BLOG TOUR} Mr. Perfect on Paper by. Jean Meltzer | ARC Review

Welcome to the blog tour for Mr. Perfect on Paper by. Jean Meltzer!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Mr. Perfect on Paper

Author: Jean Meltzer

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 8/9/22

Publisher: MIRA

Categories: Romance, Inter-faith Romance, Women’s Fiction, Single Dad, Contemporary

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the author of the buzzy THE MATZAH BALL, a pitch-perfect romcom about a matchmaker who finds her own search for love thrust into the spotlight after her bubbe outs her list for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” on live television.

Dara Rabinowitz knows a lot about love. As a third-generation schadchan, or matchmaker, she’s funneled her grandmother’s wisdom into the world’s most successful Jewish dating app, J-Mate. Yet, despite being the catalyst for countless Jewish marriages, Dara has never been successful at finding love. Oh, she’s got plenty of excuses—like running a three-hundred person technology company and visiting her beloved bubbe every day. But the real reason Dara hasn’t been on a date in three years is much simpler. Though she desperately wants to meet her bashert, and stand beneath the huppah, she is frozen by social anxiety.

All that single dad Chris Steadfast wants to do is give his daughter stability. But with the ratings for the TV news show he anchors in the gutter, and the network threatening cancellation, Chris’s career – like his life with Lacey in Manhattan — is on the chopping block.

When her bubbe outs Dara’s list for “The Perfect Jewish Husband” when they’re guests on Chris’s live show, Chris sees an opportunity to both find Dara her perfect match, and boost the ratings of his show. But finding Mr. Perfect on Paper may mean giving up on the charming—and totally not Jewish—reporter following Dara’s nationwide hunt…

Content Warning: grief

I read The Matzah Ball from this author last year and I thought to give this new book of hers a try. I’m glad I did! Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ I learned more about what being kosher means. My husband is Jewish but he is definitely not kosher. He follows Reform Judaism and is raising our kids this way. We are also in an inter-faith marriage, something Dara, in the book is totally against at first. I like how she explains why being Jewish and wanting to find a man who is Jewish is important to her. I learned a lot! I also liked how they introduced important Jewish holidays throughout the story.

+ I love the relationships depicted in the story, one between Dara and her Bubbe (grandmother) and the other between Chris and his daughter Lacey. There were very sweet moments between them.

+ Dara has GAD or Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I like that she talked about it and wasn’t afraid to share with people what she felt and went through with GAD. I also like that she is a very successful woman with her dating app J-Mate.

~ I wish there was a little more chemistry between Chris and Dara – there was some, but I wanted more. Obviously Chris was not going to be someone who was perfect for her and she had to work those thoughts out in her head, but she is so steadfast in her faith I almost thought she should pick Daniel because of it.

~ I wanted more scenes with Bubbe in it. She was there in the beginning and the end but no so much in the middle of the book. It would have been nice for Dara to get some insight of her other dates from her Bubbe since she is the most important person in her life.

Tropes: single dad, slow burn

Why you should read it:

a light hearted, rom-com with lots of Jewish representation
Bubbe and her friends are fun ladies and I like how Dara spends lots of time with them
learn about Jewish holidays and faith

Why you might not want to read it:

for me it needed more chemistry between Chris and Dara

My Thoughts:

This is a light-hearted romance story about a Jewish woman Dara, who give us a lot of insight into being Jewish and what she believes it means to her. Dara knows what she wants in a guy so it’s interesting when in the end she chooses the guy who has none of the qualities she wrote down on her list. This story has some funny moments, and touching moments too.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

BLOG TOUR} The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer | ARC Review – ⭐️⭐️⭐️

About the Author:

Author Bio:

Author Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch, and served as creative director at Tapestry International, garnering numerous awards for her work in television, including a daytime Emmy. Like her protagonist, Jean is also a chronically-ill and disabled Jewish woman. She is an outspoken advocate for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), has attended visibility actions in Washington DC, meeting with members of Senate and Congress to raise funds for ME/CFS. She inspires 9,000 followers on WW Connect to live their best life, come out of the chronic illness closet, and embrace the hashtag #chronicallyfabulous. Also, while she was raised in what would be considered a secular home, she grew up kosher and attended Hebrew School. She spent five years in Rabbinical School. She is the author of The Matzah Ball and Mr. Perfect on Paper.

Author’s Socials: Author Website | Facebook: @JeanMeltzerAuthor | Instagram: @JeanMeltzer | Goodreads

The Wedding Crasher by. Mia Sosa | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Wedding Crasher

Author: Mia Sosa

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 385

Publication Date: 4/5/22

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Romance, Fake Dating, One Bed

Just weeks away from ditching DC for greener pastures, Solange Pereira is roped into helping her wedding planner cousin on a random couple’s big day. It’s an easy gig… until she stumbles upon a situation that convinces her the pair isn’t meant to be. What’s a true-blue romantic to do? Crash the wedding, of course. And ensure the unsuspecting groom doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life.

Dean Chapman had his future all mapped out. He was about to check off “start a family” and on track to “make partner” when his modern day marriage of convenience went up in smoke. Then he learns he might not land an assignment that could be his ticket to a promotion unless he has a significant other and, in a moment of panic, Dean claims to be in love with the woman who crashed his wedding. Oops.

Now Dean has a whole new item on his to-do list: beg Solange to be his pretend girlfriend. Solange feels a tiny bit bad about ruining Dean’s wedding, so she agrees to play along. Yet as they fake-date their way around town, what started as a performance for Dean’s colleagues turns into a connection that neither he nor Solange can deny. Their entire romance is a sham… there’s no way these polar opposites could fall in love for real, right?

Content Warning: left at the altar

I’ve seen this book all over Amazon but never picked it up until now. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:

+ I love that pretty pink cover and how this story starts off at a wedding…except things go wrong. The humor for this book is present throughout but you can tell from the first chapter that it was gonna be funny because of Solange.

+ Solange is Brazilian-American and she comes with a big Brazilian family which I love. Her personality is fun and easy-going. She’s smart, and very confident in herself. She’s always telling jokes and I’m glad because Dean is the opposite (unless he is drunk lol). We were treated to Brazilian foods and Portuguese words and I love it!

+ A lot actually happens in this book while Solange and Dean are fake dating. Some very surprising events but again, it made the story very entertaining because it was unexpected! I like how the story keeps moving whether it’s Solange and Dean going on fake dates, or hanging out with Solange and all her family members.

+ I thought the romance was cute. Right away there is physical attraction and it builds up nicely. They both have relationship issues so it was about being on the same page for them and how to get there. But it’s a steamy book, lot of spice! Also, there was a side F/F couple in the story.

~ Dean is handsome and smart, he’s a lawyer and ambitious but he didn’t quite cut it for me. He was a little too stiff for me, until that karaoke bar scene lol (which made me laugh!). I mean he danced to Pony! Of course Solange loosens him up a bit but still I guess I wanted a bit more from him in the beginning.

+~ I read that there is a first book in this series called Worst Best Man where Dean makes his debut. So I don’t know if you need to read that book. I didn’t read it and still was engaged in the story.

~ A little bit of a lull after their fake-dating agreement comes to an end, but it’s also when they finally act on their attraction (so that keeps in interesting)…but their interactions aren’t as funny as when they were fake-dating.

Tropes: fake dating, one bed, opposites attract

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

it’s got some fun tropes like fake dating and one bed
Solange is fun and her family is amazing
funny and steamy

Why you might not want to read it:

you didn’t read Worst Best Man, but you don’t have to…I didn’t get lost in this one
too steamy?

My Thoughts:

This one was cute and fun, the spice and steam just added to it. I love Solange and her vibrant Brazilian family – we were treated to some of the culture and that was lovely. I think Dean was a little too stiff for me, but that was the point since Solange is who loosens him up. Overall, I liked this one a lot!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

One thing’s clear: Not being in a relationship is better than being in a bad one. Because one bad relationship can change your life forever.”
Mia Sosa, The Wedding Crasher

“Here’s the thing about detours, though: Sometimes they become the destination.”
Mia Sosa, The Wedding Crasher

On the Subject of Unmentionable Things by. Julia Walton | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: On the Subject of Unmentionable Things

Author: Julia Walton

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 320

Publication Date: 8/23/22

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Teen Reader, Romance, Contemporary, Sex Education, Politics

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Random House Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A girl rewrites sex education, one viral post at a time, in this fiercely honest and delightfully awkward novel by the award-winning author of Words on Bathroom Walls.

Phoebe Townsend is a rule follower . . . or so everyone thinks. She’s an A student who writes for her small-town school newspaper. But what no one knows is that Phoebe is also Pom—the anonymous teen who’s rewriting sex education on her blog and social media.

Phoebe is not a pervert. No, really. Her unconventional hobby is just a research obsession. And sex should not be a secret. As long as Phoebe stays undercover, she’s sure she’ll fly through junior year unnoticed. . . .

That is, until Pom goes viral, courtesy of mayoral candidate Lydia Brookhurst. The former beauty queen labels Phoebe’s work an “assault on morality,” riling up her supporters and calling on Pom to reveal her identity. But Phoebe is not backing down. With her anonymity on the line, is it all worth the fight?

