Review: Spoiler Alert

I was super excited when I heard about Olivia Dade's novel Spoiler Alert. Body positive with unapologetic nerdy main characters? Sounded great! Ultimately, I enjoyed reading it but it didn't blow me away as I expected it to. Maybe my expectations were too high? I was entertained and would probably still recommend it to those who are looking for heroines who aren't typically seen in novels and those who love fanfiction and all the fun that goes along with it.

Here's the book's description:

Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster.  Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. Immediately.
April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction.
Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her.
With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?

I've never gotten into fanfiction for any of the various series I enjoy but I love the idea of it. The communities that are created from an intense love of a book or show or movie or game are so wonderful. I have something a little similar with my book blogging and bookstagram community so I completely understand how it is possible to create friendships with people you only know online. I was really happy to see the fanfiction and cosplay have such a focus in this story.

I ended up listening to this one even though I had an egalley. The narration was...fine. One of my pet peeves (and I'm probably not alone in this) is when the narrator is voicing the gender opposite to their own and it just...doesn't work. That was the case with this one - the female narrator's male dialogue was not great. The rest of it though was good and the story, with my handy sudio earbuds, made for excellent background noise for walks and chores around the house.

The audiobook also made it harder to follow the parts at the end of each chapter - script excerpts, fanfic descriptions, DMs, and so on. That said, I loved the idea of them because it added an extra element and allowed the reader to get an idea of what else had been going on in the past. The audio execution just wasn't as great as I'd like.

The TV show the whole story is based around, Gods of the Gates, was very Game of Thrones-esque - an adaptation of a fantasy series where the shrowrunners had to go off book and the whole thing went kind of downhill. Sounds familiar, right? I found it entertaining to think about how the real actors would have dealt with the situations the characters found themselves in. I got into GoT late but I enjoyed the show (I'm not enough of a fantasy reader to make it through Martin's massive tomes). The similarities had me convinced that it was just Dade making up her own show because, reasons, but then there was a throwaway line at the end where the show was compared to GoT. Say what? It was so weird. 

If you think about the romance between Marcus and April too much it becomes far-fetched simply because he's a massively popular actor and she's an everyday woman. But once I got over how they met and so on, their relationship is major goals. There's sexual attraction, of course, but there is such respect and that is incredibly attractive. They're both so smart and passionate and they brought out the best in each other. You couldn't help but root for them to have the most perfect Happily Ever After.

You can probably tell I was just feeling OK about Spoiler Alert. I'm so glad Olivia Dade's book exists but it didn't hit the high notes for me. It's still worth a read but don't rush out and buy a copy for yourselves - use the library for this one. And all that said? I'm also likely still going to check out Dade's other novels too!

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

Review: Seven Days in June

I know I've said recently that second chance romances have slipped from the top spot on my list of favourite tropes. But I was really intrigued when I head about Tia Williams' Seven Days in June. Sure there's a second chance romance to it but this novel didn't seem like a typical romance. It seemed deeper and more angsty and it made for a read that I was totally invested in.

Here's the book's description:

Brooklynite Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer, who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning literary author who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York.
When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their past buried traumas, but the eyebrows of New York's Black literati. What no one knows is that twenty years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. They may be pretending that everything is fine now, but they can't deny their chemistry-or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books ever since.
Over the next seven days in the middle of a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect, but Eva's not sure how she can trust the man who broke her heart, and she needs to get him out of New York so that her life can return to normal. But before Shane disappears again, there are a few questions she needs answered. . .

While the second chance thing had me intrigued, I was also looking forward to reading about a couple of authors. I just love bookishness in my reading material. I'm not totally sure why. I mean, I know I'm totally obsessed with books so that's a huge part of it. But it's kind of...meta, I guess?...to read a story by an author about authors. I loved that Williams threw the characters into so many Black Literati events and had every type of book lover and industry professional depicted. There were the hardcore readers who embraced the fandom, genre authors and literary darlings, publishers, editors, book reviewers and influencers. It was great. It also really made me miss book events!

Eva and Shane's relationship was, in a word, intense. It was off the charts bananas and the truth of what had happened to them fifteen years prior (the first seven days in June) just about broke my heart. It was a tough situation to begin with but then you learn more about it and I was so sad and so infuriated. And the romantic in me was distraught over all the lost time (but the realist in me understood, as the couple did, that maybe they can only work because they're older and aren't reckless teenagers). Their attraction almost seemed far-fetched but the comments from the people around them, like Audre, Eva's daughter, and Cece, their editor, made it clear that they were so much happier and healthier when they were together. That means something.

I don't know if I think all books need to be classified into a specific sub-genre but I still found myself sort of struggling to fit this novel into a box. I wouldn't call it a romance and it's not a rom com - though it does have super steamy romantic elements and it's wicked smart, it's just not laugh out loud funny. It falls into that large, vague contemporary fiction space that gets defined very differently if you're a man or a woman. And, I imagine, if you're a white woman or a Black woman. Regardless of what genre you could shove this into, it's a really good read that hits all the emotions you encounter in life.

