“Plowed: A Claus and Holly Story” (Jingled All the Way #2) by M.L. Eliza (ARC Review)

Eliza, M.L. Plowed: A Claus and Holly Story. [Place of publication not identified]: Marie Lipscomb, 2022.

ASIN: B0BLM868YZ | $0.99 USD | 45 pages | Erotic Romance 

Blurb 

Dating Santa Claus was never in Holly’s life plan, but six months into their relationship, she can’t imagine a better life. Claus is the perfect guy; sweet, kind, passionate. There’s only one hitch: his job, making billions of toys every year, keeps him in his workshop when he should be in the bedroom.

When Holly suggests a romantic vacation, it seems she has found the perfect solution. But trying to relax when you’re dating the world’s most recognizable man is easier said than done.

***

Plowed is a short, erotic story following the events of Santa Claus is Going to Town on Me also by M.L. Eliza. It features a plus-sized hero and heroine in an already established relationship.

In the series

#1 Santa Claus is Going to Town on Me

Review 

5 stars 

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Sexy Santa is back in action (hehe) in M.L. Eliza’s Plowed: A Claus and Holly Story. A direct sequel to last year’s Santa Claus Is Going to Town on Me, it captures the same magic that made the first one simultaneously super sweet and super sexy. 

While the plot is not what you’re coming to these books for, I did like how the story elements complement the sexy bits, and feel consistent with the established lore. Claus and Holly are still very much happy and in love, and having lots of sex, but they’re struggling to navigate the increased pressure the impending holiday season is putting on their relationship. And even their attempt to unwind fails, as Santa can’t exactly go on vacation and not attract attention (although most people don’t realize he’s the real Santa). 

Ultimately, I loved the believable way they worked through this rough patch, managing to make time for each other and their relationship, while still finding a way for Santa to fulfill his responsibilities in a new, innovative way. 

This is another deliciously steamy  holiday treat, and if you enjoyed the first book, or if you’re a fan of the “sexy Santa” archetype, I recommend picking this one up! 

Author Bio

Marie specializes in writing romances with plus sized heroines and plus sized heroes. She the author of the Hearts of Blackmere and Vixens Rock series as Marie Lipscomb, and also writes short, bonkers, high-heat romances including No Getting Ogre You and Santa Claus is Going to Town on Me under the pen name M.L. Eliza. 

Website

Buy on Amazon

“Three Cowboys and a Baby” (Three Cowboys #1) by Kate Pearce (ARC Review)

Pearce, Kate. Three Cowboys and a Baby. New York: Zebra, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1420154948 | $8.99 USD | 352 pages | Contemporary Romance 

Blurb

Inspired by the 1980’s classic hit, Three Men and a Baby, New York Times bestselling author Kate Pearce introduces a trio of former Marines-turned cowboys working and living the ranch life. Everybody knows a real cowboy doesn’t back down from a challenge—even when that means midnight tears and diaper changes for an unexpected arrival…

When an old military buddy turns up at the ranch he shares with two friends, Noah Harding never imagines the friend will skip out overnight and leave his baby boy behind. Noah will have some choice parenting advice to offer when the baby’s mother turns up, but until then, he’ll do his best to take care of the little one. Yet when a relieved Jen finally tracks down her son, Noah realizes the story is more complicated than he thought. And soon, so are his feelings for Jen . . .

Jen Rossi doesn’t expect much from her unreliable ex, but she’s shocked to return from an extended mission and discover he’s abandoned their son with three men she doesn’t know. Not that Noah isn’t doing a good job as fill-in daddy. In fact, there seems to be very little the straight-talking cowboy can’t do. And with a winter storm settling in, and close quarters making it impossible to deny their chemistry, this temporary solution might just become the key to forever . . .

Review 

4 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

While not one of my favorite movies, I distinctly remember watching Three Men and a Baby at least once years ago and being charmed by the premise. So, when I saw a romance called Three Cowboys and a Baby, I had to give it a go.

