Blog Tour: If It Makes You Happy

It's September 4th, and you know what that means: cue the falling leaves, apple cider, flannels, pumpkin spice, small-town romances, and curling up under a blanket with your favorite book! I love diving into cozy fall reads and I am especially looking forward to Julie Olivia's new novel, If It Makes You Happy. Just look at that cover! I'm thrilled to be part of Berkley's blog tour for this debut, which I know you'll want to add to your fall TBR list immediately.

Learn More About the Book:

 

If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

Pub. Date: September 2, 2025

 

Goodreads says, "My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.

I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.

Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe.

Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards.

So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor."

 

You can purchase your own copy of If It Makes You Happy at Bookshop, Books A Million, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. Also, you can learn more about Julie Olivia by visiting her website and connecting with her Facebook and Instagram.

If It Makes You Happy is described as Gilmore Girls meets Pumpkin Spice Cafe, which sounds perfect for me! Let me know in the comments what you think and if you'll be adding this book to your fall TBR list.

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Live Big with Catch-M

I love inspirational picture books, and I'm excited to share a new one by Kat Kronenberg, Live Big with Catch-M. This heartwarming, award-winning book encourages readers to dream big, love deeply, and live life in an extraordinary way. If you're looking for an empowering picture book, your search ends here!

Learn More About the Book:

 

 

Live Big with Catch-M

by Kat Kronenberg

Illustrated by Jomike Tejido

Ages: 2-10 | 40 Pages

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press (2025) | ISBN: 979-8-88645-341-6

 

"Celebrate the wonder of you and the gift of CATCH-M, too. Readers will see how CATCH-M helps them live big and grow love’s spark in their hearts, like a seed becoming a magnificent tree. Kat’s Live Big series implores readers to be the extraordinary star of their own story! And begin each day with a smile and say, “I am extraordinary!” “I love me.” “I can. I believe."

You can purchase your own copy of Live Big with Catch-M at Bookshop, Barnes and Noble, and Amazon. Also, you can learn more about Kat Kronenberg by visiting her website.  

 

The Giveaway:

Enter for a chance to win a complete hardcover set of all four books in Kat Kronenberg’s inspiring Live Big series! Good luck!

Live Big with Catch-M: Book Giveaway

 

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Willie's Gift

 

I absolutely love books that feature dogs, and the cover of Willie's Gift immediately caught my eye. How cute is Willie, a Yorkshire Terrier? I especially appreciate picture books that convey meaningful messages about kindness. In this story, Willie's exceptionally long ears make him feel self-conscious, but it beautifully reminds readers that it's okay to be different. We should all show kindness and empathy towards others, and dogs are the perfect animals to convey that message!

Learn More About the Book:

 

 Willie’s Gift

Written by Clairmarie H. Field

Illustrated by Maggie Sullivan

Ages: 5-7 | 20 Pages

Publisher: Mascot Kids (2025) | ISBN: 979-8891383289

Publisher’s Book Summary: "Willie is a silky-beige and rust-colored Yorkshire terrier puppy with one problem. He was born with exceptionally large ears. He knows that he does not look like other puppies in his dog training classroom, and he feels a little strange. How will he learn to accept himself? In Willie’s Gift, read how Willie discovers the perfect solution while learning something very important about himself in the process."

You can purchase your own copy of Willie's Gift at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Bookshop. Also, you can learn more about Clairmaire H. Field by visiting her website. 

The Giveaway:

I've partnered with Clairmarie H. Field to host a giveaway for Willie's Gift. One lucky winner will receive a hardcover copy of the book. Good luck!  

Willie's Gift: Book Giveaway

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Best Bunny

Navigating grief is a part of life, and when my family experienced it, I found it challenging to find picture books that effectively capture this difficult process, especially for young children. I appreciate books that help kids understand and process such tough times. So, when I learned about the new picture book, The Best Bunny: Adventures of Lil Shen by Shenandoah Chefalo, I knew I had to share it.

