Tag Archives: Romance

ARC — Unorthodox Love — Heidi Shertok

Genre: Fiction, Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Deals heavily with infertility and parental sickness. Mentions cancer.

“Unorthodox Love” follows Penina, an Orthodox Jewish 29-year-old that at this point has lost all hopes on getting married—she’s infertile and no proper Orthodox Jew will be okay with not having children of their own. But then in comes an indecent proposal—she is to marry a wealthy (secretly gay) Orthodox Jew in exchange for solving all her family’s monetary problems. It’s a perfect arrangement… so why can’t she stop thinking about Sam, the perfectly secular, objectively attractive, son of her boss, who’ll now be her interim boss as his father is receiving cancer treatment. It makes no sense, he is all she can’t have, so why even give it a second thought, right? Well, wrong.

I loved Heidi Shertok’s writing, it was both engaging and entertaining. I am usually not the biggest fan of clean romance but I must say “Unorthodox Love” left me completely content with this love story. It is truly astonishing this is a debut novel, I honestly can’t wait and see where Heidi’ll take us next.

I don’t think I’d ever heard Caitlin Thorburn as an audiobook narrator but oh, will I be keeping an eye out for her as well. Her voice was absolutely perfect for this novel, she truly found a way to portray Penina in all her anxiously-correct glory, with all her doubts and her inner battles.

I hate when a main character or heroine in a romance novel has to leave aside her beliefs (let that be religious or otherwise) to find a happily ever after. I am so so happy this was not the case for Penina.

Don’t hesitate to grab “Unorthodox Love” if you’re looking for a clean workplace romance where opposites attract and religion is a prominent subject (and where an adorably awkward meet-cute was in play).

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

Publication Date: July 11, 2023

ARC — Going Bicoastal — Dahlia Adler

Genre: YA, Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like scars and self-harm. Describes the aftermath of the divorce of parents.

“Going Bicoastal” is pretty much about what its title implies—a bisexual teenager having to choose between spending the summer on the East or the West Coast of the United States, both options bringing on their own adventures and challenges. Yes, you’ve heard that right. Natalya Fox is a 17-year-old that could either stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad and pursue the girl she’s been crushing on or spend the summer with her estranged mother in LA. Finding it hard to decide, both summers play out in alternating timelines, with LA bringing an unexpected boy into the picture.

I am absolutely on my knees for this book. It is not often I find books that portray bisexuality the way I’ve felt it and lived it and I was so happy to find Dahlia Adler’s portrayal of bisexuality through Natalya really spoke to me. told through alternating timelines, this book is perfect to read in one sitting (trust me, you’ll want to). I mean, you’re getting two romance stories for the price of one, literally nothing could go wrong.

I would highly recommend “Going Bicoastal”, especially if you’re not afraid of reading about young women who aren’t scared or ashamed of their sexuality and religious beliefs. These were some beautiful coming-of-age stories, and how I would love to read it all again for the first time.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

ARC — A Love Catastrophe — Helena Hunting

“I’m a professional cat sitter.”
(…) “You’re serious?”
(…) “Yup. I own my own business.”
(…) “You can make a living off of that?”
(…) “There’s a woman who makes six figures from farting in jars. Why can’t cat sitting be lucrative enough to pay the bills?”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on heavy subjects like child and parent death. Describes dementia and a car accident. Contains sexual content.

“A Love Catastrophe” follows Kitty Hart, a cat lover, cat-sitter, and cat influencer, as she accepts to care for a cutesy little cat for a not-so-cutesy, low-key rude guy. Miles Thorn isn’t much of a cat person, but he has to find someone to care for his mother’s cat, Prince Francis, as she moves on to a long-term care facility—and that’s where Kitty comes in, in all her Cat Whisperer glory.

I thought I was coming in a little biased on this one, as Helena Hunting has been one of my favorite authors this past year, but the truth is not even that could help me overcome the cringe-y puns contained in this book. I am as much a cat lover as any other crazy cat lady, but really? Do we think we people talk like that in real life?

