It's a great setup: Sadie is the sister of a travel influencer, Vi, who is due to join a queer tour group walking the Camino de Santiago but can't dueIt's a great setup: Sadie is the sister of a travel influencer, Vi, who is due to join a queer tour group walking the Camino de Santiago but can't due to an injury. Sadie, who is a very responsible small-business owner, agrees to cover for her. On the flight over, she's seated next to a blue-haired queer woman, and when the plane hits turbulence, Sadie panics and shouts, "I think I might be a lesbian!"
And guess who ends up being in Sadie's tour group? The blue-haired queer woman, whose name is Mal.
Mal, Cochrun tells us, looks like a cross between Kristen Stewart and Shane from The L-Word, because of course she does. I didn't find her as hot as I think Cochrun wanted her to be, and I'm not quite sure why. Maybe because she kept TELLING us how hot Sadie thought she was? I could have done with about 90% fewer mentions of Mal's widow's peak and bow lips.
This book also contains far too much lip biting and chewing; Sadie's mouth must have been pulp by the time their walk ended. It felt like an editor needed to take a stronger hand here and removed many of these writerly tics.
There were some lovely moments, namely a very hot kiss, a funny octopus scene and when we got to see Mal's teenage bedroom, which was basically a 2005 time capsule. There's also a great scene where Mal talks Sadie down from a panic attack.
But overall, this felt a little like a pale imitation of Casey McQuiston's The Pairing and had too much internalized angst, as is so common among millennial contemporary romances. The characters were 35 (Sadie) and 38 (Mal) but read much younger. The Black trans owner of the tour company, Inez, was a great character but also felt a little Magical Black Friend for my liking. And overall, I didn't get a huge amount of chemistry between Mal and Sadie.
So why 3.5 stars? Because it was still an enjoyable read. I dunno. I believe Cochrun's The Charm Offensive is a perfect book, and I keep waiting for another of her books to bowl me over, but this isn't it. However, it is also a decent read if you're in the mood for a queer romance set in beautiful Spanish and Portuguese landscapes.
I received this advance copy courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley....more
Sweet sapphic novella in which an 18yo with a troubled past falls for a 20yo stripper who turns out to be in her college computer science cl3.75 stars
Sweet sapphic novella in which an 18yo with a troubled past falls for a 20yo stripper who turns out to be in her college computer science class. Rebekah Weatherspoon’s writing is straightforward but so charming.
I could have done with more character development, especially of Trisha’s, and I wish this had been full length, because it felt a little rushed. But still a sweet and sometimes funny romance. ...more
Second favorite Austen book (first is P&P, obv). So much fun AND it’s a gentle satire of the gothic novels so popular at the time, The Mysteries of UdSecond favorite Austen book (first is P&P, obv). So much fun AND it’s a gentle satire of the gothic novels so popular at the time, The Mysteries of Udolpho in particular. Catherine Moreland is endearingly earnest and naive, Henry Tilney is charm personified, and there are villains aplenty (namely Isabella Thorpe and her mansplainer of a brother John Thorpe).
If you can, listen to the Juliet Stevenson narration. Having a proper actor perform Austen’s books is a superlative experience. ...more
I love all the books in this series, but there is something so special about Shane and Ilya. I got 2% in and had already squee'd, teared up, laughed aI love all the books in this series, but there is something so special about Shane and Ilya. I got 2% in and had already squee'd, teared up, laughed and swooned. It's such a great setup, too: Shane and Ilya have now been together for years, and Ilya has had enough of their relationship being closeted: He misses being physically affectionate whenever he wants to be. But Shane is afraid of the professional ramifications of coming out, not to mention that he kind of finds it a turn-on to be all cloak and dagger about it. The stakes are high whatever they decide: They risk being booted out of a job they love, and they also risk Ilya being sent back to Russia if he is no longer employed in Canada.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention their blazingly hot sex scenes, but I love their relationship dynamic just as much: they're fiercely competitive and playfully combative, but they're also so open with each other and, of course, horny as hell.
I could nitpick about the fact that I'm not sure Ilya's mental health issues were included/resolved smoothly enough, but who am I kidding. It's still a brilliant book that I will 100% read again....more
I'm going to give this three stars, mostly because of Juliet Stevenson's narration, which was impeccable as always.
But the story--ugh. I once worked wI'm going to give this three stars, mostly because of Juliet Stevenson's narration, which was impeccable as always.
But the story--ugh. I once worked with a very loud, outspoken Enneagram 8 type who, when she was first introduced to a new, sickly sweet, softly spoken employee, told me, "I just want to SH!T on her!" Which made me laugh because I kind of knew what she meant. And friends, I just wanted to sh!t on Fanny Price.
Look, I know she's basically suffered emotional abuse, first by her parents barely batting an eyelash when she was sent away to live with her aunt and uncle, and second by the truly evil Mrs. Norris, her other aunt (I think?). It's not surprising that she flinches anytime anyone even blinks loudly, and that she practically collapses with nerves when she has to decide which of two necklaces she's going to wear to a ball. But she's also priggish and judgy, even though she hides that behind her timid and obliging demeanor.
And then there's Edmund. Edmund is boring and patronizing, and he friendzones Fanny until about the last 5 pages, as he should, because she is his FIRST COUSIN. He instead chases after Mary Crawford, who is about 10 times as interesting as Fanny, until Mary defends her brother, the deliciously catty Henry Crawford, after he elopes with Fanny's married cousin. Naturally, Edmund and Fanny have a good ol' bitch sesh about Mary, withholding their approbation with grave countenances. They also bitch about Henry, and Fanny's cousin Mrs. Rushworth, even though she didn't even want to marry Mr. Rushworth in the first place. But instead of thinking, "Hey, you know what? Maybe we shouldn't have encouraged that match when she was clearly in love with someone else and couldn't stand her betrothed!", they get to feel superior and smug about it.
I also hated being in Fanny's head when she went to stay with her parents for two months. She was just awful about everything: her siblings' behavior (they acted like KIDS, gasp!), the cleanliness of the house, her father's louche behavior, the smelly sea air, etc. etc. She is such a snob.
Oh and also it's gross, if realistic to the time, that her uncle Sir Thomas Bertram travels to his plantation in the West Indies, where we are invited to presume that he enjoys the spoils of enslaved people doing all the work while he gets paid.
So, I hope Fanny and Edmund had a very happy marriage and enjoy being superior about the parishioners after Sunday service and having boring sex....more
Summoning Up Love is a super solid Black romance about a recently fired and dumped news anchor and a hot working-class ghostbuster, who has two hot ghSummoning Up Love is a super solid Black romance about a recently fired and dumped news anchor and a hot working-class ghostbuster, who has two hot ghostbuster brothers. (This makes it sound a little bananapants, but it is not.)
I inhaled this book in a single day. Synithia Williams seems to have romance down to an art: The dialogue is great, the sexytimes are sexy, and the third-act conflict is well-justified and in line with the character work. And all in a tidy and satisfying 250 pages. ...more
I devoured this and loved both Ryan and Fabian, but it needed to be longer. Another 30 pages or so would have allowed Reid to add depth to their relatI devoured this and loved both Ryan and Fabian, but it needed to be longer. Another 30 pages or so would have allowed Reid to add depth to their relationship, to talk more about Ryan’s anxiety and to do more with the concept of upending traditional ideas of masculinity. But as a quick, hot-n-sweet read, I really liked it.
This is probably one of the most powerful contemporary romances I've ever read. Those who have read the first two books in this great series have alreThis is probably one of the most powerful contemporary romances I've ever read. Those who have read the first two books in this great series have already been introduced to Davis, the daughter of the first book's FMC Ashley, and Kev, a resident of the rehab facility run by Madigan, Ashley's love. Davis and Kev have had a simmering tension for some time, but at the end of Lips Like Sugar, Kev relapses in a devastating way.
Wish You Were Here is the story of how Kev makes things right--for Madigan, for Davis and for himself. It's a long road: There are multiple levels of betrayal to work through and apologize for, on top of the physical and emotional addiction itself. Jess K Hardy pulls no punches during this process, which lasts for half the book, but she still lets moments of humor and tenderness shine through. I'm not going to lie, though: This is a heavy book, with heavy themes, and sometimes it feels like someone's crying on every page. So, make sure you're in the mood for a book like that before starting.
The halfway mark is when things lighten up a little, with Kev doing his utmost to convince Davis to take another chance on him. Much of this involves him roaming around the Montana wilderness clearing brush with his shirt off; he reads romance novels, you see, so he understands that it's an effective tactic. (Where is the lie?) So, the second half is chock full of crackling sexual tension, and if you've ever read a Jess K Hardy book before, you know that she is extremely talented at this. (I still think about the rocking chair scene in Come As You Are.)
