Review: If the Shoe Fits

If the Shoe Fits was my first ever Julie Murphy book. I know, I know! I've been hearing rave reviews of all of her books since Dumplin' was just about to release way back in 2015. I just hadn't read her books since YA isn't my go to anymore. Cue her latest novel, just published on August 3, which featured a new grad in a Cinderella-esque story. I was all in. And when I read it? I was the heart eyes emoji personified the entire time. I loved it.

Here's the book's description:

After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight. When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might help jump-start her fashion career, or at least give her something to do while her peers land jobs in the world of high fashion.
Turns out being the only plus size woman on a reality dating competition makes a splash, and soon Cindy becomes a body positivity icon for women everywhere. What she doesn't expect? That she may just find inspiration-and love-in the process. Ultimately, Cindy learns that if the shoe doesn't fit, maybe it's time to design your own. 

This novel was too much fun and had characters I completely fell in love with. I was rooting for Cindy the entire time and it's no surprise viewers of Before Midnight loved her too. She was smart and funny and I wanted to hang out with her and her best friend, Sierra. Cindy was floundering, as one does when one has lost both their parents and is dealing with finishing up college with no real idea how things will go after graduation. Her grief is real but it didn't define her or her story. Murphy created a heroine who was so real and and layered. Reading as Cindy learned how to write her own Happily Ever After was wonderful.

Murphy found a great balance of poking fun at the Bachelor(ette) franchise while also not alienating anyone who enjoys the show. As someone who used to watch it all the time, I appreciated that balance so much. It is ridiculous but, as Beck, Cindy's stepmom's protege, explains, it's a massive platform that can be used for good. Like having a plus size woman trying (and maybe succeeding?) to win an eligible bachelor's heart on national television. The behind-the-scenes scenes were so good and helped remind the reader that reality tv really isn't reality. 

I really liked that this was a kind of sort of but not really Cinderella type story. Given I have my own evil stepmother (who, thankfully, hasn't been part of my life in eons), this can sometimes be a trigger (which is a problem when I love Cinderella stories...). Sooo I was really happy when the relationship between Cindy, her stepmom and stepsisters was rock solid. Plus, being a lover of Disney's Cinderella, I thought it was TOO CUTE that one of Cindy's triplet half-siblings was named Gus! 

I'm absolutely thrilled that If the Shoe Fits is the first in a series and I cannot wait to read the next book. The first installment was so funny and smart and also swoony and had an ending that I thought was absolutely perfect. I'm definitely going to try to make some time for Julie Murphy's backlist sooner rather than later.

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

Review: Fresh

Prior to last year, I would have said Jane Austen's Emma wasn't on my list of favourite reads. I read in it university for a film course and it was fine but Emma kind of drove me nuts. Fast forward to late 2020 and I reread Emma with a new bookstagram friend. And guess what? I liked it a lot more. I also watched two adaptations that had come out since I was in uni. Emma had grown on me. So when I heard Margot Wood's debut novel Fresh (which I was already pumped about) had some Emma elements to it? Oh, I was suddenly way more excited to read it. And, dear reader, I loved it. So very much.

Here's the book's description:

Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off-campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin-sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a-hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe.

Even though I just reread Emma in October, I'm sure I missed a good number of references to Austen's novel. But that's ok! I caught enough and I was absolutely delighted. Thanks to Clueless way back when, we already know Emma makes for a good modern story and Wood's novel, which is about as loose an adaptation as the film, is a fantastic addition to the world of Austen retellings. Austen's wit and observational skills are timeless and Wood brought that into Elliot's story with her own twist that worked so, so well.

