This book really grew on it.  It started so slowly. The third or maybe fourth Iranian book this year, I found the initial development of backstory to be tedious.  But, somewhere along the way, I was gripped by the storytelling and really appreciated the way the characters grew into complex relationships that intertwined and made seemingly horrible people understandable. And of course all of the trauma caused by all of the things that happen during times of resistance and revolution and revolt.  I ended up really appreciating the story, the romances, the family dynamics, the politics, the heartaches, the life choices people make...really well written, well plotted, and well edited.

​Recommend.

If you liked Daisy Jones & The Six, you will probably love this book.  It is written in that same interview style, in this case for a documentary film about the main characters.  It feels a little choppy in the beginning as you get to know the characters and figure out who is telling which parts of the story, but once that clicked, I just could not stop reading. 

The foreshadowing was so suspenseful and just when you thought that everything was wrapping up, there was a whole new era in their lives to come--which is one thing I do like about audio books in particular: If you aren't watching the screen, you have no idea if you are 5 minutes or 5 hours from the end.  With a paper book, you always know how much farther you have to go.

I appreciated the flawed characters. Their abusive childhoods and drive to be elite athletes, even when the established sports organizations didn't want them or were only interested in exploiting them.  The relentless focus on winning, not just for the main characters, but for all of the athletes and coaches, and the complexity of their lives when the competition wasn't just on the ice.  I was so captivated by the motivations of the characters, but also their complexity.  No one was all good or all bad.  Everyone had depth.  

The plot itself was complicated enough to keep me focused, the writing was solid, but the character development was what I jut couldn't look away from. I love the unexpected, untraditional ending that felt way more in line with the developed story than a conventional love story epilogue.  

​Recommend.

This is an incredibly well-crafted story with layers of interwoven themes that left me inspired and in love with this book.  The mom-daughter dynamics, in particular, didn't shy away from the hard stuff--not just love and loss and longing, but the difficulty connecting and re-connecting with family members after conflict or who just don't understand you.

It wasn't trite or, even worse, a story about forgiveness. It was so much stronger than that. Set against the backdrop of a burgeoning love story between two competing journalists, there is a mystery at the core of the story, unexpected and creatively crafted, it pulled me in as it unfolded. I loved that I never felt like the narrator was holding back from me, it felt like I was right there as things were unfolding.

The pacing was impeccable and I was obsessed with every minute of it. It had a bit of a feel like Taylor Jenkins Reid's books (like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones & The Six, Carrie Soto is Back, or Malibu Raising) where the complexity of celebrity and extreme wealth is explored.  Heartbreaking and heartwarming and just so lovely.
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Highly recommend.

This is a really fun, light, engaging romance with likable characters. Bonus points for one of my newest favorite plotlines--pandemic lock down stories.  I thought the whole premise was clever.  Set in the writing room of late-night comedy show (a la SNL), it is funny and poignant. It is a fresh story. The foreshadowing is solid, but not obvious. It isn't a traditional romance, but it is a love story with some steamy moments. It is unusual to have this mix and it worked for me.  Double bonus points for a great character in recovery where that isn't the focus of the book, just a background feature.

Definitely recommend this one!

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Often when a book gets this much hype, I find it doesn't live up, but Reid came through again and I loved this book.  I was completely sucked in, stayed up much to late to finish it. In fact, 4 minutes from the end, which was a thrilling ending, my phone ran out of battery and I was left in wicked suspense while I recharged it in the middle of the night to find out what happened. 

This book is like The Hidden Figures meets Erich Segal's Love Story meets Lessons in Chemistry. The backdrop of working at NASA in the 1980's sets the stage for a relatively nuanced portrayal of the many ways that women adjusted to make their way in that workforce.  I loved the character development, the love story, the family relationships, and the way in which the plot unfolded with flashbacks. I often do not like when a book starts with a harrowing scene and then leaves you hanging while it backs up to fill in what is happening, but this book used that structure better than almost any book I can remember and it kept me engaged, not just in the that scene unfolding, but in the back stories as well. I can definitely see why so many people thought this was their favorite book of 2025 and, for once, I am going to join the crowd on this one.  

What a great start to my reading year!

​Recommend.

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A steamy fantasy romance centered around Scottish legend and lore, this was a fun, light read for my Scotland trip.  With magic and mythology, family dysfunction, and definite adult content, I wouldn't say this is high literature by any stretch of the imagination, but added to a traveling book list, it is a definite yes for romance fans. The one major bummer is that it is an American author, writing about an American woman doing a legacy trip to Scotland to find her roots after the death of her father.  But, as a fun, light, sexy plane book?  I would add it to your list.

Recommend.

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One of two books by this author, with very similar premises.  Spent time in Venice, reassess your life, fall in love, explore the city.  Nothing more than a light, kind of fun read, but set in the city I was traveling in, which did add value to the story.  
Not not recommended.

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Light mid-life crisis romance book about a Londoner who goes to Venice for the summer. It was fun, without offense, but nothing deep or particularly special.  It is still on the list for something to read on a trip to Venice if you want something light that is set there.  Finding-yourself while on a touristy trip isn't really my favorite storyline, but it surely is popular.
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​Not not recommended.

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Yet another story about Americans traveling to Scotland for a vacation read in Virtual Voice.  I need a setting that excludes these from view, although having now read three of these, I have definitely learned my lesson.  The Voice here isn't as horrendous as Valentine's Day In Venice, but it still takes away from the story, which is saying a lot since the story was nothing compelling to start with.  Retired, disgruntled cop and his wife housesit in Scotland for a change of scene and get asked to help solve a blackmailing mystery for a neighbor.  Predictable and bland.
Not recommended

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Mindless romance between American ex-lovers traveling to Scotland.  Nothing offensive.  Not not cute.  But, the point of reading stories about a place I am going to visit is to learn something about the people or place and although these two journalists purport to be there to write a story about locals, that part of the story was never developed and really could have taken place in any one of hundreds of places around the world.  Overall a disappointment.
Do not recommend.

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