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crystalleighwrites's reviews
370 reviews
Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Did you ever want to fall into the perfect world of your favorite TV show and live there forever? That’s the premise of Kate Robb’s sophomore novel PRIME TIME ROMANCE. Robb writes what I’ve realized might be my favorite subgenre of romance: contemporary magical realism. Her characters are people living in our very normal, ordinary world who find themselves suddenly confronted with strange happenings that lead them to the right path in their lives. In PRIME TIME ROMANCE, a 30th birthday wish transports Brynn into the world of her favorite show so she can create the perfect ending for the prematurely cancelled series and maybe for herself.
Brynn craves a perfect ending for her comfort show because she’s had exactly the opposite in her life, with her marriage ending suddenly and her having to rent out her spare room to pay her mortgage. Her roommate, Josh, gets pulled through to the fictional Carson’s Cove with her, and he’s got his own baggage to overcome. Robb writes her characters with empathy and heart, drawing you in so you genuinely want the best for them. This is one that I can already tell is going to be a comfort read I come back to again and again.
If you were terminally addicted to the WB in your high school years, you’ll love the references and easter eggs to Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and their predecessors like 90210 and Saved By The Bell.
One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer
The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
An absolutely perfect second chance romance.
A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
All They Ask Is Everything by Hadley Leggett
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING, the debut novel from Hadley Leggett, is a book about motherhood. Most of the reviews you'll likely see will come from the perspective of mothers -- how they related, how they empathized, how they judged. But this isn't a book *only* for mothers. It's a book for anyone who enjoys a complicated, well-written narrative about flawed people.
ATAIE tells the story of how a mistake made by a struggling, grief-stricken mother, Hannah, sends her two young daughters into the foster care system. Alternating the POVs of Hannah, Hannah's mother Elaine, and foster mother Julie, Leggett builds a complex and conflicting narrative that perfectly exemplifies the conflicting narratives we tell ourselves. These are not perfect characters or perfect mothers and each of their journeys confronting their own flaws happens along their own timelines. At times, this makes for a frustrating read -- as a reader, we can see all the ways in which Hannah needs help, in which Elaine prioritized herself over her daughter, in which Julie is blinded by her love of the girls. Some will say that these women are "unlikeable" and at times, they are. But that makes the ways in which each mother grows and changes more rewarding. It's difficult to write believable, deeply flawed characters that you still want the best for and Leggett handles this balance deftly.
This is an engrossing debut from Hadley Leggett and I look forward to what she writes next.
Content Warning: ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING contains descriptions, descriptions, or themes of the following topics: foster care, child abuse, child endangerment, miscarriage, death, grief, depression.
ATAIE tells the story of how a mistake made by a struggling, grief-stricken mother, Hannah, sends her two young daughters into the foster care system. Alternating the POVs of Hannah, Hannah's mother Elaine, and foster mother Julie, Leggett builds a complex and conflicting narrative that perfectly exemplifies the conflicting narratives we tell ourselves. These are not perfect characters or perfect mothers and each of their journeys confronting their own flaws happens along their own timelines. At times, this makes for a frustrating read -- as a reader, we can see all the ways in which Hannah needs help, in which Elaine prioritized herself over her daughter, in which Julie is blinded by her love of the girls. Some will say that these women are "unlikeable" and at times, they are. But that makes the ways in which each mother grows and changes more rewarding. It's difficult to write believable, deeply flawed characters that you still want the best for and Leggett handles this balance deftly.
This is an engrossing debut from Hadley Leggett and I look forward to what she writes next.
Content Warning: ALL THEY ASK IS EVERYTHING contains descriptions, descriptions, or themes of the following topics: foster care, child abuse, child endangerment, miscarriage, death, grief, depression.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Car accident, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
inspiring
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Death of parent
Moderate: Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
FINDING MR. WRITE is the first Rom-Com from author Kelley Armstrong, best known for her Fantasy series. The premise is one that will resonate with every woman writer (and probably most women in general): frustrated with lack of response from agents and publishers, writer Daphne McFadden makes up a male pseudonym and persona and submits queries one night. Unsurprisingly, she gets a much better reaction from agents and publishers and "Zane Remington" sells his book and gets it fast tracked to publication. But the publishers want to set Zane up on interviews! What's she to do except hire an actor to play the role of Zane. Of course, hijinks ensure and after a false start, Daphne and the man behind Zane, Chris Stanton, hit it off, just in time for a US book tour.
The chemistry between Chris and Daphne is established quickly and believably and the banter between them is clever and funny. If you're looking for a MMC with big golden retriever/Travis Kelce on stage at the ERAs Tour energy, look no further than Chris Stanton. Daphne is described and shown as a strong, independent woman without it feeling shoved down your throat. Both leads have fairly fleshed out lives and stakes that feel appropriate for the light vibe of the novel (this is not a Abby Jimenez-esque trauma ride, no shade to those I love them).
There were a few aspects standing in the way of this being a five-star read for me. In the dual POVs, it was sometimes hard to distinguish the POV once you got into the section and possibly some POV slippage. I'll note that this ARC was sent out pretty far in advance, so it's entirely possible this is better in the published version (if it is, I'll re-read and revise my rating). Secondary characters flitted in and out and, with one exception, felt fairly one-dimensional. Some of the complications felt overly forced.
If you're looking for a quick, light read, FINDING MR. WRITE is a great pick!
Disclaimer: This review is of a pre-release ARC and details mentioned may change prior to publication. Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the review copy.
The chemistry between Chris and Daphne is established quickly and believably and the banter between them is clever and funny. If you're looking for a MMC with big golden retriever/Travis Kelce on stage at the ERAs Tour energy, look no further than Chris Stanton. Daphne is described and shown as a strong, independent woman without it feeling shoved down your throat. Both leads have fairly fleshed out lives and stakes that feel appropriate for the light vibe of the novel (this is not a Abby Jimenez-esque trauma ride, no shade to those I love them).
There were a few aspects standing in the way of this being a five-star read for me. In the dual POVs, it was sometimes hard to distinguish the POV once you got into the section and possibly some POV slippage. I'll note that this ARC was sent out pretty far in advance, so it's entirely possible this is better in the published version (if it is, I'll re-read and revise my rating). Secondary characters flitted in and out and, with one exception, felt fairly one-dimensional. Some of the complications felt overly forced.
If you're looking for a quick, light read, FINDING MR. WRITE is a great pick!
Disclaimer: This review is of a pre-release ARC and details mentioned may change prior to publication. Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the review copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Fatphobia, Death of parent, and Abandonment