Moms Who Read Romance Novels

by Jenifer Goldin

An outrageous viral video. A secret sham marriage. The world’s most famous romance author. Will the truth burn Ellory Brayson’s career to the ground?
Ellory Brayson’s hit rock bottom. With the world watching, her career is on the precipice of a catastrophic implosion. Escaping her problems, she leaves New York and returns to her sleepy hometown. Jupiter Cove is the perfect place to hide out while she writes her next novel. Or is it?

Desperate to repair her image, she launches a social media campaign centered on her most devoted fans. But things get complicated when she must confront the person she left behind. As Ellory’s super fans get a peek behind the curtain, will her position as romance’s queen bee come crashing down in a spectacular downfall?

Weaving in plot lines about fake dating, second chance romance, and friendship, Moms Who Read Romance Novels is equal parts contemporary fiction and romance. If you’re a mom, a romance reader, or both, you don’t want to miss this heartfelt tale!

Genres: Jewish, Fiction, Romance

278 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2023

About the author

If you enjoy reading stories about friendship, motherhood, relationships, and self-acceptance, mixed with soul, and just a dash of snark, you're in the right place!

Writing has always been my passion. Sometimes my stories reveal my truest emotions, and sometimes my emotions are just the jumping-off point for a fictional tale. My favorite books always go beyond storytelling and shine a light on the human experience. To me, the wisdom shared between the plot points makes a book exceptional.

A few things about me…
I’m a 70’s Yacht Rock enthusiast.
I’m the friend who organizes all the plans.
I still use a paper calendar.
I hate cooking.
I love karaoke.
I fear cocktail parties.
I’m a self-help junkie.
I’m more obsessed with Harry Styles than my tween daughter.
My standard uniform is athleisure wear and a baseball hat.
I’m a wife and mom of two kids and a very furry dog.

Some of my favorite books...
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste ng
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Bear Town by Fredrick Backman
Big Magic by Liz Gilbert
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
Honor by Thirty Umrigar
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Everything by Brené Brown and Glennon Doyle

Reviews

[Shereadbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Jennifer Goldin’s previous book, Anonymous Mom Posts, and when I was offered an ARC of her latest, I jumped at the chance to read it.

Ellory Brayson, a popular romance writer with a marriage in tatters, is worried about her career after she has a meltdown on national TV. She escapes to her hometown of Jupiter Cove, Florida. Her publicist devises a social media campaign whereby Ellory will enlist the assistance of some local romance novel readers to help her “edit” her next release. This also means that she will be utilizing the local bookstore owned by her one time best friend with whom she had a falling out years ago. Each of the women bring their own stories to the table as they sort through their lives.

This was another very entertaining read from Goldin. Acknowledgement of all the romance novel tropes is here along with the penchant of many readers for erotica, AKA smut, as well as the importance of social platforms for today’s writers.

I enjoyed each woman’s life history as well as the resolution of their current dilemmas. Also within this book is an examination of the meaning of friendship, loyalty, forgiveness and the recognition that there are many kinds of love besides romantic love. This was a fun, engrossing, uplifting read that also touched on some serious subjects without weighing down the storyline.

Thanks to @jennifergoldinwrites for the ARC.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying Anonymous Mom Posts this past summer (reviewed here), I was excited to check out Jenifer Goldin's sophomore novel. Moms Who Read Romance Novels is such a meta title for me. I really enjoyed this novel and loved all the characters and the connections they formed throughout the story. It was fun seeing some of my favorite authors mentioned, along with their latest releases. 

I liked how the five main characters came together in different ways. I felt for Faye the most (even though my kids are a lot older than hers) and wished I could give her a copy of The Wife App to read. Harper's storyline was cute and I liked the Jewish element that went along with it.  I also enjoyed getting to know Ellory, Tabby, and Ila better and understanding their struggles more. I may have even gotten teary-eyed at one point.

This novel is truly a love story for anyone who enjoys a good love story, if that makes any sense. It is perfect for fans of Susan Mallery, Kristan Higgins, and many other fabulous romance writers!

Movie casting suggestions:
Ellory: Kate Bosworth
Tabby: Amanda Righetti
Ila: Lizzy Greene
Faye: Kelsey Asbille
Harper: Zoey Deutch


Originally reviewed at Chick Lit Central.

[Anas Attic Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin
Women's Fiction with Some Romance. Standalone.
ARC Provided by the author for an unbiased review. This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.

