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bookstolivewith's reviews
327 reviews
The Joyce Girl by Annabel Abbs
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
The Joyce Girl by Annabel Abbs is a story we’ve all heard before — a woman, Lucia, is trying to find herself and figure out exactly who she is, despite doubters, liars and gaslighters. Only this time, she’s also James Joyce’s daughter. And now, she’s Carl Jung’s latest celebrity patient. (TW: sexual assault, incest, misogyny/sexism, slut-shaming & gaslighting)
This book explores so many themes: madness, suppression, societal norms and artistic expression, just to name a few. There’s tons to parse apart and I think it’d be really interesting to read this for a book club or even in a school setting — I haven’t managed to stop thinking about some of these scenes, especially of Lucia’s bone-chilling interactions with her mother, even as I have a hard time articulating why.
You do not need to have a working knowledge of Joyce or his work to get through this book, but it can make some moments more meaningful or clue you into jokes and circumstances. Oddly enough, despite the focus being on Lucia, who is trying to make a name for herself, you still feel (mirroring Lucia) trapped by Joyce’s presence while you’re trying to get to know her — in fact, all the Joyces are keeping Lucia trapped, hemming into her story in equally annoying and horrifying ways.
The writing is luscious and this is the kind of book you can definitely get lost in. However, I do want to warn you that there is a lot of mystery/hidden memory/PTSD revolving around sexual assault that you need to be prepared for — it isn’t revealed until the literal end of the book but it’s hinted at throughout and can be disturbing at times. It’s also good to mention that there’s a lot of Oedipal complex stuff in here based on the psychology that was popular at the time of Lucia’s treatment, so take all that with a grain of salt.
I think one of the best things that this book does is include a lengthy note at the back explaining about the realities of Lucia Joyce’s life and how the author interwove moments of fiction and non-fiction, as this book is most definitely non-fiction. Additionally, Abbs discusses how little respect and history was given to Lucia, even by her own family, despite her integral role in Joyce’s work — something that, while not surprising, is infuriating.
I’d definitely recommend this one if you have read Joyce or are a fan of his work, since you need to know the other side of and the cost of genius. But also if you love stories that champion women even when they fail or society fails them, this one is for you.
This book explores so many themes: madness, suppression, societal norms and artistic expression, just to name a few. There’s tons to parse apart and I think it’d be really interesting to read this for a book club or even in a school setting — I haven’t managed to stop thinking about some of these scenes, especially of Lucia’s bone-chilling interactions with her mother, even as I have a hard time articulating why.
You do not need to have a working knowledge of Joyce or his work to get through this book, but it can make some moments more meaningful or clue you into jokes and circumstances. Oddly enough, despite the focus being on Lucia, who is trying to make a name for herself, you still feel (mirroring Lucia) trapped by Joyce’s presence while you’re trying to get to know her — in fact, all the Joyces are keeping Lucia trapped, hemming into her story in equally annoying and horrifying ways.
The writing is luscious and this is the kind of book you can definitely get lost in. However, I do want to warn you that there is a lot of mystery/hidden memory/PTSD revolving around sexual assault that you need to be prepared for — it isn’t revealed until the literal end of the book but it’s hinted at throughout and can be disturbing at times. It’s also good to mention that there’s a lot of Oedipal complex stuff in here based on the psychology that was popular at the time of Lucia’s treatment, so take all that with a grain of salt.
I think one of the best things that this book does is include a lengthy note at the back explaining about the realities of Lucia Joyce’s life and how the author interwove moments of fiction and non-fiction, as this book is most definitely non-fiction. Additionally, Abbs discusses how little respect and history was given to Lucia, even by her own family, despite her integral role in Joyce’s work — something that, while not surprising, is infuriating.
