Review: First Comes Like

First Comes Like was my first read from Alisha Rai, even though it's technically third in her Modern Love series. I've seen the others but just never managed to cram them into my reading schedule. I made sure to make the time for Jia's story, though, and I'm really glad I did. I had SO much fun reading it!

Here's the book's description:

Beauty expert and influencer Jia Ahmed has her eye on the prize: conquering the internet today, the entire makeup industry tomorrow, and finally, finally proving herself to her big opinionated family. She has little time for love, and even less time for the men in her private messages—until the day a certain international superstar slides into her DMs, and she falls hard and fast.
There’s just one wrinkle: he has no idea who she is.
The son of a powerful Bollywood family, soap opera star Dev Dixit is used to drama, but a strange woman who accuses him of wooing her online, well, that’s a new one. As much as he’d like to focus on his Hollywood fresh start, he can’t get Jia out of his head. Especially once he starts to suspect who might have used his famous name to catfish her…
When paparazzi blast their private business into the public eye, Dev is happy to engage in some friendly fake dating to calm the gossips and to dazzle her family. But as the whole world swoons over their relationship, Jia can’t help but wonder: Can an online romance-turned-offline-fauxmance ever become love in real life?

One weird thing that drove me bananas was that Jia mentioned several times at the start of the novel (when she's trying to figure out what happened with Dev and why he doesn't know her) that she was very ill recently and still kind of recovering. Her sister, who lives on the other side of the country, was ill with the same thing and still needs to use oxygen. The problem? I have absolutely no idea what illness it was. And it seemed to be such a big part of the reason why the story even had a story (she got back to talking with "Dev" when she was sick) that it was bizarre that it was mentioned so much and then just...left alone. Was it mentioned in the previous stories and that's why I was missing information? Was it supposed to be COVID? If it was, can we please fast forward to the world they're in where everyone can hang out together and fake date? Because it didn't seem like anyone else in the entire world had gotten sick and her illness wasn't that long ago. 

I also wondered if Jia had ever mentioned to her roommates (who are the heroines in the first two novels) that she had been messaging with Dev. That part of the story was...convoluted. And heartbreaking and also infuriating. I kind of found myself waiting for the pair to get past that situation so I could enjoy the rest of the story. 

I went down the rabbit hole of Goodreads reviews because I needed to see how Muslim readers felt about the story. From what I can gather, Rai is not Muslim herself and a lot of readers were worried about how Jia's faith would be portrayed (as they should be). Some readers took issue with it seeming like this was just a check off the Diverse Rom Com List: girl wears hijab - check! girl prays - check! girl does not drink or have premarital sex - check and check! Other readers appreciated those mentions. I'm not going to comment one way or the other but I do think I'll try to find some more reviews from Muslim readers (while understanding that it's not a monolith and one person's experience does not speak for everyone of that faith).

Jia is such an interesting character. She is so warm and engaging but also kind of an introvert, I think. She's wicked smart and so funny. Some of the conversations with Dev and her roommates were too hilarious - I was giggling out loud when she and Dev went to an art show together as they poked fun at the abstract art. She's also such a kind person. You can see that when she interacts with, well, just about anyone, but especially her roommates. There's a really enviable bond there and made me miss my friends and former university roommates. 

First Comes Like isn't a story that lends itself to a picked apart review, to be completely honest. It's not a perfect story but it was perfect for me at the time I was reading it. I loved Jia and had a lot of fun reading her story and hoping for a Happily Ever After for her. It was fun and smart and I look forward to reading Alisha Rai's backlist and whatever she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Avon, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Ladies of the House

I'm a Jane Austen fan who enjoys reading (and watching) adaptations of Austen's work. Not everyone does, and that's OK. (I'm more forgiving of adaptations in general than some readers, I find.) So, I figured I'd have a good time reading Lauren Edmondson's debut novel, Ladies of the House, which is a modern day retelling of Sense and Sensibility. I was wrong. I had a great time reading it. It might be my love of Austen influencing me but I absolutely adored this book from start to finish.

