Birdie Lindberg is a quirky eighteen year old, by day aspiring private detective and by night front desk clerk at an old historic hotel. Home schooled and raised by her grandparents on an island off the coast of Seattle she has led a pretty sheltered life. One night after a job interview she meets Daniel Aoki, aspiring magician and overall nice guy at her favorite diner. Their instant connection turns into a flirtation that ends as a tryst in the back seat of his car. Horribly embarassed, Birdie runs off hoping to never see him again. Little does she know that she would soon be working the night shift alongside Daniel, and that they’d investigate a mystery that would bring them close once again.

I loved the quirkiness of this novel! Our heroine, Birdie is sweet, but also socially awkward yet her innocence and naiveté are so charming the reader can’t help but be drawn to her. She is the first character I can recall reading who has narcolepsy and it’s fascinating to read how she deals with that secret. Daniel is also adorably quirky with his magic tricks and wry smile giving us clues that all may not be as they appear on his surface. They have an old world feeling that fits right in with the Sam Spade type mystery they are trying to solve. As a side note the other characters in this book were just as charming and added to the overall feel of the story.

Hidden beneath their colorful exterior are some serious subjects. Birdie’s secret narcolepsy is one, but Daniel also has his own dark background. The reveal is quite a pivotal scene in the book and I don’t want to spoil the story but just as in the land of OZ there is a lot hidden behind that magic curtain and not all of it is fun and games. I love how this author led up to the conflict really making the reader care for this characters yet didn’t lose any of the curiosity’s that make the book so special.

I loved Starry Eyes, also by Jenn Bennett, and somehow missed reading Alex, Approximately when it came out. After reading Serious Moonlight I’ve reminded myself why I love Jenn Bennett’s books and will be fixing that error asap!

I received a free copy of the ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Oh, Jenn Bennett, will you ever write a book I don’t love? I highly doubt it. You know what I love the most about Jenn’s books? Her characters are all so unique and quirky. None of them are cookie cutter. They all feel like real people with real issues and insecurities. As an adult, I love them, but as a teenager I would’ve connected with them. They would’ve made me feel better about being different. And I think that is incredible.

Serious Moonlight was somehow fun and emotional. I laughed and cried, and swooned. Do I feel like an old hag for laughing at things an eighteen year old male character said? A little. Do I care? Hell no.

Birdie and Daniel were just too cute for words. They were also both deep, flawed characters and I loved their growth both apart and together. A lot of the time, when I finish a YA Contemporary, I think “Well that was adorable, but we all know high school sweethearts don’t last.” I never feel that way at the end of a Jenn Bennet book. Not only did Birdie and Daniel have an epilogue that showed the lasting power of their relationship, they just feel like characters that can go the distance together.

Filled with witty banter, a fun mystery, and all of the feels, Serious Moonlight was everything I’ve come to expect from a Jenn Bennett book, and more. When you’re in the mood for a book that will just make your heart happy, pick up this one. You won’t regret it.

Jenn Bennett has quickly become one of my favorite YA authors. I found her last year and binged all her books, so when I got the chance to read Serious Moonlight early, I jumped at it! I really enjoyed this one.

The writing, as always, was spectacular. I also loved the growth of the characters. This is very much a character driven story. I loved Birdie and Daniel, as well as the secondary characters. My favorite part of this book was watching Birdie come out of her shell.

This was a swoony YA romance filled with a bit of mystery, had some real life legit issues, but was also that super sweet and cute YA type that I know and love Jenn for. Highly recommended!

I got an E-ARC of Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett from Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing through Netgalley for an honest  review and as always I bring you my honest opinion of this awesome story.

Serious Moonlight, has all the elements to make it a captivating read. It has mystery, romance, some tragedy and two recently graduated teenagers who are trying to find their place in the world and instead find each other and from there the adventure of a lifetime begins.

Serious Moonlight gets 4 out of 5 stars in my review book.