I don't have an invisible illness like Eva, who suffered from debilitating migraines, but I do know that those kinds of disabilities (among many, many others) aren't seen in fiction all that often. I hadn't realized until the last several years how important it is to be able to see yourself reflected in the fiction you consume (whether that's books, TV, movies, and so on) because I'm straight, white woman. Eva's illness is a large part of her life, of course, but it doesn't define her and it doesn't define the novel and I think Williams found the perfect balance in this book (she does thank her own migraine doctor in the acknowledgements). 

Seven Days in June is worth a read. It's raw and real. It's sexy and smart. It's probably a few other alliterative adjectives. Tia Williams has written a few other adult novels (and YA novels) that I'm going to have to check out because I really loved her voice and writing style. 

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the Canadian distributor, Hachette Book Group Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake

I missed out on reading Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material, though it's on my ereader waiting for me to make time for it, but given how many trusted friends enjoyed it, I knew I needed to read Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. An #OwnVoices rom com set in England and taking place at a televised baking competition? Sign. Me. Up.

Here's the book's description:

Following the recipe is the key to a successful bake. Rosaline Palmer has always lived by those rules—well, except for when she dropped out of college to raise her daughter, Amelie. Now, with a paycheck as useful as greaseproof paper and a house crumbling faster than biscuits in tea, she’s teetering on the edge of financial disaster. But where there’s a whisk there’s a way . . . and Rosaline has just landed a spot on the nation’s most beloved baking show.
Winning the prize money would give her daughter the life she deserves—and Rosaline is determined to stick to the instructions. However, more than collapsing trifles stand between Rosaline and sweet, sweet victory.  Suave, well-educated, and parent-approved Alain Pope knows all the right moves to sweep her off her feet, but it’s shy electrician Harry Dobson who makes Rosaline question her long-held beliefs—about herself, her family, and her desires.
Rosaline fears falling for Harry is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Yet as the competition—and the ovens—heat up, Rosaline starts to realize the most delicious bakes come from the heart. 

I have to discuss the love triangle first and it's going to be a bit spoilery so if you hate that, please move onto the second paragraph! I hated what happened between Rosaline and one of the men. Absolutely hated it. It was gross and uncomfortable and I didn't like reading it. It felt like I was misled and betrayed a much as Rosaline was and while I appreciate that Hall used it as an opportunity to have really important conversations about gender and sexuality...I really, really wish it hadn't happened. 

Onwards!

I absolutely LOVE Great British Bake Off. So so so much. It is hands down my favourite reality show because it is so soothing and lovely and full of baked goods! So, it was super fun to have Rosaline take part in a GBBO-esque show. My sister told me long ago about how she had read that the hosts will sometimes start swearing or saying brand names when a contestant is having a rough time because then the footage becomes unusable. Hall uses that in the story and I actually laughed out loud. It really added to the feeling that this is what GBBO is actually like and I adored it. 

Related to the baking show, the novel is set up by weeks, just like the show is. Contestants go to the filming location every weekend to compete in their themed weekly challenges. I don't know if the format would work for everyone but I really enjoyed it. I found it kept things moving and focused all the action during the times when all the action was taking place. It just made sense to me!

Rosaline has, as is customary for rom coms, a journey in this novel and she really grows as a person. She's always been a great person, you can just tell, but she becomes so much more confident in herself throughout the course of the show and it's so lovely to see. 

Amelie, Rosaline's daughter, is an absolute hoot. She's a precocious kid (about seven or eight) and she would tell you she was because she has a very extensive vocabulary. Funnily enough, this was the second book in a very short period of time where I read about a single mom/mum with a feisty and wicked intelligent daughter around the same age. Given I have absolutely no desire to have children of my own, I sometimes avoid single parent rom coms but this is a reason you should always read a little outside your norm because both books portrayed single parenthood really well and I enjoyed them. Back to Amelie...I absolutely loved that she called Harry Mr. Viking and he called her Prime Minister. Their instant connection was so cute.

There's a lot of discussion about gender roles, sexual preferences, sexism, and classism in this book. That may sound like a lot of Topics for some people (and if it is...um, pay attention to the world because these are important things) but Hall weaves it together so well and in an entertaining and educational way. It's clear that Hall isn't trying to have Rosaline speak for all women or all bisexuals but by having her have these important discussions, it can help the reader identify problem spots in their own thoughts and behaviours and can, hopefully, correct them in the future. 

All in all, I had a grand time reading Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake. I do think my expectations were a touch high and they weren't quite met but I'll definitely be reading Alexis Hall's previous book and whatever comes next. I laughed and swooned and had a lot of other emotions and that made for a good rom com in my books.

