Book Review: "Luster" by Raven Leilani

Luster signals the arrival of a talented new voice in fiction, Raven Leilani.

Edie is in her 20s, barely eking out an existence in a roach-infested apartment and working at a job she’s good at, but puts minimal effort into. She fills a lot of time having sex with strangers and coworkers, and occasionally finds inspiration enough to express her feelings through art.

"...I cannot help feeling that I am at the end of a fluctuation that originated with a single butterfly. I mean, with one half degree of difference, everything I want could be mine. I am good, but not good enough, which is worse than simply being bad. It is almost."

Then she meets Eric online. Eric is 23 years her senior, White, and married, though he is in an open marriage. Their relationship, which moves in fits and starts, develops in spite of the rules set by Eric’s wife, Rebecca.

When Edie loses her job, Rebecca invites her to move in with them. The dynamics of her interactions with Eric and Rebecca shift and change, and Edie becomes a kind of role model to the couple’s adopted Black daughter, Akila, because Edie is one of the few Black people Akila knows.

Luster is a story of how lonely and incomplete many feel in their lives, even while they’re connecting with others. It provides insightful commentary on racial, sexual, and economic tensions, within the workplace and within relationships.

Leilani is a beautiful storyteller. So many times I was mesmerized by a quote or phrase or description. But while I loved the way she wrote, I didn’t enjoy the story itself very much. I felt, like the characters did, as if I were missing a connection somewhere.

Still, I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Book Review: "Secret Crush Seduction" by Jayci Lee

Is it hot, steamy, and melodramatic in here, or is it just me? Maybe it's just Jayci Lee's upcoming book, Secret Crush Seduction!

Adelaide Song wants to be a leader in her family’s fashion empire, but her grandmother keeps telling her she’s not ready yet. Her grandmother keeps treating her like a child, still holding Adelaide responsible for being a little bit of a party girl as a teenager. Now she’s determined to show her what a difference she can make to the company.

She enlists the help of Michael Reynolds, her brother’s best friend and the executive who handles the company’s PR efforts. Michael is also the man she’s had a crush on since she was very young, and now that she’s an adult, she’s even more attracted to him than ever. He feels the same way about Adelaide but tries keeping her at arm’s length for many reasons.

As Adelaide and Michael work together on bringing her plans to reality, the connection between them grows more intense. If they surrender to it, will it again signal to her grandmother that she’s not mature enough to take her place in the family business? Is Michael willing to risk it all for this woman he can’t get out of his mind?

This was a deliciously soapy and sexy book I read in one sitting. There’s lots of steam and as with most romances and rom-coms, not a lot of suspense, but the fun is in the journey to the story’s resolution. It’s the second book in the “Heirs of Hansol” series, but I didn’t miss anything by not reading the first book.

Romance fans, this is a fun one!

I was fortunate to be part of the blog tour for this one. Harlequin Desire and the Harlequin Publicity Team provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

The book publishes September 1.

Book Review: "The Falling in Love Montage" by Ciara Smyth

So sweet and adorable...I loved this one!!

Saoirse doesn’t believe in relationships, because someone always gets hurt. And that’s what happened when her ex-girlfriend broke up with her, plus she lost one of her best friends, so while she’s more than happy to kiss random girls at parties, that’s it.

She’s also scared about her future. Her mother has early-onset dementia and now lives in a nursing home, and there’s a chance the same thing could happen to Saoirse. So why plan to go to Oxford or fall in love, when she could just forget it all someday?

And then she meets Ruby. Ruby is mischievous, playful, beautiful, and an avowed romantic. But she’s only in Ireland for the summer. So as the two want to get closer, Ruby proposes a deal: why not do all of the fun, clichèd things couples do in rom-coms, but without getting serious? No talk of a future, no meeting the family, no falling in love.

"I forgot what it was like to be kissed by someone who might want more than a kiss. I knew then that Ruby was definitely not experimenting. I should have been scared. I should have left the room. I should never have gone upstairs with a girl who made me wobble."

What do you think happens? Saoirse is determined to stick to the deal they made, even if it means keeping her fears about her future quiet from Ruby. But why can’t she convince her heart of this?

I loved this absolutely sweet and charming story. The book embraces and pokes fun at rom-coms, especially the lack of lesbian representation in the genre, but of course, it’s a rom-com in the end. There are a lot of other things at play here too, and the relationships between Saoirse and her dad and her friend/nemesis Oliver are fun and heartwarming.

In short, I fell in love with The Falling in Love Montage! Well done, Ciara Smyth!

Book Review: "The Comeback" by Ella Berman

Ella Berman's debut novel, The Comeback, is powerful and timely.

Grace was 14 when she was plucked out of obscurity in England and cast as a lead in a movie trilogy. She and her family moved to California so she could pursue stardom, something she never had thought of until her classmates were auditioning for the film.

The film’s charismatic director, Able Yorke, finds a muse in Grace. And while he’s able to coax some terrific performances from her, they come with a steep price tag. He controls her every move and when she resists he makes her question herself and her own sanity.

