Audiobook Review: Close Knit by Jenny Colgan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Close Knit
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrator: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: August 6, 2024
Print length: 318 pages
Audio length: 10 hours, 31 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased (audiobook); E-book ARC from the publisher/NetGalley
Rating:

Follow Gertie MacIntyre from knitting circle to air stewardess in this glorious and romantic summer novel set in Scotland’s windswept Northern isles, by beloved New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.

In the northernmost reaches of Scotland, where a string of little islands in the North Sea stretches towards Norway, lives Gertie MacIntyre, a proud island girl by birth. Her social circle is small but tight: family and friends, particularly the women in her knitting circle. In the whitewashed cottages of their hometown, everyone knows everyone, and the ladies of the knitting circle know more than most. In a place of long dark winters and geographic isolation, the knitting circle is a precious source of gossip, home, laughter, and comfort for them all. And while she knits, Gertie’s busily plotting what to do with the rest of her life.

When Gertie develops a crush on Callum Frost, who owns the local airline, she dares herself to take a job as an air stewardess on the little plane that serves the local islands. Terrifying at first, the sixteen-seat puddle jumper also offers the first taste of real freedom she’s ever known. Will Gertie’s future lie in the skies? Or will she need to go further afield to find the adventure she craves?

Yet another gem from Jenny Colgan! Her books are opportunities to be swept away to beautiful places and experience lovely communities — but also, to laugh, to be amused, and to see people doing both amazing and silly things.

(Quick note: The synopsis — above — found on Goodreads, NetGalley, Amazon and elsewhere gets the main character’s name wrong! Her name is Gertie Mooney, and she ends up working for MacIntyre Air. Moving on…)

Close Knit takes place in the small town of Carso, located “in the very North of Scotland” on the sea. From Carso, across the water, is a chain of small islands, accessible only by ferry or by air — and MacIntyre Air’s small planes are the primary way the locals and tourists get there, taking off from the tiny airport (really, more like a tin shed) and flown by Morag, her grandfather, or another long-time pilot.

Gertie, born and raised in Carso, lives with her mother and grandmother, and has never flown in an airplane or ventured away from her small community. Her life revolves around her job at the supermarket and knitting — her tiny home is stuffed to the brim with wool and knitwear, and every day, the KCs — the women of the Knitting Circle — come to the Mooney home to knit and gossip, and to tell Gertie what to do with her life.

Gertie is sweet and very shy, and finds comfort in constant daydreaming (and knitting). She dreams of romance, but after one daring attempt to woo an older boy in school (which did not end well), she rarely steps out of her safe routines.

When two girls she remembers from her school days end up in her store, she feels her own sense of inadequacy pop up — they were two years older, and seemed impossibly cool at the time. She doubts they’d even remember her now, but after seeing Gertie kindly take charge of a potentially awkward situation in the store, they make an unexpected offer. The two women are Morag, the pilot, and Nelitha, her very pregnant best friend who works as the airline’s ground crew. They need someone to take over for Nelitha as she starts her maternity leave… and although Gertie has no flight or airline experience, she clearly has a knack for dealing with customers.

The fact that Gertie has recently developed a crush on the man whose larger airline acquired MacIntyre Air is an added enticement — maybe she’ll get to see him regularly, and she can give him some beautiful handmade knitwear, and he’ll realize that this local girl is really the woman of his dreams! Ready to make a change in her life, Gertie accepts the job, as well as the offer of becoming Morag’s roommate… and her entire life changes.

Close Knit is not just Gertie’s story. Through Gertie, we meet a cast of characters that includes the town’s schoolchildren, the women of the KCs, musicians and teachers, airline crew, and a variety of other locals. Morag — introduced in the author’s previous book, The Summer Skies — gets her own chapters, and Gertie’s one-time crush/local schoolteacher Struan is also important to the overall story.

The town, the land and seascapes, and the islands are lovingly drawn, with descriptions so gorgeous that a reader will have a hard time refraining from immediately googling Carso and how to get there. (Sadly, it’s fictional). It’s not just the physical setting that’s wonderful — Jenny Colgan excels at creating a full community, with its quirky characters and habits, idle gossip and town lore, even its best places for coffee, ice cream, or chips. A section of the book set at the town’s cèilidh (dance) is delightfully engaging — and made me want to immediately head out and learn to dance Strip the Willow and The Gay Gordons.

In terms of The Summer Skies, in which Morag is the main character, I’d say Close Knit is more of a companion novel than a sequel. Timewise, it’s set after the events of The Summer Skies, but Close Knit can certainly be read as a stand-alone. The two novels together paint a picture of life in Carso. There’s a continuation of Morag’s story, but a reader picking up Close Knit can very comfortably follow the entire story and never feel lost, even without reading the previous book.

Lest you think that Close Knit is all just lovely people in a lovely place doing lovely things (okay, it is that, but there’s more!), the later part of the book centers around a dangerous situation that requires Morag and Gertie to get involved in a rescue operation. The tension is high and the action is compelling — and it’s an opportunity for the characters to shine, each in their own way. It’s an effective mix of great storytelling and showing the heart and inner strength of the characters, and makes for a completely absorbing reading/listening experience.

Some words on the audiobook itself: Once again, Eilidh Beaton is the narrator, and she is a marvel. She narrates several of Jenny Colgan’s books, and excels at voicing the variety of characters, from sweet Gertie to hesitant children to the suave-but-shallow airline owner, and really, each of the townspeople, older, younger, gruff, or kind. Each is quite distinctive and easily identifiable — and for this American listener, the Scottish accents are delightful to hear.

While Close Knit might be shelved by some readers as a romance, I’d categorize it as contemporary fiction that includes a romantic subplot. Yes, there is a love story in Close Knit, but it’s such a slowly building element of the story that it’s just one piece of the whole. Gertie’s growth and development is the main story here — over the course of the book, she learns to take chances, stop living only in her dreams, and create a new and meaningful life for herself. (As an introvert, I loved seeing such a shy, dreamy girl get a chance to shine!)

Gertie is a wonderful main character, and the town of Carso is a community I hope Jenny Colgan continues to explore in future books. Close Knit is a cozy, sweet, utterly enjoyable book, but that’s really no surprise. This author’s books have become can’t-miss reading experiences for me, and as always, I’ll be waiting for whatever she writes next!

6Jul2024

Audiobook Review: My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: My Oxford Year
Author: Julia Whelan
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication date: April 24, 2018
Print length: 352 pages
Audio length: 9 hours 58 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

Set amidst the breathtaking beauty of Oxford, this sparkling debut novel tells the unforgettable story about a determined young woman eager to make her mark in the world and the handsome man who introduces her to an incredible love that will irrevocably alter her future—perfect for fans of JoJo Moyes and Nicholas Sparks.

American Ella Durran has had the same plan for her life since she was thirteen: Study at Oxford. At 24, she’s finally made it to England on a Rhodes Scholarship when she’s offered an unbelievable position in a rising political star’s presidential campaign. With the promise that she’ll work remotely and return to DC at the end of her Oxford year, she’s free to enjoy her Once in a Lifetime Experience. That is until a smart-mouthed local who is too quick with his tongue and his car ruins her shirt and her first day.

When Ella discovers that her English literature course will be taught by none other than that same local, Jamie Davenport, she thinks for the first time that Oxford might not be all she’s envisioned. But a late-night drink reveals a connection she wasn’t anticipating finding and what begins as a casual fling soon develops into something much more when Ella learns Jamie has a life-changing secret.

Immediately, Ella is faced with a seemingly impossible decision: turn her back on the man she’s falling in love with to follow her political dreams or be there for him during a trial neither are truly prepared for. As the end of her year in Oxford rapidly approaches, Ella must decide if the dreams she’s always wanted are the same ones she’s now yearning for.

Warning: Do not listen to My Oxford Year in public. I can’t be responsible for what happens. (But embarrassing ugly crying is a strong possibility…)

I’m a little baffled as to how to write this review. I had a major plot point spoiled for me ahead of time, and I wish I hadn’t known to expect it. So, on the one hand, I don’t want to give spoilers here… on the other hand, it’ll be hard to discuss this book in any meaningful way without it.

But here goes… I’ll give it a try.

(But first, a further note: The content could be upsetting for someone to encounter without forewarning… so I’m going to put content warnings over on my Goodreads review, under a spoiler blur. Check if out here if you want to know.)

24-year-old Ella Durran heads to Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship, something she’s dreamed of all her life. As her magical, longed-for year kicks off — literally as she’s arriving at Heathrow — she’s also offered a dream job opportunity, working as the education consultant for the woman who stands a good chance of becoming the party nominee for President in the next election. Ella’s future lies in political organizing, and while she’ll be studying literature at Oxford, she also has her eye on what happens after Oxford. Ella’s return ticket is already booked for June 11th of the next spring, and she works out a deal with the campaign: She’ll work remotely while at Oxford, then return next June and commit full-time to the race.

Initially, Ella experiences fish-out-of-water mishaps at Oxford — such as nearly getting run over due to looking the wrong way while crossing the street. The “posh prat” at the wheel ends up being Ella’s literature lecturer, and their unfortunate first meeting leads to attraction, and eventually, a no-strings hook-up plan that’s hot, exciting, and low commitment. It’s good for as long as it’s good, and that — they both agree — will be that.

Meanwhile, Ella also settles in, forms a handful of close friendships, and starts to truly relax into and appreciate her Oxford experience. And as things with Jamie continue to be thrilling, Ella’s having the time of her life.

All is not as perfect as it seems, though… and then Ella’s life (and the book) become more intense and complicated. One of Ella’s go to responses is “It’s a plan” as a form of agreeing or making a commitment, but what happens when life gets in the way of well thought-out plans?

I really can’t say more, but trust me when I say this book packs an emotional punch. There were times when I wanted nothing more than to give Ella a good shake, but her visceral responses to certain challenges, as well as her unwillingness or inability to see what’s right in front of her, feel real and true to life. It makes sense that Ella takes so long to acknowledge what she truly wants, or to recognize that having a plan doesn’t mean that the plan is actually the right course of action. As frustrating as she can be, Ella is a character who clicks precisely because she doesn’t always make perfect decisions or react the way we’d want her to react. She’s definitely flawed, and that helps us root for her.

And what can I say about Jamie? He’s sheer perfection, an absolute cupcake, and I challenge any reader not to be absolutely mad about him.

The larger cast of characters is terrific as well, rounding out Ella’s life in a way that gives her experiences more depth and connection. I loved getting to know the various people in her and Jamie’s lives, and seeing each of their journeys as well.

Author Julia Whelan narrates the audiobook. For any audiobook fans, you’ll know that this means the listening experience will be fabulous. Julia Whelan is the queen of audiobook narration, and hearing her narrate her own book is a chance to be transported into the feel of of the story and utterly absorbed.

My Oxford Year puts the reader through the emotional wringer in a way I hadn’t anticipated (until I was told a spoiler). At first, when I thought I was just reading a book about a year in a rarified academic setting, I didn’t feel entirely engaged. Do I care about stuffy universities and lecture halls and dissection of poetry? (Maybe just a smidge…) But when the more personal aspects of the plot kicked in, I was hooked, heart and soul.

I was a mess by the end of this book, but also uplifted and moved and satisfied. My Oxford Year is lovely and powerful, and should not be missed.

PS – My Oxford Year is coming to Netflix! No information yet on exactly when, but a preliminary casting announcement was recently shared… good stuff!

13Jun2024

Audiobook Review: Kilmeny of the Orchard by L. M. Montgomery

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Kilmeny of the Orchard
Author: L. M. Montgomery
Narrator: Grace Conlin
Publisher: n/a – many editions available
Publication date: 1910
Print length: 144 pages
Audio length: 4 hours, 5 minutes
Genre: Classic fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

A sweet and moving romance from the author of the beloved Anne of Green Gables series!

Eric Marshall, recent college graduate, has the world at his feet. He’s handsome, popular, wealthy, and surprisingly, single. Living the bachelor lifestyle with his widowed father, he’s never given much thought to romance. When an old school friend asks Eric to substitute teach for him on Prince Edward Island while he recuperates from an illness, Eric thinks, why not? He’s got some time to kill before diving into the family business with his father, and the rustic island may be a good diversion for him.

Eric falls into the easy routine of island life, and his status as eligible bachelor endears him to the locals. Eric is still not thinking of romance, but he’s about to find it in a most unexpected place…

Kilmeny Gordon is sweet and smart and beautiful, perfect in every way but one: she can’t speak. She’s been sheltered all her life due to her disability and the scandal surrounding her birth. She wiles away her hours helping her aunt and uncle on the farm and playing her violin in her favorite secluded spot. When Eric stumbles into her hidden orchard, he brings a whole new world with him, and a friendship that both frightens her and thrills her. As the summer days grow longer and their friendship blossoms, sweet, silent Kilmeny, with her sunny enthusiasm and haunting music, manages to do what neither the co-eds of Queenslea College nor the village lasses of Lindsay have been able to do—capture Eric’s heart.

But Kilmeny knows he’ll soon have to go back to his life on the mainland, a world of business meetings and parties and prejudicial people—a world in which she’ll hold him back and never fit in. None of that matters to Eric, but how can he get her to accept that she’s the only woman he’ll ever love, when she is convinced that the only way to love him is to let him go?

And a shorter synopsis from Audible:

Twenty-four-year-old Eric Marshall arrives on Prince Edward Island to become a substitute schoolmaster, even though he has a bright future in his wealthy family’s business. Eric has taken the two-month teaching post only as a favor to a friend – but fate throws in his path a beautiful, mysterious girl named Kilmeny Gordon. With jet black hair and sea blue eyes, Kilmeny immediately captures Eric’s heart. But Kilmeny cannot speak, and Eric is concerned for and bewitched by this shy, sensitive mute girl. For the first time in his life, he must work hard for something he wants badly. And there is nothing he wants more than for Kilmeny to return his love.

After coming to the Anne of Green Gables series only several years ago, I’ve been on a (somewhat haphazard) mission to read L. M. Montgomery’s novels. Looking back at my reading history, after reading the Anne series and Emily trilogy, I see that I’ve read one of her stand-alones in each of the past few years… and that brings me to Kilmeny of the Orchard.

Kilmeny of the Orchard wasn’t on my radar, but I stumbled across it thanks to a Kindle deals promo, and decided to give it a try. Kilmeny is the 3rd novel published by L. M. Montgomery, released after the first two Anne books — which would make it her first novel published about adult characters. Kilmeny has the lovely descriptions and clever character depictions so prevalent in the author’s works, but the story itself feels somewhat underbaked and clichéd, definitely not on the level of her “greatest hits”.

Kilmeny of the Orchard‘s main character is not Kilmeny herself, but rather, Eric Marshall, a recent college graduate and son of a wealthy businessman, who has the world at his feet. Before joining his father’s company and starting his career, he receives a letter from a friend who’s ill, asking Eric to take over his teaching job in the small village of Lindsay as a favor to him, just until the end of his contract. Eric has no other immediate plans, and decides to do it.

He finds Lindsay welcoming, with an assortment of oddball characters (including his talkative landlord, who seems more devoted to his cat than to his wife), and the area is beautiful, if not particularly exciting. As Eric uses his free time to wander and explore, he stumbles across a ramshackle old orchard, and within it, a beautiful young woman playing the violin. As he approaches her, she runs away. Eric is immediately intrigued and sets out to learn more about her.

The young woman is Kilmeny, the niece of the Gordons, a brother and sister who’ve raised her since her mother’s death. The Gordons keep strictly to themselves, and Kilmeny has never ventured beyond their home except for her isolated violin playing in the orchard. Kilmeny is mute, and the Gordons feel it is in her best interest to protect her and shield her from the outside world.

But Eric is irresistibly drawn to Kilmeny, and seeks her out in the orchard. She’s able to communicate by writing on a slate, and soon, they develop a friendship through which Eric introduces her to books, poetry, and ideas that are new to the sheltered young woman. Wanting to know more, he finally gets the full story from his landlords, and learns more about Kilmeny and her mother’s tragic past.

Kilmeny of the Orchard is a short book and a quick audiobook listen, and much of the language is beautiful, especially the descriptions of the landscapes and the orchard itself. Still, there are many elements that are off-putting for a modern reader/listener. Yes, reading older books requires us to keep in mind the attitudes and beliefs of the era in which they were written, but that doesn’t mean that certain concepts won’t be unpleasant to encounter.

Chief among these is the depiction of Kilmeny’s “defect”, as Eric and others refer to it. Kilmeny is described as “dumb”, which I know was an acceptable word for being mute, but still feels pretty awful to hear over and over and over again. They’re quick to assert that despite being dumb, her other faculties are fine, but there’s a base-level assumption that her muteness is something that damages her as a whole and reduces her value. In fact, her muteness is the one and only reason why Kilmeny refuses Eric’s proposal of marriage, despite being in love with him: She’s sure that her “defect” would make her a detriment to him as a wife.

The Gordons never take Kilmeny to a doctor at any point in her life, first because her mother won’t allow it, and after her death, because they firmly believe there’s nothing to be done. Why? Because… it’s clearly the sins of the mother being visited on the child, that’s why. Kilmeny’s muteness is a punishment, and so obviously, doctors can’t possibly fix it.

The Gordons have also raised a young man named Neal, whom they took in after a passing peddler’s wife gave birth on their farm. The couple abandoned the baby and the Gordons raised him, giving him their last name, but never their love. He’s Italian, you see, and no one will ever overlook his birth and consider him part of the family or the community. Despite being raised there since birth, Neal is treated as an outsider and looked upon with suspicion. His Italian heritage is pretty much always mentioned when he’s referred to, and he’s always described with negative terms, such as sullen, wild, shrill — we’re clearly meant to distrust him from the start. It’s awful stereotyping (“the untamed fury of the Italian peasant thwarted in his heart’s desire”), and plays out in completely expected ways.

Finally, the sexist slant of the story drove me batty. The fact that the title character of the book is not in fact the main character, but rather the main character’s object of desire kind of says it all. This book is certainly told through the male gaze! Kilmeny is described as exquisite, but childlike. It’s only Eric’s interest and his introducing her to concepts of love — through the stories and poems he reads her — that turn her into a woman. Perhaps intended as romantic, but certainly otherwise in the modern context, there’s a kiss described as “involuntary”… which, enough said. Kilmeny is Eric’s mission — he’s there to save her and change her. Clearly, he knows best, and he’s the driving force behind any developments in Kilmeny’s limited world. Save me from male saviors!

Kilmeny of the Orchard is a much simpler story than many of L. M. Montgomery’s later books, and it’s interesting to see this early work in contrast to the many wonderful novels that I’ve loved so much. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it for its own sake, but for completists who want to read all of LMM’s works and track the development of her writing and storytelling style, it’s worth checking out.

Meanwhile, I have a few more books by this author yet to explore! Next up for me — probably later this year — will be two more books on my shelves, Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat. These were both published in the 1930s, and I’m eager to see how they compare to the L. M. Montgomery books that I’ve loved.

23May2024

Audiobook Review: The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Neighbor Favor
Author: Kristina Forest
Narrators: Keylor Leigh & Malik Rashad
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: February 28, 2023
Print length: 403 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 6 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

In this heart-fluttering romance by Kristina Forest, a shy bookworm enlists her charming neighbor to help her score a date, not knowing he’s the obscure author she’s been corresponding with.

