Happy May! Posting my March and April reading wrap-up today. Hope you find a new book to enjoy!
Genre: Age-Gap Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
Format: Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: Solène is a divorced mother of a preteen and rapidly approaching age 40. After taking her daughter to a VIP meet-and-greet, she also begins rapidly falling for a 20-year-old boy band member. Cue equal parts passion, steam, heartbreak, and a triumphant tale of reclaiming yourself.
Quick Review: This book has been on my TBR for over three years and I see it RAVED about at least once a month in various book clubs, podcasts, and blog posts. Y’all, the hype is real. Solène and Hayes were made for each other and their chemistry is on fire. If you blush easily, your cheeks will be tomato red the entire book. You can’t help but root for Solène as she navigates this passionate love affair, and in the process, rediscovers her sense of self. Her reluctance to date. Suffice it to say, I had the biggest book hangover from this book.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who is a One Direction groupie. Anyone who loves a famous/non-famous person romance trope. Anyone who needs hope after a divorce.
Genre: Thriller
Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: Claire and Jack are set to marry at an intimate family ceremony on a secluded Italian island. She’s an up-and-coming artist; he’s an heir to an ultra wealthy family business. Everyone is set to celebrate when an unexpected break-in sets off a series of very foreboding chain reactions the week leading up to their wedding.
Quick Review: I saw someone on Goodreads say “the story line is kind of what I imagine it would look like for a child to drop 300 mentos into a massive thing of coke and then just sit and watch it.” It’s truly just a string of absurd events leading up to a wedding that I’m not entirely sure why we were attending in the first place. Every figurative (and literal) skeleton they’ve ever hidden in their closets comes out the week of their wedding. It was a lot and each time, I truly couldn’t believe the wedding wasn’t canceled - in fact, the wedding was moved up several time. A bit too all over the place for me.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who wants another The Guest List type book. Anyone who likes a lot of layers and characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and MIRA Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Magical Realism
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
Format: Hardcover
Quick Synopsis: In the midst of grief, Katy embarks on a solo trip to Italy after her mother Carol sadly passes away. Katy hopes to feel her mother’s spirit with her as she travels to Positano, a place her mother visited before she became the woman Katy knew her as. In a magical twist, Katy meets a sun-kissed 30-year old version of her mother, alive in more ways than one, who helps her to learn more about herself and her mother than she could have ever imagined.
Quick Review: Meeting your parent before they became your parent? The premise alone is reason enough to read this book. Rebecca Serle masters this premise with such ease and magic. Serle creates a perfect blend of poignant and heartwarming moments that are packaged in short but impactful and thought-provoking stories. While I am not sure I cared for some of Katy's actions or certain sub-plots, I appreciate how the book ended and the message that others can wave and cheer, but no one can give you directions in this long marathon we call love and life. Oh, and by the way, this book will make you THIRSTY... Pairs well with a tall glass of freshly squeezed ice cold lemonade.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who wants to live, eat, and breathe Italy. Anyone who has lost a parent. Anyone who enjoyed In Five Years.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genre: Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: Within the span of one year, Elsie falls in love, elopes, becomes a widow, and navigates her grief alongside her late husband's mother, who didn't even know her son had gotten married, let alone was dating someone.
Quick Review: I consider TJR an auto-buy and one of my favorite authors, but Forever, Interrupted unfortunately didn’t do it for me. I’m finding it hard to pinpoint exactly what I liked and didn’t like about Forever, Interrupted. I think part of the reason for this is because the book just really didn’t evoke any sort of reaction, positive or negative, from me. Yes, of course it is devastating for Elsie to lose the love of her life in Ben, but as a reader, this fact is just given to us at the very beginning, and we are able to cope a little better with his death than Elsie or Susan ever could. Despite some of my misgivings about Forever, Interrupted, this is TJR’s debut novel, and while I feel it wasn’t her strongest, I think that is a good thing. It just goes to show how much her storytelling and has grown in each of her subsequent books.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who has read a newer TJR book. Anyone who needs a good cry. Anyone who prefers to stay in on New Year's Eve.
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Hardcover
Quick Synopsis: Four generations of deeply flawed women; first came Etta, who abandoned Cecilia, who abandoned Blythe, who is determined not to abandon Violet. What follows is a disturbing psychological drama about motherhood, as Blythe, a woman who never wanted to be a mother but becomes one anyways, struggles her way through with little support. Not to mention Violet just isn't like other little girls.
Quick Review: I loved Audrain's writing style and flow, which is written as Blythe's raw and immersive letter to her husband (which I often forgot we were reading). I was really in awe of how emotionally vulnerable Blythe was, often bringing light to the things that some mothers may think but never say. One thing I must clear up is that I consider this book literary fiction, not a thriller. Unfortunately, this book is often shelved as a thriller, which meant that I was really waiting for a big reveal or twist that never came. There are very disturbing moments throughout the book and a whole host of trigger warnings, but that does not equal thriller.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who isn't easily triggered. Anyone who is open to learning about all sides of motherhood.
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: Hardcover, Audiobook
Quick Synopsis: According to her coworkers, Eleanor is mental, according to Mummy, she’s worthless, and according to herself, she’s completely fine. But after a serendipitous meeting with the IT guy from work, she’s starting to realize there’s more to life than being completely fine.
Quick Review: The characters made this book. I love that Eleanor has absolutely zero filter. Her frank thoughts and banter with herself often give us hilarious and TMI moments, but they also highlight the sweet and thoughtful moments in life we often take for granted. I also loved Raymond, the IT guy. He was a class example of how to support your friends through the good times and bad. Unfortunately, the pacing and vibe of the story was a bit off for me. It felt a bit offbeat (like an indie movie), which isn’t necessarily bad but it was surprising to me given how popular this book is. It also shifts tone pretty dramatically, which threw me for a loop.
Who Should Read This: Anyone who liked The Rosie Project. Anyone not afraid of some serious mental health trigger warnings. Anyone who wants a less crass version of Fleabag.
Genre: A Love Story wrapped up in a Mystery
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
Format: Hardcover
Quick Synopsis: After a scary diagnosis, Emma is determined to beat cancer for her husband and daughter. Her husband, and obituary writer, Leo, copes with this distressing news the only way he knows how - by researching and writing about his wife’s life. But what Emma’s told Leo about her life turns out to be very different than what he finds out…
Quick Review: This book was difficult to rate, hence the three and a half stars. Things I liked: When Leo discovers a missing file folder, I NEEDED to know exactly what was in it! I was truly hooked. Walsh has some great storytelling and writing chops. Described as a love story wrapped up in a mystery, it would make a great book club pick - a little bit of something for everyone - and with so much potential for insightful discussion on love and life. Things I didn't like: Despite my being hooked, the pacing was a little all over, jumping between Leo and Emma, from the past to the present. This pacing threw me off a bit, making the whole book a little difficult to follow, including my having to reread several sections. I also felt like there was a real missed opportunity at the end of the book by not including Leo’s obituary for Emma, regardless whether it was finished or published (and not to worry this isn’t a spoiler).
Who Should Read This: Anyone who missed their dream calling as a paparazzi or marine biologist or obituary writer. Anyone who wants a good book discussion book. Anyone who can forgive easily.
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