Thank you for joining me here! I hope you enjoy this series and I’d love to hear from you about what you are reading these days.
Book #1:
Part of Your World by Abby Jiminez (Length: 401 pages). I am a forever-Abby Jiminez fan and her latest release is officially one of my favorite books she has written. A wealthy surgeon from a legacy family and a famous hospital in Minnesota (think Mayo) stops in a small town 2 hours away from home and meets a hot carpenter who is babysitting a baby goal, and she’s a goner. But they are from two entirely different worlds and neither can move to where the other one lives, for a multitude of (believable) reasons. Can they possibly make it work? Abby Jiminez’s standard snappy repartee, believable chemistry between the two protagonists and great writing make this one a MUST READ. A fantastic rom-com that will break you out of any reading rut . . . I promise!
Book #2:
The Winners by Fredrik Backman (Length: 684 pages). Since this author’s Beartown is in my top 3 novels EVER, I was equal parts excited and sad to read this one, the last in the Beartown trilogy. I’m not sure how Backman is able to make almost 700 pages fly by, but he does. This novel is my favorite of the three as it features most of the same characters we have come to know (and love) as well as ties up all of the storylines. I will say that Backman is a bit manipulative with the reader’s emotions but if you’re willing to hang on, it’s worth the ride. I do appreciate that he tells you in the very beginning who will die, so it’s not a shock, but you can then see exactly why it happens because he is there with you every step of the way. This is definitely a book where you must read the first two in the series–it’s not as effective as a stand-alone novel, but even if it’s been a minute since you’ve read the first two, you’ll immediately remember who each of the major characters are and where they’ve been. I adored this novel!
Book #3:
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Length: 394 pages). This thinking person’s “rom com” was my book club’s pick for September. It reads more like a novel though . . . there is a bit of romance and a few funny lines, but this book is really an ode to feminism and female scientists in the 1960s. There are many lines which I highlighted during reading. This is one of my favorites: “[religion] lets us off the hook . . . it teaches us that nothing is really our fault; that something or someone else is pulling the strings, that ultimately we are not to blame for the way things are; that to improve things we should pray. But the truth is, we are very much responsible for the badness in the world. And we have the power to fix it.” If this also rings true to you, and you believe in science, you will also adore this book. Excellent character development, and the plot moves forward at a sufficiently entertaining pace. A must read in my opinion!
Book #4:
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren (Length: 395 pages). I literally hugged this book when I was finished. Written by a duo, this rom com features single mom Jessica who meets hot scientist River Pena, who has just happened to have invented a DNA-match dating service. Jessica’s 7 year old daughter Juno is a precocious, yet not annoying, character and the snappy dialogue in most of the book is from her, as well as Jessica’s BFF, Fizzy, a romance author. I love the depth of all of the characters, and unlike the previously-reviewed novel Lessons in Chemistry, they are all likeable here (if that’s important to you). The writing quality is strong and this novel has the best ending EVER. I’m immediately passing it on to my best friend. 🙂
Lora Terrill 