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A review by althea
Humbug by Amanda Radley
3.0
I am a huge sucker for Christmassy sapphic reads, and Amanda Radley did not disappoint with her latest release. This is my second book by Radley and I have to say, I really enjoy her writing style! This is an age-gap office romance with an ice queen main character (very fitting for the season, no?), Rosalind, who tasks our second main character, Ellie, with re-planning the company's famous Christmas party after it is sabotaged last minute.
The romance in this book was definitely sweet and I think that the way Radley tackled the office romance while taking into account the ethics of the situation was really well done. The two main characters definitely had amazing chemistry and I loved all of the side characters too, including Rosalind's daughter and Ellie's best friend in the office. Everything about the character relationships in this book was so heartwarming and just perfect for the chilly weather we're having right now.
Ellie is tasked with taking on the Christmas party because she is known as 'Christmas Girl' - she has tinsel up on her desk year-round and loves listening to carols in the height of summer. Despite this, I did find it to be one of the less Christmassy books that I've read, so if you're looking for a festive read but you're a bit of a humbug yourself, then I think this one would be perfect for you.
I did have one wee issue with the book, and that's why it is my least favourite of the two Radley books I've read so far, and that's the pacing. I really feel like this book could have been a novella. There was so much waiting for the ending and the Christmas party that I did find the second half of the book, especially, to drag. That being said, I'm thoroughly looking forward to Radley's next release and I'll definitely be checking out some of her backlist!
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for an eARC in return for an honest review!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram
The romance in this book was definitely sweet and I think that the way Radley tackled the office romance while taking into account the ethics of the situation was really well done. The two main characters definitely had amazing chemistry and I loved all of the side characters too, including Rosalind's daughter and Ellie's best friend in the office. Everything about the character relationships in this book was so heartwarming and just perfect for the chilly weather we're having right now.
Ellie is tasked with taking on the Christmas party because she is known as 'Christmas Girl' - she has tinsel up on her desk year-round and loves listening to carols in the height of summer. Despite this, I did find it to be one of the less Christmassy books that I've read, so if you're looking for a festive read but you're a bit of a humbug yourself, then I think this one would be perfect for you.
I did have one wee issue with the book, and that's why it is my least favourite of the two Radley books I've read so far, and that's the pacing. I really feel like this book could have been a novella. There was so much waiting for the ending and the Christmas party that I did find the second half of the book, especially, to drag. That being said, I'm thoroughly looking forward to Radley's next release and I'll definitely be checking out some of her backlist!
Thanks to Bold Strokes Books and Netgalley for an eARC in return for an honest review!
Want more sapphic books? You can find me here: Book Blog | Twitter | Instagram