Book Review: Kamila Knows Best by Farah Heron

By Sara Hailstone

Farah Heron presents her rendition of Jane Austen’s Emma with her book Kamila Knows Best. Kamila Hussain is just like Emma Woodhouse in that she plays matchmaker with members of her social circle and is connected to a wealthy clique in Toronto’s modern boroughs. As an accountant with her father’s firm, she also cares for her ailing father and is known within her society for throwing elaborate and detailed theme parties. She is the total package: with good looks and an impeccable wardrobe, she is admired and perseveres through the stereotypes of her career, offering cutting-edge and fresh takes on getting a feminine foothold against the current of an overwhelmingly masculine industry. She is whole in person and is not looking for marriage.

Heron slowly teases out a romantic arc for Kamila, but her character strives for more in a world that, despite its contemporary setting, still limits expectations of women. Kamila asserts her desire to take over her father’s company upon his retirement. In a narrative flushing out childhood issues, Kamila Knows Best is a vibrant coming-of-age story of a woman from a South Asian Toronto community.

Inspired by Jane Austen, Farah Heron has carved out her own style of romantic comedies depicting families from South Asian communities. Her debut novel, The Chai Factor, was widely praised, as was its follow up, Accidentally Engaged. Her debut young adult novel, Tahira in Bloom, was deemed the best rom-com of the year by USA Today. Heron’s narrative style stands out as an entry for readers into lives of art, food, family, and love.

In painting the world of a charismatic woman enmeshed in vibrant settings, with Kamila’s lush Bollywood-themed parties and exquisite interior design, Heron offers us entry into this world through food. During the pre-planning of her Bollywood movie night, the reader follows Kamila into a train-of-thought of menu decisions and witnesses the handmade preparations of appetizers. (She has chosen chili-paneer kebobs and vegetable momo dumplings with chili-ginger chutney.) When Kamila struggles with making cooking mishaps, Rohan, her endearing family friend, steps in and saves the day. Their teamwork results in a scrumptious party and a growing romance between the pair. At the end of the novel, Heron lists the full recipes of the dishes presented in the text. Readers can try out the food in the book, a unique inclusion that further allows intimacy.

Overall, the parallel that Heron draws between Emma Woodhouse and Kamila Hussain transforms this first impression rom-com into a text of necessity within a Canadian canon in giving voice and representation to South Asian communities. Firstly, Kamila thrives within a family dynamic of being taken care of while caregiving for her father. But, if autonomous, Kamila would flourish on her own. Her personality is not confined to construct. Kamila is independent in social orientations and career. She also does not exhibit fluency within the feminine domestic domain only but transgresses gender expectations by being a successful accountant. She is not looking for marriage and love to fulfill her being, but it comes to her nonetheless.

Thank you to Farah Heron and Hachette Book Group for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: In A New York Minute by Kate Spencer

By Sara Hailstone

Kate Spencer provides her readers with a novel of escapism with the allure of New York City with In a New York Minute. We meet our feminine protagonist, Francesca (Franny), in a moment of turmoil after she is laid off from an interior design job and makes her way despairingly home with her box of personal belongings. On the ride home, her silk dress is caught in the subway doors and embarrassingly yanked apart as the entire back of the dress rips, exposing her to New York City. Franny and a helpful pregnant woman try to piece the dress together with a hair clip when Spencer’s knight in shining armour, Hayes Montgomery III, steps in and offers Franny his expensive Gucci suit jacket.

In a humorous and plot-catching turn of events, Franny and “Mr. Hot Suit” are recorded by a bystander and the encounter goes viral on social media. What follows is a roller-coaster romantic plotline of crests and dips between Franny and Hayes. An opposites attract archetypal plot and folded in with pure humour and the enduring qualities of female friendship in the city, Spencer provides rom-com readers of the genre with a pleasing text that could be taken along as a feel-good vacation read. 

Kate Spencer is well-known for her award-winning podcast Forever35, where Spencer and her friend Doree Shafrir navigate self-care for women with both comedy and wit. Her freelance work can be found in magazines like Cosmopolitan, Rolling Stone, and Esquire. Author of the memoir The Dead Moms Club, Spencer’s debut fiction novel In a New York Minute gives off Sex and the City vibes, taking readers along on a similar escapade of love, sex, career, and friendship.

I enjoyed the novel as it offered me a moment of escapism that I appreciate from the act of reading. My one wish with In a New York Minute would be to envision Franny’s personal growth extending beyond the confines of the text as a strong woman who dove head-first into starting her own interior design business after proclaiming so on live television. I imagined, because of the exposure of the viral moment with Hayes, that Franny would be given opportunity and a firm list of clients to jumpstart her business in a capacity beyond the plotline where Hayes is her first client and in turn is responsible in helping push forward her dream. Witnessing a female protagonist step into that growth as an entrepreneur would have been inspiring and would have left a long-lasting textual impression on me as a reader.

Regardless, the novel flowed with personality and organically braided in the endearing and humourous aspects that having a circle of strong female friends can have on the quality of life for women—I appreciated that feminist layer of the text.

Thank you to Kate Spencer and Hachette Book Group for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail by Ashley Herring Blake

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warnings: cancer, emotional abuse, toxic relationships, alcohol, grief, death of a parent, homophobia, infidelity 

Raised by a demanding mother and holding herself to an impossible standard, Astrid’s last chance at the life she’s supposed to have is by designing a sleek, modern upgrade for a historic inn on a home improvement show. Unfortunately for Astrid, Jordan, the owner’s granddaughter and the head carpenter on the project, doesn’t like sleek and modern at all, and fights her on every design decision she pitches. After a bit of interior design sabotage, and no small amount of attraction, Astrid and Jordan strike a deal that will help them both get what they want. But as feelings develop between the two, the line between what’s right and what they want starts to blur, and it seems like what they both might be looking for is each other.

