italian Summer comes the romance that will define a generation.

Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man , she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a Jake.

But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.

Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle has finally set her sights on romantic love. The result is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Expiration Dates is the one fans have been waiting for.

Look, I know people have issues with Serle's books because she often makes some unpopular decisions for her messy characters, but I love books! Her stories tend to surprise me in some way while also leaving me with lots to ponder. Expiration Dates was classic Serle in that respect, and I rather loved the magical element here. It's an interesting to think of how knowing the end date of a relationship would affect those relationships. I thought Serle did a great job exploring this idea, and the pile of crumpled tissues attest to how much this story stoked my emotions. It was a beautiful exploration of love of all kinds, as well as a compelling story of self discovery. I laughed, I cried, I felt some joy, and I reveled in every second of it.

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Honorable Mention

January was packed with great reading. Here are my honorable mention books. All earned 4.5 stars.

• The Talk of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak
• What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
• Five Winters by Kitty Johnson
• Before We Were Strangers by Renee Carlino
• The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey
• Return to Tradd Street by Karen White
• Happily Never After by Lynn Painter
• The Heirloom Inn by Olivia Miles
• Love, Me by Jessica Sunders
• The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren
• The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County by Claire Swinarski

What were the best books you read last month?
Let us know in the comments!