When the opening pages of a book demonstrate the writer’s deep fluency and familiarity with romance tropes, even by being extremely meta about it, it’s a signal for me that I can trust the book I’m reading to fulfill the expectations I have. If Book Lovers were a person, it would probably be wearing a t-shirt that read, “I am your catnip, Sarah,” and would politely ask if it could hug me. Because this narrative simultaneously … Continue reading Book Lovers by Emily Henry →
The Birds of California is a celebrity romance which is totally my jam, but there was a big problem with the book’s ending. Specifically we learn about a trauma the heroine has survived at the very end of the novel, which gave me as a reader no time to process that trauma (even if the heroine already had). There’s no way to review this without being spoilery, so I’ve put more specifics in the spoiler … Continue reading The Birds of California by Katie Cotugno →
Machi has been going along with what other people want for as long as she can remember, but she’s so sick of her parents nagging her to find a husband that she’s ready to marry someone they’d hate to spite them. She wasn’t expecting her best friend Hana to volunteer for the role though! Yep, we’re skipping the fake dating and going straight to marriage. That’s how we roll here. I Married My Best … Continue reading I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up by Kodama Naoko →
Following the events of Written in the Stars and Hang the Moon, Margot is the only single person left in her tight-knit friend group. So, even though she’s not interested in a romantic relationship, Margot is starting to feel lonely and like an afterthought. That is, until her childhood best friend (who Margot was also head over heels for and had her heart broken by) drops back into her life—and her apartment. Recently divorced from … Continue reading Count Your Lucky Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur →
Editor’s note: Catherine passed away suddenly last week, and we will miss her very, very much. This is her last review for us. May her memory be a blessing. … Meet Me In the Margins is a sweet, funny, epistolary novel about writing and publishing and getting out of your own head. Savannah is an editor at a very highbrow literary publishing house, and she is also secretly working on the manuscript of her romance … Continue reading Meet Me in the Margins by Melissa Ferguson →
Content warnings: Loss of a parent, post-partum depression Donut Fall in Love is a funny, flirty, foodie romance which deals with themes of grief and family in a very honest and thoughtful way. I liked the way that it explored serious themes and messy family dynamics while still being a fun, sweet, and often light-hearted read. Ryan Kwok is an actor whose abs regularly trend on Twitter. His most recent film was a flop, and … Continue reading Donut Fall In Love by Jackie Lau →
The Donut Trap is a New Adult romance with strong coming of age themes. Jasmine’s parents sacrificed and suffered so that their children would have better lives, but at times, Jasmine feels like she and her brother are the sacrifices. They feel bowed down under a weight of expectation and obligation, and the result is that they both resort to hiding important parts of their lives from their parents. A year or so after finishing … Continue reading The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu →
The Dating Dilemma is a fun, sexy contemporary romantic comedy about learning to ask for the things you need in life. Lexi is on a six month break from dating, because her boyfriends always take advantage of her giving personality. But when a hot fireman turns up to perform a safety inspection at the youth centre where she is the Assistant Director…well, even if one isn’t dating, one can enjoy looking. Dylan, the hot fireman … Continue reading The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman →
TW for book: Disordered eating The Worst Guy was the first book I read in 2022, and I hope it’s setting the tone for the rest of the year because I loved it. It’s an enemies-to-lovers story with tons of competence porn. It’s also The Grumpy One/…the Introverted One, I guess? There’s no sunshine here, and I honestly appreciate a heroine who doesn’t have to be the sunshiney one. Sebastian Stremmel is a trauma surgeon … Continue reading The Worst Guy by Kate Canterbary →
Quinn Fortune is the head of a land trust in Lost Lake, Alaska. On that land is an old gold mine. As a result, Quinn is inundated with people telling him what to do with the land. While he’s notoriously unwelcoming to Outsiders (i.e. any soul not from Lost Lake, Alaska) he is especially hostile towards those that want him to sell/change/adapt the land of which he is the custodian. Enter Violet Parrish, someone who … Continue reading Bold Fortune by M.M. Crane →
Brooke Carston is a country-pop star who’s heading home for the holidays for her first extended visit in almost a decade. Brooke wants to reconnect with her family and spend some time recharging, so romance is the last thing on her mind. And yet, when Brooke sees her childhood best friend, Nicole Livingston, it’s like no time has passed. Nicole also left Mountain Crossing after high school, but she came back after a couple of … Continue reading Silent Night by Lily Seabrooke →