A couple of months ago I was offered an ARC of Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin . It sounded right up my alley, but I wanted to check out her first book, Anonymous Mom Posts, first. I absolutely loved it, and it became one of my favorite books of 2023, so I couldn’t wait to read Moms Who Read Romance Novels, releasing December 4. It had lots of what I love in a book—it takes place in the book world, it has some slightly older characters, and there are even some Jewish characters.

This book is women’s fiction with a little bit of romance, and I think romance readers would enjoy it. Ellory Brayson is the world’s most famous romance author, married to a real-life prince who has been her muse and part of her romance author identity. But with their marriage secretly in shambles, Ellory has a meltdown on national TV.

With all of this going on, Ellory decides to head back to her hometown, Jupiter Cove, FL to work on her next novel which is a departure from her normal books. Her ex-best friend Tabby owns a bookstore there and hosts a book talk and signing for Ellory, but there is a huge rift between the Tabby and Ellory which is revealed gradually throughout the story.

In order to combat the negative press from her meltdown, Ellory’s publicist suggests she pick a few fans from the signing to help beta read and shape her new novel. They would meet at Tabby’s bookstore and post photos for social media.

First, she picked Faye, who has 4 children under the age of six and a husband who doesn’t lift a hand to help. I wanted to give this lady a hug and a babysitter! We had some chapters from Faye’s POV, and we got to see inside her harried life. Her strength in this book came from her imagining her favorite character in Ellory's book, and I found her imagination was a little too real--like a serious mental problem lol. But then again...a mom of 4 littles would make me crazy too!

Then there was Harper. The child occupational therapist broke her leg when a new patient barrelled into her. Ben Silver, the boy’s handsome father, took her to the hospital and stepped in to take care of the single mom while she had her cast on. The fact that both she and Ben are Jewish was just icing on the cake. Harper was also an aspiring novelist.

“I just want to give my son what I had growing up. A few more siblings, Jewish summer camp, a solid example of a loving marriage.”

Tabby was the most complex character. She held a grudge against Ellory for years and years, so having her ex-best friend back home and using her store for an exclusive for her book gave her a lot of mixed feelings. She is also struggling with infertility and going through failed treatment after failed treatment. On top of that, her 18-year-old stepdaughter Ila hates her and lets her know all the time.

Ila is the last POV. She has lived with Tabby, her stepmom, since she was 8. Ila’s mom left her and she took that anger out on Tabby. She has met a boy at the beach and we read about that romance developing. I liked having a younger perspective and storyline to add some more interest.

“I finally understand that real love, the kind that endures, evokes the same feelings as a romance novel. There are obstacles to overcome, and there is heartbreak. But there are those occasional moments that carry us away to a fantastical place where dreams become reality.”

Liked:
•I love books in the book world.
•Each chapter was in the POV of the 5 different characters, and I never got lost or confused.
•The smut-loving romance book world was strong here.
•One of the characters was Jewish.
•The incorporation of fertility issues into the storyline.
•Some great obscure music references.
•I loved how the book covered all aspects and phases of motherhood.
•Delved deep into friendship and betrayal.

Dislikes:
•I didn’t like Ellory, though I warmed up to her a bit in the end. Loving a main character is usually key to me loving a book.
•Faye had an imaginary friendship with a character from Ellory's book that was a bit weird and confused a few times.

Not sure how I felt:
I usually love easter eggs of authors dropping other author names, books, or characters in a novel, but I think there was a bit much in here, though it's great cross-promotion from a marketing point of view, whether she meant to or not.  Still, it was cool to see all these books that I have read mentioned. I don’t think it will age well though.

The Down & Dirty:
While maybe I didn’t love Mom’s Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin as much as her previous story, Anonymous Mom Posts, I was still engrossed in the book, in each of their lives, and highly recommend it for women who like friendship fiction and stories that take place in the book world.

Rating: 4 Stars, No Heat


Purchase Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin

See my review for Anonymous Mom Posts

Visit anasattic.com for daily sales, freebies, reviews and recommendations.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin. Thanks to the author for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ellory Brayson is the romance author queen bee but her personal life is falling apart. She hides out in her sleepy hometown while writing her next novel and connecting with a few residents.

This is a great story for moms who read romance novels AND moms that don’t. It’s got much more than romance to it and includes several tropes within the plot. It has a few different perspectives and characters with different stories that the reader gets involved in. I enjoyed each storyline and found it all evenly paced. I especially loved the epilogue and how everything wrapped up.

