Great Big Beautiful Life
Great Big Beautiful Life is Book Lovers meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in the best way imaginable, and y’all aren’t ready. Emily Henry has done it again.
About the book
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
Great Big Beautiful Life is Book Lovers meets The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in the best way imaginable, and y’all aren’t ready. Emily Henry has done it again.
I love Henry’s books for her round characters in deeply believable, seemingly unreconcilable circumstances. This delivers on that front, with journalists (sunshine) Alice Scott and (grumpy) Hayden Anderson competing for the chance to write the celebrity memoir of a woman named Margaret Ives who disappeared from the public eye years before. As we watch Alice and Hayden get to know each other better (and wonder what will happen to their budding attraction when one of them beats out the other for the dream job), we also get Margaret’s family story in bits and pieces — but why is Margaret still withholding information even though Alice is under a strict NDA?
I absolutely loved the structure and mystery of this one; I was totally sucked in. Alice and Hayden have a sizzling chemistry, and the way everything fell apart (and then came back together, since this IS a romance novel) in the end had me tearing up. As always, that’s largely thanks Julia Whelan’s excellent performance of the audiobook — she brings out the emotion in me every time.
I think Happy Place is still my favorite (as an OTP girlie, I’m a sucker for second chance), but this one is definitely up there toward the top!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Death of a parent / death / grief
Pregnancy
Car accident
Kidnapping / extortion
Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, #3)
Just like Iron Flame, this book is fun, but fine — Fourth Wing is the strongest in the series so far. I had a good time with Onyx Storm, and if the fourth book was out now, I’d pick it up right away. But the execution is just not there.
About the book
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
I don’t have a ton to say about this one that others haven’t said, and it’s the third of five planned books in the series, so I’ll keep this pretty short.
Just like Iron Flame, this book is fun, but fine — Fourth Wing is the strongest in the series so far. I had a good time with Onyx Storm, and if the fourth book was out now, I’d pick it up right away. But the execution is just not there.
I read a lot of fantasy, and I’m not afraid to put in my side of the work on worldbuilding and political detail. But there is just way too much going on here — to the point where I (and everyone I know) just sort of gave up keeping track of the who/what/where of the story’s broader political situation and just hoped the important stuff would bubble up again (sometimes it did, sometimes it didn’t). The result is that it feels like too much is happening while simultaneously, nothing is actually happening to move the plot forward. (Again.) It’s painfully obvious that this was not originally supposed to be 5 books.
To say nothing of the fact that she resolved the enemies-to-lovers plotline in book one and now has to find creative ways to keep Violet and Xaden from Doing It for the first half of every single book.
For now, we wait for the fourth book. And read some excellently executed fantasy in the meantime.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content (explicit)
War, violence, death, grief
Death of a parent
Fire & Blood (A Targaryen History, #1)
I had a surprisingly awesome and fun time reading this fake history book about the Targaryen dynasty. If you haven't read it, pick it up before HotD season 3!
About the book
Author: George R.R. Martin
Publisher: Bantam
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
I picked this up (finally) because I was loving HBO’s House of the Dragon — and House of R podcast’s accompanying deep dives. I had too much FOMO about having to turn the podcast off when Mal and Jo discussed book spoilers at the end of each episode. Besides, it’s very unlike me to watch an adaptation of a book without having read the book first. So it was time to fix that!
Fire & Blood is not a novel; it’s fiction, but it’s written as a history text, wherein a maester is compiling various sources to provide an account of the Targaryen dynasty from Aegon’s Conquest through the end of Regency. (There is a second book, which will be called Blood & Fire [yes really], which will cover from the end of Regency through Robert’s Rebellion.) The Dance of the Dragons, which is the civil war being covered by House of the Dragon on HBO, starts about halfway through this book.
Reading a fake history book sounds kind of boring, but this is really not boring at all. I had a surprisingly awesome time reading it. Bonus of this format: I actually started at the beginning of the Dance rather than starting at the beginning of the book because I wanted to read that part before HotD season 2 ended, which worked perfectly fine! I read from there to the end, and then I went back to the beginning and read the first half. That said, I did have the audiobook as well (thank you, PRH audio!), but found it harder to concentrate on in that format. So print it was.
If you’re on the fence about picking this up, please allow me to encourage you to do so before HotD season 3. I don’t think you’ll regret it!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Incest
Violence and war
Rape (not shown)
Adult/minor relationship
Miscarriage
Suicide
Child death
A Song of Ash and Moonlight (The Middlemist Trilogy, #2)
I’ve been looking forward to A Song of Ash and Moonlight ever since I read the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass. Based on the interactions between Farrin and Ryder in that book alone, I just KNEW this was going to be a fun time. And it was!
