Tag: Bestseller

Book Review:: Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross

Letters of Enchantment Book #2 (conclusion)

[Book One is Divine Rivals – skip this review if you haven’t read it yet! There will be rampant book one spoilers!]

The last pages of Divine Rivals left me SO nervous. I was terrified it was going to be similar to a Hunger-Games-Peeta situation, but it was clear pretty early that was not going to be the case. Maybe that’s a spoiler, but it held me back from picking this book up for a few weeks, because my heart couldn’t take that! So for anyone else in the same boat, know it’s okay. This book isn’t going to run your heart through a shredder in that same agonizing, irreparable way.

Ruthless Vows Rebecca Ross Book Cover

The war between gods continues with fervor. Dacre moves relentlessly toward the city of Oath and his estranged god-wife Enva. Corruption in the city has left it unprepared for the invasion Dacre is planning. Iris is back in town, working at the newspaper with Attie and they’re striving, as ever, for the truth. Meanwhile, Roman wakes up among Dacre’s ranks with no memory of who he is, or how he came to be there. He is tasked with writing articles for Dacre, from his side of the war, in direct opposition of Iris and friends. But he’s still using the Aluette typewriter, and Iris is determined to save him.

This is a book about war. War is violent and messy and maims or destroys everything it touches. Rebecca Ross did a great job keeping that front of mind. There was no character unscathed by their experiences in this story, but in the end, there was hope. There was always hope, and that’s the key to a story with so much darkness.

If you loved the romance of Divine Rivals, rejoice! This book is still very romantic. Iris and Roman’s romance is plagued by distance and danger, but there are other sparks kindling, too. I loved the subtlety of Attie’s love story told in lingering looks, concern, and quiet conversation. I loved that Forest was able to find someone to share himself with, too. Within the darkness, there is always light.

The focus, of course, is not the romance, but the whole saving-the-world-as-we-know-it thing. Rest assured, there is plenty of action in the relentlessly paced plot. So much is at stake, and success isn’t guaranteed. The tension is strung tight, but there are little moments of respite sprinkled in too that offer great balance.

This book had to accomplish so much. It is the conclusion of the series, and from where Divine Rivals ended, there was a lot of ground left to cover. This book was far more heavy on the magic and fantasy, but since book one eased us in, I still think it’s a great entry-level fantasy book those unused to the subject could easily devour.

There is nothing in this duology I would change. It’s wonderful. No notes! If it were up to me, it would be required reading! I know I will personally be rereading these beautiful books many many times, and the hardcovers look gorgeous on their well-earned place on my bookshelf.

Details

Title:: Ruthless Vows (Letters of Enchantment #2)
Author:: Rebecca Ross
Genre:: Historical Fantasy
Publisher:: Wednesday Books
Length:: 432 pages
Audio Length:: 14h 6m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alex Wingfield & Rebecca Norfolk
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: December 26th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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Author Website
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[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros
Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross

Book Review:: Divine Rivals | Rebecca Ross

Letters of Enchantment Book #1

Holy hell, I was not prepared for this book. I like to go into new stories blind, especially the hyped ones, and this one has earned its reputation. In fact, I’m not sure it’s popular enough! Y’all have to read this.

Divine Rivals Rebecca Ross Book Cover

Iris E. Winnow has taken a job as an obituary writer at a local newspaper after her brother went off to war, fighting for a god, leaving her alone with her alcoholic mother to care for. She is in direct competition with fellow newspaper cleric Roman C. Kit for a columnist job. For Roman, it’s supposed to be the start of a respectable career, pressured heavily by his father – for Iris, it could change her and her mother’s entire lives. In the evenings, Iris types out long letters to her brother, but each and every one of them are unanswered. He’s disappeared. Then one day, a reply shows up…in her wardrobe. She and the mystery correspondent who wrote to her strike up an unlikely friendship through the pair of magically connected typewriters, and she resolves, eventually, to do anything she can to find her brother and bring him back home.

That’s all I’ll say without revealing too much. But Magical typewriters? Rivals to…more? FMC with a hero complex (in a good way)? Genuine friendships with good people? What is there not to love?

