Book Review: The Incomplete Artist by Philip Wyeth

Title: The Incomplete Artist 
Author: Philip Wyeth 
Series: Ashley Westgard #2
Genre: Mystery
Date of Publication: March 12, 2021
Publisher: Self-published

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Synopsis

An evening at the art gallery… The clinking of wine glasses… The hopeful thrill of a first date… But someone has murder on their mind!

All that Detective Ashley Westgard wanted was a night off—and maybe a little romance later on. But when a body is discovered during an event with dozens of wealthy art collectors in attendance, her fairy tale dream turns into a nightmare for everyone. Now Ash must put her hopes on hold, flash her police badge, and take control of the crime scene… “This is my gallery now!”

In the hi-tech world of 2045, where even artists are threatened by the encroaching tide of automation, a self-proclaimed anachronistic group called Movement 24 both asserts and defends the value of human creativity. But along with popular acclaim come the temptations of greed, and now M-24’s idealistic quirks risk crossing over into fanaticism. Or… have they already gone too far?

While Ash explores this peculiar niche of society to track down a killer, she is also forced to confront some of her own worst flaws. Her heart, her mind, and her instincts all vie for center stage in a battle of conflicting priorities—but can the pursuit of truth and justice coexist with personal ambition and the quest for contentment? An intense, complex, and enigmatic heroine, Ashley Westgard is well on her way to earning a place in the pantheon of famous female sleuths.

Here, in his seventh novel, author Philip Wyeth once again delivers a full-immersion experience complete with polished prose, vividly drawn characters, and an imaginative plot. As always, he balances his prescient visions with touches of humor to remain grounded and digestible for readers.

With The Incomplete Artist, Wyeth offers more than the average murder mystery through a unique blend of police procedural, fairy tale, science fiction, and psychological elements. At the same time, it is very much a treatise on the philosophy of art, and pays tribute to artists of all stripes who engage in that noble and often lonely struggle to bring their creative visions into the world.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

An Agatha Christie murder mystery–but with robots. 

The Incomplete Artist is the second in the Ashley Westgard series. While I didn’t read the first, the author provides a nice little note at the beginning that prepares the reader for an unconventional murder mystery. How is it unconventional, you ask? It’s set in the year 2045.

The first half of the book takes place during an art auction. Detective Ashley Westgard is there as a civilian. She’s on a first date with a man named Thomas who’s regaling her with his extensive knowledge of the art world. She spends the evening meeting the artists and other event attendees. But then one of them ends up murdered.

That’s when the book becomes a little more science fiction. As I said before, the year is 2045, and forensic science has changed quite a bit in just 23 years. Despite the sci fi elements, the book still reads like a typical murder mystery – more cozy than procedural, though elements of the latter genre get heavier as the book progresses. 

The style of writing and the pacing all reminded me a lot of a Hercule Poirot mystery, many of which I devoured when I was younger. The old style of talking and Wyeth’s narrative style nicely blends the antiquated concept of an in-person art auction with a nice spattering of futuristic content. Ash is a strong female lead who also happens to be a police detective, and in this novel, her profession encroaches on her personal life.

The Incomplete Artist is slow paced, like historical cozy mysteries, and there are a lot of characters to meet and names to learn. Considering the length of the book, I would have liked for a little more action earlier in the story, and maybe for the murder investigation to move a little quicker. That said, Wyeth’s explorations of the future of art and automation was quite interesting, if not what I was expecting from the story when I first started to read it.  

I enjoyed getting a snippet of Wyeth’s interpretation of what the art world–and forensic investigations–could look like in 23 years. I recommend this book if you’re a fan of classic whodunits–with a twist. 

*Thank you to Blackthorn Book Tours and the author for the ebook to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

Title: The House Across the Lake
Author: Riley Sager
Genre: Thriller
Date of Publication: June 21, 2022
Publisher: Dutton

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Synopsis

The New York Times best-selling author of Final Girls and Survive the Night (“a master of the twist and the turn” – Rolling Stone) is back with his most unexpected thriller yet.

Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.

One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving.

With his trademark blend of sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy surprises, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake unveils more than one twist that will shock readers until the very last page. 

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

I, like most other Sager die-hard fans, have very mixed feelings about this book. The first two-thirds of the book is very familiar. The general plot has been done so many times before. An alcoholic woman sits in her window watching the couple across the lake, and when the wife goes missing, the heroine becomes convinced that the husband did her in. The plot is clearly inspired by Rear Window, and, unfortunately, a good chunk of the book did not have an original spin on this. 

But then there’s the twist. At first, I was amazed. It was such a clever and shocking twist that floored me. The book is told in two timelines, with the “Now” timeline giving us little snippets of what’s currently happening, and the “Before” timeline taking up most of the narrative. Once that twist happened, I was absolutely taken aback by how brilliantly Sager had misled the reader in the “Now” timeline, and I’d been convinced of very specific things that were clearly misdirections. Unfortunately, Sager did not take this twist in the direction that I was expecting. I don’t want to spoil this for readers, but if you’ve read other Sager books, you’ll know that he generally follows the typical script of thrillers. He doesn’t deviate too far from genre norms, or dip into other genres. The twist in this book requires a huge suspension of disbelief, one that he could have prepared the reader for with more thoughtful writing in the first two thirds of the book. Instead of preparing the reader to be absolutely stunned by the nature of the twist, he should have been laying the ground work for readers to find that type of twist more palatable.  

All this said, Sager does have a fabulous writing style, and I was sucked into the way that he describes the setting, the lake, and the faded movie star’s tragic past. But that just wasn’t enough for me.

It pains me to give this book 3 stars, because Riley Sager writes like no other and, as a writer, I get serious imposter syndrome every time I read his prose. I love his use of metaphors and description, and he writes heart palpitation-inducing scenes like they’re going out of style. I absolutely love his writing, and I (usually) love his plotlines and clever twists. I feel like I would have enjoyed this book a lot more had I been forewarned that he was going to be going in a completely new direction.

*Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ebook to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: Belle Morte by Bella Higgin

Title: Belle Morte
Author: Bella Higgin
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Date of Publication: April 5, 2022
Publisher: Wattpad Books

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Synopsis

There’s only one way out

Belle Morte. One of five houses where vampires reside as celebrities and humans are paid to be their living donors. While others came here seeking fortune, I came in search of my sister who walked into Belle Morte five months ago . . . and never walked back out.

Now that I’m here, the secrets about this world have proven to be much bigger than I ever anticipated. And lurking around every corner are shocking insinuations of what happened to my sister.

There’s only one person who might have the answers I need, and the undeniable pull I feel toward him is terrifying: Edmond Dantès―a vampire, and my mortal enemy.

The harder I try to resist him, the further I fall under his spell. And in one instant my life is irrevocably changed. My past becomes prologue and my fate becomes sealed behind these doors.

Belle Morte has spoken. And it may never let me go. 

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

Belle Morte is a young adult vampire romance with thrills and espionage thrown into the mix. Renie Mayfield is an eighteen-year-old girl living in a world where vampires are not only known about, but are basically celebrities. Renie’s sister was selected to become a blood donor and moved into one of the UK vampire mansions months ago, and Renie hasn’t heard from her in months. Desperate to find her sister, Renie applies to become a donor and go undercover at Belle Morte. 

This book is told from two points of view. Renie’s POV is first person and dominates the narrative, but we also occasionally get the third=person point of view of Edmond, one of Belle Morte’s handsome vampires. While I enjoyed knowing what Edmond is thinking, and we find out right away that he’s keeping secrets, I would have preferred to have had only Renie’s POV, as that would have increased the suspense. Knowing that Edmond–and the other vampires–aren’t terrible monsters right away muted some of the story’s suspense. 