Here's the description:

No surprise is a good surprise. At least according to thirty-four-year-old Daisy Richardson. So when it’s revealed in dramatic fashion that her esteemed father had been involved in a public scandal before his untimely death, Daisy’s life becomes complicated—and fast.
For one, the Richardsons must now sell the family home in Georgetown they can no longer afford, and Daisy’s mother is holding on with an iron grip. Her younger sister, Wallis, is ready to move on to bigger and better things but falls fast and hard for the most inconvenient person possible. And then there’s Atlas, Daisy’s best friend. She’s always wished they could be more, but now he’s writing an exposé on the one subject she’s been desperate to avoid: her father.
Daisy’s plan is to maintain a low profile as she works to keep her family intact amid social exile, public shaming, and quickly dwindling savings. But the spotlight always seems to find the Richardsons, and when another twist in the scandal comes to light, Daisy must confront the consequences of her continued silence and summon the courage to stand up and accept the power of her own voice.

Like with any adaptation, Edmondson cut some characters and combined others. Some storylines were removed and adjusted to fit the flow of a modern story. It's been a few years since I've read Sense and Sensibility (and about as long since watching Emma Thompson's excellent movie adaptation), so I could only really recall the broad strokes of Austen's novel anyway. And those were the strokes that Edmonson made sure to make. Her Willoughby was perfection and Beau (aka Colonel Brandon) was wicked smart and an absolute sweetheart, just as he should be. The relationship between the sisters (only two - no youngest sister to be found in this story) and their mother was much better and healthier than I think Austen had ever written - but I loved that. Give me a great sister story and I'm happy - even happier when they get along well with their mother. There was a great scene in this story when Daisy and her mother, Cricket, wander around the National Gallery of Art. She says that she'd forgotten her mother was her ideal museum companion, since her father didn't care and her sister, Wallis, always zoomed through. I can't remember the last time I would have been at an art museum with my mom, certainly not as an adult, but the scene struck me so deeply and I wished the world wasn't locked down so I could go on an art adventure with my mom.

Speaking of the National Gallery of Art, there were a few scenes sprinkled throughout the story that would appeal to those wishing to do a bit of armchair traveling. The majority of the Washington, D.C. the reader gets is very political (which I enjoyed a lot) but there are a few moments where the reader, if they've visited the city like I have, will recognize attractions and be able to exactly picture the setting. 

The story, separate of all things Austen, is a gem. It is smart and amazingly feminist. I loved that Daisy was just a year older than me and absolutely killing it on the Hill. (Equally great was that the story wasn't super bogged down in politics.) I also freaking adored that she took no bullshit from Blake (aka Willoughby) at the end of the novel when he was trying to wrangle an apology out of her simply because his white frat boy self thought he deserved one. The epilogue gave me chills and I think I'm going to have to reread it a couple more times because of how powerful I felt it was. (No quotes here because 1. it's the epilogue and therefore the very end of the book and 2. I only have an advanced copy and can't confirm the finished text.) Wallis and Daisy had such a great sisterly relationship and I wished I could be their friend. 

You don't have to be a fan of Jane Austen to love Lauren Edmondson's debut novel - though Janeites will enjoy the nods to Sense and Sensibility. Ladies of the House is smart, entertaining, heartwarming, and feminist. I loved reading it and I think a lot of others will too. I can't wait to read what she writes next.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Graydon House/Harlequin, via NetGalley, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Stranger in Town

I'm finding it difficult to acknowledge that Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series will be coming to an end soon. Maybe it's because I hadn't quite realized before the Q&A I did with her (read it here) that there would likely only be seven books. A Stranger in Town, released just last week, is book six. I also didn't get into the series until the fourth book so I haven't had as long with the characters and I'm just not ready to let go of this great mystery series yet!

Here's the book summary:

Detective Casey Duncan has noticed fewer and fewer residents coming in to the hidden town of Rockton, and no extensions being granted. Her boyfriend, Sheriff Eric Dalton, presumes it’s the natural flux of things, but Casey’s not so sure. Something bigger is happening in the small town they call home.
When an injured hiker stumbles from the woods, the sole survivor of a hostile attack, it’s all hands on deck. Even a member of the elusive Rockton council comes in to help. This council member also comes bearing news: Rockton is being shut down due to the hostile situation.
Casey and Eric must now race to save the town that has allowed residents to have a fresh start, away from the mistakes of their past, while also getting to the bottom of this latest attack.