When I was young, I read a WWI YA romance – a random choice at the library (all the best ones are – aren’t they?). I can’t remember what it was for the life of me, but this book has me back in those same feels. It harks of a time where words wooed, expectations of ‘the right path’ were high, and love was quick and all-consuming in a different sort of way. When you find something you love in a war-torn world – you hold on tight and make each moment count, because anything might happen next.

Iris is not only pulling herself up by her bootstraps and earning every inch of what she has, she is constantly in search of more she can do, ways she can be of service. Listening to the accounts of soldiers in the divine wars, helping with evacuations…Iris is a symbol of many real-life heroes that existed in a war-torn Britian once upon a time.

It’s not often you read a book with a perfect title. The kind that actually reflects the content, not only on one level, but several. The kind where you reach for your book as you’re nearing the end, catch the title out of the corner of your eye, and realize what it means. Deeper than the surface level. On all the levels. Both Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows (the sequel) have this epic energy.

Readers of historical fiction, especially of the early twentieth century/WWI&II era, will eat this up. It’s nostalgic of wartime British Isles, with a fantastical twist. It’s perfect for those looking to dip their toes into fantasy. The fantasy elements are certainly present, but they’re not overwhelming or difficult to understand. It’s really a scintillating wartime love story all readers can enjoy. Consider Divine Rivals a gateway drug, and prepare yourself to crave more!

Details

Title:: Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1)
Author:: Rebecca Ross
Genre:: Historical Fantasy
Publisher:: Wednesday Books
Length:: 357 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 50m
Audiobook Narrator:: Alex Wingfield & Rebecca Norfolk
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: April 4th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

In the Likely Event | Rebecca Yarros
Ruthless Vows | Rebecca Ross

Book Review:: Butter: A Novel of Food & Murder | Asako Yuzuki (Translated by Polly Barton)

Butter is a Japanese literary fiction novel hinged upon the premise of a journalist investigating the story of a renowned serial killer – a woman accused of murdering a string of lovers by preparing them tainted food. As the investigation unfolds, the journalist, Rika, begins to notice and analyze the world around her with apt attention and nuance and discovers as much about herself in the process as she does about the woman she’s investigating.

Butter: A Novel of Food & Murder Asako Yuzuki Book Cover

In the beginning, Rika is having trouble getting Kajii, the accused, to grant her an interview. A friend suggests asking Kajii for a recipe, knowing women tend to share more than necessary when such a question is asked. It works, and Rika finds herself sitting with Kajii discussing her favorite recipes – how to prepare them, and how to enjoy them. Since Kajii is unable to enjoy whatever food she likes in her detainment, she lives vicariously through Rika’s experiences of her favorite dishes. One recipe at a time, Rika carefully pieces together Kajii’s story in hopes of writing an exclusive story that will propel her career to new heights.

That’s what happens, but that’s not what this book is about. This book is an exploration of societal expectations, especially on women, and how those expectations inform the thinking and actions of those women, and in turn, everyone around them – and society itself.

Japanese women are required to be self-denying, hard-working and ascetic, and in the same breath to be feminine, soft and caring towards men.

It’s about judgment and comparison in all the major categories – weight & body, gender roles in relationships & the home, careers or the sacrifice of career in favor of family – and little ones too. Food is used as metaphor again and again as Rika explores new dishes and makes observations of herself and those around her. Simple ingredients, tedious preparations, presentation. Enjoying food in the first place as opposed to simply consuming it as a means to an end.

Speaking of the food: I have never read descriptions of food and eating it as I have in this book. I mean, pornographic levels of description. It’s incredible. I feel like I’ve been eating wrong my whole life after reading about how these characters care about food. I think that alone is enough to recommend this book. It is poetry, truly.

“I feel like I understand better now that I’ve started cooking myself. Cleaning and cooking are much more rock and roll than I thought. What you need above all is strength. A fighting spirit that can withstand the tedium of everyday life without being blunted by it.”

This novel is carefully crafted to take Rika on a journey of self-actualization, learning lessons that are important for us all through her strange relationship with a disturbed woman. What is real? What are her biases? Can she be trusted?

I really enjoyed the experience of reading this novel. With translated works it can be difficult to tell if the cadence comes from the author, the one translating, or both, but whatever the case, Butter is as decadent in its style as it is in its descriptions of food. It flows well and doesn’t feel detached or stilted the way some translated works can. It was a pleasure to read, and easy to get lost in.

I found myself craving a stronger sense of suspense and tension as I read. With a serial killer premise, I did hope for some kind of thriller vibe, but if it was there, it was quite subtle. However, I cannot fault the tagline either. This novel is about food and murder.

I would recommend this book for feminists and foodies alike. Also, this is apparently based on the true story of “The Konkatsu Killer”. I’m not sure how I feel about that. I think I’m going to have to do some googling…

Details

Title:: Butter: A Novel of Food & Murder
Author:: Asako Yuzuki
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Ecco
Length:: 464 pages
Audio Length:: 17h 12m
Audiobook Narrator:: Hanako Footman
Audiobook Publisher:: Harper Audio
Published:: April 16, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars

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Author Website
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If you liked this book, check out…

The Midnight Feast | Lucy Foley
The Last Love Note | Emma Grey

Book Review:: Malibu Rising | Taylor Jenkins Reid

Family is the most complex thing there is. The history. The responsibility. The everyday choices and the ones that come once in a lifetime. The mirrored features and gestures. The shared experience, or absence from them. All of these things cumulate into how we experience family. What are the expectations of being a parent, or a sibling, and what happens when those expectations aren’t met? Are blood ties enough to support relationships, no matter what? And what of marriage vows? Trust, betrayal, forgiveness? What do we owe those we’ve made promises to, and who created us?

I’m probably taking things too far here for an introduction, but Malibu Rising is a phenomenal work of literary fiction that had these very questions running through my head. It is an exploration of family in many forms, and an intriguing family saga that hooked me from page one and still hasn’t let go.

Malibu Rising Taylor Jenkins Reid Book Cover

The Riva family has been through a lot. Four siblings, bonded by love through hardship, are now on their way into adulthood. They have two things in common – their famous deadbeat father, and their deep love of surfing. Jay is a professional surfer, Hudson is the photographer who captures all his best shots, Nina is the older sister who got famous modeling on her surfboard, and Kit, the baby, might just be better than any of them at the sport. Every year they throw a party to close out the summer. Anyone who finds out about it can come. Celebrities of all shapes and flavors don’t dare miss it. It’s the talk of the town. But this year the party will leave the siblings changed forever.

Life is messy. In great novels, the mess happens all at the same time in a slow but relentless crescendo that keeps us riveted until the cacophonous finale. Each of the Riva siblings is at a crisis point in their lives, and we’re taken through their family origin story to help us understand how they got to this moment, and why they might be making the choices they make. One sibling is deeply in love with someone he’s not supposed to be, one is falling out of love, one thinks he’s found the one after a single night, and one is having doubts she has the capacity for romantic love at all. Their parents, Mick and June, had an explosive type of love that led to heartbreak when they were both unable to break the patterns of the families before them, leaving wounds and wreckage in a blazing trail behind them.

Taylor Jenkins Reid continues to astound me with her capacity for storytelling. I mean, the details she includes are just incredible. Her omniscient tendency allows her to showcase happenstance from all the interesting angles and explore human nature in all its nonsensical and sometimes beautiful inevitabilities.

I think I loved every single aspect of this story. The experience of reading was a pleasure in itself. Every sentence was interesting. Every facet of each character the author chose to showcase…so interesting. As in, it literally captured my interest. It kind of reminds me of the character of Vida Winter in The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, the disillusioned storyteller who isn’t interested in anything that doesn’t serve a story. Like the storyteller in Margaret Atwood’s The Blind Assassin. Crafting story is simple. Just make it interesting. This is how I imagine Taylor Jenkins Reid as she’s sifting through ideas for her stories. She’s on a higher plane of storytelling. She’s a weaver. She’s a curator. She’s a master.

This is the kind of story that begs to be appreciated. It’s not one thing that makes it stand out. It’s all of it together as one thing. One awesome, specific, thing. I hope you read it. But if you don’t like it, don’t tell me. I don’t think I could take it.

