REVIEW: The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez

 OUR REVIEW:

I suspect that Larissa and Chris will probably live rent free in my brain for a while; I think I'm not quite ready for their story to end, even though it has to be over because there are no more pages to read. Though, maybe when Mike gets his HEA, we'll see them more (I'm assuming he will...he has to, right?!). The angst Jimenez put them through (put us through) required a lot of patience on my part and while it was definitely worth the wait, I definitely was impatient for their love story to have its chance. 

I know this one had to be tough to write and the headspace she had to be in to write it was probably pretty awful too. There was a lot of pain and suffering so many of the characters had to go through and with the added burden of Larissa being Chris's best friend's girl friend at some point?! That must've felt like walking a tightrope to make sure it didn't get weird. Thankfully, it didn't get weird, if anything, it was frustrating because she was so very careful with how long they waited to succumb to their feelings. 

All of that to say, that I'm glad Chris and Larissa had each other (and their killer dog); they were perfect for each other and it was clear that they both needed the other one. 

Part friend love story, part romance, The Night We Met added up to a thoughtful and surprisingly quick read.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3Oay1jn

SYNOPSIS:A beautiful, compelling novel that revels in laughter, friendship, and the messy choices life can throw our way.

In everyone’s life, there’s a split-second decision that can change everything...

For Larissa, it came when choosing which guy to ride home with after a concert. That night, she had no idea she’d met the perfect man. She and Chris are great together, co-parenting a slightly unhinged rescue Yorkie, sharing their favorite books, and judging bread (pumpernickel for the win!). For the first time amid all her side hustles to scrape by, things finally feel easy.

But Chris isn't the one who drove Larissa home all those months ago—Chris is her boyfriend's best friend. All Chris wants is for Larissa to be happy. Standing by on the sidelines is slowly killing him, but making a move would destroy someone else. And he’s just not that guy.

REVIEW: Every Version of You by Natalie Messier

 

OUR REVIEW:

Well, this was a pleasant surprise--if I'm being honest I can't remember what drew me to requesting this on NetGalley but I'm glad I did. And I wish I could tell you a lot more than I can (it would be so easy to spoil this one!), but since I can't I'll just tell you that this is one of those books that really stuck with me. The question that it starts with is one that I am still pondering the answer to. Luckily, this book isn't about me and my conundrum, it's about Joey and hers. She is way more definitive in her decision/answer and while she does struggle with the aftermath of it, she also makes the most of it. I enjoyed being a fly on the wall as she worked through each consequence from each decision and reveled in the good things that came her way. 

I definitely haven't read something like this and I really appreciated reading something that had me really pondering how I'd handle the situation posed. It's a definite must read.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3Y9iQbz

SYNOPSIS:

Joey Vasquez’s life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-two, she’s a Los Angeles lawyer on the cusp of making partner, but while she’s a professional success, she’s a personal disaster. Her social life mostly consists of nights spent watching TV with her elderly cat. Life isn’t quite what she dreamed when she was younger, but really, whose life is?

But a dinner party with the best friend she’s secretly pined after for years and its aftermath changes everything.

When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself in college again. Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she’s come back to finally convince the one man she ever loved to love her back—so why does she find herself strangely drawn to the man she thought she hated?

REVIEW: A Song Only We Can Hear by Elliot Wake

 

OUR REVIEW:

Has it really been a decade since we've had a new Elliot Wake novel? Yes. Yes it has. What a great surprise to have him return and give us a thoughtful take on falling in love while battling cancer. 

The story of Cam and Brynne begins with a fender bender, continues as chemo partners, and ends in love. Not a simple premise and not one that just anyone could take on and do well, but Wake does. He blends the harsh reality of what it's like to experience cancer treatment with the soft edges of the love story of these two. Add to that some drama with their exes, and you have the making of an unconventional, dark, romcom. Their story is a blur of the effects of the toxic poison that's flooding their veins --days turn into weeks of discomfort and exhaustion-- and then before you know it, they've reached the end of chemo. Interspersed with that, they have nights with these moments that feel straight out of an 80s John Hughes movie--romantic and filled with good music and big feelings. And of course, it wouldn't be romance...or a John Hughes movie...without evil exes. 

I think I'm rambling because I'm trying not to spoil things? So let me end with this: this novel won't be for everyone, I know. Not because it isn't well done (it is), but because there are so many of us who are living with or living through or coping with or struggling with the impact that cancer can have, so for some this may hit a little too close to home. I know that when I read it, I had to take breaks because there were many instances when it mirrored some of my experiences with cancer and chemo. I'm glad I took the breaks I needed, and I'm glad that I stop reading; the ending felt so hopeful and promising and cinematic. 

One more thing: Ro and her family? *chef's kiss* I enjoyed them so much. 

If you've been missing the lush prose of Elliot Wake and are looking for a romance unlike most you'll read,  A Song Only We Can Hear should be your next read.

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SYNOPSIS:CAN A LOVE STORY THAT STARTS IN CHEMO REALLY HAVE A HAPPY ENDING?

GETTING DUMPED the same day he’s diagnosed with cancer is pretty on-brand for Cam LeClerc. He was the darling of the Chicago indie music scene until his ex aired their dirty laundry online. Now he’s the fallen star everyone loves to hate, shivering in a hospital gown, coming to grips with losing his girlfriend, his reputation, and the family jewels.

Of course, things won’t be that easy.

On the way to chemo, Cam collides (literally) with a fellow cancer patient: Brynne Bogdan, a popular podcaster who’s exactly the sort of music nerd he writes songs for… and who’s just rear-ended his car. But what starts as the worst day of both of their lives becomes one of the best. They’re kind of messily perfect together. Because of Brynne, Cam actually looks forward to chemo. He’s falling fast. He’s making music again. He’s finding the will not just to survive, but live.

Which is probably too good to be true.

When ugly realities resurface, Cam begins to question his bond with Brynne. And the past isn’t the only their futures aren’t guaranteed, either. They’re both fighting the battle of their lives.

Can a love story that starts in chemo really have a happy ending?

VIBES:

dark romcom
witty banter
cancer humor
music nerds
beautiful, lyrical prose
emotional rollercoaster
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets High Fidelity

REVIEW: Catch Her if You Can by Tessa Bailey

OUR REVIEW:

If I've said it once, I've said it every time a new book in this series comes out....this series has a hold on me and as soon as I see it on my Libby app, I'm reserving it like it's my job. 

After reading so many emotionally heavy books, Catch Her If You Can was such a pleasant break from it all, which is interesting because there were some ugly aspects to this book. Madden and Eve have been circling around each other (and my imagination) for a while and we finally go to the bottom of their story. It's a tale as old as time. Not really, I just felt like typing that. It's a story of secrets and love and desire and friendship and how all of those things feel impossible and big...and yet. And yet, Madden and Eve manage to build years and years of friendship while suppressing and denying all of the real and intense feelings that zap between them until Madden learns the truth and refuses to let Eve hide from it. What happens next is the natural push and pull of these two trying to figure out if it can work, the fear of wanting it too much, and the love and care they have for each other-so much so that they almost lose it all, as per all romance novels. 

I don't care what anyone else says, I will continue to jump on the newest release in this series until there isn't one to jump on.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4mmqFGh

SYNOPSIS:

Madden Donahue, the newest catcher for the Yankees, has been in love with Eve Mitchell since high school, but for some mysterious reason, the burlesque club owner always turns him down. That never stopped him from being her self-appointed protector. Case in point, now that Eve’s sister has left Eve with her two children indefinitely, Madden steps in with a proposition—marry him for the much needed health benefits.

Eve has secretly harbored feelings for Madden all along, but there’s one problem—her best friend Skylar called dibs on him when they were fourteen. Eve has always put their friendship above all else, and she’s not willing to risk losing Skylar over a man. Raised by the local strip club owner, Eve is woefully short on friends and treasures the ones she has. But with Skylar happily paired off, Eve finds herself accepting Madden’s proposal—on the condition that their marriage remains strictly private. She’s not about to let her unique profession and maligned reputation destroy Madden’s shiny new career.

Madden won’t let Eve get away that easily, though. What starts as a marriage of convenience soon ignites into something much hotter, and now it’s up to Madden to convince Eve that their connection is far more than a business arrangement. As the passion builds, can their fake marriage become the real deal?

 

REVIEW: Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

OUR REVIEW:

Theo of Golden has been on all of the lists for a while and so of course I reserved it on Libby. I had to see if it lived up to the hype; it, in my mind, has been linked with The Bright Years and The Correspondent and those were so good that I had hopes that this one would be too. 

There were definitely touching moments in Theo of Golden. I liked the protagonist and his merry band of small town characters; he was kind and considerate and mysterious. This had all of the pieces and parts that work for me: good characters and a question that was begging to be answered. The writing was solid. So what didn't work, if anything? Afterall, I gave it 4 stars, so what's my issue? For me, it dragged. I need more breadcrumbs to lead me to the big reveal and it felt like there were times they came sparingly. In retrospect, maybe that was part of the point? He didn't want to be known, really; he wanted to know others, to serve others, to elevate them and but by doing that his mysterious background became even more intriguing, not less.

So ultimately, yes, I enjoyed Theo of Golden; I'd definitely read another of Levi's books--I appreciate that he gave me a character to aspire to. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4bW1TYv

SYNOPSIS:

One spring morning, a stranger arrives in the small southern city of Golden. No one knows where he has come from…or why…

His name is Theo. And he asks a lot more questions than he answers.

Theo visits the local coffeehouse, where ninety-two pencil portraits hang on the walls, portraits of the people of Golden done by a local artist. He begins purchasing them, one at a time, and putting them back in the hands of their “rightful owners.” With each exchange, a story is told, a friendship born, and a life altered.