Overwhelmingly filled with smut, Training the Heart by Paisley Hope is about a woman and her boss being very sexually attracted to each other but tryiOverwhelmingly filled with smut, Training the Heart by Paisley Hope is about a woman and her boss being very sexually attracted to each other but trying hard not to cave in.
Summary: Ivy Grace Spencer has come to the Silver Pines Ranch for a job. Upon proving her skills, she is promptly hired by Wade Ashby. As the two spend more time together, they grow increasingly attracted to each other.
Tropes/Genres: • cowboy • workplace romance • grumpy x sunshine • small town • forced proximity • contemporary romance
Review: Thirteen chapters. There are thirteen chapters of smut in this book. The story felt way too long and had an overwhelmingly high amount of smut that didn't contribute much. The main characters don't have enough romantic chemistry to match up their sexual chemistry. The writing is not descriptive and doesn't draw emotions from readers where appropriate.
The main characters barely have romantic chemistry, but they sure as hell have a lot of sexual chemistry. At one point, they had sex four times in four chapters in a row. It's honestly insane. Like, how does this insane amount of fucking contribute to the story? It's easy to see that Ivy and Wade are nice and likeable people, but I don't see how they actually love each other. It seems more apparent that they're just horny for each other. To some extent, they may even seem creepy – this isn't a dark romance, guys. It's not supposed to be like this.
As I mentioned above, there was way too much smut in the book. Excluding the bonus chapter, that's twelve sex scenes. Twelve is still a lot. I don't understand why the author felt the need to make them fuck so much. The smut honestly felt like filler chapters that exist solely to fulfil the horniness of readers, which feels pointless to me because that has nothing to do with making this book a good story. If the smut were to be cut down, the story would've been way better. To me, most of the spicy scenes were really just filler chapters to lengthen the story, and they were unnecessary. It felt like the author had nothing better to write, so she wrote smut instead since that seems to be enough to fulfil many horny readers, but in reality, it lowers the overall quality of the story due to it being overdone.
There's nothing wrong with smut, but it needs to be done in moderation. Everything needs to be done in moderation. Too much of anything is not good. The main characters barely had any romance going on – it was mostly about how they were sexually attracted to each other. As such, the smut doesn't add to anything other than "they want to fuck each other". There's barely any romance. Where are the emotions?
Speaking of emotions, the author doesn't convey them well. Regarding Ivy's backstory with her emotionally abusive ex-boyfriend Brad, I couldn't really feel the pain she went through; I could only see it. The writing style just doesn't really bring out much emotion – it also extends to how much I feel connected to the characters, which is close to nothing. There are some big revelations in the book that feel like they're supposed to make you feel something, but I don't feel anything. It's really the way things are written here.
That's not to say that I hated this book. There were parts that I enjoyed as well. For example, the parts about Wade and his ex-wife Janelle who still heavily depends on him for a lot of things are well done. Additionally, Wade and Ivy seemed like nice people, and I liked how sweet they were towards the end of the story, but I didn't really see much romantic chemistry between the two.
This book certainly had potential. I liked the dynamics between Wade and Ivy at the start of the book, especially with how confident and sassy Ivy was. However, the romance was underdeveloped with way too much spotlight on the smut and sexual attraction. It would've been great if the book could've talked more about Ivy and her horse-training skills instead of merely bringing up the horse once in a while. In its current state, the plot feels disjointed and doesn't flow very well.
Overall, I still recommend this book to smut lovers who enjoy cowboy romance. I would like to reiterate that this book will only be enjoyed by readers who love books that are filled with smut and don't really care much about the plot.
Thank you, Penguin Random House UK, for the read. I requested it on NetGalley, but they sent me a PDF without approving my request. Funny....more
With a nice and entertaining plot, One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot tells a story about a woman who is forced to travel for work duringWith a nice and entertaining plot, One Winter at the French Chalet by Mandy Baggot tells a story about a woman who is forced to travel for work during the Christmas season and a man who is reclusive and full of mystery.
Summary: Orla Bradbee is assigned to travel to France to write an article about a reindeer giving birth for work while Christmas is around the corner, and she has to take her sister Erin along. There, she meets Jacques Barbier, a mysterious guy who intrigues and infuriates her at the same time.
Tropes/Genres: • small town • christmas season • forced proximity • contemporary romance • set in Saint-Chambéry, France
Review: This book was okay. It doesn’t stand out, but it’s not bad either. The characters are likeable, and the story is entertaining. It’s just that some parts of the story don’t flow well, especially in relation to the subplots.
Orla is a relatable character. She doesn't think that she's special. She feels like a side character in other people's stories. I think that's something that many people may be able to relate to. However, while Orla is likeable, I never really warmed up to her. In fact, I don't think I warmed up to any of the characters, including Jacques, the male main character. I simply couldn't connect with the characters. I think it has something to do with the way they are expressed in the story.
I didn’t think that Orla and Jacques had much chemistry, but I can appreciate their romance. I think it’s sweet that Orla is the only person he truly feels comfortable opening himself up to. They’re also quite nice together. I just don’t feel that invested in their relationship. It's likely a writing issue, so I think the romance could've been written and paced better. I'm not even entirely sure if they actually love each other. Their relationship had good traits, but they weren't expressed very well.
The story had great potential, but there was a lot going on, and these concepts weren’t tied together seamlessly. There were major revelations in this book that didn’t have the intended impact given. I think it’s mainly a writing issue. If the different subplots had been tied together better, then the story would've felt less disjointed, improving the overall quality of the book.
I enjoyed Under a Greek Sun by this author, so it was kind of disappointing that this book didn’t match its standard. However, I still think that this book has its merits and is still worth a read. I enjoyed the part about the pregnant reindeer, for example. I also liked the whole thing about Erin's situationship with Burim, a guy she's been chatting with online. I find it interesting!
In conclusion, I recommend this book to readers who want to read a winter romance with a French small-town setting! It's a nice story; it just needs to be refined so that it can flow better.
Highly troubling and absolutely frustrating, Beneath the Lemon Trees by Emma Burstall is about a woman who is on vacation with her friend and their reHighly troubling and absolutely frustrating, Beneath the Lemon Trees by Emma Burstall is about a woman who is on vacation with her friend and their respective children but stirs trouble when she invites someone unwanted.
Summary: Stella Johnson books a vacation in Crete, Greece, for herself, her close friend Louise and their four children in total. Without consulting them, she invites Jon, the husband of her best friend who recently passed away from cancer, to join their vacation, which raises a lot of ire.
Tropes/Genres: • family drama • island setting • mentions of cancer • contemporary fiction • set in Crete, Greece
Review: What does this book have to do with lemon trees? Regardless, there are so many reasons to dislike this book. It's filled with problems. For starters, the main character was very unreasonable and difficult to like. The minor characters in this story probably saved the rating a little.
Stella was such a frustrating character. I don't even understand how anyone can be this unreasonable. Okay, it's fine that she's unlikeable at the start of the book, right? She could have character development. In my opinion, her main problems weren't properly addressed. Every time someone tries to call her out for her actions, she gets defensive and then delivers low blows. And she knows they were low blows. I guess it's okay for her to be an asshole just because she was kind enough to help her dead best friend's husband even if it meant that she neglected her family in the process! Wow!