You might know that I don't often reread a synopsis before reading a book I've requested for review. In the case of A Stranger in Town, I don't even think I read it before saying, YES PLEASE. I'm so thankful the publisher sought me out (it seems to have changed publishers since the last book's release...) because I'm loving this series so much. So that means that the description, which I've now read, contained a lot of info that I didn't know before I started reading (other than someone stumbling into town - the title kind of gave that one away). I especially like to stay in the dark with mysteries because I don't want any preconceived ideas to get into my head, even if it's one the publisher is allowing out into the world. Which also makes reviewing these types of books tricky because I don't want to give anything away either!

I had absolutely no idea how the mystery was going to resolve itself. None. I couldn't figure out the links and instead of wishing I could keep up with Casey and Dalton's minds, I just rolled with it, trusting them, and Armstrong, to keep me guessing (and wondering and worrying and on the edge of my seat and entertained) until the end when everything would come together. I wasn't expecting quite as much of a big, red bow as I got but that has me more excited now for what's to come. (Excited might be the wrong word. It will not be easy and I'm sure Casey will have at least one more dead body to deal with.)

I also love the characters you meet in Armstrong's series. Yes, there are multiple books so you spend a lot of time with them and learn a lot about them, but Armstrong has a knack for letting you into their world and allowing you to really get to know them. None of them are one-dimensional, stereotypical characters. There are layers to everyone, even those who just get a passing mention in the story, and the reader learns more about them as they begin to trust and open up more to each other. That, in turn, makes the reading experience even more enjoyable.

The location was, as always, a character itself. I haven't been to the Yukon but my sister worked two summers at a camp on the Alaskan highway. It definitely wasn't as remote as Rockton (you can actually find it on a map) but her stories and pictures help make these novels come even more alive for me. An amusing anecdote before I close this review: chapter 22 begins with Casey and Dalton heading to Lynx Lake. Casey mentions that "the Yukon isn't a zoo" and many southerners don't realize that wildlife, lynx included, aren't wandering around for the tourists' enjoyment. My sister had a hell of a time spotting a moose in the wild so I snapped a pic of the paragraph and sent it to her. She enjoyed it as much as I thought she would. And what pops up on her Instagram feed the next day? This timely post from Travel Yukon.

I have a feeling I know some of what's coming in the next (last???) Rockton novel. A Stranger in Town did wrap a lot of things up, which was great, but also has left me wondering (and worrying) about what on earth is going to happen next. I cannot wait to see what Kelley Armstrong has up her sleeve for the residents of Rockton.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Raincoast Books, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: The Paris Library

I had been sitting with my copy of Janet Skeslien Charles' The Paris Library for almost a year before I finally read it. You see, the book was originally supposed to be released in 2020 but was only just published this month. I was even lucky enough to be able to get a physical ARC at the last event I attended in early March 2020 before the world shut down. I enjoyed hearing from Skeslien Charles herself and looked forward to reading her book. Fast forward eleven months and I enjoyed my time spent getting lost in Paris as I read the novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
A powerful novel that explores the consequences of our choices and the relationships that make us who we are—family, friends, and favorite authors—The Paris Library shows that extraordinary heroism can sometimes be found in the quietest of places.

The cover and opening chapters of this novel are completely swoonworthy. Odile is a bookworm, desperate to work in her favourite place: the American Library in Paris. I completely identified with her love of reading, and even with hoping she'd be able to work at the library where she feels most at home as my first job was at my hometown library and I adored it. Skeslien Charles did the library (where she had worked herself years ago) credit and I really felt like I was there with Odile and the whole cast of characters who loved the library as much as she did. This love of books and the library being a sacred space was my favourite part of the whole novel.

This is a quiet historical novel. There isn't a whole lot that seems to happen - there are no battles being fought here - but everything changes over the course of the story. As the war begins, things gradually get deteriorate until Paris is occupied and German soldiers are crawling all over the city and imposing rules that impacted all citizens and the library. And things get even worse from there. Jewish subscribers were no longer welcome in the library and Miss Reeder (the real life American directress at the time) could not let that stand. The librarians arranged to deliver books to those who were no longer allowed into the library and continued to send books to soldiers when they could. It seems like such a small thing but they were risking their lives by doing this. They could have been arrested, or worse, for providing reading material, of all things, to Jewish subscribers or by having a banned book in their possession. Other libraries and museums had been pillaged already by the Nazis and Miss Reeder made sure to have some of their collection hidden in case their library was next. As we're learning now, during this pandemic, culture isn't going to cure us of COVID-19. It isn't going to feed us or find housing and safety for those who need it. But it is important for our mental wellbeing and we need libraries, and other institutions like them, to be around when we're finally able to emerge from this world we're living in right now. I think the librarians knew that, too.

