The Davenports by Krystal Marquis

Information

Goodreads: The Davenports
Series: Davenports #1
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2023

Summary

The year is 1910 and, thanks to the efforts of the formerly enslaved William Davenport, his family enjoys wealth and status in Chicago–and are one of the few Black families to do so. Olivia Davenport dreams of making her family proud with a good marriage, but finds herself falling in love with a political activist instead. Meanwhile, her sister Helen wants nothing more than to work in her father’s company and scorns the idea of falling in love at all–until she falls for her sister’s suitor. Their brother John hopes to bring the family business into the future, but risks it by falling in love with their maid, Amy-Rose. And Olivia’s best friend Ruby has her sights set on winning John’s heart to please her parents, until she ruins her own plan when another man captures her heart. All of them soon must choose. Will they do what their parents and society expects? Or risk it all for love?

Review

I admit I do not read much romance, as I typically struggle with the genre. I enjoy romance in a book, but typically prefer that other plot elements take center stage. The Davenports, however, intrigued me with its promise of overlooked history (as well as that gorgeous cover!). So I took a chance. And I can definitely say that The Davenports has all the drama a person could want in a romance.

The point of the book is apparently not to be suspenseful, since the official summary gives the main plot away. Essentially, every main character in the book is in love with the “wrong” person. Olivia is meant to marry a society gentleman, but prefers a political activist. Her sister Helen loves her suitor. Ruby loves John, but John loves someone else. And so on and on. The point is to discover how all of them will figure out how to disentangle themselves. The book has a motivating message about being true to one’s self and disregarding society’s expectations. I think the book is even sincere, since this is a YA. Maybe the maid really will marry the son of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen! But, still, there is an element of doubt that will keep readers flipping pages.

One should note that this book really is primarily a romance. It is set in 1910 and inspired by actual historical figures. However, the intention is not to delve into the past or educate readers, though events relating to the Jim Crow laws are pushed forward in time so Olivia (and readers) can learn more about them. There are even small details and expressions that are anachronistic– a reference to espresso that seems out of place and a mention of “mutual uncoupling,” for instance. But I believe the book is meant to be a sort of YA Bridgerton, meaning that the romance remains the focus. Even the characters’ other concerns in regards to finding their purposes in life or their identities (like joining political causes, starting a small business, or convincing their father to start manufacturing automobiles instead of carriages) feel more like set dressing than primary concerns. Readers who expect otherwise may be disappointed.

My main issue, however, is not with the genre, but with the fact that series or at least a sequel is planned. The book has four POVs and probably should have been split into books each focusing on one of the girls. Instead, readers flip from each girl to the next in succession, with the final climax occurring at the end. That is, while most romances have the breakup scene/obstacle to romance in the middle, The Davenports throws all the wrenches in at the final chapters, as a sort of cliffhanger. It feels odd for a genre book to be doing something so un-generic. I would have been more satisfied had this been one book with a conclusion, or one book focused on one protagonist, with the rest receiving companion books.

All that being said, The Davenports is a fun romance! The relationships are deeply tangled and readers who enjoy the genre will surely root for the sympathetic characters and wonder how they will all end up with the right person in the end. An entertaining read!

Seoulmates by Susan Lee (ARC Review)

Information

Goodreads: Seoulmates
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Publisher for Review
Publication Date: September 20, 2022

Official Summary

Her ex-boyfriend wants her back. Her former best friend is in town. When did Hannah’s life become a K-drama?

Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out—the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.

But then Nate does what everyone else in Hannah’s life seems to do—he leaves her, claiming they have nothing in common. He and all her friends are newly obsessed with K-pop and K-dramas, and Hannah is not. After years of trying to embrace the American part and shunning the Korean side of her Korean American identity to fit in, Hannah finds that’s exactly what now has her on the outs.

But someone who does know K-dramas—so well that he’s actually starring in one—is Jacob Kim, Hannah’s former best friend, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s desperate for a break from the fame, so a family trip back to San Diego might be just what he needs…that is, if he and Hannah can figure out what went wrong when they last parted and navigate the new feelings developing between them. 