Setting the cringe-yness aside, “A Love Catastrophe” was still a cute, light, and quick read. I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a quirky read that, although touches on some heavy subjects, overall leaves you all bubbly and giggly. Definitely will be re-reading this after some heavy reads.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Forever Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

ARC — Miss Matched — Wendy Million

“Thank you.” (…)
(…) “For what?”
“For giving me another chance, for letting me back in, for showing me that fear of the unknown can be beautiful instead of scary. What an adventure we’re going to have.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships. Contains sexual content.

“Miss Matched” by Wendy Million is “The Soulmate Equation” by Christina Lauren meets second chance romance—Tayla Murphy, a vet doctor in search of her soulmate, falls for what she now thinks is a ridiculous scheme. There’s a super expensive dating algorithm that pairs you with your soulmate, but Tayla was inexplicably matched with her absolute worst ex, Simon Buchannan. He can most definitely not be her soulmate. There must be something very wrong with said algorithm, although it has worked for many others. But after putting up all that money and facing their no-return policy, Tayla has one of two options: either she absolutely ignores this ever happened, or she gives who she thought was the love of her life a second chance.

This was a fast, quirky read. It was entertaining, but not life-changing, and I’m not 100% sure I will still remember things about this book a few weeks from now, but it was still a fun time. Did it sort of feel like other books I’ve read before? Yes. Was I still there for it? Also, yes.

If you’re looking for an uncomplicated, short read, then “Miss Matched” is your book.

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

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

ARC — The Dos and Donuts of Love — Adiba Jaigirdar

Author: Adiba Jaigirdar
Narrator: Priya Ayyar

Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQIA, Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses fatphobia, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia. Displays toxic relationships, toxic friendships, and gaslighting.

“The Dos and Donuts of Love” follows Shireen Malik, a Bangladeshi-Irish girl, as she competes in the very first Junior Irish Baking Show and is paired up against no other than her recent ex girlfriend, Chris. Facing both racist and fatphobic criticism, Shireen will try to succeed and thrive against every single contestant and come out more confident of her skill than ever.

I got to listen to an audiobook of this novel, and I was completely mesmerized and caught from the very beginning. I was right at the start of a reading slump but Priya Ayyar and her narration immediately swep me off it.

I’m not gonna lie, this book is not as predictable as you might think. Starting off, I could’ve sworn I was going to know every single twist and turn, but I am happy to say that I was thoroughly surprised more than once by this story Adiba Jaigirdar has constructed. Her characters were so well thought out and her pace quick enough that you wouldn’t get bored but also slow enough that we were left with some sneaky cliffhangers for a bit.

I would highly recommend this read for someone who’s looking for a young adult book with queer and diverse characters and who doesn’t want it to be too spicy (or spicy at all). Obviously it’s a plus if you like cooking and baking shows, but I personally don’t most of the time and I still thoroughly enjoyed “The Dos and Donuts of Love.”

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

ARC — Ciao For Now — Kate Bromley

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships and mentions death of a parent. Contains some sexual content.

“Ciao for Now” follows Violet Luciano as she and a few of her colleagues embark to Rome for a fashion internship. Little did she know that as soon as she got there she would stumble into her mentor’s son, ruining his computer, and effectively laying on the worst first impression ever—an introduction that leaves them as, essentially, enemies… But if they’re enemies, then why do they feel this pull towards each other? Better look away, I guess.

I have read other books by Kate Bromley, so I can’t say I’m completely surprised I adored this book—her writing style has captivated me before and her quirky characters always capture my heart. Now, sprinkle in some more forbidden romance, in true Kate Bromley fashion, and you had me hooked.

“Ciao for Now” is the perfect summer-y read. Set in Rome, this read will have you wanderlust and wishing you, too, will follow your dreams wherever they might go. Sitting just over 300 pages, this was a short, quick read, perfect for some airport hopping, so don’t hesitate to grab this book if you’re looking for a lighthearted, heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance.

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ARC provided by Graydon House and Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

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