Julia Walton delivers a brutally honest novel about sex, social media, and the courage to pursue truth when misinformation is rife. Who knew truth could be so scandalous?

Content Warning: vandalism, cyberbullying

This book comes at the right time when current events in the USA are heightened because of the overturning of abortion rights. So reading this feels very relevant!

+ sex positivity. Phoebe is a high school student and a great writer. She writes for her school newspaper and she also has a blog that gives out information about sex. No one knows it’s her behind the blog but it’s a space where she can help others who need help finding answers to such a taboo topic. I wish I had all this information when I was young. We did have sex education class in the 5th grade, 7th grade, and even in the 9th grade because there was a high rate of teenage pregnancy going on in those days – but kids didn’t ask any questions because it really was a taboo topic.

+ I liked seeing all these high school kids with such different passions – Phoebe with journalism and science, Jorge with botany or planting crops, and others with their involvement in school and even politics.

+ Phoebe’s voice was great because she didn’t have all the answers but she tried to do her research and she really did reply respectfully to all the people making comments on her blog. Her blog really caused an uproar because people in on the internet believed her blog encouraged teens to have more sex. I know this can be a hot topic in politics with one side thinking no one should have sex until marriage but in my life experiences, reality doesn’t happen that way. People have sex. Teens have sex. Why is it bad for them to be informed on how to stay safe? So I understood Phoebe’s stance. What was horrible was the backlash that came when they revealed her identity. People really can be atrocious to one another.

+ The romance was sweet and I liked that when Phoebe finally had her own experiences with kissing and more, she was informed and took her time. The scene is a fade to black moment and perfect for this story. I like that the romance wasn’t the main focus of this story but a nice way to show Phoebe’s new experiences with boys.

~ Phoebe gave information about sex on the blog but when it finally came to a gay person asking a question and she had no clue how tot respond, she acknowledged that about herself – and realized she didn’t have information on that. She went and did research and I applauded her for that. It would have been nice to have some LGBTQ+ characters in this story because EVERYONE has questions about sex.

~ The election events in this book gave me minor ptsd – it’s so stressful these days but like I said, stays current to the times we are living in, sadly.

Why you should read it:

this is a sex positive, smart, eye-opening story
Phoebe has a great voice – she’s mature, coming of age and dealing with emotions and standing up for things she believes in
coincides with the political atmosphere going on in America today

Why you might not want to read it:

doesn’t have much LGBT+ rep – even with the sex information

My Thoughts:

This is really a fantastic book and one perfect for teens and young adults to read. I felt like it was open, positive (except for the negative reactions to Phoebe and her blog), hopeful and eye-opening. With so much happening to women’s rights in America right now, I feel like this book is timely and makes us realize nothing is wrong with trying to learn more and be safe. I wish I had a blog like this when I was young and dating. I do wish there was more LGBT+ rep in the story but I can understand that Phoebe was still learning and growing. Overall I think this story is very relevant and Phoebe is a brave character for standing up for what she believes in.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love & Olives by. Jenna Evans Welch | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Love & Olives

Author: Jenna Evans Welch

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 11/10/20

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Coming of Age

Liv Varanakis doesn’t have a lot of fond memories of her father, which makes sense—he fled to Greece when she was only eight. What Liv does remember, though, is their shared love for Greek myths and the lost city of Atlantis. So when Liv suddenly receives a postcard from her father explaining that National Geographic is funding a documentary about his theories on Atlantis—and will she fly out to Greece and help?—Liv jumps at the opportunity.

But when she arrives to gorgeous Santorini, things are a little…awkward. There are so many questions, so many emotions that flood to the surface after seeing her father for the first time in years. And yet Liv doesn’t want their past to get in the way of a possible reconciliation. She also definitely doesn’t want Theo—her father’s charismatic so-called “protégé”—to witness her struggle.

And that means diving into all that Santorini has to offer—the beautiful sunsets, the turquoise water, the hidden caves, and the delicious cuisine. But not everything on the Greek island is as perfect as it seems. Because as Liv slowly begins to discover, her father may not have invited her to Greece for Atlantis, but for something much more important.

Content Warning: almost drowning, illness, abandonment

I’m not reading the books in these companion novels to Love & Gelato in order. I don’t think there is an order because they are standalone books but I hope to read Love & Luck soon! Love & Olives made me want to take a plane to Santorini ASAP. It’s always been my dream to go, but since I can’t go at least there is this book which is set there! Here’s what did and didn’t work for me:

+ Santorini, Greece is the setting of this story and wow did I learn about the islands that make up Santorini and all these theories from Atlantis hunters or seekers. This book only made me want to visit Santorini even more than I already did. Do you think we’ll get a Netflix movie like they did for Love & Gelato? I’d love a movie because then we get to see Santorini on the screen!

+ Olive has only memories of her dad – so when he asks her to join him in Santorini it comes with a lot of emotions and feelings that is hard for her to deal with. When he left her years ago, she coped in the only way she could and realizes on this trip that it was time to look at the truth about everything that happened to her dad, to her broken family and I loved how she had to look at it full on, even though it’s painful. It starts the healing in their relationship. But the truth of the past is really important to this story, I did love that reveal.

+ Olive has the perfect boyfriend at home, but she meets Theo in Santorini and its undeniable they are attracted to one another. He was an interesting, intense character with his own issues about relationships. They don’t do anything scandalous while she has a boyfriend but it is a slow burn – although…this story does take place over the span of 10 days! So it’s as slow as it can be I suppose.

~ As much as I was entranced with Santorini, Atlantis and Olive’s relationship with her dad, the story is too long at 500+ pages. It’s definitely an emotional journey for Olive, but still, there was a lull in some places and I think it was too long.

~ I wish Olive’s dad could have communicated better with Olive about everything. Miscommunications hurt Olive a lot in this book.

~ Why did I not vibe with Theo? He is good looking, seems to click with Olive but I felt like he came off too much of a jerk sometimes especially when pushing Olive about her dad. I wanted him to back off because but like I said, he’s intense. I didn’t feel the romantic connection between them.

Tropes: overseas romance

Spice Level: 🌶 (barely any spice)

Why you should read it:

the setting of Santorini
Olive and her dad trying to heal their relationship, forge a bond
Olive’s growth

Why you might not want to read it:

too long

My Thoughts:

This whole story is an adventure from Olive visiting Santorini, seeing her dad against after so many years, and filming a documentary on hunting for the mythical island of Atlantis. I loved the setting of Santorini and I learned so much about theories about Atlantis. I didn’t expect this story to be long and a very emotional journey for Olive who is trying to come to terms about the dad who left her, and how to move past her pain. What she has to do is confront and she does just dad by the end of the story. There is romance too but Olive is someone with a boyfriend until the very end, so I think the romance with Theo was put in the friend zone – I wish they had more chemistry or he wasn’t so pushy but it was a slow burn with a cute ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Love & Gelato by. Jenna Evans Welch – read but never reviewed on my blog – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spells for Lost Things by. Jenna Evans Welch – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – (arc) Review Coming Soon

Book air is the best air…”
Jenna Evans Welch, Love & Olives

Trust your instincts. The world is run by people who have no idea what they’re doing.”
Jenna Evans Welch, Love & Olives

My mom once told me that it’s difficult for kids to recognize their parents as anything but supporting cast members in their own feature films, and here it was true.”
Jenna Evans Welch, Love & Olives

Sometimes moving forward is as simple as admitting what you already know.”
Jenna Evans Welch, Love & Olives

The Hearts We Sold by. Emily Lloyd-Jones | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hearts We Sold

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones

Format: paperback (own)

Pages: 416

Publication Date: 8/8/17

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Categories: Urban Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

Dee Moreno is out of options. Her home life sucks (to put it mildly), and she’s about to get booted from her boarding school–the only place she’s ever felt free–for lack of funds. But this is a world where demons exist, and the demons are there to make deals: one human body part in exchange for one wish come true.

The demon who Dee approaches doesn’t trade in the usual arms and legs, however. He’s only interested in her heart. And what comes after Dee makes her deal is a nightmare far bigger, and far more monstrous than anything she ever could have imagined. Reality is turned on its head, and Dee has only her fellow “heartless,” the charming but secretive James Lancer, to keep her grounded. As something like love grows between them amid an otherworldly ordeal, Dee begins to wonder: Can she give James her heart when it’s no longer hers to give?

In The Hearts We Sold, demons can be outwitted, hearts can be reclaimed, monsters can be fought, and love isn’t impossible. This book will steal your heart and break it, and leave you begging for more.

Content Warning: alcoholism, addiction, parental neglect, emotional abuse

What drew me to this book first was the cover – which is so pretty. Then I realized it’s written by Emily Lloyd-Jones and I loved her book The Bone Houses, so that’s what made me buy it on sale from Book Outlet! Here is what did and didn’t work for me:

+ Very interesting and unique world building. Demons walk the earth and if you want something from them you can trade with them. Dee decides to trade her heart. But not all is what it seems with the demons – the tasks her demon or Daemon has her do is to enter these voids that appear and destroy them. She learns what the voids are and wonders if her trade was worth it.

+ Dee has a sad home life. She’s at boarding school to get the best education she can so she can get out from her parents . Her parents are alcoholics and their family life is toxic. I liked all the characters were meet in the story, like James who traded his heart for art. They all had an interesting story to tell. I like how they became a found family.

+ The romance is a slow burn because Dee knows she’s broken inside. But James is patient, he understands being broken and the two of them together and how it ends broke my heart unexpectedly! I didn’t know I was invested until this story took a different turn. It’s bittersweet.

~ Thought I was very interested in the world building I still felt like I needed more details about the void. It didn’t seem like a concrete image I had in my head about the monsters in the void and what they wanted.

~ Sad ending, but hopeful too.

Tropes: found family

Spice Level: 🌶 (barely any spice)

Why you should read it:

it’s got a sweet romance
the characters being a found family
good questions about what people would give up to get what they want
Dee overcoming a lot of issues with her family and herself

Why you might not want to read it:

sad ending
needs more world building

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I read this book even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. The ending was touching and sad, and overall I think it was a solid book. It makes me more of a fan of this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Bone Houses by. Emily Lloyd-Jones – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I like to think that I was the one who made the choices that brought me to this moment. They may have been bad or good choices – I don’t know.”
Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

I chose this.”
Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

Some secrets you keep all tangled up in yourself, so tight that to pull them out is physically painful.”
Emily Lloyd-Jones, The Hearts We Sold

The Suite Spot by. Trish Doller | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Suite Spot (Beck Sisters, #2)

Author: Trish Doller

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 3/8/22

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Trish Doller’s The Suite Spot is a charming romance novel about taking a chance on a new life and a new love.

Rachel Beck has hit a brick wall. She’s a single mom, still living at home and trying to keep a dying relationship alive. Aside from her daughter, the one bright light in Rachel’s life is her job as the night reservations manager at a luxury hotel in Miami Beach—until the night she is fired for something she didn’t do.

On impulse, Rachel inquires about a management position at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island. When she’s offered the job, Rachel packs up her daughter and makes the cross country move.

What she finds on Kelleys Island is Mason, a handsome, moody man who knows everything about brewing beer and nothing about running a hotel. Especially one that’s barely more than foundation and studs. It’s not the job Rachel was looking for, but Mason offers her a chance to help build a hotel—and rebuild her own life—from the ground up.

Content Warning: grief, sexual harassment, sexual assault

I didn’t realize when I was borrowing this that this was the same author that wrote Float Plan. I enjoyed that book and was curious to see that The Suite Spot was about Anna’s sister, Rachel.

+ I love how we get to know Rachel and Mason because they both come with baggage but they give one another the space needed before trying to get together. It was refreshing to see two adults trying something scary like making their dreams come true: owning a hotel/inn, and meeting someone they could fall in love with. And there wasn’t a lot of drama involved.

+ I think it’s wonderful how Rachel moved to a new place and found it welcoming, I was really invested in her life. She makes new friends, while in her own family – there are lots of changes: her mom moving and her sister living on a boat with her new love. So I like that she found stability even with so many changes going on in her life. It’s a very heart warming story, especially in the end where everyone comes together!

+ This is such a slow burn. Mason is Rachel’s boss but really at this point it’s just 2 of them in the “company”. We see how they work as a team to get Mason’s vision for the brewery/inn off the ground and they really do work well together. From there the attraction grows but their sexy times are fade to black and mild at best. As I mentioned they both have baggage – Mason dealing with a divorce and grieving a child. Rachel dealing with being a single mom and Maisie’s dad who is in and out of their lives.

~ The slow burn showed how sweet they were with one another which I did love but I also wish there were more hot scenes between them. I felt like it would have made the story even more amazing.

~ There is a conflict that comes at the end but it is easily resolved. I felt like it was a little bit rushed?

Tropes: single mom, one house, small town/island, slow burn, workplace romance

Spice Level: 🌶

Why you should read it:

If you liked Float Plan, then this is your chance to hear Rachel’s story (Anna’s sister)
it’s a nice slow burn, with 2 adults that didn’t have a lot of drama, gave each other time, space and patience
I loved the small town environment and Mason’s history there – it was sweet to know new memories were being made in an old place.

Why you might not want to read it:

ending a bit rushed and everything seemed perfectly tied up in a neat bow
wanted more heat between Rachel and Mason

My Thoughts:

Despite the little issues I mentioned, I thoroughly enjoyed this because it left me happy at the end of the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Other Books I Read by This Author:

Float Plan by. Trish Doller

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by. Akwaeke Emezi | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

Author: Akwaeke Emezi

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 288

Publication Date: 5/24/22

Publisher: Atria Books

Categories: Adult Fiction, Romance, Grief, LGBT+ , Contemporary

Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.

It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the dangerous thrill Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person in the house who is most definitely off-limits. This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

Akwaeke Emezi’s vivid and passionate writing takes us deep into a world of possibility and healing, and the constant bravery of choosing love against all odds.

Content Warning: car accident memories, grief, death, profanity

I saw this book on my Overdrive online library and borrowed it because I see this author’s name everywhere and have yet to read one of their books. This was a very interesting, layered, complicated and messy romance story and I feel like I’m still processing how it made me feel, but here are some things off that bat I can say that I worked and didn’t work for me:

+ I like the real talk in this story. Feyi has a best friend named jour and it’s a relationship where they can talk about anything and I mean anything from sex, dating, feelings even if all of it is messy. Joy brought the humor and she is my favorite character in the whole book.

+ This is not a romance with an easy happily ever after. I felt like this was very realistic with complicated relationships. I myself could relate with Feyi about being a young widow and all of her pain and grief, wanting to feel alive by being reckless – I felt that, and I related to that. There is a lot of sex positivity and diversity in this story.

+ I appreciated the in-depth looks into the themes about grief, about relationships and trying to love again after experiencing trauma. Because I like my romance books in a certain way, I had to really set judgment aside (at some points it was challenging). I know relationships aren’t so concrete and black and white most times, sometimes it’s more of a gray area like presented in this book.

~ I’m not sure what I thought of Feyi’s dating style. She was hopping around, trying to feel something after being so numb from the grief of losing her husband ~ and I understand the whole what-does-it-really-matter-anyway-in-this-life because yes, our lives do come to an end so will all this matter anyway? I remember searching for those same answers trying to make sense of life when I was grieving. But I wasn’t into Feyi and Alim’s love story by the time it happens. I didn’t feel invested in their romance. It was too insta-attraction, not enough build up for me. I just knew it was going to leave shattered feelings around them also and I felt bad for the people who got hurt. But once again, this story examines choices…so, it is what it is but I wasn’t into it.

~ I could understand and relate to Feyi’s grief but as a character I didn’t connect to her. She’s very beautiful and everyone is drawn to her. She felt superficial but maybe on purpose because she had so much anger and grief and a multitude of issues going on underneath. It’s how she gets through life now post trauma – leaving things at the surface level until she meets Alim. But she comes off selfish at times too. How was Nasir someone who doesn’t understand grief? Did he not lose his mother, does his pain not matter?

Tropes: second chance at love, insta-attraction, insta-love

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

it’s one of those books you will either love or hate, but it is thought provoking
not a typical happy ending romance, this is messy and complicated, people get hurt because of Feyi and Alim’s actions
tackles issues like sex, love and relationships, and also death and grieving

Why you might not want to read it:

messy and complicated
this is not a typical romance that leave you with fuzzy, happy feelings

My Thoughts:

I’m on the fence about this one since I’m still processing it. In terms of it being a romance, it’s a no – it’s too messy for me. I felt like Feyi and Alim had a comforting relationship between them because they shared experiences of loss and grief but other than that – it wasn’t for me. As for delving into grief and loss and how to move on from that, I related and loved those parts of the story. Feyi expressing how she feels through her art? I felt that. Having the characters be open with relationships, bisexual representations and sex positivity – all good. My favorite relationship for Feyi in all of this? Was her ride or die relationship with Joy, her best friend. I loved that Feyi had her. I may not have loved this story but it sure made me think a lot and I can appreciate that.

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes from the Book:

She liked the city as an entity better; it didn’t care who you were or what your damage was, it ate everyone up indiscriminately.”
~Akwaeke Emezi, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

And that’s something I’ve learned in the years since, that there are so many different types of love, so many ways someone can stay committed to you, stay in your life even if y’all aren’t together, you know? And none of these ways are more important than the other.”
~Akwaeke Emezi, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

yeah, I guess messy and alive is a good way to put it.”
~Akwaeke Emezi, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

What did survival mean? Madness, certainly. Guilt, but she didn’t want to lean into that. It leaned into you hard enough already, it didn’t need encouragement.”
~Akwaeke Emezi, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

The Summer I Turned Pretty by. Jenny Han | Book Review | Re-read

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 276

Publication Date: 5/4/09

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Teen, Summer, Coming of Age

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one terrible and wonderful summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

Content Warning: cancer

I read this back in 2009 and gave it 4 stars on Goodreads! That was 13 years ago…wow, I was single or just about to date my hubby. Crazy how long ago it was and my headspace was super different. Now I’m in my early 40’s with 2 kids, one who’s about to turn 10 years old. 😅 I don’t usually review re-reads but I will definitely do them if I never did a review for them on this blog. And I only did a re-read of this because the series on Amazon came out and I think they did such a good job. But so many people said lots of things were changed and I wanted to see what they were since I didn’t really remember the book except for being annoyed with Belly and being in love with Conrad. 😂

Here’s what I thought:

+ This is a such a quick read, it’s only 276 pages! Now young adult books can be like 500 pages long, so this was quick. It gave all the summer vibes as expected. I did forget all the time jumping it did from past summers to the present. The show didn’t do as many flashbacks as the book.