Review

Seoulmates is a fun and thoughtful look at friendship, love, identity, and fame. While there are other YA novels about the protagonist suddenly finding herself dating a celebrity, Seoulmates sets itself apart with a childhood friends to lovers plot line and with Hannah’s search to reconcile her Korean part of her identity with her American part, an issue that takes her a bit by surprise as Americans suddenly begin to find all things Korean cool. I don’t think the book was entirely my thing, but a lot of it comes down to my personal preference, and overall I think this will do well with readers looking for a contemporary read with heart and a little bit of K-pop glamor.

I didn’t love the voice from the beginning of the novel (though this will perhaps resonate with actual teens!), and I found it a bit funny that the characters often give lengthy monologues about their innermost thoughts. Anyone who has ever thought, “Why don’t these characters solve their problems by just talking to each other?” might be a bit relieved by this, but I found the execution of the idea slightly unnatural, and I think it messed up the pacing, as well. There are several minor misunderstandings that the characters clear up in a matter of pages with their in-depth communication, so there isn’t a lot of time for readers to get invested in the problem before it suddenly no longer is one, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the “main problem” of the novel is supposed to be.

On the other hand, I loved the setting. Lee really makes San Diego (which I’ve never have the pleasure of visiting) truly come alive; I felt as if I could envision it, and I see why Hannah is so happy she gets to live there.

I also enjoyed the family relationships, including Hannah’s with her sister and her mom, and Jacob’s feelings of responsibility to support his own mom and sister, even though he’s still a kid himself. The book also gives a good look into Jacob’s life as a K-drama star, showcasing the fame and perks that come with handsome looks and strong acting talent, alongside the studios’ merciless dedication to controlling actors’ lives and images. And this is definitely something I’ve seen MG and YA grappling with the past few years, in terms of publishing books that target an audience that clearly loves K-pop, K-dramas, etc., while trying to be sensitive to the fact that the lives of real participants in these industries are not always as glamorous as they seem.

So, because I’m not an avid K-drama fan and because I didn’t love the voice and pacing, I thought the book was fine. In general, however, I think other readers will love this a lot. The setting, the premise, the look at a protagonist trying to find herself even as she tries to find love . . . all will appeal to a wide audience. If you like YA contemporary romance, this might be the book for you.

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

Information

Goodreads: Tokyo Ever After
Series: Tokyo Ever After #1
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Summary

Izumi Tanaka has never quite fit in her mostly white California town. Then she learns that the father she has never met is actually the Crown Prince of Japan! Excited to discover a part of herself she has never known, Izumi flies off for a few weeks in a country where she hopes she belongs. But, though she never seems to be “American enough” in the U.S., Izumi soon finds that many in Japan do not think she is “Japanese enough.” Navigating two worlds is difficult enough without being in the spotlight as a royal princess! Will Izumi find a place where she belongs? Or will her fairy tale dream come crashing down?

Review

Tokyo Ever After is a fresh spin on the “girl learns she is a princess” storyline, with Japanese-American teenager Izumi Tanaka discovering that her father is actually the Crown Prince of Japan. Plenty of humor follows as Izumi’s more informal behavior clashes with the expectations of Japan’s royal household. But the story also possesses plenty of depth, as it explores Izumi’s feelings about feeling divided between worlds–seen as not “American enough” in the U.S. but not “Japanese” enough while in Japan. A touch of romance rounds out this moving story about finding one’s identity.

Izumi’s character will quickly win over readers, who may find a bit of themselves not only because she stands in as the most relatable character, thrown into a household of royals, but also because she wants so desperately to find a place where she belongs. Though the story at first plays up Izumi’s faux pas, trying to bring out the humor when an average American is suddenly expected to play the role of an unimpeachable royal–without much, if any training–Izumi soon reveals her depths. She is not the superficial teen who is only mediocre at grades and mostly invested in eating desserts and watching TV that she sometimes seems to want people to believe she is. Izumi has a soul of poetry that comes out in unexpected flashes, as well as a dedication to feminism and social justice. Izumi is smart and fierce and protective–and, as one character says, she leads with her heart. All this makes it even more sad that Izumi seems to feel that no one really accepts her as she is.

The story, of course, is not bleak, however. It is part romance and part self-discovery. Readers will swoon and sigh over the love interest, who always seems to know exactly what to say, and who can give poetic compliments at a moment’s notice. But the real love story is between Izumi and her family, as she meets the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents she never knew, and as she tries to navigate her relationship with her father. The strength of the relationships she builds will ultimately be what helps her to accept herself and to stand strong in a life where the press seems ever eager to pounce.

Readers looking for a charming contemporary romance with a fairy tale feel will adore Tokyo Ever After. It combines a sweet, forbidden romance along with keen commentary on navigating different cultures and finding one’s place in the world.

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon

Information

Goodreads: Instructions for Dancing
Series: None
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Official Summary

Evie Thomas doesn’t believe in love anymore. Especially after the strangest thing occurs one otherwise ordinary afternoon: She witnesses a couple kiss and is overcome with a vision of how their romance began . . . and how it will end. After all, even the greatest love stories end with a broken heart, eventually.

As Evie tries to understand why this is happening, she finds herself at La Brea Dance Studio, learning to waltz, fox-trot, and tango with a boy named X. X is everything that Evie is not: adventurous, passionate, daring. His philosophy is to say yes to everything–including entering a ballroom dance competition with a girl he’s only just met.

Falling for X is definitely not what Evie had in mind. If her visions of heartbreak have taught her anything, it’s that no one escapes love unscathed. But as she and X dance around and toward each other, Evie is forced to question all she thought she knew about life and love. In the end, is love worth the risk?

Review

Contemporary romance has never been my genre, and, so, I typically struggle to review it. Light, feel-good entertainment has its place, but the stories that touch me the most are the ones that make me think, that challenge me, that entice me into a reread (or several). Contemporary romance is more like a dessert: good in the moment, but not something that I usually find life changing or memorable. And, so, while I recognize that Instructions for Dancing is a solid book–one that its target audience (romantics) will no doubt enjoy–I personally struggled to power through.

Instructions for Dancing admittedly does try very hard to be deep, and to make readers think. The premise is that eighteen-year-old Evie Thomas no longer believes in love, not after she found out that her dad was cheating on her mom, and now the two are divorced. She gains the power to see couples’ love stories when she sees them kiss. But, instead of celebrating the power of love and focusing on the joy it can bring, Evie can only focus on the heartbreak. All her visions teach Evie simply that love never lasts. Distance, or time, or cheating, or death will end it all. So she gets rid of all her romance novels and tries to resist her attraction to X, a boy she meets at a dance studio where the two enter a ballroom dance competition together. The whole book is trying to get readers to ask themselves if they think love is worth it.

The thing is, though… I did not find this conversation really deep. Love is one of those things that people either “get” or don’t. Having characters spout platitudes about, “It’s not the end; it’s the journey,” or, “The joy makes it worth the heartbreak,” or whatever, really only works if a person already has that mindset. For someone like Evie, who is grieving over the loss of the idea of her father, platitudes do not work. They just feel empty. Evie has to make her own inner journey to find a place where these sorts of platitudes are going to resonate and suddenly seem meaningful.

The story tries to take readers along on this journey, too, but, honestly, in the end I felt a little disgusted by how hard it does try. The book suggests that Evie’s father cheating on his wife was okay because he really loves the new woman and she loves him. And all I could think was, “Yeah, well, look how fast he dropped his old ‘one true love.'” I am not convinced that I should be happy for his new flame–how long until a cheater starts cheating again? I really just felt bad for the woman, and sorry that the story wants me to “live in the moment” and believe that their new romance is worth celebrating. Maybe Evie can start thinking that, but I can’t! (And, honestly, why is this woman’s family celebrating her new man and how perfect he is? I could only assume that she never told her mom that she’d been having an affair with a married man.)