I didn't like the dual timeline. I'm being increasingly picky when there is a historical and a present-ish day storyline woven together. I want it to have purpose and I didn't really feel like Lily's story in 1980s Montana really had a purpose. I wanted to know more about Odile and the secrets that she was apparently keeping but Lily's story didn't hook me. It was sort of clunky too and just didn't flow well. I would have much rather the story be told chronologically. Maybe in parts with the final part in 1983 as Lily helped Odile finally lay her ghosts to rest. I think this was a huge part of why I didn't like the book more than I did. I didn't want to be taken out of the story and I was whenever a chapter from the eighties came up. 

I wanted to love The Paris Library but it didn't quite make it. I would still recommend Janet Skeslien Charles' novel for those who want a different perspective on World War II and how difficult it would have been to live in Occupied Paris. I look forward to what she writes next!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Author Q&A: Kelley Armstrong

Happy publication day to A Stranger in Town - the latest in Kelley Armstrong's Rockton series. I jumped in partway through the series but I'm totally into it now. I just started reading the newest on Sunday and can't wait to get back to it. Before I share my review later this week, I want to share a Q&A I was lucky enough to do with Armstrong. Thank you to her and to Raincoast Books for arranging this opportunity. I hope you enjoy!

Books Etc.: I’m a newer fan of the Rockton series so I apologize in advance for the very basic first question I have: how did the series come about? What came first – the town or the people?
Kelley Armstrong: The town. I was talking to my agent at the time, and she mentioned hearing that enough people go missing every year to populate a small town. That got me thinking, “What if there was an actual town where people went to disappear?” I figured out the logistics of the town and then started populating it.

BE: What’s it like writing in different genres? Do you find many differences between them all when writing? And do you try to switch it up with each new book?
KA: I need variety as a reader, so I also need it as a writer. They all definitely have a different tone and feel, which keeps things fresh. I do try to alternate them on my writing schedule to shake it up creatively.

BE: Casey and the Rockton crew encounter a lot of wild animals – have you had experience with foxes, wolves, or bears?
KA: While I’ve encountered all of them, my encounters are never as dramatic, thankfully! For example, A Stranger in Town has a grizzly standoff. I based the “mother and two juveniles” on a family we saw along the roadside in the Yukon, where the juveniles were the size of black bears. We’ve had grizzlies in our yard there, but they leave as soon as they hear us.

BE: What kind of research did you do on the different types of groups found in the Rockton series?
KA: You mean the different settlement types? (Note: yep, that's what I meant! I forgot the word "settlement" *face palm*) Lots of research on people who go off-grid somewhere like the Yukon. Why do they do it? How do they live? Research on isolated communities around the world for the First Settlement, research on communes for the Second Settlement. The hostiles are trickier, because I wanted to steer well clear of stereotypes. Even the language is loaded and could trigger in those stereotypes if I referred to them as savage or primitive or tribal. They are average people who went into the forest and something happened. Avoiding spoilers, I’ll only say that I did a lot of research on what could happen under the scenario I envisioned.

BE: What are some of the best and worst things you’ve done for research?
KA: For the Rockton series, the on-site research is the best—just getting out there and experiencing it. Also the excuse—I’m not just driving up to Dawson for a few days for vacation, I’m doing research. As for the worst, I can’t recall anything where I hated the whole experience, but had to do it for research. Now, when it comes to non-experiential research, my least favorite part is when I expect an easy answer to a question, end up spending hours chasing it, and later decide to edit out that section! 

Blog Tour: The Girl from the Channel Islands

February has, so far, been a month full of historical fiction with my first three reads of the month set in the past. Two of which featured German occupied areas during World War II. The one I'm featuring today is Jenny Lecoat's debut, The Girl from the Channel Islands.

