Review: Canadian Boyfriend

I’m a big fan of Jenny Holiday - both her as a person and her writing. I even got the chance to interview her and Farah Heron at a literary festival last year! So, naturally, I was going to be excited about whatever book she wrote next. Add in the fact that it was called Canadian Boyfriend and I was definitely going to read it. Read it I did - and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Here’s the book’s description:

The fake Canadian boyfriend. It's a thing. The get out of jail free card for all kinds of sticky social situations. “I can't go to prom; I'm going to be out of town visiting my boyfriend in Canada.” It's all over pop culture. But Aurora Evans did it first. Once upon a time she met a teenage hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. He was a boy. She may have fudged the “friend” part a little, but it wasn't like she was ever going to see him again. It wasn't like she hurt anyone. Until she did—years later—on both counts.
When pro hockey player and recent widower Mike Martin walks into the dance studio where Aurora Evans teaches, he's feeling overwhelmed with the fact that his wife may not have been exactly who he thought she was and the logistics of going back to work. As one of the few people his angry, heartbroken daughter connects with, Aurora agrees to be a pseudo nanny to help him navigate the upcoming school year and hockey season. To his surprise, she turns out to be the perfect balm for him as well. Aurora gets him. The real him underneath his pro jersey. And yet, he still finds himself holding back, unable to fully trust again—especially when he finds out the secret Aurora’s been hiding from him.

I was a wee bit worried about the single parent storyline. Traditionally, I’m not a fan. But I didn’t mind this one at all and I think it has to do with the fact that Olivia is older. She’s her own person and her personality and issues were just as important as Rory and Mike’s were. I felt for the kid and was hoping for a tween version of a non-romantic Happily Ever After for her because she sure as hell deserved it.

I gotta say, though, I didn’t buy the Third Act Breakup. This might get a bit spoilery so skip this if you hate any hint of anything. Right. So throughout the whole novel, Rory is struggling with whether or not to tell Mike that they had actually met in passing years before and, wouldn’t you know it, he inspired her to create a fake boyfriend. When she does eventually tell him, he’s pissed. Which I found stupid. I also found it slightly silly that Rory was so worried about telling him but I guess it makes sense since he reacted just as she expected him to. It just didn’t work for me - even with Mike’s hangups about lying (which I also struggled with but I could kind of get it) and Rory’s tendency to be a doormat (her and her BFF’s terms, not mine) - and it was a bit of a bummer to deal with right at the end of the book.

Also - why on earth did Rory refer to him as Mike Martin throughout the entire novel? It was so bizarre. The chapters alternated perspectives and whenever Rory was talking about/describing interactions with Mike, it was almost always “Mike Martin” instead of just Mike. I don’t get it and I’m weirdly fixated on it. *shrugs*

I loved how therapy and looking after one’s mental health was so important in this book and was approached in such a positive light. Mike was doing everything he could to make sure he and his daughter were mentally healthy after Sarah’s death, and that included therapy for the both of them. And it was at his urging that Rory finally went back to therapy herself. They talked about it openly together, and with their friends, and it was all just so…normal. While it wasn’t great that they had such serious issues to work through - grief for Mike and anxiety/panic attacks/eating disorder for Rory - it was great to read about how they were getting the help they needed in a romance novel.

You don’t have to like sports to like this novel. Yes, Mike is a professional hockey player and there are lots of references to the sport but Rory is a total newbie and things are explained well to her (and, by proxy, to any reader who doesn’t know hockey). And for those of us who do know a little bit about the sport, we’re not bored with info we already know. It was well done. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of a hockey player dating a (former) ballerina and how Holiday approached the toxicity of the world of ballet.

As you can tell, there’s a lot to unpack with this romance novel. But even with all of the serious (and incredibly important) topics, Canadian Boyfriend is, at its core, a romance. I loved the little Canadianisms sprinkled throughout and fell in love with all the characters. I’m so glad we’re going to get Gretchen’s book next! I think Jenny Holiday has a winner on her hands with this romance and I think other readers will agree.

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

Review: The Winners

I was kind of late to the Beartown game. I knew about the book but wasn't entirely sure I'd enjoy it. My book club decided to read it in the summer of 2018 and then I finally understood what people were talking about. It was incredible and I immediately put the second book, Us Against You, on hold at the library (I loved it too). I was so grateful and excited to receive an ARC of book three, The Winners, (seriously - there was squealing when I opened the envelope). This book. Oh, my heart. It is everything.

Here's the book's description:

Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them?
As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink.
So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home?
Everything.

This book is massive. It’s a chunky, hefty tome that clocks in at roughly 680 pages. On the one hand, I’m not sure why it had to be that long. On the other, well, I’m so so so very glad it was. I didn’t want the story to be over so I was thankful to have so many pages of this book to read. This is a story that you don’t want to see the end of.

I’ve only read this series from Backman so I don’t know how he writes his other books. This series though? I can’t properly explain how perfectly he’s written this story. It’s not written like most other books I’ve read. There’s a third person omniscient narrator who knows everything that’s happening or has happened in the story. They even know what will happen even if they don’t always tell us (that first chapter though…). It’s the perfect way to tell a story with a bajillion characters who all need to be featured. And if that sounds confusing, it’s totally not. This series works because it’s telling the story of a community, not just one or two characters (even if there are a few who shine brighter than others).

I’m a pretty emotional person who cries more at books than movies or TV but doesn’t always cry at scenes you’d expect. And sometimes it seems like I have an empty space in place of a heart when gut-punch scenes don’t affect me at all. *shrugs* I went in prepared to have All The Feels with this book thought and, friends, it got me. It did take longer than I expected for the tears to come but I had to fight not to sob when I was getting to the end (maybe don’t read this book in the lunchroom at work?) EVEN THOUGH I knew what was going to happen. Backman dropped hints throughout but, my god, it still hurt when you were actually reading it.

If you haven’t yet experienced the magic that is Beartown, you absolutely must read this series. The Winners is a perfect conclusion to a series I never wanted to see end. As much as it broke my heart, it couldn’t have ended any other way. Fredrik Backman is a writing wizard and I’m so very glad I’ve been able to get lost in this series.

*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.*

Review: Sweet as Pie

It's always a delight when the inside of a novel is as sweet as the cover. That was the case with Alicia Hunter Pace's latest novel, Sweet as Pie. The cover made me want to devour it and I was happy to find a romance story that was just as delectable. I really enjoyed it and am so excited that this is the first in a series - so I know there are more lovely novels to come!

Here's the book's description:

Evans Pemberton has always had a problem saying no. To her overbearing Mississippi Delta family, to her business mentor’s push to expand her thriving pie shop and to her lifelong crush, Jake Champagne. But Jake chose her beauty queen cousin three years ago and ghosted on their close friendship. When he comes to her small town in Alabama with a new pro hockey franchise, Evie fears she’ll lose her heart all over again. Of course, she'll forgive him like the good Southern woman she is, but anything more than that is off the table.
So why can’t she stop baking for him?
Jake is looking forward to a new team, a new town and a clean slate in Laurel Springs. After a disastrous year, the hockey hotshot is leaving his past behind—even betting his best friend that he can stay away from women. But he’s happy to reconnect with a piece of home when he visits Evie. Between slices of Mississippi mud pie and chicken potpie, he’s starting to remember all the good times they had and the man he always intended to be. Not to mention what a fool he was to let Evie get away…
How will they find a future together when she can’t say no and he can’t say yes? The path to true love isn’t quite easy as pie, but it sure is sweet in the end.

There are all sorts of my favourite tropes in this novel - small town, sports, and friends to lovers. Plus, there was a bakery! Yum! Though - can it really be a small town when an NHL franchise is playing there? I feel like there's some sort of contradiction happening but that's far too much analysis for this sweet little book.

Evie and Jake are both lovely but they have a lot of issues to work through. Jake is acting like an idiotic twentysomething year old divorced hockey player (I had to constantly remind myself that the pair were really young, I think 21 because they sometimes acted a lot older, even when they were being dumb) and Evie is a Yes Girl which causes all sorts of trouble. Even though I love friends to lovers, it's a tad bit harder when it's obvious that one of the friends has wanted to be lovers for a long, long time and the other is totally unobservant and had no idea (cough Jake cough). But the friendship base is still there and makes for a really great relationship.