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

Review: Hana Khan Carries On

It should come as no surprise that I was incredibly excited for Uzma Jalaluddin's sophomore novel, Hana Khan Carries On. I absolutely adored her debut, Ayesha at Last. Her second novel was as entertaining and engaging as her first (if not more so) and I fell head over heels in love with it.

Here's the synopsis:

Sales are slow at Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, the only halal restaurant in the close-knit Golden Crescent neighbourhood. Hana waitresses there part time, but what she really wants is to tell stories on the radio. If she can just outshine her fellow intern at the city radio station, she may have a chance at landing a job. In the meantime, Hana pours her thoughts and dreams into a podcast, where she forms a lively relationship with one of her listeners. But soon she’ll need all the support she can get: a new competing restaurant, a more upscale halal place, is about to open in the Golden Crescent, threatening Three Sisters.
When her mysterious aunt and her teenage cousin arrive from India for a surprise visit, they draw Hana into a long-buried family secret. A hate-motivated attack on their neighbourhood complicates the situation further, as does Hana’s growing attraction for Aydin, the young owner of the rival restaurant—who might not be a complete stranger after all.
As life on the Golden Crescent unravels, Hana must learn to use her voice, draw on the strength of her community and decide what her future should be.

Just as Ayesha at Last put a Muslim spin on Pride and Prejudice, Jalaluddin took another beloved romance story as inspiration: Hana Khan Carries On pays homage to You've Got Mail, one of my (and many, many others) favourite rom com movies. When I first heard that, I was even more excited to read this novel. The story is not an exact remake of the famous Nora Ephron movie. Jalaluddin has taken the movie's plot and created a novel that is both familiar and wholly unique - which I absolutely adored. Because of the comparison, I had an idea of how the romance in the novel would play out but that's OK. If you're a You've Got Mail fan too, rest assured you will be left with the same fuzzy feelings when you finish this novel as you have when you rewatch the movie. It's that good.

I appreciated that the story was told just from Hana's perspective (though sometimes I wish I could have gotten Aydin-as-Tom-Hanks type scenes) as I think I find I like rom coms more when it's just from the one character's perspective. Aydin was important to the story and I liked him (and disliked him) right alongside Hana. But I didn't need his POV. I was happy Jalaluddin focused on Hana and her career and relationships with her family. Those elements of the story were so strong and made the novel so much richer and better than it would have been had there been a trade off of perspectives.

Canadian readers will appreciate that this novel is set firmly in Canada. More specifically, Toronto. Even more specifically, Scarborough. I'm not far from Toronto (I can wave to the skyline from the other side of Lake Ontario) but I don't venture there often. I was delighted, however, when Hana, Aydin, and her cousin, Rashid (oh what a delight he was) went downtown for some sightseeing and to catch a Blue Jays game. I'd like to know exactly where they were sitting in the dome though as Hana said she was comfortable and I would never call those blue plastic seats comfortable (then again, I'm 10" taller than Hana so that could have something to do with it). I digress. I also delighted in the mention of Kawartha Lakes ice cream and the spelling of words with Us. Little things like that can make a reading experience so much more enjoyable to us Canadians.

Which leads me to this...I, a Canadian just like Hana, appreciated seeing my home country represented in mainstream media. I am privileged that this is my biggest issue. I consume so many books and TV shows and movies that are set in New York City or Anywhere, USA instead of Canada because it's assumed the market isn't ready for Canadian content. But...I am white. I see my skin colour on screens and read it in books All. The. Time. If I'm that happy to see my country in a published book, imagine how those feel who never read about characters who look like them. Who don't have the opportunity to say, hey - she has a leopard print hijab just like me! I'm simplifying this, I know, and I don't want to make light as I think the impact that stories like Jalauddin's have is so large. Jalaluddin didn't write her novels to teach white people like me more about her culture but that is a side effect I'm so thankful for. 

There were moments during the novel where Hana encounters racism and a hate crime. As I was reading the book, North America was reeling from the murder of eight women, six of  whom were Asian women. It was a racially motivated killing spree in Atlanta and one that shouldn't go unnoticed. What Hana, her cousin, and Aydin experience didn't result in a death, but it doesn't mean it's any less serious. It felt serious to me - maybe because of the recent news. And yes, my friends, this does happen in Canada. We have a boatload of issues with racially motivated hate and oppression that we really need to work on. And part of that work is making sure novels like Hana Khan Carries On are published and, for my fellow white people, embracing the discomfort you might feel as you read and realize you have a lot more work to do with your anti-racist behaviour. 

I know that was a super heavy take on a novel that has a fun and gorgeous cover and is marketed as a rom com. But I think rom com readers these days are looking for these kinds of stories. I know I am. I want stories about women who are real and focus on their lives, all of it, not just their Happily Ever After. I want substance and a love story. I want more stories like Hana Khan Carries On. 

