Tag: LGBTQ+

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

Publisher: Soho Press, Soho Teen

Date of publication: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Romance, Young Adult, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Fiction, MM Romance, Gay, Young Adult Contemporary, High School

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this YA pop-punk debut about queer romance and destroying labels, a teen risks everything to write his own story. Perfect for fans of Sonora Reyes and Adib Khorram.

Stonebridge High’s resident bad boy, Wesley “Big Mac” Mackenzie, is failing senior year—thanks to his unchecked anger, rowdy friends, and a tendency to ditch his homework for skateboarding and a secret photography obsession. So when his mom drags him to a production of The Nutcracker, Wes isn’t interested at all . . . until he sees Tristan Monroe. Mr. Nutcracker himself.

Wes knows he shouldn’t like Tristan; after all, he’s a ballet dancer, and Wes is as closeted as they come. But when they start spending time together, Wes can’t seem to get Tristan out of his head. Driven by a new sense of purpose, Wes begins to think that—despite every authority figure telling him otherwise—maybe he can change for the better and graduate on time.

As a falling out with his friends becomes inevitable, Wes realizes that being himself means taking a stand—and blowing up the bad-boy reputation he never wanted in the first place.

From a debut author to watch, Skater Boy delivers a heart-wrenching, validating, and honest story about what it means to be gay in a world where you don’t fit in.

First Line:

I hate people.

Skater Boy by Anthony Nerada

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Medium and stays medium throughout the book.

POV: 1st person (told from Wes’s POV)

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of alcoholism (off and on page), alcohol (consumption/off and on page), bullying (graphic and on page), drug use (marijuana only/on page), panic attacks/disorders (on page), violence (on and off page), car accident (on page), domestic abuse (off page for actual assaults but on page with the aftermath—bruises, etc), homophobia (on page), injury/injury detail (on page), child abuse (off page/remembered through memories), and racism (on page). If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: Graphic swearing is used in Skater Boy. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: Skater Boy is mainly set in Valentine, Ohio. Towards the end of the book, a chapter is set in New York City. Wes also remembers living in Louisiana.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Wes “Big Mac” Mackenzie is known for his anger, petty crimes, bullying, and rowdy friends. What people don’t understand about him is that he loves photography and musicals-and he is gay. On top of that, Wes is in danger of failing out of school. The day he receives that information, his mother makes him go to a local production of The Nutcracker with her obnoxious boyfriend and his daughter. He was expecting to be bored out of his mind, and he was until he got a look at who was playing the Nutcracker: Tristan Monroe. Tristian is everything Wes isn’t, including being comfortable in his skin.

As Wes meets and spends more time with Tristian, he starts falling head over heels for him. Wes begins to see a future that isn’t as grim as the school’s counselors and teachers have made it out to be. But when Wes’s friends find out that he is seeing Tristan, it sets off a chain of events that could ruin not only Wes and Tristian’s relationship but also Wes’s future. It is up to Wes to set everyone and everything straight. And if that means coming out, then he’ll do it. Can Wes make things right? Will he get his happily ever after? Or will everything crash and burn?

Characters:

The main character in Skater Boy is Wes. I will be brutally honest about him—Wes was not likable for more than half the book. But he was a sympathetic character. He had gone through a lot as a child, and that shaped him into the angry, violent teenager portrayed in the book. But, as the author peeled back Wes’s layers (surprisingly, there were many), a different person was revealed. This person was artistic, sweet, a little (who am I kidding, a lot) insecure, unsure, and an anxiety-ridden mess. I loved Wes and liked that the more he hung out with Tristian, the more that side of him came out.

I do want to talk about Tristian. While he technically wasn’t a main character (the book was more focused on Wes), he was a considerable part of Wes’s life and the driving force behind Wes doing certain things. I wasn’t a fan of his to begin with (the whole talking about Wes behind his back was crappy), but that didn’t last long. I could see his feelings for Wes growing and understood his impatience with Wes (who was in the closet) to go public with their relationship.

Other secondary characters in this book are fascinating and have backstories that pique my interest. The author was able to incorporate those backstories into Wes’s story without taking Wes’s story over (if that makes sense). The author also used them to show how much Wes grew during this book.

My review:

The main storyline of Skater Boy centers around Wes, his relationship with Tristian, his growth throughout the book, and how his past trauma shaped him into the person he was. It was an emotional read for me. There were times when I wanted to hug Wes and tell him it was OK. But mostly, I was a captivated bystander to Wes’s ups and downs and his character growth.

As I mentioned above, I enjoyed seeing Wes’s character growth. At the beginning of the book, Wes is miserable. He had this facade of a bad boy to maintain. That included doing petty crimes, ditching school, bullying people, and just being a jerk. Add in his massive panic attacks (as someone who suffers from those, I sympathized with him) and the fact that he was gay and hiding it, and I could understand why he was stressed all the time. By the middle of the book, a different Wes emerges after he starts seeing Tristian. I wished this Wes showed up more initially, but I understood why the author let this Wes gradually out.

Wes and Tristian’s relationship is interesting and cute. I say interesting because I didn’t think Tristian liked Wes (only tolerated him). It wasn’t until Wes started shooting Tristian’s headshot and other pictures (for his portfolio) that I think Tristian started to like Wes. However, their relationship is very rocky throughout the book. Wes was very closeted, and it did affect their relationship. The whole bridge scene made me mad. No one deserves to be treated like that, and Tristian had every right to be upset with Wes.

Interwoven with the main storyline are numerous secondary storylines. Each storyline added extra depth and understanding to Wes’s character. Some of them explained why he wanted to keep Tristian a secret. Others explained why he bullied people (and it wasn’t as black and white as the author made it to be). And still, other storylines explained his past.

The end of Skater Boy was interesting and sweet. Once Wes did something, he committed wholeheartedly to it. I was surprised at the music Tristian chose to dance to. Also, his reaction to Wes outside the audition was one of the sweetest ones I have ever read. And the last chapter warmed my heart!!

Many thanks to Soho Press, Soho Teens, NetGalley, and Anthony Nerada for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Skater Boy. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Skater Boy, then you will enjoy these books:

Suggested Playlist (feel free to add songs or remove songs)

  1. “Sk8er Boi” – Avril Lavigne
  2. “Superman” – Goldfinger
  3. “All the Small Things” – Blink-182
  4. “Basket Case” – Green Day
  5. “Crazy Train” – Ozzy Osbourne
  6. “Welcome to the Jungle” – Guns N’ Roses
  7. “Icky Thump” – The White Stripes
  8. “Misery Business” – Paramore
  9. “The Middle” – Jimmy Eat World
  10. “Teenagers” – My Chemical Romance
  11. “American Idiot” – Green Day
  12. “Anarchy in the U.K.” – Sex Pistols
  13. “Nothing Else Matters” – Metallica

Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: December 5th, 2023

Genre: Science Fiction, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Dystopia, Lesbian, Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Feminism

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The year is 2050. Ava and her girlfriend live in what’s left of Brooklyn, and though they love each other, it’s hard to find happiness while the effects of climate change rapidly eclipse their world. Soon, it won’t be safe outside at all. The only people guaranteed survival are the ones whose applications are accepted to The Inside Project, a series of weather-safe, city-sized structures around the world.

