Ronan Hession - Panenka

Ronan Hession - Panenka 

4⭐

Genre:  Irish Literature, Novella, Contemporary, Fiction, Literary Fiction

Pages: 164

Format: Paperback 

Publisher:  Bluemoose Books Ltd

Date Published: 2nd February 2022

 

Book Blurb: 

His name was Joseph, but for years they had called him Panenka, a name that was his sadness and his story. Panenka has spent 25 years living with the disastrous mistakes of his past, which have made him an exile in his home town and cost him his dearest relationships. Now aged 50, Panenka begins to rebuild an improvised family life with his estranged daughter and her seven year old son.

But at night, Panenka suffers crippling headaches that he calls his Iron Mask. Faced with losing everything, he meets Esther, a woman who has come to live in the town to escape her own disappointments. Together, they find resonance in each other’s experiences and learn new ways to let love into their broken lives.

My Review: 

Joseph misses a crucial penalty against a rival team that could have taken the team Seneca to the next level. The whole fan community is disappointed, as he had so much potential to be the best. The whole fan community also hates Joseph, as he missed a crucial chance for the team to progress. His career is over in a heartbeat, and everyone starts calling him Panenka. 25 years later, he is still holding the guilt of what he is done, he can’t let go of his past and his mistake. Panenka is now 50 and trying to reconcile with his daughter Marie-Therese, who he abandoned after his guilt took over 25 years ago, he is also battling an illness about which only a 40-year-old hairdresser and his only friend knows, all, whilst his team Seneca trying to come back to the top after 25 years in a low.

I was hoping this novel will be something special, as I had so many high hopes for it. However, it was quite boring and not as engaging as I thought it would be. Most of the story is about Panenka’s guilt and self-pity, and not much was explained about how his career ended and there wasn’t a lot on football. I was really expecting more of this story to revolve around football. For me, this book felt without an ending. It just ended without much resolution. What I did enjoy about this book was that it was very beautifully written and easy to read.

Overall: A very average book that I had so many high hopes for, but I was really let down. I did enjoy the writing of this book and its premise, but just not how it was executed. 

About the Author:

Rónán Hession, known as Mumblin' Deaf Ro, is an Irish blues musician and novelist. He lives in Dublin with his wife and two children and supports Watford Football Club. Hession has to date published two acclaimed novels: Leonard and Hungry Paul and Panenka. 

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/18776546.Ronan_Hession

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi - Before We Say Goodbye (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #4)

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism, Asian Literature, East Asian Literature, Japanese Literature, Short Stories, Book Series, Translated Books, Fantasy, Paranormal

Original Title: さよならも言えないうちに

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Geoffrey Trousselot 

Pages: 192

Format: Paperback Proof

Publisher: Picador 

Date Published: 14th September 2023

Huge thank you to Picador for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

The regulars at Café Funiculi Funicula are well acquainted with the whimsical ability it grants them to take a trip into the past—as well as the strict rules involved, including that each traveller must return to the present in the time it takes for their coffee to get cold. In Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s previous novels, patrons have been reunited with old flames, made amends with estranged family and visited loved ones. Now readers will once again be introduced to a new set of visitors.

The Husband with Something Important Left to Say

The Woman Who Couldn’t Bid Her Dog Farewell

The Woman Who Couldn’t Answer a Proposal

The Daughter Who Drove Her Father Away

In Last Chance to Say Goodbye, which is translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot and features signature heartwarming characters and wistful storytelling, Kawaguchi once again invites the reader to ask themselves: What would you change if you could travel back in time?

My Review: 

I adored Before the Coffee Gets Cold Series, as well as I love Japanese literature, and this book is no exception. It was so amazing to come back to the Funiculi Funicula café and reunite with the café’s owners, and its regulars, yet at the same time immerse myself in new stories about people who chose to travel back in time for various reasons.

In this book, there are four more stories of people who decided they want to travel back in time. We met a husband who wanted to tell something very important to his wife who is in a coma. We also met a woman who wanted to say goodbye to her dog but didn’t have a chance before. There was also a story about a girl who couldn’t say yes to her boyfriend’s proposal until it was too late and we learn about a daughter who regretted pushing her father away and wants to set wrongs to rights.

I didn’t think all the stories were as strong as in the first three books, but I particularly enjoyed the one about the girl wanting to meet her father and say what she actually felt before she pushed him away. It was such a great story that linked to a significant event from a recent Japanese history and was perfectly intertwined with the main point of the café – to say what you want to say but didn’t have a chance before it is too late.

Overall: I really enjoyed being back with the characters that I grew to love over the last three books and the stories themselves were unique, different to one another and very heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I just wish there were more than four stories in each of the books as I love the style of writing, the mystical realism and how well the main characters are developed throughout this book. Truly recommend! 

About the Author:

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed, and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from an 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize. Before the Coffee Gets Cold is his debut as an author. It has become an international bestseller and has been adapted for the screen in Japan.

https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/toshikazu-kawaguchi/28093

Elle Kennedy - Say Yes

 

4⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Novella, Short Story, Fiction, Contemporary Romance

Time: 1h 32mins 

Narrator:  Stella Bloom 

Format: Audio 

Publisher: Audible Studios 

Date Published: 9th November 2021

Book Blurb: 

Maid-of-honor Emilia is looking for some stress-busting fun the night before her best friend’s wedding. And what’s more fun than a no-strings hook-up? Good thing there’s an app for that, and she’s in luck—the sexy stud she swipes right on is more than happy to fulfill all her sexual needs. Her hot night with “Dirk” is everything she knew it would be.

But this morning?

He looks a hell of a lot like the groom.

My Review: 

My first ever Elle Kennedy book/novella and I actually really enjoyed listening to it. The plot twist in this got me and I didn’t expect it at all. It was a very entertaining story; I just wished it was longer. There were some hilarious and funny moments, as well as some smut (as expected).

The story follows Emilia who has been asked to be a maid of honour by her friend Marcey who she hasn’t seen in years. Emilia agrees, but just before the wedding rehearsal, she sleeps with a stranger. No strings attached one-night stand. However, the next morning Emilia sees him right beside Marcey, as he is the groom…

Overall: Very well paced, with quite a lot of smut, and at times super funny. I wish there was a dual POV but even without it, the book was rather fun. I just really wanted it to be longer so that the romance between Emilia and her one-night stand/groom was less instant-love. It definitely got me hooked from the very first chapter and I loved every minute of it. 

About the Author:

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle currently writes for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

http://ellekennedy.com/

Rin Usami - Idol, Burning

Rin Usami - Idol, Burning 

4⭐

Genre: Japanese Literature, Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction 

Original Title: 推し、燃ゆ [Oshi, Moyu]

Original Language: Japanese 

Translated by: Asa Yoneda 

Pages: 144

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Canongate 

Date Published: 20th July 2023

Huge thank you to Canongate for sending me a copy of this book to read and review.

Book Blurb: 

High-school student Akari has only one passion in her life: her oshi, her idol. His name is Masaki Ueno, best known as one-fifth of Japanese pop group Maza Maza. Akari's dedication to her oshi consumes her days completely - until he disgraces himself and Akari's world goes into a tailspin.

My Review: 

This book was on my wishlist for ages, and I am so glad I finally had a chance to read it. It is so beautifully written and although it is a very short book, it packed so much in such a short length. This book explores idol culture yet at the same time draws a lot on cancel culture that happens quite often with celebrities and touches on social media’s role in both, cancel and idol cultures. Additionally, it explores mental health, obsession and anxiety…

The story follows a 16-year-old Akari who is obsessed with one of the members of the J-Pop band Maza Maza. Masaki is her idol and she has been obsessed with him ever since she saw him in the movie Peter Pan. Akari even runs a blog, which is quite popular, discussing and fangirling over her idol Masaki. However, suddenly she finds out from news outlets that her idol punched a fan. With no more details than that and just speculations from fans and media, Akari goes into a deep obsession and depression over her favourite idol. That’s where bits of Akari’s potential neurodivergence and mental health issues are discussed. She alienates herself from her family and friends even more than she used to and immerses even more in obsessing over Masaki, whilst trying to figure out who he is and whether everything she knows about him is true.