Astrid Parker Doesn’t Fail is the second book in the Bright Falls series. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. The characters felt incredibly real, the plot was interesting, I enjoyed all the home renovation shenanigans, and the romance was powerful and moving. This book is a great addition to the Bright Falls series, bringing back all the girls I met and loved in Delilah Green Doesn’t Care, and it will stick with me for a long time.

Astrid could have been a really difficult character to connect with, but Delilah Green did a really good job of setting her up as a complex, three-dimensional character, and this book’s exploration of her character felt natural. Her growth and personal journey away from this cold, unfeeling character into a woman who pursues the things she loves and fights for the things that make her happy was really powerful. Seeing her explore her bisexuality was also really beautiful to read about. I absolutely loved Astrid, and I think I loved Jordan even more. Her journey, her particular relationship fears and the ways she needs to learn to trust while also fighting for her voice in a relationship really hit home for me. Honestly, everything about this book hit home for me.

On a less personal note, I enjoyed the home renovation plot of this book. I’ve always loved home renovation shows (I mean, who hasn’t found themselves sucked into six hours of Love It or List It?), and I feel like the book did a really good job of translating that type of TV to book format. The camera crews added a fun tension, and the stakes for both Astrid and Jordan felt real. There was a valid reason for each of them to need the show to succeed, and they make decisions that they both feel are in their best interest even as they start to realize they may want different things, and it was a really interesting way to add tension to the story without falling into the miscommunication trope. Each character grew into themselves on both their romantic and interior design journeys and overall, I feel like the plot was really strong and strengthened and complicated the romance between Astrid and Jordan.

Overall, this book wowed me. It will stick with me for a long time, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in reading a powerful romance with an interesting and unique plot and an amazing cast of characters.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: One Night on the Island by Josie Silver

By Carmen Lebar

One Night on the Island by Josie Silver is a romance novel set on a secluded island off the coast of Ireland. It follows Cleo, a single dating columnist who has been asked to “marry herself” for her next column. When arriving at the island’s only lodge, an unexpected guest is already there: Mack, a photographer, has also booked the lodge from his cousin, causing confusion as to who is really meant to stay at the lodge. Cleo and Mack’s romance is heartwarming, and it explores how two very different people can bring out the best in each other. I found the novel’s themes on toxic relationships and choosing a new path to be great additions to the romance.

Both Cleo and Mack bring a lot of emotional baggage to the island. Because the island is meant to be a tranquil escape for the two of them, it soon becomes a place to let go of what is holding them back; specifically, the people that do so. Cleo’s friend Ruby is a fair-weather friend at best, and throughout the novel demonstrates to Cleo how she is unreliable. It’s only when Cleo joins the women’s knitting club on the island that she learns what true friendship should look like, and is able to re-evaluate her friendship with Ruby. In Mack’s case, he comes to the island to escape an emotional tug-of-war with his wife and to give her space during their time of separation. I enjoyed how Silver wrote about toxic relationships, and how they can occur in both romantic and platonic relationships. Within these relationships, Silver shows the strength Cleo and Mack develop and how they are able to set boundaries with the people in their life. Even when new love is growing, she writes about how letting go is just as important.

Cleo is on a journey to create a new path in her life as her birthday approaches. Cleo came to the island to marry herself, but she is also there to figure out what she wants her thirties to look like. At 29, she is facing things that many people do when approaching their thirties. Cleo is constrained in her job, making her unable to focus on her true passion: novel writing. It’s through this trip that she realizes the importance of the people around her and decides what kind of life she wants to live. Cleo’s struggles, and her journey of self-acceptance and embracing change, are things many people in their late twenties and early thirties can relate to. Although the article she was meant to write focused on relationships and being happily single, it develops into something more introspective and life-changing. It was refreshing to see a character approach their 30th birthday with gratitude and acceptance, rather than trying to make time stop.

Josie Silver exceeded my expectations of romantic comedy by delving into important aspects of life that can surround a romance. A romantic comedy can demonstrate more than just love; it can show people becoming emotionally stronger, setting boundaries, and going after their dreams. I think this novel would be great for anyone who may feel a little lost and want to approach aging with open arms. (I read this novel as a 29-year-old, and I felt a deep connection with Cleo.) One Night on the Island is an inspiring novel that will pull on your heartstrings while making you laugh out loud. Cleo and Mack’s story is definitely a romance, but the individual journeys they go on is what makes this novel so special. This is an unforgettable read.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

By Meagan Stockwell

Meryl Wilsner’s Something to Talk About is a charming and heartfelt romance novel that explores the complexities of love, career, and personal identity in a refreshingly authentic way.

The story centres around Jo, a successful Hollywood showrunner, and her assistant Emma. When a photo of the two women at an awards ceremony goes viral, rumours about their relationship begin to circulate in the media. Despite their insistence that they are just friends, Jo and Emma find themselves struggling to navigate their growing feelings for each other while also juggling the demands of their high-pressure careers.

One of the strengths of this novel is the nuanced and realistic portrayal of the characters. Jo and Emma are both complex and multifaceted, with their own fears, insecurities, and ambitions. Wilsner does an excellent job of exploring the dynamics of their relationship, showing how they support and challenge each other in equal measure.

Another standout aspect of the book is the attention to detail in the portrayal of the entertainment industry. Wilsner creates a vivid and authentic world of show business, from the high-stakes negotiations with network executives to the cutthroat competition between writers vying for a coveted spot on a hit show.

At its core, Something to Talk About is a love story, and it delivers on that front as well. The chemistry between Jo and Emma is palpable, and the slow burn of their romance is both realistic and satisfying. The novel also tackles important themes such as the pressures of coming out in a public forum, and the challenges faced by women in male-dominated industries, all while maintaining a lighthearted and entertaining tone.

Overall, Something to Talk About is a delightful and engaging read that is sure to appeal to fans of both romance and contemporary fiction. With its memorable characters, witty dialogue, and poignant exploration of love and identity, this is a book that is well worth checking out.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by India Holton

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warning: ableism, child abuse, violence

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason is the third book in India Holton’s Dangerous Damsels series. Alice, a.k.a. Agent A, works for an elite secret government run by the servants of England. When a dastardly plot to assassinate the queen is discovered, Alice must go undercover within the Wisteria Society to find the secret weapon and save England. Unfortunately, scandalous pirates are the least of Alice’s concerns as she is forced to go undercover with Agent B, a.k.a. Daniel Bixby, her professional rival, and the sexiest, most tidy man she has ever met. Now the two must pretend to be married, and worse, they must pretend to be improper in order to save the world.

While the first book parodies the gothic novel, and the second pokes fun at the conventions of Jane Austen, this book parodies the spy novel while still paying homage to the inspirations of the other two. It’s full of dry, witty humour, dry, not-too-witty characters, hijinks, sexual innuendo, and dangerous touches. I loved every minute of it.

Daniel and Alice are very different from the main characters of the previous two books as they adhere rigidly to propriety and are agents of order and tidiness. I was worried that these traits might make them a little harder to connect with, but both Alice and Daniel jumped off the page. They each felt vibrant and real right away, and it was impossible not to root for the two of them as they tidied their way through dens of crazy pirates, various explosions and assassination attempts, and their rather professional attempts at seducing each other. I also loved how they complimented each other, able to read each other’s moods and emotions in a way no one else in the narrative could. The two of them had my heart immediately, and I was rooting for them from the very first page.

The supporting cast is just as colourful and outrageous as you would expect from a Dangerous Damsels novel. I loved the reappearance of several beloved characters, and enjoyed all the new faces that popped up through the book. Continuing the tradition of meddling aunts, A.U.N.T. was an interesting and ominous presence in the background of the novel, and I love the concept of a secret government where the servants of England control things behind the scenes (though I certainly understand how Alice and Bixby may yearn for something more, especially after the freedom and chaos of the Wisteria Society).

The actual plot of this book is so fun, and I feel like it does a good job of blending historical romance conventions with the tropes and story beats of a spy thriller. While I’m not sure the full stakes of the assassination plot ever feel quite as real as it could have—because Alice and Bixby’s competence and confidence had me certain no harm would come to the queen—I was still happily turning pages and eager to dive back into the book every time I had to put it down. The comedy of manners in this novel as well as Alice’s innocent and explicit innuendos had me giggling at least once a page.

India Holton is one of my favourite writers, and the Dangerous Damsels have been some of my favourite novels of the past few years. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason had a lot to live up to, and I am so happy to say that it absolutely did. It made me laugh, moved me, made me want to be a pirate, and if I could climb into this world, hijack a flying house, and sail away, I would do it in an instant. I highly recommend this entire series, and I am thrilled to say that this book is the perfect conclusion to the trilogy. If you’re a fan of satire, historical romance, outrageous plots and a tiny bit of magic, then these books are a must-read.

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon by Sarah Hawley

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warnings: animal death, bullying, emotional abuse, toxic relationship, violence, fire, fire injury, alcohol, injury, injury detail.

In A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, a prophecy claims that Mariel will be the most powerful witch seen in centuries. She’s happy to just use nature magic, but her overbearing mother will not stop until Mariel does magic “worthy” of the family name, which is how Mariel ends up accidentally summoning a demon who can’t leave her side until they strike a soul bargain. Ozroth the Ruthless’ reputation has taken a bit of a hit, and Mariel’s soul is the only thing that can save him and his people. In a crazy attempt to hide her latest magical mistake, Mariel tells her family that he’s her boyfriend, and now it’s only a matter of time before one of them gives in—either Mariel will lose her soul, or both of them might lose their hearts.

This is such a fun witchy rom-com with a delightful romance, a beautiful magical town, and a great nature conservation plot. Mariel is a fantastic main character, she’s kind and compassionate even in the face of a toxic family and a town of people who judge her for her lack of magical ability. Ozroth is a grumpy, disgruntled demon with a heart of gold and so many emotions. The two of them make a perfect pair, and their relationship develops so naturally. While things do move a bit quickly, I really appreciated how this book explored Ozroth and Mariel’s growing relationship. In many grumpy/sunshine books I find the grumpy character can be a bit toxic, but in this book, Ozroth does very little manipulating for a manipulative demon trying to trick someone into giving up their soul. I thought that the two of them complimented each other really well, and I was invested in their relationship. I also loved both characters’ personal journeys and how the development of their romance complemented their growth. 

The plot of this book is also super entertaining. The whole premise of a witch and demon having to fake date while the demon tries to steal the witch’s soul is fun enough on its own, but this book also deals with how the town’s magic is connected to nature. I loved reading about Mariel’s plant magic, and her fight to protect the magical hot springs was fun and impactful to read. I’m a big advocate of having lots of magic in my witchy romcoms, and this book delivered with Mariel’s fight to protect the magic of the town by fighting for the hot springs.

The side characters in this book felt well-developed, the pacing was good, and I loved how this book blended magical shenanigans with sweet romantic moments. I laughed a lot, but I was also emotionally invested in both Mariel and Ozroth’s individual journeys and their fight to protect Glimmer Falls’ magic. I was also really impressed with the worldbuilding this book sets up, both for Glimmer Falls and its magic, and for the demon plane. I will definitely be checking out the next book in this series (which, based on the preview we get at the back of this book, is going to be a doozy!). If you’re a fan of witchy romcoms with lots of magic and fun, a really sweet romance, I would highly recommend checking this book out.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead

By Kaylie Seed

Looking for a contemporary romance that has the perfect amount of comedy? Fool Me Once by Ashley Winstead may be right for you! Fans of Winstead will know that she typically writes dark thrillers that focus on a number of triggering topics, so when Winstead came out with a contemporary rom-com, it was nice to see a lighter side to this talented author. The romantic tropes that readers will find in Fool Me Once include enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance.

Fool Me Once follows Lee Stone, a woman in her prime who is no longer interested in trusting love. Lee is focusing on her political career while still managing to find time to have fun inside her bedroom, but the idea of a long-lasting love is not at the top of her list. Years after her breakup with Ben Laderman, Lee finds herself having to work alongside him— building tension that is definitely going to lead to old sparks reigniting.

While there is a focus on politics throughout Fool Me Once, Winstead has managed to make this neutral territory so that readers are not bombarded with political views; it is simply part of the story.

While Fool Me Once was filled with humour and laughter, Winstead still managed to create characters that were expressive in all their feelings and showed growth throughout the story. Lee is an ambitious woman who can be crass and messy but also shows off her vulnerability even if she tries to hide it behind a tough exterior. It was great to see this mixture of her personality. Ben is just as ambitious as Lee, which helps to create some great tension between himself and Lee.

Readers who enjoy contemporary romances, rom-coms, political drama, or books that follow an enemies-to-lovers trope will find Fool Me Once a joy to read!

Thank you, HarperCollins Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

By Kaylie Seed

Perfect for beach reading or wanting to pretend you’re escaping to a tropical island, You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is a stunning romance novel that truly goes deeper than what is just on the surface. Emezi has written a vibrant, energetic, and inspiring tale about learning to love after loss while also learning to love oneself again. Feyi has been stuck ever since the love of her life tragically died in an accident, and when she decides that it is time to discover living again she finds herself surrounded by three very different men who can offer her very different things. What ensues is a story about a woman learning to be herself after a part of her died when her first love did.

This was a literary romance in my opinion. While it is a steamier read, it was written in such a way that readers will be able to feel the passion, heartache, and grief as Feyi rediscovers who she is after the love of her life has died. Romance wasn’t the main focus of this novel: there is a lot of it, but Emezi has managed to incorporate it into the story while focusing on Feyi’s journey to self-rediscovery, and that is something I can personally appreciate while reading a romance novel. Emezi immerses readers in food descriptions, music you can hear while reading, and stunning settings that are bound to entrance readers.

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty has themes such as love, grief, healing, sexuality, finding oneself, trauma, and at its core it is about love—both for others and for oneself. This novel is complex and is one I recommend readers pick up if they enjoy steamier romances, gorgeous prose, difficult and deep themes, and characters who feel vibrant and alive.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

By Larissa Page

Content warnings: Emotional abuse, domestic violence (side character)

Sometimes within my series of reading, I feel drawn to more lighthearted, uplifting, or happy reads. When this happens, I always want the book to have some love, some laughs, and maybe a bit of conflict, but I still want it to have some depth and development. This past month I felt drawn to pick up Part of Your World and I simply flew through it, finishing its 400 pages all within one day.

Abby Jimenez absolutely delivered for me. She gave me a book with a main character struggling with a recent break up from a relationship that has been anything but healthy. She is struggling to find her place in her family, pulled between the world they want her in and the one she wants for herself, and we see her learn to shift her priorities to better love and deliver happiness for herself. I loved getting to know Alexis and seeing her struggle against the backdrop of both the big city and the small town.

Daniel, on the other hand, delivers a little less personal growth. I really enjoyed him as a character, particularly a romantic one, and I loved the chemistry between him and Alexis, but I would have loved to have seen a bit more development from him as well.

I was a bit surprised by the conversations centered around emotional abuse and toxic relationships. We see from the beginning that Alexis’s previous relationship was emotionally abusive and thankfully she recognizes it too, but the level of emotional abuse coming from other characters within the book surprised me more. Without spoilers, I will say that I am happy that the main character managed to recognize these behaviours by the end of the book, but I would consider this a potential trigger for people who may have experienced these behaviours in the past.

Ultimately this book gave me what I always look for in a romance. It had some depth, some personal conflict, and good character development for Alexis. It features a lovely small town that you can just feel the community vibe. The side characters are mostly lovable, and those who are not meant to be lovable. It had a good amount of steam without being terribly salacious, and it made my heart feel happy.

Book Review: It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

By Erica Wiggins

Content warnings: domestic violence, child neglect

It Starts With Us is the long-awaited sequel to Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, It Ends With Us. These novels do need to be read in order as It Starts With Us continues from where It Ends With Us ended. It focuses on the relationship between Lily and Atlas and is told in first person alternating chapters. It debuted at number on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Colleen Hoover writes romance and YA fiction and has sold over 20 million books. She writes that It Starts With Us is a thank you for the support she has received from her readers.

Many readers have a love-or-hate relationship with Hoover’s books, but for me, it is love. It Starts With Us shows us what can happen even after someone leaves an abusive relationship, especially when children are involved. You are not always able to completely sever the tie to that person. It can also affect how you interact with people moving forward. It felt like an accurate portrayal of what could happen, and I thought she approached this topic carefully and thoughtfully.

When It Ends With Us was written, there was no intention for a sequel, but I am so glad it was written. Lily gets to become her own person and continue to grow and build her resilience. We get to watch Lily and Atlas fall in love all over again. I love their interactions, the slow pace that they move, and watching their connection grow. The letters Atlas writes added a tenderness to their story and it truly becomes about these two finally getting their happy ending.

Hoover took the time to fill out the story with some great supporting characters. I had two favourites. First Theo, his weekly therapist, who at just twelve is giving Atlas advice and Josh—I just loved the relationship that develops here (but don’t want to give any of the story away).  

I appreciated that we got to see a little more of Atlas’ history in this story. We get to see more of what his life was like before he met Lily. It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming. It is a reminder of how good can come out of a bad childhood. It doesn’t hurt that Atlas is gorgeous and in his element as a chef.

I know readers’ feelings about this book will be mixed. Domestic violence is a difficult topic to address, even more so in a fictional book. However, it is a reality of our world, and the effects can be long-lasting. I am by no means an expert, but I felt it was portrayed in an accurate and considerate way. I loved having the opportunity to read this book and follow Lily and Atlas on their journey to happiness. I will be recommending this story to fans of Hoover who want to see just a little more of where this story goes.

“P.S. It is my wish for you to be my fish”

Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada, for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Witcha Gonna Do? by Avery Flynn

By Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warnings: emotional abuse, confinement, forced imprisonment

Witcha Gonna Do? is a fourth wall-breaking witchy romcom following Tilda, a woman from a powerful line of witches with no magic of her own, and Gil, a magical history scholar with dark secrets. After Gil and Tilda are set up on their fourth blind date in a row and Tilda humiliates herself and embarrasses her family one too many times, her insecurities are at an all-time high. Then, while trying to film a video for her family’s social media, Tilda accidentally ruins her sister’s spell and freezes her whole family. Now it’s up to Tilda, Gil, and a team of magical misfits to save her family. Oh, and there’s a secret shadow organization bent on Tilda’s family’s destruction that they have to watch out for too.

I’ll be honest, I really struggled with the beginning of this book. It’s told in first person, dual point of view, and is full of fourth wall breaks with the two main characters speaking directly to the reader. Because Gil’s character is a bit more reserved, I didn’t find his chapters quite so jarring, but Tilda is sassy and snarky, and her fourth wall breaks took some getting used to. I think this writing style will be really tough for anyone who isn’t a fan of this type of informal writing, but once the story got going, I was able to get used to it.

I really enjoyed Gil and Tilda’s characters, and I mostly enjoyed the progression of their romance. I definitely liked how this book handled communication—while the characters do keep secrets from each other, the book did a good job of avoiding any major miscommunication drama (which I appreciate). The side characters were interesting, particularly Tilda’s fellow magical misfits. I understand that this is the first book in the series, so I do wish we had gotten to know Tilda’s family and sisters more, because the book painted a bit of an inconsistent picture of her parents in particular. Overall, the book’s primary characters were fun to read about.

The description of the world in this book also felt a bit incomplete. I enjoyed how magic was so pervasive, but I have a hard time understanding where exactly the book is set—does it take place in a completely magical world, or in our world with a hidden magical community? Things like the Council and the Resistance, two major organizations that affect Gil’s actions within the book and supposedly pose major threats to Tilda and her family, are also vaguely explained. While I understand that this is at its core a romance, I found the idea of these two shadow organizations to be fascinating and was a bit disappointed not to see them explored in more detail. I wanted a more exciting climax as well, since the big bad was set up to be so, you guessed it, big and bad (did you like that? It’s a bit more informal than what I usually put in these reviews. If you didn’t, this book probably isn’t for you. If you did, hi, and also, I think you’d have fun with Witcha Gonna Do?).

Criticisms aside, overall, I did have fun with the book. The world felt magical, Tilda was a fun and relatable main character, Gil was an interesting and well fleshed out male lead, and the pacing of the book was pretty good. I was intrigued by each plot element even though I feel like certain things could have been explored better, and I enjoyed the development of Gil and Tilda’s relationship. Overall, the book is a fun, quick read, and while I may have wanted a bit more in the world-building department, I still had a good time reading it.

If you’re a fan of witchy romcoms, enjoy a really (like really really) informal writing style, and don’t need too much world-building, I think you’ll have fun with Witcha Gonna Do?.

Book Review: The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

By Carolina Moriello

“Life was too short, too brittle, to keep secrets and live in half-truths. Even when we thought that we were protecting those we loved. Or protecting ourselves. Our hearts. Because the reality was that without honesty, without truth, we never lived fully.”

When Rosie Graham’s ceiling caves in—literally—she decides to stay at her best friend Lina’s apartment while she is away on her honeymoon. Unbeknownst to Rosie, Lina’s cousin Lucas, a.k.a. Rosie’s internet crush, is staying in Lina’s apartment as well while he visits from Spain. Even though the studio apartment has one bed and no walls, Lucas convinces Rosie to room with him. As the two become close and start to form a friendship, Rosie reveals to Lucas that she quit her engineering job to pursue her dream of becoming a romance author. Following the success of her first novel, Rosie is now on a deadline to submit her second novel but has been hit with a serious case of writer’s block. Lucas decides he will help her by going on a series of experimental dates to hopefully inspire and ignite new ideas for her novel. Rosie and Lucas have six weeks to complete this plan, but neither of them could have predicted what would happen at the end of those six weeks.

From the moment you meet Lucas Martín, you cannot help but be affected by his charm, charisma, and confidence. If he were a real person, he would be the one who walks into a room and fills it with his quiet confidence. He is the guy that women and men alike gravitate toward. Rosie, on the other hand, is not someone you would naturally gravitate toward. While she is a well-developed character, she oftentimes finds herself in situations that could have easily been avoided had she actually spoken her feelings or addressed her issues. I found myself rooting for her happiness while at the same time being completely frustrated by her actions. While the forced proximity trope was excellently developed, the slow burn trope was infuriatingly slow. Normally, this wouldn’t be an issue if the chemistry between the characters was so palpable you could feel it from the pages of the book, but once Rosie and Lucas were finally together, their connection was a little lacklustre.

Ultimately, this story was about following your dreams and finding the self-love and confidence within yourself to know what you want and what you deserve. These themes were prevalent throughout and even though the ending was predictable, you couldn't help but be happy with the outcome not only for Lucas and Rosie as a couple, but for Lucas and Rosie as individuals. They were able to chase their dreams and achieve individual happiness first, before giving themselves completely to one another.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: Love from Mecca to Medina by S. K. Ali

By Melissa Khan

Set five years after the events of the first book, Adam and Zayneb are at a distance, both physically and emotionally. Zayneb is in her first year of law school in Chicago, struggling to keep up with her studies, her living situation, and the scathing rumours going around about her involvement in an on-campus scandal. Adam, all the way in Doha, is dealing with his MS diagnosis, the constant worry of someday losing his mobility, and his lack of a stable career.

When Adam’s dad disrupts their plans and offers to pay for Adam and Zayneb to go to Mecca to perform Umrah over the week of Thanksgiving, the two have conflicting reactions. Adam is thrilled, feeling that this could be his only chance to go while he can still walk. Zayneb is reluctant, having looked forward to spending a relaxing week alone with Adam. The two, along with an eclectic group of pilgrims, travel to Mecca for an experience of a lifetime.

While on their trip, Adam and Zayneb face many challenges as a couple, including the classic miscommunication trope—-in fact, the two hardly communicate at all. I was surprised by the number of things they failed to share. Zayneb’s lack of housing and overall mental health, and Adam’s lack of income largely contribute to their stress throughout the novel, and they never really discuss them with each other. Much of the novel is focused on Zayneb’s jealousy over Adam’s ex-love interest who happens to be travelling with them. Both of their insecurities and reasonings were well explained—almost over-explained at times—so it was frustrating as a reader to see that they knew exactly what was wrong, but yet choose not to talk to each other.

It also frustrated me how instructional this novel felt—from the over-explanation of religious practices to the simplification of Islamic ideology. It reads like a crash course for non-Muslims and strives to explain to them the “right way” of doing things. The problem with this is that Muslims are not a monolith, and although the practices of certain religious rites are standardized, a lot of what is presented as “correct” in the book is cultural.

Of course, not everyone can expect to be represented in a single story, and the practice of Islam depicted in this novel is one of the many beautiful ways Muslims choose to do so. However, with the text being written with a non-Muslim audience in mind, it leaves little room for the nuance within the Muslim experience. It saddens me to see that the culture depicted in this novel has to be explained and justified in a way that other cultures do not.

I think it’s amazing that so many ethnicities and backgrounds were represented in the novel, and I’m so happy when I see authors choose to include diversity as a natural, everyday occurrence. For this, I felt disappointed when Zayneb’s West Indian heritage wasn’t even mentioned in this sequel. For a character who cares so deeply about social issues, I find it interesting that there was no part of her culture found within the text.

Despite the criticisms I felt while reading this novel, I do think it was a cute, fluffy continuation of Adam and Zayneb’s love story. This novel may not have been written for me, but I’m sure my teenage self would have loved it, and I support the positive impact this story will have for young Muslims.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Book Lovers by Emily Henry

By Carmen Lebar

Content warning: death of a parent

Book Lovers by Emily Henry is a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance centering around Nora Stephens, a literary agent, who goes to Sunshine Falls for a month-long trip with her sister Libby. But enemies may be too harsh of a word to describe Nora and her love interest, Charlie. I think the best way to describe the inception of their relationship is as being more competitive and rivalrous. Both work in the publishing industry and seem to bump into each other in the most unexpected ways, which eventually blooms into a full-on romance. However, this novel is more than just a romance; it’s about sisterhood and making your dreams come true. What I liked most about this novel was how it balanced familial struggles and humour.

One of the most powerful elements of Book Lovers is the relationship between Nora and Libby. These two sisters, as they go off to Sunshine Falls, have a great girls’ trip, but also unpack a lot of trauma from when they were growing up. Their mother died, and Nora stepped up to be a mother figure to Libby at a young age. The novel shows this tension of wanting to be a fun older sister but having the opinions of someone who had to be a parental figure. For example, the reason Libby wanted to visit Sunshine Falls is misunderstood by Nora because of her mother-like nature. It is later revealed that Nora was wrong in her assumptions about Libby. This further shows the complicated nature of Nora’s roles as both a sister and a motherly figure. I felt the sisters’ relationship was very relatable and believable, and when things weren’t tense, it was very enjoyable to read. Libby is an infectious character, and whenever she was in a scene, it made the story a lot brighter. 

Even with the more serious topics in this novel, there is a lot of fun and humour in it. The novel has a Hallmark movie quality to it. There is situational comedy, but also funny awkwardness when Charlie and Nora’s relationship starts to bloom. Texts between the two are very funny and playful, just like you would expect in a relationship that started on a bit of a rivalry. Having Libby integrated in this love story also creates a lot of great humour when she knows Nora has a thing for Charlie. Book Lovers has these expected tropes and silly moments, but it’s this type of humour that makes it a perfect balance with the more hard-hitting topics that pop up such as childlessness, career advancement, and the death of a parent, to name a few. This novel is very charming, and predictable—but in the best way possible. There’s no need to watch your favourite romantic comedy when you can read it in a book.

Book Lovers is a great romance novel for anyone who doesn’t gravitate towards the genre. If you have read any of Emily Henry’s other novels, this will be another great one to add to your collection. It has an equal balance of serious topics and heart that any type of reader will enjoy. It will make you laugh, cry, and think about the importance of family. I hope you, too, will get swept away by Nora’s journey in Sunshine Falls.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Go Hex Yourself by Jessica Clare

Meghan Mazzaferro

Content warning: child abuse, emotional abuse, sexism, stalking, death of a parent

In Jessica Clare’s Go Hex Yourself, Reggie Johnson’s controlling nature makes it a little hard to keep a job. But when she answers an ad in the newspaper that she thinks is for a position at her favourite card game, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to impress her new boss. Unfortunately for Reggie, she ends up getting hired as a real witch’s familiar, and impressing her new boss means learning spells, acting as a conduit for her kooky witch’s magic, and believing that magic is real. Plus, she’s stuck dealing with her boss’s nephew. Angry, brooding Ben Magnus goes out of his way to show Reggie she doesn’t belong there, but when dark spells start targeting the house, Ben and Reggie need to work together to keep each other safe and find the culprit.

Go Hex Yourself is perfect for fall; it’s a fun, witchy rom-com with an enemies-to-lovers romance, witty banter, a fun plot, and a touch of magic. I had a lot of fun reading it and once I got started, I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed our main characters and the way their romance progressed, I had fun with the plot, and it had me invested and excited to see what was coming.

This book is, at its heart, a romance. Enemies-to-lovers is a difficult thing to pull off in a way that leads to a healthy relationship, but I feel like this book did a really good job. Reggie is an interesting and complex character, and Ben complemented and challenged her so well. Both sides of the romance were developed and explored, and each of our main characters' psyches and histories were explored in a way that highlighted how they would work well together. The book balances the immediate attraction between the two characters with a slower development of feelings really well. Even during the “enemies” phase of their romance, each person’s behaviour is explained and makes sense. And they communicate! That sounds like a silly thing to praise, but I love a couple who talk through their differences in a healthy and constructive way.

I also really enjoyed the side characters, particularly Dru, Reggie’s boss and Ben’s aunt. She is really funny and fun to read about, and her character helped me get invested in the overall stakes and plot of the book. The book does a good job of developing the side characters and their relationships with the main couple in a way that makes each of our main characters feel more real and grounded, and which in turn helps deepen the romance by making the characters feel three dimensional.

I do feel like the pacing of the book is a bit off, and a decent chunk of the beginning is spent developing the relationship between Dru and Ben and Dru and Reggie rather than between the main couple. While I appreciate them taking that time, I do feel like the second half of the book suffers a bit because of how slowly things move in the beginning. Likewise, I found that the mystery regarding who is attacking the family was definitely rushed, and the conclusion of that mystery was slightly disappointing to me. It made sense and was well explained, I was just hoping for a bit more. However, the relationship and bond between the characters is developed so well that I was satisfied with how they reacted to the mystery’s resolution, even if I didn’t love the resolution itself.

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this book. Yes, I have some critiques, but it did everything I needed it to do. It was fun, magical, spicy, and had a memorable cast of characters that I really liked spending time with. I think it really succeeded as an enemies-to-lovers romance and has excellent fall vibes. If you’re looking for witchy rom-coms to read this fall, I would definitely check this one out.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

By Christa Sampson

Rebecca Serle is an author of novels for both adults and young adults. One Italian Summer is her seventh book. This adult novel explores a close relationship between mother and daughter and a bond that lasts even after death. Main character Katy is devastated by the passing of her mother Carol. Attempting to deal with her grief, Katy takes a trip to Positano, Italy, on the Amalfi Coast, a trip that she and her mother were supposed to take together. On one hand, she can’t bear to even think about going, but Positano is a place that her mother remembered so fondly and wanted to share with Katy, and ultimately, she feels that she has no choice but to go. 

The novel begins with a grief-stricken Katy trying to reconcile how to live her life without her mother. She is overcome with emotion yet numb at the same time. Everything feels wrong, including her marriage to her college sweetheart. She is staying at her childhood home, surrounded by everything that was her mother. Katy watches her father fumbling through his own emotions, while she can’t even begin to scratch the surface on hers. Instead of addressing the pain that she’s feeling, Katy puts an emotional wall up between herself and her husband, but he remains supportive and encourages her to go on the trip to Italy. 

This novel is unique from the perspective that it is a love story, but not in the romantic sense. It is a story of the love between parent and child and how one learns to go on after the other is no longer there. I appreciate the exploration of this type of love story; however, the way in which it was presented in this novel wasn’t compatible with my expectations. Being a daughter and a mother myself, I can relate to the strong love and bond that exists between parent and child, yet I found that the relationship between main character Katy and her recently deceased mother was an extremely dependent one. As the story unfolded, I found myself feeling sorry for twenty-something Katy’s debilitating dependency on her mother, rather than heartbroken for her loss.  She seemed to come into her own a little bit during her trip to Positano and even had a casual fling with a fellow traveler despite being married. The reader isn’t provided with much prompting to root for the reconciliation of Katy and her husband, and while there is a fair bit of tension between her and the new love interest, when they finally give into their lust it made me cringe instead of swoon.

Furthermore, I felt that the book read a little differently after this point. The “f” word shows up twice towards the end of the book and while I’m always supportive of a well-placed curse word, it didn’t seem to land right. I felt that because the characters didn’t previously express themselves in that way, laying down an f-bomb just felt out of place. Without giving away any spoilers, I can say that the story ended without much consequence or real resolution. 

While this book didn’t work for me, I think that readers who enjoy escaping or travelling vicariously through a book will enjoy the descriptive prose about the rugged beauty of the Amalfi Coast and all of its sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Reading this book did reignite my desire to go back to Italy. 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the complimentary NetGalley copy in exchange for an honest review!

Book Review: See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon

By Melissa Khan

Barrett Bloom’s first day of college is disastrous, to say the least. The sheer embarrassment she faces would be enough to make anyone wish for a do-over. So, when Barrett wakes up the next morning—not in the place she fell asleep, but back in her dorm room—she’s surprised to find that it’s September 21st…again! After living through the day again and again, Barrett starts to suspect that she isn’t alone in this frozen pocket of time. She forms a tentative relationship with Miles, the snarky boy from her Physics 101 class, who she discovers has been trapped there for months. Together, the two embark on a journey through time, trying to find their way out of this infinite loop and back to their regular selves.

