These are the Advance reader copies I read this month. Read on to see my verdicts on each of them! Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the copies in exchange for an honest review.
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Verdict: Don’t miss this romance!
I read this in a day; couldn’t put it down. A weather girl and a sports reporter try to get their divorced bosses back together.
I love that the hero is fat (we don’t see that nearly enough) and the depression and anxiety representation, plus Jewish rep!
I also love how this takes place in Seattle. If you live here like I do, you’ll know how perfect this fits. Solomon really knows the area.
Bad Luck Bridesmaid by Alison Rose Greenberg
Verdict: DNF.
I actually enjoyed a lot of this, and was pretty entertained. However, when it was more than halfway through and I wasn’t sure who the love interest was going to be, I wanted to call it quits. I kept on because I was curious, but then when there was cheating – count me out. It’s so hard for me to sympathize with characters who are unfaithful. I understand their unique situation, but still. Annoying and cringe-worthy. I’ve heard that it’s just a different type of Rom-Com, but I don’t have time and I’m not in the mood for that.
The Siren of Sussex by Mimi Mathews
Verdict: Loved!
This was delightful! I can tell the author really knows horses and historical clothing, which meant the details were rich and interesting. I appreciated how we had a half-Indian love interest, and how the British colonization was examined critically instead of being swept under the rug or ignored.
I loved the side characters and can’t wait for their stories. I love that Evie found some female friendships in her journey. This was a closed-door romance, and I felt the two main characters had wonderful chemistry.
Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
Verdict: Loved this one! A true surprise.
I don’t tend to love books about the publishing industry, but this proved to be the exception. A masterful debut! This story contains very stressful situations – money, job insecurities, work conflict. Yet the writing style was oddly soothing despite that. It was a nice contrast. I could not put it down. I connected with the main character who feels like her happiness level can never reach above a three.
Despite what the illustrated cover might suggest, this is not a snappy little rom com. I think it barely fits in romance, actually – I’d put it more in literary fiction. It was poignant and thoughtful, and more about Nora’s life and personal growth than her relationship
A Secret at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods
Verdict: skip this, or read the first book first
I was somewhat confused about what was going on. I probably should have read the first book in the series since it’s clear that I was supposed to know and appreciate some of the side characters and their overly complicated backstories. I decided to put this down because I had a hard time caring about any of the characters, and there were meandering scenes that had no purpose.
I wanted to love this one but I just don’t think it’s for me.
Highland Wolf by Lynsay Sands
| Verdict: OK if you like Highlander Historical Romances I’ve read many others in this series, but not all. One thing is clear – these books have a pattern. All the same tropes, just rearranged in different ways. I do not totally mind, since they’re generally tropes I like. But these novels really do lack originality. The ending was a bit unhinged and the villain came out of absolutely nowhere, but it was all par for the course for The Highland Brides series, so I’d expect nothing less. |
His Lesson on Love by Cathy Maxwell
| Verdict: Pretty fun! Overall, I enjoyed reading this!. At the beginning it kind of cycled through a few tropes before it landed on what this book really was going to be – marriage of convenience. I was compelled by the character’s personal struggles and how they were entwined with one another. A foundling child, a baby with a mistress, a decades-long grudge… etc. My main gripe about it was the timing. Why did this all have to take place within a week? It could have taken place over a month or two and the story wouldn’t have changed much and the romance would have made a lot more sense. Everything would have been more convincing if it hadn’t happened so fast. |
Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet
Verdict: Liked it!
Interesting book; definitely takes on some hard issues and tries to put it in a romance. Also want to note that this is not a sports romance, even though the cover would hint that it is.
The romance was cute! I liked the characters.
I didn’t like how heavy the mental health aspect was. TW for suicide.
Meg Loves Words 