This is a timely and extremely uncomfortable book to read, and that’s what makes it so powerful. In a time when Fascism seems to be winning in our country and book banning is sharply on the rise, it’s so important for our teens to have a story like this that lays bare the extremism, racism, anti-LGBTQ language and violence perpetuated by the white supremacists who have been empowered by our country’s leaders. It speaks to how protest can begin with just one voice, one brave person committed to freedom and fairness by speaking out against the ugliness that has been exposed.
As a librarian, it hurts my heart to read a fictionalized account of what challenges our young citizens are being exposed to under the guise of “protecting our children.” Noor Khan is a role model for standing up for what is right, even if it puts her and her loved ones in harm’s way. If I were still working at the high school level, I’d not only buy multiples of this book, but would also work with students and colleagues to host an event to discuss the topic and actions students can take to fight against these bans. Highly recommended.
I love a romance that elicits a range of emotions. PS: I Hate You is a perfect example. I laughed (a lot), I cried, I got angry and frustrated, I swooned, and I felt relief. This beautiful, steamy, multi-trope romance includes enemies to lovers, second chance, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and road trip. It’s definitely a wild ride and one you’ll probably want to read all in one sitting.
At its core, it’s a hard-fought romance, an exploration of grief, and a range of loving relationships (mf, sibling, and friendship). It begins at the funeral of Maddie’s brother Josh who died of cancer just shy of 30. She hasn’t been home for seven years, since her youthful crush and brother’s best friend Dom broke her heart. So, the last thing that she wants is for him to discover her in a coat closet where’s she’s fallen into a box half-full of toilet paper rolls. Unfortunately, he’s as handsome as ever and her heart clearly hasn’t gotten the message that she hates him. When Dom, as executor, passes out letters from Josh to those closest to him, Maddie is devastated to find that Josh has not only written one letter jointly to Dom and her, but that his dying wish is that they visit eight states together that he, as a world-traveling photographer, never got the chance to see. His instructions are to find the geographical coordinates in a certain order, read a new letter at each location, fulfill location-specific tasks, scatter some of his ashes, and take a joint selfie. It’s pretty obvious that he has ulterior motives, but it’ll take nearly two years, a lot of snarky comments from Maddie, requests from Josh that pull both of them out of their comfort zones, and some forced proximity before the walls Maddie has built start to crumble and they finally begin to discuss the past.
This would have been a 5* read for me, but Maddie’s immaturity and rude behavior were really off-putting. Yes, she has scars from her neglectful, cruel and abusive parents and grandmother and deep-seated abandonment issues, but Dom is so thoughtful and protective, that you can’t help rooting for him (even if you don’t know his reasons for breaking her heart years before). Author Connolly puts some trigger warnings at the beginning, and it’s important to read them because there are some heavy issues. Overall, however, there’s so much to love about this book that I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Debbie Johnson can always be counted on to write heartwarming, sensitive stories, laced with closed door romance, that plumb the depths of emotion and the human experience. In Statistically Speaking, we meet Gemma Jones at age 16, in the process of birthing a baby girl that she’s putting up for adoption. She’s mature enough to understand that she’s not able to raise a child herself, just as her own mother wasn’t. The one thing she leaves for Baby is a long letter, telling her a bit about her life and giving reassurances that she loves her, but wants her to have a chance at a good, loving, and safe childhood.
Fast forward almost 18 years, and we’re seeing Gemma all grown up but still carrying emotional scars from her neglectful childhood and her never-ending doubt about the decision she made. After an adulthood marked by a need to escape relationships of any kind, she starts to meet people who care about her without exception and who just might be worth breaking down the walls she’s built up to protect herself. There’s handsome, lovely Karim, her teacher colleague and perfect book boyfriend, surrogate mom feisty and irreverent Margie, new friend Erin, and Katie, Erin’s daughter and Gemma’s student who bears a striking resemblance to her and shares a birthday with the baby she let go off. Statistically speaking, the odds are very slim that she’s her daughter, but the heart isn’t always logical. You’ll need to read the book to find out more.
This is very much a character-driven novel and Johnson has done a wonderful job developing both Gemma and her chosen family. The pacing is a bit slow at times, but Gemma’s reawakening is a pleasure to behold. Her thoughtful depiction of adoption from the perspective of birth mother, adoptive mother and child is illuminating for those of us who don’t have first-hand experience with it, too. I highly recommend this fine piece of women’s fiction.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Harper Muse through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