Details

Title:: Malibu Rising
Author:: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre:: Contemporary Fiction
Publisher:: Ballantine Books
Length:: 369 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 5m
Audiobook Narrator:: Julia Whelan
Audiobook Publisher:: Random House Audio
Published:: June 1st, 2021
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

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Author Website
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If you liked this book, check out…

The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
Summertime Punchline | Betty Corrello

Book Review:: Hello Stranger | Katherine Center

Another beautiful romance by Katherine Center, this one with a high concept and a Cinderella twist that is sure to move you.

Hello Stranger Katherine Center Book Cover

Sadie Montgomery is a finalist in the same prestigious portrait contest that her mother once participated in, before her untimely death. It could be the big break she needs as a struggling portrait artist to prove to her father and to herself that she won’t wind up in a pauper’s grave. However, a medical scare leaves her with symptoms that throw her entire world on its head when post-surgical swelling leaves her unable to recognize human faces – even her own.

There are two men in Sadie’s post-surgical life. The veterinarian who helped save her beloved dog’s life, sparking with potential, and a bowling-jacket wearing Lothario who lives next-door who made a terrible first impression with an overheard phone conversation but seems to always show up in the right place at the right time.

Sadie and Cinderella have a few things in common. A mother who has passed and a father who married right away. An ‘evil’ step-mother and step-sister who take pains to misunderstand her and even torture her a little bit. Being so poor she has to live essentially in squalor (crashing in her art studio because she can’t afford an apartment). The ‘unable to recognize someone in different contexts’ element is switched, because The Prince knows it’s her all along, it’s Sadie who can’t recognize him.

There are a lot of valuable takeaways from this book. Seeing beyond someone’s physical appearance. We take so much for granted every single day – things as simple as recognizing someone when they’re right in front of you. It’s okay to be vulnerable sometimes. Nothing is ever all bad or all good, even if you don’t see it right away. Sadie is holding onto a lot of heavy stuff from her past, and though she hardly realizes it herself, she’s letting it guide who she’s become as an adult. Through this difficult time, she learns that maybe it’s okay to be a little more herself.

What does it say about me that I identified with Sadie through much of the early story? She holds herself to perfect standards and has to be okay, always. Fierce independence, I call it in myself. Difficult to ask for help. Difficult to even acknowledge it’s needed in the first place. I saw her so completely in that feeling. It was nice to see that reflected in a character so exactly. I clearly have some work to do on myself, too – ha.

I am once again so impressed with Katherine Center’s skillful storytelling. There are lots of clues throughout the novel for what the romantic climax will look like. No one thing is blaringly obvious, but the volume is such that I feel confident saying everyone knows where the story is going except Sadie herself. Still, the layering of clues really puts us in Sadie’s head, so we understand the story through her currently distorted perspective.

Some of the drama might have gone a little over the top (the evil-stepsister element, especially) but I can’t deny this little gem is absolutely a five-star read! I loved it!

Details

Title:: Hello Stranger
Author:: Katherine Center
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: St. Martin’s Press
Length:: 323 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 39m
Audiobook Narrator:: Patti Murin
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: July 11th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

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Author Website
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If you liked this book, check out…

The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center
Savor It | Tarah Dewitt
Business Casual | BK Borison

Book Review:: King of Wrath | Ana Huang

King of Wrath by Ana Huang is a possessive, spicy, filthy rich, romance with a tint of darkness that keeps tension wound tight all the way through. I’m not sure if this qualifies as a dark romance, but it feels like it should.

King of Wrath Book Cover

One night at family dinner, Vivian Lau’s parents surprise her with an arranged marriage. While she’d known since she was a teenager to expect it, she was taken by surprise. Not only the deal itself, but the identity of her husband-to-be: Dante Russo, the most eligible billionaire bachelor in New York. Dante was forced into the match, but as soon as he is able to, he plans to end the engagement and go on his merry way, married to his job, exactly the way he likes it. Vivan thinks he’s an ass, but is willing to give him a chance – she is determined to marry him no matter what to please her family. Dante closes himself off emotionally because he knows it’s not forever and doesn’t want to be cruel. But while they keep up the appearance of a happy engagement for high-class society, lines begin to blur.

