Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

 

“After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that the most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.” - taken from Goodreads.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Birdie, who is a mystery enthusiast. She gets a job at a local hotel on the graveyard shift but is shocked to find that the cute boy she ran out on after an embarrassing first encounter is a coworker. Unable to stay away from one another, the two bond over the curious comings and goings of a reclusive mystery author who frequents the hotel. As the two grow closer, they learn that each is hiding secrets that need to be discovered.

Visit Jenn Bennett’s website.

Everything All at Once by Katrina Leno

“Lottie Reeves has always struggled with anxiety, and when her beloved Aunt Helen dies, Lottie

begins to fear that her own unexpected death might be waiting around every corner.

Aunt Helen wasn’t a typical aunt. She was the author of the best–selling Alvin Hatter series, about siblings who discover the elixir of immortality. Her writing inspired a generation of readers.

In her will, she leaves one last writing project—just for Lottie. It’s a series of letters, each containing mysterious instructions designed to push Lottie out of her comfort zone. Soon, Lottie’s trying some writing of her own, leaping off cliffs, and even falling for a boy she’s only just met. Then the letters reveal an extraordinary secret about the inspiration for the Alvin Hatter series. Lottie finds herself faced with an impossible choice, one that will force her to confront her greatest fear once and for all.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Lottie Reaves is dealing with the death of her beloved aunt Helen, the best-selling, well-known author of a series of children’s books about an immortal brother and sister. (Aunt Helen, think J.K. Rowling famous!) With her high school graduation looming, Lottie suffers from severe anxiety and only her best friend Em and Helen know. After the funeral, the family meets with Helen’s lawyer for the reading of her will. Leaving personal effects behind for her family, everyone is shocked when Helen leaves Lottie a series of letters with very specific directions. As Lottie opens each letter, she finds that her aunt wanted to push her out of her comfort zone as well as divulge a huge secret that she had carried around for years. Lottie soon meets the mysterious Sam, who is also devastated over Helen’s death and has a secret of his own. Interspersed with scenes from Helen’s novels, readers will travel along with Lottie as she mourns her aunt’s death.

Visit Katrina Leno’s website.