After not reading a sports romance in a long while, I finished two this month! The Dating Playbook (review here) had a football player, whereas Sweet as Pie featured a hockey player. I know a lot more about hockey than football (I live in Canada and like sports so it's no surprise I've picked up a lot about the sport) which can help when reading a hockey romance. Of course, it's not really about the hockey so if you're an avid hockey fan, you'll likely find yourself wanting more. But, I liked the balance in this novel and enjoyed the hockey, baking, and small town romance vibes that all worked together. I don't really know how salaries work in the NHL but I know hockey players make a ton of money. That said, I don't know if Jake really made enough to be able to throw money around on all that he did. Maybe my frugal nature just couldn't help but judge his spendy ways! I'm glad that Evie made fun of his "bug car" because it drove me nuts too!

The next book in the Good Southern Women series will be Smooth as Silk and will release in February 2022. There was an excerpt in the back of Sweet as Pie that has me super excited to read Hyacinth and Robbie's story. And not just because I'm hopeful for a "trip" to Scotland in that book as Robbie is a hockey player from Scotland. It should be an absolute delight as well.

Sweet as Pie is just as sweet as you'd expect. Alicia Hunter Pace's novel doesn't lend itself well to picking it apart for a review, as I've realized, but I would definitely recommend this if you want a fun and cute story to get lost in for a little while.

*A copy of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, in exchange for a post on Instagram. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Review: A Favor for a Favor

Since I had quite enjoyed the first book in Helena Hunting's All In series (I reviewed A Lie for a Lie here), I was really looking forward to reading book two, A Favor for a Favor. What I wasn't expecting was to actually like this one more than the first!

Here's the synopsis:

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?
Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.
So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

It's always tricky going into the second book of a series when each book features a new couple. Will you like them as much as the characters in the first book? What if you don't? What if you spend the whole book hoping just to get a glimpse of the first couple? Now, I don't want to say I didn't care if I didn't see RJ or Lainey in this book but...I was fine knowing they were a-ok in their HEA as I just needed to focus on Stevie (the aforementioned woman who's trying to sneak into the captain's apartment) and Bishop, RJ's teammate. I loved them. Especially Stevie. Bishop was a bit of a dick but Hunting managed to write him in such a way that you knew that wasn't really what he was like. It was kind of like that was just the persona he had to put on to survive his day to day.

I found myself really wanting to be Stevie's friend. She seemed like the type of woman I could really get along with. She was feisty, smart, funny, and had a big heart. I felt for her when she talked about having to deal with her brother's fame. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be the kid sister of a hockey superstar. I also liked that Hunting had a lot of great brother-sister scenes with Stevie and her brother, RJ, trying to sort out their complicated, but loving, sibling relationship (even though, yes, I wanted to get back to the sexy romance times with her and Bishop).

Stevie and Bishop's courtship was so much fun to read. They're flirting with each other in the most ridiculous way and don't even realize they're flirting until some kind friends and family point out that they can't stop thinking or talking about the other. Their whole relationship seems so unrealistic but I loved it. Because why couldn't the sister of the team's captain end up living next to a super hot and single player and they end up dating?

I could probably gush about this book a whole lot more but I'll hold off. Just know that Helena Hunting has written a great second book to her series and I think romance fans will love A Favor for a Favor as much as I did. I really cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Review: A Lie for a Lie

Helena Hunting has been a romance author I'd been meaning to read for a long while. I'd heard good things plus she's Canadian. I was happy and excited when I got the chance to read A Lie for a Lie, a new series she was starting. It was fun and sexy and dramatic and I enjoyed it a lot.

Here's the synopsis:

Sometimes I need an escape from the demands, the puck bunnies, and the notoriety that come with being an NHL team captain. I just want to be a normal guy for a few weeks. So when I leave Chicago for some peace and quiet, the last thing I expect is for a gorgeous woman to literally fall into my lap on a flight to Alaska. Even better, she has absolutely no idea who I am.
Lainey is the perfect escape from my life. My plan for seclusion becomes a monthlong sex fest punctuated with domestic bliss. But it ends just as abruptly as it began. When I’m called away on a family emergency, I realize too late that I have no way to contact Lainey.
A year later, a chance encounter throws Lainey and me together again. But I still have a lie hanging over my head, and Lainey’s keeping secrets of her own. With more than lust at stake, the truth may be our game changer.