“Everyone can have a great love story, but if you put any kind of restraint on it that narrows the possibilities, you’re going to miss it.”

Moms Who Read Romance Novels is available now.

[Hayley (hayleyinpages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel! Thank you to Jenifer for providing me an e-galley to read!

Things I liked about the story:
- Circled around 4 women (and 1 girl) - showing women who support women and work on communication together.
- the Jewish rep and Yiddish references
- it’s a book about writers and books

At first I thought I would be confused by how many POVs there were but it became quite easy to identify each woman and watch them grow. They were all at different stages of relationships with partners (or ex partners) but I enjoyed seeing how they became a support group for each other through doing the thing they love - writing and editing.

I’ll definitely read other titles by Jenifer Goldin and highly recommend this to women who support women.

[thebrunettebookjunkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, let me preface this review by saying that I am not typically a romance novel reader. I love an Emily Henry book, but it's a genre I generally skip over unless there are dragons involved. If I read one, I prefer the closed-door, non-graphic, open to your imagination and not spelled out for you type. When it's the opposite of that, I tend to dnf or skip over the steamy parts if the plot is otherwise engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed Jenifer Goldin's previous book, Anonymous Mom Posts, and she was kind enough to join our IG book club, which was such a treat. When I was asked to be a part of her ARC team, I jumped at the chance even though I may not be the typical market for the book. Mom's Who Read Romance Novels exceeded my expectations. There are some references that I could have done without, but I understand again not being the target audience and the nuance of what she was going for. Thankfully, that is not the primary topic of the book. The book is actually more about readers, writers, friendships, relationships, and motherhood. The writing is sharp and witty, and she makes you care about the characters. She doesn't shy away from the messiness of both friendships and relationships. I laughed and cried with the characters, and the epilogue gave me all the warm fuzzies. I did not want to put it down, and I look forward to whatever else she writes. Romance readers, especially, do not miss this book.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a perfect blend of humor and seriousness! I found myself invested in each mother’s unique story and how they would unfold. An added bonus was trying to figure out if the characters’ lives were intertwined and if so, how. I felt like I was experiencing their different plights along with them so much so that I laughed when they laughed and I wanted to cry when they cried (sometimes both at the same time). Whether intentional or not, this rom-com is sprinkled with anecdotes about nurturing relationships and leaning into big life changes. Moms Who Read Romance Novels is one of those books that makes you feel all the feels while reminding readers not to take life’s mishaps too seriously. Highly recommend!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was provided an ARC for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and hooked me from the start. There were some storylines I liked more than others. I found the mom of little kids most relatable. I loved the honest and open incorporation of fertility issues. I liked Anonymous Mom Posts by this author a bit better, but on the whole, this was an easy, enjoyable, and pleasant read.

[Amy Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Goldin’s 2nd novel she really looks at the friendship bond between middle-age women. Oftentimes these women find it hard to find themselves while so busy raising their families. Through the outlet of reading romance novels they find not only a common bond with other women, but hopefully find themselves in the process. I highly recommend this novel to anyone, especially a Mom who needs a time out! I can’t wait for #3!

[Heather Carlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! It was a wonderful mix of humor and serious issues. As a woman, a mother, and a friend, I could relate to all of these characters and was fully invested in their stories and how things would evolve. I loved seeing how the stories intertwined. It was a wonderful book full of important lessons and it definitely made me feel all the feelings. I highly recommend to all!

[Samantha Siegel katz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FLEW through this entertaining book! However, Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin is more than just a fun rom-com; while it absolutely IS fun, funny, and light (and there’s plenty of romance!), it's also a story that delves into several themes that resonate on a deeply personal level. Goldin’s prose explores the complexities of marriage and partnership, the intricate dynamics of female friendships, and the bittersweet yet gratifying (whole heart-warming, and whole heart-wrenching) aspects of motherhood -- all while delving into the theme of forgiveness.

The protagonists are all characters that many of us (as moms, women, friends, lovers, patients, students, professionals, etc.) can relate to. Their struggles and triumphs, and their overall journeys towards self-discovery and forgiveness are beautifully portrayed. The storyline has moments of true poignancy and is endlessly relatable. In particular, the ways in which Goldin captures the joys, challenges, and complexities of being a mother make it a profoundly relevant read for moms.

