this is the best romance ive read all year if not ever
Goldbeck pretty much nailed this romcom based on when harry met sally. No dramatic plot point othis is the best romance ive read all year if not ever
Goldbeck pretty much nailed this romcom based on when harry met sally. No dramatic plot point or external conflicts, just the evolution of a relationship through conversations spanning years, their personal hang ups and neurosis the only thing keeping them apart.
The banter is 10/10 The New York setting on NYE makes this the perfect fall/winter/holiday read...more
Ava Wilder is quickly becoming one of my favourite romance authors.
After loving ‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’, I knew I had to get my hands on her laAva Wilder is quickly becoming one of my favourite romance authors.
After loving ‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’, I knew I had to get my hands on her latest release and it did not disappoint!
What makes Ava Wilder’s work stand out to me is how well she balances both the internal and external conflict between her characters.
You can see how much thought and care went into crafting Lilah and Shane, the resulting chemistry between them feels real and undeniable. The tension built frustratingly well, it made the “i KNOW you and SEE you” moment that much more genuine and satisfying.
The writing was impeccable with kick-your-feet-up-in-the-air chemistry and a plot that had me guessing until the very last page.
I definitely recommend for fans of Rosie Danan, Abby Jimenez, and Helen Hoang. ...more
This is one of my fav romance of the year so far. Such a heart warming read. So refreshing to see healthy sex positive dialogue in romance, communicatThis is one of my fav romance of the year so far. Such a heart warming read. So refreshing to see healthy sex positive dialogue in romance, communication is sexy....more
I was not expecting to love this as much as I did! It was a surprisingly cathartic reading experience—academic people pleasers will understand.
I feelI was not expecting to love this as much as I did! It was a surprisingly cathartic reading experience—academic people pleasers will understand.
I feel Hazelwood has hit her stride with “Love, Theoretically”. I see so much of myself reflected in Elsie, which was both jarring and validating. I especially loved how honest Hazelwood’s portrayal of STEM academia is with its exhausting interview process, interfaculty feuds, and bad faith mentors.
At the heart of this novel is the courage to step into your authentic self and let go of the need to reflect what others want of you. Elsie and Jack’s relationship is as heart-warming and feel good as it gets.
Thank you to @librofm for the audio review copy! Phenomenal narration by Thérèse Plummer, I loved it so much I needed to pick up a physical copy. ...more
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: Emezi really blows me away time and time again no matter what always and forever.
In ‘Pet’, Emezi remindsI’ve said it before and I will say it again: Emezi really blows me away time and time again no matter what always and forever.
In ‘Pet’, Emezi reminds me that age appropriate darkness not only exists in YA, but that its exploration is vital.
‘Pet’ follows Jam, a young transgender autistic teenager from Lucille, a town where monsters no longer exists—or so she thought. When a creature named Pet climbs out of one of her mother’s paintings, Jam joins him on his mission to hunt down a monster.
‘Pet’ is a reminder that although monsters hide in plain sight “we are each other’s harvest, we are each other’s business, we are each other’s magnitude and bond”.
So happy I read this one for the #transrightsreadathon , now onto the the prequel ‘Bitter’ :) ...more
I mistakenly filed this under 'not for me' after seeing the cover and misjudging this to be another cookie cutter fake dating romcom.
I am floored by I mistakenly filed this under 'not for me' after seeing the cover and misjudging this to be another cookie cutter fake dating romcom.
I am floored by this book. It tackles fan favorite romance tropes (fake dating, one bed) with such nuance and emotional complexity. What starts out as a run-of-the-mill romcom premise evolves into raw and mature character study.
Surprising 5 star read ! highly recommend on audio, the dual narration is fabulous.
a wholesome and heartwarming romance with a little bite to it! I absolutely loved this take on fake dating. This is the comfort romcom you curl up wita wholesome and heartwarming romance with a little bite to it! I absolutely loved this take on fake dating. This is the comfort romcom you curl up with when you need to feel rescued. ...more
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Atria books for sending me an audiobook and ARC to review
First of all, let's take a moment to appreciate this stunniThank you to Simon & Schuster and Atria books for sending me an audiobook and ARC to review
First of all, let's take a moment to appreciate this stunning cover! This book feels turquoise to me, don't ask me clarify, I can't, it's just how I feel.
