Damned If I Do by Alexandria Bellefleur

4*

When I downloaded this ARC, it was because of my love for Bellefeur’s other books, and I shamefully didn’t pay any attention to the description. To say this is a huge departure from her norm is an understatement. Since I’m not a big fan of romantasy, it took me awhile to really get into it, but once I did, I was hooked. Having a queer demon as the FMC (most of the main characters in the book are queer, in fact) is an interesting premise that allows readers to accompany her on her journey of rediscovering her human husband of 400-plus years. It gives a whole new meaning to eternal love (a very steamy one at that). I think readers who are looking to try out romantasy will appreciate this story because it doesn’t require a lengthy commitment to world building as so many heavy tomes in the subgenre do. Recommended.

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

Once, Again, Always by Amanda Gayle

 

4*

Once, Again, Always is a delightful debut novel from Amanda Gayle. After a head injury, Molly Graham suffers a brain hemorrhage and is left with amnesia, only to find out that her high school arch nemesis, Aster Bishop, is now her husband. What follows is multiple months of overcoming grief, trying to recapture the memories she lost, and a rebuilding a relationship that she finds unfathomable at first. Yet, the more time Aster spends being the loving, doting, and, yes, frustrating at times husband, the less Molly wants to dwell on her past self and the more she just wants to be loved for who she is now.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the relationship arc between Molly and Aster with undeniable chemistry and a mutual respect borne out of the detritus of their antagonist beginnings. One of my favorite aspects of this enemies-to-lovers romance is the boundary-defying friends who lend quite a bit of comic relief to what could have been a heavy read otherwise. There are definitely some spicy scenes but not what I would consider graphic. If you like second chance and enemies to lovers’ romances, be sure to check this one out. 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.

 

The Marriage Sabbatical by Lian Dolan

 

4*

I guess I’m really old school, so I initially struggled with the open marriage premise of this book. However, I appreciate what Nicole’s friend Tessa said about the idea of monogamous marriages being the result of the Puritans’ influence and the Eisenhower administration’s focus on the “perfect American family myth.” Historically, marriages were mostly political or business alliances rather than love matches and, as long as children were produced and a wife fulfilled her other duties, fidelity was a non-issue. Of course, for the better part of history, people didn’t live long lives, so even loving couples rarely had to be concerned with boredom and monotony in a marriage.

In Nicole and Jason’s case, they decide on a 9-month marriage sabbatical after hearing of the Five Hundred Mile Rule from their neighbors. When Nicole backs out of a grueling motorcycle trip through South America following by months on a beach surfing (which Jacob had planned to take with his best friend before he tragically died) and tells Jacob she wants to go to Santa Fe to learn silversmithing and jewelry-making instead, he’s understandably upset. She is the one to suggest that they sleep with other people with a few rules and the understanding that they’ll reunite at the end and keep their dalliances to themselves. As they exchange weekly emails where she signs off with hugs and kisses and his are devoid of any affection, I couldn’t help thinking it’s a risky thing for a long-time couple who love each other. What’s the point of taking the chance of catching feelings for someone else when it’s just a 9-month separation?

So, I had to put my personal feelings about cheating aside (is it still cheating if both parties give permission?) and evaluate the book on its merits. Dolan, using flashbacks that fill the reader in on the things that initially drew Nicole and Jason together and the struggles and milestones they shared, gives readers a vivid picture of the strength of their marriage and commitment to their family. It also becomes clear that both Nicole and Jason’s plans (hers to learn to create beautiful, but difficult pieces of wearable art and his to write a mystery thriller) are better in their heads than in reality. Their time away, however, gives them the experiences and confidence to reevaluate what they want from life (with their kids due to graduate college, with her long-time job in retail a casualty of the pandemic, and with his demanding job in publishing keeping him away from his family far too much). It also gives them the opportunity to meet a varied and unique cast of characters (including an adorable mini poodle, Bardot) who enrich their experiences and helped them realize that the end of the sabbatical doesn’t have to mean going back to the same life that was no longer satisfying.

Overall, this was a very good depiction of a modern marriage in which the husband and wife love and respect each other but acknowledge that they need a break. If you’re looking for a love story featuring mature characters, this one is worth considering.