The characters in this novel will burrow their way into your hearts (except for Aydin's father who you will absolutely despise even as he got a bit too cartoon villain-y). You will feel like you're a part of the Golden Crescent neighbourhood right alongside Hana and her friends and family. The feeling of community Jalaluddin is able to capture is wonderful. 

Hana Khan Carries On will be a favourite of 2021. Uzma Jalaluddin's latest novel will delight readers who want a story that will make them laugh, swoon, and reflect. Read this book. You won't be disappointed.

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

Review: His Only Wife

His Only Wife had been on my radar before it was published back in September 2020 and before Reese Witherspoon chose Peace Adzo Medie's debut novel for her book club. I had started reading it months ago but had to set it aside. I tried again as an audiobook and listened through to the end in almost no time at all.

Here's the book description:

Afi Tekple is a young seamstress whose life is narrowing rapidly. She lives in a small town in Ghana with her widowed mother, spending much of her time in her uncle Pious’s house with his many wives and children. Then one day she is offered a life-changing opportunity—a proposal of marriage from the wealthy family of Elikem Ganyo, a man she doesn’t truly know. She acquiesces, but soon realizes that Elikem is not quite the catch he seemed. He sends a stand-in to his own wedding, and only weeks after Afi is married and installed in a plush apartment in the capital city of Accra does she meet her new husband. It turns out that he is in love with another woman, whom his family disapproves of; Afi is supposed to win him back on their behalf. But it is Accra that eventually wins Afi’s heart and gives her a life of independence that she never could have imagined for herself.

I think part of what made me put the book down so many months ago after only a chapter or so is how slow the story is to start (and, honestly, it doesn't really pick up the pace at all). There's so much backstory and I felt like I was being told everything instead of being actively engaged and shown the story. It made it really hard to start caring about the characters when you're plopped in the middle of the action and then have a whole bunch of history to get through before the story carries on.

One of the most difficult things about reading this book was constantly having to remind myself that my culture is not the same as Afi's and my normal is not her normal. I was often finding myself frustrated at how she had to bow down to her elders and her husband. I'm all for showing respect for those in your life but it really bothers me when someone's voice is being minimized and their concerns aren't being addressed because she's just supposed to go along with what her husband wants - even if that's spending almost all his time with his mistress and not his wife. I tried really hard not to let that affect me but I have a feeling those emotions got the better of me and I couldn't help but be annoyed and frustrated throughout the story.

If I had realized that this novel would skew more literary than contemporary, I may have given it a pass. I respect that literary novels have their place in the world but that place is not often on my reading list. I like my stories with a Happily Ever After (and a clear direction) and this one had an ending I wasn't quite expecting. It is fitting and there is a lot of promise but I fear for what could happen and derail Afi's plans. 

I think His Only Wife falls into the category of a good read but not one for me. I found myself wanting to see how the story ended but I wasn't actually all that invested. I'd encourage others to pick it up if they're intrigued and I'm really interested to see what other readers thought of Peace Adzo Medie's novel. Will I read what she writes next? Quite possibly. I think there's potential for her stories to get even better and I look forward to hearing what she publishes next.

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

Review: Act Your Age, Eve Brown

I, like many rom com readers, discovered Talia Hibbert in late 2019 with Get a Life, Chloe Brown. I absolutely loved it and was all in on her Brown Sisters series. Take a Hint, Dani Brown absolutely blew me away and was a top book of 2020. Act Your Age, Eve Brown released this week and I was both very excited and very apprehensive about this final book in the trilogy. I don't know why I was worried. I loved it from start to finish.

Here's the book's description:

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…
Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.
Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

Given how much I loved Chloe and then how much more I loved Dani, I wasn't sure if Eve could live up to her older sisters. Like I said, it was silly to worry because Hibbert is so freaking talented that I feel like an idiot for doubting her skills at writing characters I'd love. Eve seems to be quite different from her sisters. She's bubbly and louder and full of sunshine that she loves to spread to everyone she knows. I loved that Eve learned so much about herself in this book and why she is the way she is (and that why is a reason she's more similar to her sisters than she thought). She's a character you're going to absolutely adore and seeing her become more confident and sure of herself was magical.

The hijinks in this book seem so completely bananas but it works! Because of course Eve would randomly come across a job, hours away from home, that she'd be good at. And of course she'd hit the B&B owner with her car. And of course there would be a Duck Incident. But it all works and it works so well. I was laughing at the antics so often and I loved it because there was so much joy and good intentions throughout too. Sure, you kind of have to suspend your beliefs a little bit but this is a rom com. It's meant to be a bit out there and full of love and laughter.