Jacqueline Millender is a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate, and thanks to a generous donation, she’s just become the director of the Inside being built on the bones of Manhattan. Her ideas are unorthodox, yet alluring—she’s built a whole brand around rethinking the very concept of empowerment.

Shelby, a business major from a working-class family, is drawn to Jacqueline’s promises of power and impact. When she lands her dream job as Jacqueline’s personal assistant, she’s instantly swept up into the glamourous world of corporatized feminism. Also drawn into Jacqueline’s orbit is Olympia, who is finishing up medical school when Jacqueline recruits her to run the health department Inside. The more Olympia learns about the project, though, the more she realizes there’s something much larger at play. As Ava, Olympia, and Shelby start to notice the cracks in Jacqueline’s system, Jacqueline tightens her grip, becoming increasingly unhinged and dangerous in what she is willing to do—and who she is willing to sacrifice—to keep her dream alive.

At once a mesmerizing story of queer love, betrayal, and chosen family, and an unflinching indictment of cis, corporate feminism, Yours for the Taking holds a mirror to our own world, in all its beauty and horror.

First Line:

The Inside Project started with the best intentions.

Yours for the Taking by Gabrielle Korn

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pace of Yours for the Taking held steady at a medium fast pace.

POV: Yours for the Taking was told in 1st person, 3rd person, and 2nd person POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Yours for the Taking has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Transphobia
  • Confinement
  • Grief
  • Death
  • Emotional Abuse
  • Mental Illness
  • Misogyny
  • Suicide
  • Medical Trauma
  • Death of a parent
  • Pregnancy
  • Gaslighting
  • Classism
  • Ableism
  • Bullying
  • Panic attack/disorders
  • Self-harm
  • Rape
  • Slavery
  • Toxic Relationships
  • Violence
  • Forced Institutionalization
  • Medical Content
  • Kidnapping
  • Lesbophobia
  • Pandemic/Edemic
  • Body Horror
  • Suicidal Thoughts
  • Abandonment
  • Refugee Experiences
  • Workplace Harassment
  • Depression
  • Drugging
  • Eugenics
  • Loss of autonomy
  • Climate Change

Sexual Content: Yours for the Taking has moderate to graphic sexual content.

Language: There is moderate to graphic swearing in Yours for the Taking. Also, terminology and language will be offensive to most readers.

Setting: Yours for the Taking is set in a dystopian New York City.

Age Range: I recommend Yours for the Taking to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

In 2050, the world is ravaged by climate change. When a reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate decides to build climate-safe, domed cities, it is a ray of hope for most people. Ava is one of those people, and when she is selected to live in the Manhattan Inside, she is thrilled. But, when her girlfriend, Orchid, isn’t selected, Ava is forced to journey to The Inside alone. Once settled, Ava learns of a program that will guarantee her better meals and rooms. But, doing this program would mean doing something she never planned–becoming a mother.

Jacqueline Millender is the reclusive billionaire/women’s rights advocate who pitched the idea of The Inside Project to donors. She wants to make a perfect world where women and men run equally. Or does she? There are secrets hidden from her donors and the people who run the day-to-day administration of The Inside Project. These secrets can make the project (and Jacqueline’s lifestyle) crash and burn.

Shelby is a young, bright transwoman who wants to make an impact in the world. Horrified by the effects of climate change, she hears about Jacqueline and her life as a women’s rights advocate. So, when Shelby becomes Jacqueline’s assistant, Shelby jumps at it. But Shelby soon learns things aren’t all sunshine and roses with Jacqueline or what she wants to be with The Inside Project.

Olympia is a promising medical student on the verge of graduating when Jacqueline offers her a job as the head of her health department. When she is forced to accept, Jacqueline shows her a different side of The Inside Project than what is projected to the world. Only Olympia’s actions prevent Jacqueline from doing something that could ruin the project. But Olympia can only stall for so long.

How will Shelby, Ava, and Olympia unite to bring down Jacqueline? What is so horrible that they will lose everything to prevent a more significant catastrophe?

Main Characters

Ava: I liked Ava the best of all the main characters. Her core values at the beginning of the book were the same at the end. She was sweet, and she loved her daughters. But, she knew, deep down, that something wasn’t right with The Inside. She was my favorite character in the entire book.

Jacqueline Millender: I liked what she initially put forward at the beginning of the book. She was building safe havens for people during the climate crisis that they were experiencing. But, slowly, cracks started to show in her facade and what she was doing. By the middle of the book, she disgusted me (what she had Olympia do to Ava and the other Inside residents was criminal). By the end of the book, I pitied and didn’t like her. I want to believe she was drunk on power, but with everything revealed about her family and herself, I think not.

Shelby Silver: Shelby rated second on the characters I liked. She went into the job with Jacqueline with rose-colored glasses. Even I could see how she was treated as early as the chapters where Olympia got recruited. Once she got on the ship (after the bedbug debacle), she was treated as less than a person. In the end, she is the one who brings about Jacqueline’s downfall.

Olympia: Olympia, for me, was a morally gray character. She followed Jacqueline’s orders until she started to develop a conscience. But until then, Olympia was willing to do whatever it took to cover up what Jacqueline was doing in that Inside facility. I liked that she finally found her backbone, stood up to Jacqueline, and ended what was happening. What Jacqueline suggested and what Shelby found out was the straw that broke her.

My review:

I am going to be very blunt here: If you do not like feminist books that are centered almost entirely on queer, lesbian, and trans people, then this book might not be the book for you. The author laid the “men destroyed everything, so the women need to fix it” on very thick in this book. But, you know, in a way, she’s right. Our climate is changing, and the powers in charge sit there, twiddling their thumbs. And yes, they are 85% men. I’m not saying that an entirely matrical society would be different, but anything that will slow climate change would be welcome.

The main storyline is wrapped around the four main characters, climate change, and takes place over twenty-two years. It was well written. As mentioned above, I found it very heavy-handed with the “men are destroyers” angles. I also wasn’t expecting it to go the way it did with any of the main characters. The author interconnected everyone, and she did it very gradually.

The storyline with Ava, The Inside, and her daughters brought tears to my eyes. I felt so bad for her, and I wanted at least something to go right for her (at the beginning of her storyline). The way Orchid left her was horrible. Then she went through the added trauma of bearing children, going through pre and post-natal depression. She was happy while Brook and July were with her but lost when they left.

The storyline with Jacqueline brought a terrible taste to my mouth. I didn’t like her initially, but I figured she was building these safe havens for people. But then, the author took her character and added these layers to it that made me disgusted. Over the twenty-two years that she ruled over her fiefdom (and yes, it was that), she suggested such horrible, vile things that I truly hoped Olympia wouldn’t listen to her. She got everything that was coming to her and then some.

The storyline with Shelby was sad. She adored Jacqueline and would do anything to help her. It broke my heart to see how she was treated, not only by Jacqueline but by other people. She was so sweet. I was also in awe of Shelby’s resourcefulness. She, along with Olympia and July, worked together to bring Jacqueline down.

The storyline with Olympia was sad, but I felt that she made her bed for most of the book. At the beginning of her storyline, she was forced into the position (someone doxxed her). But, after that, she participated in everything Jacqueline asked or wanted. It wasn’t until the death of one of Brook and July’s friends and the coverup that she realized that maybe what she was doing wasn’t good. I mentioned that Olympia was more of a morally gray character, and I believe she was. Olympia starts acting like the human and doctor she is by the end of the book. And that began by fessing up to Ava about what was going on.

There isn’t a happy ending in Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. The book ends with a maybe. I’m not too fond of books that end with a maybe. I need to know what happens to people. I hope they end up where they are going, but the implications could be better.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Gabrielle Korn for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Yours for the Taking. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Yours for the Taking, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Gabrielle Korn

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: November 28th, 2023

Genre: Romance, LGBT, Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Queer, Lesbian, Historical, Retellings, Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Heartstopper meets A Knight’s Tale in this queer medieval rom-com YA debut about love, friendship, and being brave enough to change the course of history.

It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other.

They’re forced to spend the summer together at Camelot in the run-up to their nuptials, and within 24 hours, Gwen has discovered Arthur kissing a boy, and Arthur has gone digging for Gwen’s childhood diary and found confessions about her crush on the kingdom’s only lady knight, Bridget Leclair.

Realizing they might make better allies than enemies, Gwen and Art make a reluctant pact to cover for each other, and as things heat up at the annual royal tournament, Gwen is swept off her feet by her knight, and Arthur takes an interest in Gwen’s royal brother. Lex Croucher’s Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is chock full of sword-fighting, found family, and romantic shenanigans destined to make readers fall in love.

First Line:

When Gwen woke up, she knew she’d had the dream again-and that she’d been loud.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The pacing of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is medium-paced. The book does pick up towards the end, but the pacing for the rest is medium.

POV: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a 3rd person, dual POV storyline. The book is told through Gwen and Art’s POV.

Trigger/Content Warning: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Violence (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Death of parent (moderate, on and off page)
  • War (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Injury/Injury Detail (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Death (graphic, on and off page)
  • Homophobia (minor to moderate, on and off page)
  • Blood (moderate to graphic, on and off page)
  • Alcohol (moderate, on and off page)
  • Alcoholism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Murder (minor, on page)
  • Emotional Abuse (moderate, on page)
  • Misogyny (moderate, on and off page)
  • Sexism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Grief (moderate, on and off page)
  • Religious Bigotry (moderate, on and off page)
  • Hate Crime (minor, off page)
  • Classism (moderate, on and off page)
  • Mental Health Struggles (moderate, on and off page)
  • Child Abuse (moderate, on and off page)

Sexual Content: There is sexual content in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are sex scenes, but the author uses the fade to afterward, and they are not graphic.

Language: There is mild swearing in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. There are also some scenes that people might find offensive.

Setting: Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is set in Camelot, England.

Age Range: I recommend Gwen & Art Are Not in Love to anyone over 16.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Hundreds of years after King Arthur pulled Excalibur from the stone, his namesake, Lord Arthur, is betrothed to Lady Gwendoline. At odds with each other since they were toddlers, both were surprised when their fathers announced that a wedding would be happening after Camelot’s annual royal tournament.

Within hours of Art arriving, Gwen finds him kissing another boy. And, to her horror, Art finds her hidden diary. Her longing for the kingdom’s only knight, Bridgid Leclair, is written in that diary. But, when events make them realize they are better allies than enemies, Art and Gwen vow to cover for each other. But, with the tournament heating up, Art recognizing he is attracted to Gwen’s older brother, and cultists poised to try and overthrow the king, can they both uphold their pact? Or will everything they have worked to hide be out in the open?

Main Characters

Princess Gwendoline: I might be the odd one out on this, but I didn’t care for Gwen. Her attitude and inability to decide didn’t endear her to me. She was unbelievably waspish towards Art (even though he did deserve some of it) and Agnes (she didn’t deserve that at all). But, by the middle of the book, I did see her change. It was when she accepted herself that she started to become likable. She still had her moments, but her character changed for the better overall.

Lord Arthur Delacey: I liked Art right away. He comes off as a drunken fool in the book’s first few chapters. He delights in needling Gwen (his opinion of her was spot on). But, as the book went on and his backstory was revealed, I started to see how horrible his life at home was. I was a little surprised at his attraction to Gabe, but it didn’t surprise me. Also, what didn’t surprise me was the battle scene and what he did.

Prince Gabriel: Out of everyone listed here, I didn’t have an opinion of him. He had a lot to deal with. Gabe was the heir to the kingdom and came across as stern and cold. But his true nature shone through during the scenes where he was one-on-one with Gwen and Arthur. Gabe was a nerd. All he wanted to be was a scholar and hide within the library.

Bridgid Leclair: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and the closest thing to a true family that Art had. Sidney fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Sidney: I thought he had a thankless job. He was Art’s babysitter (aka bodyguard). He did a great job protecting Art when Art didn’t shake him off. He was Art’s wingman and, if I am going to be honest, the closest thing to true family that Art had. He fell head over heels for Agnes (which cracked me up). During the last half of the book, he did a couple of things that surprised me. But it went hand in hand with his character. His actions showed what a great and loyal person he was.

Lady Agnes: I felt bad for her at first. She was one of Gwen’s ladies in waiting. That meant she got the sharp edge of Gwen’s temper and tongue. But she dealt with it all with a grace that I know I wouldn’t have had. She had the same reaction to Sidney that he had to her. It was funny to see them making out all over the castle. When she finally stood up to Gwen, I almost cheered!!

My review:

The main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love focuses on Gwen, Art, their pseudo engagement, love interests, and the events during and after the tourney. It was well written. While it wasn’t historically accurate, I could have cared less about that. I was more interested in the storyline and seeing if Gwen and Art would get their HEAs.

I was intrigued by the main storyline in Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. The storyline focuses on Gwen, Art, their relationship, their love interests, and, eventually, the events at the end of the book. As stated in the Main Character section, I liked seeing Gwen’s character growth. Even though I didn’t like her, she did become somewhat likable. I also liked seeing Art’s character growth and his healing.

I liked the romance angle of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. I liked seeing Art/Gabe and Gwen/Brighid’s relationship flourish. I thought they both were sweet. I loved seeing Art’s gradual realization that he had feelings for Gabe. Gwen’s feelings for Brighid weren’t as hidden, but seeing that relationship bloom was still sweet.

The last half of the book did take me by surprise. Looking back, hints dropped about what was going to happen. I didn’t notice them. So, when the shit hit the fan, I was shocked. There were a couple of scenes that broke my heart. In a warning, this is the most graphic part of the book and the saddest. But it explains so much and sets up for what happens ultimately.

The end of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love was bittersweet. I loved that the characters got their HEAs, but there was a considerable price that I am sure none of them wanted.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Lex Croucher for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Gwen & Art Are Not in Love. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Gwen & Art Are Not in Love, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Lex Croucher

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: September 12th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Jewish, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Adult Fiction, New Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Daniel Rosenberg and Liyah Cohen-Jackson’s last conversation—fourteen years ago at summer camp—ended their friendship. Until they find themselves seated next to each other on a plane, and bitterly pick up right where they left off. At least they can go their separate ways again after landing…

That is, until Daniel’s marketing firm gets hired by the Chicago museum where Liyah works as a junior curator, and they’re forced to collaborate with potential career changing promotions on the line.

With every meeting and post-work social gathering with colleagues, the tension (and chemistry) between Daniel and Liyah builds until they’re forced to confront why they broke apart years ago at camp. But as they find comfort in their shared experiences as Jews of color and fumble towards friendship, can they ignore their growing feelings for each other?

With sexy charm and undeniable wit, Rachel Runya Katz’s sparkling debut, Thank You For Sharing, proves that if you’re open to love, anything is possible.

First Line:

“Cohen-Jackson, huh? That’s quite the odd combo.”

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz

Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg hadn’t talked in fourteen years after a disastrous summer camp romance ended. So, imagine Liyah’s surprise when she sits beside Daniel on a flight home from San Fransisco. Thinking the flight will be the last she sees of him, Liyah is surprised when Daniel is the representative chosen to meet with Liyah to help market her new exhibit. Forced to confront what happened in summer camp, Liyah and Daniel discover they have much in common. The more time they spend together, the more their chemistry grows. But will they stay just friends, or will they step towards being something else?

When I read the blurb for Thank You for Sharing, the blurb caught my attention for several reasons. One, because this was the second book that I had read the blurb for that featured the Jewish religion or had references to it, and both main characters were people of color who were Jewish. The other was that it was billed as an LGBTQIA+ book. So, with these reasons in mind, I downloaded Thank You for Sharing. I am glad I did because this was a sweet romance.

The main storyline in Thank You for Sharing centers around Liyah, Daniel, their friends (and their friends were a significant part of the storyline), and their personal/work relationship. The storyline was well written. It kept my attention, and I couldn’t put the book down.

Liyah did a lot of growing up in Thank You for Sharing. In the beginning, she was a stress ball who held on to grudges and slights like they were lifelines. I thought she was immature and obnoxious during her scenes with Daniel. But, the more she interacted with Daniel and the more was revealed about what happened fourteen years ago, I didn’t blame her for being mad. Without giving away spoilers, she was right. Men (and boys) are continually celebrated for stuff like Daniel did, while women (and girls) are shunned and called names. I liked how she dealt with the casual racism and sexism throughout the book. Some scenes (like the one in the Temple) had me steaming. By the end of Thank You for Sharing, I liked her. She had morphed into a strong woman who wasn’t afraid to admit she was wrong.

Daniel was everything that any woman would want in a boyfriend. He liked to talk about his feelings. Daniel supported his partner and wanted the best for her, even if that meant putting himself first. He was in touch with his emotions and wasn’t afraid to cry. Daniel also admitted when he needed help (his mental health suffered a blow after his father died). I did think he was a bit of a sadist for dealing with Liyah. But I also saw that being around her pulled him out of his depression and made him want to be a better man. I also liked his tattoo (the reason behind it was funny).

Mental health is brought up quite a bit throughout Thank You for Sharing. Both Daniel and Liyah see therapists. Daniel starts seeing one to help get over his father’s death. Liyah sees one because of a highly traumatic incident in college and has continued to see her over the years. Both therapists had great advice and let Daniel and Liyah come to terms with their trauma independently. But, I did like that Liyah’s therapist wasn’t afraid to push back at Liyah (the scene after Liyah confesses to Daniel about what happened to her).

The secondary characters made the book. Siobhan, Jordan, Alex, and Neen were excellent. I liked the club they all formed (with Neen being an honorary member). I loved the notes at the end of the “meetings.” They were freaking hilarious. While here, I want to add that I loved Neen. They were the best friend that Liyah needed. They were not afraid to tell it as it was, and they weren’t afraid to force Liyah to face the truth about things (i.e., Daniel).

I liked the romance angle, but it was predictable. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing—sometimes, you need things to be predictable. But I loved reading how the author had Liyah and Daniel go from enemies to lovers. It wasn’t an Instalove situation; instead, it took several months and a couple of profound apologies from Daniel for them to get to that point.

Now, Liyah and Daniel did have some serious chemistry. It was electric, and I was on pins and needles, waiting for them to sleep together. That sex scene was one of the best sex scenes I have read to date. It wasn’t too graphic, and the feeling behind it was chef’s kiss. There were other sex scenes, but they didn’t have the amazingness of the first one.

The end of Thank You for Sharing was your typical HEA. I loved that Neen told Liyah to get over herself. That made for a fantastic makeup scene. I also loved that the author had an epilogue three years in the future.

I would recommend Thank You for Sharing to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Rachel Runya Katz for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Thank You for Sharing. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

In you enjoy reading books similar to Thank You for Sharing, then you will enjoy these:

Fly with Me by Andie Burke

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: September 5th, 2023

Genre: Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Lesbian, Queer, Adult, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Adult Fiction, Lesbian Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sparkling and steamy opposites-attract romance, Fly with Me by Andie Burke is filled with sharp banter and that sweet, swooping feeling of finding “the one” when and where you least expect it.

A one-way ticket to love or a bumpy ride ahead?

Flying-phobic ER nurse Olive Murphy is still gripping the armrest from her first-ever take-off when the pilot announces an in-flight medical emergency. Olive leaps into action and saves a life, but ends up getting stuck in the airport hours away from the marathon she’s running in honor of her brother. Luckily for her, Stella Soriano, the stunning type A copilot, offers to give her a ride.

After the two spend a magical day together, Stella makes a surprising Will Olive be her fake girlfriend?

A video of Olive saving a life has gone viral and started generating big sales for Stella’s airline. Stella sees their union as the perfect opportunity to get to the boys’ club executives at her company who keep overlooking her for a long-deserved promotion. Realizing this arrangement could help her too, Olive dives into memorizing Stella’s comically comprehensive three-ring-binder guide to fake dating. As the two grow closer, what’s supposed to be a ruse feels more and more real. Could this be the romantic ride of their lives, or an epic crash and burn?

First Line:

“We’re not going to crash.”

Fly with Me by Andie Burke

Never having flown before, Olive is on the verge of a panic attack when a flight attendant makes an announcement asking for a medical professional. An ER nurse, she answers the call and saves the life of a man. When the video starts generating positive press for the airline, the co-piolet, Stella, approaches Olive with an arrangement. Olive is to pretend to be Stella’s girlfriend, and Stella can finally get a promotion. Surprisingly, Olive agrees and dives into Stella’s amusing three-ring binder guide to fake dating. But, as their feeling becomes more and more real, outside forces are trying to derail their romance. Will they have a happily ever after, or will they crash and burn?

When I read the blurb for Fly with Me, I was instantly intrigued and wanted to read it. Since St. Martin’s Press had it as a Read Now book, I downloaded it. I am glad that I did because I loved this book. This book is so much more than what is mentioned in the blurb.

The main storyline of Fly with Me centers around Olive, Stella, and their fake romance. I found that storyline to be amusing and heartbreaking. It was also well-written and kept me glued to the book. I was rooting for Olive and Stella. I wanted them to have their happily ever after.