Louise is the real deal. I didn't like how rude she was to Marina at first even though I kind of get why she reacted that way, but I grew to like her a lot. She delivers the truth right at your face. She called out Stella for what she did wrong, such as inviting Jon without consulting anyone – NOBODY wanted Jon to crash their vacation, but Stella invited him despite knowing that just for the sake of Harriet – and neglecting her family to assist Harriet and her family. She's truly the real deal. She's awesome. She's not even unreasonable. She made so many good points. Even if she may have any form of negative bias against Harriet, it doesn't cloud her rational judgement, and it sucks to see Stella discredit her opinion just because she herself couldn't accept the truth.
Jon is terrible. I don't even understand why he practically got away with everything he did, including sexually harassing Stella. I don't like Stella, but nobody deserves to be harassed by a guy and guilt-tripped for rejecting him, especially not when said guy is your dead best friend's husband. I cannot do this. He's too awful, and he got away with everything he did way too easily. Next.
Al is such a sweetheart, and it is evident even though he barely appears in this book. It really pained me to see him constantly get demonised by Stella when she was the one who was neglecting him and their family in the name of helping her dying best friend Harriet. Harriet, Harriet and Harriet. She's always talking about Harriet. I'm not even surprised everyone got so jaded about everything revolving around Harriet because it was really excessive. I honestly don't think Stella deserves Al at all, but I guess it's not really my place to tell people what to do.
This brings me to my main issue: the fact that she neglected her family and prioritised her dead best friend's family over her own wasn't addressed. I don't give a crap if you're such a nice person. It's good to help others, but kindly don't do it at the cost of your own family. And she did cause a lot of issues and instability for her family. But even while she realised what she had done, it was excused. She wasn't sorry for what she did. She was sorry about what she lost. There's a difference. You can help your dying best friend and still be present for your family. She chose to act all entitled, make it all about Harriet and neglect her own family. But I guess it's okay because she had good intentions. I don't know if you know this, but you can be kind and still have a lot of issues.
All that family drama aside, the author seemed to try to talk about the magic of the villa and how it was special for the guest it chose. The prologue was truly intriguing. However, this aspect of the story fell short. It was barely talked about because the bulk of the book was about Stella and how unreasonable she was, refusing to see that her actions had hurt the people around her. Oh, and she's only sorry about the consequences, not the fact that she caused it single-handedly. The irritating drama about Stella and Jon, which could've been so easily solved, heavily overshadowed everything else in the story.
I don't have any issues with sex scenes in fiction, but the one in this story was so out of place and unnecessary.
The description of the setting was nice, though. It was nice to have multiple breaks from all that trouble about Stella and Jon when they visited Porto Liakáda. April and her son Dimitrios, also known as Meaty, aren't that funny, but I guess they can still be considered comedic relief.
Overall, I think that this book can still be enjoyed by people, but it's so easy to dislike so many characters in this book. The main character herself was filled with problems that were never properly addressed. If you like books with family drama, though, you can try this.
Dreamy, cosy and heartwarming, Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts tells a story about a woman who goes to France to fix up a house she inherited aDreamy, cosy and heartwarming, Falling for Provence by Alison Roberts tells a story about a woman who goes to France to fix up a house she inherited and meets her new neighbour and his son.
Summary: Eleanor "Ellie" Gilchrist comes to Provence to fix up an old stone house "La Maisonette" that she inherited from an uncle she never knew she had. There, she meets her new neighbour, Julien Rousseau, and his son Theo. The two are hesitant about acting on their feelings for each other as they spend time together.
Tropes/Genres: • small town • neighbours • single father • contemporary romance • set in Provence, France
Review: This book is so nice! The characters are so lovely and realistic. It's so nice to see how they grow throughout the story and learn to love bravely again. The writing feels so gentle and dreamy, creating such a nice cosy vibe while touching on delicate topics and balancing them with a dash of humour.
Ellie is such a sweet character. I just wanted to best for her, honestly. She has been through a lot. It was cute to see her pick up French and start to feel a sense of belonging in France the more time she spent there. I love the way she couldn't help but care for Julien's son, Theo. She's such a compassionate person that one can't help but love her.
Julien is such a nice guy and an amazing dad. He will do anything to protect Theo. Their father-son bond is so heartwarming to see. His backstory is honestly so sad, but it made him who he is today. He's a doctor, and he doesn't hesitate to help anyone in need.
I just think that Ellie and Julian are good for each other, and they have a cosy chemistry. The other characters in this book, such as Ellie's sisters, are also likeable. Here's a special shoutout to Coquelicot and Marguerite, her donkeys! I also absolutely love Pascal, the stray dog that the two of them saved.
Overall, this is such a nice and cosy book for romance readers. I definitely recommend it to those who want to read a small-town single-dad romance set in France! The characters are so lovely, and the story is so heartwarming. This is certainly worth a read.
A simple read with minimal drama, A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet is about a group of people who live on the grounds of Château du Cheval aA simple read with minimal drama, A French Country Escape by Jennifer Bohnet is about a group of people who live on the grounds of Château du Cheval and have some personal issues to deal with.
Summary: Sasha and her brother Freddie buy two cottages in Château du Cheval, France, and move there from England. They meet the owners Ingrid and Peter Chevalier, whose daughter Penny has recently left her abusive ex-boyfriend. There are also many people within the community with varying issues.
Tropes/Genres: • contemporary fiction • family • minimal drama • set in France
Review: I was utterly confused throughout this book. It felt like the book lacked a direction. I get that it's meant to be about the Chateau and the people living in it, but I got lost in the plot with so many things going on that didn't fit together seamlessly. I knew what was going on, but it felt a bit messy. It was difficult to follow the story when there wasn't a clear direction.
Despite all its flaws, there were still some merits. I thought the book had somewhat cute love stories. The relationship between Sasha and Jean-Paul and that between Penny and Lucas were moderately cute. It's nothing special, but at least there's something. I suppose these relationships intertwine with the whole concept of focusing on life in the Chateau quite well.
I was kind of bored and confused throughout most of the story until the last 25% or so when there was this random thing about the attic. That part was quite interesting, though it felt random to me because I spent the first 75% of the book being confused as to what this story is actually about. I liked the part about Penny and her crazy ex as well. She's really such a strong person! I feel like the whole messy direction thing could've been easily fixed. That's an area for improvement.
There is a lot of French in this book, and I like how the author gives contextual clues to hint to readers about what the phrases may mean without being too obvious about it. That's cool!
Overall, there were too many characters and too much going on. The story seemed all over the place. However, I think readers who like contemporary fiction and a French setting may enjoy this book. I would say this book is simply okay. Nothing special. If you want a relaxing read with minimal drama, here's one for you.
Sweet, descriptive and heartfelt, Unbearably Yours by Elodie Colliard is about two people who once fell in love through writing letters to each other Sweet, descriptive and heartfelt, Unbearably Yours by Elodie Colliard is about two people who once fell in love through writing letters to each other but lost contact before meeting again through work.
Summary: Five years ago, Charlee "Char" Fletcher and Oliver "Oli" Reynolds lost contact after his failure to show up at their planned date after exchanging letters for one year. They meet again in Pine Falls, his hometown, for work, and have unresolved conflicts to figure out.
