Once again, I’m joining in with the Top 5 Tuesday meme this week! Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by Bionic Bookworm, who posts the month’s topics at the start of each month. Today’s topic is Top 5 Cute Romances.
I’m not a big romance fan, but I do love a good love story every now and then, and I especially love when they’re light and sweet and enjoyable. Here are five adorable romances that I’ve really enjoyed:
Sept. 2013
1) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell: I love Levi and Cath — and also Cath’s fanfiction romance between Simon and Baz.
2) Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory: Okay, maybe “cute” isn’t quite the right word for a romance between two fifty-somethings, but everything about their meeting is adorable — how could it not be when they meet on royal grounds and go horse riding, among other activities?
3) Only Mostly Devastated by Sophie Gonzales: This Grease-themed YA story has plenty of sorrow and emotion, but it’s sweet and lovely as well.
4) Little Beach Street Bakeryby Jenny Colgan: The Little Beach Street Bakery trilogy is just out and out adorable. Two super cute people in an awkward, funny relationship, plus small-town shenanigans, and even a pet puffin! Plus recipes and descriptions of baked goods to die for.
5) Geekerella by Ashley Poston: A YA love story set at a Comic-con-ish festival, with intense fans and cosplay and a Cinderella story all rolled into one? Yes, please!
What are your favorite cute romances? Let me know, and please share your Top 5 link if you have one!
Title: The Bookshop on the Shore Author: Jenny Colgan Narrator: Eilidh Beaton Publisher: William Morrow Publication date: June 13, 2019 Print length: 416 pages Audio length: 13 hours, 11 minutes Genre: Contemporary fiction Source: Purchased Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
A grand baronial house on Loch Ness, a quirky small-town bookseller, and a single mom looking for a fresh start all come together in this witty and warm-hearted novel by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.
Desperate to escape London, single mother Zoe wants to build a new life for herself and her four-year-old son Hari. She can barely afford the crammed studio apartment on a busy street where shouting football fans keep them awake all night, and Hari’s dad, Jaz, a charismatic but perpetually broke DJ, is no help at all. But his sister, Surinder, comes to Zoe’s aid, hooking her up with a job as far away from the urban crush as possible: working at a bookshop on the banks of Loch Ness. And there’s a second job to cover housing: Zoe will be an au pair for three children at a genuine castle in the Scottish Highlands.
But while Scotland is everything Zoe dreamed of — clear skies, brisk fresh air, blessed quiet — everything else is a bit of a mess. The Urquart family castle is grand but crumbling, the children’s mother has abandoned the family, their father is a wreck, and the kids have been kicked ot of school and left to their own devices. Zoe has her work cut out for her and is determined to rise to the challenge, especially when she sees how happily Hari has taken to their new home.
With the help of Nina, the friendly local bookseller, Zoe begins to put down roots in the community. Are books, fresh air, and kindness enough to heal the Urquart family—and her own?
Love, love, love, love, love.
Jenny Colgan’s books have been reliable, sweet escapes for me, and I’ve loved so many of them — but The Bookshop on the Shore just may be my favorite yet!
Zoe is a lovely main character, who starts the book in an awful situation. She’s about to be evicted from her grotty little apartment, she works in a posh nursery that she can’t afford to send her precious boy to, she can’t find help for the fact that Hari seems to be mute by choice, and Hari’s dad is unreliable and offers no support whatsoever.
The opportunity to be an au pair in the Highlands, providing a roof over her head and a small income, and to run a mobile bookselling business during the owner’s maternity leave, is too good to pass up — and frankly, Zoe is completely out of options.
She and Hari pack up and head to the Highlands, where the dark, neglected manor is in disarray and the children are completely wild, snidely referring to Zoe as “Nanny Seven” when she shows up, since she’s likely to be just one more in a string of hopeless caregivers who the bratty kids manage to drive away.
But Zoe is determined and desperate, and simply refuses to fail. She and Hari settle in. Hari is immediately befriended by Patrick, the precocious 5-year-old of the family, although the older children, 9-year-old Mary and 12-year-old Shackleton, are much harder to win over.
Meanwhile, Zoe takes up the bookselling business when the owner Nina is unexpectedly forced into an early bed rest, and combines her love of books with her startlingly good business sense to develop an entirely new clientele — one that Nina might not entirely approve of, but hey, at least Zoe is making money!
The description may make this seem like pretty standard fare, but I promise, this book is something special! The Urquart children are troubled and troublesome, but with good reason, and their behavior isn’t sugar-coated or made cute. Mary especially has some serious issues to contend with, and it’s heartbreaking to see what she experiences.
Zoe does come off a bit like a magical Mary Poppins/Maria from The Sounds of Music combo — swooping in with her good sense and cheery disposition, steeling herself against hurtful comments and making the children eat healthy, go outdoors, clean up, and all sorts of other positive activities, entirely against their will. Still, behind the scenes, we see Zoe’s vulnerability, and this keeps her grounded as a character and keeps her from seeming too super-nanny-ish.
Gradually, the children warm up to Zoe, and her influence lets light and joy back into the lives of this sad family. Naturally, there’s a love story too, and it’s sweet without being saccharine, and feels well developed and well earned.