Shy, bookish, and admittedly awkward, Lily Greene has always felt inadequate compared to the rest of her accomplished family, who strive for Black excellence. She dreams of becoming an editor of children’s books but has been frustratingly stuck in the nonfiction division for years without a promotion in sight. Lily finds escapism in her correspondences with her favorite fantasy author, and what begins as two lonely people connecting over e-mail turns into a tentative friendship and possibly something else Lily won’t let herself entertain–until he ghosts her.

Months later, still crushed but determined to take charge of her life, Lily seeks a date to her sister’s wedding. And the perfect person to help her is Nick Brown, her charming, attractive new neighbor, whom she feels drawn to for unexplainable reasons. Little does she know that Nick is an author–her favorite fantasy author.

Nick, who has his reasons for using a pen name and for pushing people away, soon realizes that the beautiful, quiet woman from down the hall is the same Lily he fell in love with over e-mail months ago. Unwilling to complicate things even more between them, he agrees to set her up with someone else, though this simple favor between two neighbors is anything but–not when he can’t get her off his mind.

The Neighbor Favor is a sweet contemporary romance, set in the world of book publishing and sure to set booklovers’ hearts a-flutter! A random email exchange between a book fan and the book’s author turns into a deeper connection… and while it ends badly, the two people involved still manage to find one another and explore what it means to open up in real life.

Lily emails the author of her favorite fantasy novel on a whim when she discovers that the mysterious author finally has a website. She loved his book, but it seems to have faded away into obscurity after publication by a small indie press. She’s thrilled to hear back from N. R. Strickland, and soon their correspondence turns into an ongoing series of honest exchanges, where each reveals more of themselves than they ever have to other people. But when “Strick” reaches the point where he’ll have to truly show himself to Lily, he breaks off contact abruptly and leaves her heartbroken.

Months later, Lily keeps running into the new guy who just moved into the apartment down the hall from her. And he’s hot. Oh, and seems like a really nice guy, and she’s even noticed him carrying books with him — always a good sign. Of course, he notices Lily too, despite her shyness and awkwardness around new people. As they strike up an acquaintance and set off some early sparks, Nick puts the brakes on — so Lily asks him (as you do) to help her find a date for her sister’s wedding. (It’s complicated).

Of course, Nick IS N. R. Strickland, and he realizes pretty quickly that this Lily is the Lily from the emails, and knows he should stay far, far away. His life is messy and he’s sure he’d be no good for her, so despite how much he likes her and how attractive he finds her, he’s determined to stay away. But fate seems to keep throwing them together, and their chemistry really is undeniable.

Meanwhile, both are dealing with their own family situations and career struggles — and yet, it’s only a matter of time before they get together. Even when they do, they have to deal with the fallout of hidden identities and cover-ups, and figure out whether they can truly trust enough to let one another in.

I liked quite a bit about The Neighbor Favor, although in general, I think I’ve run out of patience for romances where a significant lie is the main obstacle between the love interests. Nick could have come clean much earlier, or he could have stayed away. Getting involved but not being honest feels like an overworn romance trope, and it irritated me here. Nick and Lily are both such likable people — it’s no fun seeing them tied up in knots over a problem caused by base-level dishonesty.

On the other hand, the fact that these two are such book lovers, and especially, that they love fantasy so much, makes this book a delight. The author has the characters name-drop a ton of great books (Ella Enchanted, Riot Baby, How to Win the Time War, The Poppy War) — some of which I’ve read, some I’ve immediately added to my TBR list — and it’s a geeky joy to see them gush over how much they love their favorite books and authors. (Although, I was so frustrated to learn their shared favorite author, Elena Masterson, and her books, The Nermana Chronicles, are fictional — I want them to be real!) (And I’d also love to read Nick’s books, The Elves of Ceradon… it sounds amazing!)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was very entertaining, with gifted narrators. In the Lily chapters, the narration did become kind of screechy while voicing certain characters (especially one of Lily’s sisters), but otherwise, the narrators did a fine job bringing Lily, Nick, and their friends to life. A downside, however, is the fact that part one of The Neighbor Favor is the initial email relationship between Lily and Nick… and at least as it comes across via audio, it goes on for a really, really long time. Maybe it’s better in print, but listening to this endless email exchange gets really tiresome after a while.

Other than that, I enjoyed the audiobook. The plot moves quickly, and there are lots of fun side characters and situations that sparkle. Sure, the plot relies a bit too heavily on coincidence (really? he moved not only to New York but into Lily’s apartment building? and the very same floor?), but given how much I liked the characters, I decided to just accept it and enjoy the ride.

The Neighbor Favor is an entertaining story about relatable characters who may make questionable choices, but are still fundamentally good people. The author has a new book that released earlier this year, The Partner Plot, with Lily’s older sister as the main character. It’s supposedly a stand-alone, but in the same general world as The Neighbor Favor. While I didn’t love this particular sister in The Neighbor Favor, the description of this book makes it sound like it’ll be another fun one to experience.

Meanwhile, if you enjoy contemporary romance with booklovers front and center, be sure to check out The Neighbor Favor!

18May2024

Book Review: Where Have All the Boys Gone? by Jenny Colgan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Where Have All the Boys Gone
Author: Jenny Colgan
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: 2005
Length: 368 pages
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

From New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan comes this hilarious romance about a woman who trades in the comforts of city life in hopes of finding love in a small Scottish town in the middle of nowhere.

Faced with the harsh reality that there are 25,000 more women than men in London, Katie’s dating prospects are at an all-time low. While she’s glad it’s not a man’s world anymore, it wouldn’t hurt if there were more eligible bachelors.

More likely to get murdered than married, according to gleeful media reports, Katie resigns herself to the fact that there’s no sex in the city for her and decides to head for the hills—or the Scottish Highlands to be exact. Despite the fact she’s never been one for muddy rain boats—and Fairlish is in the middle of nowhere—the tiny town does have one major draw: men. LOTS of them!

But while Katie relishes the chance to do battle with armies of admirers, she’s not excited about going head to head with her shady new boss, Harry. At least there’s the local eye-candy to distract her, including gorgeous newshound Iain. But he is at loggerheads with Harry, and she can’t afford to get on Harry’s bad side any more than she already has.

Life in the country might not be one big roll in the hay, but now that Katie has taken the plunge, can she ever turn her back on the delights of Fairlish and return to city life…?

Jenny Colgan is a go-to author for me, and since I’ve read all of her more recent books, I’ve decided to go deeper into the backlist. Sadly, Where Have All the Boys Gone? was not the fun reading/listening experience I was looking for.

In this book, originally published in 2005, a London-based young woman who’s suffered through bad date after bad date gets assigned to a temporary job in a small town in the Scottish Highlands. Along with gorgeous forests and landscapes, Fairlish is also home to men — lots and lots of them. And they all seem super excited by the arrival of Katie and her bestie Louise.

