“Kismat Connection” by Ananya Devarajan (ARC Review)

Devarajan, Ananya. Kismat Connection. Toronto, Ontario: Inkyard Press, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1335453686 | $19.99 USD | 304 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

“A warm, feel good read.” —Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis

“A gorgeous debut.” —Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners 

In this charming YA debut, a girl who’s determined to prove her star chart wrong ropes her longtime best friend into an experimental relationship—not knowing that he has been in love with her for years.
 
Is it possible to change your fate?

Madhuri Iyer is doomed. Doomed for her upcoming senior year to be a total failure, according to her astrology-obsessed mother, and doomed to a happily ever after with her first boyfriend, according to her family curse.

Determined to prove the existence of her free will, Madhuri devises an experimental relationship with the one boy she knows she’ll never fall for: her childhood best friend, Arjun Mehta. But Arjun’s feelings for her are a variable she didn’t account for.

As Madhuri starts to fall for her experimental boyfriend, she’ll have to decide if charting her own destiny is worth breaking Arjun’s heart—and her own.

Review

4 stars 

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

Kismat Connection is a sweet debut romance, and I love how it explores interesting cultural themes, with a dominant one being faith/mysticism vs practicality/science. I love how it leads into this interesting twist on “fake dating,” with Madhuri determined to break tradition and run an experiment to prove everyone wrong. Madhuri feels so realistic in her struggle to navigate her place within her family and culture, when she doesn’t necessarily buy into a lot of their beliefs, and I loved her journey to figuring out when it was worth it to rebel, and when to let fate take the wheel. 

I loved her connection with Arjun, because they have known each other for years as friends. And it was so sweet that he was already in love with her, and she was the one who took time to really see how he felt, and realized she reciprocated (and maybe the prophecy wasn’t as ridiculous as she thought). 

While the romance is the central arc of the book, I liked how the family dynamics shined through. Arjun is very much an honorary member of the Iyer family, and while Madhuri has her differences with the rest of her family, there’s generally positive vibes of love and acceptance between them. 

I enjoyed this book, and look forward to what Ananya Devarajan writes next! If you’re looking for a sweet YA multicultural romance, I recommend checking this one out! 

Author Bio

Ananya Devarajan is in her fourth and final year at the University of California, Irvine, where she is pursuing a major in Neurobiology and Behavior as well as a minor in English. After graduation, she will be attending medical school at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Middletown, New York. Like many of her characters, Ananya is a second-generation Indian American young adult.

Her love for storytelling began on Wattpad, where she grew her audience as a Featured Author, and she later went on to win first place in TeenPit 2019. Now, Ananya writes young adult romance novels featuring chaotic Desi teenagers, swoon-worthy banter, and lighthearted drama with a speculative twist. In her free time, she can be found watching her favorite Bollywood movies or studying for yet another Anatomy exam. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram under the handle @ananyad12.

Her debut novel, KISMAT CONNECTION, will be published on June 13, 2023 by Inkyard Press and HarperCollins. She is represented by the wonderful Ann Leslie Tuttle at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret LLC.

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“Forget Me Not” by Alyson Derrick (Review)

Derrick, Alyson. Forget Me Not. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1665902373 | $19.99 USD | 308 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Five Feet Apart, this tender solo debut by the coauthor of New York Times bestseller She Gets the Girl is a romantic ode to the strength of love and the power of choosing each other, against odds and obstacles, again and again.

What would you do if you forgot the love of your life ever even existed?

Stevie and Nora had a love. A secret, epic, once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. They also had a plan: to leave their small, ultra-conservative town and families behind after graduation and move to California, where they could finally stop hiding that love.

But then Stevie has a terrible fall. And when she comes to, she can remember nothing of the last two years—not California, not coming to terms with her sexuality, not even Nora. Suddenly, Stevie finds herself in a life she doesn’t quite understand, one where she’s estranged from her parents, drifting away from her friends, lying about the hours she works, dating a boy she can’t remember crushing on, and headed towards a future that isn’t at all what her fifteen-year-old self would have envisioned.

And Nora finds herself…forgotten. Can the two beat the odds a second time and find their way back together when “together” itself is just a lost memory?

Review

4 stars

I’ve been curious to see what Alyson Derrick would release next after I really enjoyed the book she co-authored with her wife Rachael Lippincott. And while Forget Me Not is Derrick’s solo debut, it blew me away. 

