A review by quotidianwriter
The Heart's Bidding by Jordan Riley Swan
5.0
Done right, the sound of an auctioneer did have a musical, hypnotizing quality. A certain poetry. And Kay loved having poetry in her life.
Kaylee Heart, a twenty-something antique shop owner, suffers from glossophobia—an intense fear of public speaking. Yet the only thing that can save her shop is for her to get her live auctioneer’s license, and that means doing bid-calling in front of an audience as her final exam.
This was a satisfying read that combines slice-of-life family drama with a Hallmark-esque romance. I felt immersed in the auctioneering environment, and I have no doubt the author has a background in that field, given the attention to detail. It was cool to see how bid-calling was treated almost like an art form, with a rhythm like music and each auctioneer putting their own spin on it (especially with what Kay does at the end). The writing exudes a type of warmth that makes the pages fly by, and Swan clearly loves a good simile or metaphor.
I’d categorize this book into three genres:
Romance
Kay’s relationship with Gerald, a kind and laid-back auctioneer, is one of the story’s focal points, but it’s more of a subplot, rather than being part of the main story line. He supports Kay and gives her the benefit of the doubt; they have a healthier relationship than what I’ve seen in most romance novels.
Most importantly, the dying light accented the best thing about him: his whisper-sweet-nothings-in-the-dark voice. Gone was the professional detachment of the auction block, replaced with a warm softness that nestled in her ears.
Rather than Gerald being her white knight, it’s Kay who ultimately leads the charge in solving her own problems. Admittedly, I felt two of the older characters had better chemistry than the leads, but that’s because I’m all for an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, haha.
Family Drama
The depth and heart of the story comes from Kay’s tumultuous relationship with her grandfather Bernard and how he keeps hanging on to his toxic girlfriend Ruth, even though she’s running their shop into the ground with her spending habits. As a villain, Ruth was actually one of my favorite characters because Swan succeeded in making me absolutely despise her, since I can imagine someone like her existing in real life. Bridgette, the owner of the auctioneering school, was a stern but believable mentor figure to Kay, and a great foil to Ruth’s vanity and greed. In fact, all of the characters felt stolen from real life—they’re sympathetic but flawed, each with their own hopes and fears.
I especially admire that the author wasn’t afraid to let the protagonist make mistakes and learn from them. It greatly humanized Kay (in particular the scene where
Spoiler
she tries to price-gouge a customerHumor
Even though the story deals with realistic struggles, the overall tone is lighthearted. My favorite scenes were probably when Kay was high on pain meds during her first “date” with Gerald, and when Kay gets her hair stuck after a night of painting. The quippy dialogue and funny situations make for a breezy read:
“Well, Bridgette,” Bernard announced, his annoyed voice carrying across the yard. “It seems like I’ve been ordered to come over and pretend to like you.”
“And why are you going to do that? You trying to get back into my auctions?” she asked. Relief at having company relaxed her square shoulders.
“Seems Kay needs to take your class next week, and somebody has to kiss your rear-end.”
“I hope you brought lip gloss,” she replied.
He mockingly pretended to search his pockets. “Nope. Don’t have none on me. Guess I better pucker-up dry.”
I’d recommend that other readers go into this book expecting a story that belongs on the “women’s fiction/chick-lit” shelf rather than full-on romance, and it will especially appeal to those looking to learn about a niche industry like auctioneering. I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review, and although I tend to go easier on debuts, I truly enjoyed the afternoon I spent reading this book, and I look forward to seeing what else this author writes.