About the book
Author: Claire Legrand
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
I’ve been looking forward to A Song of Ash and Moonlight ever since I read the first book, A Crown of Ivy and Glass. Based on the interactions between Farrin and Ryder in that book alone, I just KNEW this was going to be a fun time. And it was!
In the Middlemist Trilogy, each book is about one of three sisters in the Ashbourne family in a world of magic, mist, and rising evil. They are fun and fast-paced and steamy — brain candy. They’re each also inspired by a classic ballet; SONG is the Firebird. It’s about the oldest sister, Farrin, and gives us a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first romantasy adventure. I gobbled it up, even with a 7-week-old baby and very little sleep.
I chose not to reread the first book, even though I didn’t remember the plot in great detail. But I thought Legrand did a good job of reminding us about the most important parts, and I didn’t feel lost. Farrin is depressed and angry and has crippling intimacy anxiety, and it was clear that Legrand handled the writing of her with great care (which made it forgivable that the execution occasionally felt overdone).
If you’re looking for your next fun romantasy fix, Claire Legrand’s books (including this one) are some of my faves. Treat yourself and pick them up.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Kidnapping
Violence and death
Child abuse / domestic abuse
Alcoholism
The Palace of Eros
The Palace of Eros was one of my most anticipated books this year. When I heard that De Robertis had written a queer, gender-fluid Eros and Psyche retelling, I was ON BOARD. And I enjoyed it very much!
About the book
Author: Caro De Robertis
Publisher: Atria
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
The Palace of Eros was one of my most anticipated books this year. Caro De Robertis, author of Cantoras and other phenomenal books, is one of my favorites. So when I heard that they’d written a queer, gender-fluid Eros and Psyche retelling, I was ON BOARD. And I enjoyed it very much.
What stands out first is the really beautiful prose. De Robertis is a master of style. In this book, the prose definitely tips into what some would call “flowery” (which isn’t a bad word in my book), although in my opinion that worked well for what they were trying to achieve: a divine voice.
I did think the book felt a tad long — perhaps repetitive — but that didn’t stop me from liking the book as a whole. Tbh, I think if Eros’ POV had been in first person and Psyche’s POV had been in third (instead of the other way around), it would have helped a lot. Eros was just more interesting to me than Psyche.
All in all, I really liked this exploration of gender nonconformity and what it means to be your authentic self. The fact that it was a Greek mythology retelling was just the icing on the cake. If that sounds like your thing, definitely give this one a shot!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Transphobia
Child/domestic abuse
Misogyny
Rape (not explicit)
Funny Story
I probably don’t even need to tell you this, but Emily Henry has indeed done it again, y’all. I devoured this (via audiobook) in one sitting, and I loved every second.
About the book
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
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My Review
I probably don’t even need to tell you this, but Emily Henry has indeed done it again, y’all. I devoured this (via audiobook) in one sitting, and I loved every second.
ICYMI, Funny Story is a fake dating/friends to lovers/forced proximity story about Daphne, whose fiancé Peter slept with his BF, Petra, at his bachelor party. (Yep.) So she moves in with Miles, Petra’s heartbroken ex. The two decide to pretend to date to make their (shitty) exes jealous and stick it to them.
Miles and Daphne’s chemistry is just SO GOOD (as per Emily Henry’s usual). They both also have a lot of trauma baggage to work through, and I loved how they both gave each other so much compassion and respect. ALSO also, I think Miles is my favorite Emily Henry boyfriend yet. On the other hand, I wanted to punch Peter in the face every single time he showed up.
Julia Whelan’s performance was impeccable (as always). She made me tear up multiple times, just like she did in Happy Place. 10/10, highly recommend experiencing Emily Henry through Whelan’s voice acting.
Okay Emily, when’s the next one??
Content and Trigger Warnings
Abandonment
Toxic relationship
Sexual content
Infidelity
House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City, #3)
SJM didn’t give me everything I’d hoped for out of this book, but that’s okay — it was a good finale to this specific trilogy. I’m just glad she’s not done writing books in this universe!
About the book
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
Buy and support indie bookstores (+ I earn a small commission):
Bookshop.org (print)
My Review
We waited a long time and read/reread a lot of backlist books for this one, fam. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you whether or not all that prep was necessary without spoilers. What I can tell you was regardless, I had a hell of a time reading all this SJM, and I have no regrets.
Some minor complaints: First, all the POV switching was A LOT. I saw a post from someone who did the math and found that she averaged one POV switch every 3.88 pages. In an 800-page book. 🥴 Also, a few of our beloved characters really started to annoy me — that’s all I’ll say here, but bros. Come on.
Still, one thing all SJM readers know is that she writes an exciting ending, and this one was no different. She didn’t give me everything I’d hoped for out of this book, but that’s okay — it was a good finale to this specific trilogy. I’m just glad she’s not done writing books in this universe!
