Weekly Reads: Sept 19 to 25, 2022
Welcome to the first edition of my weekly reads! My plan here is to recap the books and fanfics I’ve read from Monday to Sunday of the previous week. I’ve given myself Mondays to finish writing this post and then I’ll publish on Tuesdays. Hopefully you’ll enjoy hearing about my reads in more of a real-time setting. The reviews that I post on TikTok and Instagram are batch-created so I’ve got a backlog of them that I trickle out when I post. As far as reading “productivity” this week, it was probably a light-to-average reading week for me. But I still managed to read a few good books this week. I’ve highlighted my pick of the week below with a “🌟”.
Naughty or Nice Holiday Anthology (2022)
This one is a compilation of historical romance authors with holiday novellas that comes out on October 18, 2022. I only read one of the novellas in here this week. I generally don’t recommend trying to binge-read novellas because the stories tend to be fluffy and not very deep. I like to read novellas from within anthologies in between other longer/in-depth novels or when they fall into sequence into the other books by the same author.
The novella I read was A Very Daring Christmas by Charlie Lane and it is part of the Daring Debutantes series. This is a quick little second chance romance between a duchess’ younger sister and the dowager duchess’ steward. They were caught kissing and separated by the old bat and they’re thrown back together 6 months later at Christmas-time. Fluffy cute story that I mostly just skimmed.
Advance ebook provided by WOLF publishing via NetGalley.
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Heartless by Marissa Meyer (2016)
If you ever wanted a back story for the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, this one is for you. Our queen (before she’s a queen) is the daughter of a marquess and simply wants to open a bakery. As she’s being courted by the king, she ends up falling for the court joker, who is in town for his own secret mission. There’s a load of different adventures throughout the story and it’s definitely action-packed. While I enjoyed the story and the last quarter of the book, it kind of dragged along at some points and ultimately, we know that the lady will eventually become the queen.
Audiobook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Ebook borrowed from Kindle Unlimited.
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Bridgerton Fanfic: The Marriage Agreement by fade_like_starlight
Benedict/Penelope story that takes place a couple years after Season 2 of the Netflix series. While out on a promenade, Benedict realizes how charming Penelope is and proposes a deal where they will marry in two years if they do not find a love match in the meantime. The story covers that two year timeframe and it is a delightfully sweet slow burn. You get to watch their friendship bloom over the years and turn into affection and then more. I’m a sucker for rare pairs within the Bridgerton universe, and this one was really good. It’s one chapter, but 17,000+ words, so it’ll take a bit of time to read.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
🌟 A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone (2022)
Contemporary romance on the set of a sweet holiday rom-com movie for a squeaky clean network. Our heroine is a plus-sized adult entertainer and our hero is an ex-boy band member trying to rehabilitate his reputation. And of course, they each have a pre-existing crush on each other, so sparks fly and they start secretly spending naked time together. This book had all sorts of great callbacks to boy band hijinks (reality TV shows, rabid fans, and sketchy managers). We get to meet the other boy band members as well and I’m looking forward to reading their future stories.
Ebook borrowed from my local library via Libby. Print book provided by Avon Books and BiblioLifestyle.
Shop this book via Amazon // Bookshop.org // Libro.fm
Bridgerton Fanfic: Dreams Between Us by junipere5x5
Anthony/Kate one-shot that is an extended scene between the two at the art gallery in Season 2, Episode 7 of the TV series. It’s just a little expanded conversation that we didn’t see on screen, full of longing and sadness.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Bridgerton Fanfic: the very first night by beautifultropicalfish
Colin/Penelope one-shot that takes place after they are married and Penelope’s sister are teasing her for keeping her dance card with Colin’s name on it. Super cute and sweet. This fic blends the TV series and book series universes a bit.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
Valued by the Viscount by Alexa Aston (2022)
This book is the 6th in the Second Sons of London historical romance series. Our hero has previously appeared earlier in the series and was unsuccessful in courting a few of the other ladies we know. He’s looking to marry this year and looking forward to a house party where he can meet eligible ladies. The hostess of the party comes across a young widow at the cemetery and learns of the lady’s dire circumstances and brings her home. Our heroine has led a sheltered childhood, her parents died before she could make her debut, her brother sold her off to a cruel husband 30 years her senior, and now her stepson has booted her out of a home. Yikes! When our two main characters meet, they have an instant attraction and our viscount realizes how delicate he has to be with the lady. Overall, it was an easy read and I enjoyed seeing our viscount finally get his love match. This book will be available on Kindle Unlimited on October 4, 2022.
Advance ebook provided by Dragonblade Publishing via NetGalley.
