The Vibrant Years

By: Sonali Dev
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio
Pages: 316

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When sixty-five-year-old Bindu Desai inherits a million dollars, she’s astounded―and horrified. The windfall threatens to expose a shameful mistake from her youth. On an impulse, Bindu quickly spends it on something unexpected: a condo in a posh retirement community in Florida.

The impulsive decision blindsides Bindu’s daughter-in-law, Aly. At forty-seven, Aly still shares a home with Bindu even after her divorce from Bindu’s son. But maybe this change is just the push Aly needs to fight for her own dreams.

As Bindu and Aly navigate their new dynamic, Aly’s daughter, Cullie, is faced with losing the business that made her a tech-world star. The only way to save it is to deliver a new idea to her investors―and they want the dating app she pitched them in a panic. Problem is, Cullie has never been on a real date. Naturally, enlisting her single mother and grandmother to help her with the research is the answer.

From USA Today bestselling author Sonali Dev comes a heartfelt novel about three generations of hilarious, unconventional, ambitious women who embark on a shared journey of self-discovery. Join the Desai women as they come together to embrace the hijinks and heartbreak of facing their greatest fears to finally live their most vibrant lives.

First Impressions

I was offered to read this book as the first in Mindy Kaling’s new imprint with Amazon, Mindy’s Book Studio. I absolutely love Mindy Kaling and think she is doing great things to highlight diverse authors. The cover for this book caught my eye. It was very cute. The summary I was a bit iffy on. I find multi-generational stories can be a bit hit or miss sometimes.

What I thought

Well, this multi-generational story was not a miss.

Bindu is 65 years old and just moved into a retirement community. Before moving, she lived with her ex-daughter-in-law Aly. Aly’s daughter Cullie lives across the country in California. This story follows all three women as they work to discover their love lives as well as themselves.

Each chapter alternates between each of the women and follows their current trials and tribulations. Bindu was left a million dollars from a person in her past who she has always kept a secret. Now that she’s decided to use the money, she’s worried that her secret is going to come out. I found that the “secret” wasn’t much of a secret to the reader. Each chapter starts with a snipped from Oscar’s journal, so it’s pretty clear early on what Bindu has been trying to hide. I did, however, really enjoy how it influenced Bindu’s life journey and her self-discovery in her later years. It was enjoyable to read about Bindu living her life.

Aly’s story was probably the least interesting to me. She was married to Bindu’s son until a few years ago. When they got divorced, Bindu stayed with Aly and lived with her. They have a very close relationship and I enjoyed reading it, since I don’t think I’ve read a story with one similar to theirs before. Aly by herself got on my nerves. I felt like she complained the whole book about things she could’ve changed but just chose not to.

Cullie’s storyline was interesting as well. I enjoyed reading about a young woman in coding and app development. She’s smart and unapologetic about her talent. I also enjoyed how some of her mental health was tied into her storyline. I didn’t love her app storyline though. In trying to come up with a new app for her company, she decides to create a new dating app. This just felt a little played out and I think it ended up getting lost in all of the other storylines. I would’ve appreciated if she could’ve been working on something a little more significant than a dating app.

Overall, this book was very interesting. I really loved Bindu’s storyline and think I might’ve enjoyed the book a little more if it had jut been about her and had flashbacks to her past. I don’t think it would’ve made much of a different to have storylines from Aly and Cullie told through Bindu as opposed to on their own. I’m looking forward to seeing what other books Kaling highlights with her imprint and hope that they continue to highlight strong women of color.

Meant to Be Mine

By: Hannah Orenstein
Published Year: 20202
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 288

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): What if you knew exactly when you’d meet the love of your life? Edie Meyer knows. When her Grandma Gloria was a young woman, she had a vision of the exact day she would meet her soul mate—and then Grandpa Ray showed up.

Since then, Gloria has accurately predicted the day every single member of the family has met their match. Edie’s day arrives on June 24, 2022, when she’s twenty-nine years old. She has been waiting for it half her life. That morning, she boards an airplane to her twin sister’s surprise engagement, and when a handsome musician sits beside her, she knows it’s meant to be.

But fate comes with more complications than Edie expected and she can’t fight the nagging suspicion that her perfect guy doesn’t have perfect timing. After a tragedy and a shocking revelation rock Edie’s carefully constructed world, she’s forced to consider whether love chooses us, as simple as destiny, or if we choose it ourselves.

First Impressions

I first heard about this book on a list of book recommendations based off of your zodiac signs. It was recommend for Cancers, which I’m not, but it sounded so cute that I knew I needed to read it. This is definitely the case of the summary getting me a little more than the cover, but I do think it’s super cute and definitely would’ve pulled it off of the shelves.

