Taylor Jenkins Reid - Evidence of the Afair

 

Taylor Jenkins Reid- Evidence of the Affair 

4⭐

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Short Story, Contemporary

Format: E-Book

Publisher:  Amazon Original Stories

Date Published: 20th September 2018

 

Book Blurb: 

The repercussions of an illicit affair unfold in this short story by bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Dear stranger…

A desperate young woman in Southern California sits down to write a letter to a man she’s never met—a choice that will forever change both their lives.

My heart goes out to you, David. Even though I do not know you…

The correspondence between Carrie Allsop and David Mayer reveals, piece by piece, the painful details of a devastating affair between their spouses. With each commiserating scratch of the pen, they confess their fears and bare their souls. They share the bewilderment over how things went so wrong and come to wonder where to go from here.

Told entirely through the letters of two comforting strangers and those of two illicit lovers, Evidence of the Affair explores the complex nature of the heart. And ultimately, for one woman, how liberating it can be when it’s broken.

My Review: 

I was reading my way through the TJR back catalogue and found that she wrote a short story called Evidence of the Affair. Honestly, I didn’t think I would enjoy this as much as I did, as I am not a fan of short stories. Yet this story was unique, captivating and explored so much in so few pages.

The story follows a woman in Southern California who finds out that her husband is cheating on her. She decides to send a letter to a woman’s husband and tell him about the affair that his wife and her husband are having. That’s how we see Carrie Allsop’s and David Mayer’s friendship and story developing, through letters that they send each other…

I love the premise and idea of this book and the fact that it's all in letter format. However, through those letters, we learn so much about both Carrie and David, as well as their marriages, the affair that their spouses are having and their growing friendship in a time of betrayal. This short story packs so much in so few pages and explores love, grief, betrayal, relationships, friendships, and loyalty. The only thing I didn’t like about this story is the mention of Mick Riva…Other than that this story is great!

Overall: Short, sweet story that explores so much in less than 100 pages. Recommend if you are a fan of TJR, but we are aware that this story will leave you wanting more. It did that to me! 

About the Author:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is the New York Times bestselling author of Carrie Soto Is Back, Malibu Rising, Daisy Jones & The Six, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, as well as four other novels. She lives in Los Angeles.

https://taylorjenkinsreid.com/

Livia Blackburne - Clementine and Danny Save The World

 

Livia Blackburne - Clementine and Danny Save The World 

4⭐

Genre: YA, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance 

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Harper360YA

Date Published: 18th July 2023

Huge thank you to Harper360YA for sending me a copy of this book. 

 

Book Blurb: 

You’ve Got Mail gets a YA twist in this rom-com that spotlights the power of activism and community organizing in the face of gentrification.

Clementine Chan believes in the power of the written word. Under the pseudonym Hibiscus, she runs a popular blog reviewing tea shops and discussing larger issues within her Chinatown community. She has a loyal, kind following, save for this one sour grape named BobaBoy888.

Danny Mok is allergic to change, and the gentrification seeping into Chinatown breaks his heart. He channels his frustration into his internet alter ego, BobaBoy888, bickering with local blogger Hibiscus over all things Chinatown and tea.

When a major corporation reveals plans that threaten to shut down the Mok’s beloved tea shop, Clementine and Danny find themselves working together in real life to save this community they both love. But as they fall hard for this cause—and each other—they have no clue that their online personas have been fighting for years.

When the truth comes to light, can Danny and Clementine still find their happily-ever-after?

My Review: 

Although it took me a while to get into this book, it was so good and cute. It had such a great set of multidimensional characters, and excellent plotlines, as well as discussed so many important issues, such as activism, minority groups, gentrification, class, identity and community, to name a few. It is a YA book, but has so much depth and even some romance (enemies-to-lovers, which is my favourite). Honestly, super glad I read this book!

The story follows Clementine and Danny, who both are enemies on the internet but become friends in real life. Clementine doesn’t know that Danny is the person who keeps commenting negative things on her blog and Danny doesn’t know that the girl who runs a blog that he despises is Clementine. The Chinatown they live in is threatened by gentrification and by big corporations moving in and buying all the smaller businesses to open a big shopping complex. Because of this both Clementine and Danny become friends, and they start community movements against gentrification and to save their favourite place in the world. During that time, they also slowly fall in love with each other and learn a lot about themselves…Will the effort that they put into saving their community and building their friendship be ruined by the truth about Clementine and Danny’s alter egos online?

I loved how raw and realistic this book is, it delves deep into the experiences of two Chinese-American teenagers, their culture, upbringing, opinions, thoughts and community spirit. They both have different reasons why they want to save their community but despite those differences, they ignite a very strong friendship and start amazing movement for a positive change. Both Clementine and Danny grew up so much during this book, even though from the very beginning they were so well fleshed out. I was rooting for them both, in their romance and their activism. I also adored how this book shows that teens can make a change and that their voices can be heard, especially if they are from minority groups. I feel that more of these themes and conversations need to happen in YA books. I loved the romance too, and enjoyed that it didn’t take the main stage but was perfectly intertwined with the main storyline and message of this story.

Overall: Amazing set of characters, excellent plot, great discussion of important topics and course cute enemies to lovers and grumpy x sunshine romance all in one. One of the best YA books I have read this year!

 

About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full-time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a 3 Tesla MRI scanner.

She is also the author of MIDNIGHT THIEF (an Indies Introduce New Voices selection), DAUGHTER OF DUSK, and ROSEMARKED (an Amazon best book of the month and YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee).

www.liviablackburne.com 

Kate Robb - This Spells Love

Kate Robb - This Spells Love 

4 ⭐

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Fiction 

Pages: 352

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Penguin 

Date Published: 5th December 2023 

Huge thank you to Penguin for sending me a copy.

 

Book Blurb: 

A young woman tries to heal her heartbreak by casting a spell to erase her ex from her past, but she wakes up in an alternate reality where she’s lost more than she wished for in this witty, whimsical friends-to-lovers debut.

What if one little wish changed everything?

When Gemma gets dumped by her long-term boyfriend, she reacts the way any reasonable twenty-eight-year-old would: by getting drunk with her sister, kooky aunt, and best friend, Dax. After one too many margaritas, they decide to perform a love- cleansing spell, which promises to erase Gemma’s ex from her memory. They follow all the instructions, including a platonic kiss from Dax to seal the deal.

When Gemma wakes up, she realizes that this silly spell has worked. Not only does it seem that she never dated her ex, but the rest of her life is completely unrecognizable. The worst part: Dax has no idea who she is.

To reverse the spell and get back to her old life, Gemma must convince her once-best-friend-now-near-stranger to kiss her. But as she carries out her plans, she finds herself falling for him—hard. Soon, Gemma begins to wonder whether she even wants to go back to the way things once were. What if Dax was The One all along?

My Review: 

This Spells Love was such a cute romance with fantasy and magical realism elements. I consumed this book in less than a day because it was so addictive. A comfortable read and perfect for any season, however, I do recommend reading it during Autumn as it has that Autumn magic vibes. Also, it is best friends to lovers and although it might not be my favourite trope, in this book it just worked so perfectly!

The story follows Gemma, who healing from a very recent breakup from a long-term relationship. She starts questioning whether she wasted years on a relationship when she was actually in love with her best friend Dax…Gemma wishes that she could go back in time and start all over again, but this time to also make things right. Her wish might be granted by an old spell book, a drunk girl's night in and a kiss…

I loved how witty and cute this book was. I also adored the main characters, even though at points Gemma’s chaotic energy was a bit too much. The chemistry between Gemma and Dax was also undeniable, yet all the funny and awkward situations they got into were just as captivating and entertaining. The book has two timelines that were fleshed out quite well in comparison to the Rom Coms that I have read before.

My only negative about this book was that I wanted to get to know Dax in the present timeline, as most of where we see him was in the other timeline, in which he was supposed to be ‘different’. Plus there were times when Gemma was chaotic, annoying and selfish, which led her to some very cringe-worthy situations.

Overall: Very unique, cute and captivating romantic comedy with fantasy and magical realism elements as well as that ‘What If?’ element. If you want something cosy and easy to read, yet at the same time entertaining, well-written and funny, then this book is that. 

About the Author: 

Kate Robb is the author of This Spells Love. She dated a lot of duds in her twenties (amongst a few gems) all providing excellent fodder to write weird and wild romantic comedies. She lives just outside of Toronto, Canada, where she spends her free time pretending she’s not a hockey mom while whispering “hustle” under her breath from the bleachers, a Pinot Grigio concealed in her YETI mug. She hates owls, the word “whilst”, and wearing shorts and aspires to one day be able to wear four-inch heels again.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/2280786/kate-robb/

Sylvia Day - So Close (Blacklist #1)

Sylvia Day - So Close (Blacklist #1) 

3⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 374 

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher:  Penguin Michael Joseph 

Date Published: 28th March 2023

Huge thank you to Penguin Michael Joseph for sending me a proof copy.

Book Blurb: 

You can’t believe all of them, but can you trust any of them?

Widower Kane Black is still ruinously married to his late wife, Lily. Grief has hollowed him… until he sees a woman with his wife’s inimitable beauty on the streets of Manhattan. He whisks her up to his towering penthouse, protectively under guard, nestling her in dark opulence where Lily’s memory is a possessive beguiling force.

Aliyah, Kane’s mother, deals in science. There are too many questions, too few answers, and too much at stake. “Lily” has dangerous control over Kane and there can be only one queen on the throne.

Amy, Kane’s sister-in-law, has been bloodied by deceit and betrayal, and she’s devolving into murderous rage. She’s paid too high a price and now intends to claim what she’s owed.

Three women, linked by buried secrets, circle the man who unquestioningly accepts the return of his beloved long-dead wife. Kane is happier than he’s ever been, and he’ll do anything to stay that way.

Propulsive and sly, So Close is a lushly gothic novel of domestic suspense with the emotional intensity, scorching sensuality, and complex exploration of female trauma that are the hallmarks of multimillion-copy international bestseller Sylvia Day.

My Review: 

What did I just read? This book was so weird, yet captivating and intriguing, yet I am still confused as to what is going on in this book. It is very well written, as it managed to draw me in from the very first page and didn’t let me go until the very last. However, I am not sure I know what is going on with the characters or where the plot is going. The is so much going on, yet not much is revealed, and so many unanswered questions are left open.

Kane Black is a widower. His wife Lily disappeared 5 years ago, however, one day he sees someone just like her on a street in Manhattan. He takes her in and learns that his wife might still be alive. Kane’s mother enjoys seeing Kane unhappy as she never liked his wife, Kane's sister-in-law, however, wants to be with him. What follows is the story of three women fighting for Kane, Kane's love, wealth and attention…

I liked and disliked that during the whole book, we have POV of the most important females in Kane's life, his mother, his sister-in-law and his lover. However, we don’t get his POV, so what we learn about him is from others, yet we don’t know who he is exactly and that itself is very intriguing but at the same time frustrating as I want to know why he is so important.

I did like the drama and mystery in this book, all the secrets and backstabbing that is happening between the three females in Kane's life. However, the plotline is so confusing as so much is happening and there was a huge revelation near the end of the book which made me even more confused and made me question everything that I have read so far in this book. The revelation at the end of the book wasn’t realistic for a contemporary romance book, although quite shocking, Also, part of this book reminded me of 50 Shades but with much better writing, and with characters that are so morally grey and unlikable.

Overall: Very weird and confusing book, that left me with more unanswered questions at the end than I had at the beginning. It is very well written and has a mystery and suspense element that draws you in and doesn’t want to let you go, yet something is missing. I wanted more and I know that the premise of this book could have delivered much more. I do want to read the sequel, just so some of the questions (hopefully) get answered, however, I don’t have much high expectations for it. 

About the Author: 

Sylvia Day is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, #1 Sunday Times, #1 Globe and Mail, #1 Der Spiegel, and #1 international bestselling author of over twenty award-winning novels, including ten New York Times bestsellers and thirteen USA Today bestsellers. She is a number one bestselling author in twenty-nine countries, with translations in forty-one languages and over twenty million copies of her books in print. 

www.sylviaday.com

B.K. Borison - In the Weeds (Lovelight #2)

 

B.K. Borison - In the Weeds (Lovelight #2)

5⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Reading 

Pages: 334

Format: Paperback

Publisher: PanMacmillan

Date Published: 6th August 2023

Book Blurb: 

Evelyn St. James isn’t the kind of woman you forget.

Beckett Porter certainly hasn’t. One incredible weekend in Maine, and he’s officially a man distracted. He’s not unfamiliar with hot and heavy flings. He knows how it goes. But Evie wove some sort of magic over him during their tumble in the sheets. He can’t stop thinking about her laugh. Her hand pressed flat against his chest. Her smiling mouth at his neck.

Also, her eyes. And her legs.

So when she suddenly appears on his farm as part of a social media contest, he is … confused. He had no idea that the sweet and sexy woman he met at a bar is actually a global phenomenon: social media influencer Evelyn St. James. When she disappears again, Beckett resolves to finally forget her and move on.

But Evelyn St. James has a problem.

Feeling disconnected from her work and increasingly unhappy, she’s trying to find her way back to something real. She returns to the last place she was happy, Lovelight Farms and the tiny town of Inglewild.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the hot farmer she spent two incredible nights with.

Nothing at all.

In The Weeds is a sweet and steamy second-chance romance about finding your happiness. It features a grumpy farmer, a no-nonsense social media influencer, a small town of busybodies, and four very cute kittens. In The Weeds is a standalone romance and is part of the Lovelight series.

My Review: 

Ok, so Lovelight Farms was such a cute romance, but In the Weeds was amazing! One of my favourite romances this year, without a doubt. The writing was brilliant, the characters were adorable, and the romance and angst were so good. Honestly, The Lovelight Farms series is slowly but surely becoming my favourite romance series and I still have two books to go. I’m not usually a fan of small-town romances but In The Weeds has such an amazing atmosphere and it feels like you can read this book during any season, but definitely during cosy Autumn.

The book follows Beckett, whose broody and grumpy demeanour is softened after he awkwardly runs into Evie, who was his one-night stand and who he can’t seem to get out of his mind. Evie comes to the town where Lovelight Farm is to escape her anxieties and take time off from her busy life as a social media influencer. However, the break she can’t seem to get is Beckett, whom she might have a soft spot for…

Both Beckett and Evie are so cute, with so much chemistry and angst. Beckett is so grumpy and Evie is definitely a ray of sunshine but they work so well together. Their romance and getting to know each other is just perfection. The book is also written in dual POV, which adds substance to the story. I also love how we get to see all the characters featured in the first book and learn more about the town dynamics and different families. I honestly feel so invested in this series. My only complaint about this book is that it wasn’t longer and that I finished it so quickly as it was so addictive.

Overall: Love it love it love it! One of my favourite romance books this year. Amazing set of characters, an adorable setting, amazing romance and brilliantly addictive writing. Honestly, if you want cute, cosy and adorable grumpy x sunshine romance to read, In the Weeds is it! Now onto Mixed Signals! 

About the Author:

B.K. Borison lives in Baltimore with her sweet husband, vivacious toddler, and giant dog. She started writing in the margins of books when she was in middle school and hasn’t stopped.

https://www.instagram.com/authorbkborison/

Cassandra Clare - Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane #1)

 

Cassandra Clare - Sword Catcher (The Chronicles of Castellane #1)

3⭐

Pages: 604

Format: Hardback

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

Publisher:  Tor Books 

Date Published: 10th October 2023

 

Book Blurb: 

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

My Review: 

So Cassandra Clare wrote a book that is not a part of the Shadowhunters universe and the book is also for adults and not YA? I was really excited about this book as I love Shadowhunters universe and those books basically defined my teen years. However, I was quite disappointed by this book, mainly because it just felt so long (600+ pages), it dragged and there was so much information, that by the end I didn’t care. Also, there wasn’t much action happening, and even those little bits of action were for more information dumping. Honestly, more than half of the characters were mentioned once and then never seen again.

The story is set in Castellane, a city that is always in search of wealth and power and where nobles are rich and crime is heaving…We meet Kel who is an orphan but is taken by the royal family to become a Sword Catcher for their son Prince Conor. Over the years they become best friends and brothers, yet Kel knows that his only future is to serve and die for Conor. We also meet Lin, a young Ashkar girl who lives in a community of oppressed people and who still possesses some leftover magic healing powers. She is a healer who wants to help her friend to survive, and who by accident, together with Kel gets immersed in the criminal Castellane’s underworld, whilst also learning that Castellane is not as politically stable as it once was and now is filled with corruption and betrayal.

Characters: well apart from the three main characters, everyone else felt very one-dimensional. The only character that I really cared about was Lin, as her story was somewhat interesting. I didn’t really like Kel, yet was intrigued by Conor and wished there were chapters from his POV.

Romance: I expected some more romance but there was barely any romance in this, just felt like I was reading about the politics of the land and people trying to outsmart each other. Honestly, felt like I was reading the Wish.com version of The Folk of the Air trilogy.

Plotline: Nothing happens throughout the book. Yes, we get a lot of information on different characters and we see the whole worldbuilding, yet nothing big happens. Not even a cliffhanger at the end. Just felt really underwhelming, especially when you invest time to read a book that is over 600+ pages.

Positives: Cassandra Clare definitely knows how to write and writes very well, and that’s really the only reason I persevered with this book. Secondly, it is the first book in the series so I kind of understand the too much information and nothing much happening, but it could’ve been done in less than 600 pages surely. Lin’s storyline is very intriguing and interesting, and I enjoyed her as a character. I felt the emotional connection to her character, yet none of the others sadly.

Overall: The book series has a lot of potential, so I hope that the next book is filled with action and less information. However, Sword Catcher for me was a bit underwhelming, as it lacked action, something that I expect from an adult fantasy book, especially from an author like Cassandra Clare. 

About the Author:

Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, Iran and spent much of her childhood travelling the world with her family, including one trek through the Himalayas as a toddler where she spent a month living in her father’s backpack. She lived in France, England and Switzerland before she was ten years old.

Since her family moved around so much she found familiarity in books and went everywhere with a book under her arm. She spent her high school years in Los Angeles where she used to write stories to amuse her classmates, including an epic novel called “The Beautiful Cassandra” based on a Jane Austen short story of the same name (and which later inspired her current pen name).

After college, Cassie lived in Los Angeles and New York where she worked at various entertainment magazines and even some rather suspect tabloids where she reported on Brad and Angelina’s world travels and Britney Spears’ wardrobe malfunctions. She started working on her YA novel, City of Bones, in 2004, inspired by the urban landscape of Manhattan, her favourite city. She turned to writing fantasy fiction full time in 2006 and hopes never to have to write about Paris Hilton again.

Cassie’s first professional writing sale was a short story called “The Girl’s Guide to Defeating the Dark Lord” in a Baen anthology of humor fantasy. Cassie hates working at home alone because she always gets distracted by reality TV shows and the antics of her cats, so she usually sets out to write in local coffee shops and restaurants. She likes to work in the company of her friends, who see that she sticks to her deadlines.

City of Bones was her first novel. Sword Catcher is her most recent novel.

http://www.cassandraclare.com/

Lex Croucher - Trouble

Lex Croucher - Trouble 

3⭐

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBTQIA+

Pages: 349

Format: Paperback

Publisher: Zaffre

Date Published: 20th August  2023

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

 

Book Blurb: 

There's a new governess at Fairmont House, and she's going to be nothing but trouble.

Emily Laurence is a liar. She is not polite, she's not polished, and she has never taught a child in her life. This position was meant to be her sister's - brilliant, kind Amy, who isn't perpetually angry, dangerously reckless, and who does (inexplicably) like children.

But Amy is unwell and needs a doctor, their father is gone and their mother is useless, so here Emily is, pretending to be something she's not.

If she can get away with her deception for long enough to earn a few months' wages and slip some expensive trinkets into her pockets along the way, perhaps they'll be all right.

That is, as long as she doesn't get involved with the Edwards family's dramas. Emily refuses to care about her charges - Grace, who talks too much and loves too hard, and Aster, who is frankly terrifying but might just be the wittiest sixteen-year-old Emily has ever met - or the servants, who insist on acting as if they're each other's family. And she certainly hasn't noticed her employer, the brooding, taciturn Captain Edwards, no matter how good he might look without a shirt on . . .

As Fairmont House draws her in, Emily's lies start to come undone. Can she fix her mistakes before it's too late?

My Review: 

Quick, witty and funny little rom-com set in regency times. Definitely, for me, it was a palette cleanser in between harder books. That said, parts of this book do cover in-depth topics and some parts were quite heavy to read. However, the balance between the funny witty and serious is very good. It also had an excellent LGBTQIA+ rep, which I haven’t come across much in other regency rom-coms.

The story follows Emily who swaps with her ill sister Amy to become a governess at Fairmount House. Emily is not a governess, she is rude, and impolite, uses bad language, doesn’t have any lady-like manners, is a thief, and hates children. She wants to keep her good appearance going for a few months and then swap back with her sister once she becomes better, so for Emily, there shouldn’t be any need to get herself into the Edwards family’s dramas…Or so she thought…

I enjoyed the dynamics between the different characters in this book. The highlight for me was the development of Emily’s relationship with Grace and Aster, as it was so wholesome. What I missed though, and the reason why this book isn’t 5 stars for me is the lack of chemistry between Emily and Captain Edwards. The romance for me wasn’t believable and developed way too quickly, especially as in the first half of the book they both only interacted with one another a couple of times, yet in the second half of the book the romance happened in a few chapters. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between them, even though their interactions were funny and entertaining to read.

Overall: Very witty, funny and at times rather serious rom-com with a great set of characters and character development. Recommend if you like books set in the Regency period or want a palette cleanser in your TBR. 

About the Author: 

Lex Croucher grew up in Surrey, reading a lot of books and making friends with strangers on the internet, and now lives in London with an elderly cat. With a background in social media for NGOs, Lex now writes historical-ish rom coms for adults (REPUTATION, INFAMOUS) and historical fantasy rom coms for teenagers. GWEN AND ART ARE NOT IN LOVE is their YA debut.

https://www.lexcroucher.co.uk/

Ava Wilder- Will They or Won't They

Ava Wilder- Will They or Won't They 

4 ⭐

Genre:  Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Fake Dating 

Pages: 384

Format: Kindle/ Netgalley 

Publisher: Headline Eternal 

Date Published: 27th June 2023

Book Blurb: 

On screen, they're in love. Off screen, they can't stand each other. Two co-stars with a complex history reunite to film the final season of a beloved paranormal drama in this tension-filled will they won't they romance from the author of How to Fake It in Hollywood.

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love— at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, they spent years pining for each other on-screen… until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a film star. With no such luck, she’s back to film the much-hyped ninth and final season, in which their characters will get together at last.

But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of the first season, the two of them have despised each other.

Now back on set together for the first time in years, with the world’s eyes on them and their post-show careers on the line, they’ll have to grit their teeth and play nice. But under pressure to give Intangible’s fans the happy ending they’ve been waiting for, Lilah and Shane are forced to get closer than ever. And if they’re not careful, they just might get blindsided by one final twist: a real-life happy ending of their own.

My Review: 

I loved How To Fake It In Hollywood so much, so when I saw that Ava Wilder was releasing another book, I just knew I needed to read it. I really really enjoyed this book, although it was quite hard to get into it, at first, in comparison to HTFIIH. I think the first half of the book I did struggle to get invested in the characters, but the second half was really good and redeemed the rest of the book for me. Also, this book had great mental health rep and was quite easy to read with short chapters. Ava Wilder’s writing is also very good so makes reading this book so easy and interesting.

The story follows Lilah and Shane, who met at the audition of a paranormal TV show. From the very beginning, they clicked, and their chemistry was amazing. Fast forward 5+ years and they hate each other offscreen, yet onscreen everyone thinks that they are together based on their chemistry. Now Lilah is back on the hit TV show for one more season and must face her biggest enemy, Shane…

I usually love enemies-to-lovers, but it was hard to connect with Lilah and Shane until about halfway through the story. In the beginning, I found both of them insufferable and moany about everything. Also, the reason why they hate each other was quite silly, at least in my opinion but the way they address and resolve their issues was quite entertaining to read. I think both Shane and Lilah read more like young adults and not someone in their early to mid-thirties. They both did lack maturity but also, I felt that they grew up a lot during the book too. So, in the end I did end up growing to love them.

What I really liked about this book was the writing and the premise of the book. It was quite different from the usual Hollywood romances, which was a breath of fresh air to read.

Overall: It is a very solid enemies-to-lovers romance, with quite insufferable characters that I grew to love. Great writing and premise. If you love Hollywood romances and enemies-to-lovers trope, then this book is definitely for you. For me, Ava Wilder is definitely becoming one of the autobuy authors, so I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

 This review was first published on Netgalley: 

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/290459/review/959200 

About the Author: 

Ava Wilder is a professional video editor with a degree in media studies and cultural criticism. She currently lives in Oklahoma City with her fiancé and their toothless cat.

https://www.ava-wilder.com/

Alicia Thompson - With Love, From Cold World

Alicia Thompson - With Love, From Cold World 

5⭐

Genre: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Queer 

Pages: 400

Format: Paperback Proof  

Publisher: Penguin Random House 

Date Published: 3rd August 2023

Huge thank you to Penguin Random House  for sending me this book to read and review.

 

Book Blurb: 

She has a to-do list a mile long and falling for her coworker isn't on it--yet somehow he's become her top priority in this romantic comedy from the national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers.

Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that's always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it's ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it's a fun place to work, even if "fun" isn't exactly Lauren's middle name.

Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World--whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn't know how to enjoy herself, he's surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn't serious about anything, she's surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.

As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.

My Review: 

With both, enemies to lovers &reverse sunshine and the grump, this rom-com is so cute and adorable. It is a perfect winter rom com, that a reader can enjoy during a hot summer. I also adored how Thompson sensitively approached very heavy topics such as foster care, sexuality, and anxiety. I loved the slow growth of friendship between the two main characters, and then their relationship and chemistry. This book honestly captured me from page one and didn’t let me go until the acknowledgements.

The story follows Lauren, who is socially anxious, a workaholic and loves being organised. She is also romantic and shy and has a very boring job at the Cold World winter wonderland in the middle of Florida. She doesn’t have many friends and likes to keep herself out of the limelight. Her coworker Asa, however, is the complete opposite of Lauren. He's brave, outgoing, friendly and is the soul of the Cold World. Asa thinks Lauren is an uptight ice queen, and Lauren thinks Asa is always making fun of her, because he hates her. One day, out of the blue, their boss asks them to team up to come up with ideas on how to save Cold World from bankruptcy. Thus, these two, worlds apart have to now put their differences aside and work together for the Cold World, a place they both call home.

I loved the dual POV in this book as it showed perfectly how both characters grew so much throughout the book, and how their relationships developed. I loved both of the main characters, they were so cute and adorable, both flawed but also so relatable. I also adored that one of the main characters is bi, as this kind of representation is needed more in rom-coms. The chemistry between the two main characters, their banter and getting on each other's nerves and in each other's way was so believable and entertaining. Also, the scene setting and the fact that the book was set in such a cute romantic location were just adorable.

Overall: Super cute and adorable rom-com. So much more than just romance was covered in this book (I won't talk about that much because of spoilers), such as foster care, sexuality, anxiety, etc. It was also such a quick read and although the book is set in a winter wonderland, it was also a perfect read during the summer heat. Love this book so much and can't wait to see what Alicia Thompson will write next! Also, I couldn’t stop singing Paramore’s Hello Cold World whilst reading this book, so that like another star…

About the Author:

Alicia Thompson is a writer, reader, and Paramore superfan. As a teen, she appeared in an episode of 48 Hours in the audience of a local murder trial, where she broke the fourth wall by looking directly into the camera. She currently lives in Florida with her husband and two children.

https://www.aliciathompsonbooks.com/about

Sarra Manning - London, With Love

Sarra Manning - London, With Love  

3 ⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Fiction, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary 

Pages: 432

Format: Netgalley / Ebook

Publisher:  Hodder & Stoughton 

Date Published: 5th May 2022

 

Book Blurb: 

London. Nine million people. Two hundred and seventy tube stations. Every day, thousands of chance encounters, first dates, goodbyes and happy ever afters.

And for twenty years it's been where one man and one woman can never get their timing right.

Jennifer and Nick meet as teenagers and over the next two decades, they fall in and out of love with each other. Sometimes they start kissing. Sometimes they're just friends. Sometimes they stop speaking, but they always find their way back to each other.

But after all this time, are they destined to be together or have they finally reached the end of the line?

My Review: 

I thought this book is going to be similar to Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern, which is one of my favourite books ever, so I had high hopes for London, With Love. However, apart from beautiful writing this book was too long, and I didn’t really believe the love and chemistry between the two main characters. Also, the miscommunication trope in this book just made me so angry. Both of the main characters were just so childish and too stubborn to admit their feelings. Also, some of the events in this book were quite triggering and happened without any warning…yet felt that including those events wasn’t necessary to make this book good.

The story follows Jen and Nick, who became best friends in college when both were 16 and see them fall in and out of each other’s lives over the course of the next 35 years. The book also uses the London tube as a backdrop to all the important events and meetings that happen in both Nick’s and Jen’s life.

I didn’t like Jen’s character that much. For me, it felt like she didn’t grow up and her character development was non-existent until the last 10% of the book. Also, for someone with two degrees and being quite well educated she lacked common sense and was very naïve, which was just very unbelievable. Nick, for me, was quite a mystery, as we get to know him only from Jen’s POV. I didn’t feel much romance and feelings between the two of them in this book, it felt more like a childhood crush for me.

What I liked in this book is the beautiful writing and scene setting, as well as the beautiful descriptions of London. The author perfectly explores how London changed from 1986 to 2021.

Overall: I had such high hopes for this book but was quite disappointed with a very mediocre romance that didn’t feel that realistic. I couldn’t connect with the main characters or believe their feelings towards each other. The book itself also felt a bit too long, and the inclusion of three major events without a trigger warning nearly made me DNF this book. Writing and exploration of London was beautiful though. 

This review was first published on Netgalley: 

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/book/247768/review/959200

About the Author:

Sarra Manning is a teen queen extraordinaire. She spent five years working on the now sadly defunct J17, first as a writer and then as Entertainment Editor. She then joined the launch team of teen fashion bible Ellegirl, which she later went on to edit and has consulted on a wide range of youth titles including Bliss, The Face and More.

Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been a regular contributor to ELLE, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Seventeen, Details and Heat and wrote the Shop Bitch column for Time Out. Sarra lives in North London with her dog Miss Betsy.

http://www.sarramanning.co.uk/

Nicola Yoon- Everything, Everything

Nicola Yoon- Everything, Everything 

3⭐

Genre:  YA, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction 

Pages: 312

Format: Paperback 

Publisher:  Penguin Random House UK 

Date Published: 1st September 2015

 

Book Blurb: 

My disease is as rare as it is famous. It’s a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, but basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in fifteen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives. New next door neighbors. I look out the window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black t-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly. I want to learn everything about him, and I do. I learn that he is funny and fierce. I learn that his eyes are Atlantic Ocean-blue and that his vice is stealing silverware. I learn that when I talk to him, my whole world opens up, and I feel myself starting to change—starting to want things. To want out of my bubble. To want everything, everything the world has to offer.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

My Review: 

I think Gabby in her John Green circa 2015 era would have adored this book. However, reading it now was a tad underwhelming. I really liked the illustrations in this book and the fact that some parts of it were mixed media, that really saved the story for me. It’s not that it is a bad book, but it is a very young adult book. That said it read easily and was a super quick read/palette cleanser.

The book follows Maddie who has this extraordinary and rare disease, where she is allergic to fresh air and the outside world. Thus, she has to live inside, in a very hygienic environment, without ever being able to visit the outside world. That is until Maddie turns 18 and meets her next-door neighbour through the window. She is eager to get to know him and although they are emailing each other constantly, she wants to meet him face to face. Whilst her mother is categorically against it, Maddie is listening to her heart and risks her health to see Olly face to face.

Don’t get me wrong the main heroine and her love interest were so good together and I was able to enjoy reading about first love and feelings, but what really annoyed me was that no one questioned how crazy Maddie’s mum was. Also, both main characters read much younger than 18, I felt like tops they were 15-16. I really didn’t like the family dynamic in this one either and the ending just made me so angry at both Maddie and her mum. I was so angry at them throughout the book too, as they both were irresponsible, whilst constantly miscommunicating. All the issues and Maddy’s problems would have been solved if both of them were just honest with each other.

Overall: Young me would have loved this book, current me thinks it’s a very average and easy-to-read YA rom-com. There are so much better ones that in my opinion give the same message, but are executed in much better ways.  I do recommend it if you want that nostalgic feeling of early and mid-2010 YA books as it will give you that, yet not much more. 

About the Author:

Nicola Yoon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Everything, Everything and The Sun Is Also a Star. She is a National Book Award finalist, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book recipient and a Coretta Scott King New Talent Award winner. Both her novels have been made into major motion pictures. Nicola grew up in Jamaica and Brooklyn, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, novelist David Yoon, and their family.

http://www.NicolaYoon.com