Anita Ojeda Looking to laugh your way out of the doldrums? I have the perfect series for you. Ready for a fresh take on family relationships? I have the perfect book to recommend. Either way, don’t miss out on these books!
Burned by Netflix
I don’t know about you, but I often get burned by Netflix. You know, you read the description of a movie, think it sounds cute, and then once you get a little invested in the characters, you realize just how crass and not clean the movie is. I prefer my entertainment on the cleaner side, and rarely watch anything R-rated.
I’ve read a handful of inspirational RomCom books and enjoyed most of them. But Emma St. Clair’s new Love Clichés Sweet RomCom series takes the cake. They’re laugh-out-loud, snorting-coffee-through-the-nose funny (don’t say I didn’t warn you if you choose to sip coffee and read these books at the same time).
What I enjoy most about St. Clair’s books is her ability to make you laugh AND think. You’ll come away with a deeper appreciation for personality differences, friendships, and our universal quest to be fully known.
The Sweet Love Clichés centers around the fictional Dr. Love and her four best friends. When advice columnist Sam (aka Dr. Love) needs material for her column or book in progress, she leans on her besties to summon up fodder for her advice. After all, at the start of the series none of the four are in a serious relationship and the happily-dating Sam would love for her friends to experience the same level of bliss she enjoys.
Falling for Your Best Friend’s Twin
Computer programming geek Abby struggles with her feelings for Zane, her best friend Zoey’s twin brother. It’s taken Abby years to trust others after a bullying incident in high school, but Zane could shatter her newfound confidence when he invites her to a business meeting.
Falling for Your Boss
Zoey has harbored a crush for her boss for years, but she’s finally ready to quit her job and move on with her life. Burned in love once, Gavin feels content in his persona as ice king. Until an unfortunate incident with his ex-wife makes him rethink everything he ever thought about his beautiful assistant Zoey and his strict policy of not dating women he works with.
The Twelve Holidates: A Sweet Christmas RomCom
Taylor plans 12 romantic holidates for her boyfriend, only to discover him cheating on her. Her best friend Weston comes to her rescue (again), and promises to make it up to her. They’ve secretly loved each other since middle school, but only a Christmas miracle (and some sage advice from Dr. Love) can save them. This feel-good novella is a companion to the other five books in the series.
I receive free electronic advanced reader copies of these books through an arrangement between the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion on NetGalley’s website. I only review books on my blog that I really love.
The Sowing Season
By Katie Powner, October 2020, Bethany House Publishers, 366 pages.
Life as he knows it ends when Gerrit Laninga has to sell his family’s dairy farm. At 63, all he’s known (except for four years in college) is work from dawn to dark. Somewhere in there, he married a beautiful woman and had two children. Two children who now hate him. And a beautiful woman who has done life on her own for dozens of years.
When he walks in the house after dark on the first day of freedom from the farm, he meets his wife, Hannie, at the door. She has a suitcase in hand. This wake-up call launches Gerrit on a journey of discovery—about himself, his family, and the choices he has made.
Rae Walters has always succeeded at everything. An only child, she feels the pressure of her parents’ expectations for her—outlined in The Plan—a blueprint for her life and future. But with driver’s ed class and getting her license looming on the horizon, Rae starts to have doubts about The Plan.
For years she’s found a refuge in an old barn back behind her house, and after a rough day she goes to find solace in the quiet space only to have a grumpy old man barge in. Surprised at the intrusion, she discovers the old man owns the barn and the lonely-looking woman she sees through the window of the house is his wife.
When Rae and Gerrit meet, their lives will never be quite the same again.
Why I Loved this Book
This multigenerational story will make you laugh, think, and cry. Fifteen-year-old Rae personifies all our fears of failure and making the wrong choice—fears that follow us throughout our life.
Gerrit, a curmudgeon of epic proportions, has justified his decisions and choices all in the name of the farm and providing for his family. But when the farm no longer cracks a whip over his life, Gerrit slowly realizes he’s worked on the wrong things all his life. Readers facing mid-life questions will relate to Gerrit as he looks back at key moments in his life and the choices he made. They’ll cheer him on as he strives to change.
Although not a suspense novel, I found myself having the same reaction—I couldn’t put the book down. The author weaves in threads about forgiveness and tragedy that pull the reader deeper and deeper into the lives of Rae and Gerrit.
Although not laugh-out-loud funny nor a traditional sort of romance, this sweet book will show you the ultimate power of love.
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I know what you mean about Netflix and other services. I try to look up the parental guide on IMDB before watching something, but sometimes still get unpleasant surprises.
The Sowing Season sounds really good. I’ve put it on my list of books to look into later.
Barbara Harper recently posted…Book Review: Don’t Overthink It
Right?! Our daughter and I have discussed how shocking it is to put on a nature movie from Disney that’s rated G and discover that an animal always gets eaten by a predator (not the ‘main’ character). This frightens little kids, who want to watch nature programs but aren’t ready for the harsh realities of life yet!