What I thought

This was a very cute book and just the perfect length.

Edie’s grandmother Gloria has predicted the day that everyone in her family would meet their soulmate. On Edie’s date she has her eyes wide open and meets a wonderful man but something doesn’t seem quite right. Is everything that she believed in real or will it be worth risking faith?

Edie is a Jewish fashion stylist who lives in New York City. She also has a twin sister Rae who, at the beginning of the novel, is getting engaged to her long term boyfriend Max. While Edie could be frustrating at times, I enjoyed her for the most part. I really liked her commitment and love for her family and friends. She is truly loyal and seemed exactly like the kind of person I would want to have as a friend. As someone whose family is Jewish, I love reading stories that have Judaism woven into the story like everyday life. It wasn’t something that was a central plot point, but it made Edie who she was and was obviously very important to her character.

This book is under 300 pages and I think if this book had gone on for much longer it would’ve been too much. I honestly could’ve seen this book as a novella because it felt like the central conflict was a little drawn out in my opinion. I wouldn’t have minded a little more pre-soulmate day and a little less in the middle part.

The way this story tackled the difficult notion of fate and soulmates versus choice was very well done. This is a question I constantly wonder and question. It was fascinating to watch it play out and see Edie battle between her feelings and her faith.

This was a very cute short story centered around romance. I could very easily see this as a Netflix or Hallmark movie. I loved the little sprinkle of magic but would’ve appreciated a little more explanation, especially at the end. I also wouldn’t have said no to a better epilogue. This was a good introduction to Orenstein and I look forward to checking out more of her other books.

Better Than Fiction

By: Alexa Martin
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): As a self-proclaimed book hater and a firm believer that the movie is always better, Drew Young didn't anticipate inheriting her grandma's bookstore, the Book Nook. She's in way over her head even before the shop's resident book club, comprising seven of the naughtiest old ladies ever, begin to do what they do best--meddle.

Bestselling author Jasper Williams is a hopeless romantic. When he meets Drew at his Book Nook signing event, he becomes determined to show her the beauty of reading. He curates a book bucket list in exchange for her help exploring the local Denver scene for his current manuscript. From river rafting to local restaurants, Drew begins to connect with Jasper in a way she only thought happened in fiction.

When messy family ties jeopardize the future of the Book Nook, Drew is caught between a bookshelf and a hard place. She's reminded that real life isn't always big dreams and sweeping romance. But Jasper is the plot twist she never saw coming and he's writing a happily ever after just for them.

First Impressions

As a book lover, I tend to be a sucker for book themed books. I was intrigued by this one because the main character owned a bookstore but didn’t love books. I’ve read one previous book by Martin and enjoyed it, so when I was offered the chance to read this one I quickly agreed. I also love the cover.

What I thought

I feel like I’ve been on a roll with good books lately!

Drew’s grandmother owned a bookstore. After she died, she left it to Drew in her will. The only problem is that Drew doesn’t love books. She loves her grandma though and decides to keep the store and run it in her honor. When her grandmother’s book club invites a super hot romance author to the store, she’s intrigued but know it will never work. Until he asks her to be his tour guide in Colorado and challenges her to read books of his choosing.

This book made me want to visit Colorado. It also makes me want to explore more small bookstores. Drew isn’t just dealing with grief and romance, but also a lot of family drama. Her dad, who left their family when she was young, is an absolute jerk.

In the acknowledgements, Martin mentions that she wrote this book after losing her mom. I think that the way Drew deals with grief in this book is relatable and realistic and I could tell that it was written by someone who had experienced it. This book was such a nice balance between all types of relationships. While the romantic relationship is still the biggest focus, I always love when romance novels also have solid friendships and family relationships. This book also added in a lot of grandmotherly relationships with Drew’s grandma’s friends.

In addition to being a sucker for books, I’m also a sucker for travel. This book balanced these two loves of mine perfectly. Also, Jasper is the perfect book boyfriend. He is everything that any woman would ask for and I immediately fell in love with him. I appreciated that Drew’s friend Elsie helped to combat some of the typical romance tropes too. It added some fun dimension to the story.

Even though this book wasn’t a mystery, I found I couldn’t put it down. I kept looking forward to the next time I got to pick it up and fall back into the world of Drew, Jasper, and The Book Nook. I wish I could travel there and fully immerse myself in this world. I enjoyed this book much more than Martin’s other book that I read and now I was to go back and read some more. This book is one I feel like I could’ve seen myself writing and I related to the voice and a lot of little quirks in the book, such as the pop culture mentions without being named. Highly recommend.

