Review: A Fate of Wrath and Flame

I used to read a lot more fantasy than I do now. But, then again, when I was a kid and teen, I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on in my small hometown library. For some reason, my adult self isn't drawn to fantasy but when I find a story I like, I really really like it. A Fate of Wrath and Flame is one of those books. I knew I wanted to read it because I love every single thing K.A. Tucker writes plus I wanted to see how I enjoyed a fantasy read. Turns out, I enjoyed it a lot.

Here's the book's description:

Gifted thief Romeria has flourished from her days as a street kid pilfering wallets to survive. Now she thrives, stealing jewels from the rich under the involuntary employ of New York City's most notorious crime boss. But when an enigmatic woman secures her services at swordpoint, Romeria is plunged into a startling realm of opposing thrones, warring elven, and elemental magic she cannot begin to fathom.
Her quest is straightforward: Steal a stone from Islor's sacred garden without anyone discovering her true identity, which would earn her certain death. But the identity she has inexplicably assumed is that of the captured Ybarisan princess--an enemy to Islor after she poisoned their beloved king and queen on the day she was to marry the prince.
Her betrothed, the newly crowned King Zander, detests her with every grain of his handsome being. Fortunately for Romeria, she is more valuable to him alive than dead. Zander gives her a choice: life in a cell, or an acquittal of all charges in exchange for her help in exposing the growing plot against him.
Romeria sees no other option and embraces the tricky role of smitten queen-to-be until she can escape, a ruse that brings her far closer to the king than she anticipated and threatens more than her safety. As she digs deeper into this sacred garden and the ancient feud between Ybaris and Islor, she discovers monstrous truths that could spell ruin for all. 

The novel opens not with Romeria, but with Sofie who is the aforementioned "enigmatic woman." It sets the stage for a story that's going to take place in a world that's not like our own and the reader has no idea how different it is going to be. It took me a bit to get into things but that, I think, was simply my own fault because I was only able to read in snippets. This is the kind of story that you need to sink into completely and not emerge from your reading cocoon until you're completely invested in the story. Or finished the book. Either or!

Tucker has said that she wrote this fantasy for herself and that it reignited the writing spark for her. Also, that it might not be a "true" fantasy that readers might be expecting. Given I don't read a ton of the genre, I didn't really care if it didn't tick all the boxes it was "supposed" to. To me, a fantasy novel is a fantasy novel if there's magic and/or creatures that aren't found in our world. This novel had both. And I was into it. 

Tucker takes the route of having a clueless main character and allowing the reader to learn more about the world they've been dropped in right alongside them. Romy has no idea where she is or that the people who surround her may not be human. She learns things in bits and pieces and, by extension, the reader learns things too. I think it was an effective way to do things as the reader didn't feel like they were alone in their "what the hell is happening and who are these people?!?" feelings. It meant I was constantly playing catch up, which is a bit exhausting to start, but I eventually was able to let some of that go and just roll with the info I was given and trust that it would all make sense in the end.

There's a delightful bit of romance throughout and the "will they, won't they" sexual tension between Romy and Zander is hot. I will say I found myself more drawn to Elisaf, a guard and one of Zander's closest confidantes. I'm not entirely sure why. *shrugs* Zander is a really attractive hero - both inside and out. And Romy is just as fantastic. They make a great pair even though it seems like absolutely everything is against them. 

Raise your hand if you're also swooning over this cover! Hang Le is an absolute master and I love every cover she does.

I really enjoyed A Fate of Wrath and Flame and I wish I could have the next book immediately. I'm definitely going to make sure to carve out a chunk of time to read book two so I can completely lose myself (again) in the world K.A. Tucker has created. I think this has proved she's a master at many genres and I can't wait to read what she publishes next. Also: I am now taking fantasy recommendations. And go!

Buy a copy of A Fate of Wrath and Flame
Amazon * Apple Books * Nook * Kobo

About the Author
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge.
She is the internationally bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series, He Will Be My Ruin, Until It Fades, Keep Her Safe, The Simple Wild, Be the Girl, and Say You Still Love Me. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Oprah Mag, and First for Women.
K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto.

Connect with the Author
Website * Newsletter * Goodreads * Amazon * Facebook 
Facebook Group * Instagram * Twitter * Bookbub * Pinterest

*An egalley of this novel was provided by Valentine PR 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: The Soulmate Equation

I knew May was going to be filled with a lot of rom coms and I kicked things off with the queens of the genre. The Soulmate Equation is Christina Lauren's latest novel and I found it to be absolutely delightful. I laughed and swooned and cringed and loved every second of it.

