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A review by divineblkpearl
Quarantine and Chill by Kenya Wright
4.0
Kenya Wright's Quarantine and Chill is a near perfect novella to read while the world is wrecked cause of 'Rona.
For many of us who are still at home, under various levels and phases of lockdown and quarantine: this is a treat that is smutty goodness you'll appreciate. With characters you'll love and want to read more about: Kamal and Jade are folks make this page-turner go a little too fast: reading how their love blossoms for each other with all the real-life happenings: the effects of the pandemic: the anxieties of grocery store shopping, seeing the panic buying, dooms scrolling...these two fight their attraction to each other as we see them try to figure out the new "normal".
They are complex enough characters, the sexual tension is believable, ( there is a dog present!) and there are so many little details that I love like Jade's face mask created with a character from her favorite (fictional for us) anime. And she wears a leather jacket out when she leaves where she's been calling home-with it. I love the backstory on how they are connected--it's no "strangers getting it on in quarantine': they have an established history. (Not taking a dump on that trope by the way--I just really appreciate Kenya writing about how they know each other and the history behind that--makes their interactions stand out since they know each other so well.
*****SPOILERS START***
First, it wouldn't be a Kenya Wright book if the drama didn't pop off! Caution warnings for later, near end of book for those who want to avoid reading about minor character ending their own life. While, it wasn't a deal-breaker for me---during 'Rona aka COVID-19 there's...so much doom and gloom in the world right now and such plot thread (which obviously creates trauma for those in the book) may be very triggering especially with someone dealing with lots of stress/mental strain/depression or suicidal ideation. (I read and enjoyed Wright's "Redemption"--even though I was squeamish on the heavy violence and...gore that was in it. That book came with a caution warning in the beginning if I remember, right) And to be fair, it's not a scene--at least the act that carries over too many pages.
Second, on page 193, When Jade is speaking on the phone with her other bestie, Karen about her attraction to Kamaal which she's trying to downplay--her friend, also a Black woman sings a line from a R-Kelly song. To quote it exactly from the page:
"You did. You're like R. Kelly." she started to sing, "My mind is telling me no! But my body! My body is telling me yes!"
UGH. When I tell you this took the wind out of my sails??? IT DID. I usually don't let such minor details unnerve me but GROSS. Having that serial predator pop on-page and reference made me put my kindle down and read something else. I had to take a star off this review for that. Yes. I did.
*****SPOILERS END***
Overall, a pretty decent job on Kenya Wright's job. Did I think I'd read a romance novella set in modern, current times about two folks falling in love while the world burns? No. Did I love it? Mostly. Would I re-read it? Yes, but skip the part mentioned in second half. I appreciated the ending chapter about the future which makeS me hopeful for the future in real life. The level of research that I'm assuming Wright did for the end chapter and all the details impressed me and made me feel liek I was there at the event which I adored. Lastly--all those delicious illustrations! Wasn't expecting them!
**Edited for typos cause I first pubbed this review using my phone!
For many of us who are still at home, under various levels and phases of lockdown and quarantine: this is a treat that is smutty goodness you'll appreciate. With characters you'll love and want to read more about: Kamal and Jade are folks make this page-turner go a little too fast: reading how their love blossoms for each other with all the real-life happenings: the effects of the pandemic: the anxieties of grocery store shopping, seeing the panic buying, dooms scrolling...these two fight their attraction to each other as we see them try to figure out the new "normal".
They are complex enough characters, the sexual tension is believable, ( there is a dog present!) and there are so many little details that I love like Jade's face mask created with a character from her favorite (fictional for us) anime. And she wears a leather jacket out when she leaves where she's been calling home-with it. I love the backstory on how they are connected--it's no "strangers getting it on in quarantine': they have an established history. (Not taking a dump on that trope by the way--I just really appreciate Kenya writing about how they know each other and the history behind that--makes their interactions stand out since they know each other so well.
*****SPOILERS START***
First, it wouldn't be a Kenya Wright book if the drama didn't pop off! Caution warnings for later, near end of book for those who want to avoid reading about minor character ending their own life. While, it wasn't a deal-breaker for me---during 'Rona aka COVID-19 there's...so much doom and gloom in the world right now and such plot thread (which obviously creates trauma for those in the book) may be very triggering especially with someone dealing with lots of stress/mental strain/depression or suicidal ideation. (I read and enjoyed Wright's "Redemption"--even though I was squeamish on the heavy violence and...gore that was in it. That book came with a caution warning in the beginning if I remember, right) And to be fair, it's not a scene--at least the act that carries over too many pages.
Second, on page 193, When Jade is speaking on the phone with her other bestie, Karen about her attraction to Kamaal which she's trying to downplay--her friend, also a Black woman sings a line from a R-Kelly song. To quote it exactly from the page:
"You did. You're like R. Kelly." she started to sing, "My mind is telling me no! But my body! My body is telling me yes!"
UGH. When I tell you this took the wind out of my sails??? IT DID. I usually don't let such minor details unnerve me but GROSS. Having that serial predator pop on-page and reference made me put my kindle down and read something else. I had to take a star off this review for that. Yes. I did.
*****SPOILERS END***
Overall, a pretty decent job on Kenya Wright's job. Did I think I'd read a romance novella set in modern, current times about two folks falling in love while the world burns? No. Did I love it? Mostly. Would I re-read it? Yes, but skip the part mentioned in second half. I appreciated the ending chapter about the future which makeS me hopeful for the future in real life. The level of research that I'm assuming Wright did for the end chapter and all the details impressed me and made me feel liek I was there at the event which I adored. Lastly--all those delicious illustrations! Wasn't expecting them!
**Edited for typos cause I first pubbed this review using my phone!