The romance between Renie and Edmond is sweet and slow-burn, and I could definitely see a heavy influence from Twilight in the nature of the story. That said, the author is a fan of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and I was delighted to spot some references to the horror classic. I’m not sure if it was intentional, but Renie Mayfield sure sounds a lot like Renfield! (Why else would you shorten “Irene” to “Renie”?) Fortunately, Renie is completely different from Renfield in personality and she isn’t doomed the same fate as that Stoker character. (Otherwise this wouldn’t be a romance!) 

Book Review: Well Matched by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Matched
Author: Jen DeLuca
Series: Well Met #3
Genre: Romance, Chick Lit
Date of Publication: October 19, 2021
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

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Synopsis

An accidentally in-love rom-com filled with Renaissance Faire flower crowns, kilts, corsets, and sword fights.

Single mother April Parker has lived in Willow Creek for twelve years with a wall around her heart. On the verge of being an empty nester, she’s decided to move on from her quaint little town, and asks her friend Mitch for his help with some home improvement projects to get her house ready to sell.

Mitch Malone is known for being the life of every party, but mostly for the attire he wears to the local Renaissance Faire–a kilt (and not much else) that shows off his muscled form to perfection. While he agrees to help April, he needs a favor too: she’ll pretend to be his girlfriend at an upcoming family dinner, so that he can avoid the lectures about settling down and having a more “serious” career than high school coach and gym teacher. April reluctantly agrees, but when dinner turns into a weekend trip, it becomes hard to tell what’s real and what’s been just for show. But when the weekend ends, so must their fake relationship.

As summer begins, Faire returns to Willow Creek, and April volunteers for the first time. When Mitch’s family shows up unexpectedly, April pretends to be Mitch’s girlfriend again…something that doesn’t feel so fake anymore. Despite their obvious connection, April insists they’ve just been putting on an act. But when there’s the chance for something real, she has to decide whether to change her plans–and open her heart–for the kilt-wearing hunk who might just be the love of her life.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

This book is marketed as a rom com, but it’s much closer to women’s fiction, (but with that expected Happy Ever After that we expect in romance novels). While the book is broadly about April finding love, she’s also finding a renewed purpose in life and figuring out who she really is in the process. While the pacing of this book is quite slow, the introspection gives us the opportunity to really get into April’s head and dive into the life she’s built for herself in Willow Creek. Her daughter is graduating from high school, and then she’ll be going off to university. April should be ecstatic–she’s wanted nothing more than to sell her house and leave this town behind. But this summer, she’s forced to confront what she really wants, and the true reason why Willow Creek has never truly felt like home, which has nothing to do with the town or its residents and everything to do with her and her outlook on life. 

The atmosphere of this book is tinged with melancholy. April is a forty-year-old divorcee. She broke up with her husband shortly after her eighteen-year-old daughter, Caitlin, was born, and she hasn’t had any serious relationships since. They moved to Willow Creek, but April resisted setting down roots. She has her book club, and her sister recently moved to town (Read Well Met for that epic tale!), but she doesn’t have much else tying her to this location. Even Mitch, who was delightful and cheery in the previous two books, seems a lot more subdued in this novel. He’s still got charisma, but it isn’t enough to make the contents of the book match its cheery blue cover.

Like the previous two books in this series, DeLuca has taken a common trope as the basis for this story. Mitch Malone asks April to be his fake girlfriend for a family gathering, and a lot of the expected clichés come out of it (sharing a bedroom–and a bed, etc.). My favourite part of the previous two books in this series–and subsequently this book–is the parts set at the Renaissance Faire. Unfortunately, the first half of this book is set before the faire rolls into town, and those chapters lacked the colour and flavour that I have come to love–and expect–in this series. Once the Faire does start, it’s still not quite the same, because the book is from April’s point of view, and she’s never been a huge fan of the Faire (or anything requiring any kind of participation or fun). DeLuca does make up for this later on in the book, but I was hoping for more than a few chapters set at the Renaissance Faire. It’s what makes this series truly unique, and it otherwise is just a rehashing of old tropes without a fresh new take on them.  Honestly, the scenes with Captain Blackthorne (the first book’s hero’s alter ego), made me nostalgic for the fun and renaissance faire-filled goodness from the first instalment in the series.