Tropes/Genres: • second chance romance • small town • forced proximity • workplace romance • slow burn • former pen pals • contemporary romance • set in British Columbia, Canada
Review: This is such a nice book! It's clear that Charlee and Oliver love and care for each other. The pacing is good, the writing is descriptive, and the characters are unique and realistic. While it touches on a love story, it also dives into the loss of loved ones, misogyny and work safety.
The story is narrated through alternating perspectives, with the odd chapters being told through Charlee's POV and the even chapters through Oliver's POV. Before each chapter, there are letters that they exchanged with each other five years before the events of the book. This format fits this story perfectly, showing readers what their relationship was like before what happened on 21 June 2017. In the meantime, readers can follow the present timeline as Charlee and Oliver navigate their lingering feelings for each other despite what happened five years ago.
Charlee and Oliver are so sweet. The emotions they both displayed were portrayed so well because they were descriptive and realistic. I understood every feeling they had, particularly regarding each other. The letters they exchanged five years ago were simply the sweetest, with how they bonded over a common interest: writing. The way they slowly warm up to each other again when they reunite is nice and realistic. I love how they always have each other's backs and are logical in their thinking (i.e. they're not unreasonable people).
Trevor is such a well-written asshole. I hated him so much, and that's a good thing. I truly applaud the author for writing such a realistic unlikeable character. He's basically the type of person you wish you would never have to work with. He's self-centred, misogynistic, doesn't care about the consequences and has a highly inflated ego. Throughout the book, I really just needed him to get lost. Good job on writing this character. For real.
Overall, this is a nice second-chance romance with a small-town setting. I recommend this book to those who are interested in the concept of pen pals meeting in real life and rekindling their romance after losing contact five years ago.
With odd characters and plot points, This Is Not a Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley is about a woman who falls for her brother's best friend whom she With odd characters and plot points, This Is Not a Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley is about a woman who falls for her brother's best friend whom she initially hated for years after being forced to spend Christmas together.
Summary: Nina Thompson hates her brother's best friend Tristan Montgomery. When they are forced to spend Christmas together at her parents' house, Nina has to get over her dislike towards Tristan to make the holiday more pleasant for all.
Tropes/Genres: • brother's best friend • enemies to lovers • christmas • holiday • forced proximity • reformed playboy (brief) • contemporary romance • set in Connecticut
Review: I would like to start off by saying that this is not a rom-com because I didn't laugh while reading this book. The start of the story was enjoyable, and I thought it was descriptive and paid attention to details. However, as the story went on, I realised that the plot wasn't properly developed. The characters also didn't make sense. It's such a shame for a book that is descriptive.
There is barely any chemistry between Nina and Tristan. I mean, they suddenly went from hating and pranking each other to screwing each other and realising they're not that bad. And that's supposed to be love? No, mate, I don't buy it. I understood their conflicts at the start of the book, but I didn't understand the way it suddenly stopped. There's no way his realising that Gremlin was insulting to Nina (which in the first place is quite unbelievable because there's nothing cute about calling a person names, but okay) suddenly flipped the switch and made Nina like him. The transition from "enemies" to "lovers" was simply inadequately portrayed.
Nina is childish. Gosh, how old is she supposed to be? She has to be in her late twenties or early thirties, but she is painfully childish. I mean, yeah, adults can have their childish moments too, and that's okay. But she's ridiculous. She acts like a teenager and refuses to admit that she's wrong when she is, pushing the blame on Tristan instead when everybody in the room can clearly see she was the one who caused it. And she even gets upset that nobody takes her side when she indeed has done something wrong! It's peak teenage behaviour, and I'm not here for it. I feel like there's a way for authors to make unlikeable characters likeable, but Nina doesn't really have any good points to be worth liking.
Tristan is okay, I guess. He never hated Nina, but the way he suddenly fell in "love" with Nina was highly unbelievable. Maybe he's simply sexually attracted to her; I wouldn't doubt it, especially considering his feelings for her changed after he saw her naked. Oh, by the way, that part was weird. He dared her to drop the towel, which she stole from him, knowing very well she would be naked underneath. Even though he claims he didn't think she would actually do it, it's still very weird. You don't just ask people to strip for you.
That being said, I think the author has a weird obsession with flashing because it's happened in the book a lot, albeit accidentally. It can be funny one time, but if you keep doing it, it gets creepy. It gets even worse in that one scene later in the book when Nina's towel accidentally drops in front of Dylan. Her brother. Um, gross? I just don't understand why that scene is even necessary. Sure, maybe you're doing it for a comedic effect, but it's not funny. Not at all.
Anyway, I thought Tristan's backstory was a little touching. Just a little. The third-act breakup was so stupid. Like, of course, it happened that way. The choices he made were also awful in that regard. I barely even understood the logic behind everything that went on in the third-act breakup. At least, for once, Nina made sense. Dylan and Tristan, though, didn't make any sense.
Overall, the start of the story was fine, but as it went on, more and more issues started presenting themselves. The characters aren't that likeable, and the comedy is kind of lame. Regardless, I recommend this book to those who want to read an enemies-to-lovers holiday romance between a woman and her brother's best friend.
With a unique and interesting premise, Wished by Sarah Ready is about a woman who's been in love with her boss for three years and wishes that they weWith a unique and interesting premise, Wished by Sarah Ready is about a woman who's been in love with her boss for three years and wishes that they were married and in love upon a necklace before taking it back but to no avail.
Summary: Anna Benoit has been in love with her boss Maximillian "Max" Barone for the past three years ever since she set her eyes on him, but it seems that Max doesn't even know who she is. One day, she comes upon a sapphire necklace that is said to grant wishes and wishes that they were married and in love. Despite taking it back immediately, her wish came true!
Tropes/Genres: • magical realism • urban fantasy • contemporary romance • set in Geneva, Switzerland and Paris, France
Review: This book has such a unique and interesting premise, and I feel that the author executed it well. There are a couple of twists and turns, which pleasantly surprised me. There are also many sweet moments between the main characters, Max and Anna, who are fun and likeable.
It's easy to be upset at Anna because of the wish she made, but she's "honest to an appalling degree" (exactly what Max said) and such a sweetheart. She's just a human being, and she immediately felt bad about the wish she made and actively made sure that she didn't do anything that could possibly be against the wishes of the real Max. She's so honest and simple-minded that she's so easy to like.
Max got me laughing at the start of the book in the prologue. He doesn't believe in passion when it comes to love. I honestly understand his sentiment, and the author did a great job expressing it. It's nice to watch him develop throughout the story and grow to understand better the beauty of passion in a relationship. It took Anna's wish, which led to the alternate memories, to get him there. That's what I like about the execution of Anna's wish. It didn't take away who Max was; instead, it added a different side to him. That's so cool! Max is a logical person, and the author portrayed that very well.
The two couldn't be more perfect for each other. Max cherishes honesty, while Anna is deeply honest. They complement each other so well. It's so nice to see him fall for her in spite of the wish. One can easily tell that it wasn't the wish that compelled the real Max to fall for Anna. Instead, all the wish did was help Max know more about Anna by instilling these fake memories about their past 7 years of marriage. It's such a nice take on this idea!