The storyline with Olive, her family, and their fight over the care of her brother was heartbreaking. Olive’s brother was pronounced brain-dead after saving the life of a child. Olive, a nurse who controls her brother’s finances and medical decisions, had decided to pull life support. But her mother didn’t want it, got a lawyer, and fought to keep her brother alive. Meanwhile, she blasted Olive as someone who only wanted her brother’s money and wanted him to die so she could get it. It caused a massive rift in the family, with everyone agreeing with Olive’s mother. While I sympathized with Olive’s mother, I thought she was a nasty piece of work. There was nothing redeemable about her. As for Olive’s father, I thought that maybe he would be reasonable, but nope, he wasn’t. I was beyond angry at what he requested of Olive at the end of the book. I couldn’t believe what he told her not to do and how he treated her afterward.

The storyline with Olive, Lindsay, their on/off relationship, and Olive’s mental health was interesting. I thought that Lindsay was a piece of work. She was verbally abusive to Olive, and when Olive started fake dating Stella, she became a full-fledged stalker. Lindsay downplayed Olive’s anxiety disorder and her depression. What she said to Stella about them was vile. I should have seen what Lindsay did coming, but I didn’t. I wasn’t surprised, though. There were hints about what she was capable of throughout the book.

The romance angle of Fly with Me was sweet. Both Olive and Stella did not want a relationship. Olive was dealing with a crazy ex (Lindsay), and Stella was so career-driven that she didn’t have time for a relationship. But this book showed that falling in love often happens when people least want or need it. I loved watching their relationship progress. There were roadblocks (a major one at the end of the book), but I liked seeing Olive and Stella work through them.

Olive and Stella had immediate chemistry, which the author built on. So, when they finally had sex, the scene exploded. The author was also very stingy with the sex scenes (there were two detailed scenes).

The end of Fly with Me had me in tears, from everything that Olive had to endure with her family and Lindsay to what happened with her and Stella. I loved that Olive decided to get help with her mental health (minor spoiler here). The epilogue was perfect. The book couldn’t have ended on a better note.

I would recommend Fly with Me to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and graphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Andie Burke for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Fly with Me. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Fly with Me, then you will enjoy these books:

Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror Delight by Shelly Page, Alex Brown, Ryan Douglass, Kalynn Bayron, Sara Farizan, Kosoko Jackson, Tara Sim, Rebecca Kim Wells, Trang Thanh Tran, Vanessa Montalban, Em X. Liu, Maya Gittelman, Ayida Shonibar

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: August 29th, 2023

Genre: Horror, Young Adult, Short Stories, Anthologies, LGBT, Queer, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction, Lesbian

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Night of the Living Queers is a YA horror anthology that explores a night when anything is possible exclusively featuring queer authors of color putting fresh spins on classic horror tropes and tales.

No matter its name or occasion, Halloween is more than a Hallmark holiday, it’s a symbol of transformation. NIGHT OF THE LIVING QUEERS is a YA horror anthology that explores how Halloween can be more than just candies and frights, but a night where anything is possible. Each short story will be told through the lens of a different BIPOC teen and the Halloween night that changes their lives forever. Creative, creepy, and queer, this collection will bring fresh terror, heart, and humor to young adult literature.

Contributors include editors Alex Brown and Shelly Page, Kalynn Bayron, Ryan Douglass, Sara Farizan, Maya Gittelman, Kosoko Jackson, Em Liu, Vanessa Montalban, Ayida Shonibar, Tara Sim, Trang Thanh Tran, and Rebecca Kim Wells.

First Line:

Her grandmother told her once that the sea gets what it wants.

Welcome to the Hotel Paranoia (Night of the Living Queers) by Vanessa Montalban

I know I have said this before and will keep saying it: I dislike reviewing anthologies. Do I like reading them? Absolutely. But reviewing them is a different story, bringing me to Night of the Living Queers. I knew this was an anthology, but I still downloaded it.

I went back and forth on how to review Night of the Living Queers and decided to review it as I have past anthologies. I will give my opinion on the story and if I liked it or not.

Before I get into the review, I want to say this book would be perfect to read around Halloween. Also, a blue moon is featured in every single story, and all of the characters are lesbian, gay, trans, or queer.

So, without further ado, here are the stories in Night of the Living Queers:

Welcome to the Hotel Paranoia: This is an interesting story about a girl, Anabel, who is invited to a party at an abandoned bed & breakfast. When she gets there, things go from spooky to frightening. As I was reading this story, I got Hotel California vibes, even more so at the end of the story. While this wasn’t my favorite story, I didn’t dislike it.

The Visitor: This was another interesting but creepy story. Toya and her father have a ritual every Halloween. They decorate the house, watch scary movies, and grieve for Toya’s mother. The vibe of this story settles somewhere between creepy and heartbreaking. The end of the story was a big twist. I also couldn’t believe what Toya did, but I understood why. This story was one of my favorite stories.

A Brief Intermission: With this one, I figured out what the story was about within the first couple of pages. It wasn’t very scary, but it was very creepy. I couldn’t understand the end of the story, and I had to reread it a couple of times before a lightbulb went off. It was in the middle of my like scale.

Guested: This story was different from what I thought it would be, but I wasn’t expecting how it turned out!! Talk about a twist in the plotline. Being told in 2nd person added up the creepiness factor. When Nina got to the party, I knew something horrible would happen to her. This story was one of my favorite stories.

Rocky Road with Carmel Drizzle: This story broke my heart into a million pieces. I can’t get more into it except that Julian’s attackers got what was coming to them and then some. This story was my favorite story.

The Three Phases of Ghost-Hunting: This silly story focuses on two girls wanting to talk to Terrifying Bob, the ghost who haunts the food court at the local mall. I say silly because Terrifying Bob wasn’t that terrifying. I liked how it ended. This story was one of my favorite stories.

Nine Stops: Out of all the stories in this book, this one was the creepiest. It combined grief and opening spam links. It reminded me of The Ring but stopped short of being exactly like it. The author did a great job of scaring the crap out of me. It was one of my favorite stories.

Leyla Mendoza and the Las House on the Lane: This book was not scary. It is creepy in parts and unbelievably sad in others, but not creepy. It was also told in 2nd person. I did tear up during the scenes in the house and loved how it ended.

In You to Burn: This story was fantastic. Again, it was not precisely scary per se, but creepy. The author took their time explaining what was happening between Luce and Harley. Once it was explained, the author twisted the storyline. I loved it. Again, it’s a favorite story.

Anna: I wouldn’t say I liked this story. It was creepy, but I couldn’t get into it. And the ending was a little cliche.

Hey There, Demons: I was a little iffy with this story. It was not creepy or scary. Instead, it read more like a queer YA paranormal romance. The end was cute but had no scare factor.

Save Me from Myself: I liked this story but didn’t find it creepy. I was fascinated by the Indian lore (gods and goddesses). I also liked that Mona got to view herself from her crush’s perspective. The end was sad and not what I expected.

Knickknack: This story was a tribute to homicidal ghost clown stories. I loved reading it. Knickknack died horribly, and every year since, he takes a kid. I liked how the author just had fun with this story. The ending was typical but still fun.

I would recommend Night of the Living Queers to anyone over 21. There is language, violence, and no sexual situations.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and the various authors for allowing me to read and review Night of the Living Queers. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Night of the Living Queers, then you will enjoy these books:

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell

Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

Date of publication: August 22nd, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, LGBT, Mystery Thriller, Adult, Queer, Contemporary, Canada, Fiction, Gay

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | Kobo

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this queer cozy series debut perfect for fans of Ellen Byron and Ellery Adams, Luke Tremblay is about to discover that Crescent Cove has more than its fair share of secrets…and some might be deadlier than others.