One of the most powerful aspects of the book is its exploration of the complexities of marriage and partnership. Goldin's commentary on these topics is insightful and thought-provoking. One passage that truly resonated with me was, "The truth is, a lifelong relationship is more of a happily after. Omit the ever, and you'll find the best relationships can find love again after -- after disappointment, after misunderstanding, and after difficulties. The best relationships can come back together and find happily again, after." This passage encapsulates the essence of the book - the idea that forgiveness and understanding are key to overcoming obstacles and finding happiness again.

The book also delves into the intricate dynamics of female friendships. The characters' relationships with each other are complex and nuanced, reflecting the realities of friendship. These relationships, filled with love, support, laughs, and significant conflict, add depth to the narrative and make the characters' stories even more compelling.

All this said – it’s also light and fun and an easy way to spend a day (or small mommy time outs throughout the day/over the course of sometime) – the short chapters keep the pace moving and the banter among characters make it a treat to pass time with. I felt like I was with my girlfriends dishing! Hell, I wanted to be friends with these women by the time the book was 1/2 way though! It was delightful fun with a dose of that Goldin snark that we came to love in Anonymous Mom Posts (her debut novel) last year.

In sum, Moms Who Read Romance Novels is a beautifully written, funny, easy, fast, and deeply resonant book that explores the intricacies of life, love, and forgiveness, while keeping you smiling. 10 out of 10, no notes!! 😉

[Rebeca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellory is a best selling romance author, Tabitha is her childhood best friend now bookstore owner, Ila is Tabitha's 19 year old step daughter, Harper is an OT with dreams of publishing her own romance novel, and Faye is the mom of four young children seeking fulfillment and an identity outside motherhood. All of these women are so drastically different in terms of aspirations or what brings them joy but are similar in that they all need friendship, love, and support. Jenifer did an incredible job in this swift read of exploring the complexities of love and forgiveness in marriage and female friendship. We see the characters experience wins and losses of all kinds. It was great to see these triumphs and struggles portrayed in such a heartwarming and humorous read. We've all been hurt by a friend, struggled to articulate things to a partner, or had to take a shower to find a moments peace amidst a crazy day with tiny humans running around. Worried about oversharing with new mom friends? Been there! There were SO many relatable moments in here!

All in all, I absolutely loved this sweet story about the value of friendship, forgiveness, and growth. The story follows multiple POVs and really drives home the fact that while we are all SO incredibly different in what brings us joy or how we mother, at the end of the day we all need supportive friendships, creative outlets, and to feel valued.

I am so glad I veered out of romance to spend some time in feel good women's fiction reflecting (and laughing!) about friendship and how much joy MY friends have brought me. Thank you Jenifer!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenifer Goldin has done it again! An amazing, enveloping read that had me hooked from the start. Wonderful character development with story lines that resonated in so many ways. Jenifer finds a way to speak to her reader and tells a story like you’re living through the experience with the characters. I had fallen off the reading wagon for a while and so glad I chose this book to kickstart my year!

[Jenna Lipowsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to 4. I LOVED Anonymous Mom Posts so this one fell a bit short to that, but it was a sweet and quick (albeit cheesy) read. Big ole ✔️ for the OT component and for the author being a fellow JMOA! You go girl!

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Instantly wanted to know what was happening with these characters, and I couldn’t put it down. Loved how they all ended up, even when I was thinking things would go one way, I was surprised! It was a great, fast read for me cause I felt connected to many of the characters. Great book, will be downloading her others!

[Debbie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this beach read by local Atlanta author. Engaging and believable characters made it easy and fun to read. Highly recommend.

[Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Moms Who Read Romance Novels
Author: Jenifer Goldin
Pub Date: December 6, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @jennifergoldin for providing me with a #gifted advanced copy of Moms Who Read Romance Novels!

I had high expectations for this book after reading and loving Anonymous Mom Posts by Goldin. Moms Who Read Romance Novels far exceeded my expectations! This book had me laughing and crying! I just adored it and have found a new auto-read author in Goldin!

When the world witnesses romance author Ellory Brayson break down on national TV, she decides it’s time to return to her hometown of Jupiter Cove. In an effort to fix her image, she launches a social media campaign to have some of her biggest fans provide her with feedback on her upcoming novel. Together, the women become “Ellory’s Editors.” Each one is vastly different from the other, with a single mom, an overworked mom, and someone longing to be a mom. Together, they all form such an amazing friendship and find the best support in one another. Will Ellory’s Editors be able to help turn the authors image around? Or will their friendship end up being so much more?