I’d definitely recommend this one if you have read Joyce or are a fan of his work, since you need to know the other side of and the cost of genius. But also if you love stories that champion women even when they fail or society fails them, this one is for you.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Misogyny and Sexism
Miss Benson's Beetle by Rachel Joyce
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce follows the story of Margery Benson as she sets out to do what no one ever thought she would: find the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia. Encountering a new setback in every direction, she is accompanied by Enid Pretty, who, despite her bright personality, has a “pretty” big secret. So will they find the beetle, or was this all just too much for Margery to handle? (TW: suicide, miscarriage, death, stalking & PTSD.)
I was not initially loving this one and it took me a while to get into. However, I ended up really enjoying the overall story because of how it addresses (Western) womanhood — its assumptions and expectations vs its realities and desires, for the most part. This book is populated with different “types” of women and you really feel for most of them, even when they do something horrible. Even the men in this book are affected by this expected role of (British or Western) womanhood, and the story shows how men are done a disservice by expected gender roles, especially in the wake of a traumatic world war.
It’s not the best book I’ve ever read but it is totally different from what I expected and different from other things I’ve been reading lately. It’s a love story between self and others, as well as a story about women learning to love other women, forgiving their transgressions and the strength women have to move forward (maybe juxtaposed against men who are stuck in the past? I don’t know, that may be too analytical).
If you’re looking for something different that’s also a bit of a woman empowerment book, this might be for you! I think this is probably also a great book for book clubs, as there’s lots to discuss. Miss Benson’s Beetle out November 3rd (but it’ll still be there post-election)!
I was not initially loving this one and it took me a while to get into. However, I ended up really enjoying the overall story because of how it addresses (Western) womanhood — its assumptions and expectations vs its realities and desires, for the most part. This book is populated with different “types” of women and you really feel for most of them, even when they do something horrible. Even the men in this book are affected by this expected role of (British or Western) womanhood, and the story shows how men are done a disservice by expected gender roles, especially in the wake of a traumatic world war.
It’s not the best book I’ve ever read but it is totally different from what I expected and different from other things I’ve been reading lately. It’s a love story between self and others, as well as a story about women learning to love other women, forgiving their transgressions and the strength women have to move forward (maybe juxtaposed against men who are stuck in the past? I don’t know, that may be too analytical).
If you’re looking for something different that’s also a bit of a woman empowerment book, this might be for you! I think this is probably also a great book for book clubs, as there’s lots to discuss. Miss Benson’s Beetle out November 3rd (but it’ll still be there post-election)!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Miscarriage, and Suicide
Moderate: Gore, Gun violence, Infertility, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, and Medical trauma
Minor: Misogyny and Sexism
Jane In Love by Rachel Givney
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Okay buckle in folks. Jane In Love by Rachel Givney is a wild ride. I honestly can’t believe that I finished this one considering how often I screamed “What!?” but I couldn’t look away.
Synopsis: Jane Austen is so desperate to find true love that she’s willing to sacrifice anything. When she gets her wish and time travels to the 21st century, she does end up meeting her true love — and he loves her back. But is she ready to give up her writing and her legacy to keep him?
Maybe it’s the English major in me, but Austen is god-tier untouchable. So retellings of her work and reimaginings of her life have to knock it out of the park. And this didn’t meet my (admittedly high) standards.
I found the plot to be a bit reductive when it came to the complexities of time travel and there were a LOT of moments where I didn’t even understand their explanations of time travel. Especially when (spoiler!) Jane traveling to the present causes a ripple effect that makes her writing disappear and everyone forget who she is (and this is where they lost me) except for a select group of people.
At the same time, despite everything happening that should have been exciting (which includes not only time traveling but also a broken “engagement,” a hidden manuscript and an electricity-induced coma!?), I was bored and not really engaged with the story. There’s also some weirdly sexist moments, even when you get to the 21st century.
The dialogue was often stilted and the character’s personalities were borderline obnoxious, particularly Sofia, an actress who is helping Jane. They were somewhat one dimensional, and I formed zero attachment to them or their burgeoning romances, despite the fact that I was obviously supposed to do so.