I admit the charm of seeing these three men step up and take care of the abandoned baby when their friend/his father leaves him behind, it’s somewhat more than that. It’s not outright ridiculous, as I initially anticipated, but more heartfelt, and about how the men step up when their friend doesn’t. I will say, Dave, the baby’s father, is kind of an ass, and I did question how Luke and the other two could have ever been his friends. 

Jen intrigued me, because initially there was this question on Luke and the others’ part of how both parents could abandon Sky. But Jen is also in the military as an active duty nurse, and has recently returned from a mission, only to find her ex had dropped him. I thought that added an interesting dynamic, exploring the complexities of being in a military family when both parents are in different branches…and that’s not even taking into account that a parent could just flake out on their parental responsibilities without notifying the other about Sky’s whereabouts. 

I really liked seeing the dynamics between Noah and Jen as they come together over their mutual care for Sky. While both are mutually distrusting of each other at first (and with good reason), I appreciate how they come to care for each other while spending time together. 

This is a charming start to a series, and I look forward to what’s next. If you enjoy contemporary Western romance and/or romances with babies and parenting as a bonding mechanism to bring the couple together, I recommend picking this one up! 

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kate Pearce was born in England in the middle of a large family of girls and quickly found that her imagination was far more interesting than real life. After acquiring a degree in history and barely escaping from the British Civil Service alive, she moved to California and then to Hawaii with her kids and her husband and set about reinventing herself as a romance writer.

She is known for both her unconventional heroes and her joy at subverting romance clichés. In her spare time she self publishes science fiction erotic romance, historical romance, and whatever else she can imagine. You can find Kate on https://katepearce.com.

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Omega and the Legend of La Lechuza” by Laekan Zea Kemp (Review)

Kemp, Laekan Zea. Omega and the Legend of La Lechuza. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-0316304160 | $16.99 USD | 330 pages | MG Fantasy 

Blurb 

Fans of The Girl Who Drank the Moon, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, and Disney’s Encanto will be captivated by this fantastical novel about a girl who must learn to trust her ancestral powers when she comes face-to-face with the Mexican legend La Lechuza.

Omega Morales’s family has been practicing magic for centuries in Noche Buena. But over the years, the town’s reputation for the supernatural is no longer one the people carry with pride. So Omega’s family keeps to themselves, and in private, they’re Empaths—diviners who can read and manipulate the emotions of people and objects around them. But Omega’s powers don’t quite work, and it leaves her feeling like an outsider in her own family.

When a witch with the power to transform herself into an owl—known in Mexican folklore as La Lechuza—shows up unannounced, Omega, her best friend Clau (who happens to be a ghost), and her cousin Carlitos must conduct a séance under a full moon in order to unravel the mystery of the legend.

Suddenly Omega’s magic begins to change, and the key to understanding her powers is more complicated than she thought. Omega will have to decide what’s more important—trusting the instincts of others or learning to trust in herself.

Review 

4 stars 

Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza is Laekan Zea Kemp’s middle grade debut, after having previously written YA. And while I was already interested in this book, I was even more determined to give this book some love (even if it would be belated) after the double-whammy of it being impacted by the “business decision on B&N’s part impacting new-release hardcovers for YA and middle grade debut and midlisters, plus the absolute fiasco that occurred with an indie bookstore that she’d partnered with for a book launch. And with comparisons to such titans like Tehlor Kay Mejia’s Paola Santiago series and even  Encanto, I really hope that readers are able to find out about it in spite of the obstacles, as it’s a lot of fun. 

As the title implies, there’s a Mexican folklore element embedded in the narrative. I wasn’t familiar with La Lechuza before, but I love the way Kemp infuses the legends about it in a way that both informs and entertains, perhaps even inspiring readers to seek out more information. There are some other creatures that are somewhat more well known, like alebrijes and ghosts, and I liked seeing the way Omega and her family interacted with them. 

