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She’ll Steal Your Heart by Rachel Lacey

She'll Steal Your Heart
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Published: 10/25/22
Midnight in Manhattan Book 4

Lauren Booker did not endear herself to me with her appearance in book one of this series, Don’t Cry for Me. She upset my girl, Josie, and I don’t forgive anyone who does that. I knew Rachel Lacey would work her magic and I would end up forgiving her, but I didn’t expect that she would touch my heart more than any of Rachel’s other characters. Maybe it’s because we have something very painful in common or it may just be because I love how Lauren is determined to make things right. And given how life has continuously knocked her down, I appreciate how she keeps getting back up and moving forward.

Mia Solano is also at a crossroads. She recently left her successful law career, got divorced and opened a cat cafe. She knows she needs to get back to living and meets up with her online friends to watch the new season of their favorite show. Mia is pretty perfect. I love how she carries herself and the calm she projects, even if internally her mind is racing. What impresses me the most about Mia is how she looks beyond Lauren’s issues and really “sees” her.

With She’ll Steal your Heart, Rachel Lacey continues to show why she is so successful and one of our best writers. In Lauren, she gives us a character I will be thinking about for quite a while. She is flawed but given her history, the fact she is still standing, shows the strength she has inside. Rachel writes her characters with such care, as if they are fragile friends, she just wants to hold close. The romance that develops is years in the making, while the two chat online about their favorite tv show and Mia reads Lauren’s fanfic. They share details about their lives and when they finally meet, the feelings that have been developing over years evolve so naturally.

This is the fourth book in the series and it was lovely to see some familiar faces make appearances. While I have a special place in my heart for Don’t Cry for Me, this is my favorite of the series. It made me tear up several times because things hit a bit close to home but more than anything it made me feel hopeful and it made me smile a lot. I love to see characters overcome adversity to find happiness and experience growth both individually and as a couple. This is a book I will revisit many times.

An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.

 

No Rings Attached by Rachel Lacey

No Rings Attached
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Published: 4/12/22
Fake dating, only one bed, road trip.  All the best tropes in one book!

I enjoyed Read Between the Lines a lot, but I absolutely love No Rings Attached. Lia demanded to have her story told and I am so glad Rachel Lacey listened. Rosie’s two best friends meet when Lia returns home to England to attend her brother’s wedding. Grace lives in London and when Rosie reaches out asking her to accompany Lia, Grace is reluctant but knows she will accept because she would do anything for Rosie.  Grace wants to hate Lia because she feels Lia replaced her as Rosie’s best friend but the two have immediate chemistry. But Grace doesn’t do relationships and the two live in different countries.

Rachel Lacey has quickly become one of my favorite authors. With this book, she gives us fake dating, an only one bed situation and a road trip. She also gives us two characters in Lia and Grace who are each other’s perfect match. Lia is not only incredibly likable, but she also has a directness that takes Grace by surprise. She’s kind and instead of showing pity when Grace confides information from her past, she just listens and is there for her and seriously, she has a British accent and who doesn’t love a woman with an accent.  Grace surprises Lia by charming her family and making her want more than just their fake dating situation. Grace has a lot to deal with and her default has always been compartmentalizing. Her growth throughout the story was beautifully written and at times my heart broke for her.

I loved that we get more of Rosie and Jane from Read Between the Lines. Rosie is the catalyst for her two friends meeting and the hopeless romantic that she is, probably knew how it would all turn out.  I felt so many emotions while reading this book. That is one of Rachel’s greatest gifts, writing books that cause so many emotions to come to the surface. I laughed, I had a few moments of anger related to Lia’s ex, I felt Grace’s pain and Lia’s frustration. My favorite couple of Rachel’s is Josie and Eve from Don’t Cry for Me, but Lia and Grace are right behind them and now hold a special place in my heart. This is a great read and I highly recommend it.

An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.