This book takes readers through the different phases of the wish: before Anna's wish, after Anna's wish and how Max and Anna try to resolve the issue. As they try to bring everything back to normal, you just know that something will not go according to plan. The author never fails to surprise readers with twists and turns. I like how the author showed readers the value and beauty in building a relationship instead of magically having it presented to you.
In conclusion, this is an enjoyable read with a unique and interesting concept. It's such a nice take on the concept of love potions (except in this case, it's wishing for someone to love you). I recommend this book to readers who enjoy romance and magical realism.
With cute scenes and lots of smut, Your Play to Call by Rachel LaBerge is about a popular pop star and an NFL player named MVP who decide to date.
SWith cute scenes and lots of smut, Your Play to Call by Rachel LaBerge is about a popular pop star and an NFL player named MVP who decide to date.
Summary: Willow "Lo" Scott is a famous pop star who just finished a massive and successful tour. Tripp Owens is an NFL wide receiver who was named MVP in the Super Bowl but later got traded away into an expansion team. After he saves her from the paparazzi post-breakup, the two decide to date.
Tropes/Genres: • insta-love • pop star x nfl • sports (american football) • celebrity (singer-songwriter) • contemporary romance • fmc is basically Taylor Swift
Review: Okay. This book is enjoyable, but I think the writing can be better and the characters can be less questionable. There are plenty of cute moments, which is great. However, the third-act breakup felt forced and unnecessary, and it kind of ruined the love story for me, which is a shame. However, it's still undoubtedly enjoyable, especially for readers who don't really pay attention to writing.
Tripp is a sweet guy. He reassures Willow when she's feeling insecure. He showed her his real hometown, which was really sweet because he trusted her enough to open up to her. He's a huge fan of Willow and isn't intimidated by her success. He loves her exactly the way she is and encourages her to shine brighter instead of trying to diminish her light. It's sweet.
My only issue with Tripp is that he clearly doesn't trust Willow and has made questionable judgements. I mean, after they had their first date, he let his FWB kiss him, then gave himself the excuse that, well, he and Willow aren't exclusive anyway! And that's despite the fact that he made a public announcement that he was interested in dating Willow. You can't contradict yourself like that. I feel like the author did something unnecessary here that makes it difficult for readers to support their relationship. I appreciate his being honest about what happened, though. I really do.
The third-act breakup is another example of how Tripp really doesn't trust Willow. I don't want to give any spoilers about what went down there, but it was very stupid. What is this blaming without proof? Yeah. Bye. I know that you two are very sweet and cute, but if you can't even display trust, there isn't really a solid relationship, is there? It's like they're good with each other when they're both in a good mood, but when one of them isn't feeling okay, he's somehow allowed to say all sorts of mean things and get away with it. Awesome.
Willow is basically Taylor Swift. You can't convince me otherwise. She has ten albums, body image issues (briefly mentioned), recently broke up with a boyfriend that was fiercely private (hey, Joe!), wanted to make a more chill album (basically folklore and evermore), just finished a massive and successful tour (The Eras Tour! I mean, The Skyline Tour...) and has a reputation of having had many boyfriends.
It's too obvious that Willow is based on Taylor Swift to deny it. I mean, I get that if you want to write a character that's a huge pop star, you would want to draw some inspiration from Taylor Swift. There isn't quite anyone like Taylor Swift. However, it feels a bit weird to read about a character who's basically Taylor Swift (almost a copy and paste except for her personality)... and read about her having sex with the male lead, Tripp, who's an NFL player like Travis Kelce.
Okay, fine. Many authors draw inspiration from real-life people. That's just how it is. I just find it mildly uncomfortable. You can draw inspiration from people, but it doesn't feel right to take so much from them and call it your own. I mean, how much is too much? Is Willow really the author's character when so much information is about Taylor Swift? It feels kind of like fanfic to me, then. If you change "Willow" to "Taylor", you won't feel anything different because Willow is Taylor. Maybe a 90% match.
But whatever. Fine. It's okay. Let's talk about something else other than the character itself. I think Willow's issues with her label were done well. I love how Willow was ready to stand up for herself and the direction she wanted in her career instead of giving in to everything Erik wanted. It's also nice to see that she had people supporting her decisions.
There are plenty of cute scenes, though I felt that the sex scenes were unnecessary. It's almost as if they can't have fun at the beach without randomly deciding to screw each other. Do you get me? I'm just personally not a fan of unnecessary smut, i.e. smut that exists solely for the sake of having smut. I think it's lazy writing, using smut to fill up the empty gaps in your story. I prefer using sex as a tool to express a connection between two characters.
Speaking of the writing, it's very straightforward. I feel like I'm reading about the scenes instead of experiencing them with the characters. Many moments are supposed to be impactful, but I don't feel anything at all because the writing simply wasn't impactful. For example, when Tripp had a panic attack the second time in the book, he just said that he was going to have a panic attack. If you introduce readers to the panic attack scene like that, there isn't much tension to it. The first one was quite well done, so I don't know why the author decided to slack on the second one.
I feel like the author tried to juggle many concepts like music, sports, anxiety, panic attacks, fear of losing your football career, new relationships, paparazzi and body image issues among many other topics and dropped a lot of balls. If you try to fit too many concepts into a story, you can end up making the story less cohesive. As a result, many parts of this book don't flow well. There are so many concepts and most are not dived into properly, instead being touched on insufficiently and inadequately. It negatively affects the overall quality of the book.
Overall, this is an enjoyable book, without a doubt. The writing is straightforward. Willow is basically Taylor Swift, and depending on your comfort level regarding that, this may convince you to read or drop this book. I think that this is a book that talks about both sports and music sufficiently, which is nice. I recommend this book to those looking for a love story between a pop star and an NFL player.
Thank you to the author for a free copy of this book in exchange for a review....more
Cosy, humorous and heartwarming, Christmas at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page is about a woman who feels lonely during the Christmas season and dCosy, humorous and heartwarming, Christmas at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page is about a woman who feels lonely during the Christmas season and discovers that someone she dated four years ago has moved to her hometown.
Summary: Christmas is coming soon, and Kate Harker feels lonely. Her friends are all dating, and despite being their dating guru, she's still single. She still pines for Xander, a guy she went on five dates with four years ago. Then one day, Kate finds out that Xander has moved to Essendale.
Tropes/Genres: • second chance romance • christmas • small town • slow burn • contemporary romance • set in Essendale
Review: The best part about this story is the living Advent calendar. It sounds so fun! The romance is sweet, though it doesn't seem to be the focal point of this story. Admittedly, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first three in the series, but I liked it nonetheless.
Kate is a relatable person. She is someone who strives to be perfect because she feels that she needs to be perfect to be liked. I liked her character growth throughout the story. It's heartwarming. Xander is such a nerdy sweetheart. Who wouldn't love a cute nerd? He also cooks, which is a huge plus. The fact that he has a collection of toy soldiers is also so cute! Ah, nerds :) The two of them are good together, and they have a cosy chemistry.
The characters are awesome. It's so nice to see the ensemble Even Peter who appeared in the first book as Em's ex-fiancé became much more likeable here. It's so nice to see his personal growth throughout the series.
This feels less like romance and more like contemporary fiction. After all, we don't meet Kate's love interest Xander until the 40% mark, though she spends some time before the reunion mentioning him and pining over him even though they only had five dates four years ago. That's fine. It's okay for this book to feel more like a story about Kate's personal journey of growth. However, I somewhat feel that something is missing.
Kate's relationship with her father significantly impacted her views on the guys she wanted to date, but I felt that the development of the father-daughter relationship wasn't impactful enough. There weren't really any clues or foreshadowing to the grand revelation of why her father was the way he was. It's hard to believe that her mind instantly changed after learning the truth about her mother, especially considering how long she had that negative perception of her father. I still find their relationship heartwarming, though. Her father was truly amazing.
However, I liked the whole thing about the living Advent calendar a lot. I kind of wish I could've seen them. I like how this book sheds light on struggling local businesses, especially in periods when there are fewer tourists. The issue with EcoEssendale regarding how eco-friendly the living Advent calendar is for the environment was also done well. It honestly shows what a good person Kate is.
Overall, I recommend this book to those looking for a cosy second-chance Christmas romance. It has minimal drama, and fans of the first three books in this series would be delighted to see the beloved close-knit community. History geeks may like this as well due to the war references!
Probably half-filled with smut, Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope is about a woman who returns to her hometown and reunites with her brother’s best frProbably half-filled with smut, Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope is about a woman who returns to her hometown and reunites with her brother’s best friend.
Summary: After breaking up with her unfaithful fiancé, Cecilia "CeCe" Rae Ashby returns to her hometown Laurel Creek to be with her family. She reunites with her brother's best friend, Nash Carter, a former NFL player and now a part-time cowboy, a bartender and a hockey coach.
Tropes/Genres: • brother's best friend • small town • reformed playboy • age gap (25f 33m) • contemporary romance
Review: The book was quite enjoyable at the start but got rather boring towards the end. The smut was nice at first but eventually got too much to the point where I rolled my eyes and groaned when another smut scene popped up. There really wasn't a need for that much smut. It takes away the romantic charm of romantic books. They were literally going at it like rabbits.
CeCe is a very charming main character, but she's also forgettable. She's a bit dumb because of the whole "I can do this alone" thing even though it's clear that her narcissistic ex was dangerous and didn't really care about her well-being, and she was proven to be WRONG! Her friends Ginger and Olivia are also lame, considering they do nothing but harass her for information and make her overthink. The only good part about CeCe was probably everything going on with her father. That was really sad. Everything else could've been handled better.
Nash is supposed to be a part-time cowboy and a hockey coach, but both of them are barely mentioned. The roles seem to exist solely for the sake of making sure the author feels better about marking this book as a cowboy and sports romance. Even then, it still doesn't feel like either a cowboy or a sports romance. I appreciate how sweet and protective he is towards CeCe. I just find it funny how they agreed to have a one-night stand and he sounded like he was making love to her. The vibes don't match what it's supposed to be!
This story is told through dual POV, showing the perspectives of both CeCe and Nash. It's nice to be able to read about how the two of them feel about each other. It's just such a shame that most of what they feel about each other seems to be sexual attraction rather than romantic attraction. By the way, I don't find it weird that he fell for her even though he knew her when she was a little girl considering they were both adults and hadn't met in years while she was in Seattle and he was doing his NFL business. However, I highly appreciate that he felt bad for being attracted to her considering she was his best friend's little sister and he was trusted to protect her!
Their romance started out very strong. However, the moment their first smut scene extended past the first chapter, I started losing interest. You see, they decided to spend a day having sex, which can be cute, but the author's writing didn't hold up my interest in their sexy time for very long. It got draggy and boring even though they were doing different things throughout the night. I think the smut probably wasn't that well written, not to mention how much of it there was in the book. It took away the romantic charm the two main characters originally had before they started canoodling, which started around 40% into the book.
It felt like everything happened way too quickly between CeCe and Nash, and there were also a lot of filler scenes. In fact, even a lot of the smut scenes felt like filler scenes because the author didn't really know what to write to develop their romance and decided to throw in some smut instead hoping it would distract the readers. (It clearly didn't work for me.) There were also plenty of lines that made me need to put down the book because of how "Why did you write this? It's so bad." they were.
As opposed to how it was marketed, this book is neither a cowboy nor a sports romance. It's just a small-town brother's-best-friend romance. Just because the MMC used to be an NFL player and is now a hockey coach (which is barely mentioned) and a part-time cowboy (also barely mentioned), it doesn't mean it's a cowboy or sports romance. Seriously. Stop misleading your readers.
While there are a lot of things I didn't like about this book, there are still plenty of good things. For example, I liked the whole part about CeCe, Nash and their relationship with her father Wyatt. He honestly sounded like a great man who gave solid advice. I also thought that Nash's backstory and fear of losing his family all over again were very valid. That's one thing that the author expressed very well in this book. It didn't bring me to tears, but it made me feel sad for him because no one deserved to go through what he experienced. Nash is a sweetheart who's considerate towards women, which is a huge plus. The only trope that the author didn't mess up was the brother's best friend. That was great!
Overall, this book is okay, but people who don't read books simply for smut probably wouldn't enjoy this that much because there isn't much of a romantic connection between CeCe and Nash, while it's very obvious from a mile away that they are sexually attracted to each other. That kind of defeats the purpose of being a romance book. I recommend this book to readers who like small-town romance with way too much smut.
With cringe-worthy characters and writing, The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch tells a story about two princes of two different kingdoms definWith cringe-worthy characters and writing, The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch tells a story about two princes of two different kingdoms defined by Christmas and Halloween respectively who are very attracted to each other.
Summary: Nicholas "Coal" Claus is a Prince of Christmas and doesn't have the best reputation among the Holidays. When Halloween objects to the arranged marriage between Coal and his best friend Iris for political reasons, their heir Hex Hallow, whom Coal kissed at a bar years ago, comes to Christmas under the guise of fighting for Iris' hand in marriage.
Review: This book had an interesting concept, but it wasn't pulled off well enough. The romance wasn't spectacular, and the politics was a bit messy. Between Coal and Hex, I felt way more sexual attraction than any form of romantic attraction. The politics surrounding Christmas and the other Holidays was so bad, and the conflict was resolved way too easily. Overall, it just didn't meet expectations.
The characters aren't that likeable, particularly the main two. Coal is so cringe-worthy that I don't have any excuses for him. I get that he's young, but he sounds like a child. I roll my eyes every time he opens his mouth. Hex is so questionable, considering the first time they met, he kissed Coal when the latter was blackout drunk. That's sexual assault. I don't care if Coal wanted it. He can't give informed consent when he's drunk. But hey, at least he doesn't sound like a child whenever he opens his mouth.
Anyway, the romance is severely lacking. The two of them are clearly sexually attracted to each other, but I barely feel any romantic connection between the two. Honestly, the best part of this love story is the third-act breakup. It was probably when the two of them had the most chemistry. All this couple has is a lot of sexual contact and teasing. There is barely any moment where I can safely say that they have developed their romantic bond. Romance is not just about sex. The first time I felt the love between the two of them was the breakup, which says a lot.
I suppose that out of the four major characters in the book, only Coal and Hex have issues because Kris and Iris are actually fine! I love the friendship the three of them (Coal, Kris and Iris) have. They're so supportive of each other. I think that's precious and one of the best parts of the book. They've got each other's back!