All in all, it was a ridiculously fun ride, and I’ll be preordering whatever comes next.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Torture
Violence/war
Sexual content
Slavery
A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses, #4)
I didn’t think I’d really like a whole book about Nesta, but I was willing to be sold on a story that cracked open her icy front and took us on a big-time journey through trauma healing. And that’s exactly what this book did.
About the book
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
More info:
The StoryGraph | Goodreads
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the review.
Buy and support indie bookstores (+ I earn a small commission):
Bookshop.org (print) | Libro.fm (audio)
My Review
Here’s what I knew about this book going in: a) it’s about Nesta, and b) there’s a LOT of sex. Both points are true, lol. I had soft of hoped that this would give us ACOWAR from Nesta and Cassian’s perspectives — alas, this takes place after ACOWAR/ACOFAS, which was also good. (But I do still want to see those missing scenes between Nesta and Cassian eventually, please, SJM!)
I didn’t think I’d really like a whole book about Nesta; ACOTAR readers know she’s cold and mean. But I was willing to be sold on a story that cracked open her icy front and took us on a big-time journey through trauma healing. And that’s exactly what this book did. It was a great character arc, and I even felt like it earned its length, because whew was that some serious shit she had to work through.
I know you’re already warned, but be warned again: This book is the raunchiest ACOTAR book of the bunch. Not just spicy, but lots of just straight-up f***ing. These two like it rough. It worked for their characters, but I definitely found myself reading with half a grimace once or twice (no judgment, it just was…well, not what I would have chosen for myself, lol.)
Anyway, I did feel like the broader subplot was a bit rushed, especially at the end, but I didn’t mind much because it really did feel like this book was more about a) Nesta’s healing and b) Nest and Cassian’s relationship than it was about the bad guys. Also, I love Cassian so much, okay byeee.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content (very explicit)
PTSD, flashbacks, panic attacks
Alcohol abuse
Violence
Rape and sexual assault (minor, off screen/in the past)
Pregnancy and birth
Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)
The Empyrean (this series) is officially the Where the Crawdads Sing of fantasy: certainly fun, but also ultimately just fine.
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Entangled/Red Tower
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
***Cover description is a spoiler for Fourth Wing***
Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.
Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders’ capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.
Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.
But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.
Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Bas
TL;DR Review
The Empyrean (this series) is officially the Where the Crawdads Sing of fantasy: certainly fun, but also ultimately just fine.
For you if: You enjoyed Fourth Wing (it’s more of the same!).
Full Review
This might sound harsher than I mean it to (for some audiences, at least), but I think we can officially say that The Empyrean (this series) is the Where the Crawdads Sing of fantasy, lol. People who are either a) new to the genre, or b) read a lot of fluff in the genre (no hate!) are like THIS IS AMAZING. On the other hand, people who read a lot of really good work in the genre are like, “okay, this is certainly fun but ultimately like, fine.”
The bottom line is if you liked Fourth Wing, you’ll like Iron Flame. It’s the tropiest of tropey, it’s fast-paced, it’s just enough worldbuilding to pass as fantasy, and it’s steamyyy. And Yarros writes one HELL of an ending, I’ll give her that. I will also say that I appreciated how much time Violet spent angry during this book — it was justified, don’t @ me — even if it sometimes made for repetitive conversations. Yarros could easily have moved us past it for the sake of more steamy scenes, and I’m ultimately impressed that she didn’t.
I’m going to keep reading this series, because like I said, they’re certainly fun. If you’re looking for something to rocket-ship escape into, give it this series a shot. If you loved Fourth Wing, read it ASAP. And if you tried Fourth Wing and it wasn’t your thing, know that this probably won’t be either.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Torture
Death of a parent
Chronic illness
War and violence, blood
Fall of Ruin and Wrath (Awakening, #1)
Unfortunately, Fall of Ruin and Wrath was a bit of a miss for me. I didn’t dislike it enough to DNF, but I probably will not be continuing with the series.
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Bramble
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
SHE LIVES BY HER INTUITION. HE FEEDS ON HER PLEASURE.
Long ago, the world was destroyed by gods. Only nine cities were spared. Separated by vast wilderness teeming with monsters and unimaginable dangers, each city is now ruled by a guardian―royalty who feed on mortal pleasure.
Born with an intuition that never fails, Calista knows her talents are of great value to the power-hungry of the world, so she lives hidden as a courtesan of the Baron of Archwood. In exchange for his protection, she grants him information.
When her intuition leads her to save a traveling prince in dire trouble, the voice inside her blazes with warning―and promise. Today he’ll bring her joy. One day he'll be her doom.
