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lisibee815 's review for:
The Spirit of Love
by Lauren Kate
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fenny is a staff TV writer (and aspiring director) for a campy zombie TV show. (I would absolutely watch the heck out of a show called "Zombie Hospital," btw.) After an out-of-character weekend fling with the younger Sam, she finds that the directing job she thought was in the bag was unceremoniously given to Jude (an acclaimed movie director who bears a striking, if older, resemblance to Sam). Amidst her career disappointment, Fenny must find a way to work with Jude while also trying to reconcile just what happened with Sam and figure out why Jude seems so familiar.
I liked it! This was a quick read and I genuinely wish it were longer, I enjoyed it that much. Fenny had a delightfully dry sense of humor, Sam was hunky and adorable with surprising depth, and Luka was a bit stiff but also vulnerable at the same time. I liked the premise, and although it took a little bit to wrap my mind around it I liked that the story jumped right into things and just kept rocketing along until the end. There was enough tension in the main plot to keep things interesting, although for me it was a teensy bit confusing at times. (Try to ignore any plot holes or thin parts of the story and just go along with things, don't over-think it. Also, there is sexual content and there wasn't any sexual health/protection discussion prior to the sexual activity, which is always a pet peeve of mine in a contemporary romance.) I would have enjoyed an epilogue since the ending felt a bit abrupt for my tastes. This book is part of a series (or I guess maybe an interconnected set of books), and while characters from the other books show up in this one I wasn't lost and it works just fine as a standalone. I'm definitely going to go back and read the others, though, because I really liked this one plus I've read this author before and I enjoy her voice and writing style. This is the perfect weekend read if you're looking for a magical realism romance with a nice thread of low-key humor and an HEA. Publishes July 1, 2025 (just in time for holiday weekend beach/pool reading). This review is based on a complimentary eARC of the story, all opinions are my own.
I liked it! This was a quick read and I genuinely wish it were longer, I enjoyed it that much. Fenny had a delightfully dry sense of humor, Sam was hunky and adorable with surprising depth, and Luka was a bit stiff but also vulnerable at the same time. I liked the premise, and although it took a little bit to wrap my mind around it I liked that the story jumped right into things and just kept rocketing along until the end. There was enough tension in the main plot to keep things interesting, although for me it was a teensy bit confusing at times. (Try to ignore any plot holes or thin parts of the story and just go along with things, don't over-think it. Also, there is sexual content and there wasn't any sexual health/protection discussion prior to the sexual activity, which is always a pet peeve of mine in a contemporary romance.) I would have enjoyed an epilogue since the ending felt a bit abrupt for my tastes. This book is part of a series (or I guess maybe an interconnected set of books), and while characters from the other books show up in this one I wasn't lost and it works just fine as a standalone. I'm definitely going to go back and read the others, though, because I really liked this one plus I've read this author before and I enjoy her voice and writing style. This is the perfect weekend read if you're looking for a magical realism romance with a nice thread of low-key humor and an HEA. Publishes July 1, 2025 (just in time for holiday weekend beach/pool reading). This review is based on a complimentary eARC of the story, all opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail