It was so refreshing and unique reading a story about a couple who was not only already together, but had spent years together. It was unique and refrIt was so refreshing and unique reading a story about a couple who was not only already together, but had spent years together. It was unique and refreshing reading about a couple who was struggling in their marriage. It was unique and refreshing reading about a couple struggling in their marriage, but willing to stay and work through their struggles. It was unique and refreshing reading a second chance romance within a committed and monogamous long-term relationship.
I just really enjoyed everything about Do I Know You? I found both Eliza and Graham very fun and interesting characters. I loved the concept of Eliza and Graham role-playing as "strangers who bump into each other on vacation" as a strategy to work through their material problems and insecurities. This plus the setting of a fancy resort, with different planned couple activities kept, the story light-hearted and fun, while also tackling the very real and relatable problems within Eliza and Graham's marriage.
Do I Know You is not about falling out of love, and back into love, with your spouse. It's about falling into the monotony of every day life. It's about forgetting to be excited by your partner, forgetting to ask more than just the courteous dinner table questions of how their day was, forgetting while they love you, why they chose you. It's about rekindling the spark, being swept off your feet by someone you already love, stepping outside of your comfort zone and remembering that you should never stop dating the person you're in a relationship with.
This is a lovely and swoony read for Summer and I will definitely be reading more by these authors. ...more
I'm going to love her in all the quiet ways, the slow ways, the loud and obnoxious ways.
It's rare that I love a Bookstagram darling and I3.5 S T A R S
I'm going to love her in all the quiet ways, the slow ways, the loud and obnoxious ways.
It's rare that I love a Bookstagram darling and I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this! I was looking for a light, fluffy, and festive read for the holidays and this was almost perfect.
From the instant I jumped into Stella's head I knew she was going to be my girl. Her sense of humor, the way she talked and looked at the world was so much like my own that I couldn't help but love her with her cheeky attitude, big heart and absolute googoo eyes for Christmas. Vibrant and endearing Stella was surrounded by just as vibrant and endearing secondary characters. Little page time, to lots of page time, every character felt real and fleshed out and I couldn't wait to learn more about them. Even though this was a pretty classic best-friends-to-lover plot, how strong the characters were, their interactions with one another, the fact that B.K. Borison showed us how deep their friendships were through on page actions (instead of telling us) made this stand out. I wanted to hike around the farm with Stella, cook Ravioli with Luka and his family (actually I hate cooking so just eat), shovel my face full of Layla's pastries, steal Beckett's kittens, sit warm and cozy in the kitchen with them, drinking coco and planning Christmas. I loved their banter and interactions so much that I would find myself smiling into my book like a fool. How can all the characters be so endearing?! I really felt like this was a group of friends I would see in the real world. It takes a lot for authors to bring characters to life like that so kudos to her.
Luka + Stella = luv 4eva. I loved the slow burn of their romance, the quiet and mundane ways in which not only the reader learned the ways that Luka and Stella loved each other, but that Luka and Stella's eyes were slowly opened to how the other loved them. I was caught up in their romance, I felt their long history, their yearning, and their fear of taking the step from friends to lovers. Luka was absolutely lovely. I loved how gentle and patient he was with Stella, he was not only her rock but her sounding board and partner in crime. I loved that their love was a quiet, softly blooming love that developed over years. They complimented each other well and I loved the time I spent with them and their story.
Now to rain on the parade a little. For how much I loved this, I can't help feeling that it was too long. For such a low angst, cozy romcom, with a plot that is just as cozy and content, 400 pages is just too long. I think this would have gone from like to love for me if it was 50-100 pages shorter..
My other little pouting moment is that for a holiday romance this didn't feel very festive. Which sounds weird since I'm talking about a Christmas tree farm, but aside from Thanksgiving, a little bit of decorating and mentioning of Christmas there wasn't a ton of holiday cheer. Actual Christmas wasn't even present, which was disappointing.
I so badly want to give this four stars, as I really did enjoy it, but the length and how it felt a bit draggy in the middle really brought it down so 3.5 stars from me.
