Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons

An Amazing Race-style reality TV competition, an airport breakup + hot pilot meet-cute, and the good ol’ fake dating + forced proximity tropes, Chip Pon’s M/M romcom Winging It With You is a vibe. A perfect summer read mixing international travel destinations with romance trope hijinks, Pon’s trade publisher debut is a fun, light-hearted yet comforting story. Featuring lots of laughs, embarrassingly awkward moments, spicy scenes, yet a lot of heart, Winging It With You is the type of book that will make your day just a little bit brighter or leave a smile on your face with its endearingly sweet and cute story. I openly admit that I am a huge fan of the Amazing Race and have been watching it for years, so when this book randomly popped up in my Instagram reel suggestions I was intrigued. An Amazing race-style reality show paired with a fake dating M/M romcom, the algorithms are getting scary good these days. Comically over the top right from the start, Winging It With You makes it clear that it’s a story written for pure, unadulterated enjoyment and a good time. Rather than coming off as derivatively tired, Winging It With You wears its…

I’ve read a lot of great and not so great book synopses, but the opening line of Sarah Winman’s Tin Man describes the novel the best: “This is almost a love story. But it’s not as simple as that.” When interpreted at face value, Tin Man‘s story is just that, an emotional story of almost love and the complex relationship between Ellis and Michael. But the theme of love goes far beyond simple romantic love, and that is where this novel incredibly well-executed yet quiet reflections are their strongest. Love for a treasured friend, love for a family member (despite not being blood related), love as caregiver, love as safe haven, or as simple as comforting company. Bittersweet, moving and poignant matched with a gorgeously beautiful prose, Sarah Winman’s Tin Man is a shorter yet wonderful read that I also loved and finished in one day. I honestly don’t have much to say about Tin Man apart from how much I loved it and found it exceptional, but I will try anyway. It’s difficult to review or write about this story as it’s quite meandering in its approach. Divided into two sections, one devoted to Ellis and the other Michael,…

Check & Mate is a great YA novel that has a lot to like. Despite her works usually being classified as contemporary romance or chick lit, Check & Mate felt like it skewed more towards a coming of age (coming of adult age that is) contemporary fiction story rather than romance. It’s certainly there and shapes a lot of the plot’s overall narrative, but the majority of the book is focused on Mallory’s internal dilemmas and confrontations with her past guilt and perceived responsibilities. Despite finding it well done and solid across the board, as a grown man probably twice the age of the intended readers, unfortunately this was not a very enjoyable read for me (romance was nice, all of Mallory’s drama, not so nice). However this is very much a “it’s not the book, it’s me” scenario. What I found to appreciate in Check & Mate is how well-written and developed the FMC Mallory is, and how relatable she likely can be. I was actually recommended this book to read from a friend who Mallory reminded me quite a lot of, minus some of her questionable emotional thought-processes. The way she thinks and acts, including character flaws that…