Book Club November 2022- Must Love Books

By: Shauna Robinson
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pages: 321

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet…and maybe poach some Parsons' authors along the way.

But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or...herself and her future.

What I thought

Nora is an editorial assistant for Parson’s publishing, but working for publishing isn’t what she thought it would be. She’s worked there for 5 years and even her love of books is waning. When they cut her pay, she is presented with an opportunity to work part time for a competing publisher and decides to work both jobs at the same time, even though she’s not supposed to. Throw in a best selling author who is hot and looking for a change and you have Nora’s full debacle.

This book was cute. When I started it, I thought it was going to be boring and predictable. It’s described as having elements of the show Younger and it definitely does. However, as the book continues it delves into some deeper issues which made it feel more full. I think this is one of those few books that I enjoyed more as I read it than I did at the beginning.

Nora and Andrew (the author) had an adorable relationship. I liked their banter and the slow burn while navigating the complications of their work relationships. I was a bit nervous he entire time waiting for the moment her secrets came out, but there was enough going on that I was distracted.

What really made me like this book was when it started to attack mental health issues. Nora realizes that she’s not happy with her life and is worried about how that’s effecting her mental health. What I really appreciated was how Nora handled her depression. It felt different from how other stories have dealt with it and realistic. While the ending wouldn’t have been my first choice, I still really appreciated it and felt like it stayed true to the book.

I’m glad this story ended up being so much more than I initially thought it would be and I’m looking forward to reading Robinson’s next book.

What Book Club Thought

We were oddly split on this book! It lead to an interesting conversation because there were definite aspects that I enjoyed that one of my friends did not. We interpreted a lot of what happened differently and I think some of that is due to our personal life experiences. It did bring some perspective to the story and did change my feelings about certain plot points, but I still enjoyed it. It did make me realize that there was a lot going on and that it could’ve been scaled back a little bit. But I still fought for some of the points and ways that I interpreted the book over the way some of my other friends did. I would definitely recommend this as a book club pick because it’s an easy read, but lead to a lot of discussion.

Carrie Soto is Back

By: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Pages: 384

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

First Impressions

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of my favorite authors. I have read all but 2 of her books (and they are high on my list) and greatly enjoyed every one. Not only did the gold color of this novel call to me, but the summary was intriguing and I knew I immediately wanted to read it.

What I thought

This might be my favorite book of the year.

Carrie Soto is 37 years old and retired from being the world’s best tennis player. That is, until a new tennis player ties one of her records. She decides to come out of retirement and take back her title.

The book starts in “present day” of 1995. This book also lives in the same universe as her previous two novels, Daisy Jones and the Six and Malibu Rising. I haven’t read Malibu Rising yet, but there were a few references I picked up on. When Carrie Soto sees that Nicki Chan has tied her record for most Grand Slams won by a female tennis player, she decides she needs to come back and beat Nicki. She asks her dad to come back and be her coach again and he agrees. The book then flashes back to the beginning of Carrie’s career and follows all the way to her retirement where it picks back up in present day.

I was immediately hooked by this book. This book highlights how women who are strong and good at what they do are expected to be shocked by their abilities. One of the reasons Carrie is disliked is because she’s unapologetic in her talent. I was a little worried that this unlikable trait would make her an unlikable character but I loved her. I also loved her relationship with her dad. It was complex yet simple, perfect yet imperfect at the same time.

What makes this book so great is the writing. It’s not a book that is going to take you by surprise with twists and turns and unexpected plot points, but it’s done so extremely well that you just want to live in it. I was on the edge of my seat with the drama of the games and I’ve never watched a tennis match before in my life.

I need more of this world. I need a book from Carrie’s dad, Nicki Chan, and other tennis players. This book is everything that makes Jenkins Reid the amazing author that she is.

Everything about this book was perfect for me. The characters, the drama, the setting. I finished it in 4 days which, during the school year is pretty quick. I also plan on buying it so I can pass it on and make other people read it. If you haven’t read TJR before, I don’t know if I would recommend this as the place to start, but if this is the first one that appeals to you, you can’t go wrong.

Running Wild

By: K.A Tucker
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: K.A. Tucker
Pages: 370

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman. It’s a mistake she will never make again, especially not when she can practically hear the clock ticking on her childbearing years.

The trouble is, she can’t seem to find anyone who appeals to her even a fraction as much as that burly bush pilot did. Competitive musher Tyler Brady certainly doesn’t, especially not after the heated altercation with the handsome but arrogant, spiteful man.

