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Romance
Latest Book Reviews
4
This debut novel is funny, flirty, and loaded with so many Cambridge references that you will wish you could study across the pond. READ VIA: Thank you, Zando and Slowburn, for the advanced readers’ e-copy. ABOUT: George (himbo, former underwear model and current Cambridge stroke seat) has spent the last three years barely paying attention to his classes. Lucus, the coxswain and top of his class, has spent his time thinking he is not attractive or well-bred enough to fit in at school. When they suddenly need each other to achieve their goals, tensions, desires, and an unlikely but remarkable alliance ensue. MY THOUGHTS: This is the lighthearted, fun, sporty college romance I didn’t know I needed. I loved that sports felt like a genuine part of the story here. Equal parts relationship lessons, academic pressures, racing scenes, and Cambridge traditions make this book such an entertaining debut. The humor is dry and British. The pining is mutual, and the burn is (mostly) slow. I felt this all worked well. I appreciated that both characters had internal obstacles they needed to overcome. Additionally, I was invested in both the rowing and their connection, which is a must for me with sports romance. I relished the way George’s (bi?) sexuality was just accepted by Lucus and even by George himself. The one thing I would say is that romance felt secondary to the plot and <spoiler>they are involved with other people (not a big deal for me in this case)</spoiler>. I loved their growth, so this worked for me, but their time in a relationship felt limited. That said, they spend a significant amount of time together on the page. Overall, I was very impressed with this debut and look forward to whatever Zac writes next. SIMILAR BOOKS: If you enjoy Chip Pons’ level of antics and Julian Winter’s comedy, this one will be a hit. SHOULD YOU READ: If you seek a gay sports romance with low angst, on page races, and college-age characters who feel age appropriate, this will surely be a hit!
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
4
READ VIA:
Spotify audio
ABOUT:
Nolan, one of the ghosts of Christmas past, finds himself assigned to haunt Harriet. A bubbly, eclectic Christmas lover. As they dig into her past and her complex relationship with her family, they find themselves drawn towards each other and on a strict timeline to untangle their pasts before Christmas Eve. While both struggle to understand their connection, it is clear they both hope for more than the month of December together.
MY THOUGHTS:
I really enjoyed this one and loved the mix of warmth, spice, and character journeys. Borison manages to create a ghost who yearns delicously and I loved seeing Harriet also try to reason out her feelings.
In particular, I enjoyed Harriet’s reckoning with her family. I loved that Nolan helped give her the confidence to ask for what she wanted, and that was just charming as heck.
This was steamy, but like in a spiked cider on a cold day type of way, and I loved the way they cared for each other.
There were little elements of magic throughout the book that made the charm feel elevated and brought about just a hint of paranormal vibe I really enjoyed.
If I have one gripe, this did not feel particularly Christmasy to me, like other than some mistletoe, this could have been set at any time of year, not a bad thing, but just unexpected.
AUDIO:
Karissa Vacker & Will Watt are delightful. His accent and her range complement each other, and this book is a true delight for the years!
SIMILAR VIBE:
A bit of Spirited (with Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell) with B.K. Borison’s signature charm and heat à la First Time Caller
SHOULD YOU READ:
If you want a little paranormal Christmas vibe with a little bit of spice!
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
4.5
READ VIA: Libby for audio and ebook ABOUT: Leigh Simon, a people-pleaser and chronic self-doubter, finds herself at Perrin University’s MFA program. Suddenly, she is reunited with her high school crush turned nemesis, Will Langford. Through their writing, they begin to explore a thread of longing that might still connect them. MY THOUGHTS: Through some of the most unique, descriptive writing I have read, Naymon brings about a stunning, engrossing debut novel. Like her characters, Katie Naymon has an MFA in poetry, and her inclusion of poems and the way her prose flows were captivating. I was particularly taken by how intimate her sensual scenes were without being graphic. Leigh is such a layered character. The book is entirely through her point of view. Leigh struggles to open up to others, to be confident in her body and her writing, and at times, I found it difficult to be in her head. However, I appreciated how Naymon crafted Leigh. Leigh was in therapy, yet still, she was not “better. ” This felt like such a true description of how self-growth is often non-linear. Oh, and Will. I loved that we got to know him Through his poems. As a reader, I could feel his longing for Leigh, and I came to understand him through his interactions with Leigh. I relished the other MFA students. I felt their interactions with Leigh and Will helped move the plot along. Overall, I was floored by how beautiful and flowing the writing is, and I would recommend this book for that alone. AUDIO: Sara Beth Goer knocked this out of the park. The performance has high emotions, tender self-reflective moments, and a timbre that distinguishes each character. SIMILAR BOOKS: If you liked the style of How to End a Love Story (high school acquaintances, forced proximity, group of supportive characters, and MCs who need to move past self-doubt), this one would also be a hit. SHOULD YOU READ: An exquisite sexy debut with incredible prose and lots of self reflection, I highly recommend.