Learn More About the Book:

The Best Bunny: The Adventures of Lil Shen

Written by Shenandoah Chefalo

Illustrated by Alena Tkach

Ages: 4-6 | 28 Pages

Publisher: Self-Published (2025) | ISBN: 979-8990059412

Publisher’s Book Summary: "When Lil Shen loses her beloved grandmother, her world suddenly feels unfamiliar, quiet, and full of sadness. On a day filled with gray skies and heavy hearts, she receives a mysterious gift—an ordinary-looking stuffed bunny with extraordinary comfort to offer. Bunny Best, a soft companion stitched with love, becomes her guide through grief, helping Lil Shen remember, imagine, and feel all the feelings she thought she had to hide.

Tenderly told and beautifully illustrated, The Best Bunny is a story of loss, resilience, and healing. Through imagination and the memory of love, Lil Shen discovers that she doesn’t have to be “okay” to move forward. She has to do her best.

Inspired by author Shenandoah Chefalo’s lived experience in the foster care system and her work in trauma-informed care, this heartfelt picture book is an essential resource for families, educators, and professionals helping children navigate grief, big emotions, and life’s most complex changes."

You can purchase your own copy of The Best Bunny: Adventures of Lil Shen at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, and at Amazon. You can learn more about Shenandoah Chefalo by visiting her website and connecting with her on Instagram.  

The Giveaway:

I've partnered with Shenandoah Chefalo to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of The Best Bunny: Adventures of Lil Shen. Enter for the chance to win one of ten hardcover copies of The Best Bunny: Adventures of Lil Shen and Her Inspirational Sidekick Bunny Best. And for one extra-lucky grand prize winner, there’s a signed copy of the book, a snuggly Bunny Best plush, and an Amazon Gift Card. Good luck! 

The Best Bunny: Book Giveaway

 

Blog Tour: Friends to Lovers

 

I've been loving all the summer wedding beach reads that have come out this summer. High up on my list is Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely, which comes out today and is about two childhood best friends who have one last summer wedding to fall in love.

I'm part of Canary Press's blog tour featuring this new beach read and an excerpt from the novel. I hear it's perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty and People We Meet on Vacation.

Learn More About the Novel:

 

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely

Pub. Date: July 22, 2025

Goodreads says, "Always each other’s plus-ones, but never each other’s real dates, two childhood best friends have one last summer wedding to fall in love in this dual-narrative debut. 

Best friends Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood. So when Joni moves across the country for her job, the two devise a creative way to stay in touch: they’ll be each other’s plus-ones every year for wedding season, no matter what else is happening in their lives.

It’s a tradition that works, until a line is crossed and the friendship they once thought was forever is ruined.

Now Joni is back at their families’ shared summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she’s determined to make the week perfect, even if it means faking a friendship with Ren—and avoiding the truth of why they have to fake it in the first place. How hard can it be to pretend to be friends with the person who once knew you best?

But as sunny beach days together turn into starry nights, Joni begins to question what her life is without Ren in it. And when the wedding arrives, bringing past heartaches to the surface, she’ll be forced to decide if loving Ren means letting him go, or if theirs is a love story worth fighting for."

You can purchase your own copy of Friends to Lovers at Harper Collins, Bookshop, Barnes and Noble and Amazon. Also, you can learn more about Sally Blakely by visiting her website and connecting with her on Instagram. 

 

Read an Excerpt:

SUNDAY

I pull up to the salt-weathered house late Sunday afternoon, seagulls announcing themselves above and the ocean crashing in far below. As I step out of the car, I suck in the Pacific Northwest air, like it’s the first breath I’ve taken in two and a half years. It’s briny out here on the coast, where the sky stretches endless and blue over water that sparkles in tiny fractals, and where one week from now, my little sister will be married under the red-roofed lighthouse that juts out from the green headland a short walk away.