Knowing that Hunting has written hockey romances in the past, I knew she would include the sport in the story in a meaningful and realistic way. I'm not really a hockey fan but being a general sports fan and a Canadian, it means I know a lot more about the sport than the average person. I'm also a romance fan so I'm always happy when sports and romance come together in a great story.

This is one of those romances that drives you nuts even while you're rooting for the couple. Both Lainey and RJ have a lot of stuff they need to sort out but they take advantage of being thrown together with someone they find extremely attractive and dive in to a bunch of sexy times. The last thing either of them expect is to start falling for each other. It's no surprise then when it totally crashes and burns. Until they're thrown back together a year later. You want to yell at them both to just be honest to each other because then they'd save a whole lot of heartbreak. Luckily, they listen, eventually, and everyone lives Happily Ever After. (If you consider that a spoiler, I don't know what kind of romances you've been reading.)

I don't know if I especially liked Lainey and RJ but I did really enjoy reading their story. They were so very good for each other and I just love reading stories when people find their person. Especially when it's in such a bananas way. On a plane to Alaska? How fun and random!

I was super into A Lie for a Lie by Helena Hunting. I read it in a day because I just didn't want to put down the super swoony and emotional story. I'm definitely invested in this series and look forward to more stories about the hockey team Hunting has created.

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

Review: Born Into It

I'm not a Habs fan. The area I grew up bleeds the blue of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the city I live in now isn't much different (though being so close to the American border, there are a fair number of Buffalo Sabres fans around). I actually probably wouldn't even say I'm really a hockey fan. I'll watch a game if it's on and I am Canadian (yeah, that's kind of a true stereotype), and someone who pays attention to the sportsing world in general, so I'm sure know much more about hockey than the average person. I'm also always up for an entertaining memoir so I looked forward to diving into Born Into It by Jay Baruchel (yes, the actor Jay Baruchel). It did not disappoint.

Here's what this book is all about:

In The Game meets Goon, Montreal Canadiens superfan Jay Baruchel tells us why he loves the Habs no matter what
It’s no secret that Jay Baruchel is a die-hard fan of the Montreal Canadiens. He talks about the team at every opportunity, wears their gear proudly in interviews and on the street, appeared in a series of videos promoting the team, and was once named honorary captain by owner Geoff Molson and Habs tough guy Chris Nilan. As he has said publicly, “I was raised both Catholic and Jewish, but really more than anything just a Habs fan.”
In Born Into It, Baruchel’s lifelong memories as a Canadiens’ fan explode on the page in a collection of hilarious, heartfelt and nostalgic stories that draw on his childhood experiences as a homer living in Montreal and the enemy living in the Maple Leaf stronghold of Oshawa, Ontario. Knuckles drawn, and with the rouge, bleu et blanc emblazoned on just about every piece of clothing he owns, Baruchel shares all in the same spirit with which he laid his soul bare in his hugely popular Goon movies. Born Into It is a memoir unlike any other, and a book not to be missed.

I've known who Jay Baruchel is for a long time. (Hello, Popular Mechanics for Kids.) I probably could have also told you he's a Canadiens fan. I knew loves hockey, having seen Goon (note to self: get around to watching the second movie). So hearing he had written a book about being a Habs fan wasn't really all that surprising. What was surprising was how much I enjoyed it.

As I mentioned, I do like many sports and I therefore understand the dynamic of being an athlete and a fan of professional sports. I knew where Baruchel was coming from when he talked about how much he loved his team and the constant heartbreak he feels when they come up short every single season. There's just something about the world of sports fandom that is pretty much impossible to explain to anyone who doesn't watch or play any sport. There's a (ridiculous) emotional feeling and investment into your team. And because I get that, I had goosebumps often while reading this book.

I also wasn't really expecting to learn that Baruchel is basically a nerdy stoner. He talked often about smoking pot but also how he much he read growing up. It might be judgey of me but it was such a jarring (and amusing) image at first. This translated into some really amusing stories and many well-told ones. Not only does Baruchel get being a sports fan, he also understands how to weave a story which resulted in a really good read.