The romance between Vivian and Dante is hot and cold. Vulnerability is not a language either of them speak. It creates a lot of tension and causes the moments they do fall together all the more intense for it. Vivian is a very strong woman who relies on no one. Though she’s an heiress, she works as an event planner and takes her work very seriously. I enjoyed her personality, but more importantly, I think she is a good match for a man like Dante, who never hears the word no from anyone else.

Dante is slow to let go of his original goals and assumptions. He is a very driven man -incredibly focused – and executes on his objectives to accomplish his goals. When he makes a decision, it’s because he’s considered all the facts and he doesn’t go back to wonder if it was the right one. His engagement with Vivian seems to be the first time he has to reevaluate his original stance, and he struggles with it for a long time.

I picked this book up for the cover. I was expecting it to be some kind of romantasy (right? Look at it!). And, I guess if you consider the billionaire nature of the characters and the high-class world they live in, you might as well consider that shit fantasy. LOL. But it’s not, really. My expectations were subverted a little bit there, however, I’m glad I read it. It’s about as far on the dark romance scale as I think I’m comfortable going, but I was impressed with how well the characters were matched up, and I was really sucked into a lot of the drama. Once I started reading, I thought it might be far sexier than it ended up being. There’s about as much sex as any other spicy book out there anymore.

If you’re looking to spice up your romance reading away from bubble-gum romantic comedies to something more serious and dramatic, this might be a good tangent to explore. It’s also the start of a series, which is a plus in our binge culture (though I’m not sure yet if I’ll personally be continuing the series). If you like a possessive, decisive, rich, all around alpha male lead, you’ll want to pick this one up for sure.

Details

Title:: King of Wrath (Kings of Sin #1)
Author:: Ana Huang
Genre:: Romance
Publisher:: Bloom Books
Length:: 407 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 5m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jacob Morgan & Emily Woo Zeller
Audiobook Publisher:: Boba Press
Published:: October 18th, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 4-Stars
Spice Level:: 4 (open door, explicit language)

Linky Links!!

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Ana Huang Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this, check out…

Play Along | Liz Tomforde
Burn for Me | Ilona Andrews

Book Review:: Amazing Grace Adams | Fran Littlewood

Have you ever had a bad day? Bad week really. Months, even. Or a decade, if we’re being honest. Grace has. And she’s kept it together, mostly, through most of it. But you can only hold together for so long once your vessel is cracked and leaking and you refuse to acknowledge it.

Amazing Grace Adams, Fran Littlewood, Book Cover, Book Review

Grace Adams is a mess. A perimenopausal, hot-flashy mess, stuck in a traffic jam that is preventing her from reaching her estranged daughter’s birthday party. Everything has gone wrong lately. Everything. And just maybe if Grace can deliver the custom inside-joke birthday cake she had made to the party she was never invited to, her daughter would forgive her. Her ex-husband might forgive her. Everything might take a step back in the right direction. But she can’t get there if she’s stuck in the misery of traffic until it’s over. So, as a hail-Mary last-ditch effort, she opens the door of her car and walks away from it. Right there, in the middle of traffic, and foots it the rest of the way to the bakery. This is only the first of many questionable decisions Grace makes that day.

The genius of this story is in the revelations. While the present Grace is on a frantic quest to fix everything she thinks she’s broken in one desperate grand gesture, we’re traced back through the steps that led her to such a desperate moment. The magical meeting of her eventual husband at a linguistics conference, their unconventional courtship and marriage, the family dramas they’re forced to navigate, the trials of new parentship, partnership, and beyond. Each petal is pulled back and back and back until we get to the real hurts that Grace and her family are struggling with. And they’re big ones. Heart shattering. I sobbed for…a long time…as I read through the last chapters. Right there on the couch, while my family watched TV. This book is devastating and beautiful and the writing is so lovely and clever. Here are some of the quotes I underlined:

A message that has made him fizz inside with what? Laughter?

She has doughy skin that makes her look like one of the pastries she’s selling.

Amazing Grace Adams Uncensored Book Cover, Fran Littlewood, Book Review
The uncensored cover.

They stand without speaking until the woman has moved past. As if in tacit agreement that their conversation is private, a secret between them.

If she could, she would walk out of any room that she was in.

Grace is hugging her knees to her chest and listening to the hypnotic suck and pull of the filter system.

This is a great book, and it was a pleasure to read. Fran Littlewood has delivered a story that is witty, passionate, and a little bit manic. It explores depths of love and forgiveness and grief that won’t soon be forgotten. I love all of it. The title, the cover, and the gift that is the prose.

I would recommend this book to women around Grace’s age. A woman who’s seen it all. Marriage, children, the chaos of it all, and the monotony of it too. The routine. The staleness. That, I think, is the audience who will get the most out of it. Who will understand her. But of course any fan of literary fiction might enjoy it. It’ll probably make you cry, so try not to go into it with a fragile heart.

Details

Title:: Amazing Grace Adams
Author:: Fran Littlewood
Genre:: Literary Fiction
Publisher:: Henry Holt & Co.
Length:: 272 pages
Audio Length:: 9h 51m
Audiobook Narrator:: Claire Skinner
Audiobook Publisher:: Macmillan Audio
Published:: September 5th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Rating:: 1 (brief, not explicit)

Linky Links!!

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More Books from Henry Holt & Co.
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this, check out…

The Most Fun We Ever Had | Claire Lombardo
The Last Love Note | Emma Grey

Book Review:: Play Along | Liz Tomforde

Play Along is the 4th book in the Windy City spicy sports romance series by Liz Tomforde. If you’re a fan of sports romance, this series is a must read. Play Along lives up to the same meant-to-be, charged with heat romance, and it has the same deep heart healing running through it too.

Play Along Liz Tomforde Book Cover

Isaiah Rhodes (pro shortstop) and Kennedy Kay (an athletic physical therapist for his pro baseball team) met in a bathroom on a bad day for them both. Three years later, they get drunk as skunks and married in Vegas so Kennedy can feel some sense of power in her f*cked up family dynamic. The next morning the real world comes at them like the world’s worst hangover, and they realize that if Kennedy is really going to get what she wants (professionally), they’ll have to play out this marriage like it’s real for the whole baseball season. The only problem is Isaiah has a very real thing for Kennedy, and she is looking forward to having actual freedom for the first time in her life – which means D-I-V-O-R-C-E, A.S.A.P.

I love this series. Tomforde has built up a big ol’ cast of characters that are supportive and spunky and endearing and sprinkled throughout each other’s stories. Isaiah is the younger brother of Kai, the hero of my favorite book in the series, Caught Up. But man, Isaiah really gives Kai a run for his money. I’m honestly conflicted at this point on which to claim as my favorite, but in the end it doesn’t matter – they’re both (all) brilliant.

I love the depth that this series explores in each volume. They’re fairly long books compared to many in the genre, but still, I’m left wanting more (seriously, I had to look up if there is a fifth book in the series coming, and – rejoice – there is!). Both lead characters always get a robust backstory and very real conflicts and insecurities that they work through that gives them such depth and allows us to empathize with them deeply. In this case, Isaiah lost his mother at the age of thirteen and is dealing with some severe anxiety when triggered, and is also learning that it’s okay to be himself instead of the mask of humor and the relentless easy-going nature he forces himself to wear at all times. For Kennedy, she comes from a cold family who has never expressed love or affection for her and uses her like a pawn in their own schemes. She has trouble feeling important or worth anyone’s time, and has problems with physical touch. Through all the tropey gimmicks, these two come together to heal each other in all the right places.

If Liz Tomforde wrote ten books in this series, I would read them all. I trust that she can string together a story that I’ll care about no matter the context. She’s good at characters with heart, and they’re all living rent-free in my head. If you love that all-consuming possessive longing love feeling, you’d be hard pressed to find something better than this series. Pick it up! You won’t be sorry.

Details

Title:: Play Along
Author:: Liz Tomforde
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Golden Boy Publishing LLC
Length:: 272 pages
Audio Length:: 12h 32m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jacob Morgan & Samantha Brentmoor
Audiobook Publisher:: Golden Boy Publishing LLC
Published:: July 11th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 4 (open door, explicit language)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Liz Tomforde Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren
Savor It | Tarah DeWitt

Book Review:: Business Casual | B.K. Borison

I received this book as an e-arc for review by the publisher via netgalley, but only a handful of chapters in, I added the paperback (and the rest of the series) to my cart. Already I trusted the writing enough to know this was going to be amazing, and it was exactly the wholesome fulfilling romance I was hoping for.