Or so she thinks.

While volunteering at the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, Marie discovers that first impressions may have been false, and her attraction to Tyler is very real. But his heart belongs to someone else, leaving him with nothing to offer but friendship. Marie’s been down this road before and knows how that ends. Yet, no matter how hard she works to keep from falling for Tyler, it seems she’s doomed to follow her own trail once again.

From the internationally bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes the story of a woman at a crossroads in her life, struggling between the safe route and the one that will only lead to more heartbreak.

First Impressions

I loved the first Simple Wild book and enjoyed the second one as well so I was very excited to see a third one coming out. I was a bit surprised that this was not about Calla and Jonah, so it dampened by excitement slightly, but also we had gotten so much of them I was ready to see what was next. I also adore these covers. They are so beautiful and make me want to go to Alaska.

What I thought

This book lived up to all of my hopes and expectations.

Marie is a veterinarian in rural Alaska. She took over her father’s clinic outside of Anchorage, but at 38 years old she is starting to wonder if she will ever had more in her life. Tyler just bought a farm in the town and has come from Finland to run in the Iditarod. He is shrouded in mystery and Tyler and Marie do not get along from the first time they meet.

Marie did appear in the first two novels. She was in love with Jonah and considers him her best friend. I don’t think anyone who has read the first two books in this series would say that they liked Marie. I was curious to see how Tucker was going to bring us into her world and make us root for her. If nothing else, I figured I would be cheering for her to find her own love story and get over Jonah!

I loved this book. I thought Marie was great and I actually really liked her character. I also adored Tyler and the immediate banter and chemistry that he had with Marie. One of my favorite characteristics of Marie is how strong of a woman she is. She is the best veterinarian in the area and volunteers for the Iditarod. She isn’t afraid to stand for a cause when it comes to the animals.

However, that also balances with the one part I got a little annoyed with over time and that was her age and desire to have a child. Marie is 38 and it is repeated over and over and over how much she wants a family and a child and how worried she is she will never have that since she broke off an engagement and Jonah got married. I understand where she’s coming from, but it did get a little repetitive at times.

I was surprised how the Iditarod occurred to early in the book. I wish there had been a little more build up to that and then maybe not as quite occurring afterwards. But I also understand that the timeline works well to have months for Tyler and Marie to get to know each other.

It was also interesting because Tyler is a widow. I think, for the most part, it’s written well without being over the top. I got a little frustrated towards the end, but I think it was mostly me just wanting them to get together already!

Tucker does it again! Another great book in the Simple Wild series. Yet again, she makes me want to move to Alaska and find a grumpy, semi-anti-social man and make him love me. I would highly recommend reading he first two books first, but this one is just as good as the first one. There also are a great amount of Calla and Jonah cameos which always makes me happy in romance series.

Blackmail and Bibingka

By: Mia P Manansala
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 288

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): It's Christmastime in Shady Palms, but things are far from jolly for Lila Macapagal. Sure, her new business, The Brew-ha Cafe, is looking to turn a profit in its first year. And yes, she's taken the first step in a new romance with her good friend, Jae Park. But her cousin Ronnie is back in town after ghosting the family fifteen years ago, claiming that his recent purchase of a local winery shows that he's back on his feet and ready to give back to the Shady Palms community. Tita Rosie is thrilled with the return of her prodigal son, but Lila knows that wherever Ronnie goes, trouble follows.

She's soon proven right when Ronnie is accused of murder, and secrets and rumors surrounding her shady cousin and those involved with the winery start piling up. Now Lila has to put away years of resentment and distrust to prove her cousin's innocence. He may be a jerk, but he's still family. And there's no way her flesh and blood could actually be a murderer...right?

First Impressions

This book is the third in a series that I haven’t read. I had heard about Arsenic and Adobo, the first book in the series, and it had seemed really cute. The cover of this one was fun and festive and when given then opportunity to read it for review, I knew I had to squeeze it in.

What I thought

If you enjoy cozy mysteries, recipes, and Filipino culture, this book will be for you.

Lila works at a bakery in a town in central Illinois. Her bakery focus on coffee and Filipino inspired treats. When her good for nothing cousin moves back to town to take over the city winery, her aunt gets a suspicious blackmail letter. Then one of the investors is murdered. Lila takes it upon herself to figure out what’s going on.

One of the best parts of the story is Lila’s family. I know that in Filipino culture, family is essential. In other stories I’ve read, they’ve always been close knit with lots of aunties. I loved how Manansala wrote the family relationships and friendships in this story. You could see how close Lila was to her Tita and her Lola as well as how integrated their family businesses were.