Similar to many middle grade low/urban fantasies, Kemp also creates a balance between the fantastical and the real through the protagonist. Omega seems pretty normal in some respects, going to school and dealing with typical kid responsibilities. But all her family are gifted, which the rest of the citizens of Noche Buena are aware of. However, she’s also an outsider within the family due to her powers being rather unstable, and being half-human. 

Omega’s growth is pretty solid throughout. She reckons with a lot of grief at the loss of her mother, and I liked seeing her come into her own and find herself and her place within her family. I also really liked her bonds with her friends, Carlitos and  the ghostly Clau. 

The mystery surrounding La Lechuza is intriguing, and I like that it culminated in a reveal of the more complex nature to her beneath the monstrousness. 

I enjoyed this a lot, and I hope there’s more to come! If you’re looking for a diverse middle grade fantasy that will give you Encanto vibes, I recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. Her debut novel, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet was a 2022 Pura Belpré Honor Recipient. In addition to writing she’s also the creator and host of the Author Pep Talks podcast, as well as a contributor to the Las Musas podcast. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicane grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.

Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Book People (signed copies)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“The Heretic Royal” (The Scarred Earth Saga #3) by G.A. Aiken (ARC Review)

Aiken, G.A. The Heretic Royal. New York: Kensington, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1496735089 | $16.95 USD | 304 pages | Fantasy Romance 

Blurb 

In the G.A. Aiken’s fantasy follow up to the USA Todaybestselling Scarred Earth Saga’s The Princess Knight and The Blacksmith Queen, two sisters battle for a single throne, warring factions take up arms, a land is divided, and uncertain allies become very certain lovers . . . With subtle commentary on today’s political polarization, this riveting epic celebrates strong female characters and champions the underdog within a diverse, high fantasy framework.

Gods save the queen!

Ainsley Farmerson has always planned to break free of the family business—and the family drama. But what was once farming, smithworking, and bickering over the dinner table has turned into open warfare between sisters. Sides have been taken, lives are on the line, and Ainsley has no doubt which sister must be queen. She’ll do whatever is necessary to take down the soulless Beatrix. Even if that means joining forces with angry battle nuns, irritating monks, and overbearing centaurs.

Gruffyn of the Torn Moon Clan has no time for human beings. And yet . . . there is something about the uncontrollable princess that he can’t ignore. Maybe it’s the way her eldest sisters underestimate her. Or her bravery facing down dragons and mad queens from distant lands. Whatever the reason, Gruff is willing to fight by this human’s side. Not only for the entertainment value, but because she’s right. Beatrix must never be queen. So whatever he has to do, whoever he has to destroy, Gruff will battle beside Ainsley. Fast. Hard. And with absolutely no mercy . . .

In the series

#1 The Blacksmith Queen

#2 The Princess Knight

Review 

2 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

The Heretic Royal continues the trend from the previous book in the series of being rather bland and dull. There are some small elements I did still like, but they were mostly related to the fantasy aspect. The Mad Queen, for example, was a cool character, and I did generally like the focus on her. 

The world remains pretty interesting-ish…but I’m not sure if it’s enough to keep me invested in this continuing saga of nothingness on the romance side of things. 

But who are the main characters supposed to be again? The only thing I remember about the hero is that his name is Gruff, and that pretty much sums up who he is too…he’s, well, gruff. And I can’t think of anything remarkable about Ainsley either. 

While I can see how G.A. Aiken’s writing, including this series, works for others, I’ve decided that this series at least isn’t for me. And given much of her other work under high pen names  is paranormal or urban fantasy, I’m unlikely to pick up anything else from her. But if her style and subgenre appeals to you, and you enjoyed the first two books, you might enjoy this more than I did. 

Author Bio

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author G.A. Aiken lives on the West Coast and spends most of her time writing and making sure her rescued Pittie doesn’t love everyone into a coma. When she’s not writing about sexy dragons, she’s writing about sexy wolf, lion, tiger, and other fang-filled predators under the name Shelly Laurenston. Find out more about this New York Times and USA Today Bestselling authors books at www.shellylaurenston.com.