I WOULD STILL RECOMMEND. I STILL SWOONED. I STILL LOVED THE CHARACTERS. I STILL THOUGHT THE STORY WAS CUTE!! I just think I would have enjoyed the story more if it was shorter and/or had more of a plot. That being said, I think this was really great for a debut novel. B.K. Borison has some really wonderful things in this book and I'm excited to read the next ones!!
Luka filled the empty places in my life slowly, carefully, with his easy smile and stupid jokes. He brought me back to life....more
Practical Magic meets Halloweentown minus the creepy, abusive (and dead) ex boyfriend. INSTEAD we have a deviously handsome and WITTY ex, who is made Practical Magic meets Halloweentown minus the creepy, abusive (and dead) ex boyfriend. INSTEAD we have a deviously handsome and WITTY ex, who is made all the hotter by his accent, it's true. This book is seriously everything I'm looking for in a cozy, fun and spoopy Halloween read. Just the town itself is the most picturesque little spooksville. I want to live there. Immediately.
Vivi is hilarious, endearing and relatable. Drowning her sorrows in an extremely lavish bubble bath, overflowing with bubbles and surrounded by candles? Lol, this is a weekly routine for me. Drunkenly casting spells and curses with a bestie? HELLO I FEEL SO SEEN.
But even more hilarious is her cousin. Oh my god, I LOVE Gwyn. Nearly everything out of that woman's mouth had me cackling with mad glee. Then add Aunt Elaine with her Stevie Nicks vibes and they had the most fun little coven.
Plot wise, this was cute and so fun. Again, I have to say seriously perfect for a light and cozy Halloween read. And honestly, from the other reviews I've seen, the plot was a lot better and more creative than I thought it was going to be. Though I will agree that one certain closet scene was a little like... really...? here...? now...? IN THIS CREEPY ASS HOUSE?! But I digress. I would have preferred more emotional development between the two MCs and better sexual tension, but I still loved all their interactions, and their banter was pretty great.
Now I am 100% NOT trying to sound rude, or bitchy, or negative, but what made this romcom stand out IS the Halloween vibes. Would I have rated it 4 stars without them? Probably not (though definitely no less that 3.5). Do I think the cozy Halloween / witchy vibes makes this a completely unique romcom? Yes. Will I reread this every year for Halloween vibes? ALSO YES. So yeah, this is more a 3/3.5 star read but I’m rounding up because of the cozy Halloween vibes.
No regrets. This was perfect for Halloween season, and nearly exactly what I was hoping for when I picked it up....more
What an absolute delight this was. After reading Hogle's debut novel You Deserve Each Other, and adoring it, I had high hopes for this one and this waWhat an absolute delight this was. After reading Hogle's debut novel You Deserve Each Other, and adoring it, I had high hopes for this one and this was truly so lovely and fun.
I loved the idea of two people with polar opposite personalities, forced together while they renovated an old house that is just as mysterious and charming as they are. Twice Shy was wacky, endearing, laugh-out-loud funny and, as is custom for Hogle, a little bit weird. Hogle breathed a unique magic into the much loved grump/sunshine trope, and I could not get enough of Maybell and Wesley's interactions. Not to mention that there were some truly stunning lines:
His kiss is the Fourth of July, a Southern summer night. Cicadas and the tongues of smoke off a burning firework--hiss, pop. Hot.
Maybell is such a quirky and vibrant weirdo, but without being plagued by the "I'm a quirky and vibrant, I'm not like other girls" vibes that a lot of "quirky" characters tend to fall into. She is so unapologically herself and that's one of the things I love the most about Hogle's characters, they are so real, relatable and so much fun. Seriously, I wish I could be best friends with Maybell because everything about her: her personality, outfit choices, witty comebacks and sense of humor were positively fantastic!
Then there is sweet and quiet Wesley, who is the soft and peaceful rain to Maybell's tropical storm. I loved that there was more to Wesley than being dark and broody, just to be dark and broody. I loved the little pieces of him that we uncovered throughout the story, it was like finding little treasures.
