Review: Three Holidays and a Wedding

I’m calling it: Three Holidays and a Wedding is my favourite holiday read of 2023. Now, I haven’t read that many yet (and I’m woefully behind, as usual, on my holiday review books) but this one, co-written by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley, two of my favourite authors, was an absolute delight and I enjoyed every second reading it.

Here’s the book’s description:

Three times the holiday magic. Three times the chaos.
As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, wasn’t sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops.
An emergency landing finds Anna, Saif, Maryam, and her sister’s entire bridal party snowbound at the quirky Snow Falls Inn in a picture-perfect town, where fate has Anna’s actor-crush filming a holiday romance. As Maryam finds the courage to open her heart to Saif, and Anna feels the magic of being snowbound with an unexpected new love—both women soon realize there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays.

The premise of this one is perfectly bonkers which made it the best kind of holiday rom com. There are not one, not two, but three major holidays converging, a plane being rerouted and, oh, there’s a movie being filmed in town, too! Jalaluddin and Stapley work their magic, though, and make something that could be cheesy and over-the-top, completely wonderful. I was smiling constantly while reading this story and was completely invested in the characters’ lives.

The book takes place in December 2000 when Ramadan, Hanukkah, and Christmas all fell within a few days of each other. You may think that 2000 wasn’t that long ago and I mostly forgot that the book took place *gasp* 23 years ago. But there were the odd moments when I realized how much things had changed since then - which I loved! Anna only had a flip phone and her charger had been lost with her luggage so she couldn’t get in touch with her boyfriend in Toronto. That would never happen these days. Nor would someone pull out a bunch of CDs for a mehndi ceremony in 2023. I really liked the little mentions of days gone by!

I loved how the holidays came together and how Hanukkah and Ramadan took centre stage, with Christmas almost being an afterthought. It was refreshing. I celebrate Christmas but there’s no religious reason for that. I just enjoyed that a big guy in a red suit brought me and my sisters presents and we had an excuse to decorate the house and eat lots of treats. I enjoyed feeling part of both Anna and Maryam’s celebrations as they shared traditions and discovered just how important family and their holidays really were to them. (And that maybe family didn’t have to be related by blood.)

Maryam and Anna were such great characters to get to know. They were real (and therefore flawed) but such wonderful people. And their love interests probably didn’t deserve them because these ladies were so great. (But the boys were ok too - we can keep them!) The romantic relationships they embark on were secondary to the women figuring out what they wanted to be doing with their lives. Becoming snowbound in Snow Falls allowed them to really analyze their current circumstances and think about their futures. I was so proud of their growth and loved reading it.

If you buy just one holiday read this year, make it Three Holidays and a Wedding (and I highly recommend you buy yourself your very own copy). Uzma Jalauddin and Marissa Stapley have completely nailed it and I loved reading this holiday rom com. I hope these authors pair up again for another novel in the future.

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

Review: All I Want for Christmas

It pains me so very much to say this but…All I Want for Christmas was not a winner for me. It hurts because I love authors Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley who, together, make up Maggie Knox, the author of the holiday rom com in question. I know you can’t win ‘em all but this one? Not liking this one really hurt.

Here’s the book’s description:

True love wasn't on their holiday wish list.
When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they've finally gotten their big Nashville break. But then they're paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry. With fans going wild for #Saxie the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn't be too hard, except for one small problem--Sadie and Max can't stand each other.
But with their dreams just within reach, they agree to the ruse. Will their fake relationship be exposed before they can win? Or will an unexpected trip to Banff spark real feelings by the Christmas finale?

My biggest problem with this book was I just could not buy Sadie and Max as a couple. At all. They didn’t have any chemistry and just kept being so incredibly awful to one another. I couldn’t buy Max’s “excuse” and he never did win me over as a suitable rom com hero. Enemies to lovers is a tricky trope for me so that may have been part of my aggravation, but I really couldn’t see why the two of them would have worked as a couple – even for the short term.