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
3.5
RED CARD by Maren Moore READ VIA: Thank you Forever, and Hachette Audio, for the advanced listening and e-copies. ABOUT: Following a mysterious departure from London, Cillian finds himself as the unwelcome midseason walk-on to Prescott University’s rugby team, when the coach’s daughter requests flirting lessons from him in exchange for assisting him with team bonding, desire blooms, and lots of extracurricular activities occur. MY THOUGHTS: I want to preface that I don’t feel I was the target audience for this book, and unfortunately, I just felt old reading it. While many of the situations they were put in were typical of an everyday college kid, I found I didn’t want to reminisce about my college days while reading this one. That said, this is a lighthearted, fun read. You could easily binge this book in one day. I know my college self would have loved it! What I enjoyed about this book was the recurrent theme of the importance of consent and the emphasis on female satisfaction. This was a bit of a slow burn, but once things happened, there was significant on-page spice. I felt the book was a little light on the plot. Most of the story revolved around the characters wanting to bang each other, not so much on the external conflicts. I did appreciate that Cillian had to work through feeling responsible for his sister. I wish Rory had developed more, as she fell a little flat. While this is a sports romance, it was relatively light on the sports, and most of the sports-related talk related to team bonding. AUDIO: I felt the narration here was well done. Both Matt Sykes & Stella Hunter did a good job of bringing their characters to life. I think a large appeal of the audiobook is going to be the British accent of Matt, it is hot! I enjoyed that the text messages were done in duet while the remainder of the book was done in a dual narration format. I was able to listen to the book at approximately 1.7 to 1.9 speed without any difficulty. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and the way the couple came together in the end. SIMILAR BOOKS: I have not read many sports romance or many new adult books, but this felt like the sweetness of Sarah Adams, with the spice level of Fan Girl Down by Tessa Bailey. SHOULD YOU READ I think if you are a lover of lighthearted sports romances that are heavy on the spice, this one will work well for you. I think this would be a hit with college-age and young 20s readers
Young Adult
Latest Book Reviews
4.5
READ VIA:
E-arc compliments of @harpercollinschin and Heartdrum
ABOUT:
A YA native anthology of poems and short stories all celebrating the wisdom of elders, the value of community, first loves, and managing heartbreak.
MY THOUGHTS:
This was a beautiful collection of Native voices representing many different tribes.
Each chapter is a vignette with magical realism, comfort, food, and teenage emotions. Despite their short length, each story felt complete and added value to the collection.
While I’m excited for young Native readers to see themselves represented in a book, I think this will also be indispensable for those seeking to learn more about Indigenous perspectives. I found myself taking the time to look up the innumerable authors, foods, tribes, and languages while I was reading.
The interconnected thread through the stories was how the characters experience the magic of Sandy Jones’s legendary drive-in. Somehow each rez brought thejnto then same place. Here, they found wisdom, connected with their first love, performed with their band, began to mourn their lost grandparent, and learned traditional recipes.
Seeing how each author took this thread and made it unique for their own story was fascinating. I have to admit, I am not sure I’ve ever read an anthology, but I felt this one flowed well between each story. The editing by Smith helps bring the magic of this drive-in to life.
AUDIO:
I sampled the audio on Spotify; it was an impressive full-cast performance. The book would be great either way!
SIMILAR BOOKS:
Nothing like this exists, which is part of what makes it so incredibly special.
SHOULD YOU READ
This is the perfect read for YA lovers and those seeking new (and old) Native voices. It would especially make an ideal addition to classroom libraries.
Romance
Latest Book Reviews
5
Well, actually, this book was a total freaking delight. Told entirely from Eva’s point of view, Well Actually is a sexy, hilarious, banter-filled story with charming main characters with excellent growth arcs. Also second chance! READ VIA: Thank you Macmillian Audio for the advanced copABOUT: Eva unintentionally goes viral when she makes a video about her college ex. Her boss wants to exploit the online frenzy, and Eva panics at the thought of seeing him again. Unfortunately, he’s even better looking and significantly more charming than she remembers. While she fights her growing attraction to her ex, she also must deal with the sense of abandonment and heartache that the break-up left her with.MY THOUGHTS: This is my first Mazey Endings book, and it definitely will not be my last. The banter and sniping between these two are hilarious and truly deliver such delicious tension. When the things happen, they are detailed, hot, and definitely worth the wait.In this book, the central conflict brings them closer together rather than apart, as Riley drives her to be a better communicator and open up her sheltered heart.There is so much to love here, but I particularly enjoyed the representation of bisexual and trans individuals, the open communication during intimacy, and the normalization of therapy.Did I mention this book is so freaking hot because it is? This one is not to be missed, especially if you like spicy books with strong communication.AUDIO: The audiobook performance by Ariela Crow is outstanding. Not only does she perfectly capture Eva’s snippy remarks and biting temper, but she also brings Riley’s wit to life. I always appreciate when a single narrator easily distinguishes each character, and here Crow particularly shines. At 11.5 hours, the audiobook is easily devoured, and I listened between 1.5 and 1.7 without incidents.SIMILAR BOOKS: I think readers who enjoyed First Time Caller and Love and Other Conspiracies will also enjoy this one.SHOULD YOU READ: I AM BEGGING YA’LL don’t skip this one