Tag: amreadingromance

Posted on

#BlogTour: Principles Of (E)motion by Sara Read

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a strong, layered romance with an atypical lead. For this blog tour, we’re looking at Principles Of (E)motion by Sara Read.

Here’s what I had to say on the review sites (TheStoryGraph, BookHype, Goodreads):

Strong, Layered Romance With Atypical Lead. Up front, I’m a guy that got a degree in a mathematics related field (Computer Science) and because of the quirks of the way I attended college (also, as our lead here, at 16yo,fwiw) I came within just a couple of semesters of getting two other separate mathematics related degrees at the same time. Like our lead, I too had a flash of utter brilliance at that young age (well, in my case I was 20 yrs old) that is now, 20 yrs later, seemingly being realized in the real world. (Damn I wish I had applied for a patent, but I thought nothing of it other than as a paper for a Bachelor’s Degree level class – even if Senior Year.) And yes, like our lead, I’ve also known close friends of that era later struggle with various legal issues. So maybe the book worked so well for me *because* I am in a rare position of having a similar enough background to *really* feel it. Perhaps. But I also think these issues and situations are still prevalent enough and general enough that even if you’ve never been in or near situations with these exact particulars, you’ve been in or around similar *general* situations (strains on parental relationships, lonely, questioning yourself even as a 30+ yr old adult who is “supposed” to “know what you’re doing” by now, etc).

And that is what makes this book particularly great. Yes, it is messy. Yes, it can be convoluted at times. Yes, it may or may not feel particularly “swoon worthy” romantic at times. Hell, there are times when it feels like our lead exists for little more than sex. (That is rare, btw, but yes, “clean”/ “sweet” crowd… you’ve now been warned that this may be a bit racy for your tastes.) But all of this, to me, makes it feel all the more “real”. Because let’s face it, our lives rarely feel any of those things all the time (thank God, really).

And while some may scream at me “But I don’t read romance to feel REAL!!!!! I *WANT THE FANTASY DAMMIT!!!!*”, my argument here is that because this *is* more real, *knowing* that this book fulfills all romance requirements I am presently aware of means that despite the realism, *you still get the fantasy as well*. You still get that happy ending – at least one that works for this couple in this story in this world. You still get that “awww” and that catharsis that everything works out in the end, no matter how shitty and messy it gets in between.

And to me, that makes the story *stronger*. *Because* it was more real and more heartfelt.

This was my first book from this author. It very likely will not be the last.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book description, author bio, and social media and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: Principles Of (E)motion by Sara Read”

Posted on

#BookReview: Make A Wish by Nicola Marsh

Solid Introduction Prequel – And Marketing. This is one of the shorter short stories out there at just 22 pages, but it does its job remarkably well – it shows us where our lead characters are just prior to the opening of Marsh’s earlier book Did Not Finish, as well as some of their initial motivations, setting up perfectly to lead directly into that particular book. Which makes it a spot-on prequel. In serving up this book just ahead of the launch of the *sequel* of Did Not Finish, One Star Review, it *also* reminds readers of the story and brings these characters back to the forefront of the mind, which as someone who has read nearly 200 books *since* reading Did Not Finish, was greatly appreciated. As to the actual story within these 22 pages… yes, they are more like an extended scene or two from each of our leads for Did Not Finish than a complete tale of its own here – but it seems that this was never *intended* to be a complete tale of its own, instead being exactly what it is – an “introduction” that also serves as a “reintroduction” to those of us who had already read Did Not Finish. Ultimately, it does everything it needed to do and not anything more, and thus this is actually a successful story. Very much recommended.

This review of Make A Wish by Nicola Marsh was originally written on December 27, 2023.

Posted on

#BookReview: On The Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe

Lots Of Grand Ideas. No Technical Errors. Plenty Readers May Not Like. This is one of those books that is filled with GRANDIOSE IDEAS it wants to communicate and build an interesting story around. And it does that. There are no glaring technical errors with anything about this book. The plot works within world, the characters are serviceable enough for the genre generally, and the GRANDIOSE IDEAS are all given at least some “screen time”.

All of this noted, there are *several* issues here that individual readers may have problems with, depending on their own experiences.

The book opens with an author’s note about why she doesn’t have a problem with “fat” in the context of this tale + trigger warnings. Ok, there is a lot of discussion on trigger warnings at the front of books in Booklandia, with different people coming down on different sides there. Clearly, Howe has staked her position. Fair enough, but again, some readers may not like this.

Then we get into the various GRANDIOSE IDEAS as we go throughout the actual tale.

Self Acceptance. Noble idea, some may not like the execution of how it is explored.
Family Drama. While a certain family member is written almost as an antagonist… this is going to be one of those “antagonists” that at least some readers are likely going to agree with more than the main character.
“Reality” TV (and the lack of actual reality therein). This is a main driver of the plot, and for the most part works well enough. But there is a lot of social commentary here that I suspect won’t hit as hard for many as perhaps Howe had hoped.