Birdie and Daniel meet at a lovely cafe (Moonlight Diner) and let's just say that their first encounter was steamy, yet very awkward. 

Birdie had been suppressed most of her life by her grandmother, she was a very strict woman who had a specific idea of how people should live their lives and for that reason her mother had left the island where they lived and started a new life in Seattle with Birdie and her best friend. 

When she died, Birdie went to live with her grandparents and because of that, Birdie's forming years, the years where she learns to express her feelings, to make connections and to trust herself and those around her are instead filled with dread and fear of the world and what people think about her. 

She was homeschooled by her grandmother and her interaction with the world is very limited, her grandparents and her late mother's best friend are basically her whole world. But things are changing, her grandmother died and her grandfather is better at trusting her with her decisions.

Those decisions brought her to Daniel.

Daniel has his own issues. He has gone through some traumatic events in the last few years of his life and is trying to turn on a new leaf.

He has a loving mother who was too young to have a kid when she got pregnant, yet she embraced it even though the father wanted a different outcome for said kid. 

Her love might be a little too much for Daniel at the moment though, he has gone through those difficult times and having her breathing down his neck pushing him to make decisions about his future are too much for him to handle. 

Daniel and Birdie are both damaged in someway and Daniel trust that the fates have a plan for them. He thinks they were destined to meet, but  Birdie is not completely ready to open up to a new person even though when they first met she seemed like she was.

They both end up working the night shift at a Seattle hotel after their first encounter and Daniel knows there is something between them so he makes it his mission to prove to Birdie that they were meant to meet and have an epic adventure that could lead to more.

There is a real life mystery at the hotel and Birdie, being a mystery-book aficionado can't pass on the idea of solving a real case. Though this mystery has more secrets that she signed up for.

Daniel and Birdie agree to work together and in the process they learn more than they expected. They learn about themselves, about what they truly want for their future and how they can work to get there.

What brought them together was the mystery, but it was not the main aspect of the novel and I must say there is a plot twist that I had a sneaking suspicion about, yet when it came to be it was devastating and hard to read. Very well written in the story, I kind of had an idea of what it could be, but I can see how many people will not see it coming. 

All in all this story is such an amazing read, with ups and downs and not at all what I was expecting.

Like with the last two contemporary books that I read by Bennett (Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes) she has this recipe for making great stories where in just one book we see character development, we see how two broken people can find their way to each other to work on themselves and a relationship and to be strong against the odds. 

Serious Moonlight is a great contemporary story with an amazing array of characters and life situations that you will not want to miss.

WHOA. Ok. Stop what your doing. This BOOK. Something about this one just hooked me. I was so intrigued by Birdie, Aunt Mona, Daniel, everything. There was something so unique about Birdie, her interests, her story. I loved learning about her and watching her develop. And Daniel! Yes! He was an amazing character and a great match for Birdie! The way this story started and then slowly unraveled was such a pleasure to read.

This book was super cute. I have really enjoyed all of Jenn Bennett's books and Serious Moonlight is no exception. This book is about growing up and learning about family, friends, and relationships. It is about change, accepting that change and that not all first impressions are what they seem. I might not recommend this to younger readers as there is some adult content.

Overall I gave this a 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

I loved this book. The story is fun and just perfect. The characters are amazing, though I did get annoyed by Birdie a bit. The romance was cute and perfect. I have not read anything by Jenn Bennett before but after enjoying this one so much I'm going to go hunt down more of her work to read.

Wow, this was incredible. I immediately had to buy Jen’s other works after starting this. I thoroughly enjoyed myself during this read. I have to say if you’re a Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan fan this novel is your jam. Birdie (I just love that name) is a sleuthing genius! I love how she wears flowers in her and reads Nancy Drew novels. Daniel is a sweet and entertaining character. I love the family aspects. There is such great character banter. I’m really pleased with the ending!