Much silliness ensues. Katie’s job in Fairlish is doing PR for the local forest preservation society, whose director seems to believe it’s better to keep quiet about the threat of a new golf course moving in rather than upsetting all the locals. Doesn’t exactly make sense, but okay. Katie has to convince him to go public and make a splash — otherwise, the greedy corporate types will be chopping down Harry’s beloved forests in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, Katie and Louise get into all sorts of mishaps, such as inadverently sharing secrets over a hot mic at a country fair, pissing off the local baker, and breaking the rules of their starchy, food-withholding boarding-house owner. Katie also gets drawn into a love triangle (the outcome seems pretty obvious), has to deal with a spoiled, irresponsible sister, and yet somehow manages to pull off a gala that’s the social event of the season (Ewan McGregor even attends!).

This is a lightweight novel, and it shows its age. At almost 20 years past its original release, Where Have All the Boys Gone? feels dated and full of cringey observations about dating, what men want, what women want, relationships, and more. Perhaps it might have felt more fun and breezy back in 2005; as a 2024 read, the attempts at humor seem slapstick, the sexism on display isn’t quaint or endearing, and there’s one element of the fundraiser that’s just awful. (A slave auction! They actually call it a slave auction. Noooooo. It’s just a terrible scene).

I usually love Jenny Colgan books, so it pains me to say that this one is a bust. I wholeheartedly recommend her more recent books — the Mure series is wonderful, the Little Beach Street Bakery books are terrific, and I loved the Sweetshop of Dreams books, not to mention some great stand-alones. But reading Where Have All the Boys Gone? has reminded me that sometimes backlist books are best left unexplored.**

**I do actually have a couple of other older Jenny Colgan books on my Kindle, so… never say never, but I’ll approach those with caution.

14Apr2024

Audiobook Review: Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Just for the Summer
Author: Abby Jimenez
Narrators: Christine Lakin & Zachary Webber
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: April 2, 2024
Print length: 452 pages
Audio length: 11 hours 43 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

Interesting marketing — based on its Goodreads listing and the synopsis, I had no idea that Just for the Summer is not, in fact a stand-alone, but is the 3rd book in an interconnected world that includes Part of Your World and Yours Truly. Both of which I adored, by the way (you can see my reviews here and here). That said, Just for the Summer can absolutely be read on its own, but you’ll miss some of the meaning of the names, places, and relationships that factor into this compelling story.

Based on the synopsis, I was not quite prepared for how deeply serious and emotional many parts of this story are. At the outset, the tone is upbeat and humorous: Emma reads a Reddit AITA thread that is both hilarious and strikes a chord: The writer, Justin, realizes that every woman he dates goes on to find her soulmate right after they break up… and Emma has the exact same experience! She contacts Justin, and they exchange funny texts comparing their situations — and from the start, they just click.

Before long, they’re in regular contact, and have progressed to video chats and phone calls. Justin has a brilliant idea: What if they date, and cancel out each other’s curses? They’ll be guaranteed to find “the one” just as soon as they finish with one another. They even figure out the general parameters: Based on past experiences, they’ll need to go on at least four dates, text or talk every day, and kiss (more than a peck) at least once. Easy!

The complication is, Emma is a traveling nurse, and she and best friend Maddie never stay in one place for more than a few months. They take turns picking the destination for each new contract, and next up is Maddie’s pick — a summer in Hawaii. Justin is in Minnesota, and due to some family complications (more on that later), he can’t travel to date Emma. Their master plan seems like a no-go, until Emma convinces Maddie to swap Hawaii for six weeks in Minneapolis. Maddie’s more than a bit reluctant, but when Emma shows her the adorable cottage on an island in a lake — with its own boat! — where they’ll be living, she agrees, and the dating plot can move forward.

There’s much more to the story than initially meets the eye. Justin is about to assume guardianship of his three younger siblings and is soon to become a full-time parent. Emma is dealing with a lifetime of trauma due to severe neglect and abandonment by her narcissistic mother. Emma bounced in and out of foster care throughout her youth (meeting Maddie when Maddie’s parents provided Emma with the most stable and loving home she’d ever had). Emma’s trauma response has been to wall herself off and get “small”, isolating herself, refusing connection, never putting down roots, and never letting herself truly get involved emotionally with anyone but Maddie.

As Justin and Emma spend time together, their chemistry is powerful, but Emma’s unresolved trauma doesn’t allow herself to fully connect — and the fact that he has children in his life raises the stakes even higher. When Emma’s mother intrudes on her summer and her life, a series of clashes and crises ensues, and Emma’s well-being is severely challenged. Her flight instincts are never deeply buried, and this experience with her mother threatens to cause her run once again.

Just for the Summer is an absorbing, engaging read (and listen — the audiobook narrators are terrific). I was completely caught up in Emma and Justin’s stories. We get chapters narrated by each of them, often offering competing perspectives on the same events, allowing us to see the characters’ hopes, fears, joys… and understand why what they’re experiencing might not be the same for both of them.

I don’t think I was prepared for how painful Emma’s experiences would become over the course of the book. Based on the cover and synopsis, a reader could reasonably expect a romantic comedy (also, kicking through the waves at the beach, which is not a thing that ever happens). Still, expectations aside, I was thoroughly drawn into this novel and the characters’ lives, and got to the point where I almost couldn’t stand to read about one more obstacle to their happiness.

I loved the connection to the earlier books. As I mentioned, Just for the Summer could work fine as a stand-alone, but I strongly recommend reading the previous two books, which will make this one a much richer reading experience.

I did feel that the ending (happy, of course) came a little too quickly and easily, based on what we’d learned about what each character was dealing with. For Emma especially, I don’t know that I feel the timeline provided would truly allow a person in real life to progress as far as she does. Still, given the conventions of the genre, these two absolutely do need to get together, and it’s lovely when it all finally works out.

These three interconnected books all feature characters dealing with the fallout of mental health challenges, past traumas, and emotional scars. Listening to them all in such a short time period (for me, almost back to back) can be a lot. I think I might have appreciated Just for the Summer a little more if I’d had more of a break from the other books.

Still, Just for the Summer is powerful, and manages to infuse quite a lot of humorous moments into the much heavier content. I really enjoyed it, and highly recommend reading all three of these terrific books.

3Apr2024

Book Review: Studies at the School by the Sea (Maggie Adair, #4) by Jenny Colgan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Studies at the School by the Sea
Series: Maggie Adair / School by the Sea
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrator: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: March 26, 2024
Print length: 288 pages
Audio length: 7 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased (audiobook); E-book ARC from the publisher/NetGalley
Rating:

The long-awaited and never-before published finale in New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan’s delightful School by the Sea series. After all those lessons, it’s time to graduate…. Beloved literature teacher Maggie Adair loves her life at the prestigious Downey House boarding school on the gloriously sunny, windy English coast. It was there that she found her footing as a teacher and fell in love with her colleague David—the two great anchors of her life. But these days Maggie’s feeling restless, lured by the promise of a different life back in her Scottish hometown. How can you follow your heart when it seems to be taking you in two directions at once? Meanwhile, Maggie’s favorite students are abuzz at the thought of graduation and set to fly the nest to their next adventure. What will life hold for mercurial Fliss, glamorous Alice, and shy, hard-working Simone when they finally finish their studies at the school by the sea? Will Maggie stay to welcome the next class of girls, or will she too graduate to new adventures?

Oh dear. I hate to say it, but after eagerly awaiting this 4th and final book in the School by the Sea series… I sort of wish the author had left things as they were.

The original three School by the Sea books were published between 2008 and 2018, and were more recently reissued over the past few years. I’ve loved this sweet series, focusing on Scottish teacher Maggie’s adventures at a posh girls’ boarding school in Cornwall and her professional and romantic entanglements — which also introduces us to the girls of the school and other staff members, and creates it own special little world.

I was so excited for this 4th book, but sadly, I found the entire thing sort of perfunctory and unsatisfying. In Studies at the School by the Sea, Maggie returns to Downey after a summer back in Scotland with her family, feeling torn between family expectations and the new life she’s chosen for herself. She’s eager to explore her developing relationship with David, a fellow English teacher now working at an underfunded, low-performing local school.

Meanwhile, the main student characters we’ve gotten to know — Simone, Fliss, and Alice — are also back, navigating friendships and rivalries and dealing with serious stress over their upcoming GCSEs. There’s added pressure as Maggie and David create plans for shared school activities, inducing all sorts of culture and social shock among their students.

Somehow, none of the plot lines feel particularly well-developed. The girls’ dynamics get fairly short shrift, we spend no time at all with the Downey headmistress, who had some lovely story arcs in previous books, and Maggie herself seems to have undergone a major personality transplant.

Suddenly, she’s whiny and guilt-ridden, dumping an entire summer’s worth of plans to rush home to Scotland when her ex-fiance is injured — despite there being no actual purpose for her there and having no interest in picking back up with the relationship. Again and again, Maggie makes strange choices, and also seems to have lost her way professionally. A major conflict and almost-breakup occurs between her and David when they escort their students on an Outward Bound program and she feels that he’s focusing too much on the students rather than stealing romantic moments with her. Seriously?

Sigh. I adore Jenny Colgan’s books, and really enjoyed the characters of this series until now. Yes, it’s a nice idea to have a wrap-up book giving everyone a happy ending — but I just never felt that I was reading a particularly engaging story.

My recommendation? Do check out books 1 – 3… and maybe stop there! Or, at the very least, give yourself a pause before reading this one. And if you have time to kill, check out any of the author’s other terrific books. There are plenty to choose from, and so many to love!

PS – The world of British boarding schools — their traditions, grades, exams, etc — remains fairly impenetrable for an uncivilized American like me. However, I did learn two words that I’d never heard before… and I just love how they sound:

Rusticate: Basically, suspension. From Wikipedia: Whereas expulsion from a UK independent school means permanent removal from the school, rustication or suspension usually means removal from the school for a set period, for example, the remainder of the current term.
Invigilate: Supervise candidates during an examination; to watch over the administration of a test to ensure that no cheating occurs.

3Mar2024

Audiobook Review: The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Second Chance Year
Author: Melissa Wiesner
Narrator: Helen Laser
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: December 5, 2023
Print length: 328 pages
Audio length: 7 hours 21 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

In this unforgettable story full of charm, wit—and just a bit of magic—a woman down on her luck is given a second chance at fixing her life and trying one year all over again. Perfect for listeners of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle.

Sadie Thatcher’s life has fallen apart in spectacular fashion. In one fell swoop, she managed to lose her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend—all thanks to her big mouth. So when a fortune teller offers her one wish, Sadie jumps at the chance to redo her awful year. Deep down, she doesn’t believe magic will fix her life, but taking a leap of faith, Sadie makes her wish, opens her eyes, and . . . nothing has changed. And then, in perhaps her dumbest move yet, she kisses her brother’s best friend, Jacob.

When Sadie wakes up the next morning, she’s in her former apartment with her former boyfriend, and her former boss is expecting her at work. Checking the date, she realizes it’s January 1 . . . of last year. As Sadie navigates her second-chance year, she begins to see the red flags she missed in her relationship and in her career. Plus, she keeps running into Jacob, and she can’t stop thinking about their kiss . . . the one he has no idea ever happened. Suddenly, Sadie begins to wonder if her only mistake was wishing for a second chance.

The Second Chance Year is a wish-fulfillment romance and makes for a pleasant audiobook experience — but I may have strained something due to excessive eye-rolling.

As the book opens, Sadie is being dragged to an elaborate New Year’s Eve party by her best friend, as an alternative to sitting on the couch with ice cream and the Golden Girls — her usual activities during the last few months of her Very Bad Year.

Sadie’s long-term boyfriend (the only piece of her life that her overachieving parents actually approve of) dumped her after she confronted a sexist coworker of his at a work function. Her arrogant, inappropriate boss fired her after she spoke up once too often about his poor treatment of the restaurant staff. Due to her lack of a job, she’s been living in her brother’s best friend’s spare room, feeling sorry for herself and her wreck of a life.

When Sadie meets a fortune teller who offers to reset her life and give her a chance at a do-over, she doesn’t really believe her… but she also has nothing to lose.

And lo and behold, when she wakes up the next morning, it’s as if the previous year were erased, and Sadie has the chance to try again. This time, she’s determined to do it right. She’ll think before opening her mouth. She won’t rock the boat. She’ll be supportive of her boyfriend Alex as he establishes himself with his Wall Street peers, instead of being confrontational about the obnoxious bro culture. She’ll put up with her boss’s unfair demands and overly handsy restaurant guests, because the end game is a promotion to Executive Pastry Chef. And she’ll ignore her new awareness of Jacob, the man she kissed on the New Year’s Eve that (now) never happened.

As Sadie navigates her second chance year, things seem to be going her way for a change. But why isn’t she happy? Could it be that becoming a Wall Street wife isn’t her ideal future? Could it be that slaving in a kitchen for an egomaniac chef isn’t the path to career fulfillment that she expected? And could it be that tamping down her outspoken nature could lead to more negative outcomes than those she experienced in her Very Bad Year?

There are some very enjoyable elements to this contemporary-with-a-touch-of-magic romance. It’s fun seeing Sadie interact with people she knows well — who have no idea who she is, since their meetings happened during a year that was reset and therefore never occurred. She finds new purpose via a baking gig at the local coffee house, and scenes there are a treat.

However, Sadie herself is extremely frustrating, too busy trying to avoid her previous “mistakes” to see what’s right in front of her, over and over again. Watching this formerly confident woman repeatedly muzzle herself to preserve a job or a relationship is not fun. Sadie twists herself into knots to become someone she isn’t, and misses the obvious about her love life so many times. I didn’t buy it. She’s too smart and self-assured to fall into these patterns, and it’s especially ridiculous to see how often she misinterprets Jacob’s actions and statements.

Hence all the eye-rolling.

That’s not to mention the magical element of resetting a year — so because Sadie wants a do-over, everyone else loses a year of their lives too? How does that work exactly? Usually, magical interventions and timeslips are not deal-breakers for me and I can just shrug my shoulders and accept them, but something about this one feels a bit unfair to me when I stop to think about it.

Sigh. In a light romance about wishes and second chances, realism isn’t the goal, and that’s okay. It just doesn’t completely work for me here.

Still, as narrated by Helen Laser, the audiobook is an entertaining listening. I couldn’t truly let go of the plot contrivances that annoyed me, and yet, I was always disappointed when I had to turn off the audiobook and pause a day before I could continue. The story hooked me, despite my quibbles, and the narration makes the listening experience a lot of fun.

I recommend The Second Chance Year for anyone looking for a bit of light, escapist, romantic entertainment. Don’t take it too seriously, just let it draw you in, and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Added bonus: SO much talk about pastries! Yummmmm.

28Feb2024

Audiobook Review: The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Only Game in Town
Author: Lacie Waldon
Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Lee Osorio, Catherine Taber, Mark Deakins
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date: March 21, 2023
Print length: 416 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 53 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

One small town, one big prize, one handsome stranger…

Nothing ever changes in Redford, Georgia. That’s what freelance editor Jess Reid loves about her hometown—and part of what keeps her from leaving. Content taking care of her father, a car mechanic who singlehandedly raised her after her mom skipped out, Jess is resigned to a safe, unremarkable existence…until Jasper Wilhelm, the town’s eccentric benefactor, dies suddenly and leaves behind the opportunity of a lifetime.

Financial advisor Carter Barclay has been too busy to visit his grandfather in Redford, but he’s heard countless stories about the town and its zany residents from Jasper. A small, insular town in Georgia is the last place Carter expects to be spending his summer—but it seems his grandfather had one final trick up his sleeve.

At the funeral, it’s revealed that Jasper has devised a massive, high-stakes game for the people of Redford, with the winning duo taking home his entire fortune. The catch? He’s already taken the liberty of pairing them up. As tensions of all kinds rise between Jess and Carter, and the life-changing prize looms closer, the two must decide what they’re willing to risk to change their lives. A love story full of spirit and hijinks, The Only Game in Town is a funny, quirky homage to the people we get to call home.

The Only Game in Town has a romance as a central storyline… but really, I’d describe it more as a love letter to the idea of small town community. There are rivalries and grudges, but also odd-couple friendships, unexpected sources of support… and yes, romance too.

Jess moved back to her beloved home town of Redford, Georgia several years earlier. Her editing career is just okay — she had the opportunity to pursue a more high-powered career with a major publisher, but missed her community and her father. Life in Redford is quiet, to say the least. There’s one bar (a dive, but full of lovable personalities), one bakery (whose owner is currently at war with a former friend who’s dared to start a pop-up muffin business), one hair salon, and plenty of unique personalities (like the guy who sits on a street corner to talk about the weather every day).

Life in Redford is upended when the local philanthropist, Jasper Wilhelm, passes away. Unknown to most of the townsfolk, he worked behind the scenes, assisted by his beloved grandson Carter, to give anonymous bequests to Redfordonians in need. (Yes, they refer to themselves as Redfordonians, which feels clunky, but okay).

Carter only connected with his grandfather ten years earlier, after walking away from his hard-driving, unfeeling parents’ family business and reconnecting with his mother’s estranged father. Carter’s first visit to Redford is for Jasper’s funeral, where he’s immediately charmed by the tiny town… and especially Jess, with her brightly colored wardrobe and devotion to Redford.

After the funeral, Jasper’s lawyer reads the will to the town. Jasper has left his fortune — $10 million — to the people of Redford, but with a catch: They have to play to win. He’s concocted a competition, assigning people as partners to carry out a series of challenges. The winning pair win it all, with all scoring at the discretion of his lawyer. No arguing, no contesting the outcome, and no changing partners. If you want in, you follow Jasper’s rules.

Naturally, the prize money is too enticing for anyone to willingly sit out. And that extends to Jess as well, who’s paired with Nikki, the mean girl who’s never gotten over a high school betrayal (as Nikki sees it) and who’s gone out of her way to be cruel to Jess ever since.

Carter isn’t interested in Jasper’s money for himself, but knows that Jasper intended for him to carry on the work they’d been doing, so when he learns that Jasper assigned him to a team and expects him to play the game as well, he’s convinced that he’s already the prearranged winner. Still, this game seems to have been very important to Jasper, so he goes along with it. But as the game progresses, he finds himself more and more immersed in town life, and starts to feel guilty that the competition may actually be a sham.

Meanwhile, Jess and Carter are drawn together from the start, and as they compete and get to know one another, their initial sparks grow in a deeper connection. But still, they’re competitors, and Carter doesn’t actually live in Redford… so is there any possible future for them once the game ends?

There’s a lot to love about The Only Game in Town. The game itself is silly — there’s a scavenger hunt, a hike, even a Barbie jeep race. Jasper clearly designed the competition to force people to work together, and it’s amusing to see the antics that the townspeople get up to, as well as the way old resentments either derail certain teams or inspire people to keep going.

The small town vibe is a little exaggerated — it’s a bit hard to believe that any small community could be quite that ideal — but still, it’s fun to see all the quirks and charm of the various characters.

I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Nikki and Jess. Their old feud is not what it seems, and Nikki is much more than first impressions might imply. Nikki gets her own point-of-view chapters, and that’s a wonderful decision on the part of the author — hearing from Nikki herself allows us to understand what drives the character and who she is deep-down, beyond the ice princess/mean girl exterior.

Jess’s relationship with her dad is also terrific. He was a teen dad, abandoned by Jess’s mother, who’s worked all his life to give his daughter a warm, loving home. He’s a great character, and I loved seeing his interactions with Jess.

