Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Theme: What I like in a Rom Com…

Kristie

If someone asked you what makes a great romantic comedy, what would you tell them? Would it the characters? Plot? Pacing? Trope? Spice level? Dialogue? Banter? Or would it be a combination of all of those things? I’ve been reading a lot of romantic comedies lately and I’m here to tell you that, like any genre, not all are created equal.

For me, the characters and their banter is very, very important. How do they interact? Do I root for them? Plot and pacing are close seconds. The tropes are where I struggle. There are some very overdone tropes out there: Friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, the “meet cute,” childhood sweethearts, second chance/impossible/forbidden love, fake relationships, the list goes on and on.

But there are some standout authors and books that rise to the top. When that happens they are usually fun, smart, and deep. Personally, I like main characters that are kind of damaged–either from family issues or past relationships gone wrong. Why? Because all of us are damaged in one way or another. Who wants to read about shiny, perfect characters? Not me. But everything needs to be done in moderation too. Do you see the delicate balance it takes to achieve a successful story? I’m sure I couldn’t do it. (Those who can, write stories. Those those cannot, critique the stories…)

Yes, I’m one of those people.

But enough blah, blah. Let’s focus on two rom coms I read in October that get it right. Now, I’m not some who likes a lot of spice and smut. But I do like some romance and am OK with closed-door physical contact if it is written tastefully. PG, bordering on PG-13 is my limit. Whoops, more blah, blah. Let’s talk about books!

Practice Makes Perfect, by Sarah Adams is the sequel to When In Rome, which I enjoyed very much. (You can read that review HERE.) This time, our main characters are youngest sister, Annie Walker, and bodyguard, Will Griffin. On the surface, these two are confident and strong. Behind the scenes, both are struggling. For Annie it is trying to prove her independence to her family. For Will it is to escape the memories of his dysfunctional parents. The relationship between these two characters is wonderful, each of them bring out the best in each other. The ending is no surprise, but the journey getting there is totally worth reading. 9/10 Stars

The Hating Game, by Sally Thorne, has been in my Kindle for as long as I can remember. This is an enemies-to-lovers story, starting as a workplace rivalry at a publishing house. Lucy and Josh are each assistants to co-CEOs who also dislike each other and have very different ethics after a big merger. Forced to share space and work together every day, Lucy and Josh do everything they can to undermine each other (never quite crossing the line–a good thing.) Of course, such animosity is not sustainable and the inevitable happens, but what a fun ride along the way! Seeing the way their relationship begins, changes, and ends is a delight. 9/10 Stars

And there you have it! Happy Reading! (And don’t forget to set your clocks back tonight.)

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

Windsong Manor, by Julie Wright

Kristie

A few weeks ago, while touring St. George, Utah, my husband and I stopped in at a Deseret Book. Two authors were there introducing and signing new books and, because it was early evening, the store was relatively empty. One of those authors was Julie Wright, who I recognized from a Facebook group I follow. She had two new books, one of which was Windsong Manor. I apologized for not buying it there, confessing that I prefer digital ebooks on my Kindle, but she was very nice and I was captivated by the plot. After several attempts to find it on library sites, I relented and ended up buying it, hoping that I would not regret my purchase.

I did not. In fact, Windsong Manor is now in my special collection of “Kristie’s Favorites” in my Kindle, a file I only reserve for those rare books who draw me in and transport me completely.

The plot: Eleanora Coventry is a baroness and a young widow. Her late husband was much older and domineering and her young son, who was sent away to school, has returned with all of his father’s worst traits. To add to her challenges, Eleanora “Nora” has also been tasked to raise her late husband’s illegitimate daughter, a recent orphan and the product of an embarrassing affair. Life is topsy turvy.

In an effort of lead a quieter life, Nora moves her family from their London townhouse to Windsong Manor, the late baron’s country home that he rarely visited. While finding her way as a single mother with two challenging children, Nora befriends the quiet stablehand, Ridley Ellis. Despite his social station, Ridley moves and speaks like a gentleman, and his calm influence on everyone around him is felt deeply by Nora and the children.