I also hated that Sadie kept details from Max. There was no reason for her to keep the info to herself, even allowing for other strong emotions. (I’m trying to be vague here so I don’t ruin a plot point so bear with me.) It was like she just couldn’t be bothered sharing any part of herself with Max and how does that make for a good relationship?

The story really did start off strong and I hoped I was in for a delightfully festive and cheesy read. The pacing quickly threw me off and things went downhill from there. I don’t think I loved the time jump from when the show wrapped up to a year later when we met back up with the characters. There had to be a lot of explaining about what went on during that year and I got a bit bored and lost. Not to mention, again, that there was no connection that I could see between the main characters.

I’m sure there are readers who will love All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox. I hope there are. It’s hard when you have really high hopes for a book and so many things let you down. Ah well. Onto the next read, right?

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Penguin Random House Canada, via Edelweiss in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.* 

Review: The Holiday Swap

I had been eagerly awaiting the publication day of The Holiday Swap since authors Marissa Stapley and Karma Brown announced they had written it together under the name Maggie Knox. And that was sometime back in 2020. Needless to say, my expectations were through the roof. And guess what? It totally delivered. I absolutely adored the festive rom com and think it’s a must read for fellow romance readers this holiday season.

Here’s the book’s description:

All they want for Christmas is a different life.
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?

Just like In a Holidaze last year (also by an author duo, this time Christina Lauren), Knox delivered a classic rom com - but updated for 2021. The premise - identical twins swapping lives at Christmas - is perfectly set up for hijinks, miscommunication, and characters learning more about themselves. But even though it seems ridiculous and far-fetched, it totally worked. Of course, you have to enjoy these types of stories but I definitely do so the story completely captivated me. I was laughing and swooning and enjoyed the entire book.

I love watching baking shows (who else absolutely loves Great British Bake Off?) so the fact that Charlie works on a baking competition program was too much fun. And be warned: you're going to want all of the baked goods while reading this book!

There’s city living as Cass experiences the best of LA and small town charm with Charlie in Starlight Peak where the women grew up. I really liked the balance of small town and big city in this story. You might not picture Starlight Peak as Stars Hollow but I, Stapley, and many, many readers all did!

And the relationships! Swoon! The connections between the women and the men they meet were immediate and so delightful to read about. Neither woman needs a man to solve their problems and the men Knox wrote are wonderful and supportive.

The Holiday Swap is romantic comedy at its finest. Both sisters have important career decisions to make but romance is at the heart of the story and readers will be left with a smile on their faces as they finish the delightful novel Maggie Knox has written. 

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

Review: Lucky

Putting a new Marissa Stapley novel in my hands is a surefire way to bring a smile to my face. Her latest is Lucky and was just released this week. It is a well-written and compelling read that you won't want to put down. I loved it.

Here's the book's description:

What if you had the winning ticket that would change your life forever, but you couldn’t cash it in?
Lucky Armstrong is a tough, talented grifter who has just pulled off a million-dollar heist with her boyfriend, Cary. She’s ready to start a brand-new life, with a new identity—when things go sideways. Lucky finds herself alone for the first time, navigating the world without the help of either her father or her boyfriend, the two figures from whom she’s learned the art of the scam.
When she discovers that a lottery ticket she bought on a whim is worth millions, her elation is tempered by one big problem: cashing in the winning ticket means the police will arrest her for her crimes. She’ll go to prison, with no chance to redeem her fortune.
As Lucky tries to avoid arrest and make a future for herself, she must confront her past by reconciling with her father; finding her mother, who abandoned her when she just a baby; and coming to terms with the man she thought she loved—whose complicated past is catching up to her, too.
This is a novel about truth, personal redemption, and the complexity of being good. It introduces a singularly gifted, complicated character who must learn what it means to be independent and honest…before her luck runs out.

It's no secret that I love Marissa Stapley. She's a great human and a stellar author. I love how the plots of all her novels are quite different but there's always a well-written story that almost always has a strong family element and smart women at the forefront. With Lucky, there are a number of strong women in the background as well. None of them have an unblemished background (not even the nun) and they all (barring one who's just downright evil) seem to be trying to make up for past mistakes. Reading the story makes you wonder if things really can ever be black or white or if everyone's actions are coloured with shades of grey.