The trunk of the rental car heaves open with a groan, a stark contrast to the perfect Oregon day. It’s fitting that my return to the West Coast would not only be on the heels of losing my job, but involve a dented Mazda that sounded like a freight train running off the tracks the entire way from PDX. Coming back here was never going to be easy, but the journey could have been a little kinder.

Inside, the house is largely the same. The kitchen sits at the front, the long oak table that we can all fit around under the windows. Through a small mudroom opposite are French doors leading to the screen porch that runs along one side of the house. When everyone else arrives the day after tomorrow, there will be laughter rolling in from the yard, conversation in the kitchen, music playing.

For now, there’s only silence.

I drop my car keys on the granite island and walk my bags into the living room, where the sun streams in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. I should go upstairs and unpack, start the week on a responsible note, settle myself in before the others arrive. But a wave of all the memories this place holds suddenly washes over me, and I find myself unable to move another step. This house has seen me through so many versions of myself, and this newest one feels like a stranger here, an intruder.

I brace myself. If I’m going to survive this week, I need to pretend that I haven’t intentionally been staying away these past few years. I take another deep breath, pour a glass of wine, and fold my legs under me on the couch. It was this view of the ocean that sold my parents and the Websters on the place when they purchased it together twenty years ago. And now, with the familiar feel of the sun warming my shoulders, the sight of the waves shimmering before me, that same view quiets my mind for the first time in days.  

MONDAY

I wake up the next morning sprawled face down on top of the comforter, a dull throb behind my right eye. What started as one glass of wine turned into three on the back deck as I watched the sun go down over the ocean, curled under a well-loved Pendleton throw in one of the Adirondack chairs out there.

I close my eyes again for a minute, listening to the waves rolling in, enjoying the cool breeze drifting through the window as it brushes across my neck.

And that’s when I hear the front door.

My eyes fly open. I sit up and scramble for my phone, checking to see if Stevie has texted that she and her fiancé, Leo, decided to head up early, but I don’t have any new messages. Still, it wouldn’t be that unlike my sister to show up unannounced. I stand with far too much confidence for a hungover woman alone in a coastal house, and shuffle downstairs.

Just in case, in the living room, I pick up a heavy geode from a sideboard and raise it above my head as I approach the kitchen, ready to—what? Pummel someone at short range?

At the sound of keys being tossed onto the counter, I lower the rock, my heart slowing. “Hello?” I call. “Stevie?” I poke my head through the door, catch sight of the person turning at my voice.

It is not my sister.

At first, I think I might be making him up, as if despite the energy I’ve spent repressing him since the second I stepped foot inside this house, some memory managed to spring free and wander around like a reminder of everything I’ve been missing. But this person is flesh and blood, fully corporeal.

I take him in like there’s a curtain slowly rising up to reveal him. Here are the long legs that used to bike around town with me when we were kids, here are the forearms that used to lean against the bar across from me, here are strong shoulders and here is a head of messy, dark hair.

“Joni,” Ren says, my name familiar on his lips. “Hi.”

I stare back at him. Dust particles catch in the bands of light filtering in through the kitchen windows behind him like he’s a particularly well-lit figure in an indie film. His gray T-shirt sits against the tan of his arms, Wayfarers tucked into the front pocket.

I had one more day to get ready for this, one more day to live in delusion that this moment might never come, that I would never have to face him. The person who knows—knew—me better than anyone in the world. The reason I’ve avoided Oregon for so long. I was going to be cool, casual, act like nothing had changed between us while our families were around and ignore him the rest of the time. I wasn’t going to be alone with him.

If the vague nausea I was feeling before was because of the wine I drank last night, now it is firmly due to the fact that not only do I have to face him alone, but I have to do it pantsless, in only a Portland Mavericks T-shirt that hangs partway down my thighs. As luck or fate or the laughably unfair universe would have it, he’s here a day early, wrecking my plans. 