But that’s not all he does to her, and to deal with it she turns to drugs and alcohol and destructive behavior. She thinks she might have found happiness but her past keeps creeping into her life and destroying her relationships. And then after receiving a Golden Globe nomination, she disappears, and goes home to her parents’ house to enjoy the anonymity of everyday life.

Of course, family life doesn’t suit her, as there are resentments there, too. But when she hears that Able will receive a film award and organizers want Grace to present it, she drags herself back to Hollywood, but she has to figure out on whose terms she’s returning. She also has to come to terms with what happened to her and what she wants next. And as much as she has scorched-earth scenarios in her head, she knows she must be realistic as well.

This is a very relevant book given the MeToo and Time’s Up movements, and you know Grace’s story is based on so many real ones. I felt the book's pacing was very slow for a long while, as the narration shifted between past and present. At times it almost felt like we were being kept at arm’s length from getting to know Grace and getting invested in her story, but ultimately the book picked up in pace and emotion.

This is a book that raises so many questions about our culture, and what women are put through everywhere, especially in the entertainment field. It’s very thought-provoking.

Book Review: "A Short History of the Girl Next Door" by Jared Reck

A Short History of the Girl Next Door is a familiar yet immensely enjoyable story.

Tabby was Matt’s first friend. Since they were a little older than babies, she has been a part of his life and she features in all of his favorite—and sometimes, most embarrassing—memories. She’s truly a part of his family, and they all agree.

Even though she’s always been like a sister to him, now that they’re freshmen in high school, Matt is starting to realize his feelings for Tabby aren’t quite brotherly. But he’s not at all good at expressing his feelings, so all he can do is watch as she’s swept off her feet by Liam, a handsome senior (and a nice guy at that).

While he should be happy that Tabby still values their friendship and she still tries to be part of his life and his family’s traditions, of course, he’d rather have her as his girlfriend. But watching her be happy with Liam is hard, and of course, one night Matt and Tabby say things they shouldn’t, things which could potentially damage their friendship forever.

When something unexpected happens, Matt doesn’t know what to do or how to react. So he does the only thing he can and he tries to destroy everyone and everything, not really realizing what is at stake.

I picked this book up while randomly browsing at a bookstore. (Remember what it was like to do that?) I knew nothing about it but I just was intrigued when I saw the cover. But I loved this story.

So many of us have had unrequited feelings for a best friend, feelings that crush us. This book so perfectly captured the way that feels, and the emotions which occur when your feelings aren’t reciprocated. This is a sometimes-silly, sometimes-serious story that I was really surprised by, and Jared Reck did such a great job telling this story and getting you hooked on his characters.

So good!!

Book Review: "Charleston Green" by Stephanie Alexander

Charleston Green is a little quirky, a little crazy, and such fun!

Tipsy (the pastor’s son couldn’t say “Tiffany” when she was a baby) is trying to pull her life together. Her marriage has ended and her vindictive ex-husband is threatening to take their kids away.

For as long as she can remember, Tipsy has seen ghosts. Not the Halloween kind, but people who have died. She can communicate with them as well. But she’s utterly unprepared for when she and the kids move into an old house that is occupied by Jane and Henry Mott, who have, umm, “lived” there for more than 100 years.

Jane insists Henry murdered her and then committed suicide. Henry insists that neither occurred. The more time Tipsy spends with them, the more she is torn between which one she believes more, as each has characteristics she enjoys. (As much as you can "enjoy" a ghost?)

But when you meddle in the affairs of ghosts it starts to take its toll on your real life. As Tipsy tries to figure out what really happened to the Motts, she needs to be reminded to concentrate on her real life before it’s too late—and luckily she has two great (albeit slightly wacky) friends to help her out.

This was such an enjoyable read. I love Charleston and felt its presence throughout the story. The characters were lots of fun and I couldn’t believe that I was even hooked on the ghosts’ story, so to speak.

Is Charleston Green a little crazy? Sure, but Stephanie Alexander has made sure it’s full of heart and humor, too.

I was grateful to be part of the blog tour for this book. Kate Rock Book Tours and Stephanie Alexander provided a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!!

Book Review: "Saving Ruby King" by Catherine Adel West

Powerful and timely, Saving Ruby King really packs a punch.

On Chicago’s South Side, a wife and mother is murdered one night in her own home. While some dismiss this as just another act of violence in a city riddled with it, the woman’s daughter, Ruby, is struck with grief.

Ruby knows her mother took abuse from her father in an effort to protect her. She was the glue that kept the family tenuously together, and without her, Ruby is in danger both physically and psychologically.

As Ruby tries to make sense of her mother’s death and slips further away, her best friend, Layla, is the only one that can save her. But as age-old secrets are revealed, it’s not truly clear what all the dangers are, and if Ruby—and to an extent, all of them—can be saved.

I’m a little late to the party on this one but it was a really good book. There’s so much raw emotion, so much tragedy in here. This isn’t a mystery per se, but Catherine Adel West’s storytelling ability, including the unique multiple narrators, draws you in. It's really best to go into this fairly blind, so I've kept the plot summary pretty vague.

This is such a relevant book for the world we live in, but it feels timeless as well.