Birdie is still grieving the losses of her grandmother and mother when she meets the swoon-worthy Daniel, a wannabe-magician with a serious secret. After a brief fling, Birdie and Daniel end up as coworkers at a local hotel. Birdie is an amateur detective with a love of mysteries, so she can't resist when Daniel suggests they team up to solve a mystery happening right where they work. Birdie and Daniel end up being more than just a detective duo, but can they survive secrets from their pasts?

Serious Moonlight is a quick, cute, and romantic read. I like how it incorporates serious topics such as grief and mental health without taking away from the love story. Aunt Mona is a super fun character, and Daniel is a sweet and sexy love interest. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

For a contemporary lover just like I am, I couldn’t miss out on Jenn Bennett’s books. I have read The Anatomical Shape of a Heart a little while ago and, since then, have sworn I would read every book she ever writes, but… well, endless TBRs and all have brought me here, Serious Moonlight being my second book by the author. This experience only strenghtens my resolve to read ALL of her books because friends, this one was AMAZING.

A BLOOMING ROMANCE WITH AMAZING MAIN CHARACTERS
☂️
In Serious Moonlight, we follow Birdie, obsessed with mystery books and taking on a summer job in a historical Seattle Hotel, only to realize she will have to work side by side with the mysterious, very handsome Daniel with whom she had an awkward and kind of heated encounter once before.

To be honest, Serious Moonlight sounded like the perfect contemporary I would swallow whole and, despite its length (over 400 for a contemporary can seem quite a lot), I devoured it. Jenn Bennett’s writing style, her talent for taking me into Seattle streets, markets, hotels and seaside, coupled with the amazing way she has of shaping three dimensional characters I fell for… it just worked for me, a whole lot.

During the entire book, we follow Birdie as she struggles with finding her place, used to home schooling, being alone and living in her own fantasy, mystery worlds. Birdie was such a great main character to root for: she was not perfect and, more than once, she was even a little frustrating, yet I quickly grew fond of her and cared for her. Her passion for mysteries and mystery books shined in the story.

Daniel was such a great love interest just as well, charming, caring and overall adorable, yet with his own struggles and mysterious side, at first, too. The growth of their relationship, from a very rocky start to slowly building, the feelings slowly growing as they get to know each other better and the sex positivity in this book were really highlights of Serious Moonlight. I am all for an incredible slow-burning romance and here, I got everything I needed and more and it just made me swooooooon.



FAMILY ISSUES AND A TOUCH OF MYSTERY
☂️
Something I absolutely loved in this book is how, despite the romance being such a big part of it and obviously of the book’s marketing (look at that synopsis), there are such great places for other things for the reader to care about, too.

Let’s take the FAMILY, first. Birdie has grown with her grandparents, having lost her mother at a young age and, in her life, she also has her Aunt Mona, this eccentric, supportive, awesome side character to the story. Jenn Bennett explores family issues, from exploring and understanding Birdie’s mother’s past to understanding her own heritage, too. We also got to see Daniel’s protective, yet adorable side of the family and… well, you get a romance with the families on both sides and you got a win for me.

Let’s tackle the MYSTERY now, too. Slowly woven into the story, perfectly juggled with the romance and yet keeping me entertained too, adding a thrilling part to the read.

OVERALL
☂️
Jenn Bennett is making her way in my must-read contemporary authors slowly, but surely. With Serious Moonlight, she created such a great, realistic romance with characters I fell for and, if you’re looking for me, I’m making a list of all of her releases to get soon and all of her next books, too, because I want to read them ALL.