I love a good trope and this book has a couple I really like. Something I'm just learning about myself is that I do enjoy enemies to lovers, when they're done well (I think I've read a lot of bad ones that lean too far into the alpha male/dominant personality and they've scarred me a bit) and this novel has a nice twist on that trope. To say Eve and Jacob were enemies indicates there's some sort of history there where, in reality, the pair meet and Eve immediately offends every sensibility Jacob has and they get off on the wrong foot. (Eve hitting him with car doesn't help, of course.) I loved loved loved reading as they learned about each other and opened up. There's also the forced proximity trope as Eve just sort of...moves into the B&B. Jacob's reaction when he finds out was too funny. I liked that the sort-of-not-really-but-actually living together resulted in sexy times that were so natural. And steamy. Hoo boy. *fans self* These sex scenes are not for the faint of heart and I loved them!

Hibbert is fantastic at writing amazing female characters and wonderful heroes who fall in love with them. Cinnamon bun heroes are drastically overlooked and I very much appreciate Hibbert giving me so many men to swoon over who are smart, attractive, and super sweet. They might not seem to be squishy, adorable guys at first glance but, oh my, are they ever. They're respectful of the Brown women and just can't help but fall head over heels in love with them. Naturally that means I can't help but fall head over heels in love with them. *swoons* Just the best.

I can't comment from a personal experience on the portrayal of characters on the autism spectrum, just like with the sisters being Black. BUT. I can appreciate it and be so thankful that publishers are figuring out that readers want to read characters from every background. There's so much more to be done but I'm glad authors like Hibbert are out there writing these stories for us.

To compare all three Brown sisters books is like comparing cupcakes. (Provided you like cupcakes. If you don't, please think of something you DO like that can come in different flavours but are all equally delicious. And also tell me how you can not like cupcakes. No judgment. Just much confusion.) They each have their own style and flavour but they're all completely wonderful. I cannot recommend this series enough. Act Your Age, Eve Brown was so wonderful to read and I enjoyed every second I spent with Eve and Jacob. I didn't want it to end! I cannot wait to devour more of Talia Hibbert's novels and am really looking forward to the spinoff Skybriar series. Read these books, friends!

Review of Get a Life, Chloe Brown 
Review of Take a Hint, Dani Brown

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

Review: Accidentally Engaged

Accidentally Engaged was my first Farah Heron novel. I admit I do own a copy of her debut, The Chai Factor, but, for some strange reason, haven't gotten around to reading it yet. After absolutely devouring her latest though? I'll be moving it up the queue.

Here's the book's description:

Reena Manji doesn’t love her career, her single status, and most of all, her family inserting themselves into every detail of her life. But when caring for her precious sourdough starters, Reena can drown it all out. At least until her father moves his newest employee across the hall--with hopes that Reena will marry him.
But Nadim’s not like the other Muslim bachelors-du-jour that her parents have dug up. If the Captain America body and the British accent weren’t enough, the man appears to love eating her bread creations as much as she loves making them. She sure as hell would never marry a man who works for her father, but friendship with a neighbor is okay, right? And when Reena’s career takes a nosedive, Nadim happily agrees to fake an engagement so they can enter a couples video cooking contest to win the artisan bread course of her dreams.
As cooking at home together brings them closer, things turn physical, but Reena isn’t worried. She knows Nadim is keeping secrets, but it’s fine— secrets are always on the menu where her family is concerned. And her heart is protected… she’s not marrying the man. But even secrets kept for self preservation have a way of getting out, especially when meddling parents and gossiping families are involved.

I cannot tell you how much I appreciated that Heron set this novel in Toronto. Too often us Canadian readers find that our authors are encouraged to set their stories somewhere in the US because it's more "relatable" or some such nonsense. I know a lot of American readers who don't care one way or the other so I'm hopeful that soon we'll see even more Canadian cities, and small towns, featured in books published in the US. 

Reena was an absolutely delightful character. She was funny and smart and I constantly found myself wishing we could get together for a beer. (Mmm some of the beer she and Nadim had sounded sooo good.) She by no means had her life figured out and I could definitely identify with that. I was rooting for her the entire way through and hoped she'd find her Happily Ever After for herself (but also, of course, with Nadim because they were just too cute). 

The storyline with the cooking show Reena and Nadim enter was too fun. Food was a big part of this story and will leave you craving bread and delicious meals while you're reading. Me included even though sourdough isn't my favourite kind of bread and a lot of the spices Reena used aren't ones I like. But there we have it! Back to the show. I think it was also more enjoyable for me because I love wholesome cooking shows. Great British (or Canadian) Baking Show? (As it's called over here...Great British Bake Off is the title back in England.) I adore them and they've been a balm during the last year. It was really nice to escape into that kind of cooking competition world, at least a little, in Heron's novel.

