Really glad I read this if for no other reason than to finally understand all the “Not five fucking minutes!” references. I liked it well enough, but Really glad I read this if for no other reason than to finally understand all the “Not five fucking minutes!” references. I liked it well enough, but this isn’t my favorite Lisa Kleypas book and Rhys Winterborne isn’t my favorite Lisa Kleypas hero....more
This feels to me like a very careless depiction of a genderfluid/genderqueer character. I decided to abandon ship after a scene in which the DNF @ 52%
This feels to me like a very careless depiction of a genderfluid/genderqueer character. I decided to abandon ship after a scene in which the hero tries to dictate the heroine's gender identity based on his attraction to her, as if that proves anything at all.
I think I'm done with this series. I made it all this way and really enjoyed most of it, but the Lords of Chaos storyline is just too dark for me, and the way the story was forcing Alf to be conventionally feminine was the final straw.
If you'd like to read a historical romance that engages with gender expansiveness more sensitively, I recommend Cat Sebastian's Unmasked by the Marquess....more
I can appreciate what Hoyt was doing with this one, turning the villain into the hero, but I'm not really the right reader for that trope. Give me a bI can appreciate what Hoyt was doing with this one, turning the villain into the hero, but I'm not really the right reader for that trope. Give me a beta or cinnamon roll any day. That said, this is an interesting example of morality chain, which if you're into, you should check out the Fated Mates episode on it for more like this. ...more
I heard about this one on the Fated Mates podcast and had to read it because the setup sounds absolutely bananas: a man is mauled by a gorilla while oI heard about this one on the Fated Mates podcast and had to read it because the setup sounds absolutely bananas: a man is mauled by a gorilla while on safari and with his dying breath begs his identical twin to pretend to be him so that his wife doesn’t lose their baby. What could go wrong?! Despite the bonkers premise, however, this book has all the pining and angst you could want and is surprisingly sensitive in how the characters deal with their impossible situation. I hadn’t read Lorraine Heath before but she’s definitely on my radar now!...more
Jay Northcote’s books are like a warm hug that starts out comforting and platonic but then escalates as maybe one person tilts their hips or the otherJay Northcote’s books are like a warm hug that starts out comforting and platonic but then escalates as maybe one person tilts their hips or the other slides their hands lower and suddenly clothes are flying off. The Housemates series is adorably populated with people who start out as friends or friends-with-benefits and then whoopsy-daisy develop big feelings and eventually are honest about those feelings and decide to live in domestic bliss forever. (Or at least for now--these kids are in college, so who knows what their futures hold, although I of course hold out hope for them to make it in the long term.) The series is also heavy on found family and the way supportive friendships can insulate us from toxic or hateful forces out in the world, which I love. It’s just so wholesome--good, kind people finding each other and falling in love, what more do you want?
In Practice Makes Perfect, Dev is a socially awkward nerd who moves out of the dorms (or whatever they call them across the pond) after being bullied and moves into a house with a bunch of roommates. Next door is Ewan, a cute red-haired Scotsman who one day accidentally opens a package meant for Dev, and wouldn’t you know it, it’s an item of a very personal nature. Ewan doesn’t want Dev to be embarrassed or worried about who might have tampered with the package, so he decides to hand deliver it himself. On this perhaps dubious basis a deal is struck, in which Dev offers to help tutor Ewan in math and Ewan offers to help Dev gain experience in the bedroom. It’s a business agreement, OF COURSE no feelings will be involved, except OF COURSE they very much will be and OF COURSE this series is 100% my jam....more
I picked this up thinking it was a romance, and it decidedly is NOT. However, it’s a very good book and one that challenged my thinking in important wI picked this up thinking it was a romance, and it decidedly is NOT. However, it’s a very good book and one that challenged my thinking in important ways. It’s a look inside a movement of Black activists fighting for change, and the ways in which they disagree about what their mission is and who the movement is supposed to uplift. Toya is a lesbian who joins the RiseUP! collective to oppose police violence towards Black people, and while she finds a connection with fellow activist Folami, she’s often made to feel unwelcome because the group is controlled primarily by heterosexual Black men who harbor intense homophobia. Folami, wanting to be accepted and maintain status within the group, is content to keep their relationship a secret, but Toya experiences increasing cognitive dissonance between the collective’s purported goals and her own lived experience as someone who seems to be always relegated to the fringes. Greer highlights how different people can be marginalized in different ways, and how important intersectionality is for successful activism. The book gave me a lot to think about—and that ending has absolutely haunted me....more
For someone who has a blog devoted to recommending books, I am shockingly bad at taking recommendations from others. So during this weird time, I thouFor someone who has a blog devoted to recommending books, I am shockingly bad at taking recommendations from others. So during this weird time, I thought it would be a fun challenge to actually read some of the books that have been recommended to me recently. And I’m off to a great start!
Theresa Romain’s books were recommended to me by friend and former coworker Britt. Romain is a local author and personal friend of Britt’s, and when I looked up the three titles she said were some of her favorites, I was excited to give Romain a try. First of all, I love my home state and am all for supporting Kansas authors (#nationsbreadbasket #govlaurakelly4prez #sparemeyourozjokes). Secondly, I noticed she has written several non-virgin heroines, which is something I am always looking for in historical romance. Give me a jaded courtesan or a businesslike widow over a quivering ingenue any day (Pippa Marbury of One Good Earl Deserves a Lover being my one exception forever and ever, amen). And in this book, we have a blind veteran hero and a treasure hunt! Say no more, I’m hooked.
Charlotte, a courtesan, and Benedict, a Naval lieutenant, meet in a small-town pub as they’re both on the hunt for gold. The Royal Mint is offering a reward for the return of a trove of stolen funds, and the clues have led them to Charlotte’s hometown in Derbyshire. She’s in disguise because no one at home knows the proper vicar’s daughter’s true profession. He, by contrast, is fairly conspicuous, as he was blinded by an illness and now uses the sound of his cane on the floor to determine the layout of unfamiliar places. They both need the reward money for personal reasons but find each other so likable they team up to search for the treasure together. I loved that neither Charlotte nor Benedict were of the nobility--I can’t get enough of historicals about regular folk--and I loved their sweet, friendly rapport with each other. Romain is clearly enthusiastic about her research and has such an engaging tone you get sucked into the historical detail right along with her. I’m grateful for the recommendation and look forward to reading more of her books!...more
This book is guaranteed to lower your stress levels. Tina, a transwoman, is newly divorced and figuring out how to live life on her own. When her washThis book is guaranteed to lower your stress levels. Tina, a transwoman, is newly divorced and figuring out how to live life on her own. When her washing machine goes out in spectacular fashion, the plumber who shows up to fix it is Joe (short for Joanna), and Tina is immediately taken with her. Turns out Joe is a roller derby coach and asks Tina to try out for the team. This book is just a warm hug of female friendship and ladies supporting each other. There’s a little bit of drama between Tina and Joe because without it, there wouldn’t be a story, but this is low-angst good feelings territory right here. Also, roller derby! What’s not to love?...more
Loading...