To me, Jane In Love was trying to pose a serious question: what would Jane Austen do if she was forced to choose between love and writing? But their answer — that only great pain can create great art — left me unsatisfied and the story to get there left much to be desired.
This one is out on October 27th and if you want to read it, I’d highly recommend getting it from the library.
Synopsis: Jane Austen is so desperate to find true love that she’s willing to sacrifice anything. When she gets her wish and time travels to the 21st century, she does end up meeting her true love — and he loves her back. But is she ready to give up her writing and her legacy to keep him?
Maybe it’s the English major in me, but Austen is god-tier untouchable. So retellings of her work and reimaginings of her life have to knock it out of the park. And this didn’t meet my (admittedly high) standards.
I found the plot to be a bit reductive when it came to the complexities of time travel and there were a LOT of moments where I didn’t even understand their explanations of time travel. Especially when (spoiler!) Jane traveling to the present causes a ripple effect that makes her writing disappear and everyone forget who she is (and this is where they lost me) except for a select group of people.
At the same time, despite everything happening that should have been exciting (which includes not only time traveling but also a broken “engagement,” a hidden manuscript and an electricity-induced coma!?), I was bored and not really engaged with the story. There’s also some weirdly sexist moments, even when you get to the 21st century.
The dialogue was often stilted and the character’s personalities were borderline obnoxious, particularly Sofia, an actress who is helping Jane. They were somewhat one dimensional, and I formed zero attachment to them or their burgeoning romances, despite the fact that I was obviously supposed to do so.
To me, Jane In Love was trying to pose a serious question: what would Jane Austen do if she was forced to choose between love and writing? But their answer — that only great pain can create great art — left me unsatisfied and the story to get there left much to be desired.
This one is out on October 27th and if you want to read it, I’d highly recommend getting it from the library.
Confessions of the Fox by Jordy Rosenberg
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Okay so I keep trying (and failing) to write a coherent review but here’s the long and short of it: I found Confessions of the Fox endlessly interesting and fascinating and I am definitely not smart enough to understand everything happening here. And that’s okay, because a) I am not the intended audience as a cis-straight woman and b) that leaves me even more room to read it again and again until I figure it out.
I wish this was a book that had been taught in a college course — and I would urge professors, especially those who teach classes that involve discussions of gender and sexuality, to teach it. There is an unbelievable amount to discuss here.
On one hand, it’s a “found” novel that explores the concept of communal writing and memory. It also unpacks sexuality and gender, both in the 18th century and in the 2010s. The footnotes not only include real-life and modern references, but jointly tell the story of the “transcriber” and their struggles alongside the struggles of the fictional characters they’ve found. The manuscript explores the rise of capitalism in England and how it insidiously twists inside every single aspect of life, even death itself. No stone is left unturned here, and all of it is done through beautiful written prose that is as emotional as it is intellectual.
I would highly recommend reading this one, although I will warn you that the manuscript itself can be tricky to read, full of English cant and old words. I’m still trying to figure out the right words to express how I feel about Confessions of the Fox, and in some way, I suspect that it’s the author intention to have the book defy labels and summaries and something so simply said as a single word. However, I do feel that it will probably be one of the most important books I’ve read in a while.
I wish this was a book that had been taught in a college course — and I would urge professors, especially those who teach classes that involve discussions of gender and sexuality, to teach it. There is an unbelievable amount to discuss here.
On one hand, it’s a “found” novel that explores the concept of communal writing and memory. It also unpacks sexuality and gender, both in the 18th century and in the 2010s. The footnotes not only include real-life and modern references, but jointly tell the story of the “transcriber” and their struggles alongside the struggles of the fictional characters they’ve found. The manuscript explores the rise of capitalism in England and how it insidiously twists inside every single aspect of life, even death itself. No stone is left unturned here, and all of it is done through beautiful written prose that is as emotional as it is intellectual.
