Genre: Chick Lit

Intentionally throwing its FMC Margo Bradley into countless romance tropes with a tongue-in-cheek sense of self-awareness, Victoria Lavine’s debut Any Trope But You is a solid and generally light-hearted contemporary romance novel that has a lot to like. Catering specifically to chick lit romance readers looking for an easy snowy-themed read, the story is largely predictable and sometimes cheesy, but in a wholesome and comforting way. Outside of the expected meet-cute and fish out of water wilderness romps, the novel also has added depth and substance with Margot’s sister and Forrest’s father’s fragile health. But the story as a whole largely keeps the tone light, making Any Trope But You an easy (albeit safe and slightly typical) romance recommendation. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to being primarily drawn to this book by its hilarious sounding premise of a jaded romance writer being cancelled and inadvertently experiencing all the romance novel tropes she used herself in her past novels. While I’ve read an increasing number of romance novels as of late, I perhaps read them for different reasons than the typical romance reader and often find ironic enjoyment outside the humor that was intentionally planned. While the jaded…

Like my reviews for other very well-known books and authors, I’m going to skip the usual introduction and pre-amble and get right into my impression and thoughts on Verity. Colleen Hoover is probably one of the most polarizing authors with such big-name recognition that I felt the need to try at least one of her books, picking Verity as the one that had the best match for my reading genre preference. Yet despite that, my feelings while reading Verity ranged from utter bafflement, to eye-rolling embarrassment, to irritation, and finally shock, but not in the way the novel hopes it to be. One of my earliest notes while reading this novel was “Verity reads like the literary equivalent to Stranger Danger, and I don’t like this at all.” Whether it was an early sign or not, the overall vibe of the novel just felt uncomfortably questionable which is something I very rarely experience, even extensively reading horror and serial-killer murder mystery works. I’ve read and watched a lot of dark series that explore the depths and shadows of the human mind so I had no problems with Verity‘s content on paper, but the tone and vibe felt all wrong. Paired…

The following review is based on a complimentary ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Swimming lessons, a hot coast guard rescuer, Key West charm, plus a 160 lb great dane? The Love Haters by Katherine Center has a recipe of elements perfect for a sweet and bubbly summer cocktail of a read. Featuring a fun and light-hearted plot with a bit of added substance from heavier topics like body image and public scrutiny, The Love Haters delivers a solid romcom experience, despite being a bit formulaic and predictable. Although I had a few minor nitpicks regarding the overall pacing and how the novel executed some of its more dramatic moments, I still found it very entertaining and worth reading. Mixing the tropes of a fish out of water (or in this case, surrounded by water) with the disheartened and romance skeptic, Katie’s story is one that’s both fun to read as well as one that’s quite relatable. Apart from the main plot involving Katie trying to produce a promotional film featuring an unwilling real-life hero in an effort to keep her job, there’s a secondary storyline involving body image and self-acceptance. While…

I will openly admit that I picked this up to read not because of the fantasy-flavored monster romance story, but out of gross curiosity as an env. science reader that enjoys reading about cryptozoology. While I do read romance novels, this is my first monster-themed romance novel and my first read by Lana Ferguson. Part spicy Scottish themed romance part magical realism fantasy tale, Under Loch and Key is an unusual novel that attempts to be a contemporary romance but also a more complex fantasy story involving curses, magic, Scottish folklore, and family secrets. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of detail and effort put towards the latter elements, going far beyond what I was expecting and required for a straightforward monster romance. When I read Ferguson’s opening dedication “for granting me forgiveness for giving Nessie a penis”, I wasn’t expecting much given her past novels sat comfortably in standard romcom territory. Though I originally thought the Nessie premise would be a simple one-trick pony gimmick with light Scottish flourishes, I was pleasantly surprised by how far Ferguson took the concept and expanded it with proper detailed and compelling lore. Rather than simply giving Nessie Lachlan all the exciting…

There’s a reason that opposites attract is not only a common trope in media but also one that happens all the time in real life. Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation runs with that theme and successfully pulls off the the deceptively difficult friends to lovers trope effectively. Of all of Emily Henry’s adult romance novel pairings, Poppy and Alex’s chemistry and dynamics might be my personal favorite that feels so natural, effortless, but most importantly, relatable. While People We Meet On Vacation‘s premise is more straightforward and less narratively ambitious compared to her other novels, the tone and vibe of the story is excellent, feeling warm and comforting throughout. Although the pacing and past vacation flashbacks occasionally dragged for me in places and this novel doesn’t hit the same dramatic highs as some of her other works, it’s still a well-rounded and solid read that has a lot going for it. Of the common romance genres meet-cute/progression scenarios, I personally believe that friends to lovers is one of the most difficult scenarios to pull off well due to character growth and tricky chemistry needed to make the shift feel believable. Narratively speaking, there needs to either be a…