I don’t recall exactly how this trilogy came to my attention. Strangely, it may have been their long titles, which may have signaled to me an Austen-esque voice, one that at the same time did not take itself too seriously. In any case, I was very happy I picked up the first novella, In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation, and from then on I waited impatiently for weeks and weeks before the second … Continue reading In Which Winnie Halifax is Utterly Ruined by Alexandra Vasti →
The Companion came out in April, but I only got around to it now. It’s the best queer historical romance I’ve read in ages. Do not sleep on this erotic love story between three beautiful and wounded people, a trans man, and two trans women. This is a gorgeous little book about finding a soft place to land. It has serious #cottagecore vibes and would be a perfect comfort read for when you want to … Continue reading The Companion by E.E. Ottoman →
(Trust) Falling for You is a fun, sweet novella about two college professors with very, very different personal and teaching styles falling for each other on a Team Building retreat in the woods of Wisconsin. This retreat, incidentally, sounds both like an HR nightmare and the sort of thing guaranteed to result in multiple letters to Ask a Manager, and also precisely like something that someone in academic administration would decide was a brilliant thing … Continue reading (Trust) Falling for You by Charish Reid →
Grumpy Jake by Melissa Blue is a delightful and tightly written novella (with a gorgeous cover!) about a kindergarten teacher developing a relationship with a student’s dad over a time period of about six months. There was actual guffawing coming from my direction and, granted I will acknowledge that I read it while drinking some spiked agua fresca which was more spike than agua fresca (my kingdom for a decent alcoholic agua de jamaica), I’m … Continue reading Grumpy Jake by Melissa Blue →
The best part of Mangos & Mistletoe is the mouthwatering descriptions of pastries created in a GBBO-inspired holiday baking competition set in Scotland. The worst part of Mangos & Mistletoe is the mouthwatering descriptions of pastries created in a GBBO-inspired holiday baking competition set in Scotland. Do not repeat my mistakes: you must not read this f/f enemies-to-lovers-in-only-one-bed novella without a plate of delicious pastries nearby. My baking experience is limited to an almost burned … Continue reading Mangos & Mistletoe by Adriana Herrera →
I’ve been in a reading rut lately. It’s the worst feeling in the world, and my solution has been to try novellas instead. They’re less intimidating than full-length books: it’s an hour of my time instead of four, I don’t feel like I’ve wasted time if I hate the book, I don’t experience guilt if I DNF, etc. The list goes on and on. When Jeannie Lin released an anthology set in her 19th century … Continue reading Tales from the Gunpowder Chronicles by Jeannie Lin →
I adore Christmas, which might seem odd considering my family doesn’t celebrate the holiday. I have no connection to the religious aspect, but the reason I love Christmas so much is because I felt isolated and miserable when I first moved to the United States as a child. Seattle seemed gloomy, dark, and wet compared to Singapore, and I hated everything about the city. Until December, when the city suddenly transformed into a magical place … Continue reading A Snowy Little Christmas by Fern Michaels, Tara Sheets, and Kate Clayborn →
Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh is a gorgeous novella that feels somewhere between fairy tale and myth, only it’s the kind of myth that is probably true. One comes away from reading it with the feeling that yes, this is what happens in the woods, and also feeling both eager and afraid to go for a walk in the woods and perhaps lose oneself there. It’s very hard to say much about the … Continue reading Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh →
This is a collection of inspirational novellas written by three generations of Brunstetter women. Each story follows a different couple in the intertwined community of Big Valley, Pennsylvania where three Amish communities with varying levels of observance live in harmony. The writing is uneven but all the characters have non-farming jobs, which is unusual for this sub-genre. I frequently read Amish and enjoy farm settings, but it’s nice to see an acknowledgement that farming alone … Continue reading The Brides of the Big Valley by Wanda Brunstetter, Jean Brunstetter, and Richelle Brunstetter →
The events of the last couple weeks have underscored how crucial and life-saving the romance genre is to me. It’s an escape, a safe haven in the storm, and a place where happily-ever-afters are always guaranteed. Romance has literally (and I don’t use that word lightly) saved my life while I clung to a spark of happiness amidst the terror of recent events. Playing House isn’t a perfect novella, but it came into my life … Continue reading Playing House by Ruby Lang →
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is a contemporary, F/F romance novella. It’s part of the Reluctant Royals series but it works fine as a stand-alone. I loved this ramble through New York City and although the romance is a bit too rushed to be completely plausible, I’m certainly rooting for these two. The story begins with Likotsi Adele, the personal assistant to the prince of Thesolo. She is on vacation in New York City when she runs … Continue reading Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole →
