Category: Romance

‘You’ve Reached Sam’ – Dustin Thao

You’ve Reached Sam is a book that will impact some people hugely, and even if you don’t find yourself a blubbery mess once it’s over then you will at least recognise how valuable this is to get people thinking about death and how we deal with it.

Julie is our main character and we learn that she has become something of a recluse since the death of her boyfriend, Sam. It frustrated me that for a character who plays such a pivotal role we know so little about him, but it was clear that he’d left his mark on the world somehow.

For reasons we never have explained, Julie finds herself able to talk to Sam on her mobile. There appear to be strict rules to follow, but these conversations allow Julie to say the things to Sam that she never had the opportunity to in life.
Only she can’t tell anyone what she’s doing or it will break their connection.

Slowly, and with the help of her friends, Julie learns to live again. By the end, things are settling back to a new reality but Julie is showing signs of accepting what has happened, learning to value the time she had with Sam and recognising the influence he has had on her life.

I personally found Julie quite irritating at times. Many of Sam’s friends and family were grieving but they rarely factored into her thought process. This is, probably, quite realistic – but it was nice to see there was no hard and fast approach to how someone should be seen to grieve. However, the steps she took allowed her to move gradually closer to accepting her new reality.

 

‘If This Gets Out’ – Sophie Gonzales and Cale Dietrich

If This Gets Out takes on what I’m fairly sure is an age-old issue (the manipulation of young singers by their management) and turns it on its head while delivering a sweet romance.

Our focus is a boyband called Saturday, formed after a summer camp and at a high point in their careers. Two years after they formed, the boys are starting to find the relentless grind and excessive management stifling. Relationships are strained and all four feel they are struggling to be true to themselves when their every public moment is monitored and choreographed.

Ruben, Zach, Jon and Angel were great friends and things began well. Somewhere along the way things have started to feel less fun, and as their success grows they are under increasing pressure to toe the line.

The book focuses on the relationship that develops between Ruben and Zach, but it also explores attitudes to sexuality, the mental health issues such a high-pressure existence creates, the way friends and family can sometimes be part of the problem and the role the media/fans play in such situations.

Perhaps this is a reflection of my age, but I found the romance element of the story the least engaging as I was more fascinated by the behind-the-scenes look at this fictional boyband. I can only imagine this story may have been influenced by events surrounding some of the highly successful boybands over the last few years, but the issues it explores are probably age-old. The lack of resolution may have been an attempt to show the growing empowerment these boys felt they had, but it also left it a little too open-ended for my liking.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

 

‘Only a Monster’ – Vanessa Len

Monsters are, traditionally, the things we hate but in this fascinating story we not only get to learn more about the monsters but we also are encouraged to side with them. Nothing is quite what it seems.

Our main character, Joan, is aware of feeling different. Her family background is a mix of cultures, and though she loves her father’s family she also enjoys the time she spends with her mother’s side of the family. When we first meet her she is spending the summer with her grandmother and spending time working at a local historical house. She was drawn to the place, and is excited to be going on a date with Nick, another volunteer.

On the day of her date, Joan learns something about herself that she could not have foreseen. The truth about her family is revealed, and it sets in place an awful chain of events with Nick at its heart.

Without giving too much away we learn that monsters walk the earth. We don’t know how they came into being, but they can travel through time…only they have to steal time from humans to do so. Joan is half-monster. Nick is the hero created to destroy monsters – so him falling in love with a monster is never going to be a good idea!

What we get is a tense and dramatic time-travel fantasy story, with lots of potential strands for development. I am desperate to learn more about the history of the monsters, and am pretty sure that we have not seen the last of the characters that make this such an exciting read.

Though not due for publication until early 2022, I’m grateful to the Secret Readers for allowing me the opportunity to read it in advance of publication. Exciting stuff!

 

‘Not Here to be Liked’ – Michelle Quach

A topical yet entertaining story, that delivers a sweet romance while exploring some pretty big ideas.

Our main character, Eliza, is a rather serious young woman. Her parents want her to succeed in school so she has a choice for her future career. Eliza is desperate to be editor-in-chief for her school paper and it seems she’s a guarantee for the role. But she hadn’t banked on new writer, Len, applying for the role…and when he gets it she is disappointed.

Eliza throws herself into venting her thoughts, blaming his success on the misogyny at play. When her vent is published it sparks a school-wide movement…but things get complicated when Eliza is forced to work with Len and finds herself developing feelings for her purported enemy.