But this novel is so much more than an Austen adaptation. (Most people wouldn't even realize it is but, as an Austen fan, I picked up on it so of course that'll be the first thing I talk about.) No, it is a real, raw, all the feels inducing tale of a young woman going off to college and failing, hard. There are a lot of tough life lessons Elliot learns throughout the course of the novel and even if you had a fairly smooth transition into the college lifestyle (uh, did anyone have that?), you can still identify with a lot of what Elliot goes through. In one of the first scenes, Elliot is dropped off at her dorm by her dad and, though I moved into my residence 16 years ago this September, I felt like I was right back there. 18 and excited and terrified and wanting to embrace my new life while also clinging to my mom because I didn't want her to leave. I was amazed at how much those feelings hit me but that's a testament to how well Wood writes and the style of her writing, too. Elliot speaks to the reader, which may not be for everyone, but I loved it and felt it worked well. It made me feel like I was right alongside her as she crashed and burned and tried to dig herself out of the hole she made for herself.

For those who have been around the book world (whether that's blogging or booktubing or bookstagramming or just being a super avid reader) for a long time, may remember Wood as part of the team that started Epic Reads with HarperCollins in the US. I didn't read a ton of YA then (still don't) but Wood's enthusiasm was infectious and I loved tuning into their videos. *book shimmy* I would have be interested in Wood's novel for that reason alone but the description of this one really sold it for me. I'm so very happy I loved it.

There's a ton of humour (and sex...and swearing) in this book but there's also a lot of really hard things too. Elliot is a mess. It's going to be hard for some people to care about her but I adored her. No one is perfect and she was a joy to read abut. She's so smart (even though she was making some really dumb choices), is totally comfortable with her sexuality (she's bi and enjoys all the sexy times) even though she's terrified of intimacy, and she's funny AF. I really felt like I was there with her (but also really wanted to actually be there hanging out with her and her friends). Back to the hard stuff - at about halfway through the book a sexual assault takes place and it's tough to read but, in my opinion, was handled really well. 

I feel like I could gush about Fresh all day.  Margot Wood's debut novel was an absolute delight and I think everyone should read it. It's funny and smart and real and so so so good. Now, what are you waiting for? Head to your local bookstore and get a copy!

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

Review: Love Next Door

I'm always excited when a new Helena Hunting novel is released. The Canadian romance author has a knack for creating really enjoyable (and often steamy) reads that are lots of fun. Love Next Door is her latest, which just published at the end of July, and I was really looking forward to it. Ultimately, it was good but there was something about it that I felt was lacking.

Here's the book's description:

When Dillion Stitch left her hometown, she had no intention of going back. But when her brother gets into trouble, Dillion reluctantly agrees to return home to take her place at the family business.
Being back in Pearl Lake after all these years feels familiar, but also brings a few surprises. She’s quick to notice that someone new has shown up at the cottage next door. Dillion gets more than an eyeful when she goes to check out the newcomer and meets Donovan “Van” Firestone—her beloved neighbor’s grandson—in all his unclothed glory.
Having gotten off to a rocky start, it’s not long before they begin bickering with each other all over town. All that back and forth inevitably sparks an undeniable attraction. But Dillion’s family has issues, Van’s family resents him, and neither Dillion nor Van feels truly at ease in the small town. For these Pearl Lake exiles, home isn’t just where the heart is—it’s where things get complicated. 

Just like Dillion and Van got off to a rocky start, I think their story was rocky for me at the beginning. I thought Dillion was an idiot for wearing high heels while driving a moving van to a super small lakeside town. Does any woman really love high heels that much? It was like she had something to prove, like just because she was leaving the city didn't mean the city was leaving her. And who decided that high heels were a city thing? It did not endear me to her right away and it was really hard for her to win back my affection. And how on earth did they never spend time together when they were teens if Dillion was as important to Van's grandmother as we're led to believe? At the very least Van would know who Dillion was when he was emailing with her and wouldn't assume it was a dude. There were just too many boneheaded moves right at the start and it was hard to come back from that.

In addition, the issues with Dillion's brother seemed to come out of left field. I think it is extremely important to normalize discussions around mental health and getting the help one needs with no stigma but...the actual way this all came about? Left me scratching my head. It's really hard to explain but it was just like I couldn't believe that Dillion was the only one to pick up on the issues and I also didn't really think that she had. It was really strange.