The other nice thing was that, while I felt I was probably missing some nods to the earlier books, almost like inside jokes, I never felt lost. I knew who everyone was and how they were connected, even if I didn’t necessarily know how they got there. It made it easy to pick this series up in the middle which I appreciated.

The one thing that did start to bother me after a while was Lila and her tact for the investigation. Long story short, she had none. She very blatantly put her nose in other people’s business and never did it in secret. In fact, she confronted people violently multiple times. Like girl, come on. Don’t aggravate people and make it worse. The amount of times she verbally and even physically attacked her cousin was excessive. Pull him aside and have a conversation. I felt really bad for him after a while because any time he tried to defend himself he would get completely berated.

One other thing that I appreciated in this book was the very beginning. First, Manansala added a trigger warning. Even though this is a lighter mystery, there are still some difficult topics addressed. I appreciated the thoughtfulness. In addition to that, there was an entire glossary of Filipino terms with their definitions as well as pronunciations. I know that this is something that POC authors shouldn’t ever feel obligated to include, but I feel like it helps to educate those outside their culture who choose to read their books. I read books with characters from other cultures to help educate myself, so I greatly appreciate that it isn’t assumed that every reader will know these terms or make it their jobs to look it up.

This book is definitely more along the lines of a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries type of story. In fact, I would love to see them adapt this. It would be adorable and the next Aurora Teagarden. It’s not going to win any awards for its creativity or even the mystery itself. But it was cute and fun and I enjoyed how the holidays were woven in without being over the top. I will definitely keep an eye out for the next book in the series and a fun, quick read.

Once Upon a December

By: Amy E Reichert
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): With a name like Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit isn't just a seasonal specialty--it's a way of life. But after a stinging divorce, Astra's yearly trip to the Milwaukee Christmas market takes on a whole new meaning. She's ready to eat, drink, and be merry, especially with the handsome stranger who saves the best kringle for her at his family bakery.

For Jack Clausen, the Julemarked with its snowy lights and charming shops stays the same, while the world outside the joyful street changes, magically leaping from one December to the next every four weeks. He's never minded living this charmed existence until Astra shows him the life he's been missing outside of the festive red brick alley.

After a swoon-worthy series of dates, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they're feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.

First Impressions

This cover is very cute and felt very wintery to me. I was all in on a romance that involved Kringles, Milwaukee, Christmas, and a little bit of magic. That’s all I needed to know.

What I thought

Astra lives in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Jack lives in a magical world called Julemarked. Every time he visits Milwaukee, he falls more in love with Astra. Astra never remembers meeting him. Until she does.

I don’t know how to describe this book without rambling on for ages. It’s a bit complicated. Julemarked is a magical universe that exists out of time. It essentially only exists in December and it shows up in different Christmas markets all over the world on December 1st. Sometimes it’s in a chronological order of years, other times it’s not. But one thing is consistent; no one ever remembers Julemarked after it’s gone.

What I truly appreciated about this story was the explanation about Julemarked and some of the rules. I think sometimes when you have these types of stories you’re left just having to ignore giant holes, in hopes of just enjoying the story for what it is. Reichert does a great job filling in those holes. When I was explaining this book to some of my friends, they obviously had a bunch of questions. I found that I was actually able to answer most of them with what had been provided for me in the book!

At the beginning, the book alternates with Astra’s present day life and Jack’s memories of the other time’s they’ve met. I loved being able to see him fall in love with her without her remembering who he is. They were cute together and I think it helped to get over the fact that they only got to “know” each other over the course of 24 days. In reality (well… in magical reality?), it had been 15 years.

Being a Midwestern girl, I adored that this book took place in Milwaukee. It felt very true to what I know of Wisconsin in winter, even though I’ve never been to their Christmas market. The friendships between Astra and her girlfriends was very well written. I loved reading about women supporting women and how they had been friends for so long.

My biggest issue with this book was trying to figure out how it was going to end. In order for them to end up together, either Astra was going to have to leave the real world and all of her family and friends to live in Julemarked, or Jack was going to have to leave his family, friends, and magic behind to live in the real world. Neither of these felt like good solutions to me, so in a way, I knew I was going to be disappointed no matter what. I will admit, that it didn’t turn out as badly as I worried that it would.

I know it’s a little early, but if you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance to get you in the season, this one might be it. It’s got the magic and romance as well as some lighthearted moments and some really good friendships. I loved the core group of friends that Astra had. The ending was a bit tough for me to swallow, but not in a dislikable way. I would definitely read more by Reichert and enjoyed this book. Even if I would’ve preferred reading it in December.