As much as I read, I can’t expect every title to be a winner – sometimes, you get a “miss”…
–Marissa
The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne was a hit! This is actually set a bit later than a typical Regency, but still feels very much “of the period”. He is, of course, a big baddie (who happens to be wealthy and influential), and she is an innocent widow. And they’ve met before…but only one of them remembers. These are two very diverse characters – with him being the more damaged of the two (for once!) – who are thrown together by circumstance but grow to care for each other in very different ways. Unique and well-told, I really enjoyed this one!
Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy was also a hit! A young adult novel, this follows Willowdean, a self-proclaimed “fat girl” who has a beauty queen mom, a solid bestie, a job, and fantastic self-esteem. But her self-image begins to crumble when Bo, the hot jock she works with, begins to take an interest. This is such on interesting take on body image, self-esteem, relationships and self-worth. Recommended!
The Clasp by Sloane Crosley was, for me, a miss. I know it got super duper positive press, but I thought it was…well, really super boring. Vapid characters, a plot that barely inches along, and the whole things just feel entitled and contrived. I finally gave up and just returned the damn thing – it was that bad. Maybe it was “wrong book, wrong time”, but…
I also read Come Away with Me by Karma Brown, which felt a bit…formulaic? The car crash on the first few pages, the survivor’s guilt, and then it turns into Eat, Pray, Love to solve grief with trips to Thailand, Italy, and Hawaii. Pleasant enough, but hardly breaking the mold, at least for me.
stubbornsunshine.com 