Amnesia romance  plots can be hard to pull off, especially when you have to convey both the disorientation of the person who lost their memory and the feelings of abandonment of  the person who retains their memories, which is what the blurb of this book promised. But I was satisfied with how Derrick made it work. 

The narrative is conveyed mostly through Stevie’s perspective. I loved how the story conveyed her journey to finding herself again, rediscovering the aspects of herself that she had first articulated in the past two years which she had now lost. To see her assert herself again in what she wants, from her desire to be with Nora to going off to LA and pursuing her dreams there, was beautiful. 

While Nora isn’t a main POV character, I can understand why this choice was made. She does still get a chance to speak in the diary/letters she writes to Stevie. And ultimately, while she does still have problems in her life, like her own unsupportive family, she has come into her own already, and I like that she tried to help Stevie find herself again without overstepping. 

The issue of their families and rural, conservative community not accepting, or even shunning them, is a threat that comes into play, and I like the way this was resolved. While there are some people who are more closed-minded, I was impressed by how things turned out with Stevie’s parents, with them only wanting their daughter to be happy. 

This is such a heartfelt read, and hits home in a time where LGBTQ+ people are increasingly being targeted. If you’re looking for a book that provides hope in these troubling times, I enthusiastically recommend checking this out! 

Author Bio

Alyson Derrick was born and raised in Greenville, Pennsylvania, a town where burn barrels take the place of recycling bins. After making her great escape to Pittsburgh, where she earned her bachelor’s in English writing, Alyson started her own food truck, but soon realized she much prefers telling stories over slinging cheesesteaks. She is the coauthor of New York Times bestseller She Gets the Girl and author of Forget Me Not. Alyson currently resides in Pennsylvania with her wife and their dog, Hank.

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“Reuben’s Hot and Cold” by M. Arbon (ARC Review)

Arbon, M. Reuben’s Hot and Cold. [Place of publication not identified]: Thirteen Flowers Press, 2023. 

ASIN: B0C3JQ3R4L | $2.99 USD | 149 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

The unlikely attraction between cafe owner and reluctant ice cream entrepreneur Reuben and bartender/tarot card reader/collector of paranormal kitsch Van reminds them that work isn’t everything. If only there were enough hours in the day to put their new understanding into practice…

Reuben Dragovich, owner of a premium coffee shop and accidental ice cream empire, should have known better than to bring a promotion idea to the Clover Hill Chamber of Commerce. For his sins, he gets roped into doing something about it. The assignment: an information-gathering day trip with pub proprietor Van, a gregarious bundle of excessive ear piercings and cheer.

Van Parsons enjoys pulling pints and giving tarot readings in The Mysterious, his pub and museum of supernatural oddities. Reuben’s got a taciturn appeal, but no way is he Van’s kind of casual hookup material. Anyway, Van has his hands full keeping his slightly chaotic staff in line and his pub afloat.

To the astonishment of both men, their afternoon together turns out to be more fun than they’ve had in a long time. Interest turns into attraction, then dating. Or a relationship. Or whatever it is that they’re doing.

But physical chemistry is no match for the busy tourist season, when to-do lists overflow and there’s always one more damn thing to do right-the-hell-now. As they juggle their other responsibilities, the initial connection between Reuben and Van is in danger of wilting from lack of attention. Can Reuben and Van find space to fit into each other’s lives, or will their spring fling melt away like a scoop of single-source Venezuelan cacao ice cream in the summer heat?

In the series

#1 Winning Move by Skye Kilaen 

#2 Visible Mending by M. Arbon

#3 Rooting for You by Roz Alexander

#4 The Heartbreak Handshake by J.R. Hart

#5 Sotto Voce by Suzanne Clay

#6 A Milky Way Home by Hsinju Chen

#7 Go Truck Yourself by J.R. Hart

#8 Changing Spaces by Karmen Lee

Review

4 stars

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

Reuben’s Hot and Cold is M. Arbon’s second contribution to the Clover Hill Romance world, and the ninth book overall. As before, it works as a standalone, although I have enjoyed each book in the series thus far. And this book is the perfect late-spring/heading-into-summer read. The prominence of the coffee/ice cream shop as a setting makes for a nice touch. 

Reuben and Van are super-sweet together, and I liked how they played off one another. I love how both of them run very creative businesses (Van runs a pub/supernatural museum), and they are as different as their businesses (at least on the surface), with Van being sweet, if a bit chaotic, and Reuben being more straitlaced. They complement each other well, and their relationship evolves believably from a temporary fling to something deeper. 

This is another fun installment in this wonderfully cozy series, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for small-town queer romance. 

Author Bio

M. Arbon writes stories, mostly queer, often sexy, sbout people who try hard not to be jerks. M. lives and works in Ontario, Canada. M.’s stories have been published in the anthologies His Seed and Best Gay Stories 2017.

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“Darkhearts” by James L. Sutter (ARC Review)

Sutter, James L. Darkhearts. New York: Wednesday Books, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1250869746 | $20.00 USD | 320 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

Perfect for fans of Alice Oseman and Red, White, & Royal Blue, Darkhearts is a hilarious, heartfelt, enemies-to-lovers romance about love, celebrity, and what happens when the two collide.

When David quit his band, he missed his shot at fame, trapped in an ordinary high school life while his ex–best friend, Chance, became the hottest teen pop star in America.

Then tragedy throws David and Chance back into contact. As old wounds break open, the boys find themselves trading frenemy status for a confusing, secret romance—one that could be David’s ticket back into the band and the spotlight.

As the mixture of business and pleasure becomes a powder keg, David will have to choose: Is this his second chance at glory? Or his second chance at Chance?

Review

4 stars

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

I took a chance on Darkhearts on the strength of the premise alone, and while it is one of those books that suffers from the unfortunate trend of trying to shoehorn everything into the romcom genre lately (spoiler alert: its heavy themes are not compensated for with any recognizable humor), I still enjoyed it, and respected that the blurb was at least honest about the role the tragedy of a friend’s death plays in the plot. 

I definitely resonate with David in terms of feeling left behind by people I consider friends, and while his jealousy and bitterness is not admirable, it feels believable. His path of self-discovery of his identity as bisexual, while reconnecting with his former best friend, Chance, was also really sweet. 

Chance’s story also really resonated. I felt for him as he described the difficulty of being friends with Eli as Eli was struggling and not knowing what to do, and shouldering the blame for not doing “enough” to help him. And some of his (and Eli’s) decisions did play a role in the destruction of their friendship with David, so I appreciate how it was about both of them coming to terms with the loss, and making amends with each other as they got reacquainted. 

 While this is my first book by James L. Sutter, it definitely won’t be my last. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys queer YA with messy main characters. 

Author Bio

James L. Sutter is a co-creator of the Pathfinder and Starfinder Roleplaying Games. From 2004 to 2017, he worked for Paizo Publishing, starting out as an editor on Dungeon Magazine, moving on to do foundational work for Pathfinder, and eventually becoming the Creative Director in charge of launching Starfinder, as well as the Executive Editor of the Pathfinder Tales novel line for Paizo/Tor.

James is the author of the forthcoming young adult romance novel Darkhearts (June 6, 2023 from Wednesday Books), as well as the fantasy novels Death’s Heretic—a finalist for the Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel—and The Redemption Engine, which won the 2015 Scribe Award for Best Original Speculative Novel. His short stories have appeared in such venues as Nightmare, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Escape Pod, and the #1 Amazon best-seller Machine of Death. In addition, he’s written comic books, essays in venues like Clarkesworld and Lightspeed: Queers Destroy Science Fiction, a wealth of tabletop gaming material, and video games—most recently the Starfinder audio game for Amazon’s Alexa, featuring Nathan Fillion and Laura Bailey.

When not writing, James has performed with musical acts ranging from metalcore to musical theater. He lives in Seattle.

James is represented by Josh Adams of Adams Literary.

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“Single Dads Club” by Therese Beharrie (ARC Review)

Beharrie, Therese. Single Dads Club. Seattle: Montlake, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1662511783 | $16.99 USD | 303 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

In this warmly funny romance about finding your way, opposites attract when an ex-heiress and a single dad cross paths, only to find that their separate roads may lead them to the same destination.

Rowan Quinn knows fatherhood is a role he doesn’t want to take on—until he unexpectedly finds himself a single dad. He uproots his perfectly constructed life to move to a tight-knit coastal community in South Africa where, with the help of his grandmother, Rowan has a shot at giving his son the family he never had.

Once footloose and fancy-free, former heiress Delilah Huntington is now a waitress in Sugarbush Bay determined to build a better life and a better self. So when she meets introverted Rowan, she makes it her personal mission to induct him into the town’s circle of single dads to give him the support he needs.

The more Delilah lends her help to an out-of-his-depth Rowan, the more Rowan begins to realize that family is what you make it…and, just maybe, Delilah could be part of his.

Review

4 stars

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

Single Dads Club is a heartfelt new contemporary romance from Therese Beharrie, and while I haven’t enjoyed the direction some of her other works have taken of late, this one was pretty great. I always love Therese Beharrie’s depiction of South Africa, and her description of the Cape Town town of Sugarbush Bay was delightful, along with its delightful cast of characters, including the titular single dads club, who I hope get their own books as well. 

Both leads have complex histories and meet each other with their respective shares of baggage. Delilah is a former heiress whose mother’s past crimes resulted in her current situation, and she’s currently trying to atone for the pain her mother caused. Her quest for self-improvement and giving back is beautiful, standing out in a genre that occasionally uncritically glorifies selfish wealth and consumerism. 

Rowan is equally compelling, being a single dad as the result of a brief fling. I appreciate how everything is explored, from his amicable, if somewhat complex relationship with his ex, to his adventures with single parenthood, to his secret sexual dysfunction which complicates any romantic relationship he has. 

These two are wonderful together, and I liked how their relationship built gradually in a sweet slow-burn. There are complications that arise because of their respective pasts, but I appreciate how the two of them ultimately navigate them. 

This is a sweet, heartfelt read, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys Black romance, especially if it’s set outside the U.S./the West. 

Author Bio

Therese Beharrie is a South African romance author of several acclaimed novels, including And They Lived Happily Ever After and her One Day to Forever series. She takes pride in writing diverse characters and settings, and her books are often recommended for their heart and banter. She lives in Cape Town with her husband―her inspiration for every hero―and two adorable baby boys. You can follow her on social media (@ThereseBeharrie) or visit her at www.ThereseBeharrie.com.

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“The Dos and Donuts of Love” by Adiba Jaigirdar (ARC Review)

Jaigirdar, Adiba. The Dos and Donuts of Love. New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-1250842114 | $19.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

A pun-filled YA contemporary romance, The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar finds a teenage girl competing in a televised baking competition, with contestants including her ex-girlfriend and a potential new crush – perfect for fans of The Great British Bake Off and She Drives Me Crazy!

“Welcome to the first ever Junior Irish Baking Show!”

Shireen Malik is still reeling from the breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Chris, when she receives news that she’s been accepted as a contestant on a new televised baking competition show. This is Shireen’s dream come true! Because winning will not only mean prize money, but it will also bring some much-needed attention to You Drive Me Glazy, her parents’ beloved donut shop.

Things get complicated, though, because Chris is also a contestant on the show. Then there’s the very outgoing Niamh, a fellow contestant who is becoming fast friends with Shireen. Things are heating up between them, and not just in the kitchen.

As the competition intensifies , Shireen will have to ignore all these factors and more— including potential sabotage—if she wants a sweet victory!

Review

4 stars

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

The Dos and Donuts of Love promised to be a delicious confection of a book from the title alone, and it absolutely delivered! From the punny chapter titles (e.g. I Knew You Were Truffle When You Walked In!) to the myriad descriptions of baking and baked goods, it’s an absolute delight. 

Shireen is a fabulous protagonist, especially in how she navigates some pretty difficult issues, like racism, fatphobia, and her struggle with anxiety, all of which resonated with me in various ways. I also love the bold statement, consistent with Adiba Jaigirdar’s work as a whole, of having Shireen’s queer identity be accepted by her family, even if their wider community isn’t as open. 

The baking competition premise, with multiple potential love interests, promised drama, and it delivered. I was pleasantly surprised at how things evolved with Shireen’s ex, Chris, especially as their breakup was so recent and didn’t happen on the best note. Niamh presented a very interesting prospect at first, but she was very different than she initially seemed as the story went on. 

This is a super sweet book, interwoven perfectly with weighty issues, and I’d recommend it to anyone who loves food-oriented romances. 