The politics in this book are so basic and poorly fleshed out, and what's worse is that the author resolved the conflict with Coal's father all in one chapter. Maybe even a few paragraphs. I don't know how a grand speech is supposed to change the mind of someone who's been blackmailing and threatening so many people for years, but sure. I liked how the author dived into her struggles as the incompetent and irresponsible heir, but those struggles weren't well illustrated.
Comparing this book with Red, White & Royal Blue is insulting because that book was a work of art. This book is nothing close to that. I recommend this book to readers who like the fictional world portrayed in The Nightmare Before Christmas because this book has a similar concept. The romance is a bit questionable, and the politics is a bit simple-minded, though. I would say it still has some merits because Kris, Iris and Coal's friendship is awesome.
With an interesting bookish premise, It Started with a Book by Camilla Isley tells a story about a woman who pulls a fictional man out of a mysteriousWith an interesting bookish premise, It Started with a Book by Camilla Isley tells a story about a woman who pulls a fictional man out of a mysterious book that writes her love story.
Summary: Leighton "Leigh/Spoon" Witherspoon is tired of endless failed dates. She picks up a book that strangely is filled with blank pages. When she falls asleep, she is transported to the book's setting, Lakeville Hills, where she meets the male lead, Killian St. Clair, a billionaire cowboy. One day, she somehow magically pulls this fictional man into her real world.
Tropes/Genres: • book about books • magical realism • fantasy • contemporary rom-com • strangers to lovers • fictional man • set in Evanston, Illinois
Review: This book has a very interesting premise that revolves around a magical book, a fictional man and book tropes. However, while the idea is interesting, it wasn't executed as well as it could've been.
The plot was a bit disjointed; it didn't flow well. The author also tried to fit many miscellaneous ideas into the book, but they all seem to stick out like a sore thumb. The ideas were, to put it simply, not integrated into the story smoothly. They felt so random. I appreciate the message, but it certainly could've been done better. It just makes the poor writing in this book more obvious overall.
"Are you trying to prove you're a real man by leaving like all real men do?"
Leigh was quite a questionable character that's easy to hate. She has a very negative perception of men, particularly real men. I mean, I get that she's had bad experiences, but she knows very well that not all men are as bad as she describes. Her new best friend Oliver is a prime example. It's just so nasty to generalise men like that. You would hate it if someone generalised women like that, so why is it okay if it's done to men? That's such a huge ick, personally.
"I was about to tell him that I love him, and everyone knows a woman can’t be the first one to say it. Relationship suicide 101."
Killian is such a sweet guy, and I don't think it's entirely because he's fictional. There are many men in the world who are just as sweet as any stereotypical fictional men; you just need to find them. I felt a bit bad for him because of the severe lack of faith and trust Leigh had in him. I understand Leigh's fears of Killian only liking him because of the magical book's plot, but I still feel bad for him. Leigh also happens to have a very odd perception of how relationships work. I mean, what's up with the idea that women shouldn't say "I love you" first? That's such a lame mindset.
One thing I like about this book is the talk about misogyny. The treatment Leigh got as a woman in academia is just gross. Some of the issues presented are not really misogyny but labelled as such, such as two guys arriving an hour late for a meeting and her advisor stealing credit for her research, but many incidents presented in the book displayed misogyny. It honestly sucked to see her going through all that. As such, even though the way the concept was put forth was weird, I appreciate the message.
The first 75% of the book was fine in terms of Leigh and Killian's relationship. Even with the poor pacing of the story, I thought that the idea was interesting and that Leigh and Killian were cute and funny. The shift from the fictional world to the real world was abrupt, but I could let that one slide. However, towards the end of the book, everything just somehow falls flat. It stopped being cute.
Overall, this book has an interesting bookish premise, but the writing isn't exactly the best. There are also some questionable statements made in the book. If you want to try out a unique romance idea, then I recommend this book to you.
With a unique premise and a compelling story, Fated by Sarah Ready is about a woman who visits an isolated island and falls for a man in a dream brougWith a unique premise and a compelling story, Fated by Sarah Ready is about a woman who visits an isolated island and falls for a man in a dream brought to her by an ancient watch made by her ancestor.
Summary: Fiona "Fi" Abry is afraid to love. When her mother gives her an ancient watch that supposedly lets her dream of her greatest desire, she uses it. She finds herself on an isolated island married to a gorgeous man named Aaron McCormick with two children. And she falls in love with this dream.
Tropes/Genres: • strangers to lovers • urban fantasy • small town (island) • single father (sort of) • magical realism • contemporary romance • set in Geneva, Switzerland
Review: This book has a highly unique premise, and I'm here for it. It has such a dreamy vibe, and I love how the author handled this concept. Even though the plot was filled with fantasy elements, it felt so realistic. The writing is so descriptive, and it simply draws readers in and compels them to want to know more even if the story can seem a bit confusing. It's confusing in a good way. I love it.
Aaron and Fiona are so cute. I love how the author handled their love story – a woman and a man who seems to only exist in her dreams and not in real life. It's such an interesting premise. It's so interesting to read this story from Fiona's POV, following her through this confusing dream, through falling for this man who seems to only exist in her dreams, and through every other thing that unfolds along with the plot. It's just such a beautiful and unique romance journey to follow.
I love Aaron's steadfast and unwavering love for Fiona. He and Becca (who Fiona was in the dream) were married but acted as friends who co-parented two children while she was not-so-secretly cheating on him with his best friend Robert. But whenever Fiona was Becca, he could feel it and his love for her. He could feel her presence and loved her for who she was inside Becca's body. Even when he was faced with the whiplash of the changes in Becca's personality, he loved Fiona the best he could.
As I mentioned above, the writing is so good. It's so magical and realistic at the same time. For example, the confusion Fiona felt when she first entered this dream-like state was so genuine, and throughout the story, I completely understood everything she thought and did. The author did an amazing job constructing the plot and characters. Even the side characters are lovable and memorable. The pacing is also great.
This book seems to be set before the events of Ghosted because it seems that Daniel didn't have Jillian in his life. It was mildly confusing at the beginning, but that's such a small issue. It's just that one would normally expect that a sequel would be set after the previous book. I love this story either way!
In conclusion, I highly recommend this book to readers who are willing to try out this unique premise. It's a very interesting romance novel that doesn't really fit into any romance trope, but the author did a great job blending the romance and fantasy elements. Let's just say... this book is such a dream!
Sweet, interesting and meaningful, Second Chances at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page tells a story about a single mother who dreams of being a faSweet, interesting and meaningful, Second Chances at the Board Game Café by Jennifer Page tells a story about a single mother who dreams of being a fashion designer and a man who lacks confidence in himself after a breakup.
Summary: Taylor Sweet has always dreamed of becoming a fashion designer but had to give it up when she had her son Max. Now, she is a single mother who fixes and alters clothes for a living. But a railway enthusiast named Harry unwittingly provides her with the chance to fulfil her dream.
Tropes/Genres: • strangers to friends to lovers • single mother • small town • slow burn • contemporary romance • found family • set in Essendale and Hebbleswick
Review: The story started a little slowly, but it set up the scene very well. Every little piece of drama in this book was executed well and evoked plenty of emotion. I also love the double meaning of "second chances", one being Taylor's second chance at being a fashion designer and two being both their second chances at love. It's so smart!
