Andrea Valcarcel

ARC — Double-Decker Dreams — Lindsay Macmillan

“Back up and start at the beginning.”
“The beginning. (…) It goes like this: I fell in love this morning.”

Genre: General Fiction, Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses sexual harassment and uncomfortable working conditions.

I didn’t love how accents were written on the page (“Just go talk to ‘im, what d’ye have to lose?”? Yeah, that’s a no for me), but I was able to ultimately look past that and enjoy this sweet sweet love-at-first-sight romance.

This book is sold as only that—a romance, and a general women’s fiction read—but in my opinion it should be labeled under comedy as well, this was a big rom com for sure. The way Kat had these idealized conversations in her head were just hilarious and although yeah, it touched up on some inner, bigger problems, in true Lindsay Macmillan fashion apparently, I still think it was a bit more lighthearted than her debut romance novel, “The Heart of the Deal”.

I would recommend this read if you struggle with idealizing your partners or crushes and are looking to see that reflected in a main character—Kat was far from perfect (aren’t we all?), but it was so fun to follow her through her adventures in crowded London in search for her bus prince Alexander—spoiler alert, his name wasn’t Alexander and he wasn’t even from London either. Overall, this was a very entertaining read, it didn’t disappoint.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

ARC — All the Right Notes — Dominic Lim

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Displays homophobia, transphobia, outing, and sexual assault. Describes cheating and death of a parent.

“All the Right Notes” follows Quito Cruz, a piano player and composer, as he follows his father’s wish to put on a magical performance for a charity event in his small hometown. In doing so Quito gets back in touch with his past—a past that goes by the name of Emmet Aoki, a past that really hurt Quito and might’ve even stole his inspiration. But the thing is that only with Emmet, a now famous star, will Quito be able to put on the performance this event deserves, and so he must overlook said past and present chemistry to work this through. Here’s hopin’ Quito will come out of this unscathed.

So, I ended up hearing about this book thanks to “Behind the Scenes” author Karelia Stetz-Waters and God was it a worthy recommendation. Told through two different timelines, the then and the now, Dominic Lim has brought to life a heartwarming queer story for all Broadway and musical lovers. How is this even a debut novel? This is insane.

I want to make clear that even if you don’t know much about music and choir and Broadway, you can still most definitely enjoy this book—but obviously if you’re a musical fan, don’t hesitate at grabbing this book. Additionally, I would highly recommend this read if you’re a fan of that double timeline writing and of some nostalgic, second-chance romance.

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ARC provided by Forever in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

ARC — Girls Like Girls — Hayley Kiyoko

“And one day you learn: it’s not that you’re not like other girls.
It’s just that you’ve never met a girl like you.
And then, you do. You meet her.
And suddenly the songs make sense.”

Genre: Young Adult
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, suicide, and hate crimes. Describes homophobia, and emotional and physical abuse.

Girls like girls like boys do, nothing new, right? Well, this was something new for some. “Girls Like Girls” follows Coley after she is forced to move to rural Oregon after her mother’s death. Things are as bad as they can get when she meets Sonya and everything immediately clicks into place. But being together wouldn’t be wise, so repressing it will be the way to go… Until it isn’t.

In all honesty, this YA novel would’ve been exactly what I needed in high school, and I think that’s what hurt the most. This story was healing in a way that only people who somewhat struggled with their sexuality will probably get, but I am so so thankful this story is being told.

This book, based on the viral song by this very own debut author, was both heartwarming and heartwreching. Hayley Kiyoko’s writing voice is wise but at the same time childish; exactly what you’re looking for in novels with teen-aged main characters.

I would definitely recommend this read. If you’re looking for a short, coming-of-age queer book, then look no more—“Girls Like Girls” is exactly what you’re searching for.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

ARC — Love at First Set — Jennifer Dugan

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses classism and toxic relationships. Contains sexual content.

“Love at First Set” follows Lizzie McCarthy, a gym manager-ish, after she inadvertently breaks the gym’s owners’ daughter’s wedding apart. And so in comes Cara Manderlay, the daughter of the owners of that said gym Lizzie works at, and the most recent runaway bride. The day before the wedding she realized she wasn’t happy with her decisions or her life after a casual conversation with Lizzie and so she up and left. It definitely had nothing to do with Lizzie and their tangible attraction. Obviously. And no one can find out it was Lizzie who catalyzed that disaster, because if they do she’ll definitely be out of a job—and a dream job at that.

