Jane Costello (1)

Lisa is immediately relatable - juggling work, children, and the challenges of perimenopause. She’s fully developed character - not just a shell of a person in a romance story.

Zach is likable and believable as the love interest. This isn’t a case of instant love. As adults with complicated lives, the obstacles to their relationship are real and they handle them intelligently.

The side characters are also well developed - her clueless ex-husband, annoying teenager, quirky kid, and best show more friend going through breast cancer, all add to the story.

If I have any criticism, it’s that the ending wraps up a little too quickly and neatly, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book at all. show less

This book should have been titled “A Day in the Life of EVERY MIDDLE-AGED MOTHER EVER!” It resonates with so many important women in my life. From venting sessions on Zoom with my cousin, a 44-year-old perimenopausal mother of two boys (ages 11 and 15), to text messages from my best friend, who is navigating the challenges of being a single mother working full-time, managing the delightful attitude of her “12 going on 20” son, and – being the habitual people-pleaser that she is – show more just doesn’t know how to say no and somehow always ends up volunteered for everything under the sun. I plan to buy this book for both of them as a “just because” gift.

While the younger crowd may enjoy a glimpse of what lies ahead, this book is definitely written as a warrior cry for women in their mid-forties and older – women whose bodies seem to have a mind of their own, whose kids are making them buy hair dye in bulk to hide the gray, and who just need a quick reminder that they are not alone in the insanity of their everyday lives.

With barely a minute to breathe – and that’s being generous – Lisa Darling is doing her best to handle it all, especially when her HRT kicks in! Planning PTA events? Check. Killing it at work? Check. Playing chauffeur, math tutor, seamstress, chef, and housekeeper to her two boys while maintaining a somewhat civil relationship with her ex-husband? Check and a high five. There seems to be nothing Lisa can’t do these days – except keep her focus around Zack Russo. Temporarily stepping in while her co-worker and best friend completes her radiation therapy for breast cancer, Zack quickly becomes both a thorn in Lisa’s side and the star of her late-night fantasies. Determined to blame it on perimenopause, Lisa just needs to survive the next six months; then Rose will be back, and Zack can return to LA. So what if he seems just as drawn to her as she is to him? Two ex-husbands are enough to prove that her judgment (and her whacked-out hormones) when it comes to men should not be trusted!

What I enjoyed most about this book is that Jane Costello doesn’t beat around the bush. If she hints at something that has a deeper story or more to it, you don’t have to wait until the end of the book for a big reveal. She tells you fairly quickly what happened. In fact, it is absolutely amazing how much she reveals in the first quarter of the book. It’s refreshing because it feels more real and natural for the character rather than forcing a dramatic, highly anticipated reveal later down the line. This approach allows the reader to settle into the book, reading as if we are listening to a girlfriend while hanging out – giving her the space to just be, vent, and breathe without judgment.

As I said before, this book is essentially a diary detailing the day-to-day life of Lisa Darling. We see her at work, interacting with colleagues and tackling projects and presentations. We are with her when she spends time with her friends, supporting Rose her best friend – through her treatments. We see how she navigates her relationship with her ex-husband, copes with co-parenting, and struggles as a single mother. On the outside, she is determined to be everything to everyone, but her to-do list just keeps getting longer and longer. Her free time is consumed by tasks she has postponed, leaving her no time to simply exist outside of her roles, to be selfish, or to just relax. We witness what women in her situation have mastered hiding: the self-doubt, the need for reassurance, and the judgment – whether self-imposed or delegated by others.

I loved that the story wasn’t depressing or sad. It didn’t bring you down or make you feel sorry for Lisa. If anything, you walk away feeling empowered, as the book pulls back the mask of someone you admire and says, “See, she is struggling just like you – don’t let the smile fool you. You’ve got this!” I already appreciated my mother, but looking back, I don’t know how she did it all!

The book was steamy, but just barely. There were sultry moments between Zach and Lisa, but the word choice and brief, workaround descriptions kept them from being truly spicy. Consider it open-door, but with a very heavy filter – you get the gist of what is happening in the scene, but none of the in-depth details. It’s perfect for someone who prefers closed-door romances or little to no spice in their books. Don’t get me wrong, the moments they kissed were out of this world! I always appreciate an author who can make a simple connection feel explosive.

I also enjoyed the play on words in the title, as you quickly learn that perimenopause isn’t the only thing making her hot under the collar. The struggle she has fighting her attraction is absolutely hilarious, and the running dialogue in her head kept me giggling.

I applaud Jane for writing a character who is sincere, vulnerable, real, and relatable. Whether it’s the never-ending to-do list, the obligations pulling her in multiple directions, decisions driven by fear, or hesitations rooted in self-doubt, a woman of any age can look at Lisa Darling and see herself – either where she was, where she is, or where she may one day be. I had already guessed how the book was going to end, but I still enjoyed it all the way to the very last page. If I were to take away anything from Jane’s book, it would be this: show yourself some grace and don’t be afraid to put yourself first. You can still be there for others, but if you give every little piece of yourself away, there will eventually be nothing left – then what? Trust yourself and your capabilities. You are doing the best you can, and no one can ask more of you than that. show less

Abby Rogers is on a health kick. She’s been on them before but never really taken them seriously and they’ve never lasted very long. But when she meets Oliver (Doctor Dishy) who is a member of the local running club along with her best friend, she is suddenly motivated to take up running.

I listened to this book while out running, so the subject was highly appropriate! A large part of the storyline is Abby’s decision to run a half marathon – motivated by a far more serious reason than show more just her obsession with Doctor Dishy – and her efforts to get in shape for it. However, there is a lot more going on too – her web design business with her kooky employees, her friendship with best pal Jess and her initial grudging friendship with fellow runner Tom, who she meets after accidentally driving her car into him and his motorbike at the start of the story!

It’s chick-lit, which is a very hit-and-miss genre for me. And true, it’s completely and utterly predictable – I knew exactly who would end up with who, and the ‘twists’ in the story were signposted ages beforehand, but nonetheless the story is told with so much wit and good humour that I could forgive all of that and just enjoy the ride.

A few words of praise for the narrator Emma Gregory too – I truly believe that some books are better to read, and some are better to listen to. Gregory’s narration made this fall into the latter category for me – she was superb, capturing the funny moments and the more poignant moments perfectly.

Overall, a great listen, and I would definitely consider listening to more audiobooks by Jane Costello – particularly if narrated by Emma Gregory. show less

My sincere thanks to Zibby Publishing and Library Thing Early Reviewers for giving me the opportunity to read It's Getting Hot in Here by Jane Costello. I give my unbiased opinion of it in the following reveiw.

It's Getting Hot in Here follows Lisa Darling who is a TV executive. She is dealing with a lot. She is raising two boys, one of whom is in his terrible teens, and her ex is not a lot of help. She is going through perimenopause. Her good friend is going through cancer treatments and has show more been replaced at work with an up-and-coming guy from the US. She should hate Zach, right? He is a threat, right? He is also handsome, funny, and good at his job. He is also going back to the US, so getting too familiar with him could be a problem.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It is nice to read a romantic story about older characters. In this book, both Lisa and Zach are in their forties. Both are successful but still have hurdles to get over. As the cover suggests, there is a bit of humor thrown in the mix that I really enjoyed. I thought Lisa's character was very realistic. Her struggle with not wanting to enter into another relationship that could fail made real sense. I could also feel her pain in trying to do her best as a mom. That struggle was real. The romance advanced in a way that made sense with a satisfying conclusion. I encourage lovers of rom coms to give this one a read. show less