The enemies to lovers thing isn’t new, but I liked that we get to see both views here and are not expected to see everything simply. The focus on parental expectations in certain family environments was interesting, and it was good to have characters that were a little more nuanced than we might have expected for a group of teens.

Thanks to NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to access this before publication.

 

‘Once Upon a Broken Heart’ – Stephanie Garber

Due for release in September 2021, I have to thank the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this in advance of publication in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I adored the first two books in the Caraval series, and though the final brought some closure it didn’t work as successfully for me. This book features some of the characters that will be familiar to readers of Caraval (and though I think this could standalone, it offers more insight into the actions of some of the characters) and immerses us in another magical world where characters are pushed to their limits in order to define themselves.

Our main character is Evangeline Fox, who believes herself to be in love with childhood friend Luc. She is reeling from the sudden change of heart he appears to have had, and now he is about to marry her stepsister Evangeline wants to find a way to stop events that she believes shouldn’t be happening. So she strikes a bargain with Jacks…

Things do not go as expected. Suddenly the wedding party is turned to stone and Evangeline finds herself in a rather unusual situation. Without hesitation she sacrifices herself, so this is the kind of world that rewards selflessness…and then pitches her into the kind of scenario straight from Grimm’s fairytales.

We learn that Evangeline is sent up North, where she becomes betrothed to Prince Apollo. We know early on that manipulations are at play, but we’re not told the full extent. What we do learn is that many – Jacks included – believe Evangeline to be a crucial part of a long-believed prophesy.

The story focuses on the magic and machinations of those who desire something. Few are exactly as they seem, and it becomes a puzzle for Evangeline to work through. There’s plenty of hints as to what could happen, and we end on a sweet high…happy that some elements have been resolved, but sensing that Evangeline’s ordeal is far from over.

‘In the Wild Light’ – Jeff Zentner

In the Wild Light is a book that I’m going to have to recommend with caution. I imagine anyone who picks it up will enjoy it, but this book – in the right hands – has the capacity to break someone time and time again, before slotting the broken bits back together and forging something new. Yes, this is going to be a book that I know I’ll read again (and that doesn’t happen often), will find ways to use excerpts from in class and will always wish I could recapture the feelings I had as I read it for the first time.

Our main characters, Cash and Delaney, come from a small town called Sawyer in Tennessee. Cash lives with his grandparents after the overdose of his mother, and Delaney’s mother seems to be heading the same way. Cash’s grandfather is dying of emphysema, and the pair of them are coming under pressure from a local dealer to get involved in things they’d rather avoid. At the start of the book I was convinced this would be bleak reading.

We are told early on that Delaney has made an important scientific discovery. How big a thing this is doesn’t become obvious until we’re told that she has an exclusive prep school offering both her and Cash full scholarships to study there. Though they have reservations about leaving at such a time, they are encouraged to break out of their home environment and take a risk.

The opportunity to study at such an establishment cannot be ignored. It changes them both in ways they could never have foreseen, but it also allows them to reflect on what they have come from and what is important to each of them.

There were so many passages and moments within the book that I loved that it’s hard to focus on specifics. The friendship between Delaney and Cash is at the heart of the book, but they would not be where they are without the support of Cash’s grandparents. The professor who fosters Cash’s ability to write was inspiring, and each of the students Cash and Delaney find themselves befriending had something about them. The story is quite simple, but the way in which is written is achingly beautiful. Though I was expecting some of the bleak moments, there were more…but, at its core, there was a strong sense of hope that cannot be ignored.

Jeff Zentner has created a story that goes beyond the boundaries of the page. It’s a love story, testimony to the power of friendship, family and environment. It’s a story that cannot be forgotten.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this in advance of its August release.

 

‘The Heart Principle’ – Helen Hoang

Due for publication in August 2021, I’m very grateful to NetGalley for letting me read this before publication. I’ve enjoyed the previous two books in the series, but this one touched me in ways I wasn’t expecting. It felt honest, painfully so at times, but it was such a tender read that I found myself desperate to see how things worked out.

Our focus this time round is Quan, who we already know from the previous books, and his romance with violinist Anna.

Anna is a woman who sets herself high standards. She feels pressure to behave a certain way and her usual coping mechanisms are not working. Close to burnout it’s hard to imagine being at a lower point. But then her boyfriend suggests they take a break from each other and start an open relationship to help them figure out whether they’re really suited to one another. Perhaps it’s the way we’re encouraged to respond to him, but this just felt like a way for him to sow his wild oats without losing Anna. He never imagines she might be the one to move on.

