October 1, 2023
DEBUT Rachel has a textbook conventional life: as a married suburban mom and successful lawyer in her 40s, she usually has zero surprises. But when risqu� photos and letters she shared with her high school boyfriend Jack show up in the tabloids, her whole life gets upended. Jack, now a celebrity, is the one who got away. They had a serious relationship that ended abruptly years ago, and they've had little contact since. Now, with the unrelenting media attention and the mystery of how these personal items got leaked, Rachel reconnects with Jack. In each other's company, the years apart recede, and they realize their flame is still very much alive. But Rachel isn't a teenager anymore, and she has to think about her husband, children, and career. When a devastating secret is revealed, she is forced to take stock of her life and figure out what will truly make her happy. VERDICT With several '90s flashbacks and plenty of character growth, Saunders's debut will appeal to nostalgic readers and those who enjoy mature romances and novels featuring celebrities.--Migdalia Jimenez
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November 1, 2023
A suburban mom gets a blast from the past when she reconnects with her now-famous high school sweetheart. Rachel Miller has two wonderful children, a great relationship with her parents, and a successful career as a lawyer. Her marriage isn't perfect--her husband, Dan, isn't super helpful or affectionate--but overall, she's happy. That is, until old photos of her with her high school boyfriend, Jack Bellow, are published in the tabloids--along with the love letters he wrote her. Jack is now a mega-famous movie star, and the pictures make Rachel temporarily famous. Suddenly, all the other soccer moms are gossiping about her, she's getting calls from tabloids, and reporters are even showing up at her house. When Rachel realizes who sold her out, she ends up reconnecting with Jack to explain and apologize. But seeing Jack again makes Rachel realize her feelings for him never really went away, and as she spends time texting and meeting up with Jack while growing more distant from Dan, she wonders if Jack might be the man she's really meant to be with. Although the writing is at times stilted (especially in the many flashbacks, which lean toward telling versus showing), the book moves quickly as Rachel discovers new things about herself and her past. Saunders creates a fun story for those who can't get enough celebrity gossip, and Rachel's journey to decide if she should stay with Dan or get back together with Jack is genuinely surprising. An entertaining and quick read about self-discovery.
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November 13, 2023
Saunders sparkles in her emotional second-chance romance debut. After Rachel Miller’s husband Dan sells the “mushy” love letters sent to her by her high school boyfriend Jack Bellow, now a movie star, to a tabloid to get out from under a massive gambling debt that Rachel didn’t know about, her orderly world is thrown into chaos. A mother of two and a successful lawyer in pricey Westchester County, N.Y., Rachel is blindsided by Dan’s betrayal. Then Jack reaches out to see how she’s handling her unwanted 15 minutes of fame. The pair go to dinner in Manhattan, reunited for the first time in nearly two decades—and when paparazzi snap their goodbye hug, the media frenzy only intensifies. Still, seeing Jack again helps Rachel realize that her marriage has been on the rocks for longer than she’d care to admit. She faces a choice: work to resuscitate her marriage or try again with her first love. Saunders keeps readers guessing which it’ll be up to the very end while drawing them in with snappy prose and skillful characterization. Flashbacks to Rachel and Jack’s early relationship make it especially easy to invest in their connection. This should win Saunders plenty of fans.
November 1, 2023
Rachel Miller seems to have it all--a great job as an attorney, a good-looking husband, two sweet kids whom she adores. But underneath, there's a simmering feeling of discontent. Her husband, Dan, lacks ambition and is unhelpful around the house, leaving the burden of childcare to Rachel, and she's starting to burn out. Then the unexpected happens: love letters between Rachel and her high-school boyfriend Jack Bellow--now a world-famous movie star--drop online. Suddenly she's the subject of gossip, a mystery woman who may be the reason that Jack isn't willing to marry his celebrity girlfriend. When she finds out that her husband sold the letters after he gambled away their savings, it creates a rift in their relationship--and then Jack reappears in her life. Could the path Rachel didn't take be her way forward? Saunders' lively debut, sprinkled with humor throughout, is part middle-age wish fulfillment, part second-chance romance. Rachel is an ordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances, and her emotional arc is authentic and believable. Fans of Sophie Kinsella and Rebecca Serle will be delighted.
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