Well, I had been looking forward to this read for a long time and I am glad to say it didn’t disappoint. Was it a bit repetitive at times? Yes. Were some characters annoying and downright hatable? Yes. But did I absolutely love this queer romance? Also yes.

I’m not the biggest fan of that instant attraction trope, but here Jennifer Dugan found a way to make it work because, yeah, Lizzie and Cara were instantly attracted, but they also got to know each other more before some action actually happened.

Are you looking for a queer romance that touches on topics like dysfunction families and wealth disparities? Then “Love at First Set” is for you!

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ARC provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

ARC — Chef’s Choice — TJ Alexander

“‘Reste ici pour toujours,’ he murmured. Stay here forever.”

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Displays homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and deadnaming. Describes unhealthy power and family dynamics. Contains some sexual content and references.

“Chef’s Choice” follows Luna O’Shea, a recently fired trans woman, as she fake-dates a multimillionaire to appease his family—ish. Jean-Pierre is a french trans men in search of miracle, as he has been tasked to re-create his grandfather’s famous restaurant menu. He isn’t the most avid cooker, but he is set on trying, as his inheritance depends on it. And ultimately that’s where Luna comes in, as she will be helping him through this quest—after all, she’s part of the family, right? At least for the time being.

Okay, hear me out, I love the fake-dating troop as much as the next gal, but what I truly loved about this book was how amazingly well defined all characters were. I loved how Luna and JP were so stubborn to address the feelings that were starting to bubble between them. I loved how they incorporated the cooking aspect into this book—in book one of this series, “Chef’s Kiss”, we got to see two chefs get to know each other through shared experiences, and now, in “Chef’s Choice”, we get to see two people who knew nothing about cooking get to know each other through the craft.

This is absolutely the perfect series for cooking and culinary lovers. I would highly recommend this Amazon’s Editor’s Pick for Best Romance if you’re looking for a queer romance with that sweet, ol’ fake-dating pizzazz.

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ARC provided by Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 30, 2023

ARC — The Ones in Between — Lillian Lumley

“They say your first love is the hardest to forget. But even then, if I had known what was coming: the debilitating heartbreak; the many tears I had yet to shed; the love; the hope and all the ones in between, I knew I would do it again, simply because of how it would end.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes a crowd surge. Contains sexual content.

“The Ones in Between” follows Charlotte (Char), an Australian girl, as falls in and out of love, falls in and out of casual affairs… Well, ultimately, we follow her as she grows up. This was a true, slice-of-life novel, and it was truly amazing how it captured both dumb mistakes and moments of clarity along the way.

This book gave me real “All Of The Girls You Loved Before” by Taylor Swift vibes and I loved it. Beyond that, it had been a while since I had felt so connected to a character, having someone be so relatable to my past and my history. As Char, I too had my long list of ex lovers and rebelled a bit, and as Char, I too found my happily ever after against what I thought were all the odds.

I adored Lillian Lumley’s writing style and the way she decided to portray this young adult story—each chapter being a “character card” of a boy Char dated or liked at some point. Told in chronological order, this read felt like growing up all over again, living through Charlotte all the trauma high school and uni and life can and will send your way.

I would highly recommend this read if you’re looking for a messy love story, but more than a love story—the story of a life.

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ARC provided by Lillian Lumley and Shawline Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 25, 2023

ARC — Someone Else’s Bucket List — Amy T. Matthews

“She assumed it was what all old women did. Had sisters who plonked themselves at your kitchen table and annoyed you, from the cradle to the grave. It had never occurred to her that cancer might get in the way.”

Genre: General Fiction
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses grief, cancer, and death at a young age to a very impactful detail.

“Someone Else’s Bucket List” follows Bree and Jodie Boyd, two sisters who may have been complete opposites but who ultimately loved each other for who they were. Bree was a travel influencer, who was completing a bucket list before she was diagnosed with cancer and sadly succumbed to it. Now, with 1 million followers waiting on Bree and surmounting unpayable medical debt, Jodie receives the task to finish of Bree’s bucket list and if she does, said medical debt will be payed off. It’s a no-brainer, right? Bree has to finish this bucket list, if only to feel closer to her sister—even if one of the remaining items is falling in love, and how the hell is she supposed to do that?