All in all, this is a quick read for fans of the fake girlfriend trope, but don’t go into it expecting the usual Willow Creek Renaissance Faire shenanigans.

*Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the ebook to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: How Sweet It Is by Dylan Newton

Title: How Sweet It Is
Author: Dylan Newton
Genre: Romance
Date of Publication: July 13, 2021
Publisher: Forever

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Synopsis

Event planner Kate Sweet is famous for creating the perfect happily-ever-after moment for her clients’ dream weddings. So how is it that her best friend has roped her into planning a bestselling horror writer’s book launch extravaganza? But the second Kate meets—or rather, accidentally maims—the drop-dead-hot Drake Matthews, her well-ordered life quickly transforms into an absolute nightmare.

Drake Matthews is tired of the spotlight and tired of his reputation as the Knight of Nightmares. He’s really a nice guy! But he’s not prepared for Kate, a fearless agent of chaos in steel-tipped stilettos, or for that sweet sting of attraction he feels for her. She’s inspiring him to take his writing in a whole new direction—one that no one expects. Because now Kate and Drake are changing up the rules, and this plot twist might just surprise everyone . . . including themselves.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

If you’re looking for a sweet, zero angst, fun book, then this is the one for you! The plot is very much like that of a Hallmark movie–with some humor, the setting of a small town just outside of New York City, and adorable interactions between the hero and the heroine. 

Kate Sweet works as an event planner, and her primary focus is on planning Cinderella-like weddings for her clients. The book opens when her best friend, a publicist for a book publisher, reaches out to her for help. She has to plan an infamous horror author’s book launch party in only thirty days. Kate agrees to do this, but this type of event is a lot… spookier than what she’s used to…

Right off the bat, the first chapter sets the tone for the book. Despite the implications that the book’s description gives, there’s very little conflict in this book. It’s light and airy, and despite the hero being a horror novelist, there is absolutely no gore or scary bits (unless you consider accidentally making a child cry at a pumpkin carving contest horror).

Book Review: Well Played by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Played
Author: Jen DeLuca
Genre: Romance
Series: Well Met #2
Date of Publication: September 22, 2020
Publisher: Berkley

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Synopsis

Stacey is jolted when her friends Simon and Emily get engaged. She knew she was putting her life on hold when she stayed in Willow Creek to care for her sick mother, but it’s been years now, and even though Stacey loves spending her summers pouring drinks and flirting with patrons at the local Renaissance Faire, she wants more out of life. Stacey vows to have her life figured out by the time her friends get hitched at Faire next summer. Maybe she’ll even find The One.

When Stacey imagined “The One,” it never occurred to her that her summertime Faire fling, Dex MacLean, might fit the bill. While Dex is easy on the eyes onstage with his band The Dueling Kilts, Stacey has never felt an emotional connection with him. So when she receives a tender email from the typically monosyllabic hunk, she’s not sure what to make of it.

Faire returns to Willow Creek, and Stacey comes face-to-face with the man with whom she’s exchanged hundreds of online messages over the past nine months. To Stacey’s shock, it isn’t Dex—she’s been falling in love with a man she barely knows.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

I was so excited to return to the Willow Creek’s Renaissance Faire! 

I adore Jen Deluca’s writing style.  Like Well Met, her voice shines through in the protagonist’s inner dialogue.  This is definitely a feel-good novel, and the book is chock full of humorous observations and witty banter.

Unfortunately, the romance was lacking for me in this book.  It seemed a little too easy, and, quite frankly, Daniel was bland.  I loved Simon Well Met. He was a strict rule follower, had a sense of obligation to continue on his brother’s legacy, but he gradually revealed a playful side when he played his part of pirate in the Renaissance Faire. But with Daniel? I really couldn’t tell you much about him, other than the fact that he feels like he’s trapped in his cousins’ shadow and he kind of likes cats. We only get Stacey’s point of view in this novel, and unfortunately we weren’t privy to any scenes where Daniel may or may not have talked about his likes and interests while they were falling in love.

