Author Jeanette Escudero is new to women’s fiction readers. She has written romance novels under the pen name Sidney Halston. Her women’s fiction debut is nothing short of a stellar introduction into her style of storytelling. 

She writes funny, smart, career-oriented women who are relatable. They are not the virgin heroines that every man wants. They are not chasing after men to make their life complete. Even though there is a romance in The Apology Project, it still gives the female protagonist agency and not make her a typical woman in a romcom. 

It’s no wonder this was an Amazon First Reads pick for July. Amazon has been on a winning streak with recent successes such as: The Mixtape and Have We Met. Lake Union senior editor Chris Werner–who used to work at Montlake—perfecting romance novels for release, gave this story his attention, so you know readers are in good hands.

I read The Apology Project in one sitting. Here is my review: 

Forgive the cover and buy this romcom for the humor, romance, and real-life current events influences.

Amelia Montgomery quits her job, as a lawyer, after a disagreement with her boss over a case. This incident is a stretch of real-life behavior, especially since she has a good job and is almost forty, but it’s fiction, so we’ll go along. She is such a lawyer, she cross-examines everyone, even in casual everyday conversations. 

The romance is pleasantly the right level of spicy. Amelia has been career-obsessed ever since high school; it sounds like. After she quits the firm, and with encouragement, she decides to have some fun. All it takes is wine and a good-looking stranger, John Ellis to get her in enough trouble to hold your interest for the rest of the book. 

She treats her one-night stand like a mechanic who just restored an engine then fondled a Gucci bag without washing his hands first. John is the perfect gentleman. After following their romance, you’ll have sexlife fomo.

The Apology project Amelia embarks on reads like a 12-step program for cancel culture victims. She goes through a list of people from her past. Some go swimmingly, and others not so much. 

The ending is not at all what I expected, but in a good way. And sounds like there might be a sequel. This is a surprisingly fun and quick read. Not a single page bored me.

For more on this author, go to her website www.jeanetteescudero.comIf this review piques your interest, head over to Amazon to purchase the book right now on presale https://www.amazon.com/Apology-Project-Novel-Jeanette-Escudero-ebook/dp/B08TWV388T/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3ATIXMHQ54O6E&dchild=1&keywords=the+apology+project&qid=1625405491&sprefix=the+apology%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-2