All that being said, the relationship between Dillion and Van, once they realized that they were not mortal enemies, was super hot. Their (annoying) bickering at the start turned into something that was real and I was rooting for them. I knew they'd have to have a Happily Ever After (duh, this is a romance novel) but I really wasn't sure what that was going to look like. I was really happy with the way things all turned out. 

I also loved the setting. Technically this is set in a small town outside Chicago but during a recent Zoom chat with Hunting and my bookstagram friends, she mentioned that it was totally inspired by the small town in Muskoka (cottage country in Ontario - though some people will say there are other cottage locations in the province, I grew up just south of "true" Muskoka so it totally has my heart). It definitely made me want to drive north to find a cottage near my hometown (curse you, COVID!) but it was a testament to how talented Hunting is in setting the scene so you could really feel like you were there (and really wish that you were in front of a lake while reading it!)

I didn't love Love Next Door - I don't even know if I particularly liked it - but I'll still read Helena Hunting's next novels. Her stories are never the exact same and I like that she writes all sorts of different romances. This is the start of a new series and I think I'll still check out book two.

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

Review: Sisters in Arms

I read a lot of WWII books. I love that there are still new stories to be told and from different perspectives. That was part of why I was so excited when I heard about Kaia Alderson's Sisters in Arms. This historical fiction novel just released today and I was interested because it featured two Black women from New York City and their war story - something I haven't encountered before in my (very white) WWII reading. The idea was amazing but the actual execution of the story let me down.

Here's the book's description:

Grace Steele and Eliza Jones may be from completely different backgrounds, but when it comes to the army, specifically the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), they are both starting from the same level. Not only will they be among the first class of female officers the army has even seen, they are also the first Black women allowed to serve.
As these courageous women help to form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, they are dealing with more than just army bureaucracy—everyone is determined to see this experiment fail. For two northern women, learning to navigate their way through the segregated army may be tougher than boot camp. Grace and Eliza know that there is no room for error; they must be more perfect than everyone else.
When they finally make it overseas, to England and then France, Grace and Eliza will at last be able to do their parts for the country they love, whatever the risk to themselves.
Based on the true story of the 6888th Postal Battalion (the Six Triple Eight), Sisters in Arms explores the untold story of what life was like for the only all-Black, female U.S. battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II.

It sounds so good, right? I think my issue was how the story was actually told. Which, uh, wasn't well. There are two main characters but their stories didn't seem to be told in equal measures. For example, there's a Major Thing that happens to one of the women but it took ages for the story to get back to her to find out how she was coping - it was so strange. I also never really got a good handle on either woman. Their actions didn't always seem to match their personalities or what the reader was told, at least, that's how I felt. They also didn't really feel like fully fleshed out characters. So much of what we knew about Grace was her ability to play piano and, for Eliza, it was that she came from a wealthy family. I'm sure Alderson wanted to have two women from very different economic backgrounds to give a better idea of what it was like for these women but I think it would have been better to have it focus on one woman and another just being a really good friend who could tell her stories to the other women.

I also felt like the story dragged on a bit. Which is strange since it started in 1942, years after the war actually started, and ended not too long after VE Day in May 1945. But it felt much longer. I know why it made sense to have the story span all that time - it was important to know why it was such a big deal for these Black women to be accepted into service and the show the struggles they faced even when they were allowed in. Their work was heavily administrative - important work, to be sure - but it didn't exactly allow for an exciting read. 

I wasn't surprised to read about the sexist and racist behaviour the women faced. That said, I was still appalled. Their superiors didn't know how to deal with women in the army and they had no interest in even pretending they wanted anything to do with "coloured" women. These women had to work so much harder to prove to white men (and women) that they were just as good as anyone else. They couldn't afford to make any mistake. And what's frustrating is I've read books and interviews from present day where women of colour are still saying the exact same thing. Over 70 years later. Something has to change.

I know Sisters in Arms didn't thrill me but I still think it's an important addition to WWII set novels. I'll keep an eye on Kaia Alderson and see what she writes next.