Jenn Bennett is becoming one of my favorite young adult contemporary authors. When I saw this book cover, I didn’t realize it was the same author from Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes, two books I really enjoyed, but now she is an author under my radar! So let’s talk about Serious Moonlight ~

What I Liked:

The writing – the author sucks you into the setting. I felt like I was in Seattle and I’ve never traveled there before in my life! This story is complex, it’s not just a romance novel. In this book the author touches on mental health, dealing with death, sleep disorders, love of mysteries, sex, and how to bridge two people coping with these issues and falling in love.
The characters – they are so wonderfully unique. There’s Birdie, who has an interesting upbringing, plus her sleep disorder. Mona, her aunt, who was my favorite. She comes off the page as eccentric and lovable, just a huge personality that I wanted to hug. Daniel is half Japanese, which I love about Jenn Bennett’s books. She adds diversity and that’s always needed. Daniel is easy-going, funny, but with a very surprising past as well.
The romance – it’s a sweet slow burn. The slow part is mostly because Birdie and Daniel trying to get together is challenging. They both have their own issues to deal with, more so Birdie since it’s like she’s been freed from her cage. They are awkward, there is miscommunication when they try to talk, and basically it reminds me of my own teenage years. When I read the romance parts of the book I cringed, I laughed and I smiled.

What I Didn’t Like:

I’m not a big mystery buff, so the beginning was hard for me to get into. If you LOVE mystery (think Columbo and Murder, She Wrote) – you will love all these elements in the book. For me, it dragged but I got through it. I thought it was super cute that Daniel picked up on Birdie’s love for mysteries and basically got her out of her shell by enticing her with a mystery at their work place.

While it’s not my favorite Jenn Bennett book, I still loved the story once I got through the beginning. The writing is fantastic, the setting draws you in and the characters are people you want to know in real life. I definitely enjoyed this unique take on a young adult romance contemporary novel.

When I first found out that there was a new YA contemp coming out from Jenn Bennett, I was ecstatic. I’ve found that in my old age, (lol) I’m not drawn to young adult contemporaries like I used to be. This is so annoying but I’ve gotten to the point where instead of sympathizing with the main characters and their problems, I tend to side with their parents now (or what their parents would/should say if they ever were around in these books). Ugh I hate even saying that out loud. FORTUNATELY there’s something about Bennett’s characters and stories that doesn’t have me cringing and praying to God that my own daughter isn’t this idiotic someday.

They still act their age but the mistakes they make, make sense to me. They’re not excessive, over the top, or unrealistic. In fact, it seems like so far with the two books of hers that I’ve read (this and <i>Alex, Approximately</i>) that the characters have unique problems or are dealing with important things that might not actually be seen often in a book. But, unlike some other authors who try to do this (like…John Green and his excessiveness with teens who wax poetic every five seconds) it really has worked for me.

I won’t get into what Birdie and Joseph are both dealing with in this books but both are pretty significant things. I want to say that I enjoyed reading about them and how they were handled but…that does NOT seem like the right word. Maybe appreciated is better? Probably.

Either way, this book is everything I could have wanted it to be and more. Bennett's writing is so addicting and makes any character or situation come to life in a way that not many others' do. The relationships in this book are so amazing. From the familial ties between Birdie, her grandfather, and Mona to EVERYTHING that lies between Birdie and Daniel...my heart just felt so big afterwards.

The aspects of them trying to solve this mystery throughout the book was really fun and cute to watch and the end result was not what I had been expecting!

One thing that I think people might have a problem with in this book is Birdie. I’ve already seen one review of someone saying she seemed super childish but I just can’t agree. Birdie’s dad was never in the picture and her mom died when she was young. Afterwards she went to live with her grandparents, her grandmother being VERY strict and homeschooling her, and only really got to go out and ~live a little~ was when her mom’s best friend Mona would spend time with her. So basically she was sheltered from the real world for her entire life. She got out, but she never experienced the same crap that kids at a public school would have, you know?