Business Casual BK Borison Book Cover

Nova Porter is overwhelmed with the launching of her very own tattoo shop in her hometown of Inglewild. She’s drowning in paperwork, to-do tasks, and responsibility. She needs a release. When fun-loving New Yorker and obnoxious flirt Charlie asks her to dance at the wedding they’re both attending, she thinks he might be just the thing to help. But a proposition was the last thing he expected from Nova, and (adorable) awkwardness kills the moment. But now Charlie knows she’s interested in that kind of relationship, and that changes everything.

Nova is a spunky, hard-working woman setting out on her own to make her dreams come true in the hometown that just feels right. She has regular dinners with her supportive family, and knows everyone in town. She knows she can handle it, but also – can she actually handle it? Charlie comes from an upper-class broken family with a father that makes him feel like he’s only as good as what he can accomplish, and that he’s not even good at that. He’s gotten to know Inglewild through his half-sister, Stella, who runs a Christmas tree farm there, and it makes him feel whole in a way he’s never experienced before, but he still feels like he doesn’t quite belong.

This is an example of a story that works well because of character (not to belittle the idyllic setting, which was also amazing). Nova and Charlie are perfectly suited, but their character and backstory drive the conflict. If Charlie was with someone else, it wouldn’t have the same ending. If Nova was with someone else, it wouldn’t have the same inciting incident. They are so thoughtfully designed to create this engaging story full of so much longing, and a resolution that doesn’t leave you feeling damaged, but with a bigger heart than you had before.

I adored Charlie. He’s that not-a-puppy-anymore aged golden retriever pup at the shelter who was abandoned by his family and just looking for someone to tell him what a good boy he is. And he’s a good boy. He’s such a good boy. I dare you not to fall for him right along with Nova.

This is the fourth book in the Lovelight Farms series by BK Borison. Each volume corresponds to one of the seasons, and Business Casual is centered around fall. Nova and Charlie both find themselves on the Harvest Festival committee and work together to help the town make it a great event.

Business Casual is a feel-good read. You get that warm fuzzy feeling all the way through. Now that I’ve turned the last page, I have that book hangover feeling, like I just want to hold on a little bit longer. Luckily, there are three other books in the series I get to dive into next! If you’re looking for your next romance fix, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Details

Title:: Business Casual (Lovelight Book #4)
Author:: B.K. Borison
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Berkley
Length:: 384 pages
Audio Length:: 11h 37m
Audiobook Narrator:: Pippa Jayne & Benjamin D. Walker
Audiobook Publisher:: Dreamscape Media
Published:: July 16th, 2024
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars
Spice Level:: 4 (open door, frequent)

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

Play Along | Liz Tomforde
Funny Story | Emily Henry
The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center

Book Review:: DNA Duo(logy) | Christina Lauren

Book #1 | The Soulmate Equation

The Soulmate Equation Christina Lauren Book Cover

Summary:: GeneticAlly is a new dating service, pioneered by Dr. River Pena, that uses your DNA to find romantic matches. The science appears to be undeniable. The more genetic markers you have matching with someone, the more likely you are to find a successful relationship.

Jess’ best friend Fizz loves the idea. River frequents the same coffee bar Jess & Fizz do (them – to work, J on freelance statistics work, F on romance novels, Dr. Pena – for the lattes), and when he tells them about it, he gives them his card for them to stop by and check it out. Fizz is all in. She jumps in – vag first – into her pool of potential suitors. She and Jess discuss the ethics and ramifications ad nauseum (literally, I think they covered every question a reader could possibly have about the tech), and on a desperate, lonely night of single motherhood, Jess finally decides to submit her spit sample, too. What’s the harm? Her parameters are sky high. She only wants to see a match if their potential is essentially off the charts. Cut to, GeneticALLY calls her in for a meeting, and instead of a statistical analysis job offer, like she’s expecting, turns out she’s matched with the highest numbers the company has ever seen…with donor #1 – River Pena himself. With all of Jess’ responsibilities, is she willing to finally put her heart at risk? What about if the company offers her a big fat wad of cash to go on a few dates and see what happens, as a marketing ploy?

