The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth: The Sapphic Teen RomCom of My Dreams

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth
Published: June 9th, 2020
Publisher: HarperTeen
Genre: Contemporary YA Romantic Comedy/LGBTQ+
# of pages: 368
My rating: 4.5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for honest consideration
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Saoirse doesn’t believe in love at first sight or happy endings. If they were real, her mother would still be able to remember her name and not in a care home with early onset dementia. A condition that Saoirse may one day turn out to have inherited. So she’s not looking for a relationship. She doesn’t see the point in igniting any romantic sparks if she’s bound to burn out.

But after a chance encounter at an end-of-term house party, Saoirse is about to break her own rules. For a girl with one blue freckle, an irresistible sense of mischief, and a passion for rom-coms.

Unbothered by Saoirse’s no-relationships rulebook, Ruby proposes a loophole: They don’t need true love to have one summer of fun, complete with every cliché, rom-com montage-worthy date they can dream up—and a binding agreement to end their romance come fall. It would be the perfect plan, if they weren’t forgetting one thing about the Falling in Love Montage: when it’s over, the characters actually fall in love…for real.

As a lifelong romcom lover, the premise of The Falling in Love Montage appealed to me immediately. The fact it’s a sapphic teen romcom set in Ireland...well, even just typing that makes me squee because I’ve been waiting for a book like this for so long and it was everything I hoped it would be and then some. I don’t seem to have the best luck with YA f/f books, but this one is without a doubt an instant new favourite.

I loved Saoirse from the first page - she was smart, sassy, stubborn, irreverent, and hilarious. I related to her on many levels, and she made me laugh out loud and frustrated me in equal measure. She had one of the most distinct voices I’ve read in a long time, which made it easy to really sink into this book and into her world. She was realistically flawed (she even referred to herself as a 'stroppy teenager' at one point, which made me laugh so hard because she was indeed that), and even when she frustrated me, I understood and sympathized with her.

This book did such a great job of balancing humour and deep emotion. Saoirse tried so hard to keep things light, but she had a lot to deal with, and it affected all the relationships in her life. While I laughed myself silly throughout most of the book, there were several scenes that made my heart hurt and had me tearing up.

The romance between Saoirse and Ruby was so sweet and fun. I loved their banter and their (mis)adventures. There were so many things I appreciated about their romance: 1) They were both out and proud - it was simply a fact of life and not something that was explained or dwelled on or hidden. 2) The fact Ruby was curvy and described in ways that, as a fat girl, made me smile (her ‘soft belly’ really stood out to me for some reason, maybe because I’m used to reading about ‘taut, flat bellies’). 3) The fact we got more than longing looks, innocent touches, and maybe a kiss or two, which is what we usually get from sapphic fiction, especially YA. In YA books with straight characters, we see teens making out and maybe even having sex, so why shouldn’t that be the case for f/f YA too?

Fresh, fun, funny, and full of feels (and great side characters - I’d totally read a book about Oliver, just saying!), The Falling in Love Montage is a new favourite. I can’t wait to see what Ciara Smyth writes next.

Have you read The Falling in Love Montage? Are you a romcom fan? What are some of your favourites - either books or movies?

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Postscript by Cecelia Ahern: Heartbreaking, Insightful, and Healing

Postscript (PS I Love You #2) by Cecelia Ahern
Published: February 11th, 2020
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Contemporary women’s fiction
# of pages: 300
My rating: 5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration
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Seven years after her husband's death - six since she read his final letter - Holly Kennedy has moved on with her life. When Holly's sister asks her to tell the story of the "PS, I Love You" letters on her podcast - to revisit the messages Gerry wrote before his death to read after his passing - she does so reluctantly, not wanting to reopen old wounds.

But after the episode airs, people start reaching out to Holly, and they all have one thing in common: they're terminally ill and want to leave their own missives behind for loved ones. Suddenly, Holly finds herself drawn back into a world she's worked tirelessly to leave behind - but one that leads her on another incredible, life-affirming journey.

I was equal parts excited and wary when I heard Cecelia Ahern was releasing a sequel to PS I Love You. I read and loved PS I Love You many, many years ago, and I’m a huge fan of the movie. There was a time when I was obsessed with Cecelia’s books and devoured all of them, but in recent years I haven’t been as much of a fan. In fact, I DNF’d the last two books of hers I attempted to read, which broke my heart. That fact added to my wariness about Postscript.