Together, Maybell and Wesley they were a little bit like magic....more
This was good, this was definitely enjoyable and cute. People We Meet on Vacation has that Henry charm that I do so adore, you know, quirky c3.5 STARS
This was good, this was definitely enjoyable and cute. People We Meet on Vacation has that Henry charm that I do so adore, you know, quirky characters, hilarious lines, great banter, but still.. something was missing for me. I think it started when it was announced that THE vacation would be taking place in Palm Springs.. Palm. Springs. Of everywhere in the world to go.. Palm Springs?! Living in the U.S., it's known that Palm Springs is where retired people winter, and old people go on vacation. It's not a young and happenin' spot. That was pretty disappointing, as I thought that I would be reading about far off places, chaotic train rides, delicious new foods, etc., when almost all the vacations were in the USA... *insert pout* .
Both Poppy and Alex were extremely endearing and fun characters. I seriously loved Poppy as a protag, she was so fun, with a vibrate sense of style and personality. That's one of the things I love the most about Henry's characters, they're all a bit weird and they are happy with that. It's really a great and empowering message, to love who you are, even if isn't perceived as "normal". Alex was sweet and quiet, but I loved that he had this hidden self that was just as "weird" and fun as Poppy. You just had to work to see it. I loved watching their friendship grow, and they were truly so sweet to each other. Two people who thought they couldn't be more opposite or wrong for each other, ended up being just perfect.
Though I really adored these characters, I felt constantly frustrated by the lack of communication between the two. Miscommunication is my least favorite trope (right op there with love triangles) and the whole time I wanted to scream at them to JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER. I wanted to stab myself in the eye, watching them love each other, thinking the other doesn't, date other people, suppress their emotions, FOR 12 YEARS! All of which would have been solved if they had just TALKED TO EACH OTHER!! I wish she had done something more of like.. they love each other, and T A L K, but just couldn’t be together at that time, because it wouldn't work, but they were still openly pinning for each other. I think that would have added more yearning to the story, because while I did feel the yearning at some points, I didn’t feel that deep heartsick pull I was hoping for. I also wish that as readers we had gotten to see some more chemistry / sexual tension between them, because I really thought that was at the bare minimum, along with steam in general. I think that friend-to-lovers is a hard trope to do, as it can often feel like miscommunication and drama is dragging on, which is how I felt about this one.
The writing was fabulous, I didn’t feel disjointed or confused as Henry switched between timelines and places. I do so wish there had been exploration of some form of self-development outside of the romance, like with Beach Read. There was some, but it wasn’t very satisfying.
I know it sounds like I'm hating on this, and that's not the case at all. Like I said, I really did like it, I just didn't LOVE it like I was hoping.
Short & Sweet: This was a cute and fun romance, perfect for reading by the pool, but something was missing for me. Poppy and Alex were lovely, and while I loved there moments together there was a lack of sexual tension and communication that I couldn't get over....more
[4.5 stars] The most special thing about Mhairi's books are the fact that, in the end, friendship and personal growth are the most important themes. Ju[4.5 stars] The most special thing about Mhairi's books are the fact that, in the end, friendship and personal growth are the most important themes. Just List Night did not disappoint. We meet Eve, our main character, basking in the glow of laughs, good drinks, and the contented feeling of belonging you get when surrounded by friends who fit just right. Instantly I'm in love with Eve, and I'm in love her friends. Their wit, their banter, their personalities are top notch and immediately I feel like I am also basking in the contented glow of being surrounded by friends who fit just right. No one, and I mean no one writes friend groups like Mhairi, and this is a hill I will absolutely die on. But from the beginning we know that Eve will soon be struck with tragedy, so we soak up the good vibes and the laughs because when the sad hits, it hits hard. And so begins the journey of Eve's grief, the shifting of her world, the experience of moments of "before" and "after", and the weight of living in the moments "after".
I feel that every time I read a Mhairi book I come away with new knowledge, new experiences and outlooks I've learned from her characters and through her writing, and Just Last Night is no different. This is a story of friendship, grief and acceptance. This is story of subtle romance and learning that you're allowed to "be alive" and "carry on", that no experience, no memory, is diminished by moving forward. This is a story about learning to live with grief, to accept it's burden and make it a part of your daily life, until it no longer becomes such a shock and just is.
**This would have been a five star for me if there was a little more focus on the romance. I don't think anything should have been changed or taken away, just more pages to include a little bit more swoons and romantic development. BUT I also understand that Mhairi’s books focus on so much more than just the romance. ...more
Let's talk about how annoyed I am that Goodreads took away their draft feature? And my review didn't save.
I'm really sad to say that this book was notLet's talk about how annoyed I am that Goodreads took away their draft feature? And my review didn't save.
I'm really sad to say that this book was not good fam.
Not good.
So, first off I loved the concept of this book. Telenovelas?! Latin representation?! Dramatics?! Leading Lady and a smoldering hero. SIGN ME UP.
The cultural and Latin representation is about the only plus(s) I have for this.
Jasmine was the most disappointing "Leading Lady" of all time, and that's where my problems with this book lie. Jasmine was an intriguing enough character. A career driven woman, working in a tough industry, who has a problem falling in love with every man she dates. A Leading Lady who needs to work on her self-confidence and being okay with being alone. Great, love it. Relatable.
What I did not love is that Jasmine did not develop at all. At the beginning of the book she created a "Leading Lady Plan" on how she is going to grow and become a boss bitch on her own. Again love.
The story ends with Jasmine ripping up her "Leading Lady Plan", wallowing and then ending up with Ashton, the smoldering hero.
"You stopped seeing me, Naomi. You stopped wanting me. You're going to figure out one of these days that I can tell when you're start
4.25 S T A R S
"You stopped seeing me, Naomi. You stopped wanting me. You're going to figure out one of these days that I can tell when you're starting to disassociate, and it's the most heartbreaking experience I've ever had. It's nonstop. It keeps on happening. I try to bring you back to me, every time you go to leave, off into your own head where I'm not allowed."
Ow, my heart. Cue the tears.
This book, this book really did a number on me. I have never read a book about a failed relationship. Yes, I've read second-chance romances but this, this is something completely different. This is a book about when a couple wakes up thinking, "How did I get here? Is this my life? Who is this person next to me?", when they have so much bottled up disappointment and resentment that they can't remember a single endearing quality about their partner. About a couple who went from being wildly, madly in love, to only loving each other eighteen precent.
This book is about how relationships aren't like in the movies, or in books. That they are hard, and mundane, and comfortable, and wonderful. That to be in a committed, longterm relationship is more like a slow burning ember, with bursts of flames, than a continuous all consuming blaze. That life gets in the way and one forgets to nourish one's relationship until it's just kind of... there...It's about feeling lost and confused, knowing you don't like someone at the moment, and wondering if you still even love them, of questioning and being left wanting. Relationships are a lot of work, and Hogle acknowledges the emotional exhaustion and the desire to give up.
But most importantly, You Deserve Each Other is about what happens when people stay, when they fight tooth and nail for their relationship when all they feel like doing is throwing it all away and starting over. It's about how it's okay to give up, as long as both partners don't give up at the same time, and importance of shouldering each others hurt and moving forward together.
It's about all the tiny, unseen acts of kindness partners do for one another. It's about communication and relearning how to have fun together. It's about always having loved each other, but learning how to like one another again.
The amount of wistful emotions that Hogle was able to pour into this book, I could really feel Naomi and Nicholas' hurt and confusion. Not going to lie, at times being in Naomi's head felt overwhelming and I wasn't sure if I really even liked her at the beginning. She was so lost and seeing her thought process and her distain for Nicholas was uncomfortable. I kept questioning how she had even liked, let alone loved, Nicholas in the first place when she so clearly nearly hated him now. Nichalos was cast in shadows and I didn't even like him. As the story progressed though, oh my god, my heart bled for Nicholas.
Naomi and Nicholas' rekindling romance was the perfectly paced slow-burn, and as Naomi and Nicholas' relationship started to change and bloom so did they as individuals. They learned, together, how to be better partners to one another and how to be 100% themselves. I feel that Hogle did a great job putting into perspective the ups-and-downs of a longterm relationship.
