Tag: contemporary

Review: Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

Robin3 Comments

Rating: 5 out of 5.

For interior designer and impeccably put-together Astrid Parker, failure is out of the question. After her botched engagement over a year ago, Astrid has held tight to the reins of her life lest her world crash and burn around her. When the opportunity to design the renovation of Bright Falls Everwood Inn appears in front of her, Astrid soars. Since the renovation will be televised on a popular home improvement show, it may just be what she needs to put herself back on the map. What Astrid doesn’t intend is to butt heads with lead carpenter Jordan Everwood, who despises the plans that Astrid has for renovating her family home. Tension sells better than anything, and when the producers of Innside America ask them to up the ante, Jordan and Astrid clash until their deep dislike for one another is threatened. All Astrid has ever done is what is expected of her, yet there is a chance for her to live the life she truly desires if only she can let go of the rigid control that she has clung to for so long.

Ashley Herring Blake pens another queer romance reminiscent of Schitt’s Creek and the romantic comedy, with lovable characters, emotional depth, and classic small-town charm. Astrid Parker delighted in the first installment of the Bright Falls series and I was elated when I heard the sequel would center around her own love story. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail completely outsells, elevating her character and developing an enthralling rivals-to-lovers romance at its center. If there is one thing I have come to expect from Herring Blake, it’s the unique situations that she crafts for her characters. This secondary romance is no different, concentrating on a home-improvement show and the antics between interior designer Astrid and lead carpenter Jordan Everwood. Oftentimes I find it difficult to engage with the rivalry trope, especially if the set-up isn’t there or the rivalry isn’t founded on anything concrete, but that was not an issue here. The first chapter establishes an exquisite antagonism with a coffee spill gone wrong and a vengeful Astrid caught in the crossfire. This led to some of the most glorious romantic tension and palpable on-page chemistry as the story unfolded. There is nothing more telling I can say about this other than it completely ruined me. Astrid Parker’s story is about the trials surrounding creating the life you truly want for yourself, against a world pulling you in an entirely different direction – how the people in our lives can sometimes show up right when they’re needed, even if it doesn’t make sense at first. By way of this, Ashley Herring Blake has given voice to a pervasive fear of failure, and just what it means to figure out your sexuality later in life. Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail is a sensational follow-up romance to Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, and is shaping up an incredible continuation for the Bright Falls series.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing the arc.

Trigger warnings: death, depression

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Review: Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Renowned athlete Carrie Soto quickly surpassed the masses to become one of the world’s most legendary tennis players. Aided by her cutthroat attitude, her passionate coach of a father, and her willingness to win no matter the cost, she broke nearly every record and managed to collect twenty Grand Slam titles in her time. Six years after her retirement from tennis, an upfront spot in the stands at the 1994 U.S open to her record’s demise compels Carrie to come out of retirement and reclaim what was taken. This tremendous decision will have Carrie relying on her father to coach her again and pair her up with the very person to whom she almost gave her heart. One final season to win or lose, and make her mark on the world for a final time.

Author Taylor Jenkins Reid returns with Carrie Soto is Back, a relentless and immersive portrayal of a female athlete’s legendary tennis career. First introduced to Carrie Soto back in Malibu Rising, I could not imagine Reid’s next book would center around her, yet I was all the more excited having learned so. Carrie Soto is the high-stakes entertaining read I needed for the summer, full of all the twists and intricate relationships I’ve come to expect from its author. Not only is this novel comprised of all things tennis, but a touching father-daughter relationship over the years, and an assessment of the media’s treatment of women in sports. Carrie herself is an easy character to fall in love with, wonderfully vicious, and determined to claim every victory. Her journey took hold of me right at the beginning, with the decisive introductory chapter of a retired Carrie witnessing the downfall of her legacy and deciding to take action. From that moment on, I was here for every upswing and countermove on her path to reclaiming her title. In standard fashion, Reid has created a heroine that is uncompromising, but in different ways from those of her previous novels. I really appreciated reading about Carrie’s dedication to succeed and the sacrifices required in order to make it to the top as a world champion. Reid does an incredible job with the setup and payoff here, especially regarding the initial and final chapters of the story. The mirroring of those two moments was equally gratifying as it was vindicating on my part of having called it from the very start. Tennis may not be my forte, but this novel certainly makes you feel a part of the game. Taylor Jenkins Reid has become a staple author for many, and Carrie Soto is Back is her next unapologetically fierce read to devour.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review.