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Harry Potter Fanfic: Everything Is Going to Change by Drops_of_CyprusGreen
Hermione/Draco one-shot where they’ve been potions and study partners and grow closer. I’m not sure on the timeframe this takes place, but it’s a short, quick, fluffy read.
Read this fic on Archive of Our Own
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Adoration for Ali Hazelwood
I have been reading Ali Hazelwood’s writing since before I knew she was Ali Hazelwood. Coming off a disappointing conclusion to The Rise of Skywalker, I was itching for Rey/Kylo Ren fanfiction (more adoringly known as Reylo). One of the writers I discovered in December 2019/January 2020 was Ever-So-Reylo on Archive of Our Own (Ao3, a popular fanfiction site) and she served up all the smutty goodness that can exist between two fictional characters. I read and enjoyed and moved on.
Fast forward to about January 2021 and I come across a cover reveal for an upcoming romantic comedy novel about a grad student fake dating her surly professor. And I’m thinking… wait… I’ve read this before. And this is around the time when I’m just starting to read traditionally published romance (rather than just Dramione or Reylo fic… more on those in a separate post), so I pop the book (The Love Hypothesis) onto my library’s wishlist and call it a day.
Fast forward again to Summer 2021 and this book is literally everywhere. It becomes a crazypants viral TikTok sensation and my fanfiction-loving heart is so excited for Ali! And since I had put this book on my library wishlist so long ago, I got to borrow the ebook the instant it was released.
The Love Hypothesis (2021)
I was very much looking forward to seeing how the book changed from the fanfiction version (which I had only a vague memory of) and was glad to see that most of the humor and banter remained in the book. To me, Ali’s writing is quick and quippy and steeped in pop culture. And I might just have the right amount of exposure to academia and be about the right age to understand most of the punchlines. And while there’s less smut than a fanfic (because really, what is fanfic if not just there for the smut), it’s still intensely entertaining.
STEMinist Novella Series (2022)
The background with these three novellas is that they were released in audiobook format three months before their corresponding ebook versions were released. My preferred format is ebook so my original plan was to just wait for the ebooks. However, those plans were busted when I started seeing all the social media buzz about the first book. And on a lunchtime whim, my friend and I decided to check to see if there were any library copies of the audiobook on publication day. I cannot tell you how excited we were to sneakily find a copy of Under One Roof at 2pm-ish on publication day at one of my area libraries with no holds. It’s like no one else realized it had been added to their catalog yet. And of course within hours of snagging the loans, there were a dozen people waiting behind us. And so it goes… now I’m an audiobook person. At least that day and the days of the other STEMinist novella launches.
But how were the stories?
Each book takes a different storytelling technique in terms of timeline. Under One Roof starts at one time point, then jumps back 6 months and then goes chronologically until we get back to present day. Stuck With You uses an every other chapter split where the past timeline is all one day told every other chapter and the present moves forward bit by bit. I vaguely recall Below Zero having a present day and flashback chunk in the middle before going back to present day. I also think these were originally one-shot fanfics that were converted into novellas. (A one-shot is a one-chapter fanfic with minimal set-up and a slice of life or *cough*smut*cough*).
Story-wise, we have a lot of miscommunication as the central conflict between the characters with a lot of instant attraction bringing them together. It’s pretty much light and fluffy town, which I generally expect from novellas. There is lots of witty banter and the spice is spicy. (which, ok, spice on audio? not for me…) Of the three, Under One Roof was my fave and Below Zero was my least fave.
Love on the Brain (2022)
The internet seems to have mixed reviews on Ali’s second full-length novel. Some say it’s too similar to The Love Hypothesis and some say that she only writes the same sort of grumpy-sunshine relationship. And I can see that. Really. We have a heroine-only point of view where she thinks that the guy in the story hates her (but really, he’s just terribly socially awkward and has been pining for her the whole time). If you’re looking for something other than a Kylo Ren/Ben Solo/Mr. Darcy character, you’ll be disappointed. But if you adore Mr. Darcy, the main character in Love on the Brain will give you exactly that. He’s grumpy and awkward and says all the wrong things in real life and all right things in his Twitter DMs. The comedy is funny and there’s more spice than The Love Hypothesis. Some of the plot points were a little underdeveloped plus there’s a workplace sabotage to uncover which comes out of nowhere, but if you’re here for fun and not for story, just ignore that, and enjoy the interactions between our two main characters.
Overall, I’m a fan of Ali’s humorous writing style and will continue to read her books. They might not float to the top of my list in terms of plot and story, but the bits that work are entertaining and I always feel like I had a good time reading.
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Book Review: Bridgerton Series by Julia Quinn
With all the hype that the Netflix series has gotten, I knew I had to read the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn. After reading them, I can definitely see why someone decided they needed to re-create it on screen.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn (2000)
Book 1 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Daphne Bridgerton is in her second Season of the Marriage Mart and looking for a suitable husband. She’s been friend-zoned by all the reasonable candidates and only gets proposed to by old guys or the idiotic Nigel Berbrooke. Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings, is back in London after his father’s death. The Ambitious Mamas have identified Simon as an oh-so-very-eligible catch for their daughters and he wants to avoid them. Simon and Daphne decide to fake-court so that Simon will appear unavailable and Daphne will appear more desirable. But of course they’re actually attracted to each other. Problem is that Simon has no desire to marry or have children (because of his own experiences with his father). They get caught in a compromising position and need to marry anyway. Expect angst with poor communication between our two leads, the absolute worst motherly “talk” about how babies are made, and a trigger warning about non-consensual relations between our couple. Starts as a fake-relationship trope, but it doesn’t last that long.
This novel is the basis for the first season of the Netflix series Bridgerton. The book focuses on the plot between the main couple of the story, with very little insight to the other characters. In the Netflix series, they punched up the drama by adding subplots for many of the other characters, and also added characters not seen in this novel. I agree with this artistic choice because it increases the pacing of the story and adds different characters for the audience to identify with. The series also kept a lot of the best moments of the book and the fun, humorous bits. Worth reading and worth watching.
The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (2000)
Book 2 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Viscount Anthony Bridgerton has decided that it’s time to find a wife. He’s not looking for a love match; he’s looking for someone who can conduct herself and serve as the next Viscountess Bridgerton. He has identified Edwina Sheffield as this Season’s diamond and aims to court her. The problem? Edwina’s older sister Kate is well-known as Edwina’s gatekeeper and she’s fully aware of Anthony’s not-so-gentlemanly reputation. Anthony and Kate have a contentious relationship as he attempts to court Edwina. Though there is that idea that passionate arguments may lead to other types of passionate encounters… Probably considered an enemies-to-lovers story. Ultimately, Edwina isn’t as smitten as we think, Nigel Berbrooke continues to be an idiot, somehow a bee sting can cause a compromising situation, and everyone important has a tragic backstory.
An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn (2001)
Book 3 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Want to talk about a tragic backstory? Let’s talk about Sophie Beckett. Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of the Earl of Penwood whom she lives with as his ward. The Earl marries, his wife and her two daughters move in, he dies, and Sophie becomes an unpaid maid. One night, she sneaks off to a masquerade ball, where she dances with Benedict Bridgerton. She runs away at midnight, leaving him with her glove. Benedict tries to track down the owner of the glove and inquires at Penwood House; when Lady Penwood realizes that Sophie attended the ball, she throws Sophie out. Cut to a few years later, Benedict has been pining over the mysterious Silver Lady he met at the masquerade. He’s at a house party with a bunch of drunken louts and plans to tell his host he’s leaving, when he comes across a group of them assaulting a young woman. He rescues her and they leave. The woman? It’s Sophie. She recognizes him, but he doesn’t recognize her at all. The rest of the story follows their growing (continued?) attraction for each other, issues with their social class differences, her dodgy back story (apparently she speaks too eloquently to be a servant), and meeting up with the other Bridgertons.
Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (2002)
Book 4 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Colin Bridgerton is back in England after many years of extensive travel. He has no idea what he is meant to do with his life; Anthony is the head of the family, Benedict is an artist, and Colin is… adrift. Penelope Featherington is coming to terms with the unlikelihood that she will ever marry; she’s 28-years-old and has never had any marriage proposals. At least now, she can sit down and eat eclairs with all the other spinsters and chaperones. As Colin and Penelope constantly cross paths (she is best friends with his sister Eloise, after all), he starts to notice her in a way he hadn’t before. This one is the story where the girl pines for the boy for years, the boy doesn’t see her in a romantic way, the boy finally figures out he’s attracted to the girl, and they both get to be happy. Of the Bridgerton books I’ve read up to this point, this one is my favorite. There are so many scenes in this book that made me smile or laugh. As a fellow wallflower, I adore Penelope Featherington. I also love the way Colin takes on Penelope’s mother. Oh, and this is the book when we finally unmask Lady Whistledown, London’s most notorious gossip columnist.
