An Ocean of Time by Kennedy Kerr

4*

I would have given this book 5 stars for the compelling, suspenseful, romantic story. However, without warning, it ended on a cliffhanger. If I’d known, I would have waited until the 2nd (and perhaps successive) book had come out because I’m just not patient enough to wait.

If, however, you don’t mind cliffhangers, I definitely recommend this intriguing time slip novel set in Cornwall, UK in 1755. There’s forbidden romance, villainous treachery, and deep, dark secrets that keep you at the edge of your seat. Recommended. 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Shots You Take by Rachel Reid

 

4* (release date: 3/4/25)

Rachel Reid writes beautiful, heartwarming hockey romances that get me every time. That this one is a second chance romance between former best friends and teammates makes it even more special. Professional male athletes, especially hockey players, are “liars” as Adam says. They lie about their pain, their mental illness and addictions, and, sometimes, their sexuality as well. Reid gently explores the pressure to “man up” in this story, with Adam denying his love for and attraction to Riley for over two decades. In the process, he hurt Riley deeply and himself as well. It isn’t until two years into retirement that he reconnects with Riley at his father’s funeral, and it’s anything but smooth sailing.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way these two navigate their second chance, with honesty, humility, forgiveness, and a good deal of steaminess. The choice of a dual point of view really helps to round out the relationship. I highly recommend this beautiful soulmates’ love story.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Carina Adores through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

When the World Tips Over by Jandy Nelson

 

5*

Oh, my! It was worth the 10-year wait since the publication of my all-time favorite young adult book, I’ll Give You the Sun, to finally read Jandy Nelson’s new book, When the World Tips Over. Other than excellent writing, I had no idea what to expect and never could have anticipated this tear-inducing, heartbreaking, romantic, redemptive family saga full of magical realism, sibling rivalry, and fanciful storytelling. Like its predecessor, a central theme is the way children cope with the loss of a parent, whether through death, abandonment or mental illness. It’s also vaguely reminiscent of Esquival’s Like Water for Chocolate minus the overwhelming tragedy. That’s not to say that this story is a happy one.

In its 500+ pages, there’s plenty of space for Nelson to weave a tale that gives sufficient attention to all of the characters and their lives, both separate from each other and in the ways they intermingle. She successfully juggles the various timelines and multiple POVs; handles multiple traumatic, potentially triggering events with sensitivity; describes the impact her characters’ bad decisions have on people around them while still not seeming to judge them harshly; introduces ghosts and curses without them seeming fantastical; and paves the way for a very dysfunctional family to come together and begin to heal following a near-tragedy. I found the idea of nature vs. nurture very interesting, especially how genetics can have a profound impact on someone’s life in both positive and negatives ways (whether it’s synesthesia, sexual orientation, musical talent, etc.), and appreciated how Nelson handled queer characters and their navigation of their sexuality and gender identity in the face of adversity. The exploration of love in all its forms (e.g., familial, platonic, romantic) is a thread that runs throughout the story, and is a potent motivator for many characters.

There are so many emotional highs and lows in this story. I actually cried in the first chapter and several other times throughout, but there was never a feeling of hopelessness. Of course, I also thought how much this family (especially the children) could benefit from therapy. Having a dog you can talk with telepathically is not a healthy coping mechanism! A quote near the end, which references the title, pretty much sums it up: “I do believe now that when the world tips over, joy spills out with all the sorrow.”

Although this is billed as a young adult novel, I want to emphasize that the number of triggers is very high, so this would be most appropriate for older teens, young adults and adults. It’s an unforgettable story that deserves all the awards and accolades I suspect it will receive. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Dial Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

If you don't want to see the triggers in case you consider them spoilers, don't read beyond this point.

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Tags and Triggers: #FamilySaga, #Curses, #StarCrossedLovers, #LGBTQ, #California, #Vineyards, #Brothers, #Musicians, #Synesthesia, #Infidelity, #Neglect, #Abandonment, #DomesticViolence, #SexualAssault, #Death, #Grief, #YALit, #YoungAdult, #Romance, #MultipleTimelines, #MultiplePOV, #Tearjerker, #Soulmates, #DysfunctionalFamily, #LoveAtFirstSight, #Family, #Depression, #MentalIllness, #Addiction, #Alcoholism, #SingleParent, #AccidentalPregnancy, #Abuse, #ChildAbuse, #Trauma, #CleanRomance, #LoveTriangle, #ForbiddenLove, #Dogs, #MMRomance, #GayRomance, #Bullying, #Guilt, #Wineries, #Stepsiblings, #LiteraryFiction, #RoadTrip, #MagicalRealism, #Chefs, #Paranormal, #SexualAbuse, #Ghosts, #Adultery, #OralStorytelling, #Coming-of-Age, #Bildungsroman, #Diaries, #Dreams

Kissing Kosher by Jean Meltzer

 

4*

Avital Cohen, granddaughter of Chayim Cohen, is the manager of her family’s kosher Brooklyn bakery, Best Babka, a role she has reluctantly assumed after being diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, a painfully chronic condition that forced her to shelve her budding photography career and move home with her family. Ethan Rosenberg is the orphaned grandson of Moishe Lippmann, wealthy owner of a hugely successful commercial baked goods company, who has demanded that Ethan go undercover at Best Babka to steal the recipe for Chayim’s famous pumpkin spice babka in retaliation for how Chayim wronged him over many decades. It goes against Ethan’s moral code, but he feels he has no choice if he has any hope of gaining his grandfather’s approval and affection, an impossible task given that Moishe is pure evil as evidenced by the severe verbal abuse he has heaped on his grandsons in the 12 years since their parents’ death. When Avi and Ethan meet at his interview, there’s an instant attraction although neither of them recognizes it in the other. It doesn’t take long for Ethan to realize there’s no way he’ll be able to follow-through on the plan given his growing affection for Avi and every reason to believe there will be no future for them if, and when, the truth of his deception is revealed. 

