Under Gorse and Stone by Lily Morton

 

5*

I’ve never been a fan of fantasies involving made up lands or mystical creatures. So it’s a real testament to Lily Morton and her gifted storytelling and world-building how much I loved this sweet Christmas romantasy set in Cornwall, UK. The way she describes the settings is magical in itself.

Like her previous Christmas romantasy, On a Midnight Clear, there is a gorgeous, otherworldly male protagonist who takes a human form and a kind, lonely human who finds love when he least expects it. in this story, Sigurd is an immortal dragon who has spent centuries in search of his soulmate and Cary is newly dumped by the latest in a long string up men who find him emotionally cold and only surface deep. When Sig and Cary finally find each other, it’s so heartwarming. It’s also fascinating to be introduced, right along with Cary, to a host of magical creatures from mer people to giants and more who run the gamut from mischievous to mildly threatening while also being incorrectly portrayed in the books of myths Cary grew up reading and discussing with his father.

On a final note, I love how beautifully the cover illustrator captured Sig’s human form. If you’re looking for a steamy, spooky, and magical gay romance to read over the holidays, I highly recommend this delightful novel.

Big Nick Energy by Kristen Bailey

 

5*

Bailey has become one of my absolute go-to favorites for charming Christmas romances with a bit of spice. Her latest offering, Big Nick Energy, which takes place in and celebrates my favorite city, London, is a combo of love triangle, second chance romance, and grumpy/sunshine with a kind, thoughtful and hot tree farmer (New Nick) and a former college love (Old Nick) who broke Kay’s heart. When she runs into him 10 years later, she wonders if fate has a hand in it. Yet, there’s also this handsome grump who doesn’t get her jokes and seems to be lacking in holiday spirit. However, the more time she spends with him, she realizes that first impressions are misleading. Lucky for her, she has guidance and encouragement from her beloved Nana, who is in the early stages of dementia, her zany friend Lucy, and her colleagues at the library where she works to help her see things clearly.

If you love closed door romances with a load of humor (cue the Christmas tree netting fiasco meet-cute), set in the most magical city during the winter holidays, and you haven’t yet discovered Bailey’s books, now’s your chance. You won’t be disappointed.

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 Next Best Fling (Librarians in Love #1) by Gabriella Gamez

 

2*

I found this book really tedious and repetitive and was tempted to not finish it several times. I’m not a fan of the miscommunication trope, and with all of the main characters lying through most of the story, I was bombarded with it. Overall, I felt that they were all immature, especially with the excessive drinking, and I just couldn’t buy into the premise of pining for 8+ years with unrequited love. Marcela’s love interest and Theo’s younger brother Ben is a manipulative, narcissistic jerk whose actions traumatized Theo and whose controlling interference in Marcela’s love life (which she, sadly, allowed) kept her emotionally tethered to him. His fiancé Alice wasn’t much better, in my opinion, although her actions were just selfish. The fake relationship between Marcela and Theo made sense, in theory, but they were lacking the chemistry to take it to the next level and spent too long clinging to their crushes, especially Marcela when this blinders for Ben were coming off. They also didn’t really seem to have anything in common, her a librarian who doesn’t care for football and him an ex-NFL player who doesn’t read. Overall, just a miss for me. Not recommended.

 

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

 

 

 

The Last Days of Lilah Goodluck by Kylie Scott

 