Here's the book's description:

Single mom Jess Davis is a data and statistics wizard, but no amount of number crunching can convince her to step back into the dating world. Raised by her grandparents--who now help raise her seven-year-old daughter, Juno--Jess has been left behind too often to feel comfortable letting anyone in. After all, her father's never been around, her hard-partying mother disappeared when she was six, and her ex decided he wasn't "father material" before Juno was even born. Jess holds her loved ones close, but working constantly to stay afloat is hard...and lonely.
But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that's predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands. At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly's founder, Dr. River Pena. This is one number she can't wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Pena. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we'll pay you. Jess--who is barely making ends meet--is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the "Diamond" pairing that could make GeneticAlly a mint in stock prices, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist--and the science behind a soulmate--than she thought.

I never know exactly what I'm going to get with Lauren's novels. I always enjoy them but there's definitely a scale on my enjoyment level. The Soulmate Equation? It's joined Roomies and The Unhoneymooners right at the top of the scale. It might have been partly a case of "right book, right time" but mostly it was just because this was a damn good book. It doesn't take itself too seriously but it's not a mindless read, either. It hit the balance of what I love in a rom com and I was sad when it was all over.

The data and science in the novel seem a bit far fetched but if you just kind of roll with it, you'll be incredibly entertained. You can gloss over the science if you want or you can soak up every detail. Either way, you'll still get a lot out of the storyline. I mean, how can you not be intrigued by finding your soulmate through your DNA?

Speaking of soulmates, one River Pena is pretty damn swoonworthy. He's such a grump to start but I knew, a little before Jess did, that he probably wasn't the asshat he was appearing to be. The more Jess (and the reader) got to know him, the more you couldn't help but fall in love with him. The sexual attraction was real and I couldn't wait for them to finally give into that attraction. Fireworks! I've heard quite a few people already request a Dr. Pena of their very own. I totally get it.

The secondary characters in this story are great. Juno was an absolute delight and I, someone who is not a kid fan, would love to babysit her for a day and do all sorts of fun stuff with her. She'd probably ask me a million questions that I would not know the answer to (seriously, the kid is smart!) but we'd have a great time. Jess's grandparents are so solid and dependable and wonderful and there was a scary moment when I thought things would go so badly. Because I loved Jess so much, I was so glad that she had people like her grandparents in her life. And Fizzy! Oh my word, Jess's best friend was AMAZING. She needs her own book. She's a romance author and is so smart and funny and is searching for her own soulmate, one fling at a time. Having a main character with so many people around her is always great because it helps solidify their amazingness.

The Soulmate Equation was so fun to read. It had smarts and heart and those are two of the most important things I want in my romantic comedies. Christina Lauren have given readers yet another entertaining contemporary read that I think will be in many hands over the summer!

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

Blog Tour: Talk Bookish to Me

I love a good rom com when one of the main characters is in a bookish profession. In Kate Bromley's Talk Bookish to Me, the heroine is a romance author whose first love has unexpectedly shown up in her life after ten years and you can imagine the hijinks that ensue. The story was fun and SO funny and I had a good time reading it.

Here's the book's description:

Kara Sullivan is definitely not avoiding her deadline. After all, it's the week of her best friend's wedding and she's the maid of honor, so she's got lots of responsibilities. As a bestselling romance novelist with seven novels under her belt, she’s a pro and looming deadlines and writer’s block (which she definitely doesn’t have) don't scare her. She's just eager to support Cristina as she ties the knot with Jason.
But who should show up at Cristina and Jason's rehearsal dinner but Kara's college ex-boyfriend, (the gorgeous and infuriating) Ryan? Apparently, he’s one of Jason's childhood friends, and he's in the wedding party, too. Considering neither Kara nor Ryan were prepared to see each other again, it's decidedly a meet-NOT-cute. There is nothing cute about this situation, and a bit of notice to mentally prepare would’ve been nice, Cristina! However, when Kara sits down to write again the next day, her writers' block is suddenly gone. She has to wonder what’s changed. Are muses real…? And is Kara's muse...Ryan?