In this book, the author also points out the very thin line between consumerism and production…Fans both produce celebrities and can end their career just as easily, but then at the same time are used as consumers to make those celebrities as powerful and as famous as they are. Additionally, it shows the reality of being a fan and idolising someone to the point it becomes your new reality.

What stood out for me the most in this book is that Akari is labelled as ‘abnormal’ by other people and this, together with the fact that she doesn’t get any help when it comes to learning provisions in school or emotional support from her family, drives her to search for that support elsewhere, leading her to this obsession and idolisation of a celebrity.

However, I wish there was more gone into the incident of Masaki punching a fan, maybe how it happened and why it happened, all that leading to him and then the band being cancelled. Also, it would have been interesting to see what exactly Akari is struggling with and why her family is not willing to help her with that.

Overall: Very thought-provoking and interesting short book. I enjoyed learning and reading about different, yet important topics in our modern society, such as idol and cancel cultures, fandom toxicity, obsession, consumerism, mental health, and social media’s role in all of it. Just wished this book was longer and explored all these topics even more in depth. 

About the Author:

Rin Usami (b. 1999) was born in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Usami began writing novels in high school. Her debut novel Kaka, published in 2019, received the Yukio Mishima Prize, making her the youngest recipient in the award’s history. In 2020, at the age of 21, Usami won the prestigious Akutagawa Prize for Idol, Burning. She lives in Tokyo. 

https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/rin-usami-20228291555826

Sayaka Murata - Convenience Store Woman

Sayaka Murata - Convenience Store Woman 

5 ⭐

Genre:  Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Japanese Literature, Asian Literature, Translated Fiction, East Asian Literature 

Translated by: Ginny Tapley Takemori 

Original Title: コンビニ人間  Konbini Ningen 

Original Language: Japanese 

Pages: 107

Format: Kindle (Digital) 

Publisher: Granta Books 

Date Published: 1st January 2018

Book Blurb: 

Meet Keiko.

Keiko is 36 years old. She's never had a boyfriend, and she's been working in the same supermarket for eighteen years.

Keiko's family wishes she'd get a proper job. Her friends wonder why she won't get married.

But Keiko knows what makes her happy, and she's not going to let anyone come between her and her convenience store...

My Review: 

I love Japanese Literature, so I don’t know why I waited so long to read Convenience Store Woman or any of Sayaka Murata’s books for that matter. It didn’t disappoint. Loved the storytelling, love the narrative, loved the story setting. It was just superb. My only negative thing was that this book was so short and I read it in one sitting in less than 45mins.

The story follows Keiko, who is 36 and for the last 18 years worked part-time in the same convenience store. She loves the routine, loves her job is happy with her life. However, her family and friends think that she needs to be ‘cured’ and that she needs a family, a husband and a kid. Keiko notices that both her family and friends act differently around her and usually look down on her because she is different and because she isn’t married. Keiko knows she is different and she happily embraces that in her work that she adores, even if it angers her family or friends.

I loved Keiko’s character. She is so bright, kind and lovely. She takes her work seriously, but she also knows that it's the only thing that makes her happy and the only thing that she can do without faking. She doesn’t want the so-called ‘normal life’, which is prescribed to her by her culture. She just wants to be herself, and that is working at a convenience store.

I also loved the social commentary in this book about expectations in societies and certain cultures, especially what is seen as a ‘normal life’ that everyone needs to strive for. For Keiko, her friends and family pressure her into thinking that she isn’t normal because she is 36 without a family of her own and works in a dead-end job. They also judge her and look down on her like she is less than them. However, none of them asks what makes her happy.

Overall: Amazing book! The writing and storytelling capture so much in such a short book. The book itself also explores deeper issues ingrained in our society, as well as in Japanese culture. It also looks at certain expectations that society has of women and people with disabilities. I will be reading more of Sayaka Murata’s books but also, but I will be re-reading Convenience Store Woman, too. 