You Deserve Each Other, filled me with an array of emotions. One moment I was as fed up, frustrated and confused as Naomi, the next I was c a c k l i n g in mad glee at the Just Married/How To Lose a Guy in Ten Days level of pranks, and the next I was heartbroken and tearing up with Nicholas. There was some really hard and relatable stuff to work through in this book, and Hogle did an amazing job of softening the blow with ridiculously mischievous pranks, and the sweetest of tender moments.
You Deserve Each Otherwas brimming with melancholy and love, and hope and hilarity. It's message of staying and fighting for the person you love after years of being together, routines and life have come crashing in, the honeymoon phase is long over and the dust has settled. Learning to fall in love again is an important message that doesn't usually get a lot of screen/page time. 10/10 would recommend.
**Received an ARC from publisher (Putnam Books) in exchange for an honest review, thank you!!**...more
I'm eighteen years old again, and Lucas McCarthy is staring across a room, eyes penetrating, expression unreadable.
Am I writing this while blastin
I'm eighteen years old again, and Lucas McCarthy is staring across a room, eyes penetrating, expression unreadable.
Am I writing this while blasting In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel? Why, yes. Yes, I am. (Long live John Cusack).
This was seriously so brilliant. One of the best "romances" I've ever read, but I really wouldn't even call it a romance because the romance, in and of itself, is not what made it so phenomenal (though this was to die for as well). Don't You Forget About Me is such a love letter to discovering yourself. A journey of overcoming past trauma and coming to terms with life factors that aren't so great, but that you have no control over (view spoiler)[(GEOFFREY THAT FUCK) (hide spoiler)]. A story of face masks and treating yo'self and having a strong (even if it's small) tribe of ride or die friends, with a little bit of falling in love on the side. Ultimately a message of self love and empowerment, and that it's never too late to reinvent yourself, make changes and take life by the metaphorical balls.
A very powerful and important message told through the quirky and very Bridget Jones-y eyes of our heroine, Georgina.
Georgina was a riot, to say the least. She was a bit of a mess, but aren't we all, and her inner monologues and interactions had me howling with laughter. She was quick-witted, genuine and vibrant, but being slowly suffocated by societal and familial expectations, again, aren't we all. In this, and many aspects, she was so relatable and I could see myself in so many of her situations. She was resilient and strong, but the quiet kind of strength that grows and blossoms over time, that comes from being your own cheerleader, from kicking self-doubt in the teeth and forever trying to make lemons into lemonade. I loved that G fought to love herself, developed on her own and 100% for herself and BY herself, with no help from Lucas. He was just a yummy bonus.
Don't You Forget About Me's romance was sweet and slowly unfurling, told through bits of self-reflection and flashbacks. It's a tale of miscommunication, and second chances, of teenage hormones and hurt and how we, as people, carry that hurt and how it shapes our lives and perspectives.
This book is so much more than a hilarious and fun romcom. It challenges societal norms of what one's life "should" be and how one "should" act. It's a toast to being quirky and weird, to wearing pink fur (faux of course) coats and marching to the beat of your own drum. An encouragement of self-love, female empowerment and strong, supportive relationships. It bursts with the message that it's okay to fuck it up as long as you don't give up, life is messy and a bit of chaos and losing one's way is to be expected. With perfectly placed literary, and pop culture, references and a declaration of love that was of Austentian proportions, Don't You Forget About Me has become one of my favorite romances.
I saw the movie first and I really loved it. Shockingly, I was nervous to read the book because the movie was soooo cute This was so cute, cute, CUTE.
I saw the movie first and I really loved it. Shockingly, I was nervous to read the book because the movie was soooo cute and perfect. Like a gay John Hughes movie AKA my fav.
Well, this book was just as cute and fun, while still tackling some tough subjects. I really loved Simon and the full cast of characters. They were really vibrant, heartwarming and endearing. It was fun going through the daily life of a teenage boy.
This book was quick listen that put a smile on my face and warmth in my heart.
Hayley ☾ (TheVillainousReader)
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