If Past Shannon and May Shannon had a conversation:

Past: You know what, I’mma sign up for the blog tours for these books I just know I will love!

May: You sure, girl? You have a bit on your plate….

Past: Yeah! I’ll be done with classes, I’ll have time!

May: But… what about work? And the children you attempt to turn into functional members of society? And spoiler, you may end up in the ER!

Past: Nah we good, while I’m at it, I think I see 21 April releases I should absolutely request every last one of…

This is to say, I am not exactly on top of my game, but these books absolutely deserve some love, so let’s celebrate ’em all proper and junk! 🥳🥳🥳

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Published by Berkley on May 6, 2025
Pages: 384
Format:eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

Falling in love with your husband is anything but convenient in this steamy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure.

Dani Dorfman has somehow made it to her thirties without knowing what she wants to do with her life. So when an office romance ends poorly and gets her fired, she applies for a job in Amsterdam, idly dreaming of escaping the mess she’s created, but never imagining she'll actually get it.

Except she does. By the end of her first week in Amsterdam, she’s never felt more adrift or alone. Then she crashes her bike into her high school ex-boyfriend—and suddenly life is blooming with new opportunities.

Wouter van Leeuwen was a Dutch exchange student Dani’s family hosted, a forbidden love that ended in a painful breakup. Years later, there’s still sizzling chemistry between them, and okay, maybe a little animosity. More importantly, Wouter needs to be married to inherit a gorgeous family home on a canal—and when Dani's job falls apart, she needs a visa. As the marriage of convenience pushes them together in unexpected ways, Dani must decide whether her new life is yet another mistake—or if it's worth taking a risk on a second chance.

Just when I think Rachel Lynn Solomon cannot do it again… she goes and does it again. Honestly, I shouldn’t doubt. The woman is ten for ten, for goodness sake! Yeah, she’s written ten books, I’ve devoured every last one, simple as that. And while I absolutely adored the romance in this one, oh how I swooned over Amsterdam! And my other love, Bruges, makes an appearance! Look, I have insatiable wanderlust, and Dani appreciating the charm in these beautiful cities just makes me love her all the more. There is so much of it too- the city genuinely feels like its own character in this lovely story.

I also felt a connection with Dani, she feels like a late bloomer, like she’s behind the life curve. And her deference to her parents hit home for me in a big (and uncomfy) way. Her making this (insanely huge) life move was so cool, especially knowing that she wasn’t usually that adventurous. And Wouter? Oh, he is amazing. As is his family! Legit, I don’t think I have ever been as jealous of a fictional character than I was of Dani during so much of this book!

I also loved how we got to see so many relationships outside of just the romance. Dani has to navigate new friendships, fake (but very awesome) in-laws, and family back in the US, while Wouter has to navigate much of the same, including the loss of his father. There is just so much good, emotional stuff packed into these pages. As always, it is super supportive of mental health (and very therapy and treatment positive), and steamy, of course!

There’s not much else to say except that you need this book! I went and bought my own copy as soon as it went on sale, because I fell so in love. And now, I am jonesing to head back to Amsterdam, ASAP.

My own little homage to Amsterdam (and surrounding). Thanks for bringing me back, Rachel! 

Bottom Line: As long as RLS is writing, I’m reading, buying, and gushing.

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Down in the Sea of Angels by Khan Wong
Published by Angry Robot Books on April 22, 2025
Pages: 400
Format:ARC, eARC
Source:Copy provided by publisher for review, via Netgalley

An intense and thoughtful time-travelling dystopian fantasy where three individuals, psychically linked through time, fight enslavement, exploitation, and environmental collapse. A great read for fans of Emily St. John Mandel.

In 2106, Maida Sun possesses the ability to see the entire history of any object she touches. When she starts a job with a cultural recovery project in San Francisco with other psions like her, she discovers a teacup that connects her with Li Nuan, a sex-traffificked girl in a 1906 Chinatown brothel, and with Nathan, a tech-designer and hedonist of 2006.

A chance encounter with a prominent political leader reveals to Maida his plan to contain everyone with psionic abilities, eliminate their personal autonomy, and use their skills for his own gain. Maida is left with no choice but to join a fight she doesn’t feel prepared for, with flashes of the past, glimpses of the future and a band of fellow psions as her only tools. She must find a way to stop this agenda before it takes hold and destroys life as she knows it. Can the past give Maida the key to saving her future?

Content warning at start: “Down in the Sea of Angels contains racist language and attitudes, sexual assault, sexual harassment, the historical sex trafficking of minors, acknowledgment of the forced labor of minors, physical and verbal abuse, violence, drug use and drug-related death.”

In Down In the Sea of Angels, we follow three timelines: 1906, 2006, and 2106. I adore this concept, especially seeing how much changes in a century, right? So the main-main character I suppose is Maida in 2106, who has the gift of psychometry, which allows her to see the history of objects. One such object is an old jade tea cup, which connects the stories. Nathan in 2006 and Li Nuan in 1906 both were owners of the cup, and we follow their stories as well.

I will tell you the thing I liked the least first to get that out of the way: while I enjoyed Maida’s story and learning about what becomes of the Bay Area, the “gifts” part was my least favorite element. Not because it wasn’t done well, but because that is just my personal preference. I think that while I liked Maida a lot as a character, I felt a little more connected to Nathan and Li Nuan’s stories. It’s funny, because Maida’s story is told in first while the others were in third, but I still felt more connected. Strange, that. I also thought that the “bad guy” in Maida’s time was a little over the top, but then I look at our own timeline’s villain, and I guess I can’t fault it, can I?

I loved how different all three stories were, yet how they still connected a lot of the same themes and elements to make the story feel seamless. Found family was big throughout, as was standing up for what we think is right even if it isn’t always easy. There is so much relevance to our current issues, both on a political level at home, and a more global scale when thinking about the environmental implications. The characters all had to handle some pretty huge morality dilemmas, and I am always a huge fan of those.

The stories definitely pulled at my heartstrings, and I loved the relationships featured throughout the book. Like I said, lots of found families, and some biological families too, but every type of relationship under the sun was explored in the stories.

Bottom Line: An introspective look at how much (and how little) can change in the course of a few generations, and the threads that connect us all.

(Full disclosure, this is probably more like a 3.75*? But I round up because I always do!) 

SO! What is the last book you really fell in love with? Anyplace you would love to go? Let’s discuss!