Crescent Cove, a small hamlet on Vancouver Island, is the last place out-of-work investigative journalist Luke Tremblay ever wanted to see again. He used to spend summers here, until his family learned that he was gay and rejected him. Now, following his aunt’s sudden death, he’s inherited her entire estate, including her seaside cottage and the antiques shop she ran for forty years in Crescent Cove. Luke plans to sell everything and head back to Toronto as soon as he can…but Crescent Cove isn’t done with him just yet.

When a stranger starts making wild claims about Luke’s aunt, Luke sends him packing. The next morning, though, Luke discovers that the stranger has returned, and now he’s lying dead in the back garden. To make matters worse, the officer leading the investigation is a handsome Mountie with a chip on his shoulder who seems convinced that Luke is the culprit. If he wants to prove his innocence and leave this town once and for all, Luke will have to use all his skills as a journalist to investigate the colorful locals while coming to terms with his own painful past.

There are secrets buried in Crescent Cove, and the more Luke digs, the more he fears they might change the town forever.

First Line:

Look, I’m only going to be there for a couple of days, so can we meet up today?”

The Body in the Back Garden by Mark Waddell

When Luke’s aunt, Marguerite, was killed in a hit-and-run accident, she left a thriving antique business and her cottage to him. Luke was surprised that he was her sole beneficiary because he hadn’t talked to her in over 20 years. Not wanting the business or cottage, Luke plans to visit Crescent Cove, settle his aunt’s estate, sell everything, and head back to Toronto. But that is easier said than done. Luke is assaulted at the cottage by a man who insists that his aunt is holding a box for him. The following day, that man is found dead in the back garden of the cottage. Luke is forced to stay in Crescent Cove while the Mounties investigate the death. But, when the antique shop is broken into and an employee is hurt, Luke decides to look into what is happening. Using his skills as an investigative journalist, Luke soon discovers that Crescent Cove has secrets, and someone doesn’t want their secrets uncovered. What secret is so life-altering that someone is willing to kill for it? And will Luke realize that Crescent Cove might be the perfect place for him to be?

The Body in the Back Garden was one of the last books I downloaded from Crooked Lane Books. I discovered that I needed to improve in the cozy mystery department and decided to download a few Read Now books on their NetGalley page. I got a variety of books, and I enjoyed reading most of them. The Body in the Back Garden was in the category of mysteries I enjoyed.

The Body in the Back Garden is the first book in a queer mystery series (the NetGalley and Goodreads pages didn’t state what the series name is). Because it is the first book, you can ignore what I usually write in this section.

The Body in the Back Garden was a medium to fast-paced book set in Crescent Cove on Vancouver Island. The pacing for this book did suit the storyline (the storyline took place within a week or so of Luke’s arrival). I did not have to go back and reread chapters, which was a massive plus for me (I don’t particularly appreciate doing that).

The main storyline centered around Luke and the murders. This book has a well-written storyline. The author focused on the murders and the investigation (Luke and the Mounties). Sometimes, it slipped, but the author quickly returned the focus to where it belonged (for example, the date with Kieran).

I wasn’t a big fan of Luke when he was first introduced in The Body in the Back Garden. He was rude and wasn’t particularly nice to people. I didn’t get it. But then the author started explaining things (and I wished he had done it earlier in the book). Luke caught his ex cheating on him with an intern at work and threw him out. Shortly after, he finds out that his aunt was killed in an accident, and he inherited everything. Luke also has trauma from his family throwing him out and disowning him when he came out to them as a teenager. Once all of that was shared, I understood why he was so defensive and prickly. Once all that was out in the open, I started to understand him better, and then I started to like Luke. By the end of the book, I loved him.

I also liked that Luke was an investigative journalist. He had contacts and knew how to help (or not help) in an investigation. I liked that he worked with the Mounties (sharing his knowledge) on the case. It was a refreshing read from the cozy mysteries I have read where the people bumble through the investigation and don’t share the information with the police.

The mystery angle of The Body in the Back Garden was terrific! There were three different mysteries in the book: the murder of Joel (the stranger), Marguerite’s accident, and (this was introduced much later in the book) the mystery of the box. I liked how the author connected everything. I also loved the twist at the end of the book. Not only was I not expecting the killer to be who it was, I didn’t expect that person to be involved with Marguerite’s death and the reason why that person did everything. It was a huge shock and left me shaking my head.

The romance angle in The Body in the Back Garden was very subtle but there. The chemistry between Jack and Luke was nonexistent at first (because Jack was salty about something that Luke had no control over as a teenager), but the author started to amp it up. They were sparking by the middle of the book (the scene at the Collingswood manor). I also liked that the author didn’t have sex scenes. But he did have Luke thirsting over Jack in his Mountie uniform (and that did give me a chuckle; who doesn’t like a man in uniform?)

The end of The Body in the Back Garden was your typical cozy mystery ending. I liked how Jack and Luke put two and two together about everything. I did feel bad for Luke when the killer was confessing everything. I also liked what Luke decided at the end of the book and what he said to Jack. It made me very excited to read book 2.

I would recommend The Body in the Back Garden to anyone over 16. There are no sex scenes, but some very mild kissing scenes. There is also violence and some mild language. There are trigger warnings, too. They would be cheating (off page and mentioned), bigotry (off page and explained to Luke about the town at one point), racism (off page and explained to Luke during the same talk with the bigotry in it), and homophobia (off page, Luke gets thrown out of his house as a teenager and his family cuts off contact with him).

Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books, NetGalley, and Mark Waddell for allowing me to read and review The Body in the Back Garden. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Body in the Back Garden, then you will enjoy these books:

Unexpecting by Jen Bailey

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Date of publication: August 22nd, 2023

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT, Fiction, Queer, Romance, Realistic Fiction, Contemporary Romance, High School, Young Adult Romance

Purchase Links: Kindle | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Juno meets Heartstopper in this poignant and emotional story about found family, what it means to be a parent, and falling in love.

Benjamin Morrison is about to start junior year of high school and while his family is challenging, he is pretty content with his life, with his two best friends, and being a part of the robotics club. Until an experiment at science camp has completely unexpected consequences.

He is going to be a father. Something his mother was not expecting after he came out as gay and she certainly wasn’t expecting that he would want to raise the baby as a single father. But together they come up with a plan to prepare Ben for fatherhood and fight for his rights.

The weight of Ben’s decision presses down on him. He’s always tired, his grades fall, and tension rises between his mom and stepfather. He’s letting down his friends in the robotics club whose future hinges on his expertise. If it wasn’t for his renewed friendship (and maybe more) with a boy from his past, he wouldn’t be able to face the daily ridicule at school or the crumbling relationship with his best friends.

