Epistolary alternate-universe romp. After struggling author Nick and sassy dressmaker Bee make accidental contact through a misdirected email, they continue to correspond, finding in each other kindred spirits. They eventually make plans to meet… which is when they figure out that they actually live in different universes. Their respective actions after this discovery really do take this book into a new level. Even though things get super weird, the chemistry between Nick and Bee, and their snappy email conversations, keep the book going. Enjoyable plot and shenanigans, though if you start thinking too hard about the ramifications there are some iffy consent issues.
Tag: genre-romance
Heartstopper, by Alice Osman
Simple, sweet boy’s school romance. Charlie Spring was outed last year and is now openly gay, despite occasional bullying and shunning; his new seat partner Nick Nelson is a pure-hearted, friendly rugby player who wouldn’t understand subtext even if it was patiently pointed out to him. Meet-cute scenes ensue. Nothing complicated about this graphic novel, which is adorable from start to finish; the characters are weirdly (but refreshingly!) open and communicative with one another, which tends to stave off angst and drama.
On Rotation, by Shirlene Obuobi
This was three genres in one book: 1) a coming-of-age story about nerdy med student Angie Appiah and her journey towards defining herself apart from her family’s expectations; 2) a rom-com between her and handsome artist Ricky, culminating in 3) a medical drama that ends up involving them both. The three stories sometimes sit oddly with one another, making Angie’s character arc feel uneven; however, they’re all enjoyable, even if at times things feel a bit too perfect. I liked how Angie’s identity as Ghanaian-American made her more alert to the racial disparities faced by patients at the hospital, but still left her unaware of the history of medical prejudice and suspicion in the Black community. Overall a very sweet and uncomplicated read.
Paladin’s Strength, by T. Kingfisher
Second in the Saint of Steel trilogy, this one follows good-natured Istvhan as he is forced to detour from his investigation of supernatural killings to aid Clara, a nun, in her rescue of her sisters from slavers. Antics ensue! As befits Kingfisher heroes, both paladin Istvhan and secretive nun Clara are both terrifyingly practical but also terrible at talking about their feelings for one another, leading to much hilarious self-flagellation and misunderstanding before they get it together and pursue both Istvhan’s murderer and Clara’s kidnappers. Super cute romance, engaging adventure story.
A Taste of Gold and Iron, by Alexandra Rowland
This is a super cute prince-and-warrior queer romance fantasy that feels like it was also written by an economics nerd. Prince Kadou, extremely insecure and given to panic attacks, gets into hot water and his sister the queen must exile him from court. Evemer, one of the royal family’s scholar-bodyguards, reluctantly accepts the duty of guarding the flighty prince, and they find themselves investigating a mystery involving political scheming and counterfeit currency. The currency bit is particularly relevant because Kadou, like certain others in the kingdom, has the ability to tell the purity of a metal by touch, a fact integral to guaranteeing the trustworthiness of his country’s currency (and which makes the issue of counterfeits particularly fraught). I liked the romance, but I loved the worldbuilding.
Honey & Spice, by Bolu Babalola
Sassy, delightful rom-com. Undergrad Kiki, smart and cynical, runs a radio show encouraging women to stand up to toxic masculinity… which is why it’s problematic when she’s seen kissing Malakai, one of the more notorious players on campus. When she tries to figure out how she can finagle her relationship with him to best protect her image, she finds him to be unexpectedly helpful. The characters trade brilliant barbs and snappy comebacks at a dizzying pace, and although the story follows a very typical romance arc, it also manages to explore themes of race, identity, self-image, public image, and friendship along the way. Super fun.
The Sweetest Remedy, by Jane Igharo
This is a perfectly sweet and romantic story about finding one’s family, except one’s family turns out to be super rich in Nigeria. It actually felt so close to Crazy Rich Asians for me, with its fish-out-of-water American heroine, her total delight in native dishes, the aloof and snobbish natives, and their breathless name-dropping of brands and designers, that I kept imagining it all taking place in Singapore. The main character is a half-white, half-Nigerian girl who grew up with her mother in the US after her Nigerian father left them; when she gets word that he has passed away and has asked for her to be present for the will to be read, she reluctantly travels to Nigeria. There, she meets her ultra-rich, mostly-unimpressed family, falls in love with a super hot family friend, and they all have to learn to accept each other. So yeah, pretty much it’s the plot of Crazy Rich Asians, except with only a fraction of the sniping and backbiting. The characters have no depth; everyone is pretty much exactly who they say they are, and they also say exactly what they think at any given moment. Everyone emotes so much that you feel like you’re reading a telenovela. The writing wasn’t artful by any means, but it was simple and smooth, and there were no surprises.
One Last Stop, by Casey McQuiston
A cute story of found family, making one’s peace with one’s past, and falling in love with that incredibly hot girl on the subway train who turns out to be a punk lesbian ghost from the 70s. College student August, trying to get some distance from her past, finds herself in a community of adorable weirdos who help her get a job flipping pancakes at the local diner. On her commute, she finds herself constantly running into the fearless Jane, who never seems to change out of her outfit, and who has trouble remembering her past. The book juggles their star-crossed romance with side character relationships, family drama, long-buried mystery, and the pressure of paying rent in NYC, while also giving a nod to the fight for queer recognition through glimpses of Jane’s experiences. Plenty of plot holes so don’t think too closely about the details, but for a cozy comfort read, it’s a perfectly good time.
Pumpkin Heads, by Rainbow Rowell and Faith Erin Hicks
Super light and super cute, as sticky and sweet as a PSL. Friends who work a seasonal gig at a pumpkin patch try to drink in as much autumn joy as possible before saying goodbye to this stage of their lives. Full of the poignant endings of leaving high school and going to college. Love the characters’ unbridled joy in all things fall, and their unhesitating support for one another.