The writing is as wonderful as the plot is intriguing. Nora and Ridley’s characters are excellently developed, with terrific dialogue and pacing. Both are strong and steadfast in the midst of their many challenges. Their kindness to each other and others makes this story one of warmth and depth. I loved every bit of it and highly recommend this book for a very satisfying read. It will leave you with renewed faith in people and modern literature.

9.5/10 Stars

Autobiography, Memoir, Nonfiction

Farewell to Matthew Perry…

Kristie

Like so many others, I am reeling over the sad, sudden passing of actor Matthew Perry on October 28th. As my husband said yesterday, watching Friends will never feel the same. I agree. When I read Matthew’s memoir a few months ago, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, I learned a lot about this funny, talented man. It may be too soon for some, but I do encourage anyone and everyone to read it. Beyond his legacy of laughter, Matthew Perry battled some huge mental and physical challenges.

You can read my review HERE. Matthew wanted to be remembered for so much more than Friends. Reading his book is a good place to start.

Historical Fiction

Theme: Unconventional Women

Kristie

Two of the best books I’ve read in recent months focus on women going against society’s expectations during periods in history when such behavior was much less acceptable. These are books not to be missed:

October in the Earth, by Olivia Hawker, takes place in Depression-era Kentucky. Del Wensley is the submissive wife of the area’s most influential and charismatic preacher. But not all is as it seems and, when her husband’s rampant infidelity is revealed, Del decides to leave her life behind and ride the rails. Crisscrossing the country, she meets friends and foes, learning the laws of life as a hobo from a young woman named Louisa. As the two travel together, Del is relentlessly pursued by her disgraced husband. She witnesses kindness and horror, sympathy and rejection, and comes to understand that true Christian behavior is found in the most unlikely places.

I devoured this book, spellbound by its imagery and the relationship between Del and Louisa. They hop on and off boxcars, face unimaginable danger, and are challenged physically, but their strength and friendship are their armor through every difficulty. There is so much to love about this story, not the least of which is an ending that I never expected. 9.5/10 Stars

Don’t Forget to Write, by Sara Goodman Confino is available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription and comes with the accompanying audiobook, which is superbly narrated. Set in 1960, we follow twenty-year-old Marilyn Kleinman, the rebellious daughter of Jewish parents who is sent to live with her great aunt Ada after being caught necking with the rabbi’s son in the synagogue. Aunt Ada is strict, cantankerous, and critical, but she is also wise, generous, and well-respected by all who know her. Aunt and niece spar endlessly, but their bond deepens over two summer months. Meanwhile, Marilyn learns life lessons she never realized she needed and comes into her own as a young woman ready to make her own choices.

I finished this book today and I knew I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it here. It is wondrous. One of the best books I’ve read this year, and nothing I say here will do it justice. It could be seen as historical fiction or as a coming-of-age story. Some might interpret it as a comment on hot button topics like religion, race, and sexual attraction. My main takeaway of this extremely well-written novel was this: even if we don’t agree with someone, even if we don’t understand them, we can still love and respect them. I’ll say no more. Just read this book. 9.5/10 Stars

Fiction

November Amazon First Reads!

Kristie

Did you know that Amazon Prime members get a free Kindle book every month? We do!

🍁Go to Amazon through a search engine (not the app.)

🍁Type “Amazon first reads” into the search bar.

🍁The selections will appear. Make your choice!

🍁Your new Kindle book will appear in your Kindle and your Kindle app on your smartphone, tablet, and computer.

FYI, all of the choices will become available the following month to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. So if you’re having a difficult time choosing, fear not! You’ll still be able to access all of the books. If you don’t subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, they are $4.99 each. Still a pretty good deal!

Happy reading!☺️

Fiction, Reading Wrap Up

October 2023 Reading Wrap Up!

Kristie

It’s been an interesting month of listening to books while traveling, reading banned/controversial books for my online challenges, finishing the Sweater Weather series, peppering in a few Halloween selections, and enjoying some fiction and historical romance. No complaints!