Trigger warnings: death, grief, injury

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Review: I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

Robin2 Comments

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Four years after her moms uprooted her from their life in Southern California to attend school in Alabama, high school senior Chloe Green is closer to victory than ever before. Attending a conservative high school hasn’t been easy, but competition with Willowgrove Academy’s it-girl, and her fiercest rival Shara Wheeler, has propelled her to success and all but tied them out for high school valedictorian. Chloe is so close to beating Shara, but on the weekend of the senior prom, Shara kisses Chloe and then vanishes. All that’s left behind are a series of letters left for Chloe and the two other people she kissed, Rory, the boy next door, and Smith, her quarterback boyfriend. Drawn together by their ties to Shara, an unlikely alliance forms that will have them crashing parties, breaking and entering, and uncovering clues to Shara’s whereabouts in the most unexpected places. Holding out for the next pink envelope and Shara’s elusive clues, Chloe begins to realize that there’s more to Shara than she initially thought and that maybe, just maybe, she can carve out a place for herself in this town after all.

In a self-fulfilling prophecy kind of way, I Kissed Shara Wheeler sat in my inbox for four months before I even dared to pick it up, simply because I knew it would consume my every waking thought for weeks after reading. If only I knew just how right I would be. A contemporary equally saccharine and explorative, Casey McQuiston’s debut into young adult has again proved their ability to craft compelling and heartwarming queer narratives, regardless of the genre. I Kissed Shara Wheeler is a renewing coming-of-age story surrounding the growth of queer communities in adversity and the friendships that develop during the critical points of our lives. Characteristic to its author, this novel had a cast of characters that made my heart swoon, and the witty repartee that has embodied all of Casey McQuiston’s past writing that I so adore. What stood out to me this time around, were the friendships that evolved between the three main characters Rory, Chloe, and Smith as they become entangled in the search for Shara Wheeler. Every character felt distinct, with their own determinations, flaws, and biases that were completely out in the open by the time the story concluded. There were so many sweet moments with our main trio, and it was such a joy to see each of them creating a space for themselves, in and outside of their queer identities. Chloe’s journey, in particular, was fierce and messy in all the right ways. I loved seeing where everyone ended up by graduation, with happy endings, bittersweet ones, and everything in between. Casey McQuitson’s strength certainly lies in their ability to commit to the unexpected, while continuing to create the uplifting queer stories I have been longing for. The high school story I didn’t know I needed, I Kissed Shara Wheeler is the unapologetic queer coming of age story we’ve been waiting for – elevating the complexity of youth and what it means to find yourself in unexpected places.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to honest review.

Trigger warnings: racism, homophobia, bullying, outing of a past character (mentioned)

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Review: Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A mysterious art theft strikes a match when the thieves leave behind their card for Harvard Senior Will Chen, an art history student working part-time at the Sackler Museum. The perfect student, artist, and son, Will has always strived to curate every aspect of his life, yet the mask begins to slip when he finds himself entangled in an impossible plot. At the behest of his mysterious benefactor, Will becomes the leader of a grand heist to steal back five Chinese artifacts stolen from Bejing centuries ago, scattered around the world. With fifty million dollars on the line, Will assembles a crew of his closest friends, all with something to gain if they should succeed and lose should they fail. As each of the crew members wrestle with their own complicated relationship with China, the chance to take back a piece of what was stolen long ago is too great to pass up. Willing to risk it all, they may just find a missing part of themselves in the process.

Portrait of a Thief is a book that really stole the show with what it was trying to impart to its readers. Debut author Grace D. Li writes effortlessly, baring the deepest parts of her soul to all those experiencing the long-term effects of colonialism and the diaspora. Through an impossible heist with stakes beyond imagine, Li illuminates the complexity of Chinese identity against a profound yearning that lives inside those that have had to surrender a part of themselves in growing up elsewhere. With a catching comparison to Ocean’s Eleven, Portrait of a Thief brings the action up close and center, alongside an unlikely group of friends deciding to take something back for themselves. Out of all the aspects of this debut, one of the most poignant parts is the multitude of identities that are explored within. Although all of the heist members are Chinese American, their views on the mission were incredibly divided as they had all found their identity in different ways. Each of the characters had their own complex relationship with China, which was drawn out with each heist and created an interesting conflict between the group. These relationships were a stark contrast to the conversation happening around the heist and colonization, which I really appreciated as a reader. The diaspora affects all people differently, and that was really evident through the individual relationships and unique connections with China. Rather than have the crew get along, I liked that there was some conflict, both on an identity level and the heist itself. Also the little rivals to lovers storyline we were given made my heart soar. With her debut, Grace D. Li has created a novel equal parts thrilling, and critical. Portrait of a Thief examines the diverse parts of Chinese identity, diaspora, and the ways in which an identity can be in conflict, through a group of people determined to leave their mark on a flawed world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review.

Trigger warnings: death, alcoholism, grief, racism

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Review: One Last Stop by Casey Mcquiston

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

The Q train is a place and a person, and for August Landry it’s proof that there is a bit of magic left in the world. Moving to New York City at twenty-three was supposed to prove to her the exact opposite, that the world is indeed just as cynical as she expected; but with a weird new group of roommates, her new job at a 24-hour pancake diner, and the gorgeous stranger who keeps magically reappearing on her morning commute, August is far from being proven right. Subway girl is Jane, and Jane is everything August could possibly want. There’s just one problem: Jane is not just some girl swept up in the nostalgia of old school rock, she’s literally been stuck on the subway since 1970. Having been confronted with the impossible, August is more than ready to help Jane get off the train, but doing so means returning to a past she promised would stay buried. Something that may be precisely what she needs in order to find a future worth believing in.

One Last Stop is marvelous, full of all the wit and charm that McQuiston brought to their first debut Red, White & Royal Blue. This book could be pitched as Nancy Drew meets a time travel romantic comedy, which are two things I never expected to be mashed together in a contemporary novel. When it comes to Casey McQuiston however, I have learned to expect the unexpected. Their previous book is proof of that. In her sophomore novel, McQuiston crafts a heartwarming testament to the queer community wrapped up in 70’s nostalgia and breakfast food. The characters shine through in the same way that those in Red, White & Royal Blue did, yet there is a realness to the space in which they occupy that is wholly different. Set in the backdrop of New York City, this story brings together a diverse group of people, creating one of the most wholesome queer-found families I have read in a long time. Though most of the plot deals with August and her quest to save Jane from the subway, there is a lot going on in the background with the side characters and their own lives. I can again report that I have formed an unhealthy attachment to certain characters that aren’t the core focus of a novel (Nora Holleran and Wes I am looking at you). There is just something about the way that McQuiston writes their characters, how genuine each of them comes across on the page, and how I begin to feel for every single one without fail. The variety of relationships portrayed in this novel make it shine even more so. Casey McQuiston is clearly becoming a force to be reckoned with in new adult romance, an author I know I can rely on for impactful queer stories. I’ll never stop being grateful for everything they have done, past, present, and future. This book is straight-up magic, a beautifully crafted love letter to belonging, community, and finding your place in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc to review

Trigger warnings: racism, homophobia, anxiety, death of a loved one, blood

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