Just by Looking at Him is equal parts hilarious and pensive. Elliot's narrative voice had me doubled over laughing on seemingly every page. It takes tremendous skill to balance such a jovial tone with the serious soul searching that's peppered throughout this book.
One of my favorite things about being a reader is how it allows me the tiniest glimpse into a life experience so different from my own. Elliot's candid commentary on being a gay man in hollywood and living with a disability was eye opening. It's a story I think many people will not only whole-heartedly enjoy, but walk away from with an even greater understanding and respect for an identity that doesn't get represented enough in mainstream media. I particularly connected with Elliot's thoughts around alcohol and how we are essentially socialized into addictive behavior.
Just by Looking at Him is a hilarious and heartfelt self-exploration that moves through the funny and tough bits of living with a disability....more
‘A Psalm for the Wild-Built’ is a book that came to me exactly when I needed it most, I love when that happens.
This is the book you bring with you on‘A Psalm for the Wild-Built’ is a book that came to me exactly when I needed it most, I love when that happens.
This is the book you bring with you on a trip to the cottage, or camping, or anywhere undisturbed by the sounds and smells of the city. It’s the warm cup of tea at the end of a long day. It’s the hug from a loved one reassuring you all will be ok. ...more
*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC*
I burned through this entire book with a stupid grin plastered to my face. It's been*Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC*
I burned through this entire book with a stupid grin plastered to my face. It's been a while since I read a romcom that connected with me like this one did.
Olivia is a klutzy smart mouth (let's ignore the very obvious similarities) and Colin is a prim and proper finance guy, who also happens to be Olivia's brother best friend. A wrong number text turns into anonymous witty banter, but that's all I'll tell you because it's best to go into this knowing as little as possible.
I really enjoyed how Painter built this story, it made me laugh and had me cursing at my kindle in the middle of the night "come on Olivia this is RIDICULOUS". The banter between Colin and Olivia is very reminiscent of Hannah and Jacob from Crazy, Stupid, Love with a little hint of Bianca and Wesley from The DUFF. Hats off to Lynn Painter for really hitting a romcom home run.
My ONLY complaint with this book (and this might be a big deal or small deal depending on the reader) is that this was fade to black. I know, it pains me to say it, but regardless, I still thoroughly enjoyed this zingy romcom.
Def recommend if you need a funny pick me up....more
I LOVED this book so much. It's like if Taylor Jenkin Reid wrote Mad Men but set it in a chemistry lab and on daytime TV. Bonnie Garmus's writing is sI LOVED this book so much. It's like if Taylor Jenkin Reid wrote Mad Men but set it in a chemistry lab and on daytime TV. Bonnie Garmus's writing is so smooth and accessible, just like TJR's, so if you enjoy TJR's work, I think Garmus will become a new favorite of yours :)
Elizabeth Zott is a chemist who refuses to minizer herself despite the world conspiring to keep her contained. Elizabeth is so inspiring, especially as a woman in science, I feel empowered by her voice and determination.
Lessons in Chemistry follows Zott through her career as she fights to pursue her research in abiogenesis during the 1950s but takes a slight detour into daytime TV where she hosts a cooking show based in food chemistry.
I believe it's best to go into this blind. Lovers of science, food chemistry especially, will find this fascinating. If you aren't a lover of science, don't worry, Garmus does a great job keeping the jargon to a minimum making the science bits feel digestible and accessible to all.
I also loved how Garmus wrote certain sections of the story from the perspective of Zotts dog, six-thirty. Animal lovers will find their relationship incredibly heartwarming.
TW: rape on page, death on page, suicide (mentioned)...more
Rosie Danan has really impressed me with this series! all her characters are so well rounded and have refreshingly open and hthis was so freaking cute
Rosie Danan has really impressed me with this series! all her characters are so well rounded and have refreshingly open and honest communication. Reading her books feels like having someone give you a warm hug and whisper in your ear that everything is going to be ok. ...more
Here we go, another romance that took me completely by surprise. This made my laugh, think, and blush furiously. This is the kind of romance I wanna rHere we go, another romance that took me completely by surprise. This made my laugh, think, and blush furiously. This is the kind of romance I wanna read for the rest of my life. The Roommate takes first place for the best communication and consent i've ever read in a romance this year.