I felt so much while reading this book—I cried, I laughed, I was lowkey very anxious as I identified deeply with Jodie. Overall, this book was a rollercoaster and I enjoyed almost every part of it. I’ve been mostly reading romance this year, so it was honestly impressive how this book caught my attention even without the upfront romance factor. The characters were lovable and the read truly entertaining, it read like it would be a really awesome movie.

Are you looking for a women’s fiction read focused on sisterly love, life after loss, and jumping out of your comfort zone? Then “Someone Else’s Bucket List” is perfect for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: May 23, 2023

Chef’s Kiss — TJ Alexander — Chef’s Kiss #1

Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Displays homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and deadnaming. Describes medical care after gender-affirming surgery. Contains some sexual content and references.

“Chef’s Kiss” follows Simone Larkspur, a pastry chef working on a culinary magazine, her literal dream job, when said magazine sets to branch out to video and other platforms. Really? After years building up recipes for this magazine, Simone is forced to step into the limelight with a new coworker, Ray Lyton. As they go viral and work closer together, so does their relationship change—but Simone can’t share her feelings with Ray. They’re coworkers, after all.

This is the first TJ Alexander book I’ve read, although they’ve been highly recommended to me by both friends and the endless stream of Instagram posts praising their writing—well, in my opinion this hype is totally justified. TJ Alexander has built an amazing world, full of diversity and speaking from a place too close to reality—where cooking and recipe platforms have displayed so much discrimination and, honestly, simple gaslighting. It was truly refreshing to read this new voice and I can’t wait to see where this series is going.

Are you looking for a book centered around cooking videos and shows, in the style of Tasty’s Make It Fancy or Epicurious’s 4 Levels series, and that has a beautifully queer love story? Then “Chef’s Kiss” is for you.

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Re-Read — Catching Fire — Suzanne Collins

“You know, you could live a thousand lifetimes and not deserve him.”

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Too many content warnings to name, this book is about children being forced to kill each other, most literally against their will. Contains some romantic content, but nothing sexual.

“Catching Fire” follows Katniss Everdeen once again, a year after she’s been crowned victor along with her “star-crossed lover” Peeta Mellark, after the last Hunger Games took an unprecedented turn—a turn that seems to have ignited the start of a revolution.

Oh my God, now I remember why this book was always my favorite of the trilogy. “Catching Fire” is extremely suspenseful, ending with the twistiest of plot twists. We get to meet a ton of new characters that win your heart almost immediately, we get some more Katniss and Peeta frenemies ensamble, and of course, we get the action-packed show that this series by Suzanne Collins always guarantees. Good thing we now have both all the books and all the movies to resort to after finishing this “Catching Fire” re-read—I still remember how anxious I was waiting for the third book, “Mockingjay” to be published, back in 2010.

I would once again recommend either reading this or re-reading this book ASAP, it is the superior one out of this trilogy and the movie, in this case, truly can’t compare.

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Re-read — The Hunger Games — Suzanne Collins

“Here’s some advice. Stay alive.”

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Too many content warnings to name, this book is literally about children being forced to kill each other, most literally against their will. Contains some romantic content, but nothing sexual.

“The Hunger Games” follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old who volunteers to participate in a yearly, deadly, pointless, televised competition that pins down 24 teenagers against each other until only one victor remains. Why does she volunteer, you ask? Well, because her little sister, who’s only 12-years-old, had been randomly chosen as that Games tribute and she couldn’t simply let her die. As simple as that.

I rated this book at 5 stars back in 2010, and now, almost 13 years later, I will do it again this was an absolute amazing 5-star read. If I could’ve read it in a single sitting, I would’ve—all the characters are either extremely lovable or extremely easy to hate, so emotions are high and the adventurous, wildly dystopian world that is described does not disappoint. I am rereading this series to get ready to 1) read the prequel and then 2) watch the movie of said prequel, and I just must say that I am so happy I re-grabbed these books.

I would recommend either reading this or re-reading this book ASAP, the movies are pretty similar to the books but it’s a complete different experience—in the movies we see the world as a whole, while in the book we see the world through Katniss’s eyes (which is so so much better, in my opinion).

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