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A review by readingwithjessica_w
Blame It on the Brontes by Annie Sereno
4.0
A solid 3.5 ⭐️, rounded up to 4.
I fell in love with the nosy little town of Laurel, IL somewhere not far from St. Louis. A small town is the perfect place for a second chance romance to blossom, and that is just what may happen between Athena Murphy and Hawthorne Kent who find themselves back in each other’s lives after having a sudden falling out years ago. Athena is back in her hometown trying desperately to find the true identity of the mysterious C.L. Garland, author of the LitWit series (novellas of the imagined sex-life of literary figures) after discovering Garland is from her birthplace. Using Garland as research for a book she plans to write while on sabbatical and also to help save her career as an English professor, Athena finds herself needing a job to help supplement her income. This is where she encounters Thorne, who is back in town and now the owner of As You Like It Cafe.
I enjoyed the banter between Thorne and Athena and getting little glimpses into their past. Once the golden couple, very much in love, it seems that each has harbored hurt feelings and finds it difficult to admit them to each other let alone be around one another without feeling some kind of want or desire. The cafe provides a space for Thena and Thorne’s interactions and also serves as a place for us to meet the townspeople of Laurel. Blame it on the Brontës is just as much a mystery as it is a love story as Thena tries to uncover Garland’s identity. I found myself going back and forth trying to figure out who Garland might be and kind of figured it out early on. It didn’t affect the storytelling for me though as the story naturally lends itself to Thena chasing different leads. (The uncovering of C.L. Garland’s pen name/identity is very cute and worth the wait). At times I found parts a little repetitive and the miscommunication trope between Thena and Thorne became a little bothersome—I just wanted them to be honest with each other and say how they felt. each character has their reasons for not being vulnerable, but at times the reasons felt a bit stretched to me. But there’s something about rekindling a first love that warms the heart and makes for an enjoyable romance. I especially enjoyed the costume party scene, as I felt like a got more of a glimpse into Thena and Thorne’s past attraction. And the other matchmaking and romances that are created in As You Like It Cafe add to the sweetness of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Hachette Book Group for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
I fell in love with the nosy little town of Laurel, IL somewhere not far from St. Louis. A small town is the perfect place for a second chance romance to blossom, and that is just what may happen between Athena Murphy and Hawthorne Kent who find themselves back in each other’s lives after having a sudden falling out years ago. Athena is back in her hometown trying desperately to find the true identity of the mysterious C.L. Garland, author of the LitWit series (novellas of the imagined sex-life of literary figures) after discovering Garland is from her birthplace. Using Garland as research for a book she plans to write while on sabbatical and also to help save her career as an English professor, Athena finds herself needing a job to help supplement her income. This is where she encounters Thorne, who is back in town and now the owner of As You Like It Cafe.
I enjoyed the banter between Thorne and Athena and getting little glimpses into their past. Once the golden couple, very much in love, it seems that each has harbored hurt feelings and finds it difficult to admit them to each other let alone be around one another without feeling some kind of want or desire. The cafe provides a space for Thena and Thorne’s interactions and also serves as a place for us to meet the townspeople of Laurel. Blame it on the Brontës is just as much a mystery as it is a love story as Thena tries to uncover Garland’s identity. I found myself going back and forth trying to figure out who Garland might be and kind of figured it out early on. It didn’t affect the storytelling for me though as the story naturally lends itself to Thena chasing different leads. (The uncovering of C.L. Garland’s pen name/identity is very cute and worth the wait). At times I found parts a little repetitive and the miscommunication trope between Thena and Thorne became a little bothersome—I just wanted them to be honest with each other and say how they felt. each character has their reasons for not being vulnerable, but at times the reasons felt a bit stretched to me. But there’s something about rekindling a first love that warms the heart and makes for an enjoyable romance. I especially enjoyed the costume party scene, as I felt like a got more of a glimpse into Thena and Thorne’s past attraction. And the other matchmaking and romances that are created in As You Like It Cafe add to the sweetness of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Hachette Book Group for this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.