The stars above are based on the Goodreads rating system and, as you can see, there are a few 5 star books. I LOVED October in the Earth, Practice Makes Perfect, Windsong Manor, and Miss Fleming Falls in Love. I hope to write reviews of them eventually, but I’ve been terrible about that these last few weeks. Until then, I highly, highly recommend them all!

Now, on to November. I have two advanced copies that I need to read for the month and then I’m pretty free to read what I want. So, what do I want? Holiday books? Mood reads? Books patiently sitting in my TBR? Yes to all.

Happy Halloween, Everyone, and Happy Reading!

Cover Reveal

Cover Reveal: The Rom-Commers, by Katherine Center

Kristie

There is only a tiny handful of authors that I would devote a blog post for a cover reveal, and Katherine Center is one of them! Today she revealed the cover art for next year’s book, The Rom-Commers! Preorders are happening now for Kindle, hardback, and Audible formats. Follow the link! https://www.amazon.com/Rom-Commers-Novel-Katherine-Center/dp/1250283809/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1698343719&sr=8-1

Teasers

Katherine Center 2024 Teaser!

Kristie

You know how I love little teasers from favorite authors, and Katherine Center revealed a big one today! Who is ready for her next book? I am!

Title: The Rom-Commers

Release Date: June 11, 2024

Cover Art: Pending (I’ll post it when it’s released!)

Synopsis: See above! (Hint: It’s connected to The Bodyguard, a personal favorite!)

Preorder Details:

The Blue Willow Bookshop: All preorders will be signed by the author! (I’ve ordered from this shop before and they are AWESOME. So efficient and helpful.)

Brazos Bookstore: All preorders will be signed by the author!

Also available for preorder (unsigned, in multiple formats) at Amazon, B&N, Audible, and LIBRO.fm (like Audible but supports independent bookstores.) Preorders help with sales stats!

Happy preordering, and sign up for Katherine’s newsletter to stay current with her books, news, and giveaways! All info is here: https://katherinecenter.com/

Fiction, Romance, Series & Collections, Women's Fiction

Sweater Weather Series, by Various Authors

Kristie

Over the last seven weeks I have been thoroughly enjoying the Sweater Weather series. Available with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, these CLEAN rom-coms are a true delight! They are set in the fictional town of Harvest Hollow, North Carolina and can be read in any order. The characters all know each other through school, work, family, or the local hockey team called the Appies. They share a love of sports, reading, music, and taking care of others. Each story is unique, with characters of depth, hopes, determination, and very good hearts.

Written by seven different authors, I eagerly awaited each book as it was released each Thursday. And now I’ve read them all and recommend them to anyone who wants to escape to Harvest Hollow for some sweet, witty banter and clean fun.

My favorite was Faking the Fall, and I’ve had the privilege of communicating with its author, Julie Christianson, over the last few weeks. Today she announced that Thursday, October 19th, at 4:30pm Pacific/6:30pm Central, on ZOOM, the authors of the series are getting together for a wrap party. They will be interacting with readers and answering questions. It’s free and all are invited! I’ll be tuning in! Those interested are asked to fill out the Google doc I’m including, which has the Zoom link and asks for your email. You do not have to submit questions to attend.

Sweater Weather Online Wrap Party: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfXx-hCQH7jsX4kptNoLYE65WlvEiW_DrNetmMc4XzAo6bHxQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2Ph1sRmIBlarb9fpn_2IrmSiD18tloQ-RMle2HQKk8GwUF-YF7nQcVYEQ

My favorites, in order :

Faking the Fall, by Julie Christianson (I don’t know why, but this one just topped the rest in my opinion)

Can’t Help Falling, by Courtney Walsh tied with Just Don’t Fall, by Emma St. Clair AND Absolutely Not in Love, by Jenny Proctor (loved all three of these pretty equally)

The Fall Back Plan, by Melanie Jacobson tied with…A Not So Fictional Fall, by Savannah Scott (they’re still good, just not the best ones)

Easy As Pie, by Carina Taylor (this one didn’t do much for me)

Don’t let those faceless covers fool you! These are fun, witty escapist books. Perfect for cozy nights, blankets, a fire, and a hot beverage. Enjoy!