That said, there are some sweet moments, particularly when they’re still in the long-distance, lies-riddled, texting/emails stage of their relationship.  

Stacey’s decisions were also a little foreign to me.  She is far too forgiving of Daniel’s lies, and to be honest, he didn’t even expect her to forgive him. He never really fights for their relationship, even in the climactic scene, when this burden lies on Stacey’s shoulders. The word that comes to mind when describing Daniel is “passive”.  He’s very nonconfrontational, dispassionate, and… boring. Sorry!

That said, Stacey is a compelling and three-dimensional protagonist, and I did love reading her perspective and revisiting this captivating world that DeLuca has created. I’m hoping that Emily’s sister will be the one to find love in the next book!  (Maybe with Mitch???)

I recommend this book to those who want to return to the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire for another romantic getaway.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: The Cipher by Kathe Koja

Title: The Cipher 
Author: Kathe Koja
Genre: Horror
Date of Publication: Initial publication 1991, Rerelease: September 15, 2020
Publisher: Meerkat Press LLC

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Synopsis

Nicholas is a would-be poet and video-store clerk with a weeping hole in his hand – weeping not blood, but a plasma of tears…

It began with Nakota and her crooked grin. She had to see the dark hole in the storage room down the hall. She had to make love to Nicholas beside it, and stare into its secretive, promising depths. Then Nakota began her experiments: First, she put an insect into the hole. Then a mouse…

Now from down the hall, the black hole calls out to Nicholas every day and every night. And he will go to it. Because it has already seared his flesh, infected his soul, and started him on a journey of obsession – through its soothing, blank darkness into the blinding core of terror…

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

Koja writes with a style that’s not quite like any other.  The tone is gritty and dark and ripe with twisted metaphor.  She employs sentence fragments and run on sentences like no other author can.  She uses almost a stream of consciousness style that grows more and more erratic and confusing as the novel progresses. This in itself instills a level of disorientation in the reader, which mimics the feelings and internal conflict that Nicholas himself is going through.  There were times when I had to reread passages multiple times, because the style and what was happening were so peculiar that I couldn’t follow. I can see this as both a good and a bad thing. It’s clear that Nicholas isn’t in quite the right frame of mind, but as a reader, I wanted a little more clarity as to what was happening.  Not full clarity (I love the abstract style), but a little more concrete so that I wouldn’t have to reread and the impact of what was truly happening could sink in.  

At first, the concept of the funhole is fascinating in its simplicity. However, as the novel progresses, the effects of the funhole become stranger and stranger, which, unfortunately, negatively affected my ability to be immersed in the story.  

I found that the ending of the novel fell a little flat for me. It fits well with the underlying theme of the novel, and I won’t give any spoilers, but I needed more. The book starts off disturbing right off the bat, and while the rest of the events of the book are disturbing and they do escalate in severity, but the level of disturbingness doesn’t escalate. No scene in the novel is more disturbing that than scene in the first couple of chapters (no spoilers, but it was messed up!) This disappointed me just a little.  

While the writing style was hard to follow, this novel is quite a page turner. I was compelled to learn more, to see what Nakota would do next in her insatiable desire to learn more about the funhole, and to see how Nicholas would react.

I recommend this book to horror fans who read for language and want to read a book that has a dark and perverted style that will keep them turning the pages.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: You Lucky Dog by Julia London

Title: You Lucky Dog
Author: Julia London
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Date of Publication: August 25, 2020
Publisher: Berkley Romance

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Synopsis

An accidental dog swap unleashes an unexpected love match in this new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Julia London.

Carly Kennedy’s life is in a spiral. She is drowning in work, her divorced parents are going through their midlife crises, and somehow Carly’s sister convinces her to foster Baxter–a basset hound rescue with a bad case of the blues. When Carly comes home late from work one day to discover that the dog walker has accidentally switched out Baxter for another perkier, friendlier basset hound, she has reached the end of her leash.