I really liked Kara. She was smart and funny and passionate about the romance genre. She was clearly a fantastic friend, having two equally amazing best friends, and was confident in herself. I liked that she was thirty and had her life together, for the most part. It's so great to see rom coms exploring heroines of all ages (and all everything, really) especially as I move towards being in my mid-thirties. She has her issues, as do we all, but they weren't manufactured flaws or outrageous - it all made sense. Short story long, she was a really great heroine.

Ryan was also a great hero...to a point. You know how in romances and rom coms there's a moment where something goes TERRIBLY WRONG and the couple has to move past it in order to get their Happily Ever After? I was super pissed at the Terribly Wrong Thing. Like REALLY angry. I understood how they could move past it buuuut it made me not a fan of the character and their actions. It was sort of like, really? Was that really necessary? I mean, of course it was because it's fiction and there needed to be a Terribly Wrong Thing but I kinda wanted a different Thing. Other than the whole Thing, Ryan was a sweetheart. Smart and clearly head over heels in love with...his dog. (And, yes, Kara.) He had a bulldog named Duke who stole every scene he was in. It was adorable.

This does read a bit like a debut novel. There were pieces that didn't really connect but didn't take away from my enjoyment of the overall story. I was also totally over Kara being a bookstagrammer. And I say that as a blogger/bookstagrammer. I didn't think it added to the story and while I can understand bringing a bunch of books to stage at a beautiful location, I also found it to be a bit much. Plus she's a very accomplished author with several novels under her belt. That alone would allow her advanced copies - she didn't need to resort to bookstagram for free books. I'm aware this is an odd thing to be nitpicky about but, personally, it just rubbed me the wrong way. 

Second chance romances have long been a favourite trope of mine but the shine had started to come off them in recent months. Talk Bookish to Me managed to polish the shine. I was so happy to hear about Kara and Ryan's initial relationship and read as they were thrown together again and tried to make things work a second time. It wasn't easy but it was a lot of fun to ride along with them as they figured it out.

I had a great time reading Talk Bookish to Me. Kate Bromley has written a debut novel that delighted me and had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. I liked the bookish vibes and the second chance romance. I'm looking forward to seeing what Bromley writes next!

Where to buy Talk Bookish to Me:
BookShop.org * Harlequin * Barnes & Noble * Amazon * Books-A-Million * Powell’s

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

About the Author:
KATE BROMLEY lives in New York City with her husband, son, and her somewhat excessive collection of romance novels (It’s not hoarding if it’s books, right?). She was a preschool teacher for seven years and is now focusing full-time on combining her two great passions – writing swoon-worthy love stories and making people laugh. Talk Bookish to Me is her first novel.

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

Review: The Spinster Diaries

Oh, The Spinster Diaries. I wanted to love you. I was smitten with your cover and your description sounded so fun! Alas, I was not blown away and I was left wondering how anyone thought that ending would be a good idea. Perhaps I'm being too harsh on the novel author Gina Fattore published in the spring of 2020 but I really expected so much more from it.

Here's the book's description:

Our heroine, a moderately successful TV writer in L.A., wants her life to be as sunny and perfect as a Hollywood rom-com: a cool job, a wacky best friend, and lots of age-appropriate hot guys just dying to date her. Instead, she’s a self-described spinster who is swimming in anxiety and just might have a tiny little brain tumor. So she turns to an unlikely source for inspiration: the eighteenth-century novelist and diarist Frances Burney, who pretty much invented the chick-lit novel.
A semi-autobiographical unromantic comedy, The Spinster Diaries is a laugh-out-loud satire of both the TV business and the well-worn conventions of chick lit―as well as the true tale of the forgotten writer who inspired Jane Austen to greatness. It's an endearing and refreshingly honest testament to how one person’s life can reach out across the centuries to touch another’s.

I was totally intrigued by a story that was about a character who was older than your typical rom com heroine and one who loved an old British author I had never heard of but felt like I should, given the genre formally known as chick lit (I used to be OK with the term...now I hate it) is one of my favourites and has been for as long as I can remember. I honestly wish the character's Frances Burney show would get made because I'd totally watch it.

Something I've learned about myself while reading this book: I don't love (semi)autobiographical novels. I'd rather just read a bunch of essays about your life rather than a loosely fictionalized version of it. If you know what shows Fattore worked on (which you can know because it's right in her author bio) you know that the heroine was probably working on similar ones (namely, Dawson's Creek and Gilmore Girls). Because it was loosely (?) based on Fattore's own life, I imagine that's why it was set in 2006. Which didn't exactly add anything to my enjoyment of the story.

