By Any Other Name by Lauren Kate – 3 Stars This one felt very immature for me and I really didn’t like the main character, so whiney! It follows a romance editor as she tries to help one of her writers through writer’s block. The book was ok but I would have liked more from it.
Ten Trends To Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid – 4 Stars I will always buy Penny’s books no matter what! This one follows a social media influencer whose platform is trying to get women interested in STEM and showing them it doesn’t need to be stigmatized. If you like fake dating and grump/sunshine tropes then I would check this one out. It was more like a 3.5 but I rounded up to a 4 star, I got really tired of all of the social media challenges but I think that might just be my age showing!
The Letter From Briarton Park by Sarah Ladd – 3 Stars I picked this one up on a whim from my library because I was trying to fill the void from finishing my Veronica Speedwell books as well as all of my backlist Simone St. James. This book follows a woman who gets a mysterious letter that would finally answer the questions about her birth but when she gets to the house the man who had sent it two years earlier has died. What follows is a romance as well as a mystery and I really enjoyed both. While this book is not a new favorite I enjoyed my time reading it and would pick up more from this author in the future.
As Seen On Tv by Meredith Schorr – 4 Stars This one is more 3.5 stars but I decided not to do half stars again this year and I bumped it up to 4 because the story kept me very engaged and I didn’t want to put it down. I should start off by saying that I do not like Hallmark movies and find them to be very tedious. This story follows Adina who is an aspiring journalist and gets the chance to write a story about a small town. Adina loves Hallmark movies and gets into her head that the town of Pleasant Hallow is going to be just like the movies she watches. Of course when she gets there nothing is like the movies. I kept getting frustrated because she felt very naive to me to think that all small towns will be Stars Hallow and when it’s not she gets the idea to make the town what she wants. Eventually this narrative quieted down and I really liked the story from there. Her growth was fun to watch and I really liked her love interest Finn. Finn was so cute but also going through his own problems and their story is about learning to let go of their ideas and decide if they want to try. If you are a fan of cute romances set in a small town then I think you should check this one out. Thank you Forever for my #gifted copy for review, this one comes out June 7th.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells – 4 Stars I am so glad I finally got to this one and I can’t wait to read more in this series. We follow a self aware robot that calls themself Murderbot. Murderbot is so funny and snarky and all he wants to do is watch his programs but instead he must help his humans not die on a planet that they are exploring. Highly recommend this one if you are looking for a funny sci-fi novella!
Find Your Way Home by Jackie Ashenden – 4 Stars This was cute small town romance about 3 women who move from Alaska to a small town in New Zealand to start up a store to help the old town thrive again. We follow new comer Isabella as she tries to start a new life in New Zealand after some big changes in her life. She instantly clashes with the man who is trying to keep his town alive and invited the women from a sister town in Alaska to help him get started. I wouldn’t say this is enemies to lovers but they two definitely clash in the beginning of this book. I enjoyed their relationship for the most part but I do struggle with people becoming engaged after a few weeks of dating and this book has those vibes. I enjoyed the authors writing style and I am excited to pick up the next books in this series that follow the other two women who come to New Zealand. Thank you Sourcebooks Casablanca for my #gifted copy for review!
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez – 5 Stars After loving Life’s Too Short I wasted no time in starting Part of Your World and that was the right choice! We follow an ER doctor named Alexis who stops into a small town for a drink after a funeral and meets Daniel. Daniel runs a bed and breakfast in the town he has always lived in and can’t imagine living anywhere else. What starts as something fun turns into more than either has bargained for have to decide if they can make room for each other in their vastly different worlds. There was so much to love in this book and I think my favorite might be the tiniest touch of magical realism that is hinted at about the town of Wakan where Daniel and Alexis meet. While a lot of this book is about happier topics there are a few harder hitting ones as well so if you need content warnings I would look into those, the main one is metal and emotional abuse from a partner and child neglect. I can’t wait to read more from Abby n the future!
The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers – DNF I made it about 30-40% into this one when I decided I just couldn’t finish it. The world was confusing and the book was going so slow!
Not The Witch You Wed by April Asher – DNF I tried to get through this one and made it about 30% when I realized I just didn’t care about either of the main characters. This follows a witch with no magic who pretends to be involved with the Alpha of the local werewolf pack. The premise sounded so cute but I just couldn’t make myself read it.
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