Zoe’s anxiety over Hari’s well-being feels very real and all too relatable. To her, her boy is perfect, but at the same time, he’s isolated himself from the world in a way that brings him all sorts of negative attention from well-meaning strangers. Seeing the boy becoming close with the adorable Patrick is just one of the pleasures of this novel.
The narration of the audiobook is delightful, keeping the story moving along crisply, giving personality to each of the characters and making them all distinct and vivid. If you can’t tell already, my favorite is little Patrick, whose use of the word “absolutely” in every sentence is just the cutest thing ever.
There’s real heart-ache in this book, and some moments that had me at the edge of my seat, but also a realistic look at the messy business of raising a family, dealing with children who aren’t perfect, and looking for small ways to make things better, even if just a bit at a time.
Just to put this book in context, it’s set in the same world as The Bookshop on the Corner, with some cross-over characters, but I wouldn’t call it a sequel, and it can absolutely (thanks, Patrick!) be read a stand-alone.
Jenny Colgan’s books tend to have certain elements in common — a lonely or sad main character needing a dramatic change, moving to a small, remote community, meeting lots of quirky characters, finding a place for herself, and falling in love. This is all true of The Bookshop on the Shore, but that doesn’t mean that it’s at all formulaic.
I loved the setting, the characters, the investment in the portrayals of the children, and the way Zoe, Hari, and the Urquarts all change one another’s lives for the better.
A bonus is how much all of these characters love to read! In this book as well as The Bookshop on the Corner, the characters talk about books all the time, and listening to the audiobook, I was often tempted to hit the pause button so I could write down the books mentioned. What a treat!
I’ll use Patrick’s favorite word one more time and say that I ABSOLUTELY recommend The Bookshop on the Shore!
Sometimes, light-sweet-cute-hot is exactly what a reader needs. Right? I had a terrific time this week reading these two contemporary romances…
Title: The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date, #3) Author: Jasmine Guillory Publisher: Berkley Publication date: July 16, 2019 Length: 351 pages Genre: Contemporary romance Source: Library
Maddie and Theo have two things in common:
1. Alexa is their best friend
2. They hate each other
After an “Oops, we made a mistake” kiss, neither one can stop thinking about the other. With Alexa’s wedding rapidly approaching, Maddie and Theo both share bridal party responsibilities that require more interaction with each other than they’re comfortable with. Underneath the sharp barbs they toss at each other is a simmering attraction that won’t fade. It builds until they find themselves sneaking off together to release some tension when Alexa isn’t looking.
But as with any engagement with a nemesis, there are unspoken rules that must be abided by. First and foremost, don’t fall in love.
Maddie and Theo are successful professionals, both dedicated to family and friends, and both in need of love and companionship. Despite sharing a best friend, they manage to take an instant dislike to one another at their first meeting, and only tolerate each other for Alexa’s sake. But with Alexa’s wedding coming up, they’re forced to spend more time together, and after an initial, spontaneous, one-time-only sexual encounter, they’re both aware that their chemistry is off the charts.
It’s totally engaging and charming to see Maddie and Theo battling their attraction and reluctance to admit feelings, when it’s so obvious that their connection is deep and real. And though they keep insisting to themselves that this is physical only, with an agreement to stop hooking up once the wedding is over, it’s clear that Maddie and Theo make each other happy in a way no one else can.
The Wedding Party fits in with the author’s The Wedding Date series, as characters from the previous two books (especially Alexa and Drew from book #1) appear in this book. I think The Wedding Party could be enjoyed as a stand-alone, although it’s even more fun to see the connections established in earlier books continue here.
As with Jasmine Guillory’s other books, I’m occasionally frustrated by how much lack of communication contributes to the couple’s obstacles. They really should be better at this, considering what they do for a living! Still, the book overall is a really fun read, and I loved the characters, the adorableness of their relationship, and their smoking hot sparks. Can’t wait for the next book, Royal Holiday!
Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met.
After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art.
Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flatshare. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. In fact, they’ll never even have to meet.
Tiffy and Leon start writing each other notes – first about what day is garbage day, and politely establishing what leftovers are up for grabs, and the evergreen question of whether the toilet seat should stay up or down. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more.
But falling in love with your roommate is probably a terrible idea…especially if you’ve never met.
What if your roommate is your soul mate? A joyful, quirky romantic comedy, Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare is a feel-good novel about finding love in the most unexpected of ways.
Oh, this is just too cute. And also surprisingly touching and serious at times.
Tiffy is broke, newly single, and desperate for a decent place to live. Leon needs cash. A flatshare seems like a great solution — their schedules never overlap, so why not share this cozy, one-bedroom apartment? (Okay, for me, the sharing-a-bed piece would be a dealbreaker, but it seems to work for these two so long as Tiffy sleeps on the left and Leon on the right). As they start communicating via Post-It notes, they begin to get to know one another and to open up in all sorts of charming and quirky ways, and instantly establish a funny, easy rapport.
It’s not all sweetness and light, though. Tiffy is just starting to realize how emotionally manipulative and abusive her ex-boyfriend was, and Leon is devoted to helping his wrongfully accused brother win an appeal of the conviction that landed him in prison. As the book progresses, we explore more of each of these issues, and the author does a great job of presenting the turmoil and trauma involved while balancing the serious moments with the book’s overall light-hearted appeal.
The narrative shifts between Tiffy and Leon’s POVs in alternating chapters. Tiffy is exceptionally funny and delightful, and Leon is sweet, devoted, and somewhat shut off from dealing with his emotions. When they finally meet in person, they’ve already established a connection that binds them together, and the physical chemistry is just icing on the cake.
The Flatshare deals with some serious issues, but is overall a charming, sparkly romance that left me feeling uplifted and entertained, start to finish. Bonus points for some truly unique, stand-out characters and a really off-beat set-up!
Both of these books are nominated for the 2019 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance. I don’t usually think of Romance as “my” genre, but between these two books and three others I’ve read from the list of opening round nominations, I may have to own up to being a romance fan! (As well as a sci-fi/fantasy/horror geek, a devourer of historical fiction, and… you know what? Why bother with labels? I’ll read anything!)
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
Life.
Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate! It seems so early this year, and I’m not ready! Luckily, with an 8-day holiday, there’s still time to get my act together, get the gifts wrapped, and get in the spirit.
What did I read during the last week?
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty: Not the best by this author. My review is here.
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren: Another winner from this author duo! My review is here.
The Accidental Beauty Queen by Teri Wilson: More light, fun fiction! My review is here.
The End of All Things (Old Man’s War, #6) by John Scalzi: I finished the series! A series wrap-up post is on the way…
In audiobooks:
Lady Knight (Protector of the Small, #4) by Tamora Pierce: Finished with this quartet! I loved these books — and main character Kel — so much! I’ll be writing a series wrap-up post for this one too, eventually.
Outlander, baby!
I’m writing reaction posts for each episode of season 4:
Episode 404, “Common Ground” (aired 11/25/2018) – my reaction post for last week’s episode is here.
Episode 405, “Savages” (aired 12/2/2018) – my reaction post for the newest episode is here.
Fresh Catch:
I had a gift card, and immediately bought myself some gifts:
Yippee! Lucky me!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Trickster’s Choice (Daughter of the Lioness, #1) by Tamora Pierce: Yes, I’m continuing my journeys through the land of Tortall! Now that I’ve finished the Protector of the Small quartet audiobooks, I’m continuing straight onward with the Daughter of the Lioness duology. HOWEVER… after listening to the first couple of chapters, I decided to switch to the print version. For some reason, this book was particularly hard to follow via audiobook — too many new names and places right up front! And this way, I can refer back to the maps at the beginning of the book whenever I get lost, which seems to be happening constantly.
Now playing via audiobook:
Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets: An Audible original about secrets and scandals in the Victorian era. Seems totally charming so far.
Ongoing reads:
Book group reads — getting close to the end for both!
Classic read: Middlemarch by George Eliot — we’ll be done in January.
The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon — we’ll be done in mid-December.
My Monday tradition, including a look back and a look ahead — what I read last week, what new books came my way, and what books are keeping me busy right now. Plus a smattering of other stuff too.
What did I read during the last week?
In adult fiction:
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker: An excellent look at the Trojan War from the women’s perspective. My review is here.
Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan: Sweet, romantic, escapist fun. My review is here.
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren: Funny, sexy, modern romance. My review is here.
In young adult/middle grade:
The Agony House by Cherie Priest (illustrated by Tara O’Connor): A clever ghost story that incorporates a comic book into the narrative. My review is here.
In audiobooks:
Squire (Protector of the Small, #3) by Tamora Pierce: I adored book #3 in the Kel quartet. What an ending!
Outlander, baby!
I’m writing reaction posts for each episode of season 4… but was too tired last night to finish up the most recent episode and put any coherent thoughts together. So, stay tuned for Episode 404, “Common Ground” (aired 11/25/2018) – my reaction post for last night’s episode will be up later today.
Fresh Catch:
So yeah, I guess my Tortall obsession is getting a bit out of control… Couldn’t resist adding these two to my growing Tamora Pierce collection.
And look! My awesome hubby got me an early Hanukkah present:
So excited! Now I just need time to settle in and read it… all 700+ pages!
What will I be reading during the coming week?
Currently in my hands:
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty: I’ve read about 200 pages so far, and I still have no idea where this book is going and what it’s trying to be. Not that I’m not enjoying it — just feeling a little puzzled.
Now playing via audiobook:
Lady Knight (Protector of the Small, #4) by Tamora Pierce: This series is amazing. And if you want to know more about Tamora Pierce and why women of all ages love her books, check out this piece from Tor.com.
Ongoing reads:
Book group reads — getting close to the end for both!
Classic read: My book group’s current classic read is Middlemarch by George Eliot. We’re reading and discussing two chapters per week, aiming to finish in January.
The Scottish Prisoner by Diana Gabaldon. An ongoing group read, two chapters per week — we’ll be finished in December.
Bookshelf Fantasies 