Aside from the book’s musings on love, I found that I did not particularly enjoy the way it is written. First, the book feels a little too meta, with Evie periodically interrupting her narrative to define romance genre terms and tropes, and then apply them to her own story. Secondly, the characterization is a bit sparse; readers only know general identifying traits for each character (like how Evie’s sister dresses, or how her friend Martin is a “nerd,” and her other friend is rich). Finally–the instalove. Though the premise of the book would suggest that there be a lot of focusing on developing the romance and even just some chemistry between Evie and X, there is not. There is just the two not in love and then, suddenly, they are in love! Conveniently!

Last of all, this not really a deal breaker, but the characters did read “old” to me. I think this book would be fine classifed as “New Adult” because of how the characters are written. Evie and her friends like to drink wine on the beach together and drunkenly philosophize. X has dropped out of high school and moved across the country to try to get his band started. Evie is barely depicted in school, so it’s easy to forget she is supposed to be a high school senior–but she does do stuff like go to play pool at…a bar? I think? And Evie apparently only reads adult romance novels (or erotica?), which, while possibly something a teen would do, also seems unusual for a YA book. Generally, these eighteen-year-olds could have been written in their 20s and not much about the story would have changed, if anything.

Instructions for Dancing will likely appeal to readers who generally enjoy contemporary romance. For me, someone who usually does not, however, the read was pretty lackluster. As a result, I found most of my attention drawn to how much I did not agree with the moral of the story, which could possibly be interpreted as, “Love is love and thus to be celebrated! Even when it’s an affair with a married man.” Books glorifying adultery are usually not books I connect with, and it was hard for me to get past that.

10 of the Most Romantic Books in Classic Literature

Do you like classics? Are you looking for a classic book with a romance that will make you swoon? The prefect love story that has lasted generations that you should check out for Valentine’s Day (or any other day of the year?) Here are 10 of our suggestions! (No, Jane Eyre is not on this list; Rochester is a creep.)

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

No list of romantic classic novels would be complete without a mention of Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have captivated readers for centuries, in the original novel as well as in various adaptations, sequels, and retellings.

Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

In this sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell is all grown up and returning home after two years of travel–and the would-be suitors are lining up.  Will she choose someone suave and debonair or a steady bookish fellow?  Also check out Alcott’s other books if you want to see more of her characters fall in love.

Shirley by Charlotte Brontë 

Young Caroline Helstone is in love with her cousin Robert Moore, but he is too busy attempting to publicly defend his decision to replace workers with more efficient machines in his Yorkshire mill to notice her affections. Caroline is sinking into depression when Shirley Keldar, a wealthy and independent landowner, returns to her estate and befriends Caroline.  But will Caroline lose Robert to her new friend?

TROILUS AND CRISEYDE BY GEOFFREY CHAUCER

A classic love story that has been told and retold (Shakespeare wrote a play, too), featuring star-crossed lovers during the Siege of Troy. If you thought Chaucer only wrote The Canterbury Tales, you’ll be pleased and surprised by the nuance with which he tells the story of Troilus and Cressida and how they fall in love and experience tragedy.

Camille by Alexandre Dumas

This is a very moving and beautiful love story between a pair of lovers who are perfect for each other but doomed by social expectations to be kept apart. When the story begins, their feelings seem as though they could be only infatuation. Armand is obsessed with Marguerite because he thinks she is beautiful. Marguerite tolerates Armand because he knows some of her friends, and then because he expresses pity for her in her sickness. Over time, however, the two develop a meaningful relationship and make sacrifices for each other’s happiness that express their love more strongly than words ever could.

BELINDA BY MARIA EDGEWORTH

Everyone knows about Jane Austen, but Maria Edgeworth was also quite popular during the Regency era! Her novel Belinda features a seventeen-year-old protagonist looking for marriage and was known by Jane Austen herself.

Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery

Readers familiar with Anne of Green Gables will be familiar with Anne’s contentious relationship with Gilbert Blythe, but it isn’t until the third book in the Anne series that their relationship really begins to bloom. Montgomery writes a romance both sweet and a little bitter as it seems Anne might lose her chance at happiness, due to her own stubbornness.

THE BLUE CASTLE BY L. M. MONTGOMERY

L. M. Montgomery may be best known for writing Anne of Green Gables (and book three, Anne of the Island, is pretty romantic, as well, as mentioned above!), but The Blue Castle is a beautiful, rather overlooked novel that anyone who wants a light story about unexpected love will enjoy.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

While this book is largely about the relationship between employers and employees and worker’s right, when it’s not focused on labor issues, it’s a nuanced exploration of the relationship between the protagonist and a mill owner.

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Readers might best associate this book with adventure (or know it for being a musical and a movie!), as it is set during the French Revolution, and there’s action and intrigue. However, there’s also a lot of romance!

So, This Is Christmas by Tracy Andreen

Information

Goodreads: So, This Is Christmas
Series: So, This Is #1
Age Category: Young Adult
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Summary

When Finley Brown secretly updated her hometown’s official website to make the town look more impressive to the students at her fancy new prep school, she never imagined that anyone would book a stay there. But her classmate Arthur does–and he is expecting the perfect Christmas experience from Christmas, Oklahoma. Too bad the parade with the dancing goats and the opportunities to feed reindeer were made up! Now Finley has to provide Arthur and his aunt with the holiday of their dreams, or risk Arthur revealing the deception to their classmates.

Review

So, This Is Christmas reads pretty much like a Hallmark Christmas film, so I was not surprised to learn at the end that Tracy Andreen actually writes screenplays for Hallmark. From the enemies to lovers trope to the small-town Christmas experience, the elements of a familiar, feelgood story, are all here. Andreen does try to modernize the formula a bit by focusing on the pressures of growing up in a town where everybody knows everybody, as well as by introducing a lesbian romance. But, rest assured. There are very few surprises here. Just cheesy Christmas comfort.

Reviewing So, This Is Christmas actually feels a bit difficult because, really, what you see is what you get. If you like watching Hallmark Christmas movies, you are getting that–just in book form. Yes, the main protagonists are teens instead of adults and, instead of seeing a big city woman learn about the charms of a small town, we see instead someone who grew up in a small town come to appreciate it. But it’s the same. Finley and her crush go on a reindeer sleigh ride, make cookies, attend the holiday parade, and do all the other elements probably on your Hallmark Christmas movie Bingo card–all before breaking up over a misunderstanding, only to reunite once more in time for the annual Christmas party.

What I liked about this book is that readers actually get to see a few romantic relationships in various forms, across generations. So while teenage Finley and her crush Arthur are the main couple undergoing the standard holiday romance, there is also the evolving relationship of Finley’s parents–people in their 30s who might be considering a divorce. And there’s the romance of a lesbian couple, with one partner out to everyone and the other hesitant to make the relationship public. Romance does not happen only one way, despite what the movies say. Romances grow, change, die, and reignite once more. The path to true love never did run smooth.

So, final verdict? If you love a comforting romance where everything is predictable and everyone is happy in the end, this book is for you! It provides the right amount of holiday cheer and romantic hope to keep one’s heart light. It’s the kind of comfort read we all probably need now and then. No thrills. No suspense. Just a bit of Christmas magic.

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

Information

Goodreads: The Girl from the Sea
Series: None
Source: Library
Published: 2021

Official Summary

Fifteen-year-old Morgan has a secret: She can’t wait to escape the perfect little island where she lives. She’s desperate to finish high school and escape her sad divorced mom, her volatile little brother, and worst of all, her great group of friends…who don’t understand Morgan at all. Because really, Morgan’s biggest secret is that she has a lot of secrets, including the one about wanting to kiss another girl.