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

Review: Daughter of Black Lake

Daughter of Black Lake is Cathy Marie Buchanan's third novel and, if you can believe it, the first one that I've read. She's a Canadian historical fiction author who has been on my radar since her second book, The Painted Girls, published back in 2012. But I just hadn't gotten around to reading her - so many books, so little time, am I right? I'm glad I had a chance to read this latest one, thanks to HarperCollins Canada, as it was a beautifully written novel set in a time I had never read about before.

Here's the book's description:

It's the season of Fallow, in the era of iron. In a northern misty bog surrounded by woodlands and wheat fields, a settlement lies far beyond the reach of the Romans invading hundreds of miles to the southeast. Here, life is simple--or so it seems to the tightly knit community. Sow. Reap. Honor Mother Earth, who will provide at harvest time. A girl named Devout comes of age, sweetly flirting with the young man she's tilled alongside all her life, and envisions a future of love and abundance. Seventeen years later, though, the settlement is a changed place. Famine has brought struggle, and outsiders, with their foreign ways and military might, have arrived at the doorstep. For Devout's young daughter, life is more troubled than her mother ever anticipated. But this girl has an extraordinary gift. As worlds collide and peril threatens, it will be up to her to save her family and community.

The book is told from two viewpoints. The first is Hobble in her present day as a Druid comes to their village and stirs up unease, just as another Druid had in Hobble's mother's youth. Devout is her mother and her part of the story is in the past, which gives the reader a greater understanding of the distrust the villagers have of Druids, even if it's never outwardly spoken. That distrust culminates in a super intense scene at the end of the book and I definitely gasped and yelled YES (to myself) as villagers stood up for what was right.

The book was set in the Iron Age in what we now know as Great Britain. At least, I'm fairly certain that's the setting. Because it's so incredibly ancient (anywhere between 800 BC to 43 AD), it's hard to pin down. Normally I read a lot of WWII era historical fiction and that is really easy to piece together since I've read so much of it and it's recent-ish history. While the world Hobble and her parents live in is quite different than ours, there are still a lot of similarities. Humans haven't changed all that much in the last...well, freaking long time. There are still the base desires and needs which I think we've started paying attention to A LOT more during the last year and a half with the pandemic. 

I wouldn't necessarily say I really liked Daughter of Black Lake but Cathy Marie Buchanan's latest novel, which was published last fall, is really well done. It's exceptionally well written and allows the reader to get a glimpse into the lives of ancient humans, which was quite fascinating. This novel is for you if you like your historical fiction to be more literary.

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

Review: Only for You

Barb Curtis published her debut novel, Forever with You, last year and I thought it was super cute so I was excited for the next book in the Sapphire Springs series. Only for You, just published today, featured a new couple in the small western New York town and I loved it.

Here's the book's description:

Will a fake relationship between two friends lead to true love?
After having his heart broken on national television, Tim Fraser knows only one way to stop the gossip about his love life-a new girlfriend. The problem is, he's done with romance forever. A fake relationship with his friend and Sapphire Spring's sweetest baker, Emily Holland, seems the perfect solution to getting rid of his newfound fame, but their fleeting fauxmance is stirring up the kinds of feelings Tim has sworn off for good.
Emily has secretly lusted after Tim for years, but pretending her feelings are all for show never factored into her fantasy. Still, her decades-long crush makes it impossible to say no to Tim's proposal. But with each date, the lines between pretend and reality blur, giving Tim and Emily a tantalizing taste of life outside the friend zone . . . if they can find the courage to give real love a chance. 

I liked Only for You so much more than the first book in the series. I think a lot of that had to do with the couple in this story. There was something about Emily and Tim that had me enjoying their love story more - even when it was driving me bananas! Both characters are big hearted and so kind. They have their differences, which makes things interesting, but their values are so similar. It was hard to see how Tim could be so blind to Emily's feelings for him.

Tim's obliviousness knocked off a few swoon points, to be honest, because he just couldn't see what was right in front of him. It was hard to understand some of his hangups and I'm glad Emily approached things the way she did near the end. I was Team Emily, as much as I adored Tim, and even though I knew he'd get his head on straight because, hello, this is a romance, I would have been right by Emily's side with her bestie Leyna (the heroine from the first novel), telling her she was better off without the knobhead and we'd find her someone else who was perfect for her. 

