Bookish Thoughts

 After taking two weeks to read my first book of 2022, I needed something quick. Romance novels always do a great job of filling that urge. They're easy to read, happy, and usually a perfect little palate cleanser. And this one definitely lived up to all those expectations. But as a romance novel it was sort of middle of the road. I liked Makeda a whole lot more than Beznaria, which probably comes down to Makeda getting the lion's share of the chapters. Her journey was more compelling and satisfying, and I was really rooting for her. Beznaria felt a bit more sketched in to me, and she went through a bit less growth. Not that she didn't change, but I have no real confidence that those changes were permanent. Which is a weird place to be with a romance novel. I also felt like the ending was a bit too abrupt. I could have used another few chapters to tie up some loose ends or an epilogue to assuage my fears that this relationship would never last in the real world. They had a ...

This was an adorable romance novella that I positively inhaled. There were a ton of geeky references. Enough that it might have been annoying had it not played directly into my wheelhouse. I understood them all, so I loved them all, and I felt closer to the characters because of it. Alyssa Cole is just so good at writing fluffy, fun, inclusive romances. Rumor has it that she's also really good at brutal, angsty romances, so I'll have to check out her historical stuff when I'm up for it. In the meantime, I'm sad to have finished this series and excited that the first book in a spin-off series is due out soon.

Alyssa Cole is one of the best writers in the romance genre today. She definitely has the best covers. In fact, I love her covers so much, that I kept putting off reading this book because I wanted a physical rather than a digital copy to display on my bookshelves. Until the coronavirus finally convinced me to just download the book (can't download a virus! Or, not that kind of virus). And I wish I'd just sucked it up and read this book sooner. This is a very sweet second-chance romance that plays with the established structure a bit. Likotsi's chapters are all in the present, detailing her second meeting with Fabiola months after their all-too-brief relationship ended. Fabiola's chapters take us back to that whirlwind romance and her reasons for deciding to break it off. It's a sweet story about love at first sight and how frightening that intensity can be.

I definitely haven't read widely enough to make the following sweeping statement, but I'm going to make it anyway: Alyssa Cole is the best romance author working today. I say this after reading a mere three of her books. But those books are just so good. And she's clearly incredibly versatile (contemporary romances about modern royalty, historicals set during the Civil War, a series of dystopian romances, novels and novellas and compelling characters from every sort of background you can imagine). So even though I have a lot of her backlog left to get through, I'm gonna go ahead and say she's one of the best in the business. I just finished her most recent release, A Prince on Paper . Sheltered Nya and Playboy Johan find themselves thrown together in a fake engagement to distract the press while they both figure out some stuff. Nya is dealing with the fallout of her traitorous father and trying to break free from the image he crafted for her. Johan is trying to di...

When life's getting you down, reach for a romance novel. Even better, reach for a romance novel by Alyssa Cole. A Duke by Default  is the second in Cole's Reluctant Royals series. It follows "Hot Mess" Portia as she travels from NYC to Scotland for a 3-month internship with a sword-maker, the latest in a long line of attempts to get her life on track. Approaching thirty and with a bunch of degrees and internships but no real career prospects, Portia is hoping to make a fresh start and discard her worst habits. Those habits include drinking, having sex with random guys, and failing to follow-through on projects she's starting. But her resolve to avoid sex is sorely tested when she meets her new boss and sparks immediately fly. Said boss, Tavish McKenzie, is a gruff Scotsman with a heart of gold. He's stretched thin, running a community center out of his armory, and he's hoping that an apprentice will ease some of the burden. That all goes out the window...

I absolutely adored this book. It stars Naledi Smith, a graduate student with a lot on her plate. She's studying for finals, working as a research assistant, trying to nail down her summer plans, and waiting tables to support herself. So when she finds out that she's the long lost fiance of an African prince, well she just assumes it's a scam and ignores the whole thing. Said prince, Thabiso, of the small (fictional) nation Thesolo, has plans to track down his fiance and find out why her parents fled the country, betraying everyone close to them in the process. But when he meets her, and discovers that her parents died shortly after they arrived in America, leaving her with no knowledge of where she came from or why she left, he finds himself intrigued. And when a case of mistaken identity gives him a chance to get to know her without all the royal baggage, he jumps at the opportunity. Hijinks ensue, as they are wont to do. Thankfully, the prince's true identity is ...