That and the fact that she’s lost two of her close family members also makes her incredibly wishy washy with her feelings towards Daniel at first, too. Some people might get frustrated with that because Daniel is literally an angel sent from above BUT I don’t know. For some reason I saw myself in Birdie in a way that I have not connected with a YA contemporary character probably ever. I went to public school, didn’t have anyone super close die (grandma) until I was in community college but my parents were pretty strict. I couldn’t date until I was 16, I had an early curfew, had to get good grades, all that good stuff. And I just understood when she was freaked out by Daniel and his giant feelings and didn’t know what to do with them other than push them away. I have done that myself before, too. I don’t know..I just loved her, guys. I don’t even know how to explain it other than saying I understood her and I loved her and thought she had amazing growth throughout the book. Basically this was just another overall winner for me and I definitely think you should check it out.


<i>Huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon Pulse for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!</i>&hearts;

Jenn Bennett did it again! Here's another fantastic YA contemporary from one of my favorite authors! Serious Moonlight follows Birdie as she starts her first summer job at a fancy hotel in downtown Seattle. On her first day at work she runs into a cute coworker she had an awkward encounter with and tries to avoid him at all costs. Slowly the two build up a friendship, and then more, by hanging out and trying to solve a mystery at work together.

One thing I really enjoy about Bennett's characters is that they all have a hobby that is written in such a great, realistic way. Instead of saying they're interested in something, and then not bringing it up the rest of the book, Bennett's characters are constantly talking or doing something related to their hobby. In this book Birdie is obsessed with mysteries. She loves movies, tv shows, and books about detectives and murder, and is constantly talking about them. Daniel is super into magic and magic tricks, and throughout the book is performing little magic tricks for Birdie or other people.

"I always keep a comfort mystery book in my purse for emergencies."

The family dynamics in this book are amazing as well. Even though some characters aren't blood related, they're still just as important to each other. The family dynamics are also written in such a realistic way. Birdie's grandmother just died, and Birdie has conflicting feelings. She misses her grandmother because she loves her, but is also glad she has more freedom now because her grandmother was very overprotective.

Like her other books, Serious Moonlight is so sex positive. Bennett writes realistic teen characters, and that means sometimes they have sex. I love how she writes their discussions about sex and what to expect, instead of glossing over the fact that it's happening or they're thinking about having sex.

The characters in this book were amazing as well. Birdie is a closed off person who is afraid to let people in because she's already lost so many people she cares about. Throughout the book she has to learn to let people in and depend on others besides herself. Daniel is also great. I love him so much, he was so funny, and caring, and such a genuinely nice person.

"Missing people is hard. Letting new people inside is harder. But the reward for making that effort was greater than I could have imagined. Family isn't always blood and it isn't contained in a single tree. It's a forest."

There's also discussion on mental health and I love it so much! It's done in such a healthy way, and I think it'll help bring awareness to this mental illness and what it's actually like to experience it. I love how it was done, the character discussed what it was like for him, and how people tend to respond, and all the help he's getting medication and therapy wise. 

I've never read a character that had narcolepsy, so reading about Birdie and her struggle with this chronic condition was super interesting to learn about. I don't have much knowledge of narcolepsy so I can't tell how accurate the representation is, but it seemed well researched.

Overall this is another fantastic book by Jenn Bennett and I 1000% recommend it! I was fortunate enough to get an eARC of this book, but on Easter once Lent is over, you bet I'm going to pick up a physical copy for my shelves!

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett. Rating: 4.0 Stars.

Read from April 1 to April 2.

I was so excited to receive this Advance Reader’s Copy from Simon and Schuster through NetGalley. I was given an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was a book I was planning on picking up anyway because I love Jenn Bennett’s other books so much. This one definitely met my expectations (and more in some areas), but I will say there were a few things in this one that dropped it down to a four star rating.

First, the good. I enjoyed how fleshed out the characters were. Everyone was well rounded and really had a deep backstory. I also appreciated how all of the characters were connected. It felt like these were real people who lived lives even when they weren’t on the page for us to see it. I loved Birdie and Daniel so much. Especially when they were together. Also, the setting was so realistic. I’ve only been to Seattle once so I could never possibly claim to know the area, but everything felt so atmospheric and real. I could picture it all so well. Bennett definitely has a way of putting you into the setting that’s hard to find in contemporary books nowadays.