Carter and Jess’s romance sparkles, but it’s not the only storyline — dare I say that the romance is not the only game in town??? — and I really appreciated that. Yes, the romance is an important part of the story, but there’s a lot more going on, and we readers get the opportunity to care about all of it, not just the will-they-won’t-they aspect of the couple’s attraction, or the inevitable romance novel beats (the slow burn, the obstacle, the reunion…)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was great! There are four narrators, one for each of the POV characters (Jess, Carter, Nikki, and less frequent, Ross). Jess and Carter get most of the narrative, but Nikki’s chapters add a lot to the overall story. As a whole, it really works, and the narrators do a terrific job presenting the different perspectives, making the silly competition scenes feel like fun, and also letting the emotions come through at key moments.

The Only Game in Town is a charming story about small town life and what community really means. Friendship and a love story are both important elements, but devotion to the town is what truly drives the characters and the plot. This is a very enjoyable book, and I recommend the audiobook. Really fun entertainment — I look forward to reading more by this author.

17Feb2024

Audiobook Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Yours Truly
Author: Abby Jimenez
Narrators: Kyla Garcia & Zachary Webber
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: April 11, 2023
Print length: 416 pages
Audio length: 11 hours 23 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

I loved Abby Jimenez’s previous novel, Part of Your World, and just had to stay in that book’s world a little longer by immediately starting Yours Truly. Great decision on my part! I thoroughly enjoyed this sensitive, romantic audiobook.

But before I explain why, I do need to point out that that is a seriously terrible synopsis above. The synopsis makes Yours Truly sound like a comedic war-of-wills workplace romance… and that’s not how I’d describe this book at all.

So let me put my own spin on this book.

Briana is a highly-skilled ER doctor who’s loved by her coworkers and seems on track for a chief position, just as soon as her current boss finally takes his long-awaited retirement. She’s thrown for a loop when she’s informed that he’s holding off on retirement just a bit longer, and that she may have competition for the chief role — the new ER doctor who just transferred to her hospital.

The new doc doesn’t seem to be lining up fans. On his very first day, the nurses have secretly dubbed him Doctor Death. He’s rubbing everyone the wrong way, and manages to thorougly irritate Briana as well.

What Briana doesn’t know is that Jacob is an introvert with social anxiety, who’s just trying to get through his day without further triggering his anxiety responses. Jacob is dealing with stress in his personal life — his brother announcing his engagement to Jacob’s ex-girlfriend — and learning a whole bunch of social cues in a brand new work setting is not easy for Jacob.

Eventually, Briana clues in to the fact that Jacob is not actually some arrogant, sexist jerk, but is really a deeply sensitive man who’s also a terrific doctor. After Bri extends an olive branch by advising Jacob to win over the ER staff via cupcakes, Jacob writes her a thank-you letter. Yes, writes — as in, by hand — a letter — as in, on paper. Briana can’t help being charmed.

Bri and Jacob start exchanging letters, opening up in writing in a way they haven’t been able to in person. Eventually, letters turn into long conversations, and suddenly, they’re spending more time talking with one another than with anyone else.

When Jacob turns out to be a perfect match as a kidney donor for Briana’s ailing brother, she wants to do a huge favor for him in return. Jacob’s family refuses to embrace his brother’s engagement, fearing that Jacob will be too terribly hurt by the whole thing. He’s not… but to convince his family to get on board and be happy for the couple, Jacob decides he needs a fake girlfriend, and Bri is happy to sign up for the role.

As Jacob and Brianna play-act a relationship, they spent lots and lots of time together, even to the point of fake living together. You get where this is going right? Before long, they’ve both caught feelings — but each is 100% sure that the other is pretending. There’s a lot of tormented self-doubt and longing in store for both of them. Ah, if only people in romance novels knew how to communicate!

Yours Truly has lots of funny scenarios and flirty banter, but it’s also rooted in more serious emotions and complications. Bri is still deeply wounded by her divorce, thanks to her jerky ex-husband who cheated on her for years with a woman she thought was a good friend. Between that and the father who abandoned the family when she was a child, Bri doesn’t believe that love can be counted on, and has serious issues around trust and security. Jacob, meanwhile, has learned to manage his anxiety, but he can be triggered by uncertainty and lacks the confidence to feel that he’s worthy of love. While Briana and Jacob fall madly in love with one another, it takes them a very long time to realize that their feelings are returned, in large part because neither is able to believe that they deserve to be loved by someone so wonderful.

The author does a terrific job of developing these two characters and making them likable even while showing their wounds and their flaws. We readers may feel frustrated enough to want to give them each a good shake, but we also understand why they’re having such a hard time believing in the truth of their relationship.

I did feel that the communication issues dragged on longer than necessary, and wished that these two incredibly intelligent people talked honestly a lot sooner. They each make some pretty significant assumptions based on overheard conversations and mistaken beliefs about the other’s feelings, and while we get where they’re coming from, they really could have worked all this out through a simple conversation.

Another quibble is that they’re a pair of doctors, and yet they have unprotected sex! In this day and age, when most romance novels do such a fantastic job of incorporating condoms into sexytimes, its absence in a key scene between Jacob and Briana is a glaring omission. Yes, it’s dealt with later in the plot, but still, given who they are as people, it was not believable to me that they’d have sex in that moment without protection.

That aside, I really did love the characters, the plot, and the overall story. When Bri and Jacob make bad choices, we understand why. The writing balances the zippy, light-hearted moments with the deeper emotional stakes and traumas, and I loved how sensitively they’re able to connect with one another when they open up and truly communicate.

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.”

Yours Truly is set in the same fictional world as Part of Your World, and it’s nice to get to visit with that book’s main characters, Alexis and Daniel, and see how they’re doing. Zachary Webber, who voices Daniel in Part of Your World, is back in Yours Truly as the narrator for Jacob’s chapters, and he’s got the role of smart, sensitive, sexy boyfriend down to a science. Kyla Garcia is very good as the narrator for Brianna (and gets her lisp just right in a scene where Bri wears her retainer!). The voices work really well together, and the audiobook as a whole is a treat.

Part of Your World was my first book by Abby Jimenez, and after listening to Yours Truly, I’m all in! I need to read EVERYTHING by this author. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, do yourself a favor and pick up one of her books!

On a related note…

Amazon’s free story collection for February is romance-themed — it’s the Improbable Meet-Cute collection, and includes a very sweet story by Abby Jimenez, so naturally, I read it immediately after finishing Yours Truly. Worst Wingman Ever is a fast, enjoyable read. Check it out!