But...Postscript was everything I didn’t know I needed for so many reasons. I reread PS I Love You right before going into Postscript because it’s been well over a decade since the first time I read it. I’m glad I did because I hadn’t remembered how vastly different it was from the movie, so it was good to be reminded of Holly and Gerry’s story as Cecelia herself told it.

Postscript picks up seven years after Gerry’s death. Holly is doing well; she’s moved on, she’s found love, she has strong friendships and a job she enjoys, and while she still grieves for Gerry, it’s not as all-consuming as it was. She’s changed and grown in many ways, and she knows a lot of that was because of Gerry’s death and the upheaval it caused in her life. It was also partly because of his letters and how he helped her through that first year after his death. After doing a podcast with her sister about grief and Gerry’s letters, Holly is contacted by a group who were inspired by her story. The PS I Love You Club is a motley crew of people with one thing in common: they’re all terminally ill. Holly is hesitant to help them; she doesn’t want to get sucked into the past, she doesn’t want to fall back into the deep, dark pit of grief, she doesn’t want to relive her worst days, even if it means helping these people. But they win her over, despite her reluctance and the warnings from her family and friends, and she embarks on a surprising, heartbreaking, life-affirming journey filled with bittersweet lessons about life, love, and death. 

This book broke my heart, but it also healed it. I’ve known grief for most of my life; my dad died at the age of 49 when I was just ten. In the following years, I lost my Poppy, various aunts and uncles, people I went to school with, and the hardest death of them all eight years ago, my beloved Grama. Even after all this time, I grieve for her as if she had just died. She lived a long, full life, unlike my dad and unlike many of the people I know who were taken too soon, but losing her was like losing a part of me. Her death left a hole in my heart that will never be filled or healed. Last year was especially difficult for a variety of reasons, which I won’t get into, but you can read about here if you’re interested. Because of that, this book felt very timely. I cried within the first few pages and I cried a lot more during the course of the book, including a section that made me full-on sob. It was incredibly thought-provoking in so many ways, and made me think about life and death and grief. Grief is different for everyone, but this book truly made me feel seen in the way grief was described - the actual feeling of it, the living with it, the questions you have that will never be answered. 

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was that Gerry’s death didn’t magically transform Holly into a different person. She was definitely a different person than she was when he died, but it was a natural progression, the way all of us change over time. She didn’t suddenly have it all together after he died and while his letters helped her learn to move on, she still struggled. Basically, she was a bit of a hot mess before his death and she was still a bit of a hot mess, but that made her so relatable and I loved her for that. I loved that no matter what happened, she was able to pick herself up, dust herself off, and keep going, even when it was painful and even when she was unsure what she was doing.

I feel like I could talk about Postscript forever because it touched me so deeply. I’ve thought about it a lot since finishing it, and I know I’ll continue to think about it for a long time to come. I also know I’ll be recommending this book a lot. While Postscript has its heartbreaking moments, it’s also full of heart, hope, and humour. It’s beautifully written and insightful. I loved Holly’s journey and I felt like I was right there by her side, laughing with her, crying with her, sympathizing with her, and rooting her on.

Have you read Postscript? How about PS I Love You? What's the last book that made you cry?

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7 Books to Satisfy Your Ireland Wanderlust

Anyone who knows me well knows I’m obsessed with Ireland, and have been for many years. I still haven’t actually made it to the Emerald Isle, but I travel there vicariously as often as I can. If you’re like me and you’ll read just about anything set in Ireland, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite books to satisfy your desire for sexy accents, lush landscapes, and a bit of blarney. A common theme I’ve noticed about books set in Ireland is the desire for the main character to lose themself or escape. People seem to go there for a fresh start, a new perspective, and a bit of romance or magic - often both. Because of that, all of the books on this list with one exception are romances, and they range from Young Adult to Adult. Here’s hoping you’ll find your next favourite book on this list!