Here's the book summary:

The year is 1940, and the world is torn apart by war. In June of that year, Hitler's army captures the Channel Islands--the only part of Great Britain to be occupied by German forces. Abandoned by Mr. Churchill, forgotten by the Allies, and cut off from all help, the Islands' situation is increasingly desperate.
Hedy Bercu is a young Jewish girl who fled Vienna for the island of Jersey two years earlier during the Anschluss, only to find herself trapped by the Nazis once more--this time with no escape. Her only hope is to make herself invaluable to the Germans by working as a translator, hiding in plain sight with the help of her friends and community--and a sympathetic German officer. But as the war intensifies, rations dwindle, neighbors turn on neighbors, and Hedy's life is in greater danger every day. It will take a definitive, daring act to save her from certain deportation to the concentration camps.
A sweeping tale of bravery and love under impossible circumstances, Hedy's remarkable story reminds us that it's often up to ordinary people to be quiet heroes in the face of injustice.

The occupation of the Channel Islands was something I had read about before. Back in 2008, when it was published, The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society was extremely popular (I was working at a bookstore at the time and I sold so many copies - to so many people who could never remember the full name of the title). It took me a decade to finally read it (if you haven't find it on audiobook - you'll be in for a treat) and I loved it. And then I watched the Netflix movie and enjoyed that too. Why am I bringing this up? Because Guernsey is, like Jersey where Lecoat's novel is set, part of the Channel Islands. It was also occupied by German soldiers and the characters faced many of the same hardships that Hedy and her friends did. What sets Lecoat's story apart is that it takes place during the Occupation, plus Hedy is Jewish. Not only that, but she had already seen some of the horrors of the war in mainland Europe and had no desire to be rounded up like her neighbours had been in Italy.

There are so many war movies based on famous battles so I especially enjoy when books take a look at the quieter part of war. What it was like on the homefront in Canada, for example, or in the countryside of England or France? How did those left behind survive the war? That's why I keep reading all of these wartime novels because they all give me an extra glimpse into the horrors of war. Sometimes I wonder why I do that to myself because it was a terrible, inhumane time. But I also marvel at the strength the characters had. And I wonder if I would have had the same strength. Would I choose, like Hedy, to work for the enemy if I had no other choice? Knowing one wrong look or move would send me to jail simply because of my religion? (Sometimes it's hard to fathom as I'm not religious.) Would I hide my Jewish neighbours? Would I find some other way to resist? Or would I turn a blind eye to it all and hope for it to be over soon? 

I've recently had several, lengthy conversations with my bookstagram friend Megan about books that feature "good" German soldiers. Not full-blown Nazis that believe in the Fatherland and a pure race, etc. etc. But the men who had to enlist and fight for their country. How much of the atrocities that occurred were their fault? Did they really not know what was going on? How many of them were just trying to do their jobs so they weren't jailed or killed? The logical part of me knows that it's a "not all Germans" situation. I do know that. But when these stories are set against the backdrop of the islanders effectively being starved because the soldiers are rationing the rations and also rounded up because of their religion or who knows what else? When there's no firewood to be had? When the soldiers are able to go to brothels and bars and have drinks and a full meal? It's really hard to find any sympathy for them, even when it came to Kurt, a German officer I truly did feel was haunted by what his country was doing and was trying to help where he could and for the woman he loved. I have to remind myself that I wasn't there. I wasn't falling in love with someone who maybe wasn't the best choice for me. I wasn't fighting for survival. I don't know what I would have done and maybe I shouldn't judge one solider for the actions of his superiors. 

The Girl from the Channel Islands didn't wow me but as I worked on this review I realized that perhaps Jenny Lecoat's debut novel might stick with me for longer than I expected. The plot points might fade but the circumstances the characters found themselves in might stay with me for awhile. It's worth a read for historical fiction fans, especially if you don't know anything about the occupation of the Channel Islands, but I'd categorize this one as a borrow or buy on sale.

Buy the book: 
Harlequin * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-A-Million * Powell’s

Connect with the author:
Author Website * Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

About the author:
Jenny Lecoat was born in Jersey, Channel Islands, where her parents were raised under German Occupation and were involved in resistance activity. Lecoat moved to England at 18, where, after earning a drama degree, she spent a decade on the alternative comedy circuit as a feminist stand-up. She also wrote for newspapers and women's magazines (Cosmopolitan, Observer), worked as a TV and radio presenter, before focusing on screenwriting from sitcom to sketch shows. A love of history and factual stories and a return to her island roots brought about her feature film Another Mother's Son (2017). She is married to television writer Gary Lawson and now lives in East Sussex. The Girl from the Channel Islands is her first novel.