When the open relationship thing is first introduced, she doesn’t know how to react. Her friends’ righteous indignation is just what was needed…setting things up perfectly for her to meet Quan.

Of course we want them to work out, and their relationship definitely ticks the boxes, but what I really loved about this was the way the pair of them together talked, shared their vulnerabilities and worked on ways to resolve problems.

Quan is invaluable support for Anna as she comes to terms with her late diagnosis of autism, and how she manages the expectations of others while working out the implications for herself. At the same time, Anna is having to cope with the demands of caring for her father and how these new responsibilities affect her and her family.

As I said, there’s a lot to digest here. Some issues are resolved, while others are not. Though there’s so much going on in this story it never felt cluttered or disorganised. Each strand combined perfectly to create a story that I defy people not to fall in love with.

 

‘Blackout’ – Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon

Blackout is a collection of short stories from some fantastic contemporary writers. The premise is straightforward – New York City experiences a blackout and, in the time it takes for light to be restored, we are given an insight into some of the lives of those caught up in the experience.
The six writers involved in this collaboration talk about being keen to show the lives of black teens and to try to ensure a fairer representation for readers. It is clear they are a tight-knit group of writers/friends, and it does seem to have been an interesting collaboration since there are strands running throughout the stories.
The afterword stresses that this book began as a project doing the unsettling first period of adjusting to life in Covid-affected times. Drawing on a common experience, and showing how just one moment can impact on the lives of many is clearly at the fore of the stories. They all explore love – in some form – and the stories/experiences are varied (just as you would expect in life).
Naturally, some of the stories are more engaging than others. I’d hazard a guess that every reader will find a favourite set of characters/story, and it might not necessarily be the one written by the author that you would predict. The story by Tiffany Jackson acts as a framing device for all the stories, and though we spend more time with them these two characters still felt as if there could be more to come from their story.
For me, each story focused on a moment and captured a reaction/thought/idea. They were all cautiously optimistic and offered readers the opportunity to draw a little closer. This might not be the kind of story collection I’d return to time and time again, but I’d certainly recommend it to readers looking for something a little different from writers they are familiar with.

 

‘One Last Stop’ – Casey McQuiston

 

I started this just after seeing a post on social media commenting on the fact that a member of the blogging community had expressed their dismay over this book and not been able to finish it…because it had lesbian characters. That, in a nutshell, seemed to sum up why such a book is needed.

This book had so much going on. While not all of the strands fully worked for me, it was a joyous read – and one that I could not help but feel happy to have read.
Our main character is a rather innocent young girl, who has moved to New York to try and finish college – and to move away from her mother’s attempts to get her to investigate the disappearance of a relative. She finds herself living in a rather strange apartment-share, with a mixed bunch of characters who quickly show themselves to be warm-hearted, caring and better than many families. She gets a job in a 24-hour diner, in spite of having no previous experience, and finds herself intrigued by the daily meet she has on the subway.

August is not particularly confident, but she is determined to try and make the best of situations she ends up in. When she finds herself meeting the same girl, Jane, on her daily commute it quickly becomes a crush she does not want to ignore.

This could have been the story and it would, probably, have worked. Seeing these two together was entertaining, and you cannot deny the attraction between them. However, we have a rather unusual twist…Jane is incapable of leaving the subway and – for reasons we are not quite sure of – actually lived in the 1970s.

I would heartily recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Red, White and Royal Blue though the tone/style is more reflective. As we drew towards the end I have to say I was nervous about reading on – just in case things didn’t quite go as expected.

‘The Lucky List’ – Rachel Lippincott

Emily always felt lucky, and the bond she had with her mum was special. Unfortunately, Emily’s mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer, her luck ran out and Emily has not felt the same since.

When we first meet Emily she alludes to some of this trauma, and as the story progresses we learn more about her life and how losing her mum has affected her. We see her trying to come to terms with things changing…but this is, primarily, a story about one girl trying to figure out who she is.

The action takes place over the summer holidays. We see Emily finding a list written by her mum of challenges she set herself at the same point in her life. Emily decides – with a little push from her new friend – to carry out these challenges. As she ticks them off she starts to feel a little freer…but the biggest challenge is whether she will be honest with herself.

Emily was a very sympathetically presented character. She didn’t always make the best decisions, but it was rewarding to see her develop and gain the confidence to feel comfortable in her own skin.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read this prior to publication.