When the Baron takes an interest in the traveling prince and the prince takes an interest in Calista, she becomes the prince’s temporary companion. But the city simmers with rebellion, and with knights and monsters at her city gates and a hungry prince in her bed, intuition may not be enough to keep her safe.
Calista must follow her intuition to safety or follow her heart to her downfall.
TL;DR Review
Unfortunately, Fall of Ruin and Wrath was a bit of a miss for me. I didn’t dislike it enough to DNF, but I probably will not be continuing with the series.
For you if: You have enjoyed JLA’s previous books (otherwise I don’t recommend).
Full Review
I was extremely excited by the prospect of the first book published by Bramble, Tor’s new romance imprint. Unfortunately, this one was a bit of a miss for me. I didn’t dislike it enough to DNF, but I probably will not be continuing with the series.
The main character of the book is a young woman named Calista, paramour (slash courtesan, kind of) to a Baron who’s kind enough. She has a unique ability to read a person’s thoughts and future by touching them. She and her best friend grew up on the streets, so she’s not complaining about their comfortable position. Then her encounter (actually, re-encounter from childhood) with a Hybhorn (read: angel) prince disrupts it all.
Like I said, I didn’t hate this enough to DNF; I could see the potential of a strong ending to make my complaints worth it, and I was having fun enough. Unfortunately, such an ending didn’t materialize, so I walked away with three main issues.
First, consent in this novel is EXTREMELY questionable. JLA tries to address the question head-on and make it clear that Calista is willing, but…is she??? It’s uncomfortable at least.
Second, I couldn’t keep any of the worldbuilding details straight in my head. I kept forgetting all the different ranks and types of magical races, etc. I read a LOT of high fantasy and am pretty darn good at this; it was a book problem, not a me problem.
Finally, I love spice as much as the next romantasy reader, but this is not really about romance, it’s just about sex (she uses the word “f*cking” every time). There is a lot of it (in public, no less), which is fine, but it got repetitive. And yet somehow it’s also a slow burn? The raunchiness completely overshadowed the worldbuilding and the plot (even the romance plot).
At the end of th day, I was surprised by all the 4- and 5-star reviews on Goodreads, but then I realized all the high reviews were from her existing fans, and everyone else felt similar to me. (I guess that means, at least, if you’re already a JLA fan, chances are good you’ll like this book!) A bummer, but on to the next one.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content (explicit)
Gore, death, violence
Alcohol and drug use
Beach Read
Beach Read was exactly what I wanted: fun, fast, steamy, heart-wrenching, with true-to-life characters and conflicts. (Basically everything we’ve come to expect from Emily Henry!)
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.
Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.
They’re polar opposites.
In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer’s block.
Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.
TL;DR Review
Beach Read was exactly what I wanted: fun, fast, steamy, heart-wrenching, with true-to-life characters and conflicts. (Basically everything we’ve come to expect from Emily Henry!)
For you if: You like books about books and the rivals to lovers trope.
Full Review
I don’t read a ton of romance, but I’m obviously on board when it comes to Emily Henry. I’d read both Book Lovers and Happy Place already, and I was saving Beach Read and People We Meet on Vacation for a day when I was really in the mood for romance. Well, that day came, I asked my romance-loving friends which one to do first, and Beach Read it was. It will come as no surprise that I found this book to be a total delight, fast and fun, but with depth — exactly what I wanted!
I swallowed this book whole in a single day (without having the audio to pull me through the physical copy, like I usually do) — so maybe this is more of a plane read than a beach read, because you’re not going to want to do anything but read it. I loved January, I loved Gus, I loved their banter and their dynamic. I loved the focus on fiction and writing and bookstores. I loved all the tertiary characters. So, so much to love.
There are many things that make Emily Henry one of the best in her genre, but what does it for me is the way she gives the central conflicts of her novels so much nuance and depth. We feel so deeply for her main characters and can’t fault either of them for the wedge that inevitably ends up between them, because it’s just like, LIFE. True, honest life that honors the reality of what’s best for each person…and then eventually finds a way for them to be together anyway.
I can’t wait for the next time I’m in the mood for this genre and get to pick up PWMOV!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Death of a parent, grief
Sexual content
Infidelity
Divorce
Red, White & Royal Blue
Red, White & Royal Blue is a feel-good story with left-wing political fanfiction, lots of spice, and a rare and deep emotional punch. I loved it.
Author: Casey McQuiston
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
What happens when America's First Son falls in love with the Prince of Wales?
When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.
Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper, and more dangerous, than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic.
TL;DR Review
Red, White & Royal Blue is a feel-good story with left-wing political fanfiction, lots of spice, and a rare and deep emotional punch. I loved it.
For you if: You’re looking for a romance novel with something extra.
Full Review
“History, huh? Bet we could make some.”