I would highly recommend reading this one, although I will warn you that the manuscript itself can be tricky to read, full of English cant and old words. I’m still trying to figure out the right words to express how I feel about Confessions of the Fox, and in some way, I suspect that it’s the author intention to have the book defy labels and summaries and something so simply said as a single word. However, I do feel that it will probably be one of the most important books I’ve read in a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Confinement, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, and Vomit
The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I absolutely loved Minnie Darke’s debut Star-Crossed so when I saw her new novel, The Lost Love Song, available on @netgalley , I knew I needed to read it immediately — and it did not disappoint! One of my few five star reads of this entire year, actually!
Synopsis: Diana, a renowned concert pianist, and Arie, an tech specialist, have been in love and engaged for years but are not yet married — much to Arie’s disappointment. While away on her concert tour, Diana writes the perfect love song to give to Arie when she gets home, alongside the fact that she is finally ready to start concretely planning a wedding and a future with him. But tragedy strikes and the love song is lost. Can it make its way around the world and come back to Arie, who needs it now more than ever?
This novel is so bittersweet. That’s the best word for it. There are a lot of really sad, devastating moments here — huge content warnings for death and grief — but the entire novel is a testament to the strength of people’s hearts to continue to move forward even when things are tough.
I would not necessarily categorize The Lost Love Song as a romance novel, even though romance and love obviously play a huge role in the story, because so much of it is love couched in and tempered by grief. I also think because her first novel was more stereotypically rom-com, people might be misled by the title, so consider yourself warned!
It actually reminded me of Turbulence by David Szalay, as both explore themes of the world’s interconnectedness, how much people need each other and how the degrees of separation are fewer than you may think. I think reading it right now, as we all remain socially distanced, struck a particularly resonant chord that the world is really, in many ways, a village of people helping each other along as much as we can.
The Lost Love Song is out on October 13th and Minnie Darke has a fan for life as far as I’m concerned!
Synopsis: Diana, a renowned concert pianist, and Arie, an tech specialist, have been in love and engaged for years but are not yet married — much to Arie’s disappointment. While away on her concert tour, Diana writes the perfect love song to give to Arie when she gets home, alongside the fact that she is finally ready to start concretely planning a wedding and a future with him. But tragedy strikes and the love song is lost. Can it make its way around the world and come back to Arie, who needs it now more than ever?
This novel is so bittersweet. That’s the best word for it. There are a lot of really sad, devastating moments here — huge content warnings for death and grief — but the entire novel is a testament to the strength of people’s hearts to continue to move forward even when things are tough.
I would not necessarily categorize The Lost Love Song as a romance novel, even though romance and love obviously play a huge role in the story, because so much of it is love couched in and tempered by grief. I also think because her first novel was more stereotypically rom-com, people might be misled by the title, so consider yourself warned!
It actually reminded me of Turbulence by David Szalay, as both explore themes of the world’s interconnectedness, how much people need each other and how the degrees of separation are fewer than you may think. I think reading it right now, as we all remain socially distanced, struck a particularly resonant chord that the world is really, in many ways, a village of people helping each other along as much as we can.
The Lost Love Song is out on October 13th and Minnie Darke has a fan for life as far as I’m concerned!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Y’ALL. I am obsessed with Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade. Like stayed-up-until-2am-to-finish-reading obsessed.
April Whittier, confident geologist, and Marcus Caster-Rupp, world famous actor, have been BFFs on a fan forum for years, but they have no idea of each other’s real identities. But then Marcus asks April out via Twitter after an ugly fan dispute, having no idea who she is. When he finds out that this same woman has been his touchstone for years, will he reveal himself to her, potentially ending his Hollywood career, or will he keep up the double persona and try to have the best of both worlds?
This is the perfect book for anyone who has dabbled into fanfiction, fan cons or fan forums. (Guilty as charged — seriously, though Anne of Green Gables fanfiction is where it’s at.) This is a perfect book for anyone who has struggled with their appearance or insecurities and found comfort in a fictional world. This is a perfect book if you just want to read about some hot, swoony, sexy moments.
I think what I found most loveable about Spoiler Alert was the inherent realism in what is kind of a crazy star-crossed lovers type of story. April & Marcus are both older, which is super refreshing as someone in her mid-20s with no romantic relationship in sight, and also gives credence to the idea that you never have to age out of being a fan. Also, this might be TMI but there’s finally a sex scene with a sensible bra whose cups can’t be just pulled down at a moments notice and that you can’t feel a nipple through! Like, I’ve got big lady boobs and those flimsy bras that everyone is ripping off as soon as sex starts are a pipe dream as far as I’m concerned. So thank you Olivia Dade, for putting sexy realism back in the bedroom!
I am sure there are critiques to be made or things I’m overlooking but long story short, I loved it. It made me feel butterfly-filled. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade is out on October 6th and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
April Whittier, confident geologist, and Marcus Caster-Rupp, world famous actor, have been BFFs on a fan forum for years, but they have no idea of each other’s real identities. But then Marcus asks April out via Twitter after an ugly fan dispute, having no idea who she is. When he finds out that this same woman has been his touchstone for years, will he reveal himself to her, potentially ending his Hollywood career, or will he keep up the double persona and try to have the best of both worlds?
This is the perfect book for anyone who has dabbled into fanfiction, fan cons or fan forums. (Guilty as charged — seriously, though Anne of Green Gables fanfiction is where it’s at.) This is a perfect book for anyone who has struggled with their appearance or insecurities and found comfort in a fictional world. This is a perfect book if you just want to read about some hot, swoony, sexy moments.
I think what I found most loveable about Spoiler Alert was the inherent realism in what is kind of a crazy star-crossed lovers type of story. April & Marcus are both older, which is super refreshing as someone in her mid-20s with no romantic relationship in sight, and also gives credence to the idea that you never have to age out of being a fan. Also, this might be TMI but there’s finally a sex scene with a sensible bra whose cups can’t be just pulled down at a moments notice and that you can’t feel a nipple through! Like, I’ve got big lady boobs and those flimsy bras that everyone is ripping off as soon as sex starts are a pipe dream as far as I’m concerned. So thank you Olivia Dade, for putting sexy realism back in the bedroom!
I am sure there are critiques to be made or things I’m overlooking but long story short, I loved it. It made me feel butterfly-filled. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade is out on October 6th and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
Mistletoe and Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Okay so round two on festive e-arcs & this one turned out a lot better for me! I really enjoyed Mistletoe & Mr. Right and was super excited to find out this is the second novel in a Jasmine Guillory-esque series about a tiny Alaskan town, so I’ve got the first book of the series to catch up on and I’ve got a third book to look forward to in 2021!
Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler is all about defying expectations, finding love in the wrong place and of course, Christmas festivities! Lana Montgomery’s heart has always been in Moose Springs, Alaska — and now her & her family’s money will be too, as they’re planning to buy up and build out the town. The locals are... hostile to stay the least, except for Rick Harding, the pool hall owner, who seems to have a sweet blind spot for Lana that is growing into a full blown crush. Add to all this tension and confusion a rampaging Christmas-hating moose, and you’ve got a holiday season that Lana has only dreamed about!
Admittedly, it’s not a groundbreaking story or even all that inventive in the romance novel genre, but it was soft and sweet, a great weekend read! It made me smile, giggle and swoon just a bit — and it’s not heavy on the heat, if that’s what you prefer!
Mistletoe & Mr. Right by Sarah Morgenthaler is all about defying expectations, finding love in the wrong place and of course, Christmas festivities! Lana Montgomery’s heart has always been in Moose Springs, Alaska — and now her & her family’s money will be too, as they’re planning to buy up and build out the town. The locals are... hostile to stay the least, except for Rick Harding, the pool hall owner, who seems to have a sweet blind spot for Lana that is growing into a full blown crush. Add to all this tension and confusion a rampaging Christmas-hating moose, and you’ve got a holiday season that Lana has only dreamed about!
Admittedly, it’s not a groundbreaking story or even all that inventive in the romance novel genre, but it was soft and sweet, a great weekend read! It made me smile, giggle and swoon just a bit — and it’s not heavy on the heat, if that’s what you prefer!
In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Working for a magazine means that I’m always a few months ahead of the curve holiday-wise. Since we’re wrapping up our Nov/Dec issue now, my head has been filled with Christmas carols & The Holiday rewatches. So, I decided why not add a festive book to the mix?
In A Holidaze follows Maelyn Jones, a slightly discontent 20-something, who is absolutely shocked when her family-friends tell her they’re selling the cabin where she’s spent every Christmas she can remember. When she gets the opportunity to redo the week (yes, in a Groundhog Day-type scenario), she has to figure out how to save the cabin from being sold. But what if the cabin isn’t the only thing she’s supposed to enjoy this go-round?
I truly wanted to like this one more than I did. I absolutely loved The Unhoneymooners (the only other Christina Lauren book I’ve read) but In A Holidaze required some serious suspension of disbelief, and still left me somewhat bored and wanting more. It didn’t make me have butterflies, or chuckle to myself, or stay up late reading, which I think for me are the defining characteristics of why I love contemporary romance.
The more romantic scenes came as a bit of a shock to me, as I figured on more of a slow burn romance based on the initial tension. There were also a LOT of characters to keep up with, and not all of them felt totally necessary and fleshed out.
What I did love was the swoon-worthy romantic lead Andrew, Mae’s sense of humor about her entire Groundhog Day experience, and the cozy festive winter scenes at the cabin. This would be an excellent Hallmark movie and maybe reading it around the holidays would change how I feel. But something about it just felt off and it was probably a case of too high expectations, to be totally honest.
In A Holidaze follows Maelyn Jones, a slightly discontent 20-something, who is absolutely shocked when her family-friends tell her they’re selling the cabin where she’s spent every Christmas she can remember. When she gets the opportunity to redo the week (yes, in a Groundhog Day-type scenario), she has to figure out how to save the cabin from being sold. But what if the cabin isn’t the only thing she’s supposed to enjoy this go-round?
I truly wanted to like this one more than I did. I absolutely loved The Unhoneymooners (the only other Christina Lauren book I’ve read) but In A Holidaze required some serious suspension of disbelief, and still left me somewhat bored and wanting more. It didn’t make me have butterflies, or chuckle to myself, or stay up late reading, which I think for me are the defining characteristics of why I love contemporary romance.
The more romantic scenes came as a bit of a shock to me, as I figured on more of a slow burn romance based on the initial tension. There were also a LOT of characters to keep up with, and not all of them felt totally necessary and fleshed out.
What I did love was the swoon-worthy romantic lead Andrew, Mae’s sense of humor about her entire Groundhog Day experience, and the cozy festive winter scenes at the cabin. This would be an excellent Hallmark movie and maybe reading it around the holidays would change how I feel. But something about it just felt off and it was probably a case of too high expectations, to be totally honest.
In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
In Case You Missed It by Lindsey Kelk follows Ros as she returns to her UK childhood home from America, with no job, no flat and an ancient phone. She misses the way her uni friends used to be and desperately wants to reconnect with her (asshole) ex-boyfriend. One promising, sent-on-a-whim group text can help Ros find just about everything she thinks she needs. Except, what if living in the past isn’t as great as it’s cracked up to be?
Here’s the thing: I wanted to love it. Ros has Bridget Jones levels of chaotic energy and poor decision making skills but the book lacks the charm and warmth necessary to make me like those things. It’s not a bad book by any means, but it didn’t draw me in at all (which I expect rom-coms to do, be that unfair or not), it took forever to get through, and I thought it wrapped up too quickly — the parts that I would’ve liked to explore more felt rushed. I did like the potential love interest, John, and wish we’d spent more time with him throughout the book, but honestly, most of this book’s plot has already left my head and I finished it yesterday, which is... not great.
I think I’d deem this a library read, since it’s conceivable to finish it within a few days, is warm-hearted at its core, and has a few funny moments in between.
Overall, not terrible, but I’ve read similar plots that were ultimately better. (Although as a movie, it’d probably be a solid one – ever feel like books are being written with a mind for movies rather than just being a book?)
Here’s the thing: I wanted to love it. Ros has Bridget Jones levels of chaotic energy and poor decision making skills but the book lacks the charm and warmth necessary to make me like those things. It’s not a bad book by any means, but it didn’t draw me in at all (which I expect rom-coms to do, be that unfair or not), it took forever to get through, and I thought it wrapped up too quickly — the parts that I would’ve liked to explore more felt rushed. I did like the potential love interest, John, and wish we’d spent more time with him throughout the book, but honestly, most of this book’s plot has already left my head and I finished it yesterday, which is... not great.
I think I’d deem this a library read, since it’s conceivable to finish it within a few days, is warm-hearted at its core, and has a few funny moments in between.
Overall, not terrible, but I’ve read similar plots that were ultimately better. (Although as a movie, it’d probably be a solid one – ever feel like books are being written with a mind for movies rather than just being a book?)
All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
All Stirred Up by Brianne Moore checked a ton of boxes for me! Not only is it inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion, but also features Edinburgh, restaurant behind-the-scenes (including addressing sexism, xenophobia and classism in the industry) and ex-lovers coming back into contact after almost a decade! Sign me up!
Synopsis: Susan Napier’s grandfather, Elliot, was a restaurant mogul but in the years since his death, his restaurants have taken a bit of a hit. Susan is ready to take over the reins. Where better to start than the flagship location in Edinburgh? But things get just a bit more complicated when celebrity chef Chris Baker arrives on the scene, fresh off his TV show and still holding Susan’s heart in his hands — unbeknownst to them both.
So many cute, fun moments and Chris is a great leading man! Susan is totally relatable, with her somewhat odd family, moments of self-doubt and her passion for her career. I was enamored with the setting, although perhaps I’m a bit biased because I love Edinburgh so much.
I will say that it does drag a bit in the middle, and I wished there had been more flashbacks into Susan and Chris’ previous relationship and then a little more time with the characters once everything comes to light. There’s so much tension between the characters in this book and it really works, until the last possible minute because there’s very little reflection and communication at the end, and everything ties up just a little too neatly. Seriously, I need a prequel and a sequel stat.
But on the whole, I really enjoyed it! I can totally see this as a movie actually, be it Hallmark or a Netflix original, but it’s also got all the elements of a prefect rainy day or chill weekend read. Just make sure you’ve got a sweet treat or something to snack on because let me tell you something, this book can leave you so hungry!
Synopsis: Susan Napier’s grandfather, Elliot, was a restaurant mogul but in the years since his death, his restaurants have taken a bit of a hit. Susan is ready to take over the reins. Where better to start than the flagship location in Edinburgh? But things get just a bit more complicated when celebrity chef Chris Baker arrives on the scene, fresh off his TV show and still holding Susan’s heart in his hands — unbeknownst to them both.
So many cute, fun moments and Chris is a great leading man! Susan is totally relatable, with her somewhat odd family, moments of self-doubt and her passion for her career. I was enamored with the setting, although perhaps I’m a bit biased because I love Edinburgh so much.
I will say that it does drag a bit in the middle, and I wished there had been more flashbacks into Susan and Chris’ previous relationship and then a little more time with the characters once everything comes to light. There’s so much tension between the characters in this book and it really works, until the last possible minute because there’s very little reflection and communication at the end, and everything ties up just a little too neatly. Seriously, I need a prequel and a sequel stat.
But on the whole, I really enjoyed it! I can totally see this as a movie actually, be it Hallmark or a Netflix original, but it’s also got all the elements of a prefect rainy day or chill weekend read. Just make sure you’ve got a sweet treat or something to snack on because let me tell you something, this book can leave you so hungry!