+ Jeremiah and Belly have more time together in the book than in the show. I can feel their bestie vibes.

+ Conrad is still that guy! I can see why I fell for Conrad because he’s the hurting, handsome guy and I was reminded that Belly was always in love with this guy. It’s always Conrad for her.

~ Because I’m so much more older – this actually bored me a bit. Belly is whiny and understandable because she is young! It’s jumping timelines from when she’s 11 to 14 to 15, etc…so we see her as a whiny girl. And I can’t see that much changes from 11 to 16. I can see why Conrad pushes her away and I’m glad he does.

~ There are SO many changes from the book to the show, I can see why hardcore fans didn’t love the show! There is no debutant ball in the book, Steven doesn’t stay for that summer when she turns 16 – he is in flashbacks though. I get why they made the changes….how do you stretch out this 276 book into 7 episodes? I felt like they did have all the parts from the book in the show though – like all those late night talks with Conrad. I don’t mind the extra stuff I thought it made it entertaining. But yes so many different changes from the book.

Why you should read it:

perfect for teen readers, it’s short, has summer vibes and summer crushes

Why you might not want to read it:

Way different from the Amazon series!
Belly is still annoying me after all these years 😂 but she doesn’t annoy me that much on the show

My Thoughts:

I’m glad I did my first read in 2009 and loved it as a story about a young girl who has these amazing summers with 2 boys and their lovely mom. It’s about friendship at its core and love. At my age now, I do prefer the show because there is many more things happening to keep me entertained but I can see why that didn’t make fans of the series happy also because a whole lot of things were added! But I will say this – them using “This Love” from Taylor Swift for the trailer was genius because this song is ALLLLLLL Belly and Conrad forever feels lol. So here’s a video:

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

“I love Conrad and I probably always would. I would spend my whole life loving him one way or another. Maybe I would get married, maybe I would have a family, but it wouldn’t matter, because a piece of my heart, the piece where summer lived, would always be Conrad’s”
― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

“It’s hard to throw away history. It was like you were throwing away a part of yourself.”
― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

The Charmed List by. Julie Abe | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Charmed List

Author: Julie Abe

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 7/5/22

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Categories: Young Adult, Teen Reader, Romance, Contemporary, Magical Realism

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Wednesday Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

After spending most of high school as the quiet girl, Ellie Kobata is ready to take some risks and have a life-changing summer, starting with her Anti-Wallflower List—thirteen items she’s going to check off one by one. She’s looking forward to riding rollercoasters, making her art Instagram public (maybe), and going on an epic road-trip with her best friend Lia.

But when number four on Ellie’s list goes horribly wrong—revenge on Jack Yasuda—she’s certain her summer has gone from charmed to cursed. Instead of a road trip with Lia, Ellie finds herself stuck in a car with Jack driving to a magical convention. But as Ellie and Jack travel down the coast of California, number thirteen on her list—fall in love—may be happening without her realizing it.

In The Charmed List, Julie Abe sweeps readers away to a secret magical world, complete with cupcakes and tea with added sparks of joy, and an enchanted cottage where you can dance under the stars.

Content Warning:

This one is a cute read with some fun elements to it: magic, enemies to lovers romance, a bucket list, and a road trip.

The magic element to the story is just kind of thrown in. Ellie and her family are part of the magic community, and Jack her ex-friend/enemy and his dad are part of it too, her best friend Lia – is not. There are some rules about being part of the magic community and we do see some mild magic being done. Ellie has a bucket list for the summer and I think it was nice for her to go through with it to help her get out of her shy-girl shell. Also there is the romance between Ellie and Jack, they used to be friends, until Jack closed himself off to her, with his dad’s encouragement. But on the road trip they are forced to spend time together which means they start liking one another.

The story reads more for teenagers so I didn’t quite connect to the story or characters, I’m not the audience for this one. But I think someone who wants a light hearted teen romance that has magic would really enjoy this book.

Why you should read it:

magic, romance, a bucket list and a road trip
sweet, coming of age story

Why you might not want to read it:

this is more for teen readers

My Thoughts:

I’m not the target audience for this book but I thought it was a sweet story about a girl who is trying to break out of her shell. Some parts were a bit dramatic for me, like when Ellie’s best friend finds out about magic but like I said – I wasn’t connecting to the book or characters. I think if you want a light-hearted romance filled with magic, and some angst you will enjoy this one.