Huh. I just did a bit of a deep dive into Fattore's writing career. I'm a HUGE Gilmore Girls fan and I was pretty bummed when the creator left and season seven, the final season, was just kind of...not great. Guess what season Fattore worked on? 

I really didn't hate The Spinster Diaries. I think I just felt...hoodwinked by it. I wanted something that was a cross between Bridget Jones's Diary (the book) and Nora Ephron's movies. Gina Fattore didn't give me that (though she does seem to be a talented writer). The idea was a good one but the execution (and that ending!!!! argh!) left a lot to be desired.

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

Review: A Lethal Lesson

I love finding new (or new to me) Canadian authors. At some point in the last year or so, blogger and author Kerry Clare had been talking raving about Iona Whishaw, the author of the Lane Winslow mysteries. I filed that knowledge away as I thought a Canadian mystery series might be just what my pandemic reading brain needed. Fast forward to the publisher's announcement that book eight, A Lethal Lesson, would be published in late April, and after a bit of back and forth on Instagram, I had a copy of the first novel, A Killer in King's Cove, and an egalley of the newest to enjoy. And enjoy I did!  

Here's the book's description:

Back home in the Kootenays after her Arizona honeymoon, Lane offers her assistance when neither the outgoing teacher, Rose, nor her replacement, Wendy, show up at the local schoolhouse one blizzardy Monday in December. But when she finds the teachers’ cottage ransacked with Rose unconscious and bleeding, and Wendy missing, Lane delivers Rose to the hospital in Nelson and turns the case over to her exasperated husband, Inspector Darling, and his capable colleagues, Sergeant Ames and Constable Terrell.
Never one to leave a post unmanned, Lane enlists as substitute teacher for the final two weeks before the Christmas holidays, during which time she discovers a threatening note in the teachers’ desk and a revolver in the supply cupboard. But these clues only convolute the case further. Who has been tormenting these women, and where has Wendy gone?
Meanwhile, Darling finds the body of a hit-and-run victim in a snowbank miles outside of Nelson, the residents of King’s Cove are preoccupied by the possibility of a new neighbour, and Sergeant Ames is as confused as ever by the inimitable Tina Van Eyck.

Each story could, technically, be read as a standalone but part of the series' charm is the small community of King's Cove and the various characters found within. I made sure to browse the descriptions of each book since the first to get an idea of what was happening with the characters so I knew Lane and Darling had figured out they had feelings for each other (feelings that are barely hinted at in the first book but the tension is there) and had gotten hitched. I cannot wait to go back and read the rest of the stories to catch up on all of the King's Cove residents and see what I've missed. It will give me something to look forward to as I wait for the ninth installment!

I love that this is a historical mystery. It's a subgenre that I didn't know I needed! It takes place not long after the end of World War II, which we all know is a time period I love. The majority of the characters in the novel didn't face any action, given many of them are older and they're all in middle of nowhere British Columbia, not Europe, but Lane did. I'm still not sure how much because it was only just discovered in the first book, but I know she was very involved in something. I also really like that the stories give me a glimpse into small town Canadian life at that time, which isn't something I've encountered too much in the past.

I really had no idea how the mystery would be solved. I was just as confused as the police officers and Lane and I couldn't tell what kind of connection the many incidents had to each other, if any. The story has flashbacks from various characters that provide more background to their history. It sounds like it could be confusing but it works because it allows the reader to get a better understanding of their motivations in the present. I also like that the novel starts with one of the incidents and the rest of the story is spent trying to figure out the why and the who. 

A Lethal Lesson was exactly the read I needed earlier this month and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Iona Whishaw has delivered another great installment to her Lane Winslow series that will keep readers guessing and entertained. The mystery is intriguing and the history is interesting. I can't wait for the next book.

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

Blog Tour: New Girl in Little Cove

New Girl in Little Cove is an absolute delight. I know that I say that about a lot of books but it's been awhile since I've been left with a wide smile on my face when I finished the story because I was just so damn happy for the characters. Damhnait Monaghan's debut novel kept me entertained and I enjoyed myself so much while I read it.