As I mentioned in my review of the first book, this story technically takes place in New York state but Curtis did her wine research with a winemaker in Niagara in Ontario, which is where I live. I can totally picture the town near that winery and it fits so well with the town of Sapphire Springs so I couldn't help but picture it again as I read this novel. I almost feel like pitching the Maple Magic Festival to the town because it sounded like SO much fun. 

I'm already looking forward to getting back to Sapphire Springs in whatever novel Curtis writes next. I think the story will feature Rob, Leyna's brother and friend to every character we've met so far. He's been through a nasty divorce but seems like such a wonderful guy so I hope we get to see his Happily Ever After too.

Only for You is such a sweet read that you'll have finished in no time. This story is perfect for those who like closed door romances and small towns that are a character all on their own. Barb Curtis' second novel thoroughly entertained me - so much so that I'm sad the story is over! Definitely consider picking this one up!

*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 Rehearsals

I love rom coms (surprise, surprise) but I also love books with a bit of magic realism (even if I don't read a ton of them). The Rehearsals by Annette Christie is a rom com with a time loop twist where both main characters are living through the same day over...and over...and over. It was a fun read with a lot of heart.

Here's the book's description:

Two people. One wedding. No end in sight.
Megan Givens and Tom Prescott are heading into what is supposed to be their magical wedding weekend on beautiful San Juan Island. But with two difficult families, ten years of history, and all too many secrets, things quickly go wrong. After a disastrous rehearsal dinner they vow to call the whole thing off—only to wake up the next morning stuck together in a time loop. Are they really destined to relive the worst day of their lives, over and over? And what happens if their wedding day does arrive?
A funny, romantic, and big-hearted debut novel, The Rehearsals imagines what we might do if given a second chance at life and at love—and what it means to finally get both right.

I'll say up front: if you didn't like Christina Lauren's In a Holidaze because you didn't like the time loop, you won't like this one. It was a bit more prominent and I know a lot of people had issues with the loop (and the repetitive nature of it) in Lauren's. I'm a fan of Groundhog Day-esque reads myself (and the movie, of course) so I was immediately intrigued by the storyline in The Rehearsals. I like thinking, what if we got a do-over on a day and had that opportunity to make it "right"? But...what IS right? I was stressed and anxious right alongside Megan and Tom and I had no idea how things would work out once they broke out of the loop - if they ever did!

I probably would have given this one a higher rating if I had liked Tom more. He was kind of an idiot. I couldn't stand that he let his family make all the decisions and never stood up for Megan when they treated her and her family like they weren't worthy of their attention. Megan didn't have to put up with that, of course, but in the grand scheme of things...is that the worst thing ever? (It is bad, Megs. Recognize that.) Plus, she was punishing herself for something that happened years prior. (Though I think she should have gotten over that at some point or recognized before the time loop that there were unresolved issues there.) And the Big Thing he DIDN'T DISCUSS WITH HER? Ugh, I was SO ANGRY. (In case you couldn't tell from all the caps.)

Because of my issues with Tom, I liked Megan's chapters way more. I really loved her - even with her massive mistake. She was smart and full of love and she had put so much work into making the wedding the best for everyone. (And you might even say that she worried about others' feelings more than what she really wanted.) I so badly wanted what was best for her and, like Megs, thought that was one option but as the loop went on, realized that maybe that option wasn't the best one. I needed her to have a Happily Ever After and I like the way Christie ended things. It wasn't a perfect bow but it was the perfect ending. 

There are a few trigger warnings to take note of: infidelity, absent parents, and overbearing parents being three of the most prominent. 

The Rehearsals was a really enjoyable read that I had finished in just two days. Annette Christie's adult novel debut is one to read - if you like your rom coms more serious, can handle infidelity storylines, and enjoy time loops. I'm looking forward to what Christie writes next!

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