Can I just say, the number of amazing authors mentioned in this story just made my heart smile! I just loved how the love for other Jewish authors was sprinkled in this book! What a fun surprise to see so many greats!

Moms Who Read Romance Novels:
🩷Motherhood
🩷Fake Dating
🩷Second Chance Romance
🩷Forced Proximity
🩷A Book About Books/an Author
🩷Found Family

Despite how different each of the main characters were, I felt a connection in some way to each one of them. I will note, infertility is part of the plot for one of the characters. As someone who experienced infertility and IVF, the author did an AMAZING job capturing the process and emotions that go along with it. She notes in the acknowledgment section that she consulted with someone, and I really appreciate her taking the time to make sure the details were correct.

Favorite Quote: “Each square contains a feeling I have experienced over the years. Pain, disappointment, worthlessness, loneliness, fear, disregarded, ‘BINGO?’ I scream out in a frantic, shrill voice. ‘BINGO!’”

[Lori M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Each chapter is told from a different character’s point of view to share a unique story with many shoutouts to other great books and authors. There are several tropes within this story, but they each play out slightly differently than expected and make for a fun read. I’m glad I read this one!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that I love this book cover! I was so lucky to read both of Jenifer’s books this year! It was such an honor!

This book was jammed packed with great stories of five strong ladies living such different lifestyles at different phases of their lives. These ladies are all intertwined with their love of reading. I absolutely love books about books - anything bookish really so having a couple of authors and a bookstore owner as some of the main characters, it made me so happy! I found this book to be a fast and an emotional rollercoaster of a read. I loved all of the characters and MOST of the side characters.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I really have a tough time when there are so many POV’s. I would have loved this to be a series of these great characters and get to know them a little more on a personal level. There really was so much going on with some big topics - cheating, divorce, infertility issues, alcohol/drug abuse, etc. that sometimes I felt it was too much for this one book.

I look forward to reading more of Jenifer’s work! If you haven’t checked out her books yet - I definitely recommend that you add them to your TBR!

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬…
Books about Books
Found Family
Age Gap
Fake Dating
Single Parent
Second Chance Romance
Forced Proximity
Childhood Best Friends
Multiple POVs
Small Town

Thank you to Jenifer Goldin for the gifted book in exchange for my honest review!

[Rudrashree Makwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my second book by the author and I loved it. The author creates such a relatable characters and She expresses the emotions so well. The plot is emotional and deep. The Writing is compelling.

Ellory Brayson is a bestselling romance author. An outrageous viral video and truth about her marriage are certain to affect her career. She must repair her image before releasing another novel so she leaves New York and returns to her hometown Jupiter Cove. There she meet her old friend Tabby. But Tabby is holding grudge against her. Faye is a mother and it’s kind of difficult for her . Harper is a therapist. Ila is Tabitha’s daughter. There are five women’s perspectives. Ellory and Tabitha must work on their friendship. Faye is a mother of a four children and she is trying to balance her life and find herself again. There are also infertility issues being shared in book. And Ellory’s New book is a mystery to readers. They are oblivion to it. But her fans have high expectations from her.

The book is not only about Author’s Odyssey and her personal life but it is also about Friendship, betrayal, acceptance, feeling of belonging, Motherhood, loyalty and forgiveness. It’s an uplifting Women fiction.

Thanks to the Author for providing the ARC.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship and Love -
Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023
I absolutely loved “Moms Who Read Romance Novels”! The story connects a group of women through an old (and fractured) friendship and newer friends and relationships. The characters are so well written and realistic, I found myself relating to parts of each of them. There are various topics handled well such as infidelity, infertility and divorce. The intertwining storylines really kept my attention through the book and made me look forward to each time I was able to dive back into reading. There was great development of various relationships in the story, both friendships and romance. Definitely pick this up, such a fun read, but one that will stay with you too!

[Beth Eats And Reads Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about moms, authors, children and friends all navigating life’s ups & downs. I love books about books, and this one was right up my alley! A famous romance author comes home to face her ex-best friend who owns the town’s bookstore. We meet the women who help her find herself again as she tries something different with her latest book and learns that you really can go home again. This was a sweet, heartwarming story about friendship & motherhood, in all its different forms.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Moms Who Read Romance Novels” and I enjoyed it very much. It was fun! To be honest, it wasn’t what I was expecting.

