Aw this was such a cute (surprise pregnancy) romance, and I loved the audiobook narration.
What I liked: – The characters- both Win & Bo were super likable, I enjoyed the development, and the side characters really popped off the page too – Lots of light banter – Just in general, a cozy, feel-good romance – The disability rep (I especially appreciated the author’s forward)
What I disliked – I felt like the tension in the last third of the book flagged a little bit and in general, this book felt a little longer than it needed to be.
Overall, if you’re looking for what I would classify as a cozy pregnancy romance with spicy bits, I highly recommend this one (especially the audiobook!)
So, I loved Beach Read, I *adored* Book Lovers, and I very much did not like People We Meet on Vacation. That said, this ranks as my least favorite Emily Henry book and I can now say with confidence that her books are truly hit or miss for me.
The writing was beautiful of course, as always, but this book just plays against a lot of my personal preferences, so I probably should’ve DNF’d it around the 20% mark. In general though, this book is just so very *sad.*
It’s split between flashbacks of two people falling in love and fast-forwarding to present day where they are broken up and heartbroken. Honestly, the rest of the book is just background for the sadness, and it does not let up until about the last 2%. And Harriet’s career resolution just… didn’t quite land right for me.
Mostly this book felt like watching your best friends break up in slow motion, and I felt I was marinating in a downer, so I actually charged through the last 40% at like warp speed so I could put it behind me. But there are plenty of other people who loved this book, so if you’re an Emily Henry fan, this might be for you!
Geez. I REALLY need to read something light now.
⭐⭐⭐
This is a reminder that if you think you should DNF a book, you probably should.
This is another of those books that wasn’t really for me. There are two stories in this one—present day and 1940s, but we already know from the start that the 1940s story ends tragically, and for me, it felt like watching a tragedy in slow motion. While well-written, both stories had elements of insta-love. While I did enjoy the twist at the end, this one overall was just too bittersweet for me. But if you like historical fiction with a bittersweet ending this could be for you!
⭐⭐⭐½
Okay, I’ll admit, I’ve had a hard time finding my cup of tea lately, but it’s not one with a bittersweet flavor for sure.
This was soooo cute. Once I started reading I really couldn’t put it down. While the “small town mom falls for a movie star” feels pretty classic, I loved the characters, the quick writing style, and there were a few moments that suprised me. I will say the miscommunication trope is a little heavy-handed, and its impact lasted longer than I thought was really reasonable. But still recommended for anyone looking for a fast-paced romance with deep themes that just flows.
⭐⭐⭐⭐¾
Totally on the sweet romance train, and not mad about it.
What I liked: – The characters – The themes of accepting yourself and braving failure – Lots of well-executed romance tropes
What I didn’t like: – Self-awareness of tropes (I’ve seen this a lot recently and it always takes me out of the story) – A little cheesiness in the dialogue between the couple and… that final scene between them was a little cringe for me.
Recommended for anyone looking for a solid romance!
⭐⭐⭐⭐¾
Why yes, I will absolutely accept a well-done sweet romance, thank you very much.
Since I flew through this series, I combined the reviews for five books currently out into one post.
Book One
So… I saw the Netflix show when it first came out and loved it. Finally got around to reading the graphic novel, and my god, how is it EVEN BETTER THAN THE SHOW?! (I mean, really, I should’ve expected this, the book is almost always better than the show/movie, but the show set such a high bar!)
Sweet, YA romance perfection I would recommend to literally everyone. My only warning is there’s totally a cliffhanger (thank goodness I have seen the show for that reason,) and I cannot WAIT to read the rest of the series. (5 stars)
Book Two
Just as adorable as book one and I’m honestly blown away by how faithful an adaption the Netflix show is! Onward to book 3! (5 stars)
Book Three
Cutest series ever continues to be the cutest series ever. I can’t believe I didn’t read these sooner! (5 stars)
Book Four
Another cute installment of the Heartstopper series! I really appreciate how they took on mental health issues in this one, and there were some really sweet moments, but I felt like the majority of this volume was told through journal entries in a narrative flashback style instead of experiencing the events in the moment with the characters. I’m not a huge flashback fan, so I didn’t love this one quite as much as the first three. Overall though, definitely recommend for fans of the series, and I’m definitely excited to read vol 5! (4 stars)
Book Five
Another cute installment of the Heartstopper series that tackles hurdles (in per the usual, an amazingly sweet and tactful manner) like applying to college, long distance, and physical intimacy. I read this in one sitting and definitely recommend for all Heartstopper fans. Can’t wait to see what volume six brings, and hoping for more seasons of the show as well!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh my gosh, after that INTENSE reading slump, these books were such a relieving breath of fresh air. My only complaint is that I want more!
I have big mixed feelings on this one. Regency romance isn’t really my thing generally, but I found a “most popular series” list and I’d tried nearly all of them, so my completionist self is now exploring the last few I missed.
I really liked the comedic sense of the gossip papers and the light-hearted writing style. But honestly there’s two big plot points (see spoilers below) that were (and I don’t use this word lightly) problematic and definitely not romantic.
Highlight to See Spoiler
I mean the brothers forcing Simon to marry Daphne at gunpoint, and Daphne herself manipulating him just felt so… ugh. And then… Daphne makes it her mission to *change* Simon even after he’s very explicit with her about what he does and does not want. When he doesn’t bend, she forces herself on him while he’s drunk and asleep. O_O
If not for those things, I think I could’ve enjoyed this or might read the sequels one day, but those two big elements just left my skin crawling. So… yeah. Not for me. But if you’re a regency romance fan or a fan of the Netflix seris, it could be for you!
⭐⭐⭐
I mean, at this point, the slump is really my fault for choosing books based on a “most popular” list. But I want to be informed!
What I liked: Wes. I totally wished this had been a dual POV! Wes is so obviously head over heels with Liz from the beginning, but he does what he can to help her get what she wants. And he had so many clutch saves when she was in a bind.
What I didn’t like: Liz. The clueless heroine is one of my least favorite tropes and I got pretty impatient with her. She goes through a big lying phase, treats her best friend poorly, does the whole “makeover for a guy” thing, gives the “it’s complicated” excuse for not communicating, and doesn’t treat Wes very well.
Neutral: This book was chock FULL of pop culture, movie, and song references. I don’t really have any strong feelings about them, but I know some do so I’m throwing it in here.
I don’t think this one was really for me, but if you’re interested in a classic-feeling YA romance, it might be for you!
⭐⭐⭐¼
At 3 “not-for-me” books in a row, I think I can’t deny that I’ve entered into the dreaded reading slump.
I’m a sucker for a time loop, and I liked Solomon’s Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, so I picked this one up. Overall, I think it was a satisfying new adult romance with slowburn type of romance, but I also thought it was on the slow side and kind of predictable. The audiobook was well-narrated, so if you’re looking for a college time loop story very similar to Palm Springs with sweet but awkward protagonists, give this one a try.
⭐⭐⭐½
Where are all my breakneck pace books at? I need you in my life.
Willa. The mental gymnastics she does to convince herself that Ryder has wronged her and not to really communicate is super frustrating. Especially when she’s relatively aware she’s the problem, but continues to be the problem.
The “frenemies” thing here didn’t quite work for me, since I thought it was pretty clear they were friends/into each other from the start.
In general, there were lot of good elements here that just didn’t quite gel for me. If you’re looking for a new adult college romance with some spice though, you might want to give it a try.
Hayley Reese Chow 