Taylor is a single mother who seeks to fulfil her dream, and I find this plot so beautiful. It's nice to see her on her way to fulfilling her longtime dream, and her positivity and contentment are honestly admirable. I love that she never once thought of Max as a burden even though he was the reason why she couldn't pursue her dream. That's on top of the fact that Max is a "difficult child". To her, Max is a gift, and that's simply beautiful. I also love how she upcycles clothes. It's so inspiring!
Harry is a train geek who is afraid to show his true self due to insecurity, particularly after his ex Fay broke up with him because he was a nerd. I feel that this is realistic because many people may feel insecure about certain aspects of themselves that others may deem boring or unattractive. But I just love how perfect Henry is for both Taylor and Max. Just like Harry, Max is a train geek! I already loved him for them from the very beginning.
It's so nice to see characters from the first two books, The Little Board Game Café and Love Letters on Hazel Lane, in this book again. Well, everyone except Tarquin, who never fails to be a jerk that nobody wants to see. He's so gross, but let's forget about him. It's SO NICE to see Emily, Ludek, Jo and Kate (with that one mention of Raz), along with other side characters. The community spirit at Essendale and Hebbleswick is lovely (minus Tarquin).
The classic The Railway Children appeared in this book a lot. As I haven't read that book yet (it's still on my TBR), I didn't understand the references immediately. However, I love that the author explained the details just enough such that I can understand them in context with the story! It adds on to the train theme in this story, along with the board game Ticket to Ride. I didn't even know such a board game existed, and it looks so fun! I want to play it someday because of this book :)
All in all, I recommend this book to anyone who would like to read a slow-burn friend-to-lovers romance with a touch of realistic issues. This book has plenty of references to The Railway Children, that being Max's favourite book, so if you've read that book and perhaps enjoyed it, you may enjoy this book a little bit more!
Mildly uninteresting with a messy plot, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel is about a 30-year-old woman who can't bring herself to tellMildly uninteresting with a messy plot, The Curious Secrets of Yesterday by Namrata Patel is about a 30-year-old woman who can't bring herself to tell her mother she doesn't want to continue the family business.
Summary: Tulsi Gupta is a 30-year-old woman who doesn't want to follow her mother's and grandmother's footsteps to become a spice healer. However, she doesn't know how to break the news and their hearts.
Tropes/Genres: • contemporary fiction • family • asian american (Gujarati, Indian) • spice healing (Ayurveda) • set in Boston
Review: I had mixed feelings about this book from the moment I started. It just wasn't spectacular and felt so slow and boring. The pace did pick up somewhere around the 60% mark, but that honestly is a bit too late. The first half of the book was such a drag and is enough to make many impatient readers DNF. The second half of the book is better for sure, but it's not that good either.
The plot was all over the place. The story was about a woman who couldn't decide on whether to tell her mother that she didn't want to be a spice healer and continue the family legacy, but suddenly there was this matchmaking that she refused, then some fake social media account, then a lot of other things. It felt like the author wanted to fit many subplots into the story, but it didn't work out. I felt that it was more of a writing issue because the ideas were good but simply didn't flow well.
The characters are not likeable. The only characters I moderately liked were Tulsi and Ashish. Even then, Tulsi is 30 years old and so spineless. Her mother is Devi, and she's such a... pathetic excuse of a human being. She just keeps crying and crying and crying. Like, woman, it's been 30 years. Stop crying to avoid the conversation! Grow up! And then her mother, Tulsi's grandmother, Aruna, is a... witch spelt with a B. And then Ashish's family members just felt so annoyingly snobbish. The drama between Aruna and Hema just felt so... meh. Just picture two grandmas squabbling over something that happened 30 years ago. How petty! So there are only two mildly likeable characters in this book. Maybe only one because Ashish was the only one who didn't have any issues.
Oh, and Lucas? He's irrelevant. I think the author tried a romantic plot point between Tulsi and Lucas (her shop neighbour), but it was so bland. There was zero chemistry, and I was confused about their romantic timeline. I don't even understand how the heck they suddenly kissed because when it happened, I was like, "Huh?" Like, where did THAT come from? As such, I would very much like to pretend that there wasn't a romantic subplot in this book. It honestly could've been done without it.
And please, for the love of spices, ITALICISE NON-ENGLISH WORDS. For readers who clearly aren't Indian or maybe even Gujarati specifically, we're not going to understand. Like, her grandmother was referred to as "ba". In most languages, "ba" literally means FATHER. And "beta" is literally also an English word, so it gets mildly confusing. Then again, I read an ARC, so maybe the final copy has italics, who knows? While I wouldn't deduct a star over this (because it's an ARC), it's still mildly irritating.
Overall, this story had a promising plot that was executed poorly. It just wasn't interesting. However, I'm sure there are people out there who may relate to Tulsi, feeling the pressure to do as their parental figures wish, so maybe they'll like it! While the author failed to capture my utmost interest, I think there are still certain plot points that were done well.
Witty and charming with quirky characters, Prickly Company by Kitty Johnson is about a group of people with various personal issues who live in a neigWitty and charming with quirky characters, Prickly Company by Kitty Johnson is about a group of people with various personal issues who live in a neighbourhood with many hedgehogs.
Summary: Hilltop Place has a lot of hedgehogs. The residents include a woman who wants to save hedgehogs by creating a hedgehog highway, a woman who recently adopted a boy, a man who recently lost his ability to walk and a single mother who's new to the neighbourhood.
Tropes/Genres: • contemporary fiction • adopted son • hedgehog protection • disability rep • set in the UK • small town
Review: As a whole, this book was very interesting and had a unique premise, but I was especially highly invested in the part about the adoption, where Jess deals with her lack of motherly feelings towards Toby, the boy she adopted, despite wanting to and how the adoption affected her relationship with her biological daughter, Stella. I love how the author handled it! It's an experience that I can see happening to many families who have decided to welcome a child to their home.
I felt Jess and Stella's frustration towards Toby, especially with his constant screaming. I could hear the screams through the pages... Anyway, the point is that the author touched on Jess, Toby and Stella very well. It's probably the most memorable subplot in the story among a few others.
The characters in this book are realistic and interesting. They're flawed, and some of them may seem a bit immoral (I mean, Tara is screwing a married man – no, it's not a spoiler), but somehow, I just enjoyed them as the flawed characters they were... even though I disagree with their actions. Speaking of Tara, I felt so bad for her daughter Hermie, who was forced to be independent at a young age.
Anyway, it's nice to read all their stories, such as that about Ryan and his newfound inability to walk after stepping on a land mine, and that about Frances wanting to build a hedgehog highway. All these seem so different, yet the author weaved these individual storylines together into one big story so well.
The hedgehog analogies are fun, and I also enjoyed the list of hedgehog facts at the end of the book. I love how the author related hedgehog facts to the events occurring in the story.
All in all, this is certainly a nice book, and I recommend this book to people who may be interested in hedgehogs! If you enjoy contemporary fiction, here's a book worth picking up.
Incredibly slow-paced and with many fillers, Date Week by Ted Fox is about a man who plans a date week for his pregnant wife while he gets involved inIncredibly slow-paced and with many fillers, Date Week by Ted Fox is about a man who plans a date week for his pregnant wife while he gets involved in her career behind her back.