*An egalley of this novels was provided by the publisher, Graydon House Books/HarperCollins, via NetGalley, in exchange for a review for the purpose of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Flirting with Forever

Do you ever want to tell a book, "It's not you, it's me?" I don't know for sure if it was my fault or Flirting for Forever's but I didn't really enjoy my time spent with Cara Bastone's latest novel. I know it can happen from time to time but, man, do I ever get frustrated when a book lets me down.

Here's the synopsis:

Sometimes you get a second chance at a first impression
Mary Trace is bright, bubbly and back in the dating pool in her midthirties. All of her closest friends are in love, and she refuses to miss out on romance. So when a regular customer at her trendy Brooklyn boutique wants to set Mary up on a blind date with her son, she gives a hesitant yes. John Modesto-Whitford is gorgeous and well-groomed, so maybe dinner won’t be a total bust—until he drops a less-than-flattering comment about Mary’s age.
Desperate to be nothing like his snake of a politician father, public defender John Modesto-Whitford prides himself on his honesty and candor. But his social awkwardness and lack of filter just blew it with the most beautiful woman he’s ever dated.
Luckily, Mom’s machinations keep Mary and John running into each other all summer long, and soon they resort to fake dating to get her to back off. When their pretense turns to real friendship—and some surprisingly hot chemistry—can these two stubborn individuals see past their rocky start to a rock-solid future together?

I know I sound like a broken record but I have got to stop reading romance novels that are part of a series. I don't care if they're supposed to be standalones. Too many of them aren't done well enough to actually stand alone. With Flirting with Forever I felt like I was being bombarded with SO many characters and backstories that I didn't feel like I was actually getting to know the main couple. There was too much and it was the first thing to drive me bonkers with this story. I was too busy trying to figure out how Mary was connected to her friends Sebastian and Tyler who were clearly loved up and had been the focus of the previous two books. But even with that, I didn't get a real friendship from them. Oh, sure, they guys were there for her with their girlfriends when Mary had something bad happen (outside of the romance and  I don't want to give it away) and you could tell they cared and there was history but...I guess I was being told that they cared and had history instead of it being shown to me. Oh and that dog on the cover? Not their dog. He belongs to one of the previous couples. John, in fact, has a cat.

I didn't particularly care about Mary and John. They were nice enough people but I would have been happy to have been told, "Oh, they worked out their issues and now they're living Happily Ever After. The end." Though, John had to work just as hard to win me over as he did Mary. He was a total dick to her on their first date and repeatedly discusses with friends that he is, in fact, a dick. Except...he's not. He's an incredibly kind and giving person who may have a few issues with social niceties especially when faced with a woman he's immediately, overwhelmingly attracted to. His behaviour just really didn't make sense and as a hero he wasn't a standout. He was also super hung up on how Mary had lots of money (how did she have so much money?) and he didn't. It's hard to judge in that sort of situation but he was so focused on it and it bothered me. Poor John. He didn't have a shot with me.

I also have to take issue with the book description. The first thing is going to come across as ridiculous and possibly age-ist but here we have it: Mary's 37. Not quite what I'd call mid-thirties. I'm turning 34 this year and I would consider myself in my mid-thirties. 37 is late thirties. But, I guess that doesn't sell as well? Second issue: John and Mary don't actually fake date. It's a convoluted storyline where Mary says she'll date someone else that John's mom is trying to get her to date but she's only doing that so John and Mary end up going home together. But that, my friends, is not fake dating as we know and love the trope. Finally, it talks about their hot chemistry. Um. Nope. Their chemistry is not not hot but it's a super slow build and then they give into it but would we call a drunken make out session hot? Meh. Not so much. It might be a bit much to be so frustrated with a description but I was expecting a different kind of character and a different kind of story so, yeah, I was frustrated.

I think contemporary romances are, for some reason, not for me right now. Normally I adore romances in all forms but I'm having a really hard time getting into the sweet and fun stories. Maybe Flirting with Forever would be a winner for another reader but Cara Bastone's latest novel really disappointed me.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Together by Christmas

I've lost track of the number of Karen Swan books I've read over the years and I know I haven't even read close to all of them! Her latest came out last year and was her traditional holiday offering. Together by Christmas is a story full of secrets and a touch of festive magic that will keep the reader intrigued until the end.