 

There’s so much to unpack in this novel and a slew of triggers readers need to be aware of, including trauma, death, grief, chronic pain, suicidal ideation, and traumatic brain injury. There is intense focus on Avi’s condition and the way the medical establishment dismisses patients either by minimizing their pain, not investing sufficient money for research into finding a cure or failing to offer ways to alleviate their suffering. As a result, many end up taking their own lives because they can’t see a future free from the pain. At one point, Avi even talks about how chronic pain can steal your life, and people acting like you’re still the same person you were before your diagnosis is a form of ableism.

 

Although not mentioned in the story, I think it’s worth drawing comparisons to what’s happening today. In the wake of Covid, there are millions of patients suffering with Long Covid who are being villainized for masking and demanding precautions in healthcare settings, being denied coverage, minimizing their suffering or dismissing their problems as anxiety, and finding that there are very few doctors who even understand their conditions. As Avi says, “The worst part of chronic pain had never actually been the disease…it was the lack of hope.” Millions of sufferers (an ever-growing number) are facing systemic ableism that smacks of eugenics and are dying, either from their illness or by their own hands. 

 

As Ethan learns of the challenges Avi’s illness presents, he is compelled to help her find solutions. So, he approaches his pothead brother Randy for answers, which leads the couple to visit a dispensary and learn from the Rabbi Jason, the unconventional owner, all about the benefits of medical cannabis and the elevated role women and intimacy in the Jewish faith. It’s a deep, but illuminating, journey for Meltzer’s readers.

 

As much as Avi is dealing with physical pain, the emotional pain and guilt Ethan suffer is also a focus and the thing that ultimately binds them together. As an excuse for Moishe’s intense cruelty towards his grandsons (which is referred to it as “bad behavior”), Meltzer gives this explanation: “the by-product of transgenerational trauma. Expulsion. Pogroms. The Holocaust. In every generation, some villain rose up, seeking to destroy them. And sometimes, the parents came home – and collapsing under all those generations of bloodshed, antisemitism, and disrupted family units – traumatized their children, too. It was the dirty little secret of the Jewish world. Abuse.” In her author notes, Meltzer even mentions the growing anti-Semitism today.

 

Although Meltzer’s Kissing Kosher is, at its heart, a romance between star-crossed lovers, it goes well beyond a simple love story by tackling everything from chronic pain to transgenerational trauma, the role of intimacy in Jewish relationships, medical cannabis, the mysteries of the Jewish faith, unimaginable grief, and even verbal abuse and neglect. At times, it’s difficult to read, but it’s ultimately about hope and joy, managing physical and psychological pain, and finding support from chosen family.

 

One final note? A better title would have been “What the Heart Kneads” (which becomes obvious near the end of the story).

 

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from MIRA through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Knockout by Sarah Maclean

 

5*

Knockout, the 3rd in Maclean’s Hell’s Belles series, is the story of the unlikely, forbidden romance between Lady Imogen Loveless, a possibly autistic-coded, curvy genius with a passion for homegrown explosives, and growly Detective Inspector Tommy Peck, introduced in Book One (Bombshell) when Imogen blew up a jail cell to free Caleb, her colleague Sesily Talbot’s lover. Peck is inadvertently responsible for the name given to this foursome of intrepid social crusaders who are waging war against the British aristocracy and misogynistic patriarchy at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign with the goal of bringing down the evil men who prey on women, the poor, and other defenseless people.

It's clearly a case of love at first sight (that readers have been witness to since the beginning of the series), but Tommy fights against his attraction and fascination with Imogen, not only because he doesn’t feel worthy of her given he’s from the wrong side of the Thames and she’s Mayfair, but also because he wants to protect her from the same men the Belles are trying to destroy, and he knows any association with her will ruin his chances of begin promoted to Head of the Detective Branch. However, when all signs point to a tie between corruption at Scotland Yard and the criminals the ladies are trying to bring down, he must make a choice about where his loyalties lie.

The romance between Imogen and Tommy is mutually-protective, often chaotic, incendiary, flirtatious and brimming with witty banter, but the friendship between the four Belles is equally as compelling, each drawing on their strengths and loyally supporting and encouraging each other. Maclean is a masterful storyteller who weaves mystery and romance together without watering down either. Each book is billed as a standalone, but I encourage you to read them in order because the series builds the story of the four Belles and the vast network of courageous women who defend and protect the innocent. They’re proof that women should never be underestimated. Can’t wait for Book 4 when The Duchess finally meets her match! Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Avon through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.