When Max Sheffington finds a depressed male basset hound in place of his cheerful Hazel, he is bewildered. But when cute, fiery Carly arrives on his doorstep, he is intrigued. He was expecting the dog walker, not a pretty woman with firm ideas about dog discipline. And Carly was not expecting a handsome, bespectacled man to be feeding her dog mac and cheese. Baxter is besotted with Hazel, and Carly realizes she may have found the key to her puppy’s happiness. For his sake, she starts to spend more time with Hazel and Max, until she begins to understand the appeal of falling for your polar opposite.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

This is a sweet romance with some laugh-out loud funny moments. Carly is a publicist for a fashion designer, and she has to wear his outfits as a part of her promotion–outfits that get her into some truly hilarious trouble when she has to do, well, anything.

The theme of dogs carries throughout the story, and it is a definite strength of the novel. Max and Carly are brought together because of their nearly identical dogs, who are seemingly smitten with one another.  Max’s research at the university deals with the neuroscience of the brain and he uses dogs in his research. His younger brother has autism, and he loves dogs.

This book also has strong family themes, as both Carly and Max have complicated personal lives.  Max’s love for his younger brother makes him a sweet and caring character, despite the fact that he may come across as aloof and overly “scientist-y” to others.

While the tone of the novel itself is sweet, it has a bit of a gloomy feel to it. It’s hard to explain. Maybe it’s because of their personal lives, but I felt quite sad while reading it, even during the funny bits.  Both Max and Carly are under a lot of pressure–Carly with losing her job, her parent’s divorce, the ever-increasing rent of her home, and Max with going up for tenure against the department’s star researcher.  The one highlight in their lives seems to be each other, and of course, their relationship isn’t easy. There’s a major twist about halfway through the book that really puts a wrench in what they have found together, and while it seemed like it was intended to be funny, it did fall flat to me a little.

I recommend this book to lovers of romance novels that have a strong dog-lovers theme.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the arc to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: More than Maybe by Erin Hahn

Title: More than Maybe
Author: Erin Hahn
Genre: Young Adult, Romance
Date of Publication: July 21, 2020
Publisher: Wednesday Books

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Synopsis

“Growing up under his punk rocker dad’s spotlight, eighteen-year-old Luke Greenly knows fame and wants nothing to do with it. His real love isn’t in front of a crowd, it’s on the page. Hiding his gift and secretly hoarding songs in his bedroom at night, he prefers the anonymous comfort of the locally popular podcast he co-hosts with his outgoing and meddling, far-too-jealousy-inspiringly-happy-with-his-long-term-boyfriend twin brother, Cullen. But that’s not Luke’s only secret. He also has a major un-requited crush on music blogger, Vada Carsewell.

Vada’s got a five year plan: secure a job at the Loud Lizard to learn from local legend (and her mom’s boyfriend) Phil Josephs (check), take over Phil’s music blog (double check), get accepted into Berkeley’s prestigious music journalism program (check, check, check), manage Ann Arbor’s summer concert series and secure a Rolling Stone internship. Luke Greenly is most definitely NOT on the list. So what if his self-deprecating charm and out-of-this-world music knowledge makes her dizzy? Or his brother just released a bootleg recording of Luke singing about some mystery girl on their podcast and she really, really wishes it was her?”

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

More than Maybe is like a music-nerd’s heaven.  It’s chock full of references to great bands and artists, and as I was reading, I kept wanting to listen to the songs they were talking about.  (In case you were wondering, lounging on the couch listening to The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater Weather” while reading a good book is the perfect way to spend a Monday night!)

While More than Maybe is well written, and I truly connected with the characters, it was missing that X-Factor.  Parts of the book felt a lot stronger than others. In particular, the prologue had me itching to read the novel, but it did start off very slow.  It gradually becomes clear that Vada and Luke already know who each other is (which isn’t entirely obvious from the description of the book), and they’ve been casual acquaintances for the last 3 – 4 years. We don’t get a meet cute, and the very beginning is so vague that it’s hard to tell how long they’ve known each other or how well they know each other until a little too far into the book.  