CWs: Mentions of racism and fatphobia, depictions of anxiety (specifically anxiety and panic attacks and spiraling thoughts), and online harassment

Author Bio

diba Jaigirdar is the award-winning, critically-acclaimed and bestselling author of The Henna Wars, Hani & Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating, A Million to One, and The Dos and Donuts of Love. A Bangladeshi/Irish writer and former teacher, she has an MA in Postcolonial Studies from the University of Kent, England and a BA in English and History from UCD, Ireland. She is the winner of the YA book prize 2022, the KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards 2021, and was a finalist for the 2022 Lambda Literary awards. All of her writing is aided by tea, and a healthy dose of Janelle Monáe and Hayley Kiyoko. When not writing, she is probably ranting about the ills of colonialism, playing video games, or expanding her overflowing lipstick collection. She can be found at adibajaigirdar.com or @adiba_j on Twitter and @dibs_j on Instagram.

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“The Girl Next Door” by Cecilia Vinesse (ARC Review)

Vinesse, Cecilia. The Girl Next Door. New York: Quill Tree Books, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0063285873 | $19.99 USD | 368 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb 

Part To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, part Everything Leads to You, this queer rom-com puts a smart spin on all the YA tropes we can’t get enough of.

Film club nerd Cleo Ferrara’s senior year was like a storyboard waiting to be filmed. She knew the scenes, the players, and the eventual happy ending. Attend film school with her boyfriend, Daniel Sheridan. Become a film-making power couple. Take Hollywood by storm. Cut. Print. Fade to black.?

But in a plot twist Cleo never saw coming, Daniel dumps her for Kiki Pearson, the head cheerleader. This would be the point in the movie where the Sad Girl Music plays while the protagonist looks longingly out her window, but when Cleo looks out hers, she sees Marianne Lacerda, her former best friend…and a new storyboard unfolds.

Marianne is also nursing a heartache. When Daniel was dumping Cleo for Kiki, Kiki was dumping Marianne for Daniel. So instead of watching their exes parade around school, Cleo and Marianne start fake dating each other to ignite a little chaos in this bizarre love square. But any movie buff knows that when you introduce fake dating in Act I, it’s going to get real by Act III. With friendship, the future, and love on the line, can Cleo script a happy ending for herself—or will she get her heart broken again?

Review

4 stars

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

The Girl Next Door is a fun sapphic romance with a great mix of tropes, chief among them fake dating. I’m a sucker for two people coming together to fake-date to get back at exes who dumped them or cheated on them, and this book absolutely met my expectations. Combined with the childhood-friends trope, it made for a great story. 

I love Cleo’s interest in film and how it comes through in everything from her ultimate goal of going to film school to the little references she makes in conversation and in her internal monologue. While it can be a bit much to someone who isn’t as much of a film buff, I personally enjoyed seeing her be so passionate about something. 

The romance was really cute too. She and Marianne drifted apart over the years, but I like how they came back together due to their common goal, and reconnected in the process. And even though the premise is that they’ve both been cheated on/left for the other’s ex, I like how the dynamics for their relationship and their interactions with their respective exes are nuanced, and it’s not a clear case of one side being the good guys, and the others pure villains. 

The one weakness is that it does take a little bit to get into the story, especially initially, what with grasping Cleo’s internal monologue and the overall pacing of the narrative. However, once I got into the flow of the story, I really enjoyed it. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a sapphic YA romcom, especially if you enjoy the fake-dating trope. 

Author Bio

Cecilia Vinesse is the author of young adult novels SEVEN DAYS OF YOU and THE SUMMER OF US, and the forthcoming THE GIRL NEXT DOOR. She was born in France but grew up between Tokyo, Japan and Greenville, South Carolina. Her obsession with Nora Ephron movies led her to New York City to attend Barnard College and then to live in New York for three years afterward, working in children’s book marketing and living in an apartment furnished mostly by stacks of novels. Now she’s in a small Edwardian house in England where she splits her time holding late-night writing sessions, daydreaming in libraries, and having Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathons with her girlfriend Rachel and a pup named Malfi.