Book #2 | The True-Love Experiment

The True Love Experiment Christina Lauren Book Cover

Summary:: Serial dater “Fizzy” Chen has been off her love game ever since she found out she was ‘the other woman’ in the one romance she thought might actually go the distance. That’s a problem, for a romantic novelist. The words aren’t just uninspired, they’re not coming at all. With her next novel due soon and fans chomping at the bit for whatever comes next, she’s feeling the pressure. When an offer comes out of left field for her to be the star on an upcoming reality dating show that uses GeneticALLY technology to find her matches, it might just be the thing to push her out of her funk. And when she meets the producer (who is really a documentarian forced to make something popular work in order to get the funding he needs for his ‘real’ job), a hunky single dad, they work together to design a show that will be a smash, until it becomes clear she may not need to meet any of the contestants to get her mojo back after all. Except she has to. For weeks. And then go on a super romantic getaway with the winner. All with the man she really wants looking on from behind the camera.

Thoughts

Let’s just get this out of the way – both of these books are charming, wonderful reads. I’m learning Christina Lauren (a pseudonym for a best-friend writing duo) can be relied upon for that. I’m not even sure I could pick a favorite, under duress. Luckily, I don’t have to.

The premise is intriguing – what if all you needed to do was swab your cheek to sift the wheat from the chaff in your dating prospects? Was it fair? Did it mean you might be closing yourself off to real potential love because some computer said you weren’t compatible enough? Did a high match number make you more likely to fall in love, or stick with it longer, just because you both know there’s a big chance it’ll be worth it in the end? Did the results dictate the result just by knowing what they are? Do the numbers even mean anything at all? All of these questions and more are discussed in detail, lending itself to some deep philosophical ponderings about what love is, how we find it, and what makes it stick. I loved the depth this offered in the background of both stories. Honestly? Brilliant.

Jess and River’s romance is fraught with uncertainty. Jess is a cautious gal – she has to be, as someone shouldered with so much responsibility – her young daughter & her aging parents. She’s also a statistician. She’s not one to take risks. She’s done the math. There is some true romance in this book – River really steps up, once he accepts that the results are valid, and gives this connection the chance he hasn’t given love since he was burned in college. There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance, instigated by the company, but ultimately, their connection proves true, and despite the hiccups and whatever the test results may be, love is always a risk. It’s fake dating without it being fake. It’s a chance, just like love in real life.

On the other hand, Fizzy and Connor share a forbidden spark they both know they shouldn’t pursue. The timing is way off. Both of them need this show to be a hit, or their careers could be in ruins. But the sizzle between them refuses to die out. Maybe they just need to get it out of their systems – then they’ll be able to move forward with clear heads and do what they need to do…right?

I’m so impressed with Christina Lauren’s talent for crafting compelling love stories. They are romantic as hell with secondary plotlines playing into the bigger story so naturally while supporting the themes and complicating the stakes like the stories couldn’t be told any other way. One, or both of these ladies knows a lot about story structure, and it’s wielded like a weapon. Just try putting one of these down. I dare you.

Details

Title:: The Soulmate Equation (DNA Duo #1)
Author:: Christina Lauren
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Gallery Books
Length:: 360 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 26m
Audiobook Narrator:: Patti Murin
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: February 8th, 2022
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Title:: The True Love Experiment (DNA Duo #2)
Author:: Christina Lauren
Genre:: Contemporary Romance
Publisher:: Gallery Books
Length:: 409 pages
Audio Length:: 10h 52m
Audiobook Narrator:: Jonathan Cole & Cindy Kay
Audiobook Publisher:: Simon & Schuster Audio
Published:: May 16th, 2023
The Litertarian Rating:: 5-Stars

Linky Links!!

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

Goodreads
Author Website
Amazon Affiliate Links
[Hardcover] [Paperback] [eBook] [Audible]

If you liked this book, check out…

The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren
Business Casual | BK Borison
Funny Story | Emily Henry
The Rom-Commers | Katherine Center