The story is told mostly from "present" day, which takes place in 2008 (it makes sense - I don't think there would be a way for the story to work in 2021, not with better surveillance and tracking) with flashbacks to Lucky's past as she grew up with a grifter father who taught her everything she knows. You can't help but wonder what Lucky's life would have been like if she had had a different family. You learn she's wicked smart, which makes her a very good grifter, but what if she'd been able to apply those smarts to a different profession? I definitely wished I could change things for her and give her a better story (but then we wouldn't have this fictional story that I was getting so invested in, now would we?). 

I don't think I've ever read a story like this before. Which is silly since it reminded me a bit of the Ocean's movies which I LOVE so why am I not seeking out novels that feature con men or women with morals? What Lucky had been doing was, yes, illegal. You could argue that that's what she was taught to do growing up. She didn't have an average upbringing and her role model was a con artist. What's a girl to do? You can't help but root for her, though, even though you know she's done some questionable things in her past. You want redemption for her but the worry comes in when you don't know what that will look like - or if it will even be possible.

I love the look of this cover, with the lovely colours and all but...I have issues with it. Namely, it's too light and fluffy for a story that's full of grit and danger. The main character is on the run and fears for her life. Is a sunset coloured cover with a young woman on it really the best way to sell the story? Would this be the cover if someone named Max Stapley wrote the story instead of Marissa? I think not. Covers should match the story, not the name going on the front of it. 

You're going to want to read Lucky. Buy a copy, clear your schedule, and dive into Marissa Stapley's stunning new novel. It will grip you with an expertly woven story with a main character you'll fall in love with. Read it, love it, tell all your friends!

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

Cover Reveal: The Last Resort

There are a few authors I've read over the years who immediately go on my "must read" list no matter what they write. Some of them I've been lucky enough to meet in person and it only confirms my desire to support them in everything they do. Marissa Stapley is one of those authors for me. She's a fantastic author and an even better human. She revealed the cover of her new book, The Last Resort, yesterday and, because I find it so damn swoonworthy, I asked her if I could feature it on my blog so all of you could swoon over it too!

Here's what her new book - which is out June 4 in Canada and June 18 in the US - is all about:

From bestselling author Marissa Stapley comes a gripping novel about marriage, loyalty, and the deadly secrets that unravel over the course of a two-week couples’ therapy retreat in Mexico.
Miles Markell is missing, and everyone is a suspect.
To the guests at The Harmony Resort, Doctors Miles and Grace Markell appear to be a perfect power couple. They run a couples’ therapy retreat in a luxurious resort in the Mayan Riviera where they help spouses deal with their marriage struggles.
Johanna and Ben’s relationship looks great on the surface, but in reality, they don’t know each other at all. Shell and Colin fight constantly—Colin is a workaholic, and Shell always comes second.But what has really torn them apart is too devastating to talk about. When both couples begin Harmony’s intensive therapy program, it becomes clear that Harmony is not all that it seems—and neither are Miles and Grace. What are they hiding, and what price will these couples pay for finding out their secrets?
As a powerful hurricane descends on the coast, trapping both the hosts and their guests, confidences are revealed, loyalties are tested, and not one single person—or marriage—will ever be the same.
A gripping exploration of relationships and trust, The Last Resort is a propulsive read about all the big truths we hide, even from ourselves.

You're intrigued, aren't you? Good.

Ready for the stunning cover?

Isn't it gorgeous? Even though you can see the hurricane coming to shore. I think it perfectly captures the essence of the story with beauty but underlying menace.

Head to Marissa's website to find all the pre-order links so you can get a copy of your own from your favourite retailer.

If you're really interested in Marissa and what she's written before (check out my reviews of Mating for Life and Things to Do When It's Raining) and are in GTA-ish area next weekend, make sure you check out the event being held at the L.E. Shore Memorial Library in Thornbury. And bonus: KA Tucker, Joanna Goodman, and Ruth Marshall will be there too! (So will I and I'm SO EXCITED.)

Happy reading (and pre-ordering), everyone!