📚 ~ Yolanda

The Guncle by. Steven Rowley | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Guncle

Author: Steven Rowley

Format: hardcover (borrowed)

Pages: 326

Publication Date: 5/25/21

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Family, Grief, LGBTQ+

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP, for short), has always loved his niece, Maisie, and nephew, Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, no matter how adorable, Patrick is honestly a bit out of his league.

So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis of his own, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility, and the realization that, sometimes, even being larger than life means you’re unfailingly human.

Content Warning: grief, death of a loved one, addiction, anxiety, story of sexual assault

I had my eye on this book since last year and finally got it from my library. I’m glad I did because I felt like it would be a great summer read and it’s Pride month so why not read about a guncle (gay uncle). This book hit me in the feels!

+ Yes Patrick, GUP, Guncle is a bit self-centered and snarky. He is a golden globe winning actor and was a star for a time. He loves to talk about when he was super famous, he loves all things television, movies, broadway, and theatre. But things happened in his life and he’s now in his 40’s and living a quiet life in Palm Springs until he is forced to be out again because his family needs him. His best friend and sister-in-law has passed on, his brother needs to go to rehab and leaves his kids with Patrick. I love how taking care of his niece and nephew scared him but he stepped up in the best way possible. It warmed my heart so much.

+ This book is about relationships and grief. It gave us a peek at how relationships we have with our siblings, the ones or we have with our parents can be messy. Messy and yet it can still be loving. Patrick is relatable in that way. I could also relate to his fear of wanting to love people because he is still stuck in his grief losing his partner, Joe. There is a lot of loss Patrick is dealing with and I felt like his fears were my own. I could totally relate.

+ Patrick’s experiences growing up gay, trying to explain to his sister how he had to protect his inner, real self in the outside world by pretending was such an important point. I love that he could tell his side of this story especially when he was trying to explain it to his sister Clara who in turn felt like she had to struggle also being a woman. Everyone around Patrick had their own trauma and I like that the story was honest and truthful about these struggles.

+ I love the humor – when Patrick is on, he is ON and the children have no clue what he is saying have the time. I can already imagine this book as a tv series, it has that sitcom kind of feel but with some tough issues. I was laughing one moment and then heartbroken the next when the kids talked about missing their mother or Patrick was missing Joe. 😭

Why you should read it:

Patrick is a force – he’s funny, snarky, self-centered but loves his family even though they have problems – no matter, he is there for them the best way he can be.
Patrick with his niece and nephew have such adventures in Palm Springs
This story is full of grief and yet full of hope, the will to survive a broken heart, the beauty of life that come with tragedy. The medicine of laughter and love, family and friends.

Why you might not want to read it:

not into Patrick talking about himself all the time lol…I can picture him talking fast, like how some people just do

My Thoughts:

This one hit my heart with so many feels! The story dealt with so many issues about grief, fear and anxiety – letting go and moving on. It hurt. But I was also laughing when Patrick was trying to take care of two kids for the first time in his life, and he did it without much help – he’s even too afraid to drive! Thank goodness for ride-share! I love that the kids taught him things like youtube lol. But seeing those two kids melt through his guarded heart was a glorious thing. I love that we get Patrick’s point of view as a gay man trying to raise two kids on his own, trying to deal with his grief and figuring out what will be act two in his life after his tv stardom has ended. His journey was rocky but like he said in the end, he survived it…the show must go on. I love Patrick and his family and was rooting for all of them to help each other get through grief, addiction, divorce, resentment and anything else that was holding them back from bonding. This is a beautiful story and I’m glad I finally read it!

📚 ~ Yolanda

Quotes From the Book:

We’re hyper-connected, but at the same time desperately lonely.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

What do you think gay people do? Have done for generations? We adopt a safe version of ourselves for the public, for protection, and then as adults we excavate our true selves from the parts we’ve invented to protect us. It’s the most important work of our queer lives.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

I am less of me. I left part of myself with you. I don’t know what it was, but I felt it leave my body the last time I held your hand.|
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

The sky is not going to fall. That’s what I’m telling you. The pain you feel, the disaster you think is imminent. Those feelings fade. And some day you even miss it. Some days you miss the pain, because you’re afraid. Afraid that as the pain softens so do memories of the one you lost.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle

Grief orbits the heart. Some days the circle is greater. Those are the good days. You have room to move and dance and breathe. Some days the circle is tighter. Those are the hard ones.”
~ Steven Rowley, The Guncle