I didn't even know there was a genre of hockey romances and I certainly did not know that it was going to end up being a book genre that I would end up liking, but here we are.  This is, I think, the third book in the last few months that I am recommending in which there is a romance and there are hockey players.  And truly, who knew there was an entire genre of hockey romance in which consent and health reciprocal relationships was front and center?  This one also weaves in themes of the pull between traditional families with modern kids struggling to find a balance between the two, sexism in sports, and figuring out how to manage competing career tracks in relationships.  It was just a really unexpectedly fun, light romance.  Perfect bedtime or beach reading.

Recommend.
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Light romance with a heartwarming and feel good story, set against the backdrop of grief and family obligations, I liked it overall. The biggest issue with the writing was the dialogue--and I do love a writer who can write good dialogue.  I found the lack of flow in the dialogue a distraction from the rest of the writing, which, for what it was, was solid.  I think particularly in an audio book that if the dialogue doesn't feel genuine, then as a flaw it is really amplified.  Nevertheless, a fun little love story.

​Not not recommended.

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A really light, playful romance set in a snowed-in airport on Christmas Eve.  It is sweet and fun, nothing offensive (or even juicy), but nothing deep, either.  If you want something to read over the holidays without needing to put an ounce of emotional energy into, this might be for you.  

Not not recommended.

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I am a sucked for a time travel novel. This comes across as a silly, light romance told in a style akin to the classic When Harry Met Sally interview style. I did not love the over-dramatization of the audio narration, so it took me a bit to get over that and let myself relax into the story.  The plot was surprisingly interesting and unusual and far exceeded the quality of the writing.  As the solar flare induced worm hole horizon approaches and the future June reaches back in time to try to warn herself, the plot unexpectedly holds together, which is my favorite part of a time travel story.

​Recommend.

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This is a sweet, short anti-romance romance, where the everyone is with the wrong person and it takes some time for things to unwind themselves. Definitely on the cheesy side, but I can't say I didn't like it.  Soft recommendation that applies only if you are looking for sure a thing.

Recommend.

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Written as a series of letters between a food reporter and a fan as they develop and deepen a long term friendship, this book has a tender and sweet feel to it and that comes through in the writing. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of anything that really pulled me into the story in more than a "this is what I am reading right now" kind of way, nothing felt dramatic or tense or irresistible.  It was tame.  Lovely, but bland.

Not recommended.

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This G-rated post-break-up romance is actually really cute.  When her fiance calls off the wedding at the last minute and no refunds can be had, the super sweet main character decides to gift the wedding to another couple who decide they need to get married quickly before a family member starts another round of cancer treatment.  It is just a genuinely lovely little story that I can give a soft recommendation to.

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I couldn't stop reading this book. It drew me in on so many levels.  The characters, the plot, the writing...all captivating in their nuance.  The complexity of trying to live a life consistent with hold values while navigating traumatic grief, discrimination, and parenting without role models for how best to do that.  This book feels especially timely again, amidst the renewed conflict in the Middle East and the slow, subtle erosion of protections for Queer parents here at home.  My kid was reading this as part of a college course and I always particularly love getting to share in a story he is reading. Over the two decades I have been parenting, they have been assigned a lot of crappy, problematic literature, so it was a real treat to read something this good.  

Highly recommend.

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Super cute and charming, this story is at its core about growing up and living in isolation because you thought there was something wrong with you and you couldn't connect with other people lest they find out just how different and problematic you are and then finding a group of people like you that love you and want you to be your family. It is just heartwarming in all the right ways. I really don't want to say much more about it because it is just so lovely, it needs to be read to be appreciated.

There are lots of characters of color and Queer characters, but it never feels like these are added as side-kicks or for some type of credit towards having diversity in the book. These are well-written characters whose demographics are woven into their stories and into this story as a whole. It couldn’t be told without those pieces. The twist ending is fun, the magic is quirky, and the lovey feelings feel genuine and messy. There isn't a romance and yet the book oozes love in all the best ways.
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Strong recommendation.

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This raw and honest memoir of a former White House aid is a fast paced, woman of color "boot-strap" story that I quite enjoyed.  Balancing staying connect to her family and roots with getting her education at USC and then Harvard isn't sugar coated. The anxiety, the ambition, and the loneliness of being the first and only" person in her family to go to college and beyond is endearing while also calling out institutions and processes that fail first gen students.  I particularly love, though, how she portrays her mom as this incredibly resourceful parent hellbent on getting every possible benefit out of every job she had, while still coping with her own trauma and the limits it imposed on her.  Her mom's inability to fully support or even understand the value of a college experience, let alone a $150,000 unfunded master degree, made her so real and it was impossible not to love her as she tells everyone she knows when her daughter gets into Harvard, just as if it had been her own good idea to try for that.  Without glossing over questionable choices her younger self made or dysfunctional family histories or her own internal struggles, this is a story worth reading.  For college professors, in particular, I would imagine that this narrative could provide insight to the experiences of students making their own way in the world.

Recommend. 
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