Another thing I really loved was Birdie’s love of true crime and mysteries. I connected with her in this way so much. It was such a pure joy to watch her on her first date with Daniel when they went on a secret date that ended up being everything I could have ever wanted in a first date. I loved seeing her exploring her new found freedom through the eyes of a detective. I enjoyed watching her pair up with Daniel to uncover this author’s secrets. There was such a unique voice to the story and the dialogue was always so real.

I did, however, have a huge problem with one of the plot twists towards the end of the novel. By the end of the novel I understood why it was something that needed to happen, but at the time it was happening I was shocked and a little betrayed. It felt like a character I had known so well was suddenly not who I thought they were and they had played me throughout the entire novel. Not to mention how they manipulated the main character Birdie. The conflict was necessary to the story and I understand that. However, as a person who gets far too emotionally invested, ouch.

I got sucked into this story so quickly and binge read 75% of it in one day so that should tell you enough about the book by itself. It’s such a good time and I really think anyone who enjoys contemporary books should pick it up when it comes out on April 16th.

Jenn Bennett has mastered the craft of writing the most unique and memorable characters. I loved the heroine in this novel, who is Birdie, an 18 year old who was home schooled for her school career, who loves mysteries and want to be a detective, and who is an undiagnosed narcoleptic. Birdie has just gotten her first job and upon attending her first day at work, she discovers one of her coworkers was an embarrassing one-night-stand that she had a while ago, Daniel. This is a story bout the two of them becoming friends and developing their relationship.

If you haven't read a Jenn Bennett book yet, you are seriously missing out! Like I previously said, she has a knack for writing the most quirky and memorable characters. Birdie and Daniel will be with me for a long while.

Jenn Bennett steps out of just pure slow burn and into the mystery slow burn romance. So if you can't handle a mystery as the main focal point of the book you should probably put this one back down. If you are into an amazing romantic mystery you need to put this into your immediate TBR.
Jenn Bennett is an automatic buy for me because the romance was a slow burn but instead of making that the driving point it was an addition.

Serious Moonlight is cute and fun, which is what I’ve come to expect from Jenn Bennett. She always introduces interesting characters thrown into unique situations and while a part of me wonders “is this real life?” at times, the bigger part of me just enjoys being along for the ride. Birdie Lindberg is a sheltered girl who loves mysteries and has a tendency to play out scenarios in her mind where she’s the detective solving a case. When she takes a summer job at a historic Seattle hotel before she heads off to college, she’s hoping to spread her wings a bit. There she meets (or re-meets), Daniel Aoki who she had an awkward first encounter with before taking the job. He’s friendly, outgoing, into magic tricks and knows exactly how to get Birdie’s interest—he’s discovered a real-life mystery at their hotel and asks for her help. But their investigation merely serves as the backdrop to the growing romance between these two, which was the best part. I have to admit, I usually didn’t understand Birdie and her actions, but there was something about watching her muddle through the unexpectedness of Daniel that I found endearing. And like Birdie and everyone else in the book, I was completely charmed by Daniel (I dare you not to be!). Overall, this may not be a new favorite of mine but it’s quick, cute and entertaining which are all good things!

I received an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you don’t love mysteries then you need to see yourself out now. This novel is chock-full of mystery pop culture and even some amazing pop culture references to David Bowie and my favorite movie, The Labyrinth. It’s set in Seattle and treats the setting as another character in the book; I really want to go back to Seattle and wander around to find all the locations referenced in this book now!

