[79] Variation by Rebecca Yarros
Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, because I love this author, Kindle
Synopsis: Allie is a renowned ballerina sidelined by an injury, and Hudson is a rescue swimmer for the Coast Guard. Their paths first crossed in high school when Hudson saved Allie and her sister from a sinking canoe. Eleven years later, they’re no longer in touch, but fate brings them back together for the summer when Allie returns to Hudson’s hometown to recover from her injury.
Review: Well, that recap made the book sound a little dull, and honestly? It kind of was. While the writing is solid, the story felt underwhelming. There was no spark between the characters, and the big reveal about that summer – the reason they stopped speaking -doesn’t come until the very end and didn’t feel worth the buildup. I’m not usually a big fan of second-chance romances, and this one obviously didn’t change my mind.
There’s also a subplot about the parentage of Hudson’s adopted niece that was confusing and resolved in a way I couldn’t quite follow. Add to that a lot of ballet talk that went over my head, and it just didn’t click for me. I was so excited to read this when I remembered it had come out, but in the end, it was just… meh.
ALSO, Yarros mentioned Smartwater specifically three times and her characters getting water out of the fridge OFTEN. What is with her bottled water from the fridge obsession?
Recommend? Sadly, no
[80] Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, saw in “Available Now” on Libby, audio
Synopsis: Stella’s Christmas tree farm has been hit with a string of bad luck, and she’s struggling to keep it afloat. In a last-ditch effort to save the farm, she enters a competition hosted by a social media influencer, hoping to win the $100K grand prize. There’s just one problem – she lies on the application, claiming that she owns the farm with her boyfriend. The catch? Her best friend Luca isn’t her boyfriend at all. Enter the fake dating trope.
Review: Although this book has Hallmark movie vibes, it’s wasn’t that cheesy, which surprised me! That said, it’s slow-moving and dull. The influencer doesn’t even show up until the last 30% of the book. And (spoiler!) we have the classic “I thought we were just pretending and didn’t really love each other, even though we’ve been friends forever” dark moment, and… I think I need a break from that trope. And I loved the narrator for Stella’s voice but the way she voiced men was cringe. I wonder if I would have liked this better on my Kindle, but I also think I would have been too bored to finish it.
Recommend? No
[81] Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh
Fiction / Romance / Holiday, saw on Amazon ad, Kindle
Synopsis: Molly and Andrew have become friends over the years, taking the same flight from Chicago to their home country of Ireland every Christmas. This marks their 10th year in a row, but a snowstorm throws their plans into chaos. As they navigate the challenges of getting home, a kiss under the mistletoe sparks something more between them.
Review: Similarly to the last book, this was not overly cheesy, it just didn’t have a spark that kept me engaged. At least in this one, they were honest about their feelings for each other and the “dark moment” was something else! But overall, not doing it for me.
Recommend? No
A realization
Ha, so, ALL of these books were friends to lovers trope (with the first being second chance as well) and it’s very clear to me now I should avoid that trope for a bit!