“Hi, Ren,” I croak. I clear my throat. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Obviously. 

My eyes snag on the barely there lines that frame the corners of his mouth, twin parentheses serving as proof of how much joy I know can fill up his body. They deepen even when there’s just a hint of a smile on his face. I used to chase them like I did his laugh. But Ren isn’t smiling now.

“I’m sorry,” he says, in what might be the most quintessentially Ren answer possible. He’s apologizing, like he really did break into my personal vacation home. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I would have called if—”

“No, it’s okay.” I hadn’t told anyone I’d be here early, hadn’t wanted to alert them to the reason—the sudden and dramatic end of a job I loved—behind my last-minute schedule change. There’s no way Ren could have known I would be here. “What are you doing here?” I ask him.

It takes Ren a beat to answer. He reaches up to either tug at his hair or rub at his neck, but he releases his arm at the last second, settles his gaze on me. “I thought I’d head up before everyone arrives tomorrow to get some things out of the way,” he says. “You know, mow the lawn, clear the path down to the lighthouse, that sort of thing.”

Right. Ren would be here out of selfless reasons. As Stevie’s maid of honor, I have a list of all the things I’ll need to prepare for starting tomorrow, but Ren, helper that he is, is diving in well before anyone even asks him to.

“Of course,” I say. “Same.”

“Your hair—” Ren says, and I glance up in time to see him nodding toward me.

“Shorter,” I say, smoothing the back of my hair, which just clears my shoulders, the only vestige of its former self my bangs. I cut it a year ago, after Stevie told me hair holds memory or emotion or something along those lines. I was willing to try anything to fill the hole that had taken up residence in my life.

“You’re still—” I gesture at him, coming up short, nerves climbing up my neck. His hair looks like it’s been trimmed recently, but it’s still his usual style. His shoulders seem like they might be broader under his T-shirt, but he’s always been in good shape, so maybe it’s just a trick of the light. The ways he’s different are too minute to mention: a face and body two and a half years older in ways only someone intimately familiar with them would notice.

“—tall,” I finally finish, wincing a little. 

“Yeah,” Ren says. “Been trying my hardest to knock off a few inches, but…” He shrugs, and I realize too late he’s trying to make a joke, so my laugh comes out stilted.

“Well,” I say. “I’m in my old room, but I’ll stay out of your way.”

Ren raises a fist to his forehead. For a moment, the mask falls, his eyes honing in on me again. Ren’s always had a way of seeing through me, and suddenly I’m sixteen again, crying against his shoulder because I just failed a math test, or eighteen, anxiously poring over a dog-eared welcome packet as we drive north to Portland as college freshmen, or twenty-seven, standing on a cold sidewalk on New Year’s Eve, the last time I saw him.

“Right,” Ren says, eyes still on mine, then, “Actually, I should probably mention—” He stops short when he sees the small flinch on my face, like I’m bracing for what he’s going to say next. His fist drops to his side.

“We’re on the screen porch again this year.”

I clamp my lips together. “Hmm?” I say.

“You and I,” Ren says, nodding between us like that is the part of his sentence he needs to clarify. “They put us on the screened-in porch again this year.”

“Who is they?” I ask, though there’s only one possible answer. Our families. The other people you’ve been avoiding.

“Well,” Ren says. “The last couple years—” He pauses. 

I paste as placid a look on my face as possible, like it’s normal that I haven’t been here for the last two summers, like it’s normal that he and I are no longer a we, bound together by something that I used to think was profound, and now just feels like time, proximity, all those things that can tie people together.

“Stevie and Leo have been in the room you two used to share, and Thad’s in the one I usually take.”

“No worries,” I say, smile tight, already angling my way out of the kitchen. What did I expect? That they’d walk by my room in hushed reverence all this time, maintaining it like a shrine when there’s hardly enough space for all of us as is? That Stevie and Leo wouldn’t use it as their own? “Let me know if you need any help. Otherwise, I’ll meet you on the screened-in porch tomorrow.”