Others get more into spoiler territory, so I’ll not discuss them here. But you get the idea. For at least some readers, this will absolutely be OHMYGODAMAZEBALLSAWESOMESAUCETHANKYOUFORWRITINGTHISMOSTIMPORTANTBOOKEVAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! level. I suspect that for most readers, this book will more likely fall into the “ok” – “good, but a few problems” range. And I do think that its 4.06 average across just over 500 reviews just days before publication (yes, I too read this as an ARC) is both evidence that I am right and, to my mind, roughly where its rating average is likely to pan out over time.

Recommended.

This review of On The Plus Side by Jenny L. Howe was originally written on December 22, 2023.

Posted on

#BookReview: A Paper Snowflake Christmas by Maddie Evans

Solid Short Hallmarkie Christmas Read. Let’s face it, as we all go into Christmas weekend, every single one of us *knows* we are *going* to need a break from the extended family at some point for at least an hour or two, right? Well, at just about 130 or so pages… this is the perfect book to snatch up this Christmas and read over that very hour or two break you’re going to need anyway. It’s got all the family drama and Christmas magic – and Christmas hijinks – one would expect in such a tale, all wrapped up in such a short story that it really, truly is that perfect little breather from the real world and the real family drama. And bonus, new fans of Evans will get a solid introduction to her overall style…. in which case she has several more books ready for you to grab up with those gift cards so many will be getting. 😉 But seriously, this is jus another excellent tale from a truly strong storyteller. Do yourself a favor and pick it up. Very much recommended.

This review of A Paper Snowflake Christmas by Maddie Evans was originally written on December 18, 2023.

Posted on

#BlogTour: Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey

For this blog tour, we’re looking at one of the funniest Christmas romcoms I’ve ever encountered. For this blog tour, we’re looking at Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey.

Here’s what I had to say about it on the review sites (TheStoryGraph.com, BookHype.com, Goodreads):

Solidly Silly Yet Hallmarkie Christmas RomCom. The opening of this tale is actually somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Luke Young’s Seriously Messed Up – another great romcom from several years ago now – though reversed (there it was the male main character, here it is the female main character). Which admittedly set the bar quite high for me, as that particular book is one I routinely list as among the funniest I’ve ever read.

But y’all…. Bailey delivers here. Seriously, this is comedy gold in some of the best possible ways, while still having enough serious aspects to ground the tale and give it at least a touch of gravitas. All centered around Christmas and in particular a very specific Christmas carol, but with a unique spin on it I’d never encountered before.

If you need some laughs this holiday season, for any reason, and you don’t mind staring maybe uncomfortably long at a naked dude going full frontal in the opening scene… you’re probably going to like this one. Even if you *don’t* like staring at naked dudes uncomfortably long… you’ll probably still like this one… once the opening scene moves on from that particular moment. 🙂 Told with a great amount of comedy but also enough heart to make Captain Planet proud, this really is one of those feel good Christmas tales with lots of holiday cheer and maybe a few holiday tears. Very much recommended.

Continue reading “#BlogTour: Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey”

Posted on

#BookReview: This Spells Love by Kate Robb

Second Chance / “Glimpse” Type Tale Done Right. This is one of those second chance/ “glimpse” type tales ala the late 90s/ early 2000s movie The Family Man with Nic Cage and Tea Leoni done *right*, complete with wildly alternate lives for the male and female leads in this particular tale. And done by a debut author, and set in a suburb of Toronto to boot. So hey, a lot going on here to make it its own – yes, including brief discussions of a multiverse scenario. So if you like your romances with a tinge of magical realism/ scifi-ish ideas… this one is for you. That noted, if you’re among the “clean”/ “sweet” romance crowd… eh, this probably has a lot more thinking and acting on sex than you’d like, including some rather graphic terms… at least according to those types of sensibilities. Again, the actual spice level here is probably more akin to a chipotle – not actually all *that* spicy, but far more spicy than some stomachs can handle and perhaps far more spicy than some minds *want* to handle. Still, as long as you’re aware of that up front (thanks to reading this review), you can make up your own mind. Ultimately, I thought this was a particularly strong effort from a debut author, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Ms. Robb is capable of in her sophomore effort. Very much recommended.

This review of This Spells Love by Kate Robb was originally written on December 8, 2023.

Posted on

#BookReview: The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

Scattered Tale Tries To Be Both RomCom And Women’s Fiction. Straight up, I’m fully aware that this is one of those reviews where many will rate this book at 5* for the exact reason I’m deducting a star here (though as you’ll see if you too peruse the reviews, at least some of my commentary will also mirror many of the existing 2* reviews as I write this review early in the morning on the US East Coast on release day for this book). Namely, the preachy hyper-focus on workplace discrimination and outright sexual harassment and even sexual assault… in what is ostensibly trying to be a romcom. If you approach this as a romcom – and perhaps that was my failing here, approaching it in such a way… these issues are far too heavy and completely drag the story down.