Then one night, Morgan is saved from drowning by a mysterious girl named Keltie. The two become friends and suddenly life on the island doesn’t seem so stifling anymore.

But Keltie has some secrets of her own. And as the girls start to fall in love, everything they’re each trying to hide will find its way to the surface…whether Morgan is ready or not.

Review

The Girl from the Sea is a sweet summer romance centered around one girl’s search for her identity. Morgan has plans to leave her island home as soon as she can go to college. Only then does she plan to reveal to the world that she is gay. However, when a girl named Keltie appears from the ocean, Morgan finds herself trying to balance her attraction to Keltie with her desire to blend in with her friend group. When hiding her budding relationship becomes unsustainable, Morgan will have to decide what she values more: the life she has crafted on the island or the life she could have. Fans of Molly Knox Ostertag will enjoy this new graphic novel.

The Girl from the Sea is one of those books that shows the power of literature to help readers see things from new perspectives and empathize with others. Were the story told from another point of view, Morgan could easily look like the villain. She brushes off her brother, who is obviously trying to get her attention and connect with her, in favor of hanging out with her new girlfriend Keltie. She lies to her friend group about where she is and what she is doing–again, to hang out with her girlfriend. She then publicly rejects her girlfriend and makes fun of Keltie behind her back in order to keep fitting in with her friends from school. Morgan is not particularly kind to anyone in this story, but, because it is told from her perspective and not from her brother’s or her friends’, readers feel sorry for her. She wants to be able to be with Keltie, but she is also not ready to tell the world that she is gay. If keeping her secret means hurting others, she is willing to do it.

This all creates a lot of drama and suspense, and readers will find themselves eagerly turning the pages in hopes that things will get better. Only by being true to herself can Morgan repair her relationships and save the local wildlife in the process. The narrative is relatively fast-paced while still providing enough detail to flesh out most of the characters. The only really rushed bit is the insta-love; Morgan and Keltie see each other once, kiss immediately, and are a couple forevermore. The book does at least try to explain this away by saying Keltie is a selkie and it is destined. Readers may just have to try to accept that and move on.

The Girl from the Sea is an engrossing story that expertly blends a story of self-acceptance with a hint of romance and a dash of magic. The beautiful artwork only adds to the tale. Readers who enjoy graphic novels, especially ones that blend the fantastic with the everyday, will want to pick this one up.

Love and Olives by Jenna Evans Welch

Information

Goodreads: Love and Olives
Series: Love and Gelato #3
Source: Library
Published: 2020

Summary

Olive’s father left when she was eight–left to chase the lost city of Atlantis. Now, after years of no contact, he wants her to visit him on the Greek island of Santorini. Olive has zero interest in reconnecting with the man who let her down, but her mother wants her to do. Now, Olive has to decide if her relationship with her dad is worth saving.

Review

Love and Olives by Jenna Evans Welch brings the island of Santorini alive as the protagonist, Olive, attempts to reconnect with the father who left her as a child. Like the previous installments, this one focuses more on familial love than on romantic love, though Olive does meet a handsome boy named Theo, who might be everything her current boyfriend is not. Fans of the previous books will no doubt enjoy this one, as well, though, at 500 pages, it is unusually long for a contemporary romance, and can sometimes feel repetitive.

The highlight of this series for me has always been the travel aspect and Love and Olives does not disappoint. Olive explores Santorini and the nearby islands extensively as she helps her father film a documentary about searching for Atlantis. Plenty of information about the lost city is provided, and it is interesting, but I have to admit that I preferred exploring the known, visible islands more than I cared about theories as to why Santorini might be the location of Atlantis. Olive gets to stay in a magical bookstore with a hidden bunk, visit several beaches, go on a sunset cruise, and, of course, experience the local cuisine. I felt like I got to go on a mini vacation with Olive!

Olive as a character regrettably borders on the annoying. She is drawn with sensitivity and depth, shown to be still processing the fact that her father left her and her mother when she was eight–and she has only heard from him recently, when he wants her to do something for him. However, the passages where Olive feels sad for herself and wants to push everyone away come a bit too frequently–I do not know that she needs to think about her sad past every five pages, just so we understand that she is scarred. Also, she has a weird obsession with making sure no one knows her dad is an Atlantis hunter because it is too “weird” and “embarrassing.” This does not really make sense in a world where mainstream media regularly highlights mysteries such as Bigfoot, ghosts, and aliens. A historian interested in uncovering the location of Atlantis is not as bizarre as Olive thinks, and I really had no patience with all the lies she told to try to cover it up.

Aside from Olive’s constant need to feel sorry for herself, however, the book is pleasant. It feels like a love letter to Santorini, with the author wanting readers to understand all its beauty and wonder. I had fun exploring with Olive, and I hope that one day we can have more travel stories from Jenna Evans Welch.

Recommended for You by Laura Silverman

Information

Goodreads: Recommended for You
Series: None
Source: Library
Publication Date: 2020

Official Summary

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus.

Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.

When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.

Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.

But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…

Review

Recommended for You is a cute rom-com perfectly calculated to appeal to book lovers. While the standard rom-com plotline can often feel stale–girl meets boy, does not like boy, then discovers boy is not as bad as she thought–it seems clear that this book is trying to freshen things up by dropping as many bookish allusions as possible. Readers presumably are going to pick up the book because they like books about books. This strategy works somewhat. Ultimately, however, Recommended for You really does feel like just another rom-com, with no real reason for readers to choose it over another similar title.

Many readers, unsurprisingly, do enjoy reading books about books or, in this case, books about bookstores. Recommended for You takes that knowledge and does its darnedest to keep such readers happy. References to popular YA titles such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games are made. Jokes about customers who browse indie bookstores only to buy the book off Amazon–while still in the store–are made. References to the nightmare that is working in customer service are made. In other words, the book checks off all the boxes to make book lovers and bookstore workers think, “So relatable!” None of it feels very organic, but people who get the joke might not mind.

Aside from the bookish allusions, the main thing that really stands out this book is Shoshanna’s character. She is, quite frankly, the type of protagonist many readers might not like, not because she is immature or rude or unthinking (all of which are true), but because she can be actively mean. She is the type of person who uses the bookstore intercom to shame a person for not reading. And who makes snide comments about her coworkers’ attire, then gets upset why they do not get the “joke.” There are things about Shoshanna that I can overlook because she is a teen, and, yes, teens do silly and rude things without thinking. But mocking people on the intercom is not something the average person does without realizing how awful that is.

The fact that Shoshanna and Jake are both really nasty, however, makes it difficult to buy into their romance. Shoshanna eventually learns to stop meddling in other people’s business and trying to “fix” their lives, but that is a separate lesson from her mean attitude, which the book never addresses. Jake, meanwhile, apologizes for being completely nasty to Shoshanna when they first met, but just glosses over it by implying he really needs the money and he just could not be expected to be polite to his new coworkers as a result. At some point, they fall in love despite their attitudes, but the book does not clearly indicate how or why this happens. The book is a rom-com, so why not, I guess.

On the whole, Recommended for You is a pretty forgettable read. It hits all the normal notes for a rom-com, but relies too heavily on the premise of being set in a bookstore to try to distinguish itself meaningfully in other ways. I finished the book because it is short, but I never felt invested in it.

Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe

Information

Goodreads: Charming as a Verb
Series: None
Source: Library
Published: 2020

Official Summary

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm just about anyone. He is a star debater and popular student at the prestigious FATE academy, the dutiful first-generation Haitian son, and the trusted dog walker for his wealthy New York City neighbors. But his easy smiles mask a burning ambition to attend his dream college, Columbia University.

There is only one person who seems immune to Henri’s charms: his “intense” classmate and neighbor Corinne Troy. When she uncovers Henri’s less-than-honest dog-walking scheme, she blackmails him into helping her change her image at school. Henri agrees, seeing a potential upside for himself.

Soon what started as a mutual hustle turns into something more surprising than either of them ever bargained for. . . .

This is a sharply funny and insightful novel about the countless hustles we have to keep from doing the hardest thing: being ourselves.

Review

Charming as a Verb has been on my radar for awhile and I had high hopes. A rom com where the romance begins with one party being blackmailed by the other? Intriguing. Unfortunately, however, the characterization of the protagonist, Henri Haltiwanger, felt incomplete and even a little confusing. This was enough to make the book only a so-so read. Something that’s okay, but generally unremarkable.

The main issue with Henri is that, according to the title, he is supposed to charming. I, in turn, assumed this meant I would be rooting for him. Henri’s introduction, however, establishes him as a liar, one who actually went through the trouble of creating an entire fake business, with its own fake website, email, and T-shirts, in order to con people in NYC to pay him for walking their dogs. The book presents this as kind of cute, just something he had to do in order to earn some cash, because he attends a fancy prep school with rich kids and he needs money, too, right? But, realistically, this deceit is pretty big and possibly even criminal. It does not immediately establish Henri as likable.

As the story progresses, readers learn that Henri is flaky about his commitments, unclear about his intentions with women, and willing to lie in general in order to get what he wants because he figures the system is rigged against him and it’s only fair. He regularly fails to show up to his debate team practices, even though they are relying on him. He has an undefined relationship with a girl who clearly is into him, but whom he is happy to use as a one-night stand. He complains all the time about how hard it is for him to get into Columbia University, even though he goes to a prestigious prep school with a counselor who has inside contacts and pulls strings for him to get a personal interview with a Columbia graduate. In short, Henri is not at all charming. He’s selfish and self-absorbed, and quite unsympathetic when he complains about Columbia, as if he has no idea that the majority of high school students in the U.S. have a zero chance of getting into an Ivy League school, because they don’t attend a high school with a recognizable name and don’t have connections to the people who influence admissions.

This might all be fine, if one considered that Henri is just supposed to be a morally grey character who makes mistakes and maybe just is a really bad friend and boyfriend. But the book repeatedly assures readers that Henri is, yes, charming. That readers should care about him. That they should root for him. But…why? There are a few vague mentions about his love of fashion and sneakers, and his desire to design them. But the sneaker references appear only sporadically, and it’s actually difficult to remember that they are supposed to be Henri’s passion. So the whole “follow your dream” subplot falls flat and fails to make Henri any more likable.

In the end, when Henri makes another huge mistake (read: another criminal lie), he gets off pretty easy and still manages to have his dreams (because this is YA, after all). And this actually feels like a problem. Normally, I would want the character to have a second chance, but the characterization here has not convinced me that Henri truly has a heart of gold and this was just one lapse of judgment. His entire characterization has shown Henri to be dishonest and unreliable, in pursuit only of what will benefit him. It is difficult to know what to think of a book that tells readers the main character is likable and good-hearted, but shows them that he is not.

There’s also a pretty lackluster romance in the book, which the summary might have readers believing is a main point. However, the characters become a couple pretty quickly, with few of the rom com hijinks one might have expected from a sort of enemies-to-lovers romance. Their chemistry is largely absent, with the book simply telling readers about how in love they are, but never convincingly demonstrating that the two are compatible. The romance eventually becomes sidelined, with Henri mainly concerned about getting into Columbia.

The college application process is one aspect of the book I did enjoy, however. It captures the anxiety around applying for colleges, trying to figure out the right things to say at the interview, wondering when the acceptance or rejection notice will come. It’s maybe not as relatable that almost everyone in the book seems to be aiming for (and getting accepted) at Ivy League schools, but they do attend a fancy prep school so I guess it makes sense.

Would I recommend Charming as a Verb? Probably not. But I would be willing to try some of Philippe’s other books.