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“When the Vibe Is Right” by Sarah Dass (ARC Review)

Dass, Sarah. When the Vibe Is Right. New York: Balzer & Bray, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0063018570 | $19.99 USD | 336 pages | YA Contemporary Romance

Blurb

From the author of Where the Rhythm Takes You comes a delightful enemies-to-lovers, contemporary romance set during Trinidad’s Carnival celebration. 

There are two things Tess Crawford knows for sure: 

• She’s destined to be a great Trinidadian Carnival costume designer like her renowned uncle, Russel Messina, and will one day inherit leadership of the family’s masquerade band, Grandeur. 
• Her classmate, the popular social media influencer, Brandon Richards, is the bane of her existence. Everything about him irks her, from his annoying nickname for Tess (“Boop”) to his association with David, her awful ex. 

But when the future of Grandeur nears the brink of collapse in the face of band rivalry, Tess finds to her chagrin that she must team up with Brandon in a desperate attempt to revive the company. 

As Tess and Brandon spend more time together, Tess begins to wonder if everything she thought she knew might not be so certain after all…. 

Set in lush, gorgeous Trinidad, this is a novel about finding love in the most unexpected places. 

Review

4 stars

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

Sarah Dass does it again with her second YA romance, When the Vibe Is Right. Once again drawing from classic literature (Much Ado About Nothing, which I’m admittedly a bit less familiar with), she injects it with some  Trinidadian cultural flavor by setting the story around Carnival, something I’ve heard a bit about, but never experienced. The excitement around the event and everything that goes into it radiates through the pages, and I’d love to experience it in person one day. 

Tess is a strong, yet sympathetic protagonist. I loved her relationships with her family, and her shared passion for design with her uncle, as well as her interest in the fate of the family band. It was great to read about someone who knew her own mind, but also loved her family and their heritage and wanted to uphold it. 

I also liked getting to know Brandon. He’s different from Tess in a lot of ways, and she has some understandable reasons to dislike him (the nickname thing rubbed me the wrong way), but underneath that he has issues of his own that mean he has more in common with her than she initially realizes. 

And as it is Much Ado inspired, there are some side stories that pay homage to certain side character arcs, like Hazel and Chris’ romance. I did feel at times that this took away from the main romance and the plot with the band rivalry, but I can also understand what Dass was trying to do. 

In spite of these minor issues, this is another winner from Sarah Dass, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for Black YA romance, especially if you’re looking for stories set outside the US. 

Author Bio

Sarah Dass is a young adult fiction author from Tobago that is best known for her debut work of fiction Where the Rhythm Takes You.

While she was born in Trinidad, her family moved to Tobago when she was two years old. Dass has been telling stories since she was a young child. At the age of eight years old, when she ran out of “Nancy Drew” novels to read, she tried to pen her own. She would later go on to attend the University of the West Indies and University College London.

Sarah grew up in a seaside resort in Tobago and her debut novel draws inspiration from her experience living there. She has described Where the Rhythm Takes You as the book she would have wanted to read when she was growing up – a romantic, contemporary YA story set in her home country. She hopes readers like her, who love Trinidad and Tobagonian or Caribbean-set fiction enjoy and connect with her characters.

Sarah’s most recent YA novels When the Vibe is Right will be published by Balzer + Bray / HarperCollins on May 30th, 2023, and It Waits in the Forest will be published by Disney / Rick Riordan Presents in 2024.

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“That Summer Feeling” by Bridget Morrissey (ARC Review)

Morissey, Bridget. That Summer Feeling. New York: Berkley, 2023. 

ISBN-13: 978-0593549247 | $17.00 USD | 336 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

One of…
Real Simple’s Must-Reads of Summer 2023
Book Riot’s Best Romance Books of Summer 2023
Buzzfeed’s Romance Books To Look Out For In 2023
Paste Magazine’s Most Anticipated Contemporary Romance Books of 2023

When a divorced woman attends a sleepaway camp for adults, she reconnects with a man from her past—only to fall head over heels for his sister instead. 
 
Garland Moore used to believe in magic, the power of optimism, and signs from the universe. Then her husband surprised her with divorce papers over Valentine’s Day dinner. Now Garland isn’t sure what to believe anymore, except that she’s clearly never meant to love again. When new friends invite her to spend a week at their reopened sleepaway camp, she and her sister decide it’s an opportunity to enjoy the kind of summer getaway they never had as kids. If Garland still believed in signs, this would sure seem like one. Summer camp is a chance to let go of her past and start fresh.
 
Nestled into the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, Camp Carl Cove provides the exact escape Garland always dreamed of, until she runs into Mason—the man she had a premonition about after one brief meeting years ago. No matter how she tries to run, the universe appears determined to bring love back into Garland’s life. She even ends up rooming with Mason’s sister Stevie, a vibrant former park ranger who is as charming as she is competitive. The more time Garland spends with Stevie, the more the signs confuse her. The stars are aligning in a way Garland never could have predicted.
 
Amid camp tournaments and moonlit dances, Garland continues to be pulled toward the beautiful blonde outdoorswoman who makes her laugh and swoon. Summer camp doesn’t last forever, but if Garland can learn to trust her heart, the love she finds there just might.

Review

3 stars

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

That Summer Feeling is a lighthearted coming-of-age summer-camp romance for adults, and while the book didn’t really work for me for other reasons, I love the concept overall. You don’t stop learning and growing because you reach “a certain age,” and even older people sometimes don’t have it all figured out (don’t I know it). And while I’ve never been married or divorced, I did like that it was the springboard for Garland to begin her path of self-discovery. And her character arc is perhaps the best part of the book. I liked seeing her try something new at camp, while also being confronted both by aspects of her past and a related possibility of new love for the future. 

While there’s nothing wrong with Stevie as a love interest, I found her pretty underdeveloped by comparison. And while I don’t mind the insta-love (the timeline kinda necessitates it for it to be a romance with the obligatory “happy ending”), I’d have liked there to be some substance to explain their connection. Even if you’re only together for a week, there are ways Stevie could have been fleshed out to show her potential as a long-term love interest, as opposed to someone who happens to be attractive. 

While this book didn’t entirely work for me, I do appreciate it for what it is, and would recommend it to anyone looking for something fun to read to kick off the summer, especially if you enjoy sapphic romance with older (30s) protagonists. 

Author Bio

Bridget Morrissey lives in Los Angeles, California, but hails from Oak Forest, Illinois. When she’s not writing, she can be found coaching gymnastics or headlining concerts in her living room.

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“Chef’s Choice” (Chef’s Kiss #2) by TJ Alexander (ARC Review)

Alexander, TJ. Chef’s Choice. New York: Atria/Emily Bestler Books, 2023. 

ISBN-13:978-1982189105 | $17.99 USD | 336 pages | Contemporary Romance

Blurb

A fake dating arrangement turns to real love in this deliciously delightfulqueer rom-com from the author of the sweetly satisfying Chef’s Kiss.

When Luna O’Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her blessings: she’s a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don’t pay the bills.

Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he’ll only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path. First hoop: he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play…for the right price. She’s got rent to pay, after all! Second hoop: they both need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family recipes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir. Admittedly, Luna doesn’t even know how to crack an egg, but she’s not going to let that—or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre—stop her.

Another swoon-worthy and heartwarming queer love story from a charming new voice in romance.

In the series

#1 Chef’s Kiss

Review

4 stars

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

Chef’s Choice is a standalone followup to TJ Alexander debut novel, Chef’s Kiss, and while the first book felt very catered to the mainstream cis reader, this one felt a bit more subversive, especially as both leads are trans, and there’s a lot of nuance and both leads have different perspectives on being trans, due to their varied lived experiences, and it’s a reminder that trans people are not a monolith. 

Luna and JP are both such compelling characters. JP is grumpy in the best way, and it just made it better when he started to fall for Luna. Luna’s financial situation is very relatable, and I could not help but root for her to find her feet in the world. Their relationship is very beautiful, and I love how they complement each other and help each other grow. 

I liked the nuance of the varied experiences with their respective parents. From the well-meaning, yet somewhat out-of-touch to the more overtly unaccepting, I appreciated how it showed that there’s a spectrum of behaviors that can be alienating to trans people, and that even self-proclaimed “allies” can still make missteps. 

This is a great book, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for contemporary romances with trans rep. 

Author Bio

J Alexander writes about queer love. Originally from Florida, they received their MA in writing and publishing from Emerson College in Boston. They live in New York City with their wife and various houseplants. They are represented by Larissa Melo Pienkowski of Jill Grinberg Literary Management.Connect with them at Twitter, Instagram, or Goodreads.

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