G.A. Aiken Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Never Cross a Highlander” (Shadow Lairds #1) by Lisa Rayne (ARC Review)

Rayne, Lisa. Never Cross a Highlander. Shrewsbury, PA: Entangled Publishing, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1649371164 | $5.99 USD | 400 pages | Historical Romance 

Blurb 

Ailsa Connery has waited three long years to finally escape her enslavement at Stirling Castle and reunite with her clan. But all her carefully laid plans are completely destroyed by the arrival of the fierce, Highland warrior known as Dubh Mahoun, the Black Devil, who has plans of his own. 

Kallum MacNeill’s fearsome reputation has long allowed him to keep hidden his secret double life of freeing enslaved captives across the land. Only, it works against him when he inadvertently kidnaps a servant lass he assumed had gone astray from the group he’d come to free. When he discovers she has plans to head in the opposite direction, he can’t leave her to travel alone…or risk her exposing his true identity. Escorting a lone woman should be easy, if only the beauty didn’t oppose him at every turn.

As they make their way to the Highlands—one feisty hellion fighting the strong, prideful devil—their heated sparring leads to heat of a totally different kind. But the perils Kallum must face to get Ailsa home, safely and untouched, are nowhere near as dangerous as what lies in wait for them…

Review 

4 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

Never Cross a Highlander caught my attention from the moment the cover was revealed. While I’m not super into Highlander romances, I love stories set outside the Regency and historicals following nonwhite characters, and this book promised both. 

The politics of the period this is set in is so interesting, what with it being set early on in the 17th century and early into the Union of the Crowns. I’ve read a bit about it from the English perspective (like the Gunpowder Plot), but I was intrigued to read an albeit fictional portrayal of Scotland during the time that their king had also accepted the throne of England for comparison. 

And the role Black people played at this time was also well-explored, with the text touching on the role of the slave trade at the time, and being inspired by the presence of Black people in Scotland (as well as the British Isles, and Europe more generally) at the time that many mainstream historians don’t talk about. 

Kallum and Ailsa are both compelling characters. Kallum in particular is interesting in his mission to help captured enslaved people escape and find freedom in a similar manner that he did. He is well intentioned and believes Ailsa needs his help, even though she insists she doesn’t. 

While Ailsa was planning her own escape, she does have opportunities of her own she is already pursuing, and I like that she wasn’t a persecuted victim, in spite of her circumstances, but was resourceful with a mind of her own. 

The tropes included here could have been very hit-or-miss, depending on how they were handled, especially as he kidnaps her (albeit accidentally). But she retains her agency, and I like how the narrative sees them at loggerheads on their journey together initially, with it developing into a romance over time as they travel together and get to know each other. 

This is a refreshingly original story, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for Black characters in historical romance. 

Author Bio

Lisa Rayne is an award-winning author who loves sports, movies, music, and books. An avid reader, the only thing she likes more than curling up with a good book is writing one. She earned a Top 10 Finalist berth in the prestigious, global Harlequin® “So You Think You Can Write” Contest with her first manuscript and is a 4-time EMMA Award winner. 

Lisa practiced intellectual property, entertainment, and media law for many years before she decided to start producing her own creative works instead of simply representing others who did. She provides readers with romantic fiction featuring smart, sexy characters of diverse backgrounds and cultures.

She currently lives in the Midwest and has two daughters.

Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Aces Wild” by Amanda DeWitt (Review)

DeWitt, Amanda. Aces Wild. Atlanta: Peachtree Teen, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1682634660 | $17.99 USD | 345 pages | YA Thriller

Blurb 

What happens in Vegas when an all-asexual online friend group attempts to break into a high-stakes gambling club? Shenanigans ensue.

Some people join chess club, some people play football. Jack Shannon runs a secret blackjack ring in his private school’s basement. What else is the son of a Las Vegas casino mogul supposed to do?

Everything starts falling apart when Jack’s mom is arrested for their family’s ties to organized crime. His sister Beth thinks this is the Shannon family’s chance to finally go straight, but Jack knows that something’s not right. His mom was sold out, and he knows by who. Peter Carlevaro: rival casino owner and jilted lover. Gross.

Jack hatches a plan to find out what Carlevaro’s holding over his mom’s head, but he can’t do it alone. He recruits his closest friends—the asexual support group he met through fandom forums. Now all he has to do is infiltrate a high-stakes gambling club and dodge dark family secrets, while hopelessly navigating what it means to be in love while asexual. Easy, right?

A wild romp told in a can’t-look-away-from voice, Aces Wild is packed with internet friend hijinks and ace representation galore!

Review 

4 stars 

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own. 

My attention was drawn by the premise of Aces Wild: a heist run by an entirely asexual group of friends?! Yes, please! I also love the pun with “aces,” given the Las Vegas casino setting. 

As someone who only really began to understand my asexuality through online interaction with other asexuals, I love the setup of the book. It’s super sweet to see Jack forming these bonds with people, especially as they are so comparatively affirming and positive compared to his family’s ties to organized crime. But while there are some lovely sentiments about ace identity and the varied expressions among those within the ace spectrum embedded within, I love that it’s not only about the affirmation of being seen when you’re part of a marginalized group, but also about the richness of online bonds for anyone whose interests may be niche or for some reason who they are may not be accepted. With Twitter’s downfall seemingly becoming more likely every day, it’s lovely to have a book that celebrates that. 

And while the book boldly declares on page one that it isn’t a romance, that’s not to say there aren’t romantic relationships, with all their complications that form. I loved the exploration of Jack’s crush on Remy, especially as they’re meeting for the first time. 

And with a lot of Jack’s motivations for wanting to pull off the heist being motivated by his family, I appreciated the way those relationships were fleshed out as well. His mom has been arrested, and I found the way he and his sisters clashed in the wake of that to be very poignant and real. 

While it is billed as “A Heist,” it is a much slower and introspective book, with the actual heisting taking place in the last few chapters or so. However, the characters and their personal issues are compelling enough that I didn’t feel it moved too slowly. 

While I feel the marketing is a bit misleading, I did end up enjoying this book once I realized what it really was. If you’re looking for a fun slow building YA thriller that culminates in a heist and/or a heartwarming and affirming story about Internet-to-IRL friendship among asexuals, I would recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Working in a public library by day and writing books at all hours, Amanda DeWitt is always surrounded by books. When she’s not writing, she enjoys drawing, Dungeons & Dragon-ing, and also writing, just not whatever it is she really should be writing. When she is writing, she’s always looking to try something new—but anything funny is a good bet.  She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida.

Amanda lives in Clearwater, Florida with her two dogs, two cats, and a handful of chickens. She’s represented by Cate Hart at Harvey Klinger Literary Agency.

Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Almost There” (Twisted Tales) by Farrah Rochon (Review)

Rochon, Farrah. Almost There. Los Angeles: Disney-Hyperion, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1368077569 | $18.99 USD | 456 pages | YA Historical Fantasy 

Blurb 

What if Tiana made a deal with the Shadow Man? 

Sometimes, life in the Big Easy is tough. No one knows that better than Tiana, though she also believes that hard work can go a long way. But when the notorious Dr. Facilier backs her into a corner, she has no other choice but to accept an offer that will alter the course of her life in an instant.

Soon Tiana finds herself in a new reality where all her deepest desires are realized―she finally gets her restaurant, her friends are safe and sound, and, perhaps most miraculous of all, her beloved father is still alive. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted…

But after a while, her hometown grows increasingly eerie, with new threats cropping up from unlikely places. Navigating through this strange new New Orleans, Tiana must work alongside Naveen and Charlotte to set things right―or risk losing everything she holds dear. 

Review 

4 stars 

I’ve never been the biggest Princess and the Frog fan…it was one of those movies that passed me by at the time of release. However, I am a Farrah Rochon fan, and I was excited that she had been asked to write Almost There, Tiana’s entry for the Twisted Tales. Picking this up while watching the film was fun, and added a lot to the story. 

I love that the story is centered on a specific moment of the film, where she is tempted with a deal from Facilier to make her dreams come true, in exchange for surrendering the magic locket. While the original outcome from the film is much more in-character for her, this version adds some extra temptation by bringing her father back to life. Her relationship with her father, and the fact that she wants to open her own restaurant both to accomplish her own dreams and his, are so pivotal to her character, it’s understandable why she might be a bit more tempted to take the deal, even if she’s seen the drawbacks to making deals with Facilier. 

And I love the facets of her new dream-world, especially how all her friends play roles in it, before things take a darker turn. Louis being turned human to play in the band is a particularly fun touch. 

The characters and their relationships are well rendered as well. Tiana’s relationship with her father is particularly sweet, even if it does take a turn for the more bittersweet as the story progresses. I really liked seeing new dimensions to Tiana’s relationships with both Charlotte and Naveen as well. And even Facilier is fleshed out a bit more…he’s still the bad guy, but there’s a greater sense of his relationship with the entities on “the other side.” 

And there are more subtle things about the world building Rochon infuses into the story, making it fully her own. She’s a Black woman from Southern Louisiana, so she’s able to provide context to the experiences on multiple levels, whether it be intimate knowledge of the place and lesser known locations, or provide an authentic portrayal of Black womanhood. 

This is a great companion novel for the original, and I would recommend it to all fans of The Princess and the Frog. 

Author Bio

Farrah Rochon is the USA Today bestselling author of The Boyfriend Project and thirty other romance novels. She hails from south Louisiana and is a two-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA Award, as well as the 2015 winner of the Emma Award for Author of the Year. Her June 2020 novel, The Boyfriend Project, has been lauded by O, The Oprah Magazine as a must-read Black romance novel, as well as by Cosmopolitan as a Best Romance Novel of 2020. Almost There is her YA debut.

Website (also see here for options to buy signed copies)

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Love from Mecca to Mecca to Medina” by S.K. Ali (Review)

Ali, S.K. Love from Mecca to Medina. New York Salaam Reads, 2022. 

ISBN-13: 978-1665916073 | $19.99 USD | 344 pages | YA Contemporary Romance 

Blurb 

On the trip of a lifetime, Adam and Zayneb must find their way back to each other in this surprising and romantic sequel to the “bighearted, wildly charming” (Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author) Love from A to Z. 

Adam and Zayneb. Perfectly matched. Painfully apart.

Adam is in Doha, Qatar, making a map of the Hijra, a historic migration from Mecca to Medina, and worried about where his next paycheck will come from. Zayneb is in Chicago, where school and extracurricular stresses are piling on top of a terrible frenemy situation, making her miserable.

Then a marvel occurs: Adam and Zayneb get the chance to spend Thanksgiving week on the Umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia. Adam is thrilled; it’s the reboot he needs and an opportunity to pray for a hijra in real life: to migrate to Zayneb in Chicago. Zayneb balks at the trip at first, having envisioned another kind of vacation, but then decides a spiritual reset is calling her name too. And they can’t wait to see each other—surely, this is just what they both need.

But the trip is nothing like what they expect, from the appearance of Adam’s former love interest in their traveling group to the anxiety gripping Zayneb when she’s supposed to be “spiritual.” As one wedge after another drives them apart while they make their way through rites in the holy city, Adam and Zayneb start to wonder: was their meeting just an oddity after all? Or can their love transcend everything else like the greatest marvels of the world?

Review 

4 stars 

I really enjoyed Love from A to Z, and how unapologetically Muslim it was. The recently released follow up, Love from Mecca to Medina is just as much so, if not even more, as it follows Adam and Zayneb as they receive the opportunity to take the Umrah, or the sacred pilgrimage from Mecca to Medina. 

It can be a challenge to write an “after happily ever after” story, but S.K. finds  that balance, as she explores Adam and Zayneb’s spiritual journeys and their desire to stay connected to each other in a deeper sense, when the material world’s pressures are working against them. 