However, for those that approach this tale perhaps *wanting* the more Women’s Fiction side of it, where such heavy issues may be more expected, there you’ll get the heaviness the same, but also with the levity that the attempt at also being a romcom brings to the table. So the tale is still scattered, but when approached in such a manner, it likely won’t feel as off-putting. Hell, it may even feel quite a bit refreshing.

And of course my other failing here that must be mentioned is my love of The Family Man, the late 90s/ early 2000s movie with Nic Cage and Tea Leoni. It is my go-to reference for “glimpse” type tales such as this, where the main character is allowed to relive some portion of their life over. And while also a somewhat serious drama itself (with quite a bit of comedy), it was nowhere near as heavy as this book was fairly often. Also having this tale set in the end of year season – as that movie was – didn’t help me completely separate the two, but again, this is likely a failing of mine that perhaps some other readers may share.

Overall, the book actually does both of its scattered foci quite well… it simply fails in the combination, at least when one is expecting more of a “glimpse” based romcom. As mentioned previously, if approached from more of a Women’s Fiction tale, it works rather well.

For those potentially concerned that it doesn’t meet the full requirements of a “romance”… it does, actually – at least every rule I’m personally aware of. And for those concerned about spice level… this one will satisfy the “clean” crowd (while perhaps being too heavy for the “sweet” crowd, though perhaps not) in that the closest anything gets to any “action” – other than the sexual assault(s) – is heavy kissing and waking up in the same bed.

Ultimately one of those tales that will likely be at least somewhat divisive due to the dichotomies I’ve discussed here, it could also do quite well in certain circles and when approached from a certain direction. Recommended.

This review of The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner was originally written on December 5, 2023.

Posted on

#BookReview: The Predictable Heartbreaks Of Imogen Finch by Jacqueline Firkins

Quirky And Spicy. Straight up: If quirky books with a touch of magical realism/ off-the-beaten-path type vibes isn’t really your thing… eh, you likely won’t like this book. If spicy books with several (I wouldn’t necessarily call them “frequent”) on-screen sex scenes of various forms isn’t your thing… this probably isn’t the book for you, as it does feature them. If you’re looking for a “perfect” “cowboy rides off into the sunset with his woman in the saddle behind him” type HEA… the HEA here works for this couple, but aint that type. So maybe this isn’t your thing either, but in your case I’d say give it a shot anyway, as it *does* fulfill all known “requirements” (which I use loosely, as I’ve been known to wage war with purists on them) for the romance genre… in its own ways.

For those that are still here… this is actually a fun, off-beat, light-yet-serious tale of one woman’s search for love – despite the curse from her mother – and the dude who has always been there but hasn’t always been there. At around 350 pages, it isn’t short, but it also isn’t unnecessarily drawn out either. Sure, maybe some scenes could be cut (I know, the “clean” / “sweet” crowd wishes the sex scenes were cut, and I’m sure other readers would want others cut), but overall the tale works well with what it has and nothing actually feels *truly* out of place.

Ultimately, I had fun with this zany tale and its road-less-traveled take on love, and those looking for a romance book that isn’t like seemingly literally *every other romance book out there* I think will at least enjoy that this one *does* go places many don’t. Very much recommended.

This review of The Predictable Heartbreaks Of Imogen Finch by Jacqueline Firkins was originally written on December 1, 2023.

Posted on

#BlogTour: The Talk Of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak

For this blog tour, we’re looking at . For this blog tour, we’re looking at The Talk Of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak.

Here’s what I had to say on the review sites (TheStoryGraph, BookHype, Goodreads):

Down Syndrome Kid Steals Show. First, about the title of this review – as an Autistic, I *despise* so-called “person first” language, because it doesn’t actually put the person first. It claims that a person whose so-called “disability” is integral to their very personhood and way they live instead could simply discard it as easily as changing their hair color, among other easily changed things a person is described as “with”. Bullshit. Such an ability permeates the person thoroughly, and directly influences how the person perceives – and thus processes and expresses their thoughts and feelings about – literally everything around them.

Thus, the Down Syndrome character himself- and the brilliant and very human way Novak shows him – is actually one of the better features of this particular tale, one that I’ve seen no other reviewer discuss thus far, even though this character is a major motivator for our hero of this book. Of note, other than mentioning the Down Syndrome near the time the character is first introduced, it is rarely if ever mentioned again – to the point that I actually had to go back and search the book to verify the actual description initially used for the character as I began to write this review. And this is *exactly* what one would expect in a small town where everyone knows everyone – by the time of our story here, everyone in town is already well aware of this kid and his condition, so why bother repeating it?