About the Author: 

Sayaka Murata (in Japanese, 村田 沙耶香) is one of the most exciting up-and-coming writers in Japan today. She herself still works part time in a convenience store, which gave her the inspiration to write Convenience Store Woman (Konbini Ningen). She debuted in 2003 with Junyu (Breastfeeding), which won the Gunzo Prize for new writers. In 2009 she won the Noma Prize for New Writers with Gin iro no uta (Silver Song), and in 2013 the Mishima Yukio Prize for Shiro-oro no machi no, sono hone no taion no (Of Bones, of Body Heat, of Whitening City). Convenience Store Woman won the 2016 Akutagawa Award. Murata has two short stories published in English (both translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori): "Lover on the Breeze" (Ruptured Fiction(s) of the Earthquake, Waseda Bungaku, 2011) and "A Clean Marriage" (Granta 127: Japan, 2014). 

https://twitter.com/sayakamurata

Colleen Hoover -Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5)

Colleen Hoover -Finding Cinderella (Hopeless #2.5)

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, Novella, Short Story

Pages: 176

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK 

Date Published:  14th October 2013

 

Book Blurb: 

A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love has conditions: they agree it will last only one hour, and it will be only make-believe.

When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them seemed perfect only because they were pretending it was. Moments like that happen only in fairy tales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in love-at-first-sight is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Unfortunately for Daniel, finding true love doesn"t guarantee a happily ever after... it only further threatens it.

Will an unbearable secret from the past jeopardize Daniel and Six's only chance at saving each other?

My Review: 

Finding Cinderella is a short novella about the two side characters of the Hopeless series, Six and Daniel. Basically, this short story is their Cinderella-inspired love at first sight story.

The novella was very short, quick and easy to read. It was quite entertaining, especially as both Six and Daniel have a great sense of humour and some funny situations made me laugh out loud. For me, it was more of a comfort read in between other books.

Although, this is Hoover we are talking about, so even if it is a novella, still expect the unexpected. Yes, there is quite an interesting and surprising twist at the end of the novella. However, since I read All Your Perfects before reading the Hopeless series, I saw this twist coming, but if you haven’t read All Your Perfects before, you might be in for a shock.

This story gives us a depth glimpse into both Six and Daniel, as well as their new relationship and newfound love. It is their love story, with all the good bits, the bad, the secrets and the shocking revelations.

Overall: Very cosy, quick and easy novella. Full of laugh-out-loud moments, some secrets, humour, and some shocking revelations all wrapped up in Hoover’s brilliant writing. I truly recommend this little novella if you love instant love and romance, because it is like a true-life Cinderella story set in high school with a Princess and Prince Charming being two weird, funny and at times odd, yet lovable young adults. 

About the Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels and novellas. Hoover’s novels fall into the New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance categories, as well as psychological thrillers. 

Colleen Hoover is published by Montlake Romance, Grand Central Publishing and Atria Books. Colleen also has several indie titles, including Heart Bones.

In 2015, Colleen’s novel CONFESS won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. That was followed up in 2016 with her latest title, It Ends With Us, also winning the Choice Award for Best Romance. In 2017, her title WITHOUT MERIT won best romance.

Colleen founded The Bookworm Box, a charity subscription service and bookstore, with her family in 2015. The Bookworm Box is a subscription service that provides readers with an exciting opportunity to receive signed novels in the mail each month from authors all over the world. All profits from the subscription service are donated to various charities each month. To date, The Bookworm Box has donated over $1,000,000 to help those in need.

https://www.colleenhoover.com/about-coho/

Colleen Hoover - Finding Perfect (Hopeless #2.6)

Colleen Hoover - Finding Perfect (Hopeless #2.6)

5⭐

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, Novella, Short Story

Pages: 128

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK 

Date Published:  30th November 2019

 

Book Blurb: 

Finding Perfect is a novella that brings back some of Colleen’s most beloved characters. Told from the point of view of Daniel from Finding Cinderella, readers will finally get the conclusion they’ve been hoping for.

For the best reading experience, make sure you’ve read all four books that come together to make up this heartwarming story: Hopeless, Losing Hope, Finding Cinderella, and All Your Perfects.

My Review: 

Super short yet super cute and feel-good novella mainly about Daniel and Six, but features all the other characters from Hopeless and All Your Perfects. This novella for me seemed like a perfect way to summarise the series and link it all to All Your Perfects.

This short story is from Daniel’s POV and follows him and Six during their first Thanksgiving and Christmas after starting college. After spending Thanksgiving with Sky and Holder at home, Daniel and Six take a trip to meet someone they both wanted to meet for months, and alongside that, they meet Graham and Quinn, which are the two main characters in All Your Perfects.

Without spoiling the story, I just loved how Daniel’s and Six’s story was so beautifully connected to Graham’s and Quinn’s and how they are now wholesomely in each other’s lives. Also, we finally learn the connection between the Hopeless series and All Your Perfects, which in my mind was one of the most amazing connections ever, that made both stories just so heart-warming and adorable.

I also loved the writing, as even though the novella itself is super short, the number of things and information that was given to us in this story allowed readers to gain so much more depth from all the beloved characters throughout the series. It also talked about important subjects, had so many heart-warming and heart-breaking moments, etc. Honestly, I don’t know how someone can pack so much in such a short novella, but Hoover managed to do it beautifully.

Overall: Loved this short novella so much. I just wished it was longer! As I needed much more of both, Six and Daniel. I loved how this book and the Hopeless series tied up into All Your Perfects too. Honestly, such a cosy, beautiful and heart-warming novella and end to a series. Brilliant!

 

About the Author:

Colleen Hoover is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels and novellas. Hoover’s novels fall into the New Adult and Young Adult contemporary romance categories, as well as psychological thrillers. 

Colleen Hoover is published by Montlake Romance, Grand Central Publishing and Atria Books. Colleen also has several indie titles, including Heart Bones.

In 2015, Colleen’s novel CONFESS won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. That was followed up in 2016 with her latest title, It Ends With Us, also winning the Choice Award for Best Romance. In 2017, her title WITHOUT MERIT won best romance.

Colleen founded The Bookworm Box, a charity subscription service and bookstore, with her family in 2015. The Bookworm Box is a subscription service that provides readers with an exciting opportunity to receive signed novels in the mail each month from authors all over the world. All profits from the subscription service are donated to various charities each month. To date, The Bookworm Box has donated over $1,000,000 to help those in need.

https://www.colleenhoover.com/about-coho/

Muriel Barbery - A Single Rose

Muriel Barbery - A Single Rose 

4⭐

Genre: Fiction, Mystical Realism,  Translated Books, Contemporary Fiction, French Literature, Novella  

Original Title: Une Rose Seule

Original Language: French 

Translated by: Alison Anderson 

Pages: 144

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Gallic Books 

Date Published: 19th January 2023

 

      Thank you to Gallic Books for sending me a copy of this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

From the best-selling author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog comes a story about a woman's journey to discover the father she never knew and a love she never thought possible.

Rose has just turned forty when she gets a call from a lawyer asking her to come to Kyoto for the reading of her estranged father's will. And so for the first time in her life, she finds herself in Japan, where Paul, her father's assistant, is waiting to greet her.

As Paul guides Rose along a mysterious itinerary designed by her deceased father, her bitterness and anger are soothed by the stones and the trees in the Zen gardens they move through. During their walks, Rose encounters acquaintances of her father--including a potter and poet, an old lady friend, his housekeeper and chauffeur--whose interactions help her to slowly begin to accept a part of herself that she has never before acknowledged.

As the reading of the will gets closer, Rose's father finally, posthumously, opens his heart to his daughter, offering her a poignant understanding of his love and a way to accept all she has lost.

My Review: 

This story perfectly mixes mystical realism and ancient Japanese culture with the feelings and emotions of someone who is going through grief and their healing process. I love Japanese mystical realism and their culture to believe in ghosts, spirits and the afterlife. I also adored how the author sets every scene, whilst transporting the reader straight into the set. The descriptions of zen gardens, temples, streets, restaurants and nature made me feel like I am in Kyoto there with Rose experiencing what she is experiencing. Such superb writing!

This book follows Rose who travels to Kyoto, Japan for her late fathers will reading. In France, she was a lost soul, with no family, no purpose in life, no kids and no family that left…Rose feels like all she is here for is pain and loneliness…However, whilst in Kyoto, before her father’s will is read, her father actually left her a letter and asked his assistant Paul to show Rose around Kyoto, visiting the places that were significant in Rose’s father’s life. In this way, Rose’s father hoped that Rose will get to know him more and make up for the lost time and the fact that she never met him when he was alive. Paul takes Rose on different adventures around Kyoto and all the places her father wanted her to visit, whilst Rose slowly starts to find herself. She also starts reflecting on her life, and her purpose and slowly understands her connection to her father and Japan.

Although the book is very short (novella length) it felt like a full-sized book, as there was so much packed into every page. So many feelings, descriptions, scenery, and culture packed into this story.  I loved that this book was about a character who is trying to find themselves, whilst also going through grief and loss. Personally, I could relate to this book so much. However, this book is not only a journey of self-discovery, acceptance and love, it is also a story of finding a place to belong, finding your soulmate and discovering a new culture and traditions, all mixed with a bit of Japanese mystical realism.

Overall: Excellent short book for escapism, that tells a story about self-discovery, love, belonging, grief and loss, whilst also exploring Japanese culture and traditions with a bit of mystical realism. Beautiful writing and scene setting, with loads of descriptions of flowers and a sprinkle of Japanese folk stories. 

About the Author:

Muriel Barbery is the author of four previous novels, including the IMPAC-shortlisted multimillion-copy bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog.

She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam and Paris and now lives in the French countryside.

https://belgraviabooks.com/writer/muriel-barbery?i=1

Ali Hazelwood - Below Zero

 

Ali Hazelwood - Below Zero  

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance,Romance, Fiction,STEM,Academia, Novella

Pages: 139

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Sphere

Date Published: 3rd January 2023

Book Blurb: 

It will take the frosty terrain of the Arctic to show these rival scientists that their chemistry burns hot.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Hannah’s got a bad feeling about this. Not only has the NASA aerospace engineer found herself injured and stranded at a remote Arctic research station—but the one person willing to undertake the hazardous rescue mission is her longtime rival.

Ian has been many things to Hannah: the villain who tried to veto her expedition and ruin her career, the man who stars in her most deliciously lurid dreams…but he’s never played the hero. So why is he risking everything to be here? And why does his presence seem just as dangerous to her heart as the coming snowstorm?

My Review: 

I have to say that Below Zero was my favourite STEMinist novella by Ali Hazelwood. I really loved both Hannah and Ian, but especially Hannah, as she is so authentic and nerdy, yet true to herself. I just really wished this novella was longer, as I needed more of Ian and Hannah.

The novella follows Hannah who is a NASA aerospace engineer currently working in a very cold and remote part of Norway in a research station, conducting her ground-breaking research. Unfortunately, she gets herself injured and is unable to get back to safety, however, the person she least expects comes and rescues her. That person is no other than her long-time rival and arch nemesis Ian. However, being stranded in the cold and brutal wilderness, Hannah thinks about the past and Ian, especially the reasons why their rivalry started in the first place. Are being below zero will make Hannah’s heart colder or being faced with a life-threatening challenge will make her heart finally melt for Ian?

I loved how many character development Hazelwood put in this short story. It was amazing to see Hannah grow as a character between her memories and being stuck in a remote part of Norway. She is so likeable, authentic and cool. Loved her so much! It was really interesting to see the instant connection and the shared interests between them both, which is why their attraction and romance were so believable.

Overall: Fluffy, cute and brilliantly written novella. I loved the flashback scenes and how each added to the story, as well as covered all the blanks and helped to piece the story altogether. It just worked so well.  I actually wish this was a full-length book as I need more of Hannah and Ian since they are amazingly developed and interesting characters. 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood - Stuck With You

Ali Hazelwood - Stuck With You   

3.5⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Fiction, STEM, Academia, Novella

Pages: 127

Format: Paperback 

Publisher: Sphere 

Date Published: 3rd January 2023 

Book Blurb: 

Nothing like a little rivalry between scientists to take love to the next level.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn…

Logically, Sadie knows that civil engineers are supposed to build bridges. However, as a woman of STEM she also understands that variables can change, and when you are stuck for hours in a tiny New York elevator with the man who broke your heart, you earn the right to burn that brawny, blond bridge to the ground. Erik can apologize all he wants, but to quote her rebel leader—she’d just as soon kiss a Wookiee.

Not even the most sophisticated of Sadie’s superstitious rituals could have predicted such a disastrous reunion. But while she refuses to acknowledge the siren call of Erik’s steely forearms or the way his voice softens when he offers her his sweater, Sadie can’t help but wonder if there might be more layers to her cold-hearted nemesis than meet the eye. Maybe, possibly, even burned bridges can still be crossed….

My Review: 

Stuck With You was definitely my least favourite of Ali Hazelwood's novellas. Firstly, there was no chemistry between Erik and Sadie nowhere in this story. Secondly, the instant love just seemed super unrealistic, especially the way they met. Very disappointing, especially as I heard so many good things about this one on Bookstagram.

This novella follows Sadie who is a civil engineer for a small company and who is very superstitious. Due to this superstition of hers, she meets a gorgeous Erik and she straight away is smitten by him. Erik seems to like her too. 24 hours and one spicy fling later, Sadie suddenly hates Erik. Why might you ask? Well…all of the details are revealed when both of them get stuck in an elevator and have to face each other once and for all…

I think if this wasn’t a novella but a full-length book, I think I would have liked it more. In this format, I didn’t get the whole instant love and then instant hate idea. Also, the story itself felt a bit unrealistic to me. Also, Erik’s character was very underdeveloped and oh don’t get me started on them talking about football. That just ruined the story for me. I liked Sadie but there wasn’t much of her true character or personality there, and at times she just felt a tad childish. I really felt that the trope took the front and the characters with their personalities took the back seat in this novella.

However, unlike in Under One Roof, at least the smutty scene here kept me interested, since the story and characters didn’t. Also, I was glad it wasn’t a long story, as I couldn’t face more of Erik and more of their silly miscommunication/ hate, which was sorted within an hour whilst stuck in the elevator…

Overall: Very disappointing story, with very underdeveloped characters and a miscommunication trope, which had so much potential but felt very short. I think this would have worked in a longer story but not in a novella format. 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood - Under One Roof

 

Ali Hazelwood - Under One Roof    

4⭐

Genre: Contemporary Romance,Romance, Fiction,STEM,Academia, Novella

Pages: 112

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Sphere 

Date Published: 3rd January 2023

Book Blurb: 

A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis – it leads to combustion.

Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn….

As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.

The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.

My Review: 

Although it doesn’t compare to how amazing were The Love Hypothesis and Love On the Brain, it was still a very cute, fun and feel-good novella. Excellent pallet cleanser in between heavier books.

The novella follows an environmental engineer Mara, who after graduation moves to DC to start her graduate position. However, she has a big problem, and that problem is living with Liam, who she hates from the minute their meet each other. Why is she cohabiting with him? Well, her PhD mentor left half of her house to Mara and half to her nephew Liam. Mara also can’t afford to leave…Plus she loves the place…Well, apart from Liam. However, as much as she hates him, she also starts getting to know him and that might turn her whole world upside down….

I liked the fact that it wasn’t instant love between Liam and Mara, and there was a bit of a slow burn (as much of a slow burn as you can have in a novella). However, I think the issue with novellas is that you can’t get to know the characters that in-depth, which for me affects how much I like and care about the story. I need to be invested in the characters to enjoy actually reading the story. As far as the novella’s length both Liam and Mara were very likeable characters, even though I wished I got to know them better. Also, I felt that there were so many things that both characters talked about that could have been explored in more depth and would have added to the plot of the story. This is especially if the smutty scene, which in my opinion was just awkward and unnecessary, was removed.

Overall: Likeable characters, feel-good story with hints of enemies to lovers and proximity tropes. Definitely a great pallet cleanser. I wished it was a bit longer and gave more actual romance between the two characters, not just a few scenes and a smutty chapter, especially after a quite slow start. Still, however, an enjoyable read if you want something easy and quick to read.

 

About the Author:

Ali Hazelwood is the pseudonym for an Italian neuroscientist and writer of romance novels. Her main characters are women in a variety of different STEM fields and in academia. Her debut novel, The Love Hypothesis, was a New York Times best seller. In 2022 she has published three novellas: Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero. Her second novel Love on the Brain was published on August 23, 2022.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21098177.Ali_Hazelwood