5*

After saving Good Witch Willow’s life, Lilah Goodluck (oh, the irony!) is given 5 predictions, whether she wants them or not. Her boyfriend will cheat on her, she’ll be passed over for a promotion at work, she’ll win the lottery (if she can remember the rapid-fire numbers the witch spouts), her soulmate’s name is Alistair George Arthur Lennox, the illegitimate and hot as hell son of the reigning King of England, and she’ll die in 9 days. After the first three come true in a matter of hours, she begins to worry that her days are truly numbered. When a distracted Lilah totals her car to avoid hitting Alistair’s, this serendipitous meet-cute with her own Prince Charming leads to 8 days of checking off items on her bucket list while trying to fight their growing attraction and feelings, lest they discover they’re soulmates and the final prediction of her death becomes inevitable.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first-person POV, light-hearted, instalove, grumpy/sunshine romance featuring a curvy librarian in Los Angeles and a prince with some serious trust issues and a need for control. It reads like a modern-day fairytale a la Pretty Woman, including a Rodeo Drive shopping spree, complete with a fake relationship, parental abandonment by the King, and some pretty steamy scenes given the intense chemistry between the two. I love the witty banter, not just between Lilah and Alistair, but also with Alistair’s free-spirited mother Lady Helena and her everyman Dougal. I really hope they make this into a movie with great actors because it would be a hoot and harken back to the golden age of romantic comedies. If you need a mood lifter and like romances with no third quarter break-up where the MCs have open, honest communication and bring out the best in each other, pick this one up. Highly recommended.

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

At First Spite (Harlot's Bay #1) by Olivia Dade

 

4*

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At First Spite, the first book in Olivia Dade’s new Harlot’s Bay series, is set in a small, coastal Maryland town named for a lesbian couple who fled their oppressive homes and settled there in the 1690s. Over the centuries, it has become a haven for misfits. So, it’s no surprise that Dade features a lesbian couple who are friends and colleagues of the protagonists, a gruff baker with a soft center, an overwhelmed and out of his depth bookshop owner, and two people who, despite their respective traumas, find in each other a kindred spirit.

 

As the story opens, we find Athena Greydon at her engagement party to Johnny Vine who asked her to marry him just two months after their first meeting before they even got to know each other well. He’s promised her that, when she moves to Harlot’s Bay, she won’t have to find a new job because he’ll take care of her (promises that he’ll depend on his older brother Matthew’s generosity to keep). Feeling burned out after four years as a high school social studies teacher, her acceptance of his proposal may be due more to the promise of the comfort and shelter she seeks than any true love she may have for him. This is very evident to his older brother who makes it his mission to end the engagement, viewing Athena as too irresponsible and immature to be someone’s wife. After meeting her face-to-face for the first time at the party and forming an instant attraction before he even knows her name, it’s likely that his resistance to the engagement is no longer purely altruistic.

 

When Johnny heeds Matthew’s advice and calls off the engagement, Athena has already quit her job and sold her condo. So, she has no choice but to move into The Spite House, a 10’ wide townhouse built between the two brothers’ larger homes which she bought as a wedding present for Johnny, using up most of her savings. Little does she know that Matthew will be her next-door neighbor. Despite a series of harmless, petty pranks she plays against him, they slowly get to know each other (while Johnny is away on an extended solo honeymoon) and learn that they both suffered from misconceptions about each other’s lives and intentions. That’s why it was relatively easy for both Matthew and Athena to forgive each other, share their innermost thoughts, and offer emotional (and, in his case, financial) support while navigating their separate traumas. Given what caring and decent people they both are and the fact that she didn’t really know Johnny well, the cringe factor of a guy going after his younger brother’s ex-fiancée is muted.

 

Athena has two Masters’ degrees and dropped out of a PhD program before finishing, yet she finds herself at age 37 with no job, a spotty employment history, and a bad case of burnout and depression, unable to see herself and her career path as anything other than dismal failures. It takes Matthew, the uptight, grumpy pediatrician, to help her see that her depression is painting a false picture. He not only supports her in her darkest moments, but also shows her the way friends and loved ones view her. He offers a different perspective which carries more weight because she thought he hated her. Everyone deserves a Matthew in their life, someone who acknowledges your flaws, but loves you in spite of them. He’s definitely an A+ book boyfriend.

 

Athena’s story will resonate with readers who have suffered from depression and struggled to find a vocation that they are passionate about and can excel in. My one criticism is that she seems neurodivergent-coded (as does Matthew), so although his well-meaning justifications for her spotty job history may be accurate, they’re incomplete without acknowledging how her neurodivergency impacts her relationships and employment.