Onto the characters! Birdie is our main girl and I love how she thinks of people like a detective. She’s insecure, dealing with grief, and also trying to figure out Daniel at the same time. I wasn’t huge into her at the beginning because she needed to work on herself, but she slowly grew into herself and I started to love here. Daniel, whom I loved from the beginning, is an Asian Jesus with long hair and part time magician, which is adorable. He is so much fun and while he seems like he’s the perfect boy he has some secrets to reveal. The two of them are toe curling delight! There’s a lot of great supporting characters with Birdie’s Grandpa Hugo, Aunt Mona, Daniel’s family (grandpa Jiji and mom Cherry) as well as people they just run into places like work and at the diner. Oh and I definitely need to put Moonlight Diner down as a character because I want that place to be real – they have pun-tastic pie names! I have never craved pie so badly while reading this book and I secretly wished it came with recipes.

There’s a mystery to be solved with a reclusive writer who only shows up for about an hour every Tuesday, which really starts to bond Birdie and Daniel together. But the bigger story with the novel is their relationship, can they get over their awkward first encounter and actually become friends or more than friends (wink wink). The interaction between the two of them is very real and Jenn Bennett doesn’t shy away from teen angst and real problems, which is greatly appreciated.

If you love a good YA romance novel that’s delightful, filled with a spectacular setting, side characters, and a lot of hilarious one liners then this book is definitely for you. I am so very glad I took a chance on this novel because it really quite enjoyable. I really want to run off to Seattle and find my own magician to whisk me away and make me forget my troubles now! Also, there’s a delightful murder mystery dinner set to a certain game and I really want that to be a thing!

I've loved all of Jenn Bennett's books, and I eagerly await each new one. Serious Moonlight did not disappoint, and includes Bennett's trademark slow-burn romance with insightful character development.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Birdie never expected to see Daniel again after their initial encounter turned disastrously awkward. But, lo and behold, there he was, a fellow night shift employee at the hotel. After trying to avoid him, Birdie gave in, and a friendship developed, but would the two be able to unpack some of their personal baggage in order to make room for one another in their lives?

I love picking up a Jenn Bennett book, because I know it's going to be packed with fun and unique characters, who are sort of a mess, but always fabulous. Sure enough, I immediately fell in love with the cast she assembled for us in Serious Moonlight.

Birdie had so many attributes to appreciate. She was a bookworm with a passion for solving mysteries, and though her early childhood experiences were shaped by two outgoing and fierce women - her mother and her Aunt Mona, the second half of her life was spent in a sort of isolation under the watch of her overprotective grandmother. Six months after her grandmother's death, Birdie was attempting to branch out and be more independent, even though she was still drowning in her grief and plagued by sleep issues. She got the hotel job, and was taking chances, but because it was all so new to her, she was prone to mistakes.

I couldn't have picked a better first friend and romantic partner to help her navigate all of this, than Daniel. Birdie waxed poetically about how he was sort of the personification of sunshine, and I don't think she was exaggerating, because that was exactly the vibe I got from him. Daniel's charm and effervescent personality jumped off the page, and I know he wormed his way into my heart quite quickly. I couldn't understand how Birdie could resist him, because every time he was on-page, a stupid grin appeared across my face. But, Daniel wasn't just a pretty and fun face, he had some personal issues he needed to deal with as well, and I loved that he and Birdie were eventually able to support each other in this task.

Mona was another character who stole the show, in my opinion. She had a HUGE personality, and I loved reading about her crazy outfits. As one of the "daring dames", she played a very important role in Birdie's life as a connection to her mother, and Mona seemed to serve as a surrogate mother to her as well.

The romance was awkward and precious and I loved Daniel and Birdie together so much. I found the incorporation of the mystery as a little extra, which facilitated more time together for these two, and when all was revealed, I appreciated the way it fit into the overall story.

Never afraid to incorporate more weighty topics, Bennett peppered the story with quite a few, and per usual, she handled it with care and without letting the issues overwhelm the story.

Overall: Bennett's stories never fail to make me smile and laugh, and they always leave me in a buoyant state. I am happy to say, she's has done it again with Serious Moonlight. From Birdie and Daniel's meet-awkward to that final slice of pie, I was thrilled to get to know them and all their loved ones, as they worked toward their HEA.