I appreciated the way their struggles fighting their respective demons were navigated. Zayneb in particular is struggling with insecurities thanks to an unwelcome appearance from a former romantic interest of Adam’s, and he’s a bit too naive about it and not doing enough to firmly set boundaries. However, Adam also has his own insecurities that he navigates throughout the book as well. 

I did feel a bit mixed about the change in structure from the first book, having preferred the journal format more. The writing style is different as well, and did make it a bit harder to become truly engrossed in at times. 

This is a wonderful book, and proves that love, romance, and Mecca do indeed go together, “as together as the whole person who told you this story.” (Ali 42) If you’re looking for a romance with great Muslim rep, this book (like its predecessor) is worth the read! 

Author Bio

S. K. Ali is the author of Saints and Misfits, a finalist for the American Library Association’s 2018 William C. Morris Award and the winner of the APALA Honor Award and Middle East Book Honor Award; and Love from A to Z, a Today show Read with Jenna Book Club selection. Both novels were named best YA books of the year by various media including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. She is also the author of Misfit in Love and Love from Mecca to Medina. You can find Sajidah online at https://skalibooks.com and follow her on Instagram @SKAliBooks, TikTok @SKAliBooks, and on Twitter at @SajidahWrites.

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller” by Meredith Ireland (Review)

Ireland, Meredith. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller. New York: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2022.

ISBN-13: 978-1665906975 | $19.99 USD | 282 pages | YA Contemporary Romance 

Blurb 

Today Tonight Tomorrow meets A Pho Love Story in this whip-smart young adult novel about a girl who embarks on a road trip with her longtime rival to win back her best friend and his girlfriend.

There’s no one Kelsie Miller hates more than Eric Mulvaney Ortiz—the homecoming king, captain of the football team, and academic archrival in her hyper-competitive prep school. But after Kelsie’s best friend, Briana, moves across the country and stops speaking to her, she’ll do anything, even talk to Eric, to find out why.

After they run into each other—literally—at the last high school party of the summer, Eric admits he’s been ghosted by his girlfriend, Jessica. Kelsie tells him she’s had zero contact from Briana since she left their upstate New York town.

Suddenly, a plan is formed: they’ll go on a road trip to the University of Pennsylvania the following week when both Briana and Jessica will be on campus. Together, they’ll do whatever it takes to win back their exes.

What could go wrong?

Used to succeeding in everything, Kelsie and Eric assume they’ll naturally figure out the details on the drive down. What they don’t expect is that the person they actually need may be the one sitting next to them.

Review 

4 stars 

I really liked Meredith Ireland’s debut, so I was on-board for anything she would write next. Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller further piqued my interest due to its fun premise of academic rivals-to-lovers on a road trip. It’s also more than that, as both of them are reckoning with breakups and the concept of growing up and moving on. 

One thing I love about Meredith Ireland’s books so far is that her characters are adoptees, but that doesn’t define their story arc. Like Jasmine of Ireland’s first book, Kelsie is adopted, but she’s very much content with her family situation. She’s also demisexual, which is always great to see normalized, and I love the way it materializes in the intensity of the broken friendship she’s still reckoning with. It’s beautiful to see her come to understand why her childhood best friend ghosted her, take accountability, and try to move on. 

I also really liked how her connection with Eric developed. While they have clashed over academic competition in the past, I appreciate how losing someone they care about puts them on even footing, allowing them to bond in a sweet, believable way. 

I enjoyed this book, and Meredith Ireland is slowly becoming a must-read author for me. If you enjoy lighthearted, yet thought provoking YA contemporaries, I recommend checking it out! 

Author Bio

Meredith Ireland is a Korean-American attorney and writer, born in Seoul. She is a Rollins College and University of Miami School of Law alumna. She writes young adult and children’s books and is proudly represented by Lauren Spieller of Triadaus Literary Agency. Her debut novel, THE JASMINE PROJECT, was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection, a Best Book of 2021 according to Boston Public Library, and received a starred review from Booklist. Her follow up, EVERYONE HATES KELSIE MILLER, also from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, was named a best book of 2022 by both Forbes and Seventeen Magazine. Her short story will be featured in YOU ARE HERE, a middle grade anthology and the inaugural title of Allida/Clarion coming March 2023. She will also have a short story in ADOPTEE TO ADOPTEE, a YA anthology coming fall 2023, edited by Nicole Chung. EMMA & THE LOVE SPELL, her debut middle grade fantasy will be out in Winter of 2024 from Bloomsbury Children’s Publishing.

Meredith resides in New York with her two children and a county fair goldfish who will probably outlive them all.

Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

Google Play

Apple Books

“Keeper of Enchanted Rooms” (Whimbrel House #1) by Charlie N. Holmberg (Review)

Holmberg, Charlie N. Keeper of Enchanted Rooms. Seattle: 47 North, 2022.

ISBN-13: B09MCY9Y34 | $4.99 USD | 347 pages | Historical Fantasy 

Blurb 

A house of haunted history and ill temper. Make yourself at home in this beguiling novel of love, magic, and danger by Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg.

Rhode Island, 1846. Estranged from his family, writer Merritt Fernsby is surprised when he inherits a remote estate in the Narragansett Bay. Though the property has been uninhabited for more than a century, Merritt is ready to call it home—until he realizes he has no choice. With its doors slamming shut and locking behind him, Whimbrel House is not about to let Merritt leave. Ever.

Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms has been trained in taming such structures in order to preserve their historical and magical significance. She understands the dangers of bespelled homes given to tantrums. She advises that it’s in Merritt’s best interest to make Whimbrel House their ally. To do that, she’ll need to move in, too.

Prepared as she is with augury, a set of magic tools, and a new staff trained in the uncanny, Hulda’s work still proves unexpectedly difficult. She and Merritt grow closer as the investigation progresses, but the house’s secrets run deeper than they anticipated. And the sentient walls aren’t their only concern—something outside is coming for the enchantments of Whimbrel House, and it could be more dangerous than what rattles within.

Review 

4 stars 

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms is the start to a new series from Charlie N. Holmberg. My attention was instantly gripped by the premise, and found a great balance of whimsy and darkness within its pages, blending fantasy, historical, romance, and mystery into an intriguing page-turner of a book. 

The world building and magic system are quite interesting, especially as you as the reader are shown it through the vehicle of a mysterious estate with a life of its own. It’s intriguing to see how such fantastical occurrences are dealt with on a bureaucratic level, especially as that is what brings two of the central characters together. 

I was a bit thrown off at first, as while that makes up the main plotline with Merritt and Hulda, there’s also Silas’ arc running parallel to theirs, and his includes flashbacks (including the introductory chapter). However, the connections between the two become clearer as the story goes on, with Silas becoming a compelling, nuanced antagonist. 

Merritt is a compelling lead, and I love his desire for connections and family, especially since he has been long estranged from the majority of his relatives. Hulda is also largely devoid of major connections, with her work for BIKER being her life. So, to see these two lonely souls bond is beautiful. My only complaint is that their romantic arc is left unresolved, likely to retain some melodrama for the next book. 

This is a solid series starter from Charlie N. Holmberg, and I’m eager to find out what’s next! 

Author Bio

Charlie N. Holmberg is a Wall Street Journal and Amazon Charts bestselling author of fantasy and romance fiction, and writes contemporary romance under C.N. Holmberg. She is published in 20 languages, has been a finalist for a RITA award and multiple Whitney awards, and won the 2020 Whitney for Novel of the Year for Adult Fiction. Born in Salt Lake City, Charlie was raised a Trekkie alongside three sisters who also have boy names. She is a proud BYU alumna, plays the ukulele, and owns too many pairs of glasses. She currently lives with her family in Utah.

Website

Buy links

Bookshop (affiliate link)

Amazon

Barnes & Noble