Review: Things to Do When It's Raining

I always love finding Canadian authors who write the kinds of stories I like to read (ie not the old guard Canlit that doesn't interest me very much) so when I read Marissa Stapley's first novel, Mating for Life, almost four years ago I was thrilled (read my review here if you missed it). Finally, another Canadian author who writes well and tells a wonderful story. Fast forward a few years and I was impatiently waiting for Stapley's next novel - after meeting her at several bookish events over that time period. She's as wonderful a person as she is a writer (I'm always so happy when that turns out to be the case). As for her second novel, Things to Do When It's Raining? I didn't want to put it down.

Here's the synopsis:

When secrets tear love apart, can the truth mend it?
Mae Summers and Gabriel Broadbent grew up together in the idyllic Summers’ Inn, perched at the edge the St. Lawrence river. Mae was orphaned at the age of six and Gabe needed protection from his alcoholic father, so both were raised under one roof by Mae’s grandparents, Lilly and George. A childhood friendship quickly developed into a first love—a love that was suddenly broken by Gabe’s unexpected departure. Mae grew up, got over her heartbreak, and started a life for herself in New York City.
After more than a decade, Mae and Gabe find themselves pulled back to Alexandria Bay. Hoping to find solace within the Summers’ Inn, Mae instead finds her grandparents in the midst of decline and their past unravelling around her. A lifetime of secrets stand in the way of this unconventional family’s happiness. Will they be able to reclaim the past and come together, or will they remain separate islands?
From the bestselling author of Mating for Life comes a powerful story about guilt, forgiveness and the truth about families: that we can choose them, just as we choose to love.

If you've read Stapley's first novel, you'll know that she writes family dramas really, really well. Her second novel solidifies that. This story isn't just about Mae and Gabe. Nor does it focus solely on Lilly and George. It weaves a tale of two families with issues and secrets just like any other. OK, maybe they're not just like any other but I suppose that's what makes this story more interesting than others could be. Gabe and Mae didn't have the most ideal childhoods - for two totally different reasons - but they had each other, as well as Mae's grandparents, who were doing the best they could after their daughter and son-in-law died.

This isn't the easiest story to read because there's a lot of heartbreak throughout the pages. Most of the heartbreak comes from many characters being abandoned - either because of a death or because another character had (or "had") to leave. At the beginning, these characters don't handle the abandonment well at all. And you can't really expect them to either. Grief is a process and Things to Do When It's Raining allows the reader to work through the characters' grief right along with them. That's sometimes uncomfortable and I didn't always love it but I know that's what makes this book so good.

Some people may find they can't connect to the characters in this novel or that they just plain don't like them. I actually had that thought flit through my head as I was reading it. I quickly dismissed it because I think connecting with a character can look very different depending on the book. And I think readers, women reading women especially, are still conditioned to believe that we have to like every character we read. But guess what? We don't. We certainly don't like every person we come across, do we? But just because there might be a so-called connection lacking doesn't mean it's not a good character. Stapley's characters are going through a lot and, as someone who just lost her grandmother recently, I know it is not easy to be likeable while you're grieving. These characters are all deeply flawed but they are real.

Things to Do When It's Raining was a well-written and captivating family drama. Marissa Stapley has proven herself to be a master in the genre (if we want to call it that and I think I will) and I already can't wait for her next book.

*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.*

Cover Reveal: Things to Do When It's Raining

I read Marissa Stapley's debut novel, Mating for Life, almost exactly three (!!!) years ago. I absolutely loved it - you can read my review here. Since then, I've been (im)patiently waiting for her next novel. She's been busy writing book reviews for The Globe and Mail (I'm seriously envious of her for being able to do this...maybe someday that'll be me...) and, happily, working on her second book, Things to Do When It's Raining. The novel is being published in February 2018 and I cannot wait! I've been fortunate enough to see Marissa at several book events over the past couple of years (I actually just saw her on Wednesday night at K.A. Tucker's launch!) and she is just oh so lovely. So, since I love her work and her as a person, I'm thrilled to share her cover with you today!

But first...here's what this upcoming novel is all about:

When secrets tear love apart, can the truth mend it?Mae Summers and Gabe Broadbent grew up together in the idyllic Summers’ Inn, perched at the edge the St. Lawrence River. Mae was orphaned at the age of six and Gabe needed protection from his alcoholic father, so both were raised under one roof by Mae’s grandparents, Lily and George. A childhood friendship quickly developed into a first love—a love that was suddenly broken by Gabe’s unexpected departure. Mae grew up and got over her heartbreak, and started a life for herself in New York City.
After more than a decade, Mae and Gabe find themselves pulled back to Alexandria Bay by separate forces. Hoping to find solace within the Summers’ Inn, Mae instead finds her grandparents in the midst of decline and their past unravelling around her. A lifetime of secrets that implicate Gabe and Mae’s family reveal a version of the past that will forever change Mae’s future.
From the bestselling author of Mating for Life comes a poignant generational story about family and secrets. With honesty and heart, Marissa Stapley reminds us of the redemptive power of love and forgiveness, and that, ultimately, family is a choice.

How good does that sound? I can't wait to curl up with it and a hot chocolate when it's released next year! (Though it's odd to think of drinking a cozy hot beverage when July is tomorrow...)

So...are you ready to see the cover? Of course you are!

I adore the blue and the red together (though...may I ask why the sky is blue when I think it should be raining?). I'm also a big fan of the simple font. I love me some handwritten titles (think Until It Fades, Tucker's book that I just reviewed this week) but the block letters just looks so crisp and lovely.

Go ahead and add Things to Do When It's Raining to your Goodreads shelf and mark your calendars for February 2018. Hopefully you're just as excited for Marissa Stapley's upcoming novel as I am!

Top Ten Tuesday: 2014 New-To-Me Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

It's been awhile since I've done a TTT (it's been awhile since I've blogged, really. Damn new job getting in the way of, well, everything.) but I love end of year wrap ups and knew I had to set aside some time to figure out which authors were new to me over this past year. It doesn't mean that these are debut authors. These are (eleven) authors I hadn't read before this year. Did you discover any new authors in 2014?

Joseph Boyden: Can Lit master. I must read more of his books.

Gemma Burgess: I really like her series about 20-somethings living in Brooklyn and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Jenny Han: I hadn't read Han before this year and I really don't know why. I LOVED To All the Boys I've Loved Before.

K.A. Tucker: She is probably my favourite New Adult author - and she's Canadian!

Laura Chapman: I'm so proud of blogger-turned-author Laura. Her debut novel was amazing.

Marissa Stapley: Another Canadian makes the list! Mating for Life is more serious than I tend to read but it's amazing and Marissa is a total sweetheart.

Morgan Matson: Another YA author I had been meaning to read for forever. Since You've Been Gone was a lot of fun.

Sarah Jio: I can't believe this was my first Jio book. I cannot wait to read her latest, The Look of Love.

Sara Shepard: I don't really have any interest in Pretty Little Liars but The Heiresses intrigued me and I was hooked from the first page.

Tahereh Mafi: I blew through Mafi's Shatter Me series and I'm really glad I read them!

Terry Fallis: While No Relation wasn't my favourite book, I still really want to read the rest of Fallis' novels.

Review: Mating for Life

Declaration time! I have found a new Canadian author to love after reading Mating for Life. Marissa Stapley's debut novel was so good and I enjoyed every second I spent reading it.

Here's the synopsis:

Former folk singer Helen Sear was a feminist wild child who proudly disdained monogamy, raising three daughters, Liane, Ilsa and Fiona (each by different fathers) largely on her own. Now in her sixties, Helen has fallen in love with a traditional man who desperately wants to marry her—and while she's fearful of losing him, she’s equally afraid she’ll betray everything she's ever stood for if she goes through with it.
Her youngest daughter, Liane, has just ended her own tepid engagement, and is in the heady early days of a relationship with the love of her life. But he has an ex-wife and two daughters—and her new role as “step-something” doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Ilsa, an artist (and classic middle child), has broken away from a bohemian past and is fervently hoping her second marriage will stick. Yet her world feels like it is slowly shrinking, and her painting is suffering as a result—and she realizes she may need to break free again, even if it means disrupting the lives of her two young children. And then there's Fiona, the eldest sister, who has worked tirelessly to make her world pristine. When she discovers her husband has been harboring a huge secret, her own past becomes harder to ignore, and Fiona loses her tenuous grip on happiness. To get it back, she must face some truths that she’d rather keep buried,
and alter the impossibly high expectations she’s been holding everyone – including herself – up to.
Interwoven with these narratives are glimpses of the lives of the women that surround Helen and her daughters: the first wife of Liane's great love; the girlfriend of a man Ilsa is drawn to; the young woman that Fiona's husband has kept a secret. Through these alternating perspectives, and with pitch-perfect honesty and heartwarming humor, Stapley explores sex, marriage, and how the many roles that women play are often at odds with each other. Ultimately a celebration of the redemptive power of love in all its forms, Mating for Life is a stunning, memorable debut.

I had received an ARC so long ago that I had forgotten what the book was really about, let alone that it was written by a Canadian. There are oodles of amazing Canadian authors out there. Some of those authors have written really great women's fiction. What I lack in my reading life (which, let's be honest, is my entire life) is women's fiction set in Canada. It just doesn't often happen. So, I was thrilled when I realized (remembered?) that Mating for Life was set in Muskoka and Toronto. This may not mean much to anyone else but ever since interning at Project Bookmark Canada (and, actually, I think there are some awesome Bookmark opportunities with this one) I've been trying to read more CanLit and it's hard when one of my preferred genres isn't represented. So, thank you, Marissa , for writing just the book I wanted to read.

I really loved the relationships in this novel. Stapley did an amazing job of capturing the nuances of the relationships between a mother and her daughter and between sisters. Because, as much as the marriages and other romantic relationships played a part in this novel, that's really what the story was all about - Helen and her three daughters and they way they interacted and felt about each other. I liked that even if you had a good relationship with your own mother or sister, as I do, you could still identify with Helen, Fiona, Ilsa, and Liane. You knew where they were coming from even if you couldn't understand, for example, how Liane didn't mention her engagement to her sisters, or even to her mother (those would be my first two phone calls should I ever get engaged). The family dynamic was just so real. I don't know how else to really explain why I liked the female relationships in this book...they were just really well done and I felt connected to their story and their lives as I was reading.

If you follow me on Goodreads you may be wondering why, if I'm obsessing over this book so much, I didn't give it five stars (if you don't follow me on Goodreads, I gave this one four, and only because I can't do halfs on the site!). This was purely for a personal reason. It is very common for me to not like a book when it switches perspectives. I like being in the head of one character (sometimes two is ok) but I'm not usually a fan of books that switch between three or more characters. Mating for Life switches between many characters but...I was pretty much ok with it. It still bothered me because I wanted to know what was happening in one character's life but then the chapter would end and it'd be onto someone else's world. It worked, totally, but it made me wish for more time with certain characters. It's also worth it to note that there were usually gaps in time between chapters and you're sort of left scrambling and playing catch up as you try to figure out what had happened with a character since you last heard of them. Again, this really worked with the way the story was being told but it was a little something that I didn't totally love. 

A small thing to note but I liked it so I wanted to share: each chapter started with the name of an animal (fox, squirrel, seagull) and a description of their mating behaviour. And I am pretty sure the name of that animal is mentioned within that chapter. I missed a few of them but I definitely caught others. So neat! Here's an example:

I'm a bunny owner. Of course I picked the rabbit one!

I don't know what else I can say about Mating for Life except: read it. Seriously. Marissa Stapley has written an absolutely wonderful novel and I think so many others would love it too. You can bet I'll be pushing this one on almost every reading woman in my life. If you're looking for a well written, emotional, real women's fiction novel (an added bonus if you want a Canadian to have written it), Mating for Life should be your next read. It will be released, appropriately enough, on July 1. Buy it, devour it, and then let me know what you thought of it!

*I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for an honest review.*