I do think you need to have at least some understanding of hockey if you're going to dive into this book. You'll get so much more out of it if you know the good ol' hockey game. Nowhere is this more evident when Baruchel writes a play by play of what's referred to as the Good Friday Massacre. I had never heard of it, having not been born yet and not being a Habs fan, so it was a new story for me. But because I have a sense of how hockey is played, I could totally follow along as Baruchel laid out exactly what happened in that ridiculously violent game. I'm not saying you can't read this if you're not a fan of hockey but know going in that some things might get a bit lost in translation.

Being the season of gift giving, I would wholeheartedly recommend Born Into It for the sports fan in your life. They don't need to be a Canadiens fan or even hugely into hockey to enjoy this one. I would tread lightly, however, if you plan to wrap it up for a die-hard Leafs or Bruins fan! (But seriously. It's a great gift idea.)

I laughed throughout reading Born Into It and I was glad to be a sports fan as well. Jay Baruchel has written a really great book about being a Montreal Canadiens fan and I think it's one worth reading for almost anyone.

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

Blog Tour: Until It Fades

Until It Fades was my first five star, holy-crap-everyone-and-their-sister-needs-to-read-it book of 2017. I shouldn't have been surprised because K.A. Tucker is one of my favourite authors and I'd probably enjoy anything she writes. Until It Fades, though? Hands down my favourite of her novels. It had everything I love in a story and that, paired with Tucker's excellent writing skills, meant I could barely put the book down. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Atria Books for allowing to be part of the blog tour!

Here's the synopsis (via Goodreads):

Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania: population two thousand outside of tourist season.
And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling.
Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works.
For a time.
But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. What begins as an immediate friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something that Catherine is afraid to trust.
Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine…before the spark fades?

I was really looking forward to Until It Fades because Tucker hasn't really written a novel that's so suspense-free. I adore those twisty books, don't get me wrong, but going into a book knowing there aren't any murderers to track down or mysteries to work out was kind of nice. I may read a bit out of my comfort zone every once and awhile but I am a slave to Happily Ever Afters. Of course, Tucker put her own stamp on the story. This book might be lighter than her others but that doesn't mean it's without drama or surprises (if you're like me, you won't have everything figured out, which was a nice change for me, actually), which added so much more to the story. 

I can't resist a good story that involves athletes. It's no surprise that Tucker, a Canadian, would write about an NHL player. (Also, minor spoiler alert if you read between the lines, if I was writing a story about hockey players I would probably give a certain team a fairy tale ending too.) If you're not into the sportsing, don't worry. Madden's identity may be incredibly entwined with his profession - which means a lot of hockey talk from him - but the games and the lingo won't get in the way of your enjoyment of the novel if you don't like hockey. After all, Catherine barely understands the game and she gets along just fine with Brett.

I think I've mentioned before that I read when I'm doing cardio at the gym. Because of a bit of a messed up back, I do most of my cardio workout on the recumbent bike. Bonus: it's a great machine for reading. The day I started this book I went to the gym after work for a 30 minute session and I honestly did not even notice the time passing. I was so incredibly engrossed in this book that I just pushed myself on the bike when the intervals required it and kept reading. I couldn't figure out why I felt so tired after my workout until I realized that I was working myself so hard because I was so into the story and I just didn't even realize it. 

Catherine was a fantastic character to read. She's tough and resilient because of the scandal she was involved in seven years earlier. (The book opens in 2010 and has flashbacks so you really get a sense of what happened and how Catherine was feeling at the time.) All she cares about is making sure her daughter, Brenna, is looked after. It's almost impossible to put yourself in her shoes but somehow Tucker made me feel every single thing Catherine was feeling. 

Speaking of characters...there are so many amazing secondary characters in this novel. Lou and Leroy were lifesavers for Catherine right after she left home (Gilmore Girls fans - think of how Mia stepped up for Lorelai and Rory), as was Keith. An aside: I really want Keith to get his own HEA. And Jack. And Misty. Point is...I loved reading about all of the people in Catherine's life.

And that cover? It's so ridiculously simple and doesn't tell you much of anything but I love it. 