I’ve always been wary of Groundhog Day-type books because I worry they could become repetitive. The days as Barrett experiences them are interesting and adventurous largely due to how bold Barrett is as a character. Her humour feels authentic, and her voice is charming. From the beginning, I wanted to root for this character. Her feelings about being trapped in a time loop were realistic, whether in her incredulousness, feelings of despair, or hopefulness for all the possibilities it could bring.

The most well-paced and thought-out aspect of the novel was her relationship with Miles, who she couldn’t stand at first. He was the rude boy who humiliated her in class for seemingly no reason and slowly but steadily became closer to her than anyone else had in years. The trauma Barrett experienced from high school that isolated her in the first place didn’t feel like a plot device thrown in just to give her a personality. When the secret of what happened to her unfolded, I found myself near tears, enraged for her. And I wasn’t surprised to learn that Miles shared my reaction. Their romance was sweet and tender, and I loved watching their friendship blossom and grow.

My trick with time travel stories is not to pay too much attention to the hows and whys of what is happening and just enjoy the story for what it is. Suspension of disbelief is the name of the game. I was delighted by the banter between Barrett and Miles and their different approaches to figuring out their predicament. It was so interesting and totally didn’t send me down an existential spiral. However, I do feel like the ending could have been stronger if it didn’t rely as heavily on the “magical” element of theoretical physics. I felt not for the first time reading that some things happen a little too coincidentally, which can take away from better-explained aspects of the story.

I felt giggly reading this story. I smiled countless times as I lived each new day with these characters. It was heartwarming and funny and gave us characters who learned how to be brave and embrace the parts of them that made them unique. I encourage everyone to get to know Barrett and Miles as I did.

Thank you, Simon & Schuster Canada, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

By Carly Smith

Lighthearted yet contemplative, Ghosts should most certainly be bumped higher in your To Be Read stack. Dolly Alderton has created the perfect book to add to your overnight bag for a weekend at the cottage, or pack in your carry-on tote for some downtime during a work trip. In Ghosts, Nina George Dean chronicles a year in her life—from age 32 to 33—touching on family, friends, and romance. There is a lot happening in Nina’s life, but no single event stands out or exhausts her energy more than another. She is settling into her career writing books about food, living in a house-turned-apartment building where she is constantly bothered by her downstairs neighbour, and navigating a stressful and ongoing family situation. Among the ins and outs of these daily circumstances, she also is trying to find romantic love and maintain old and new friendships.

Ghosts takes place in present day London, England. Alderton frequently drops names of neighbourhoods and landmarks to keep local readers feeling a sense of familiarity and not-so-local readers fantasizing about the foreign metropolis. Nina enjoys her London life and cannot see herself elsewhere. She is a loyal friend, introspective and at times petty, and values relationships and quality time with her loved ones. Alderton carefully creates a main character who is not perfect, and it’s a breath of fresh air. Aside from Nina, several other noteworthy characters weave in and out of the smoothly paced chapters including her friend Lola, love interest Max, and Nina’s mom. Lola is a loveable, bright, spirited woman. A good friend and charming acquaintance, Lola complements Nina’s social awkwardness and nonchalance. Max is Nina’s first go at online dating. He is intense and mysterious. Sometimes he seems like exactly what Nina needs in a partner, and other times he comes across as someone she should have immediately swiped left on. Nina’s mom, Mandy—or Nancy—is too preoccupied with her own hobbies to dedicate sufficient attention to her ailing husband. She brings out the pragmatism in Nina, adding a depth to the protagonist that makes her even more relatable.

The themes in Ghosts, including love, friendship, and family, intertwine gracefully to create a narrative which at times ignites nostalgia in readers, and at other times provokes a desire to consider the future. Alderton makes her readers feel a breadth of emotions without delving too deeply into a particular one. This book is suitable for anyone seeking a casual read. It is a fantastic option if you’re between heavier books, or if you are looking for something not too serious or time consuming. Although quite carefree, Ghosts will manage to haunt you in ways you may have forgotten you could be moved.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

By Hayley Platt

Every Summer After is Canadian author Carley Fortune’s debut novel, which was published May 10, 2022. This love story, told through six summers in the past and one eventful weekend in the present, takes readers to the heart of summers in a small Ontario cottage town, an experience many will easily connect with.

Persephone “Percy” Fraser is 13 when her parents surprise her by purchasing a summer property in Barry’s Bay and let her know that is where they will be spending their summers moving forward. Her first day there she heads down to the dock and meets the teen brothers next door, Charlie and Sam Florek, who are year-round residents in the sleepy town 

Everyone should pick up a debut Canadian novel this season, and Every Summer After is the perfect choice.

The setting of this book is extremely relatable for central Ontario cottagers. Percy’s family lives in Toronto, so Fortune was able to write from the familiar perspective of a teen who is headed to the cottage for the summer. There are many small towns in Ontario whose populations multiply in the summer months, and the experiences of both the summer-only and the year-round residents is spot on. Jumping off the dock, driving into town, and saying goodbye for ten months at a time perfectly wrap up the feeling of summer at a cottage.

In her later teen years, it is fascinating to see Percy realize that she knows Sam’s summer self really well but knows less about who he is the other ten months of the year. There is something really special about youthful summer friendships, and Sam and Percy’s builds in an attention-grabbing fashion that keeps readers glued to their books as the story progresses.

This romance is unique in that the reader gets to see the development of Percy and Sam’s relationship in both their teen years (ages 13–18) as well as the intricacies of an adult relationship in the present day sections. The long term effects of decisions they make when they are teenagers are investigated and grappled with in their adult lives.  Watching the relationship build in this way draws the reader into the heart of the story and keeps them rooting for the happily ever after that we all know and love.

Fortune has beautifully captured the summer magic that ties people together and can continue to exist many years down the road.

This book is recommended for people looking for a delightful summer read, especially those wanting to experience hitting the highway on Friday after work for a weekend on the dock. It is the perfect summer read.

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy of Every Summer After in exchange for an honest review.