To Sir Phillip, with Love by Julia Quinn (2003)
Book 5 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Eloise Bridgerton has been a proud spinster. Who needs to marry anyway? She’s got her family, her hobbies, her freedom, and her best friend Penelope to share in spinsterhood. Except… well… we’ve read about Penelope in the previous book. And all of a sudden, Eloise is alone. She has been exchanging letters with Phillip Crane for the past year (after the death of his wife, Eloise’s cousin, Marina), and his last one was a request to meet to see if they would be suitable for marriage. It sounded crazy when she read it… but maybe she should take him up on it. Eloise impulsively runs off to Phillip’s house to meet him and neither are what the other expects. He thought she’d be a desperate spinster (she’s not), and she had no idea that he had two kids (they’re terribly unruly and he’s mostly looking for their new mother). But still, they muddle through to see if they’d suit. And the Bridgerton brothers show up at some point for much needed hilarity and heartfelt talks. Expect the usual breaking down of emotional barriers and getting through to an unsociable and taciturn man, taming unruly children through attention and affection, and all that happily ever after stuff.
When He was Wicked by Julia Quinn (2004)
Book 6 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. We’ve heard bits and pieces about Francesca Bridgerton in previous books, but now we finally get to focus on her story. She marries John Stirling (Earl of Kilmartin), but he tragically dies in his sleep, leaving her a widow at age 22. John’s cousin, Michael, is set to inherit the Earldom. However, he has been secretly in love with Francesca and cannot bear to take John’s place in all his duties. He flees the country. Meanwhile, Francesca has been the steward of the Kilmartin estate and mourns her husband; eventually, when she finds herself longing for a baby, Francesca decides to remarry. She still loves her husband, so she isn’t looking for someone to love. Michael returns from his travels and finds that his feelings for Francesca have not abated. And while Francesca used to see Michael as nothing more than a good friend, she starts to realize that he’s an attractive man. But is she dishonoring her husband by lusting after Michael? At this point, we start to see the timelines overlap among Colin’s, Eloise’s, and Francesca’s stories. I love to read about my favorite characters with different points of view that add to previous books. Colin’s interactions with Michael in this book are hilarious (and we get to read about him telling Michael about Penelope in this one, from Michael’s point of view).
It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn (2005)
Book 7 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Hyacinth Bridgerton is the youngest of the bunch; she’s outspoken and brash, and slightly tired of this whole finding a husband business. Gareth St. Clair has been dealing with his disappointing brute of a father by avoiding responsibility at all costs. His only endearing quality is how he dotes on his maternal grandmother, Lady Danbury. Since Hyacinth and Lady Danbury have struck up an odd friendship, Hyacinth and Gareth cross paths quite frequently. When Gareth receives his paternal grandmother’s diary, he needs help translating it since it is written in Italian. Lucky for him, Hyacinth reads Italian. Our two heroes work together to discover Grandma St. Clair’s secrets, grow closer together, and uncover some secrets from Gareth’s past.
On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (2006)
Book 8 of Bridgerton Series
Regency-era romance. Gregory Bridgerton has always believed in love. With seven siblings in disgustingly happy marriages, he’s seen the evidence of it. When he first sees Hermione Watson at his brother’s house party, he falls instantly in love with her. But so does every other man that sets sights on her. Lucy Abernathy is Hermione’s best friend and sees that Gregory stands out from the rest, so she decides to help him woo her friend. When it ultimately doesn’t work out with Hermione, Gregory and Lucy come to realize their feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Lucy is engaged to somebody else, and Lucy is pragmatic and practical about her duties and responsibilities. What will Gregory do to win over Lucy? And will Lucy follow her duty or her heart?
I’ve made some brush lettered printable bookmarks to go along with the couples from this book series. Get the download here.
Book Review: The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon
I’ve finally decided to put my library card to work and read a bunch of novels this year. As I read them, I’d love to share them with you. So here it goes… quick little book summaries that hopefully get you interested in your own reading habits.
The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2021)
Contemporary romance. Shay Goldstein has worked in public radio for a decade; she’s a show producer but has always dreamed of being on air. Dominic Yun is new to the station but thinks he knows everything because he went to grad school. When the station wants to start a new dating and relationship show hosted by a broken-up couple, Shay and Dominic are picked because of the witty arguing they do (even though they’ve never dated). As they learn how to be exes, Shay and Dominic learn more about each other… and get closer (duh, it’s a romance novel). Clever integration of podcast transcripts between chapters. Starts as enemies-to-lovers, but barely. Fun, flirty, banter. Definitely enjoyable to read – I could totally see this one turning into a movie that I’d love to watch.
Keeping the romance alive… I’ve made some brush lettered printable bookmarks to go along with the couple from this book. Get the download here.