Here's the synopsis:

When Lee first came to Amsterdam, it was with a newborn baby and a secret. Five years later, her life is approaching normal: her career as a celebrity photographer is flourishing, her son Jasper is growing up, and they are enjoying the run-up to Christmas with their tight circle of close friends.
But all this changes one morning when Lee finds a book in the basket of her bicycle – and scrawled inside it, a desperate message. Who left it for her, and why? Lee feels compelled to help and tracks down the book’s author, Sam. With an instant, undeniable connection it seems they might have a shot at a real future together.
Until her past comes calling. As the snow falls and ice thickens on the city’s canals, the secret Lee has never told resurfaces. Suddenly everything she holds dear hangs in the balance. Christmas is a time for being together – but what if the truth means she ends up alone?
Escape to the snow-covered streets of Amsterdam in this deeply romantic read, featuring twists, turns and characters you'll fall in love with.

I knew, despite the title, that this book wouldn't be super Christmassy. Swan's books never really are. They tend to focus on the lead up to the December holiday but the big day itself is a bit of an afterthought. So, when I got overwhelmed with holiday books last year, I made the decision to read this one in early 2021 instead. I think it was actually nicer to read as Amsterdam slowly became covered in snow and ice as it was snowy outside my window here in Ontario in January. As it was, we didn't see much snow in my city until Christmas Day! Lee is an Englishwoman living in Amsterdam and she still hangs onto her Christmas roots even though the Dutch don't put as much emphasis on Christmas. (A fact that was mentioned a few too many times throughout the book. Once was enough.) Instead, they celebrate Pakjesavond and the children wait for a visit from Sinterklaas. I didn't know much about the holiday so it was really fun to learn about it and see it through a child's eyes as Jasper watched a parade, left and received nightly gifts, and waited for the present giving evening.

I would have loved this book if there hadn't been SO MUCH going on. The main plot - what happened to Lee when she was a war photographer in Syria and why her former partner had gone back - was the one I cared the most about (along with her budding romance with Sam...what can I say, I'm a sucker for a Happily Ever After). Unfortunately, it was bogged down by a lot of subplots: photographing top celebrities for a magazine, a photography exhibition featuring domestic assault victims to shed light on the issue, her former partner's pregnant wife, her friend having a crush on their other friend who is clueless and a bit of a womanizer, human trafficking happening too close to home (which I totally called and was just waiting for them to figure it out), Sam's book and marketing campaign, the Elfstedentocht (a long distance outdoor skating event in the Netherlands), looking after an elderly neighbour, and just all the hullaballoo surrounding the holidays. A LOT. It did kind of work together but it felt forced at times and I just found myself waiting for Lee's secrets to finally be revealed since it had been teased through the entire book and I was on edge because her past was...well, brutal.

Lee was an interesting character and one I really liked reading about. I could see how she would be hard to read for some people because she keeps herself very walled off (I don't blame her, given what I was sure she had seen and encountered in Syria). But you could also see what she was like with the people she allowed into her life. Jasper, of course, who was the cutest little guy, but also Mila, Liam, and Noah who were her found family. She was so smart and so talented - it was interesting to read as she worked in her studio on the magazine piece (though I do wonder how professional photographers would have felt at the portrayal).

One, sort of weird, thing that didn't work for me was how Lee called herself "mannish" twice when she was with smaller women. Lee is 5'10", which is, yes, tall but as a 6' tall woman (not living in Amsterdam where there are, apparently, tall people everywhere), I would never call myself "mannish" and it didn't seem to work with what I knew about Lee either. Sure, I feel super tall and large sometimes when I'm with teeny 5' women but I still feel like a woman. A personal quirk of mine, I know, but it stuck out to me. Just like all the winking characters did (do people really wink that much in real life? I think not.) and the fact that Mila wore a "flesh toned" dress. No, she wore a peach or light cream coloured dress that just happened to match her skin tone. 

Even with the issues I had with this story, I was completely riveted. I sat myself down to read on a Saturday afternoon and didn't move until it was done (full disclosure: I had read up to chapter 11 the night before). I was so worried for what Lee had gone through in the past and what Harry, her former partner, was going through in the present. Plus, she clearly had feelings for Sam but refused to allow herself to have a healthy, romantic relationship even though there was something special there. I'm still glad I read it.

Together by Christmas is a book to get into when you want to get completely lost in the story and ignore the outside world. I'd recommend reading Karen Swan's latest novel while it's still wintery (in some parts of the world, anyway). If nothing else, you'll get to do some armchair traveling to Amsterdam!

*An ARC of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Publishers Group Canada, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*