PositiveBookPageSussman cleverly shows how news cycles and the glare of the spotlight amplified their experiences ... [Kathleen\'s] willingness to mire in self-pity may test the patience of some readers. However, Kathleen and Cal’s evolution as a couple is refreshingly complex.
Annika Sharma
PositiveBookPageSharma poses the difficult question of how younger generations can evolve while still observing the practices of generations past. How lenient should we be with our parents and grandparents about their outdated opinions and practices? Are they even outdated? Should we try to teach them to be better? More future-thinking and progressive? How do you move forward if everybody stays on pause and never grows? There’s a lot to think about in this forbidden love story, chiefly how brave someone must be to follow their heart. Falling in love is terrifying, but in the end Kiran and Nash find their four-letter word.
Kerry Winfrey
PositiveBookPageKerry Winfrey’s Very Sincerely Yours is a sweet and lighthearted rom-com that will appeal to readers who prefer stories that focus more on character than conflict ... Very Sincerely Yours is a reminder of how important it is for you to focus on you—on the things that make you happy, that make you feel good, and on all your goals and hopes and dreams.
Rosie Danan
RaveBookpageA steamy contemporary romance that is every bit as enjoyable as her debut ... a triumph of feminist fiction, supporting the importance of healthy emotional and physical intimacy and showing how to make the world a better place with love ... sexy and modern and fun, but also thoughtful and authentic. Danan avoids tired stereotypes: Ethan isn’t the least bit squeamish about sex, and Naomi is vulnerable and open when considering their budding romance. There’s a lot at stake for both of these flawed, richly layered characters. For them to love each other, openly and without reserve, is a risk to their professional reputations ... Danan crafts a beautiful arc as Naomi learns to stand in the real world and let her true self shine through, reconciling both her \'superhero\' and \'secret\' identities, and trusting that Ethan will love all of who she is.
Tessa Bailey
PositiveBookPage... every bit as fun and sexy as [Bailey\'s] readers have come to expect ... The key elements of a Bailey rom-com are certainly present: snappy dialogue, likable characters and red-hot chemistry. But it’s the plot that makes this romance feel perfectly of the moment, and readers quickly learn that the house the main couple is flipping isn’t the only thing that needs a little overhaul. It’s hard to be perfect all the time, and Bethany embodies every modern woman I know who juggles career and relationships, self-confidence and vulnerability. Wes is a very lovable hero, stepping up to care for his niece while fighting his own insecurities from bouncing around different foster homes when he was younger ... This is such a timely story for an era of quarantining and social distancing, when families have had to reconfigure their own tools of engagement, learning how to shift gears and work from home, entertain less personal space or even take on new tasks like cooking and homeschooling. Bailey’s characters face their fates with good humor and hope, which is a good aspiration for her readers. I think she’d also like to know that, as usual, I laughed out loud while reading her book . . . and I may have even snorted.
Kerry Winfrey
PositiveBookPage... charming ... Chloe Sanderson is an optimistic, klutzy, hopeful ball of positivity, and reading from her perspective is the perfect nightcap to a long, arduous day ... Winfrey has built in all of the charming things that make rom-coms addictive: richly developed characters, a deep pool of supportive friends, awkward situations, goofy reactions, missed opportunities, big misunderstandings and grand gestures. This romance is slow building, but the journey is a delight.
Helenkay Dimon
PositiveBookPageDimon is a master at world building, and often writes heroic characters who find greatness within, rather than individuals who are weighed down with chests and walls full of medals. Everyday heroics are just as important as strong men and women who can leap single bounds—everyday heroics keep the world going ... readers get an immersion course in murder and mayhem with this second installment ... a complex story of love and grief, forgiveness and fresh starts. It’s a perfect story with which to wrap up the decade and forge a new path in the New Year. HelenKay Dimon is definitely on my keeper shelf.
Alexa Martin
PositiveBookpageAs the real-life wife of a former NFL player, Martin brings insight and experience to a fun, enjoyable series about the fictional Denver Mustangs. Reader, she knows her football! Martin captures the reality of the sexy, exciting and volatile culture of professional sports ...
Jill Shalvis
PositiveBookPageJust like every other book [Shalvis] has written, you can count on this one to make you feel good. Shalvis has a knack for creating charming characters who are vulnerable yet strong. They’re likable, relatable and possess the ability to face any challenge head-on ... my favorite book of the year so far. It’s the message we need for this new decade: Everybody struggles with change and challenge and hardship, but if you’re brave and take a leap of faith, you can be happy.
Andie J. Christopher
PositiveBookPageI enjoyed the portrayal of the struggles Hannah faces as a biracial woman, and many readers will see themselves in Christopher’s heroine. But I did find myself wishing that Jack and Hannah had struggled a little more in the beginning of their relationship rather than jumping into an instant attraction and regard for one another. Despite this flaw in believability, Christopher’s story comes full-circle and hits home when the truth is unveiled, because no healthy or lasting relationship can be built on lies ... There’s a lot of angst in this story about 20-something-year-old professionals, and if Cher had been either of their bosses she would’ve told them to just \'snap out of it,\' but don’t let the relative immaturity of the main couple turn you away from a promising new voice in romance.
Brenda Jackson
RaveBookpageBrenda Jackson kicks off a sensual new series set along the sultry Lousiana Gulf Coast with Love in Catalina Cove, a complicated tale of renewal and second chances. There’s an old-school feel to this book, with its colorful characters and gasping melodrama. Catalina Cove is a small town, with gossipy, small-minded people who circle around a scandal like a pack of vultures. Vashti Alcindor is living proof that sometimes, there’s no escaping the nosy small-town opinions. Years ago, they turned her personal tragedy into a community-wide scandal ... Jackson is a smooth storyteller, setting a pace as leisurely and sultry as the southern setting ... Jackson was the first African-American author to make both the New York Times and USA Today romance bestsellers list. And after twenty years in the business, books like Love in Catalina Cove prove that she’s still a prevailing force in romance.