Kev and Davis's love is hard won but so well deserved, and it's helped in no small part by Madigan, the most emotionally intelligent man who ever lived. (ILU MADIGAN!)
4.5 stars, only because I could have done with the weepy portion of the book being a little shorter. But people who aren't Enneagram 8s will probably want more of that, so it's a me thing.
Thanks to the author for the advance copy of this book....more
Ok, this romance between a pansexual woman and a swamp monster was actually very sweet? Also a shitty developer gets what’s coming to him, which was tOk, this romance between a pansexual woman and a swamp monster was actually very sweet? Also a shitty developer gets what’s coming to him, which was the icing on the cake.
I would have liked one more sex scene, but otherwise it was great. ...more
Ah, it is so good to be back in Crane Cove. And this is Peter's book!! I have been in love (I mean, literarily speaking; I am not a TOTAL freak) with Ah, it is so good to be back in Crane Cove. And this is Peter's book!! I have been in love (I mean, literarily speaking; I am not a TOTAL freak) with Peter since Keyed Up, and I am so glad Sarah Estep stuck the landing.
Golden British acting god Peter Green and scary American cafe-owner Sybil Morgan have a Past, and in this book, we get to learn what that Past is. They have THE cutest meet-cute in a London bookshop when they're 20, and we get to see them in the pub together, and Peter lives in a shitty flat with a ton of flatmates, and if you know me, you know why this resonated with me.
Peter finds himself in Crane Cove, because everyone seems to eventually (I would, if I could), and this time it's for work: His parents are filming a movie there and he, to his mother's dismay, is one of the stars. This is awkward for Sybil, because she is cross with him for as-yet mysterious reasons, yet Peter has been gently chasing her for 12 years, despite no signs that she will ever relent.
There is a miscommunication quite early on, and even though this can be one of the worst forms of conflict in a romance, I think Estep used it well. There's also a misunderstanding later that I LOVED, because it felt absolutely true to the characters and also provided a heartbreaking turning point to their relationship. And Peter remains just the sweetest throughout; the man is a walking green flag, and he is just what cynical ol' Sybil needs.
I think Estep is best when she writes for herself rather than for her readers, and she does that here. The book is witty and earnest and gentle and gut-wrenching at just the right times. Sybil is a queen and Peter is my king (and hers, but mostly mine). There is a letter near the end that made me weep on a Sunday morning.
Other things I loved: - The running gag that Peter's mom can never find her glasses - Peter's dad, who is just as charming as Peter - The exquisite playing-doctor scene ...more
**spoiler alert** Fun and well-written sapphic roller derby novella set in London (SAY LESS). It takes place in the aftermath of the worst of the COVI**spoiler alert** Fun and well-written sapphic roller derby novella set in London (SAY LESS). It takes place in the aftermath of the worst of the COVID pandemic and features as its FMCs two healthcare workers, one of whom (Robin, a doctor) is suffering from related PTSD and depression. She joins her local roller derby team, the Primrose Kills Glitter Girls, which is led by Eleanor, a roller derby veteran who bristles at the tiny Robin's glittery pink look and showy skating moves. But, of course, there's more to Robin than it seems.
Things get spicy toward the end, but the book focuses more on the evolution of Robin and Eleanor's relationship and the societal events that are shaping their lives. I love Iona Datt Sharm's writing, and particularly her skill at coming up with puntastic, location-based roller derby team names (Maida Wail, Parson's Scream, Piece of the Acton, Harrying Gays) that Londoners will appreciate.
The ending is beautiful and heartwarming, and I just really, really loved this book....more
I mean, first, you have to get past the fact that a boss touches his intern without consent. She wants him, but it’s not ok.
Once you accept that, it’I mean, first, you have to get past the fact that a boss touches his intern without consent. She wants him, but it’s not ok.
Once you accept that, it’s fine! Hot sex and a LOT of it—these two are like rabbits—but CLo still manage to craft a decent story and character arc around all the humping....more
DNF 41%. Not into the grownup-still-obsessed-with-high-school-love thing, and the narrator’s delivery makes it hard to follow.
With a first-person POVDNF 41%. Not into the grownup-still-obsessed-with-high-school-love thing, and the narrator’s delivery makes it hard to follow.
With a first-person POV, a narrator has to find some way to distinguish between the MC’s inner voice and her speaking voice. AND in a dialogue-heavy book, you have to do different voices for all characters. This narrator is reading them all exactly the same (apart from the Irish ones, who also all sound the same), and I find it confusing.