Even though this is, technically, a rom com, Heron packs a lot into the story that isn't as lighthearted as a romance may suggest. And I am HERE for it. Reena not only has to deal with overbearing parents but she also has job loss and a spotty relationship track record. Plus, she and her sister have a very complicated relationship and both women have mental health issues that are in various stages of being addressed. Heron has her characters being quite open about most things - even for a story that is full of (sometimes ridiculous) secrets - and I appreciated that. I like my rom coms with a heavy dose of real life and am glad to see more of those being written.

Accidentally Engaged was a delight from start to finish and I definitely recommend contemporary readers check this one out. Farah Heron has given us a smart and entertaining novel that will get under everyone's skin, in the best possible way, and also have everyone craving bread!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, HBG Canada/Forever, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

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: Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye

I've been reading Jacquelyn Middleton for a few years now and I love how sweet, real, and entertaining her novels are. Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye was released in November 2020 and I found myself saving it until I needed a contemporary romance mood booster. I finally read it early in 2021 and enjoyed being whisked away to London while learning more about a character readers had met in an earlier novel.

Here's the synopsis:

Leia Scott has sworn off love. Fresh from a messy, public divorce from her hockey player ex, the twenty-six-year-old fashion designer temporarily trades New York for London to heal and embrace her freedom. Her vow? To protect her heart, steer clear of relationships, and say yes to flings without strings. She throws herself into designing upcycled dresses and exploring London with her sister. But Leia’s carefully curated plan encounters a flirty complication with an irresistible British accent.

Wealthy, charming, and devastatingly attractive, Tarquin Balfour is tired of meaningless hookups and dates that go nowhere. For years, he has played the bon viveur with reckless abandon, throwing decadent parties, sleeping with a parade of women, and diving into extreme sports around the globe. But now the young property developer wants more. He craves love and commitment, to prove his kind heart matters more than the abundance of zeroes attached to his bank balance. Struggling with undiagnosed depression, Tarquin worries he’ll never find The One…until he meets his princess, a fashion designer named Leia.

Afraid of falling in love and fearful of being alone, Leia and Tarquin enter into an entanglement that threatens to hurt them both.

I didn't quite love this one as much as I wanted to. And, the most frustrating thing is, I don't know why. It could have been that the characters didn't become as three dimensional as I'd like. I got a good sense of them but it felt surface level, apart from their real and honest talks about their mental health. The story also overlaps with Middleton's previous novels and characters we've already met popped up. I liked that but it also sometimes felt like the story was being shoehorned into a world that had already been created. They fit into the world, of course, but I think I would have liked a story that was just Tarquin and Leia's. 

Back to the mental health aspect of the story. I so appreciate that Middleton is an Own Voices author when it comes to talking about anxiety and depression. Her characters have honest conversations (eventually) about their struggles and how what they're going through doesn't always "look" like depression. It's not preachy, it's not especially difficult to read. It's just there, matter of fact. Which I think is so important. We all know someone who has depression and/or anxiety and I'm sure we're all discovering that our mental health has taken a major hit over the past ten months. I am so glad authors like Middleton lay it all out there in a way that should help others understand and find a bit more compassion and empathy.

I really enjoyed the armchair travel Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye provided, especially because my sister is currently living in London, where most of the novel was set. She can't travel to most of the places in the novel right now because of a third lockdown, but it still made me feel closer to her, somehow. Middleton has family in the UK so she is very familiar with the locations she writes about. That helped make it feel even more real and also made me desperate to visit England again! I especially want to get back to Scotland to see more of the country including the Orkney Islands where Leia and Tarquin spend some time with his family. It sounds magical!

Say Hello, Kiss Goodbye is a great contemporary romance to read if you're looking to escape to another city (or, if you happen to live in London, escape to a city you can't explore right now) or if you want to enjoy a love story that's meant to be even if the characters fight against it. I'm looking forward to what Jacquelyn Middleton writes next.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the author in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: Hearts on Hold

The subtitle of Charish Reid’s latest book, Hearts on Hold, is A Librarian Romance. Is it any wonder I needed to read it? Happily, the content lived up to the title and I had so much fun reading this novel.

Here’s the synopsis:

What happens in the stacks stays in the stacks… 

Professor Victoria Reese knows an uphill battle when she sees one. Convincing her narrow-minded colleagues at the elite Pembroke University to back a partnership with the local library is a fight she saw coming and already has a plan for. What she didn’t see coming? The wildly hot librarian who makes it clear books aren’t the only thing he’d like to handle. 

When a tightly wound, sexy-as-hell professor proposes a partnership between his library and her university, children’s department head John Donovan is all for it. He knows his tattoos and easygoing attitude aren’t quite what she expected, but the unmistakable heat between them is difficult to resist. 

And then there’s the intriguing late fee on her record. For the Duke’s Convenience… A late fee and a sexy romance novel? There’s more to Dr. Reese than she’s letting on. 

John might like to tease her about her late fee, but when he teases her in other ways, Victoria is helpless to resist. Mixing business with pleasure—and oh, it is pleasure—always comes with risks, but maybe a little casual fun between the sheets is just what Victoria needs.

I love that Reid flipped the script in her novel. Victoria, the heroine, is the professor whereas John, the hero, is the librarian. This shouldn’t be such a big thing but it honestly was. Even I initially assumed, based on the title and before I read the synopsis, that the librarian referenced in the title would be the heroine. Plus, he’s a children’s librarian. Not an area of the library you’d typically find men and that was also refreshing.

Not only is John the librarian, he’s not at all threatened by Victoria’s successes and her demanding job as a professor. Personally I haven’t dealt with any men who would be threatened by a woman like that (so either I’m surrounded by very, very good men, which is true, or some of the more casual acquaintances I have are very good at hiding their idiotic feelings). (That’s not to say I haven’t dealt with men who cannot seem to comprehend that a little woman, such as myself, would have thoughts and expertise on anything.) ANYWAY. The point is, I see men like John in my own life and it was nice to see that reflected in a romance novel.

Victoria, on the other hand, is quite the prickly character. She’s dealing with a ton of stress at work (her work environment is infuriating with an old, white, male boss who can’t handle her competence) and now she has this good-natured librarian teasing her about a romance novel that he says is overdue. I don’t think she’s used to men like John so she gets her back up a little bit which makes her even pricklier. I’m sure some people have said they didn’t like Victoria but that would only be because she wasn’t seen as…soft enough, I guess? I don’t know. I don’t get that because I adored her. She was intelligent and an incredibly caring friend and someone I would love to get to know.

You (should) all know that I love me a good romance. I like that I’m going to have a Happily Ever After and knowing everyone will be in a happy place by the end of the novel doesn’t bother me one bit. So, it pleases me to no end that Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin) has a Carina Press Romance Promise, which they say is all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. We’ve all read books where we’ve expected one outcome only to have the rug pulled from under us and all of a sudden there is Much Sadness. Not what I want in a romance! I don’t care if the end is for all time or just for the moment, the emphasis is on happy.

Hearts on Hold was the first Charish Reid book I’ve read but it won’t be the last. I loved the characters she created – especially the smart, sassy, wonderful females – and the way she wrote this story. It was sweet and sexy and a whole lot of fun. If you’re like me and falling down a romance rabbit hole during this pandemic, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

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

Review: Frankly in Love

If you're a long time reader of the blog (thank you!) or notice what books I'm posting about on social media, you may know that I don't often read YA books these days. So, when I was sent a copy of David Yoon's debut novel Frankly in Love, I didn't immediately read it. But when I did start it? Oh. Oh, I loved it.

Here's the synopsis:

High school senior Frank Li is a Limbo--his term for Korean-American kids who find themselves caught between their parents’ traditional expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. His parents have one rule when it comes to romance--“Date Korean”--which proves complicated when Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful--and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love--or himself--at all.

When I do make an exception with my reading and pick up a YA novel, I want it to be contemporary. I've done the fantasy and post-apocalyptic but, for me, reading contemporary (with heavy romantic undertones) is where I'm happiest. (Honestly, that's true for adult titles as well.) Yoon's novel delivered just the kind of teenage story I love reading. It was smart and exasperating (I'm in my early 30s, so, yes, there's a bit of frustration to be expected, and kind of welcome, when reading about teenagers.) It was sweet and real. There was swooning and there was heartbreak. It was glorious.

The other thing that I appreciate so much about Yoon's novel is it's something I never saw as a teenager myself. If books like this were being published back in the late 1990s/early 2000s, I wasn't seeing them. I was a white, straight teenage girl living in a very white small town. I wouldn't really have known to seek out stories like this even if my small library (where I worked and I read almost every single teen book in that place) carried them. Adult me is so pleased to have read this story now and is also thrilled that teenagers today have so many more options available to them and can see themselves reflected in the books they're reading.

OK, I feel like I've talked more about me than the book. Which is fine for a blog but not so great for, you know, a book review blog. So. The story. Is wonderful. I loved the fake dating (even though my heart hurt a bit for the reason behind the lying to the parents) because there were so many ways it could go wrong but also so very right. I loved the friendships in the story too. Frank with the other Limbos, particularly Joy, with his best friend Q (I hope Q features heavily in the next Frankly in Love book), and with his sister. And just the whole story and the direction it took at the end. It's a bit unexpected but also completely expected and perfect.

I felt that Yoon was able to capture Frank's teenagerness really well. I don't know if he pulled a lot of it from his own teenage experience but Frank was so real and so...Teenage Boy. I mean, I've never been one and it's been a long time since I've spent any time with one (though my nephew is turning 13 this year so...) but it felt genuine - which I always appreciate.

I said I didn't immediately read this one but holy man did I ever fall head over heels in love with the cover right away. It's stunning. And the hardcover has blue edged pages. Ugh. Gorgeous.

I'll say the same thing I always do when I read a great contemporary YA novel: Frankly in Love is a book for all ages. Put whatever misconceptions you have about reading a book about teenagers out of your head and embrace the beauty that is David Yoon's novel. It'll be good for you in so many ways.

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

Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown

You might have been seeing Get a Life, Chloe Brown everywhere late last year. It was a romcom that a lot of people were loving because Chloe Brown wasn't your typical romcom heroine and everyone, myself included, was here for it. Talia Hibbert created a character who was so much fun to read about and who you couldn't help rooting for.

Here's the synopsis:

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamorous family’s mansion. The next items?
• Enjoy a drunken night out.
• Ride a motorcycle.
• Go camping.
• Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
• Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
• And... do something bad.
But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.
Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.
But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

Chloe is an absolute delight. She's smart and sassy and so incredibly strong. She's also built up a lot of emotional walls because it's easier to do that than really let anyone, other than her family, into her life. Red really sees her and sees through her defense mechanisms and it was so wonderful to read as they start to trust each other and learn more about who the other really is, deep down.

While I called this book a romcom off the top, it deals with a lot of heavy issues that sometimes make it far more dramatic than comedic. Hibbert balances things beautifully and keeps the story from becoming too heavy without making light of some serious issues. The romance part though? Very much present and the steam factor is off the charts.

Good news for those who like the sounds of Hibbert's writing, she's turned this into a series where each book will focus on a different Brown sister. Next up will be Take a Hint, Dani Brown which is set to be published in June.

And this cover! I am a fan of the illustration covers that are really big right now and this one just makes me so happy.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown is one of those books that's really hard to describe why it's good or why I liked it so much. It just is and I did. It's uplifting but real. It's funny and sexy. It's sweet and dramatic. It ticks all the boxes so I definitely think you should pick up a copy of Talia Hibbert's novel. And then maybe preorder the next book in the series.

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

Review: Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune

Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune was a delightful surprise for me. Roselle Lim's debut novel was a magical family story that has stuck with me - even though I read it months and months ago.

Here's the synopsis:

At the news of her mother's death, Natalie Tan returns home. The two women hadn't spoken since Natalie left in anger seven years ago, when her mother refused to support her chosen career as a chef. Natalie is shocked to discover the vibrant neighborhood of San Francisco's Chinatown that she remembers from her childhood is fading, with businesses failing and families moving out. She's even more surprised to learn she has inherited her grandmother's restaurant.
The neighborhood seer reads the restaurant's fortune in the leaves: Natalie must cook three recipes from her grandmother's cookbook to aid her struggling neighbors before the restaurant will succeed. Unfortunately, Natalie has no desire to help them try to turn things around--she resents the local shopkeepers for leaving her alone to take care of her agoraphobic mother when she was growing up. But with the support of a surprising new friend and a budding romance, Natalie starts to realize that maybe her neighbors really have been there for her all along.

I think some people may be put off by hearing this novel described as magic realism. Not everyone is into  fantasy but I think if you love contemporary stories, you need to read this. Don't let the magic put you off because it adds so, so much to this story. Don't worry - it's not magic like Harry Potter. The magic comes from Natalie's background and I think that is what really makes this novel sing. (Er, can books sing?)

Natalie's story made my heart break. She's grieving the death of her mother - her only parent - and she has a ton of guilt on top of it. She hadn't been home to visit in far too long and she's still harbouring some frustration towards the neighbours for not helping her when she was a child and struggling with her mother's severe agoraphobia. I can't imagine what it would have been like for Natalie - both as a child trying to help her mother and when she returned after her mother's death. Lim really captures the emotions of all her characters so very well.

I really liked reading as Natalie started learning more about herself and her family history. There were so many surprises for her to discover - and a few painful moments along the way - and it was lovely to read. And the way the community came together? Heartwarming. I also liked the little romance Lim wove into the overall story because seeing Natalie find someone who really understood her was wonderful.

The book world is slowly getting better at publishing Own Voices, which makes me happy. I'm a white, straight woman and I've been able to see versions of myself in books for as long as I've been reading. I'm lucky to have had literary role models throughout my life. But that's not the case for so many others. Personally, I am slowly getting better at reading Own Voices books - but I know I still have a lot of work to do. I want to read books that make me learn and expose me to stories and cultures that are different than my own and any I would have known growing up.

And oh my word. This cover. I LOVE IT. The font is shiny and gold in person and the pink pops in the most gorgeous of ways. And the spine is also hot pink with blue lettering. Ugh. Stunning. I can't get over it.

The overall feeling I was left with after finishing Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune was one of delight. Roselle Lim's novel is not perfect but it's one to read. And to stare at because it's so damn beautiful.

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