His brows bend toward each other and his eyes go dark. “Right. I won’t get in your way, then.”

I, a nearly thirty-year-old woman, salute him on my way out.

From FRIENDS TO LOVERS by Sally Blakey. Copyright 2025 by Sally Blakely. Published by Canary Street Press, an imprint of HTP Books/HarperCollins.

 

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below and if you'll be adding Friends to Lovers on your summer TBR list.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Animals Are Great!

 

Like most young children, my boys loved picture books featuring animals. Animals are timeless and captivate both the young and old. I enjoy showcasing picture books that celebrate not only a love for animals but also creativity. One such book is Animals Are Great by Latifa Kimberly Reeves, Mark Larson, and Lisa Hart. This whimsical new picture book is sure to delight animal lovers, especially with its accompanying musical elements and videos.

 

Learn More About The Book:

 

Animals Are Great

Written by Latifa Kimberly Reeves, Mark Larson, and Lisa Hart

Ages: 3-12 | 26 Pages

Publisher: Tika Tika Time (2025) | ISBN: 979-8349311215

Publisher’s Book Summary: "Animals are great! In this whimsical book written by the team at Tika Tika Time, children will see a variety of animals. Tika Tika Time is a children’s multimedia entertainment brand filled with fun and silliness. Kids sing along and engage with lively videos featuring original music. The playful animations and whimsical characters spark joy and creativity. Each video encourages movement, laughter, and learning through music. Companion books bring the songs to life with colorful illustrations. Interactive elements keep children engaged and excited to participate. Designed to entertain and educate, tika tika time makes learning feel like play. With catchy tunes and cheerful energy, it’s a magical adventure for kids everywhere!"

 

You can purchase your own copy of Animals Are Great at Barnes and Noble, Bookshop, and Amazon. You can also learn more about the authors by visiting their website and connecting with them on Instagram and Facebook.

 

The Giveaway:

I've partnered with Expound Publicity to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of Animals Are Great. Enter for a chance to win a copy. Good luck! Animals Are Great: Book Giveaway

 

 

 

Blog Tour and Giveaway: I Don't Think So!

 

Shyness is a common issue for many children, making it difficult for them to feel comfortable enough to come out of their shells. I appreciate when books gently convey messages that encourage kids to build confidence, develop positive social skills, express their thoughts, and take on new challenges. That’s why I’m excited to share a new picture book that addresses this very topic: I Don't Think So! by K. Joyner. Many young children will be able to relate to it.

Learn More About the Book:

 

I Don't Think So! by K. Joyner

Written by K. Joyner

Illustrated by Asha Butler

Editing and Art Direction by Monica Violet Joy

Ages: 3-8 | 34 Pages

Publisher: BookBaby (2025) | ISBN: 979-8218567026

Publisher’s Book Summary: Mia is a precocious kindergartner with two loving parents. She lives in a wonderful and colorful city, surrounded by curious characters. Mia seems to have it all. Unfortunately, try as she might, little Mia is terribly shy and it can be a real hindrance for any child to find the confidence they need to tackle new, scary challenges, like school! Luckily for Mia, she has her best friend Cody, and inspiring teacher, Ms. Doodlebee to help bring her out of her shell, and show her that the world is a wonderful, inspiring place, brimming with adventure, and fun!

You can purchase your own copy of I Don't This So at Bookshop and Amazon. Also, you can learn more about K. Joyner by visiting her website and connecting with her on Instagram and Bluesky.  

 

The Giveaway:

 

I've partnered with K. Joyner to host a giveaway to celebrate the publication of I Don't Think So. Enter for a chance to win one of five signed hardcover copies of I Don’t Think So! One lucky grand prize winner will receive a signed copy and a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card. Good luck! I Don’t Think So!: Book Giveaway