Here's the book's description:

After the local French teacher scandalizes the fishing village of Little Cove, Newfoundland, by running off with a priest, the school looks to the mainland to fill the job quickly. They want someone who can uphold their Catholic values and keep a motley group of largely unwilling students in line.
The position is filled by mainlander Rachel O’Brien—technically a Catholic (baptized!), technically a teacher (honors degree!)—who’s desperate to leave her current mess of a life behind. She isn’t surprised that her students don’t see the value of learning French. But she is surprised that she can barely understand their English… Is it a compliment or insult to be called a sleeveen? (Insult.) And the anonymous notes left on her car, telling her to go home, certainly don’t help to make her feel welcome.
Still, she is quickly drawn into the island’s traditional music and culture, and into the personal lives of her crusty but softhearted landlady, Lucille, her reluctant students and her fellow teacher Doug Bishop. But when her beliefs clash with church and community, she makes a decision that throws her career into jeopardy. In trying to help a student, has she gone too far?

I'll let you in on a secret...I almost didn't read this book. I had the chance when it was published in Canada in March but I was overwhelmed at the time (life is a lot right now, isn't it? and knew I wouldn't want to cram it into my reading schedule. Then I had the opportunity to take part in a blog tour for the US publication, which was May 11. I had since seen a few blurbs from respected authors and reviewers and I really was quite intrigued by a debut Canadian author with a book set so firmly in Newfoundland. So, I signed up and here we are! I'm so glad that I did. Not only because I was able to find yet another Canadian author that I enjoy but because I really needed this kind of story. 

I've never been to Newfoundland, or anywhere in Canada east of Ottawa, really. (Not much travel to the west either...traveling in Canada is expensive!) It's on my bucket list and I know enough to know that the way of life in a small town of 389 people, especially in 1985, would be much different than what I'm used to in Ontario. Little Cove doesn't exist but Monaghan based it on some of the small towns she knew when she lived in the province. I loved that the story was unapologetically Canadian and as unique as I expect Newfoundland to be. I could relate to Rachel on a number of occasions when one of the locals would say something to her and she'd have absolutely no idea what they meant. I would like to think that I wouldn't have had the idiotic idea that Rachel had which made me cringe so hard (I won't say what it was because I think the scenes are important ones). All that to say, I really felt like I was there in Little Cove with Rachel and I loved it.

I think the ending was a bit...rushed, perhaps? I loved that everything was tied up neatly (not something I need in every book but it was perfect for this read) and there were Happily Ever Afters all over the place. The scandal at the end and the revelation of who was leaving her notes (and dealing with a character who was annoyed that she didn't tell them about the notes...I didn't understand that one)? That was a bit clumsy but it still didn't take away my enjoyment of the overall story. There were also a few times where it felt like I was being told things to much rather than shown them but I chalked that up to debut novel writing and moved on. It won't keep me from reading whatever Monaghan writes next.

I wasn't sure I was going to love that the story took place in 1985. It was veering a bit much into autobiographical territory, as I knew Monaghan had lived in Newfoundland, but it all made so much more sense when I read the author's note. I learned that Monaghan had also been a new teacher around that time, so it's no wonder Rachel's emotions came through so well in her teaching scenes. She said that she chose the time period, in part, because she knew the time and what it was like to be a twentysomething in Newfoundland in the eighties. But it was also to allow for Rachel to really feel like a fish out of water with no easy way to stay in contact with friends and family. Not like today when we're relying so heavily on online conversations. That revelation made it click so much more for me and I agree that the story could not have been what it was had it not been set in 1985.

Damhnait Monaghan has written a novel that should be read by everyone, not just Canadians. New Girl in Little Cove is just what you need during these bonkers times - a story that is full of heart, characters you'll adore, and a setting that seems familiar and foreign all at once. I hope you read it and are left with the same smile I had when I finished the last page.

Buy New Girl in Little Cove:
BookShop.org * Harlequin * Barnes & Noble * Amazon * Books-A-Million * Powell’s

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

About the Author:
DAMHNAIT MONAGHAN was once a mainlander who taught in a small fishing village in Newfoundland. A former teacher and lawyer, Monaghan has almost sixty publication credits, including flash fiction, creative non-fiction, and short stories. Her short prose has won or placed in various writing competitions and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfictions. New Girl in Little Cove placed in the top six from more than 350 entries in the 2019 International Caledonia Novel Award.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the US publisher, Graydon House Books, via NetGalley in exchange for a review for the purposes of a blog tour. All opinions are honest and m own.*