As to the romance itself, other than the fact that both of our leads are well drillers – presumably a rarity for a female in particular, and not exactly a profession many in suburbia and/ or the Eastern US are familiar with – … eh, fairly standard slow burn enemies to lovers type tale, with a lot of complications due to varying family and small town dynamics. As usually happens, particularly within the enemies to lovers space. (And no, this is no Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet was teen angst gone murderous, with a remarkably high body count for such a short overall tale. Here, our leads are not exactly “old and wisened”, but they’re also well away from teen angst… even if they’ve never actually resolved some very big issues from earlier in their lives (yet).

And yes, the ending here was a bit abrupt. Did Novak realize she was at her target word/ page count and simply rush the ending, rather than fill it out a bit more completely as the story seemed to demand here? Who knows. But it absolutely felt rushed and even a bit lackadaisical. Certainly, Novak has proven with other books – including the first book in this series! – that she is capable of much better.

One final note, specifically for the “clean” / “sweet” romance crowd – yet again, likely not one for y’all. Novak isn’t shy with on screen sex when it serves the purposes of the story, though this isn’t one of those “damn near erotica” level books either. So for everyone, know that the spice level here is roughly along the lines of a chipotle. Fairly mild, overall – yet still far too spicy for some.

Overall, this book was one of those that had a couple of stand-out features that were done truly particularly well (Down Syndrome character + well drilling profession) and otherwise was more of a routine (yet solid, to be clear) small town enemies to lovers romance, maybe with some extra dynamics to add a touch more drama/ fill some extra pages. I’m very much looking forward ot the next book in this series.

Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book description, author bio, and social media and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: The Talk Of Coyote Canyon by Brenda Novak”

Posted on

#BlogTour: Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa

For this blog tour, we’re looking at a solid series continuation that still isn’t afraid to touch issues many in its genre will never get near. For this blog tour, we’re looking at Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa.

Here’s what I had to say on the review sites (TheStoryGraph, BookHype, Goodreads):

Solid Series Continuation, Maybe Slightly More For the Zoomer Set. As is my custom, I went in and read a lot of reviews of this book *after* I read the book myself. In a bit of an unusual move, I *also* actually went back and read my own review of Book 1 of this series – which I read roughly 200+ book ago. Here, La Rosa continues a lot of the things that made the first book so good – she isn’t afraid to shy away from far deeper issues, but also tries to make sure that they don’t overly weigh down the book (and for the most part, succeeds quite well there). She also uses various social media platforms – in this particular case, primarily current “darling” TikTok – to further the overall story, both in the actual plot and in the comments and DMs related to the various videos. Yes, that means that at some point this book will be quite dated – but it also means that it will serve as a bit of a time capsule for what this particular era really was like. So again, it actually works quite a bit better than its detractors in other reviews claim.

Now, about the Zoomer bit – our female lead is openly bisexual, her former partner is a lesbian, and there are a fairly good mix of sexualities, genders, and most other demographics present in this book. La Rosa actually used them quite well within the world she created here, though yes, depending on where you, the reader of my review lives and the life you lead… maybe this isn’t as expressive of the world you’ve created for yourself. Further, I know nothing of La Rosa beyond her pen name and her general writing style. So while others may want to critique her on not being “real” or not being “own voices” or “authentic” or some other bullshit… I truly don’t give a flying fuck about an author’s demographics, and the story La Rosa has crafted here is genuinely *good*. So complaining about those things, to me, speaks more about your own issues than La Rosa’s storytelling abilities.

Finally, the substance abuse angle. Yes, it is prominent. And yes, it likely doesn’t follow the path of real-world recommendations, particularly in the last chapters of the book when it comes to a head. There again, the dominant real-world recommendations aren’t the only ones, and there are many who have real-world problems with the real-world dominant recommendations. So the fact that La Rosa chose to craft a *fictional romance tale* the way she did… doesn’t bother me as much. And to be clear, I say this as the grandson of an alcoholic and the cousin of more than a few drug abusers, in addition to all the other areas of my life I’ve worked with those affected by these choices. But there again, if this is a topic that is going to be particularly sensitive to you, it says more about you and your issues than it does about La Rosa’s storytelling when you complain about these things in your review. So if you, the reader of my review, thinks this issue will be a problem for you… maybe spare yourself the hurt and La Rosa the 1* and just skip this book? No harm, no foul, and I wish you the best in your own struggles.

Overall, truly a solid sequel, and I’m truly looking forward to seeing how this series progresses. Very much recommended.

After the jump, an excerpt from the book followed by the “publisher details” – book description, author bio, and social media and buy links.
Continue reading “#BlogTour: Plot Twist by Erin La Rosa”