I loved both Vada and Luke and their dynamic, but I felt like the plot was lacking… something. There weren’t many obstacles for them to overcome in their love, unless of course both of them suffering from varying degrees of shyness is truly an obstacle.  Also–Luke is shy, and he’s had a crush on Vada since they met, BUT he’s had a bunch of girlfriends in the past? That part I don’t get. If he liked Vada, why didn’t he ask her out? There needed to be an explanation for this, and it could have been something simple and cliche like “He didn’t really like the other girls as much as he liked Vada, and he was afraid of rejection”. It would be cheesy, but still a solution to this little plothole.

Both Vada and Luke have issues in their lives that keeps the plot fresh.  Vada wants to go to college, and she’s dealing with navigating her relationship with her deadbeat dad and trying to find the courage to ask him for the money she needs.  Luke’s father is a former rock star, and Luke is dealing with the problem that his family doesn’t respect that he doesn’t want to perform music, and he’s writing his music in secret for himself.  There is a very subtle and well-executed character arc that Luke goes through as he discovers who he is.  (Super vague, I know, but I don’t really want to spoil anything).  

While the plot isn’t quite what I was expecting, this romance is very cute, and the novel has a nice, fulfilling conclusion.  

I recommend this book to those looking for a music-themed young adult romance.  

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review*

Find the book:

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Review: The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams

Title: The Love Square
Author: Laura Jane Williams
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction
Date of Publication: June 29, 2020
Publisher: Avon Books UK

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Synopsis

She’s single. But it can still be complicated…

Penny Bridge has always been unlucky in love.

So she can’t believe it when she meets a remarkable new man.

Followed by another.

And then another…

And all of them want to date her.

Penny has to choose between three. But are any of them The One?

The bestselling author of Our Stop will have you laughing, crying and cheering Penny on in this funny and feel-good exploration of hope, romance and the trust it takes to finally fall in love. Perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane’s If I Never Met You and Beth O’Leary’s The Flatshare.

– Goodreads

My Thoughts

After having devoured Our Stop and falling in love with Laura Jane Williams’ characters, humour, and writing style, I had high hopes for this novel. But this one is nothing like Our Stop, and I think that’s what made me have a hard time with it. It’s much more heartfelt and serious, with very little humour. 

Penny is an old soul, and I say that because while reading the first few chapters, I was sure she was an older woman. When it was revealed that she’s only thirty, I was shocked.  I think it’s a combination of her irritability, her having given up on finding love, the success she’s already found in her career, and her general outlook on life.  I have to say that I wasn’t a fan of Penny’s. She’s indecisive, which I can accept, since that’s honestly a critical aspect of the plot of the book. (If she wasn’t indecisive, she would be able to pick her man right away!)  But one part that really got to me was her jealousy. Can she honestly be upset that the men she’s with aren’t monogamous when she herself isn’t? That said, there was a little bit of slut shaming in this book that really upset me, and honestly made me dissatisfied with the man that she ends up choosing in the end.  

The blurb for the novel is a little misleading, and she isn’t truly dating three guys at the same time.  While the book has feminist themes, I wanted her to genuinely date these three men for the majority of the book, but she only starts to date the third man around the 60% mark. Based on my experience reading Our Stop, I had assumed that there would be humorous scenes where she bumps into one man while on a date with another, and other romantic comedy situations, but this book only has one or two of these, and the tone was all off. I felt more of a sense of dread than being overwhelmed with the giggles like I was during awkward scenes in her previous book.  

I know I shouldn’t be so critical, but when the blurb tells you that you will be laughing and crying while reading a “feel good book” I expect to laugh and “feel good” while reading it. Oh well. I’ll still check out the author’s next book, and I hope that she’ll return to the romantic comedy genre.  

I recommend this book to those looking for a heartfelt novel about a woman trying to figure out her identity.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review*

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