I also think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it with my eyes. For what’s supposed to be a funny book, you need a narrator with great delivery and comic timing. ...more
Welp, now I know why this book is a classic of the genre. By the time I finished it (let's face it, by 66%), I was nothing but a melted pile of goo wiWelp, now I know why this book is a classic of the genre. By the time I finished it (let's face it, by 66%), I was nothing but a melted pile of goo with some Puss-n-Boots begging eyes on top.
Shane and Ilya are just the cutest. Their interactions are perfect, Reid's dialogue is great, it's funny and it's extremely hot—but I feel like the sex wasn't egregious and worked well with the characters' arcs and the plot itself.
If Shane removed all of the complications of their relationship--the rivalry, the expectations for both of them, the fact that Ilya was kind of a dick--he could just be proud of the fact that the man was really hot. Like, Shane had definitely snagged himself a ten.
I can't wait to a) reread this and b) read the rest of the series to see their actual, actual HEA.
Side note, it's certainly not the BEST thing about this book, but I did like that there's not much actual hockey in it. I love lots of actual baseball nerdery in my baseball romances, but I don't give two shits about hockey, so thanks to Rachel Reid for not boring us with its intricacies....more
This is basically The Bachelorette at the North Pole. In this world, Mrs. Claus is a constant, and it's Santa who is the rotating cast of characters. This is basically The Bachelorette at the North Pole. In this world, Mrs. Claus is a constant, and it's Santa who is the rotating cast of characters. Chosen from a selection of dead people, the Santas stay Santa until they're "called up" -- usually when a loved one finally dies and they can be together. So, Mrs. Claus (Tiffany to her friends) just lost her Santa, and her elves choose a few hot dead men from which the Christmas Spirit (among other factors) will choose the new Santa.
That's a good setup for this long novella (212 pages), because it's clear from early on that Tiffany and Dominick, one of the dudes, are 100% meant for each other. Normally, this would result in zero stakes and therefore zero tension, but Mrs. Claus hasn't traditionally had a say (or not much of one, anyway) in the Santa selection. This plot device, among other things we learn about Tiffany, lends emotional depth to the story, too.
I do think there wasn't quite enough plot for this number of pages, but it was a super enjoyable holiday read.
This was my second book by Sharon and Tom Curtis, a.k.a. Laura London. The first was The Windflower, which I still think about. A lot. Especially the This was my second book by Sharon and Tom Curtis, a.k.a. Laura London. The first was The Windflower, which I still think about. A lot. Especially the part with the crocodile. And Cat! Lovely Cat. But I digress.
The Curtises have a beautiful, dreamy writing style that can apparently be applied successfully to any setting, whether that's an 18th-century pirate ship or rural Wisconsin. The latter is where Sunshine and Shadow takes place, and the book opens with a fresh-faced, beautiful Amish woman stumbling upon a monster in the woods. But! It is not a real monster. It is a character in a movie being filmed by Alan Wilde, a famous Hollywood director. He's immediately drawn to the Amish woman, whose name is Susan Peachey, and sets out to convince her to act in his movie.
So far, so romantically delicious: jaded and scarred celebrity + pure-of-heart Amish widow. But the Curtises elevate the story beyond opposites-attract and skillfully illuminate both Alan and Susan's psychology to get us to an HEA we can believe in.
It's an incredibly sensual book, not just in terms of physicality but also how the Curtises build a sense of place that amplifies the characters' chemistry: a horseback ride and stargazing on the grass, a bed on set of the movie, the peacefulness of Susan's home. They create almost a cocoon in which Alan and Susan's love can grow, which means that when Bad Things happen, they're all the more shocking, even though they've been lurking outside the cocoon all along.
I know little about the Amish faith and way of life, but from what I can gather, this was a respectful yet clear-eyed look at what that faith asks of its followers. (Perhaps the Curtises learned about it during their decades in Wisconsin?) The "English" world doesn't come away unexamined, either, particularly the harm it can cause to those who choose a life in the public eye.
I just thought this was such a beautiful book: sexy and sad and lyrical and affecting. I would read it again in a heartbeat.
I can’t end this review without mentioning the amazing shiny cover with art by Franco Accornero. ...more
Super cute and hot short story about a comic artist getting together with her hot upstairs neighbor. There was a PIVOT! reference and a cat, so that’sSuper cute and hot short story about a comic artist getting together with her hot upstairs neighbor. There was a PIVOT! reference and a cat, so that’s an auto five stars. ...more
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