Fair warning: If you’re Covid-conscious and acknowledge that the risks of infection are still with us, it may be triggering to read about a family who goes back to “normal” even knowing that Jason’s best friend, an ER doctor, died driving home after a grueling shift in the early days of the pandemic.

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

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

4*

The Book Club Hotel is, at its heart, a story of enduring friendship between three college roommates approaching their forties, but it’s also about the power of love in all its forms: romantic, platonic, maternal, and familial. As a bibliophile, I also appreciate that it’s about sharing books and how an annual tradition that Anna, Claudia, and Erica share began twenty years before when they decided to swap books of their preferred genres and then discuss them.

For the first time, after postponing their summer gathering due to the devastating break-up of Claudia’s 10-year relationship, they decide to meet close to Christmas. The surprise is that take-charge Erica has chosen a quaint Vermont Inn run by the young widow and single mom Hattie rather than the typical urban boutique hotel, and this uncharacteristic move has her friends worried. Claudia has just lost her job as a chef in CA and Anna is feeling anticipatory grief about her twins leaving for college, so it’s inevitable that their week will be full of some hard conversations, surprising revelations, and much soul-searching. Morgan deftly juggles all four women’s stories and the emotions they struggle with while navigating the unpredictable path of love.

Morgan is always dependable for gifting readers with a Christmas story with warmth and heart. In The Book Club Hotel, she’s offers up three different romances including friends-to-lovers and a long-term marriage that affirms that enduring love does exist while also acknowledging, through Claudia’s story, that there is power in loving yourself and focusing your attention on your passion rather than on a person. Treat yourself and pick this one up.

I received this ARC from Canary Street Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are strictly my own.

Last Couple Standing by Matthew Norman

4*

The biggest lesson from this book is that divorce isn’t usually a solution and that people should work harder and be willing to forgive transgressions. Couples who love each other need to work hard to keep their marriages exciting, and looking for excitement outside of marriage isn’t the best course of action. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The main flaw in their reasoning is that sex is what makes or breaks marriages. With the odds of divorce at 50%, Jessica and Mitch should have realized that their odds were greatly improved after 75% of their friends group split up. They had a loving marriage with humor, respect, friendship and beautiful kids. When they created the rules, they failed to consider that their feelings for each other who supersede any logic.

I appreciate that this male author was able to fairly capture women’s feelings. Although Jessica was the instigator and the only one to have sex, he didn’t make her the villain of the piece. And with the other couples, one man cheated, one couple each had emotional affairs, and the 3rd weren’t in love, so the blame fell along gender lines. The men stereotypically went after younger women, and the women experienced and discussed the double standard of dating in the new millennium: men go for younger women thereby forcing middle-aged women to date older men. Of course, there’s the occasional cougar relationship as well, but it’s no more fulfilling than the older man-younger woman scenario. Bottom line is that sexual attraction complicates things, and seeking out extramarital liaisons is opening Pandora’s box, even if both partners are seemingly in agreement.

I loved Mitch. He’s the perfect man as far as I’m concerned: funny, devoted, loving, loyal, and a devoted father. Yes, he was tempted by a pretty young thing, but his love for his family kept him from crossing the line. The whole ET subplot is all about how even the best parents can make mistakes, but that they do everything in their power to make up for them by being there for their kids.

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

Beside Herself by Elizabeth LaBan

4*

Hannah is shocked and angered to learn that her loving husband Joel had a brief affair while away on business. Despite marriage counseling, advice from a well-meaning friend to fight for her marriage, and Joel’s own sincere remorse and declarations of love, she doesn’t know if she can get beyond her rage and hurt. Rather than rushing a decision, she flippantly tells Joel that she might have an affair to even the stakes. When he agrees, she’s reluctantly thrown into the murky and unsatisfying dating pool. As she tries to find a willing partner, she is still visiting Joel’s famous news anchor father in the nursing home, trying to keep the news from her young children, and evaluating her relationship with Joel through the lens of their history and the love that persists. Will she be able to forgive and move on or will an affair lead to a different future?

Both Hannah and Joel are complex, caring individuals which makes it hard to take sides. Given the depths of Joel’s guilt and heartache, it’s difficult to do anything but root for them to reconcile, but Hannah’s sense of betrayal and hurt are a strong counterbalance. Ultimately, this heartfelt story deftly handles the evolution of a marriage and the wide range of emotions felt by the couple. Highly recommended.

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