Someone Perfect is a slow burn, slowly paced romance that offers a highly emotional secondary conflict. Aside from the plethora of secondary characters who I couldn’t always keep track of, I really enjoyed this book, but you definitely need to be in the mood for a romance that takes time to build. Justin Wiley assumed the role of Earl of Brandon six years ago. In that time his stepsister, Maria, has been living at one … Continue reading Someone Perfect by Mary Balogh→
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→
Ramón and Julieta is a romance novel about Ramón, a billionaire, and Julieta, a chef. It’s also a novel about identity, culture, ethics, gentrification, music, family (toxic and healthy), and food. I wasn’t sure how this couple could possibly find a happy ending, but I sure wanted them to. However, given the weight and nuance of the topics addressed, especially gentrification, I wasn’t completely satisfied with how the story resolved. Ramón is the son of … Continue reading Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson→
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→
Nnedi Okorafor is here and she is not here to play. Remote Control is the African futurist story of Sankofa, a young girl in Ghana in the near future who wanders from town to town in search of a lost treasure from the skies, accompanied by a fox and a cat. People call her the Adopted Daughter of Death for her ability to cause the death of anyone in her vicinity through seemingly supernatural powers. … Continue reading Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor→
TW: discussion of rape, alcoholism, torture, suicidal ideation, violence, foot binding, emotional abuse, needles (mostly for acupuncture, but there are enough of them that if you are phobic you’ll want to read with care). Iron Widow has had a ton of buzz since it came out in October of 2021. My library hold finally came through and I was just gobsmacked by this book and could not believe I hadn’t read it sooner! This Own … Continue reading Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao→
I have been talking about wanting to read D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding for ages! Tara has been very patient with my desperation to read this book. A lesbian rom com about a wedding reality show? Girl, sign me up! Anticipating a book for years usually leads to crushing disappointment, but this book lived up to the hype for me. It’s so good, y’all! Tara, what did you think? Tara: Patient, *snort*. Shana, you … Continue reading D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding by Chencia C. Higgins→
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→
Weather Girl is a rom-com that manages to stay sweet and funny despite tackling some serious subject matter. I found this book to be charming and relatable, and I especially enjoyed the mature communication between the two leads. Ari Abrams loves being a meteorologist, but hates the constant conflict between her boss (the weather reporter, Torrance Hale), and Torrance’s ex (Seth, the station director). After a particularly awful and grossly unprofessional fight between Torrance and … Continue reading Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon→
I love a good gothic, and The Death of Jane Lawrence had a lot of buzz. But now that I have read it, I am confused about three key elements, which I list here in a Non-spoilery format: Is the title accurate? Is this a romance? What the hell happened? The book starts off in standard but solid Gothic mode. The main character, Jane, wants an “unconventional” marriage, one which will allow her to remain … Continue reading The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling→
CW: transphobia Love and Other Disasters rides the cooking show competition wave with a romance between two contestants. In one corner, we have London, an openly nonbinary, pansexual contestant who is especially good at desserts. In the other, we have Dahlia, a queer (her word) divorcee who is great with main courses. London is quiet and reserved. Dahlia is goofy and outgoing. Will these two find love amidst the perils of cooking, competition, and reality … Continue reading Love and Other Disasters by Anita Kelly→