Summary: Will Easterly arranges for a road trip with his pregnant wife Rachel Armas to go down memory lane and reminisce about their love story. In the meantime, he secretly arranges for the job interview Rachel turned down because she was pregnant.
Tropes/Genres: • contemporary fiction • married couple • a baby on the way • road trip down memory lane • daddy issues
Review: I'm sorry, but this book was painfully boring. Usually, I'm fine with books that are slow-paced and character-driven. However, this book was SO SLOW and had so many filler scenes that felt so pointless. The pop culture references, which I usually do not mind, felt very unnecessary – why do I need to know that Rachel's sweatshirt was from the Eras Tour? It's such an unnecessary piece of information that serves zero purpose apart from perhaps pleasing Swifties. And by the way, I am a Swiftie. I wasn't amused.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the first 33% of this book. I found the premise interesting and was excited to see what Will had planned for the trip and what other obstacles they may face along the way. However, whatever came after that was simply a mess. The encounter with her ex Seth was actually good, and I really didn't like his vibe. I wondered what role he had to play in this book – spoiler: nothing. He didn't appear after that. The only mildly interesting character in this book merely served as the driver of Will's insecurities. SPEAKING OF INSECURITIES, Sir, your wife is already married to you and having your baby, so why are you doubting her love for you? Seriously? Lame.
Will and Rachel are such unlikeable characters. Don't get me wrong. I started the book liking them, and they just became more and more unlikeable as the story went on. I think their struggles with their families are fair, but they are just so annoying, especially Rachel. While Will's struggles with whether he would be a good father are discussed fairly well in this story, Rachel merely comes across as annoying. I mean, she's still friendly with her ex who was so clearly still hung up on her despite being engaged, and she didn't even stop him from talking about their past, which included having sex on school grounds. Is that supposed to be funny now? Because it's not.
There are also many random scenes in this book that don't even make sense or contribute to the story. The main storyline is this married couple going on a road trip to reminisce their love story, all while the husband secretly arranges for a job interview his wife passed up because she was pregnant. In the end, there was a ton of random stuff like Will being high because Rachel thought buying him edibles was a good idea. And for some reason, they thought it was a good idea to try and hijack someone's dinner reservation on a ferry. Somehow, this is all supposed to be cute. They really aren't. There were even some random comments about race, climate change and whatever that's irrelevant to the story. It just made me wonder why the heck they're even there when they have nothing to do with the main storyline.
However, one good part about this book post-33% was when Will finally confronted his father. I think that scene is powerful, logically, even though it was so underwhelming for me because of how unenjoyable the bulk of the book had been. The build-up wasn't there, so I couldn't really feel the impact of that scene. It was just so sudden, but I'll add it as a plus point for effort! The tattoo scene was also quite sweet; reading about that small piece of their history was nice.
Overall, this book wasn't worth my time. There are just too many random scenes and the characters weren't likeable. By the way, the book description says it's a rom-com, but it doesn't feel like one at all. It would've been better if the book focused on the storyline instead of dumping random fillers. However, some people may enjoy this book, so if you're keen, it doesn't hurt to give it a shot!
Poignant, slow-paced and character-driven, The Bordeaux Book Club by Gillian Harvey is about a book club in France consisting of English expats with vPoignant, slow-paced and character-driven, The Bordeaux Book Club by Gillian Harvey is about a book club in France consisting of English expats with various personal issues.
Summary: Grace starts a book club for Anglophones, and a couple of expats from England join it. This includes Leah, whose husband disappears for hours each day and whose daughter seems distant. The book club members explore personal issues while the books they read tie them together.
Tropes/Genres: • book club • contemporary fiction • set in Cénac (near Bordeaux), France • women's fiction • expats • small town
Review: This book is incredibly slow-paced and character-driven, but I enjoyed reading about the characters and their issues. It’s interesting to see how a book club ties them together. Their opinions about the books they read are also interesting, especially with how they link to their real life even though the books they read were classics.
The characters are interesting in their respective issues. In a way, it's realistic. Various topics that are touched on include a dying parent, suspicion of an affair, parent-teenager relationships and loneliness, most of which are related to their families. The story is told through a third-person narrative through the eyes of these characters. With their being English expats living in France, it's an interesting perspective to offer.
Books mentioned: • Great Expectations by Charles Dickens • Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen • Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
Those who have read these books will probably enjoy this book a little more because the characters talk about them! Perhaps you may even share their opinions. I recommend this book to those who enjoy poignant character-driven books.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the read....more
With a bit of mystery and romance, A Greek Island Escape by Kate Frost is about a woman who travels to her mother's hometown to take a break from realWith a bit of mystery and romance, A Greek Island Escape by Kate Frost is about a woman who travels to her mother's hometown to take a break from real life and revamp the villa she inherited from her godmother.
Summary: Xanthe Fox’s godmother Agatha has left her a villa, so she flies to Kefalonia, Greece, to revamp it. There, she meets her neighbour Dimitris, who was very close to Agatha. She also learns more about Agatha and her own family's history.
Tropes/Genres: • romance • contemporary fiction • mystery (family secrets) • neighbours • set in Kefalonia, Greece
Review: This story has a nice message, though it was kind of slow in the beginning until about 53%. Using half a book to set the scene seems to be a bit too much. However, I enjoyed the part where Xanthe learned more about her Greek roots, her godmother Agatha, who left her the villa, and her family's history, which her mother kept a secret from her.
The bulk of the drama in this story is misunderstandings. In a way, it's realistic because some people are simply stuck in their bias and are too angry and hurt to care about asking for your side of the story or even believe it anyway. However, it gets boring. I just feel that while the story seems very relaxed, the writing feels choppy.
While Xanthe and Dimitris seem nice, I don't get how Dimitris is 31 and still follows his mother's lead (if she's angry, then he's angry too), and then he suddenly stands up to her later in the book. It feels very unbelievable and kind of... dumb. It feels like an excuse for how Dimitris treated her when they met – to be rude to her just because she made his mother upset despite knowing his mother gets upset at everything so easily. I like how he didn't judge her, though. It's nice that there isn't an unnecessary third-act breakup. Overall, apart from the beginning, they seem fine.
The epilogue is a summary of whatever came after the main story, which is fine. I’m glad that there was a nice ending for the good characters. However, I think it would've been better if the author showed the "after" instead of listing everything.
I think the mystery revolving around Agatha and Xanthe's family made up for the shortcomings of this book, though. It was interesting to read the letters to learn more about Agatha and Xanthe's relationship – they frequently wrote to each other. The family history wasn't very dramatic, but it was engaging enough. That itself, though, is another misunderstanding.
The part about Xanthe rediscovering her Greek roots is also one of the good parts of this story. Her mother tried to cut everything Greek about her away and embrace the British ways, but Xanthe was adamant about learning to read and speak Greek and clung to her heritage. I think that's nice! Perhaps first-generation immigrants like Xanthe can relate to them.
In conclusion, this is a nice casual read for those who like a bit of mystery and romance. A bit. If you're not a fan of situations derived from misunderstandings, I don't recommend it to you – there isn't any miscommunication between the couple, though. It's just the side characters.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the read....more
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