It did take a bit of time to get in the groove of switching POV between the 4 main protagonists but the format seemed to serve the narrative and flesh out the stories of 4 women with their own unique motherhood and self-discovery journeys.

The two main characters, Ellory and Tabitha “Tabby” drive the narrative of a celebrity romance author who has a public “fall from grace” professionally due to marriage and teenage son problems that are making the facade crack. She comes back to her space-themed town to nurse her wounds and image and write her new book, thanks to the not entirely altruistic help of her estranged friend Tabby.

With a PR stint to include some local amateur editors, Harper and Faye are introduced and bring some different stories that give all 4 women a chance to gain perspective, empathy and appreciation for their own situation.

I liked how author included some of her favourite (and mine) real-life romance authors throughout the book in the characters’ world as well as how authors use their audience to preview ARC that builds loyalty and community.

I’m older than most of the characters in the book but the themes of being authentic, building and valuing life-long supportive friendships and romantic relationships, acceptance of our selves and knowing when to dive-in, hang on or let go actually gets even more important as women grow older.

Finally, I’d like to know if the character of Ben has an older Uncle✡️♥️Someone needs to write a hot sexy romance for women and men above 40!

[Dana Pace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got to read an ARC of this book, thanks Jenifer!

This book is told in multiple POV and covers a wide variety of topics (infidelity, infertility, teen angst) in all kinds of relationships - friends, romantic, child/parent, stepparent/child, etc. I found myself rooting for the characters and was invested in how each story played out. Includes some pop culture and nods to other popular authors/books as well. Check it out!

[Heather Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

As it says in the description, this book is equal parts fiction and romance. I loved this! Centered around an independent bookstore, this book tells the story of 5 very different yet also somewhat similar women. It’s told from the POV of each of them so I really appreciated the different perspectives and the overall unique structure of this book. The characters are very well developed and each one goes on a journey throughout the book to their own respective happy ending. Though not set at the holidays, this was a perfect, uplifting book to read during the holiday season.

Thank you for the ARC!

[BookishBeverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC in exchange for my review. I loved how relatable each character was. This could easily be a group of my current friends. I really was drawn to Faye for whatever reason. Give this book a try. It's charming, sweet, and humorous.

[Rebecca loves reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. What a sweet, fun, thoughtful book. Like her last novel, Goldin tells her story through multiple pov which I found created a very natural flow for the plot. The book sucked me in and I found myself sneaking in chapters throughout the day just to find out what was going to happen next.

The story starts with a rather unfortunate situation on a morning show for the main character Ellory who is launching her newest book. As part of her damage control plan, she returns to Jupiter Cove, Florida where she grew up. While there she works with her childhood best friend who has the exclusive selling rights. Ellory’s publicist concocts a plan to select several fans to become “Ellory’s Editors” which is how we meet the other supporting characters.

I just adored how the plot progressed and how the lives of these women became intertwined in the most natural and beautiful way showcasing the importance of love with your friends vs love of a partner.

[Meredith Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Jenifer Goldin. I loved it! If you haven’t read her first novel, Anonymous Mom Posts, you should!

This was a fun, thought provoking read. I enjoyed the character development and how the author connected them together. While they all had different backgrounds and personalities, it was easy to relate to their stories.

It’s a quick, fun read! I couldn’t wait to see how it ended.

Highly recommend!!

[Abby (what.she.reads_abby) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh I just love when a book is so fun and relatable. I was literally laughing out loud at multiple parts of this book.
This book just completely sucked me in. I can’t even tell you how many times I was so completely absorbed with the book and blinked/snapped out of it to find myself on the couch and not on the beach with Ila or in a bookstore with Tabby.
I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t just absolutely adore this book. This book gets a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.8 from me! (Rounded up to a 5 on Goodreads!)
A but thank you to the author for allowing me the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

[Mamabookowl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moms Who Read Romance Novels by Jenifer Goldin is a fantastic, fun, and heartwarming novel about love, relationships, and friendship.


Despite the title, this book isn't really a romance novel, or even about one. We see each of the main characters' passion for something, but we also see their failures. What brings them together is their love for romance novels. In Moms Who Read, we learn that sometimes we have to admit we're wrong, sometimes things don't always work out as we hoped or planned, but more importantly, we learn about sisterhood, friendship, and the love and support that comes with it. It's also important to make sure you're always true to yourself.