 

Of course, Matthew is also dealing with the trauma of his baby brother’s death when he was only 8 years old. After the tragedy, his parents’ relationship fell apart, and he was thrust into the paternal role of taking care of Johnny. As a result, he’s always sacrificed his own wants and needs by being caretaker for his brother and others in his life. One of the most beautiful parts of the story is when Athena reciprocates by helping Matthew navigate his own grief and path forward.

 

The only other criticism I have is the bizarre, erotic bestiality books featured throughout that make little sense and prove more of a distraction than a humorous element which, combined with a messy (albeit revelatory) first sex scene between Matthew and Athena, stifle any sense of passion. I just found them both cringey. Book 2 is set to feature Karl, the afore-mentioned angry baker, and the author of these books. Not sure I’m going to want to revisit the trope at any length.

 

Overall, though, this is one of Dade’s best books, so I highly recommend it.

 

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

 

The Bookstore at Rivers End by Phillipa Nefri Clark

 

5*

This lovely book set in the beautiful town of Rivers End on the coast of Australia defies definition. It’s women’s fiction with a dual timeline that combines a clean, mature romance with a mystery involving three teenage girls from 1961. It’s the story of a newly-divorced librarian, Harriet, who is struggling with her ex-husband’s decision to “find himself” by traveling the world alone, and her 20-year-old daughter, Olive, who has dropped out of law school after ending an abusive relationship, who decide to start over by opening a bookstore in a building Harriet received as part of her settlement. 

 

While looking for old books to fill a small section of their store, they find the diary of a 14-year-old girl who writes about a birthday treasure hunt she and her friends are designing for one of the girl’s younger sister. Since the owner doesn’t want it back, they make it their mission to figure out who the narrator and her friends are since they’re only mentioned by their first initial. Olive and Harriet, reading just one entry at a time, decide to follow the clues as a way to discover their new home and to learn the identities of the friends from the past. The shifting between the two timelines works well, combining each written passage in the diary with the narrator’s internal monologue that uses full names (that only the reader is privy to). As a result, the reader figures out the mystery well before Harriet and Olive do.

 

They also purchase a number of books from a handsome chef, Brock, which includes an antique Bible and inscribed book of poetry. These become part of the mystery surrounding the treasure hunt. The romance between Harriet and Brock is a slow burn although the attraction is evident from the beginning. However, Harriet is newly-divorced and not even ready to remove her wedding ring, so it takes months of her slowly building a new life with her daughter until she’s ready to let go and let a new love in. 

 

The character development of both the main and secondary characters is well done, the mother-daughter relationship is enviably loving, supportive, and respectful, and the townspeople, especially the elderly ladies trio, are humorous and welcoming. 

 

As a former librarian and lifelong book lover, I was so envious that Harriet was able to fulfill her dream of opening a bookstore. Author Clark paints such a vivid picture of the town with friendly neighbors, gorgeous beaches, and a good collection of businesses that support the community.  This heartwarming, redemptive story is definitely worth a read. Highly 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.

Funny Story by Emily Henry

4*

What’s a woman to do when her favorite story about how she met her fiancé turns into a tragedy when he dumps her to take up with his “platonic” childhood friend? Well, that’s a funny story.

 

Daphne, a children’s librarian who is so buttoned up and reticent that her colleagues take bets on whether she’s with the FBI or in a witness protection program, uprooted her life to follow her fiancé Peter to the small Michigan town of Waning Bay (his family home), only to have him dump her, leaving her homeless. In desperation, she asks Peter’s new fiancee’s ex-boyfriend if she can rent a room. Miles, a happy-go-lucky pothead who works a string of part-time jobs, readily agrees and, after both receiving invitations to their ex’s wedding and getting drunk together, agree to fake a relationship. In the ensuing months, Miles takes her on weekly adventures they can document on social media. Although her goal is to leave the painful memories behind once she’s finished with the Readathon she’s planning, Miles hopes she’ll come to appreciate her new home as more than just an extension of Peter.

 

As expected, they start catching feelings as they spend more time together and realize that they have a lot more in common than they first thought. Daphne finds that Miles isn’t the slacker her ex painted him to be, but actually works at a winery and only does odd jobs in the off-season. He’s also kind, selfless, charming ,and handsome beneath the scruff, a perfect book boyfriend. It’s so refreshing how mature and honest they are with each other, sharing both frequent laughter and heartfelt emotions. As their relationship grows, they both start to look at the trauma caused by their parents and how it has impacted their thoughts about themselves.

 

Emily Henry writes beautiful, somewhat angsty stories that don’t shy away from hard truths. In this opposites attract, friends-to-lovers romance, she addresses the damage emotionally abusive or neglectful parents do to their children, but still manages to keep it from becoming maudlin. Although this isn’t my favorite book of hers, she has definitely earned her spot as a top author of the romance genre. 

 

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

Publication date: April 23, 2024

 

 

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

4*

All about letting go of fear that prevents us from loving and experiencing joy.

Sam, a private school librarian, has epilepsy and, as a result, had a very tough childhood. As an adult, it’s mostly under control, but the damage to her self-esteem is evident. She, by her own admission, purposely fights to find joy, but can’t let go of the ghosts of the past.

Duncan, who Sam has loved for years, comes back into her life a changed man...and not for the better. The charming, magnetic free spirit (“human mood-enhancer” per Sam) is gone, replaced by a buttoned-up, rigid man who, as new principal, wants to turn their beloved school into a prison, all in the name of keeping the children safe. Sam is determined to find out what’s happened to him and, when she does, she’s forced to look at her own life and acknowledge the comparisons between their stories that have had such a profoundly sad impact on their lives.

Despite the heavy topics discussed, the love story between them is redemptive and very touching. Center, author of Things You Save in a Fire, has gifted us with another heartwarming story that leaves us feeling optimistic at a time when we could all use some joy in our lives. The only thing that would have made it better would be a dual POV so we’d be privy to Duncan’s thoughts. Highly recommended!

 

 

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

 

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

5*

Annika Rose, an anxious and socially-inept English major at the University of Illinois, prefers the company of animals and books except when she’s concentrating on a challenging game of chess. Jonathan Hoffman meets her after joining the chess club his senior year (having transferred from Northwestern). Over a series of games (“one of the ways we communicate best”) and evening escorts to her apartment, they fall in love. Despite the quirks and awkwardness that have led to her being bullied, assaulted and ostracized throughout her life, he is drawn to her ethereal beauty, her courage, and her straightforwardness and feels he can be himself with her. She falls easily for him because he’s the first man whose touch she can tolerate, who protects her, and who loves her without wanting to change her. Although they have plans to move to New York together after graduation, a tragedy delays her departure, and her subsequent postponements finally lead him to believe she no longer loves him, leaving both of them to navigate their lives alone.

Ten years later, they’re both living in Chicago and run into each other. He is divorced and working for a branch of a New York financial firm, and she has fulfilled her dream of becoming a librarian. After years of therapy, she’s ready to love him as he deserves and he’s looking for a fresh start. “The affection I once felt for Annika might have gone dormant for a while, but it roars out of hibernation and makes me feel better about life than I have in a long time.” They both know they’ll eventually have to talk about what drove them apart, but will they be able to rekindle their love before they lose the chance for good?

Graves does a brilliant job of getting readers into the mindset of a person with high-functioning autism (the diagnosis comes late in the book), and paints a frustrating and bleak picture of what it means to be different in a world that is threatened by anything outside the norm. The love between Annika and Jonathan and the kindness and protectiveness they share warms the heart. The chapters alternate between 1991 and 2001, a date which becomes shockingly familiar towards the end of the story. This novel is about unconditional love, endurance, and the lengths people will go to protect those they cherish. Share it with fans of Susan Meissner’s A Fall of Marigolds and Jill Santopolo’s The Light We Lost.

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