I loved how each love interest had a distinct voice (on the page but also in the audiobook, both narrators did an exquisite job). I adored the way botI loved how each love interest had a distinct voice (on the page but also in the audiobook, both narrators did an exquisite job). I adored the way both love interests were so enamored with the way each others minds work. I did find some parts came off a bit too pretentious with the overuse of similes but overall I still really enjoyed reading this and would highly recommend doing this as an audiobook!
I understand the comparison to Emily Henry, and although I do think readers of Emily Henry will enjoy this one, I wouldn't say it reminds me specifically of any one of her books. If you like reading romance centering people working in publishing you will love this.
Looking forward to reading more by these 2 :) ...more
I’ve said this before and I will say it again: Emily Henry is carving out a space in the romance genre that I’ve been wanting for some time now. It’s I’ve said this before and I will say it again: Emily Henry is carving out a space in the romance genre that I’ve been wanting for some time now. It’s a space where the strict confines of the romance and literary fiction genres are blurred. You can have literary fiction with romance, but romance has to have a happily ever after, whereas literary fiction does not. In literary fiction, romance rides shotgun to the female protagonists’ emotional journey—not to say that we don’t see this in romance, we do, but usually the romance plot line is in the driver’s seat, and the emotional arcs are there to create tension or support the relationship as it forms.
With Book Lovers, Emily Henry flips the classic small town romance trope on its head. Although the book meets the requirements of the romance genre— popular tropes, snarky light-hearted banter, small town setting, happily ever after—she always keeps the internal life of her female lead at the forefront. What drives this story forward is Nora’s growth, processing the grief of her mother’s death and coming to terms with what she wants in life—it just so happens that there’s a romance plot that moves in tandem to Nora’s own emotional arc.
If you are hesitant about picking up a romance, or don't particularly read romance but would like to give it a try, Emily Henry is always my first recommendation.
Recently, I've found myself only picking up books that are heavily hyped up on tiktok/goodreads so coming acrTHIS BOOK HAS NO BUSINESS BEING THIS GOOD
Recently, I've found myself only picking up books that are heavily hyped up on tiktok/goodreads so coming across this gem all on my own while browsing the shelves makes this one feel that much more special to me.
This is one of those books thats feels like such a treat to read. It's sharp, witty, highly entertaining, but it also has many heartfelt moments. I was a bit worried about how the battle of the sexes situation was going to play out, but in the end I'm happy with how this story explores the revenge plot. The characters are well rounded, the humor is on point and the pace of this book is flawless! If you are looking for something with a fast moving plot, great humor, a little spice, and a happy (albeit a little corny- but in a good way) ending, then look no further, you'll devour this in a single sitting.
Lots of buzz around this book on tiktok over the last couple weeks so I decided to give it a shot since I'm in desperate need of something fluffy and Lots of buzz around this book on tiktok over the last couple weeks so I decided to give it a shot since I'm in desperate need of something fluffy and heartwarming. From the synopsis alone, this isn't the type of romcom i gravitate towards. I usually find characters like Poppy difficult to connect with, but i am so glad i picked this one up because Tessa Bailey proved me wrong. I found Poppy to be an incredibly strong and lovable character. Great balance of plot and character dev. If you are in search of a sweet romcom to disappear into for a bit i definitely recommend this one.
3.5 rounded to 4 2.5/5 spice rating (ok captain brendan)...more
From the very first sentence, I knew this was going to be exceptional and Tia Williams did not disappoint. So many aspects of this book align perfectlFrom the very first sentence, I knew this was going to be exceptional and Tia Williams did not disappoint. So many aspects of this book align perfectly with what i look for in a good book. The characters are vivid and compelling. The dialogue is sharp and thoughtful. Everything about this book feels effortless, like the story just natural falls into place perfectly. This will make you laugh, think, and warm your heart.
Personal aside: I was halfway through this book when something devastating happened in my life. I was tempted to set it aside and revisit it at a later time but something about this story offered me the exact kind of comfort i needed. ...more
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