I am a million years late to this book, but I have arrived, okay?? Happily!! And just in time for the movie (which — no spoilers but — was so fun and beautiful and it wasn’t perfect but I still loved it).
Alex is the son of the (woman) President of the United States (who won in 2016 and is rerunning in 2020). Henry is a Prince of England, closeted by the royal family. At first, they’re rivals. Then…they’re not. And then they’re REALLY not. 🥵 But what would happen if the world ever found out?
Look. Is this left-wing political fanfiction? Yes. Is it cheesy? A little, yes. Is it also cathartic? Absolutely. You have to know what you’re getting into: a romance novel, aka a feel-good story with a happily ever after. But this one also packs a rare and deep emotional punch. I loved Alex’s journey to his bisexual identity, especially. I loved the incredible cast of side characters. I also loved the sheer number of spicy scenes here, and their gorgeous emails (read: letters) back and forth.
Basically I just loved it!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Homophobia
Being outed
Death of a parent
Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
Fourth Wing doesn’t do much that’s new — it’s a tropey hero’s journey — but it was super bingeable and a hell of a fun time. Can’t wait for book two.
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.
But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.
With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.
She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.
Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.
Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die.
TL;DR Review
Fourth Wing doesn’t do much that’s new — it’s a tropey hero’s journey — but it was super bingeable and a hell of a fun time. Can’t wait for book two.
For you if: You grew up on YA fantasy and love a steamy romance.
Full Review
You know I had to see what all the hype was about. And I’m glad I did! This book doesn’t do much that’s new but it was super bingeable and a hell of a fun time.
The book is set at a catch-all college where students divide up into their chosen fields. Violet Sorengail trained her whole life to become a scribe, but at the last minute her mother, a top general of the army, forces her to enter the (dragon) Riders Quadrant instead because “Sorengails are riders.” Problem is, the entrance exam is walking across the ledge of a roof in a storm, and you either pass or you die. In fact, dozens of first years are killed off every day in the Riders Quadrant, and then those who do make it through have to hope a dragon chooses them. All the while for Violet, the hot, shadow-wielding son of the leader of the last rebellion has his eye on her.
This book is super tropey (hero’s journey with a bookish female protagonist, bad boy love interest keeping secrets, cold mother, dead father, etc) but simply fun — all the things people who grew up on YA fantasy will love. There are some worldbuilding mismatches (rubber boots, modern slang); Rebecca Roanhorse said it feels more like urban fantasy vibes than high or military fantasy, which I agree with.
Most of the plot has a familiar shape, but it does have a few good twists in there, including the very last one. And of course, it’s very steamy — although I wish there had been a bit more development of Violet and Xaden’s feelings for one another outside of pure sexual attraction.
Finally, there is some rare representation here — Violet, billed as small and “fragile,” has a condition resembling Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which makes joints loose and easy to dislocate, and skin easy to bruise. This leads to chronic pain.
All in all, this was a romp and I’m psyched for book two.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Death and grief
Violence
Death of a parent, death of a sibling
Bullying
War
A Crown of Ivy and Glass (The Middlemist Trilogy, #1)
A Crown of Ivy and Glass, an adult fantasy romance Giselle retelling, was definitely not perfect, but I had a ton of fun reading it and can’t wait for book two.
Author: Claire Legrand
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She's young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.
Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.
Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d'Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She'll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families' blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud.
But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last.
TL;DR Review
A Crown of Ivy and Glass, an adult fantasy romance Giselle retelling, was definitely not perfect, but I had a ton of fun reading it and can’t wait for book two.
For you if: You’re looking for anxiety/chronic pain rep and love a steamy fantasy book.
Full Review
I loved Claire Legrand’s Empirium trilogy (first book is Furyborn), so imagine how excited I was when I read in her newsletter that she’d sold a new adult fantasy romance trilogy where each book focuses on a different sister and retells a famous ballet. I DMed the publisher to put me on a galley list right away (to which they kindly said “it’s a little early lol”).
A Crown of Ivy and Glass was far from perfect, but I definitely had fun reading it. This one is a Giselle retelling and focuses on the youngest sister, Gemma.
The not-so-great parts: The pacing was inconsistent, with a much slower build and sudden change 75% of the way in. Gemma is vain and self-absorbed and not very likable, especially in the beginning. Legrand’s “once upon a time” prose style also takes some time to get used to until it stops feeling cheesy, as does Gemma and Talin’s insta-love.
And for the good parts: Gemma gives us some solid rep, including anxiety/panic attacks and severe chronic pain, which Legrand has said was extremely important to her. I loved that it was a Giselle retelling, and it managed to surprise me even so. The magic system feels novel and interesting. Oh, and steamy scenes be steamyyy.
The next book is going to be about Gemma’s eldest sister, Farin, and based on the glimpses we got in this book, I can already tell it’s going to be a fantastic romance. I’ll be eagerly awaiting it!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Chronic pain
Self-harm
Panic attacks
Suicidal thoughts
Blood and violence
Sexual content
Happy Place
Emily Henry does it again! Happy Place is not only a fun read with a fun combination of tropes, it’s also deeply felt with a realistic, heartbreaking central conflict.
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.
They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.
Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.
Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?
TL;DR Review
Emily Henry does it again! Happy Place is not only a fun read with a fun combination of tropes, it’s also deeply felt with a realistic, heartbreaking central conflict.
For you if: You’re always looking for romance novels that have a little something extra
Full Review
Let me first just say that I haven’t read all of Emily Henry’s books (yet); Book Lovers was my first and Happy Place was my second. So I can’t give you a good ranking, but I can tell you that I liked this one even better than Book Lovers (and I really liked Book Lovers)!
This is a — get ready for it — second chance + fake dating + only one bed romance novel. (!!) The main character, Harriet, recently split from her fiance, Wyn, but they haven’t told their close-knit group of friends yet. And when they arrive for their annual friends’ trip to Maine, circumstances arise that make it definitely not the right time. How long can they keep up the charade?
I really just loved this, y’all. Book Lovers was fun because the characters had good chemistry and it turned tropes upside down, but this one just plain yanked at my heart. I started out listening while doing things like cleaning my house, but by halfway through I realized I needed to listen without any distractions because I was so invested.
For me, the magic of Emily Henry (so far) is that she’s really good at writing her characters into situations that feel realistic, impossible to cast aside, and deeply empathetic — two people who desperately love each other but also MUST live the lives that are right for each of them. In one pivotal scene, this book even made me cry. Like, tears streaming down my face cry. (Shout out to Julia Whelan’s voice acting for that one, too.)
I’m looking forward to finishing off EH’s backlist so I can give you a better ranking. But until then, read this ASAP!!
Content and Trigger Warnings
Death of a parent / grief
Depression
Sexual content
Recreational alcohol and drug use
Pregnancy (minor)
Book Lovers
Book Lovers is a compulsively readable, super smart book that takes a common trope (small-town romance) and and subverts every single element. Reading it was very fun.
Author: Emily Henry
Publisher: Berkley
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....
Nora Stephens’ life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
TL;DR Review
Book Lovers is a compulsively readable, super smart book that takes a common trope (small-town romance) and and subverts every single element. Reading it was very fun.
For you if: You prefer romance novels that have a little extra something to give them more substance.
Full Review
I don’t read very many genre romance novels; I typically prefer my romance plots to live inside fantasy novels. That said, I do keep an eye out for the kinds of romance novels that have a little extra oomph; more literary characters or interesting experimentation or uncommon representation, something like that. Luckily, a friend who knows my reading tastes well flagged Book Lovers as a good one for me, and when my library hold came in during vacation, I knew it was the perfect time.
For me, what made this book so fun to read (aside from it having a strong plot and great characters and excellent steamy scenes) is the way it takes a common trope — small-town romance — and subverts it so completely. It 100% flips all the elements on their head in a way that is just smart and creative and enagaging. For that reason, I don’t want to tell you much about the plot, but suffice to say that the main character is the spiky-heeled, ambitious NYC woman that gets dumped and left behind when all the romance novel dudes take a trip to some small town and fall in love with the innkeeper’s daughter or whatever. So that’s the first subversion, and it only grows from there.
Another fun thing about this book: It’s a bit of inside baseball on the publishing industry, since the main character is a literary agent and the love interest, Charlie, is a sought-after editor at a big publishing house. (Hence the title.) Last thing I’ll say is that Julia Whelan reads the audiobook (I switched between ebook and audiobook), and I can’t imagine experiencing this story without her sultry rendition of Charlie’s voice. Just incredible stuff.
If you’re looking for a fast, fun, super readable book that plays with genre in a smart way, give this one a go. And yes, I count myself a proud new member of the Emily Henry fan club.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Panic attacks
Death of a parent and grief
Pregnancy
A Taste of Gold and Iron
A Taste of Gold and Iron is a standalone fantasy with a queer central romance, and it hooked me HARD. The characters and their arcs are so exquisitely crafted that I didn’t even mind the slow burn. LOVED.
Author: Alexandra Rowland
Publisher: Tordotcom
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
The Goblin Emperor meets "Magnificent Century" in Alexandra Rowland's A Taste of Gold and Iron, where a queer central romance unfolds in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire.
Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, finds himself at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court—the body-father of the queen's new child—in an altercation which results in his humiliation.
To prove his loyalty to the queen, his sister, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds, with the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy, and the conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing and bring about its ruin.
TL;DR Review
A Taste of Gold and Iron is a standalone fantasy with a queer central romance, and it hooked me HARD. The characters and their arcs are so exquisitely crafted that I didn’t even mind the slow burn. LOVED.
For you if: You like fantasy novels with mystery and romance.
Full Review
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I LOVED this book. First of all, standalone fantasy? Yes please. Queer central romance? Double yes. Political mystery? YES x3. By about 40% in, I was not only completely hooked, but also genuinely angry that I had to stop reading to sleep and work. When it was over, I was despondent. I can’t remember the last book that made me feel like that.
The story takes place in a fantasy world reminiscent of the Ottoman Empire where some people can touch-taste metals, identifying materials by the different tastes and sensations they conjure. Kadou, a prince whose life is ruled by anxiety and panic disorder, has committed an unfortunate political blunder with tragic results. His sister, the sultan, assigns him a new lead bodyguard, the proud and disciplined Evemer. Those tragic results color Evemer’s opinion of Kadou, but as he helps Kadou investigate a counterfeiting conspiracy in order to redeem himself in the court’s eyes, Evemer begins to realize that his initial judgment may have been too hasty.
So much to say, so little space. I loved the way diverse genders and sexualities are so commonplace in this world. I loved the way I felt when the meaning of the book’s title finally snapped into place. I loved Kadou’s commitment to reciprocity and goodness. I loved the way it explored anxiety and mental illness. I loved the way it felt like my chest was imploding and also exploding as I read it.
But mostly, I loved the way Kadou and Evemer’s character arcs and romance developed so fully — technically, I guess, it’s a “slow burn,” but not one that ever made me feel impatient. These characters have to grow in order for the way they see each other to change, and Rowland pulls it off exquisitely.
I just loved it, okay???
Content and Trigger Warnings
Panic attacks / anxiety
Violence
Sexual content
Alcohol use as a coping mechanism
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty won’t be for everyone, but I very much respected the way it stands boldly, tells a deeply human story, and subverts romance novel tropes and expectations.
Author: Akwaeke Emezi
Publisher: Atria
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
New York Times bestselling author and National Book Award finalist Akwaeke Emezi (they/them) reimagines the love story in this fresh and seductive novel about a young woman seeking joy while healing from loss.
Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.
It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.
She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?
Akwaeke Emezi’s vivid and passionate writing takes us deep into a world of possibility and healing, and the constant bravery of choosing love against all odds.
TL;DR Review
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty won’t be for everyone, but I very much respected the way it stands boldly, tells a deeply human story, and subverts romance novel tropes and expectations.
For you if: You like the challenge of morally grey characters and plots (and don’t mind profanity).
Full Review
Thank you, Atria, for the electronic advanced copy of this book! I, like the rest of the world, love Akwaeke Emezi’s work, and I was so excited and intrigued to see what they were able to do within the romance genre, even though it isn’t my usual scene.
You have likely heard by now that You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is very different from Emezi’s other work, and that is true. You might call it more conventional (although I’d still argue that it’s actually not). It sort of feels that way, with its familiar romance-novel plot shape and pacing. But it also subtly subverts all our expectations about romance novels, with a messy protagonist, a morally gray plot arc, unabashed AAVE dialogue, and a bold premise. (If you don’t like profanity or characters making choices that you disagree with, this won’t be for you.)
In this novel, Emezi shows us that romance novels — and love stories themselves — can come in all shapes and flavors, and that a relationship doesn’t have to make sense to those outside it. This book is about grief, and living boldly, and seizing happiness, and dealing with the consequences because it’s worth it. It’s about these two characters and them alone, and you as the reader are invited to either witness — or mind your own business.
At the end of the day, it’s this last thing — that Emezi told the story they wanted, and that they could, quite frankly, give a sh*t about what you think of these characters’ choices — that makes this book stand out and adds another tally to their list of literary accomplishments.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Death of spouse (car accident)
Grief
Homophobia
Drug and alcohol use
House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Content and trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
***Description is spoiler for House of Earth and Blood***
Bryce Quinlan and Hunt Athalar are trying to get back to normal―they may have saved Crescent City, but with so much upheaval in their lives lately, they mostly want a chance to relax. Slow down. Figure out what the future holds.
The Asteri have kept their word so far, leaving Bryce and Hunt alone. But with the rebels chipping away at the Asteri’s power, the threat the rulers pose is growing. As Bryce, Hunt, and their friends get pulled into the rebels’ plans, the choice becomes clear: stay silent while others are oppressed, or fight for what’s right. And they’ve never been very good at staying silent.
In this sexy, action-packed sequel to the #1 bestseller House of Earth and Blood, Sarah J. Maas weaves a captivating story of a world about to explode―and the people who will do anything to save it.
TL;DR Review
House of Sky and Breath is a worthy follow-up to House of Earth and Blood. If you liked that one, you’ll won’t be disappointed by this one! It’s fun and steamy and THAT ENDING.
For you if: You like escapism fantasy and VERY steamy open-door romance.
Full Review
I am going to do my best to write this without any spoilers, even if you haven’t read House of Earth and Blood yet. But if you HAVE read Earth and Blood and liked it, you won’t be disappointed by this sequel.
SJM’s Crescent City books deliver on a lot of what her fans love about her other books: extreme steam (in fact smut is a better word; you might even call it faerie porn, lol) between extremely sexy people, a magical world, a compelling plot with a compelling central question, and interesting and lovable characters to root for. Are they Great Literature? No lol. Are her books one hell of a ride, an escape, a mental vacation from the world? Hell yes. One that I am happy to be taken on.
There are a lot of things I would like to say about Sky and Breath that might hint at something I don’t want you to even suspect, because I read this book without a drop of inkling and want the same for you. In fact, I enjoyed the whole reading experience with this one (I was very hooked into the story’s central mystery and surprised by several reveals), but as others will tell you: THAT ENDING. The last four words blew my brain apart!! I was just so unprepared. My husband came home from a friend’s at midnight to find me draped backward across the chaise side of my couch, staring at the ceiling. Had he come home five minutes earlier, he would have found me pacing. It took me an hour to calm down enough to sleep, lol.
I wouldn’t recommend starting with the Crescent City books if you’re new to SJM. Read her backlist, at least ACOTAR, to get a sense of her style. And THEN read these. Because let me tell ya, I love some me some heartbreaking literary fiction any day of the week — but a book hasn’t made me feel like I was going to explode like this in a looooong time.
Content and Trigger Warnings
Sexual content
Violence and death
Grief
Torture
Dear Emmie Blue
Dear Emmie Blue is a delightful, well-paced little hug of a novel with characters that will capture your heart.
Author: Lia Louis
Publisher: Atria Books
Goodreads | The StoryGraph
Click above to buy this book from my Bookshop.org shop, which supports independent bookstores (not Amazon). You can also find it via your favorite indie bookstore here.
Note: Trigger warnings are provided for those who need them at the bottom of this page. If you don’t need them and don’t want to risk spoilers, don’t scroll past the full review.
Cover Description
When 16-year-old Emmie releases a balloon with her biggest secret hidden inside, she doesn't expect anyone to find it. When, a few weeks later, Lucas Moreau does just that, the two teens develop an instant rapport, going from trading emails to a deep and enduring friendship. Fourteen years later, Lucas asks Emmie to be his "best woman" at his upcoming wedding. Emmie accepts the honor, but must face the fact that her long-simmering romantic feelings for Lucas can never be revealed.
TL;DR Review
Dear Emmie Blue is a delightful, well-paced little hug of a novel with characters that will capture your heart.
For you if: You like a contemporary romance — or you don’t usually read that genre but enjoy the occasional really *good* one.
Full Review
First, big thanks to Atria Books for sending a review copy of this book my way!
I don’t read very many books in the genre that Dear Emmie Blue falls into — a sort of contemporary commercial romantic fiction. But something about it caught my eye, so I accepted the review copy and added it to my list. There it sat for several months — which now feels almost meant to be, because this book came to me at the perfect time. I had been feeling overwhelmed and anxious for a couple of weeks, and this book was like a hug.
It’s obviously about a young woman named Emmie Blue. When Emmie was a teenager, alone in the world and incredibly hurting, she released a note on a balloon, and a boy named Lucas found it on a beach across the ocean. For most of her life, he was her only constant. The book starts on the eve of her and Lucas’ shared 30th birthday. She thinks he’s finally going to ask her to be his girlfriend, but instead, he tells her he’s marrying his ex and asks her to be in the wedding. Heartbroken, she nevertheless agrees.
I never really enjoy books in this genre unless they do something with the story, as I’ve come to phrase it in my mind. Does the book say something worth saying? Does it look something hard in the face? Is it brave? The answer to these questions for Emmie Blue is definitely yes.
And I think that what’s so impressive about this book — that it feels light and warm and like a hug while dealing with some heavy, human topics; in this case, statutory sexual assault and parental neglect. Throw some classism in there, too, while you’re at it. There are a lot of things going on beneath the surface, and yet it never feels like too much. It just feels like really real, really lovable characters who struggle with real things and have real faults, all entwined in a charming story.
I recommend this one as a lighthearted read, even if it’s genre isn’t normally your thing!
Trigger Warnings
Statutory sexual assault
Victim-blaming/accusations of lying about sexual assault
Parental neglect