With every new challenge, every new sacrifice he has to make, Ben questions his choice. He’s lived with a void in his heart where a father’s presence should have been, and the fear of putting his own child through that keeps him clinging to his decision. When the baby might be in danger, Ben’s faced with a heart wrenching realization: sometimes being a parent means making the hard choices even if they are the choices you don’t want to make…

First Line:

“Mom, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Unexpecting by Jen Bailey

Having come out to his mother a couple of months previously, Benjamin never imagined that he would be sitting her down and telling her that he got someone pregnant. Even more so, he never thought he would tell her that the girl was his best friend, Maxie, or that he slept with Maxie to ensure he was gay while away at science camp. Having grown up with a revolving door of stepfathers, Benjamin wants to ensure that his child never experiences that, so he decides to raise the baby as a single father. But Benjamin doesn’t expect how hard it is and the sacrifices he will have to make. As complications arise with the pregnancy, school, and friendships, Benjamin realizes that something has to give. Will Benjamin do the right thing?

When I read the blurb for Unexpecting, it got my attention. The more I thought about it, the more interested I got. Since Unexpecting was a Read Now from St. Martin’s Press, I downloaded it. I am glad that I read it because it was a good book. It’s not great because of things I will review, but it’s good.

Unexpecting is a medium to fast-paced book set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The pacing went well with the storyline. The author sped up or slowed down the speed when it needed it. I also did not have to go back and reread chapters/previous paragraphs, which was a big thing for me.

The main storyline in Unexpecting centers around Benjamin, the pregnancy, and its fallout. The storyline was well-written, and the characters were true to life. But, and I stress, there were some things that I wished were in it. As weird as this sounds, I wish it was a dual POV. I would have loved to have read Maxie’s perspective on the pregnancy and Ben’s demands. I also wish that the author was more explicit about Ben being neurodivergent. As the parent of two neurodivergent teenagers, I picked up on Ben’s mannerisms right from the beginning. But other people might not, which could lead to readers needing clarification about his actions and reactions.

The storyline with Ben, Maxie, and the pregnancy brought back some memories. Why? My best friend got pregnant at 16 and had the baby at 17. The ridicule and name-calling hinted at in the book were in full force with her. So, I sympathized with Maxie. I also sympathized with Ben. How the parents reacted were opposite ends of the spectrum (Maxie’s parents were extreme, and Ben’s wasn’t), but again, it was realistic. How this storyline ended up was very real, as well.

Ben was a hot mess for almost the whole book. As I stated above, he was neurodivergent (he shares many similarities with my high-functioning son). That was one of the reasons he was so focused on raising the baby alone and why he didn’t even think to ask how Maxie felt about it until halfway through the book. I did like how I could see the change in his thinking as the pregnancy progressed. I figured out what would happen during a specific scene in Grecos. But it was still heartwarming to read that scene and the ending scene.

I felt awful for Maxie. No one asked what she wanted. Instead, her parents shamed and punished her, and then she was forced to watch Ben battle her parents. I can’t even begin to understand the stress she was under. I do think it factored into her pre-eclampsia. I got teary-eyed at the end when she and Ben had that conversation.

The romance angle of the book was very subtle. While I say it coming from a mile away, I am glad the author didn’t go overboard. Instead, she made Gio more of a support person for Ben than a would-be boyfriend. I enjoyed that and watching their relationship morph into something more.

I want to complain about Ben’s mother and Maxie’s parents briefly. I firmly believe that Ben’s mother was cheating on her husband with her ex-husband, but she stopped when confronted. I also find it problematic that she didn’t know Ben’s emotional issues because of having no father. As a guidance counselor, she is trained for that. As for Maxie’s parents, they had every right to be angry with Ben. But I wouldn’t say I liked how they treated Maxie. All I could think of when reading how they treated her was the scene in GoT where Ceresi walked through the streets of Kings Landing with the nun in front of her yelling, “Shame, Shame.” It is a little extreme, but still. Also, I didn’t particularly appreciate how they did their best to keep Ben out of the loop. From her father having words with a sixteen-year-old (real man there) to her mother just being nasty to him, it was sad.

The end of Unexpecting was bittersweet. I liked that Ben did the right thing but wondered what could have happened.

I would recommend Unexpecting to anyone over 16. There are no sexual situations, mild violence, or language. There is bigotry and implied slut shaming at various points in the book.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley, and Jen Bailey for allowing me to read and review Unexpecting. All opinions stated in this book are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Unexpecting, then you will enjoy reading these:

Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review by Tehlor Kay Meija

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell

Date of publication: July 18th, 2023

Genre: Romance, LGBT, Queer, Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay, Music, Contemporary Romance, Lesbian

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A music critic stuck in a spiral of epic proportions targets her teenage crush for a career comeback and a chance at revenge. What could possibly go wrong?

Sammy Espinoza’s life is a raging dumpster fire. Her desperate attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend has landed her in hot water at work, and she has one last chance before her editor cuts her column. Luckily, Sammy has a plan to redeem herself, but it won’t be easy.

Rumor has it that Max Ryan, the former rock god, is secretly recording his first-ever solo album years after he dramatically quit performing. And it just so happens that he and Sammy have Right before Max got his big break, he and Sammy spent an unforgettable night together.

Exclusive access to Max’s new music would guarantee Sammy’s professional comeback and, even better, give her the opportunity to serve some long-awaited revenge for his traumatic ghosting.

But Max lives in Ridley Falls, Washington, and Sammy has history there as a family that never wanted her and a million unanswered questions. Going back would mean confronting it all—but what else does she have to lose?

First Line:

People like to say you can’t go home again, but for me that’s more than a literal statement than a figurative one.

Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review by Tehlor Kay Meija

Sammy Espinoza’s life is a mess. An attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend exploded in her face. The fallout resulted in her being on probation with the threat of her editor pulling her column unless she could redeem herself. And Sammy does plan on redeeming herself. She had just discovered that Max Ryan, a former rockstar and former one-night stand who ghosted her, might be recording his first solo album. If she can get an interview and an inside scoop about his music, she will be redeemed and forgiven. But Max lives in Ridley Falls, Washington, and Sammy doesn’t want to go back. That would mean facing her estranged family and getting answers to questions that she has had for a long time.

When I read the blurb for Sammy Espinoza (I am shortening the title for this review), I knew I wanted to read it. I have a soft spot for damaged heroines, and I love to read about what caused the damage. I decided to wish on it since it wasn’t available on Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page. When I got the email that the publisher granted my wish, I was pretty pleased. This book has stuck around in my mind since I had wished for it. And guess what? I am glad that I read this book.

Sammy Espinoza is a fast-paced book set in the fictional town of Ridley Falls, Washington. The pacing for this book was perfect for it. I had no issue following the storyline, and there were zero times I had to backtrack. There was a tiny bit of lag in the middle of the book when Sammy was floating around Ridley Falls, but that didn’t disrupt my reading experience.

I will warn you; you will need Kleenex while reading this book. You will cry because the storyline will have you in emotional knots. Sammy’s issues constitute a significant part of the storyline. It was painful to read in portions (her mother had me seeing red) and, in other parts, joyful and hopeful.

I didn’t like Sammy at the beginning of the book. She was a hot mess. Her character was selfish, childish, and had a massive chip on her shoulder. After cementing that in my head, the author then went on to show the Sammy behind all of that. The real Sammy was insecure, scarred by her childhood, and desperately wanted to be loved. Then that Sammy slowly (it was painful to read at times) morphed into the Sammy I loved. She was a self-confident woman who was happy and surrounded herself with a family she chose.

I wasn’t too sure what to think about Max. He seemed like such a nice guy, but something was also tortured about him. I figured it was part of his act until he saw Sammy after he ghosted her. Then, a side of Max that I didn’t even think existed emerged. I sympathized with him and didn’t blame him for doing what he did after Sammy told him about what she wanted to do.

The secondary characters were the backbone of this book. Sammy had a fantastic friends with Willa and Brooke. Brooke made me laugh. She was blunt and didn’t deal with Sammy’s (or Willa’s) BS. Willa’s parents were characters. And Sammy’s grandmother was just fantastic.

The storyline involving Sammy, her mother, and her father’s side of the family was heartbreaking and infuriating. I got so mad for Sammy as the storyline went on, and it slowly revealed what a jerk and how self-centered her mother was. There was a scene with Willa’s mother and one with Sammy’s grandmother that broke my heart. Sammy’s issues (well, a good part of them) could have been resolved if her mother had done the right thing. I won’t get into that storyline anymore because there will be spoilers.

The storyline involving Sammy, Max, and the article made me irritated. Sammy should have been upfront with Max about why she came to Ridley Falls. But, at the same time, Max should have been upfront with Sammy about his issues and past. But it doesn’t excuse him for just jetting on her. Especially when something very significant happened, and she was left alone.

The end of Sammy Espinonza was perfect. It also gave me one of my favorite quotes, “Three Queers and a Baby.” I did get a giggle out of that. I also liked how hopeful the last chapter was. It made me happy for Sammy and her crew.

I would recommend Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review to anyone over 21. There is language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and Tehlor Kay Mejia for allowing me to read and review Sammy Espinozia’s Last Review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Sammy Espinoza’s Last Review, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Tehlor Kay Meija

Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin

Date of publication: July 11th, 2023

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, LGBT, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N |AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Jodie Slaughter’s latest rom-com, Play to Win , is a sizzling romance where a winning lottery ticket is meant to be a new start but instead becomes a second chance at love.

Miriam Butler’s life is going nowhere in the slowest, most excruciating way possible. Stuck in the same barely-paying job she’s had since she was sixteen and spending every night sleeping in the spare twin bed in her mother’s house, her existence might be hilarious if it wasn’t so bleak. One trip to her favorite corner store upends everything when she finds herself the winner of a Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot. Unfortunately, not even life-altering roses come without their painful thorns. Hers just so happen to be in the form of an estranged husband who has the right to claim his share of her money.

It’s been eight years since Leo Vaughn has had a conversation with his wife. When she calls out of the blue, practically begging him to come back to Greenbelt, the last thing he expects her to tell him when he gets there is that she’s come into a whole heap of money. She offers him a life-changing proposition of his own. Take a lump sum, finally sign the divorce papers, and be done with her for good. Only, a forever without her is the last thing Leo wants. So he gives a proposition of his own. One that won’t cost her nearly as many millions, but will buy him the time to do the one thing he’s been hungry to do since he left — win her back.

First Line:

Digging a hole was not nearly as easy as it looked on TV. First off, shovels were heavy. Second, South Carolina dirt seemed to be as hard as her mama always said her head was.

Play to Win by Jodie Slaughter

Miriam is stuck in a rut and can’t seem to get out of it. Living at home with her mother and working the same job that barely pays her bills, her life doesn’t seem that great. That is until she stops at the corner store she usually frequents and, on a whim, plays a Mega Millions lottery ticket. That lottery ticket is the sole winner of the jackpot—over $200 million. Overnight, Miriam’s life is changed. But there is a downside to her winnings. Miriam finds out that her ex-husband (never divorced) is legally entitled to a portion of her winnings—if he doesn’t accept the offer of a divorce and a legally binding document with a payoff. When Miriam calls Leo (her ex) and asks him to come home, he is curious. They haven’t spoken in eight years. When Miriam presents Leo with the divorce papers, he counters with another offer. Let him win her back and use the money she would have given him to help out members of his family that need it. But Miriam is still hurt over Leo leaving and hesitates to let him back in. Will Leo be able to win Miriam back? Or will he have to sign the divorce papers and let the love of his life go?

Play to Win was several rom-coms on a limited time Read Now on St. Martin’s Press NetGalley page. Unlike the cozy mysteries I downloaded earlier this year, I read the blurbs before deciding to read them. This book’s blurb caught my attention because, in a way, it reflected my life. So, I downloaded it. Also, what figured into my decision was that I wanted to know what Miriam would do with the money she won. I am glad I read it because this was a sweet book.

Play to Win had a medium-to-fast storyline. The pacing of this storyline did fit it. The author was able to zip through some of the background noise and keep me focused on the storyline. Also, there was no lag in this book, which I appreciated.

Play to Win takes place in the fictional town of Greenbelt, South Carolina. This town is a small town with all of the small-town trappings. Everyone was in everyone else’s business. What I liked is that the author chose to showcase this but keep it in the background. But, on the same page, because it was a small town, I was surprised that Miriam could keep her lottery-winning under wraps.

The main storyline of Play to Win centers on Miriam, her winning the lottery, Leo, his attempts to win her back, and what she does with the money. It was a well-written storyline that kept me glued to the book. I became invested in the plotline and the characters. I am hoping that the author does another book in this universe!!

I was surprised by how much I connected with Miriam and loved watching her character grow throughout the book. She came across, at first, as a bit prickly, but as the book went on, that went away. Her astonishment over winning the lottery was perfect, and I loved how she was paying it forward. I did get a little irritated with how she treated Leo. But, there was no background about their relationship until well past the middle of the book (but not quite at the end). I wouldn’t have been so grumpy with her actions if it had been given earlier. Because once it was explained, I was furious on her behalf.

I liked Leo, but I felt he laid it on too thick with Miriam once he was back in Greenbelt. I understood why he was doing it, but at the same time, I was like, “Back off.” His past actions were directly influencing how Miriam felt about him. Once the author explained what happened, I was so mad at him. He took the coward’s way out. But, the good thing is that he understood what he did was wrong, that his way of thinking might be a little outdated, and that he was willing to do whatever it took to make it up to Miriam.

The romance angle of Play to Win was well written. The author did a great job with the second-chance romance trope. I loved that Miriam wasn’t easily won over and that Leo had to work to regain her trust. Also, he had to go through her friends and mother to romance her. That scene with Miriam’s mother (in the church basement) was pure gold. While I knew this was a romance, and there would be a happy ending, there was a point in the book where I didn’t think it would happen. And that, my friends, is one of the many things that made this book for me.

Miriam and Leo had insane chemistry, and I was waiting for it to combust. The author took her sweet time having them get together. The sex scenes were hot but graphic. I liked that the author was picky about when Miriam and Leo would have sex. It was a couple of times before they got back together, and once at the end of the book.

The end of Play to Win was everything I hoped and wanted it to be. I liked seeing Leo and Miriam get their happy ending. The author was able to wrap up all the storylines in a way that satisfied me. I smiled when I stopped reading, and I typically don’t do that.

I recommend Play to Win to anyone over 21. There is graphic sex, language, and mild violence.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, NetGalley, and Jodie Slaughter for allowing me to read and review Play to Win. All opinions expressed in this review are mine.

If you enjoyed reading this review of Play to Win, then you will enjoy reading these books:

Other books by Jodie Slaughter: