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bookswrappedinamber
This was less cozy than the first two books in the series but I actually enjoyed this more! We see Fern move to open her own bookstore near Viv but after a night of drinking and trying to figure out her future she ends up in the back of a cart. When she wakes up that cart is very much not in town anymore. She’s now stuck with Astryx an elven hero, who Fern has admired through stories, and Zyll a goblin Astryx captured as part of a bounty. Together they travel to take Zyll in for payment on her bounty and absolute chaos ensues.
This felt like a game of D&D where everyone stumbles into their quest and has to find a way to work together. And through the journey you discover it’s the friends and the memories you make along the way that makes it all worth it in the end.
I absolutely loved Zyll our little chaos goblin and I would do anything for her and Breadley/Bradley the breadknife
I liked that this book focused on bowling as that’s a very underrepresented sport in the sports romance world. I loved that they were both strong, educated, amazing Black girls. Their relationships with their friends and the bonds they built in their small hometown were fun. I especially liked their relationships with their students. It was very cute and I enjoyed the support they gave and received.
This book had an interesting concept but it did fall flat for me overall. The friends to rivals to indifferent to lovers of it all had great potential, but there was too much repetition. The same issues being discussed over and over again made the whole thing drag on and it was boring. I know they were kids when their friendship/relationship fell apart but the reasoning made no sense. And it all could have been fixed so much earlier just by having a conversation.
This book had an interesting concept but it did fall flat for me overall. The friends to rivals to indifferent to lovers of it all had great potential, but there was too much repetition. The same issues being discussed over and over again made the whole thing drag on and it was boring. I know they were kids when their friendship/relationship fell apart but the reasoning made no sense. And it all could have been fixed so much earlier just by having a conversation.
Manic Pixie Dream Earl is a much more relaxed book than the title would imply. We once again set off for the annual Earl’s Trip and this year is Effie’s time to shine. Effie is in love with his newspaper editor, correspondent, and friend Julianna. While he knows they can never be together he wishes the situation was different. He tells Julianna that he’s off to the sea side for his annual trip and that he will write when he returns. Effie has been growing agitated by the fact that he knows he is unintentionally misleading Julianna as she believes he is a woman… the misinterpreting of the nickname Effie to be short for Euphemia instead of its true Edward.
Julianna faces another delay at the printing press for her monthly magazine and in a moment of unexpected free time and a wave of spontaneity she decides to visit the seaside as well. Perhaps she can run into Effie and make their pen pal friend status something more substantial. What she never could have predicted is that she would run into Effie and strike up a much deeper relationship indeed. Not with Euphemia, but with Effie as the man he is and his two friends.
This book was very cozy and gentle. These two were so perfect for each other. I love how easily they accepted each other and grew in their relationship. They were so patient with each other and helped each other through some really difficult situations. They built upon their years of friendship and pushed each other. While sometimes the pushing went too far they always made their way back to one another and on to their best future together. They’re both so smart and unique and balance each other out.
I also loved seeing familiar faces from the first book and really enjoyed the new characters we were introduced to. Effie gets his found family in so many ways and it’s so good to see.
This was a great second book to the series and I’m very much looking forward to Simon’s book!