I often find that some of the hardest reviews to write are for the books I love the most. Until It Fades is one of those books. I don't feel I can do it justice so I'm going to end this sort of rambling review quite simply: read K.A. Tucker's latest book (out tomorrow). It really doesn't matter what genre you're into. If you want a good, interesting, well written story, you've got it. And then can we please talk about it because I need to gush about it some more!

Find KA Tucker online:
Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram

Want a copy? You can buy one at all these locations:
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Books-a-Million * IndieBound * Walmart * Apple * Google * Kobo
Already have a copy and want a little something extra? You're in luck - the publishers are giving away FIVE signed copies of Until It Fades. And great news for my fellow Canadians, you are eligible! Good luck :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

CLP Blog Tour: Ripple the Twine

Hello and welcome to a CLP Blog Tour stop for Ripple the Twine! I really enjoyed reading this novel by Jenn Flynn-Shon.

Here's what it's all about:

A Tomboy-meets-Townie love story and tale about how friendship can save your life.

Sara Quinn is a Sportswriter from Boston and over the past year she has started to earn major respect in the local market. In the process, however, she abandoned her personal relationships and put her emotions in the box. Regardless of her self-imposed timeout, a friend introduces her to Ben. With blue eyes, black hair and a brogue, he's her ultimate triple threat. But they connect just as Sara learns that her friends are facing heavy emotional crises. She starts offering advice, becoming a rock for everyone else, and in the process Sara unearths her own long dormant insecurities. But a bag of peanut butter cups and a hockey game won't fix her issues. She's got to move past her emotional past without hiding behind her career for once. She needs her friend's support as much as they need hers and the four will quickly discover that, when they stick together, their offense is virtually unstoppable.

This was one of those books that I loved while reading it and didn't want to put it down. It wasn't until afterwards that I started seeing a few issues. For one, there was way more description and less dialogue than I liked. There were whole (albeit short) chapters that didn't have a single piece of dialogue. Instead of conversations I got descriptions. I think that it made the story just a little bit less personal.

I also didn't really feel like there was much drama. That's not to say the story was boring because I really did enjoy it. I just felt like there was something missing - particularly in the romance between Ben and Sara. Did it bother me because I'm so used to drama filled stories? Or did I feel like I needed a bit more excitement because I was putting in the time to read the book? I'm not really sure but I don't think this is a deal breaker, just something to think about.

All that being said, I really liked reading this one. I was interested in Sara's life - particularly when it came to her job. It was fun to see how her life as a freelance sports writer worked. I'm a sports fan and a pretty laid back female, like Sara, so I really connected with her. This definitely increased my appreciation for this book!

I loved how close Sara was to her friends. Even though she had realized she had been a bit distant because of work (and honestly, that happens to all of us at some point or another), she is always there for her friends when they need her. And boy do they need her in this book. I feel like they had way more issues than she did in the novel and that she always had to be there to pick up the pieces. I'd definitely want her for a friend.

Overall, I really liked reading Ripple the Twine by Jenn Flynn-Shon. There were some minor issues but nothing that really deterred from my enjoyment of the book. I think many other chick lit lovers would enjoy this novel as well - even if they're not sports fans.

PS If you're curious about what "ripple the twine" means, like I was, it relates to hockey (no surprise there). It means scoring a goal!

Happy reading :)

Just Finished: "Go Small or Go Home"

Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have found a new favourite author and her name is Heather Wardell. I read her first novel Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo back in June and I absolutely loved it (read my review here). I've finally been able to get to the next book in Heather's "Toronto" series Go Small or Go Home. Here's the synopsis, courtesy of Goodreads:

When massage therapist and aspiring artist Tess begins treating stressed but attractive hockey star Forrest, her art career soars due to his gallery-owning mother, but her creativity plummets under the weight of rules and deadlines. Soon, she's lost the freedom and joy she'd always found in art. Is having her dream career worth losing doing her art her way, or can she somehow have both at once?

I didn't think it was possible but I may like this one more than Polar Bear. The characters are so real and well rounded, the story flows, and I was engaged in the novel for its entirety. Plus, I loved that it focused on a hockey player - hockey isn't my favourite sport but I am Canadian after all :)

Tess has a big decision to make in her life - should she keep working as a massage therapist, something she enjoys and is good at, or should she focus on making art her career, not as profitable but something that she loves deep down in her soul? It's something that everyone likely deals with. When we're in school and growing up we think that we're going to have a job that we're absolutely in love with and fulfills us on all levels. However...that can't always happen for everyone. Most people have a job that they enjoy but it's not what they feel passionate about. I'm one of them. I like my job but reading and writing and thinking about books is what really inspires me. For Tess, it was her art that inspired her on a level that massage just could not. I know this is pretty deep but I think this whole idea is part of why I loved this book so much. It made me think a whole lot more than some other books I've read. Alright, time to move onto something a little more lighthearted...

Let's talk about the fact that Forrest is a professional hockey player and absolutely gorgeous. When I mentioned on Twitter that I had finished the novel, Heather replied with the following tweet:

Do any of my Canadian female friends agree? Do you think a good looking pro hockey player is a Canadian girl's dream guy? Maybe not even just Canadian girls...it seems Hilary Duff and Carrie Underwood are quite happy with their pro hockey players (both Canadian guys, by the by) Anyway, I loved Forrest. He was a real guys-guy - athlete, manly, and so on, but he had an amazing emotional depth to him as well, one that you don't see in many fictional athletes. He had obviously suffered more than just a physical injury and the way we find out about it is great, in my opinion. Tess finds out bits and pieces doing research but we get frustrated right along with her as Forrest is less than forthcoming with his past and his problems. And, of course, it was absolutely lovely to picture the scenes when Tess massaging Forrest... *cough* back to the review :)

Have you ever read a book that you loved so much that you were both sad and happy to be finished with? This was one of those books for me. I was reading outside in the sun on my lunch and as I "closed" the book (was reading on my Kobo) after reading the last words I actually sighed. That is how good it was, my friends.

Overall, the book thrilled me. The story itself was something totally different than I had ever read before with characters that have such unique interests and quirks. Their story grabs you and doesn't let you go, even when the book is finished.

I could probably go on and on about different aspects of this novel that I loved but I don't want to bore you. Instead, you should take the time to read the novel yourself! Trust me. You'll love it too.

Happy reading :)

Resolutions and Gold Medal Hockey Games

It's the most wonderful time of year people! The gold medal game of the World Junior Hockey Championship is happening as we speak. Er, write. For those folks who have no idea what I'm talking about, here's a link. Educate yourselves :)

To the point of this post - resolutions! I know we're five days into 2011 already, but between all the Christmas craziness (have I mentioned I work in retail too? Ugh.) and seeing family and then getting sick, I haven't had time to really put together some resolutions. So, here are my ten that I came up with. Some are more serious, some are not, but they are all fairly important. Enjoy!

1. Be a better friend - I've got to keep in touch better, whether it be by phone, email, snail mail, text, Facebook, or smoke signals, I want to make sure that my friends and I are staying connected.

2. Read more, particularly, I want to read more than just chick lit (yes, I am doing a Chick Lit Challenge, but this is new for me and it will expose me to more novels than I would have otherwise) I'd love to get away from the pretty much all fiction that I read and find some non-fiction to dive into as well.

3. Be more organized - my new place is still a mess and I'm not totally set up. I must change that as it is driving me crazy!

4. Keep track of the books that I read and have some sort of rating system. I can never remember what I've read throughout the year!

*I interrupt this list to inform you that I am having a minor heart attack, as Russia just scored twice in 11 seconds. Oh boy*

5. Learn to knit. Laugh if you will, but this is the power great novels have on me (Friday Night Knitting Club, excellent series!!!)

6. Enjoy life and stop worrying so much about money - there is no way that I can do a total flip and spend too much, it's just not the way I was raised! :)

7. Kick ass at work and not be scared and/or stressed out about being in charge of fundraising starting in March.

8. Take at least one fundraising course at Georgian College starting in September, and I will not let it stress me out!

9. Write a story. Just for kicks :)

10. Keep up with this blog all year - and beyond.

Oh boy, Russia's tied it. Alright, time for me to sign off and send tons of good luck waves to my Canadian boys. Let me know what your resolutions are for this year, I'd love to hear some :)