Jewels of the Sun by Nora Roberts Genre: Contemporary Adult Romance with elements of paranormal Buy Jewels of the Sun: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This book is the first in the Gallaghers of Ardmore trilogy (Tears of the Moon is book two and Heart of the Sea is the third book), which follows a trio of Irish siblings and their ‘destined’ romances. I’ve read all three books multiple times, and they’ve definitely stoked my obsession with Ireland. Jewels of the Sun features Jude, an American who has gone to Ireland to get distance from her past and also to do research for a book on Irish folklore. Not only does she discover the existence of faeries and ghosts, she also finds a charming Irishman she finds impossible to resist. This is my favourite of the trilogy because I related to Jude so much, and I loved how romance, folklore, and magic were woven through the story. This whole series will always have a special place in my heart; you can read more on Instagram about how these books were my introduction to the Romance genre.

Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Buy Love & Luck: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Addie and her family travel to Ireland for her aunt’s wedding. She’s supposed to fly to Italy after the wedding to visit her best friend, but plans change unexpectedly and she’s stuck in Ireland. She embarks on a whirlwind tour of Ireland with her brother, his Irish friend, and a guidebook that’s supposed to help heal a broken heart. This book is so sweet and charming. It has the perfect mix of complex characters, real emotion, and humour. The relationship between Addie and her brother Ian was a highlight for me. ‘Travelling’ around Ireland with them was so much fun, and it was as much an emotional journey as a physical one.

There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B Jones Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Buy There You'll Find Me: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This is another one of those ‘go to Ireland to get lost and end up getting found’ books. Following the death of her brother, Finley travels to Ireland in the hopes of reclaiming her creativity so she can prepare for her interview at the Manhattan music conservatory. When she lost her brother, she also lost her creativity, and she’s having trouble holding onto her faith. Normally I shy away from books with religious themes because I find they can be preachy, but I actually really appreciated Finley’s journey back to finding her faith, among other things. It was done really well, and I loved ‘being’ in Ireland with her, as well as the adorable Irish love interest Beckett (who’s a Hollywood star, so if the ‘famous guy falls for regular girl’ trope is your thing, add this one to your list).

The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Buy The Upside of Falling Down: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Just like I tend to shy away from books with religious themes, I also tend to avoid books that feature characters with amnesia. I can’t remember whether this book was a random Amazon discovery or if someone recommended it to me, but I was sold on the Irish setting.
Clementine wakes up in a hospital in Ireland with no memories. All she knows is what she’s told: she was the lone survivor of a plane crash, and her dad is on his way from America. She doesn’t remember why she was on that plane, what her plans were for Ireland, or anything about herself, her past, or her family. The pressure of trying to remember, paired with nothing feeling right to her, is too much to handle, so when she meets a cute Irish boy visiting the hospital, she assumes a new identity, makes up a story about why she’s there, and asks for his help...which includes fleeing the hospital and travelling to a different part of Ireland. I loved that more than anything, this was a story about discovering who you are and who you want to be, while still honouring your past. The characters were great, and I was completely invested in their story.

Top O’ the Mournin’ by Maddy Hunter
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Buy Top O’ the Mournin’: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

Breaking up all the contemporary and romance books...Top O’ the Mournin’ is the second book in the Passport to Peril series (aka my absolute favourite cozy mystery series). These books follow the misadventures of Emily, a tour guide in charge of a band of misfit seniors from Iowa. Trouble - and death - follow them everywhere they go, and Ireland is no different. What I love about Hunter’s books (besides the fact they’re laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end) is how vividly she describes the setting of each book without ever overdoing it. You really feel like you’re there. Also, I’ve read all 12 of Hunter’s books and I’ve never once correctly guessed the killer, so she’s a master at weaving a great mystery.

Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy Her Best Laid Plans: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This novella is from Cosmopolitan’s Red Hot Reads Harlequin line and it’s perfect if you’re looking for a quick, sexy read. Don’t let the 85-page length fool you; this book packs a surprising amount of content, including a fun plot and fleshed-out characters.

Jamie has escaped to Ireland after having her heart broken. She's reconciled herself to a quiet two weeks house-sitting when she meets hot Irish bartender Connor. They both know there can be no future for them, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying each other's company while they can...and by 'enjoying each other's company', let me just say this book is called a red-hot read for a reason! *fans self*

Love and Shenanigans by Zara Keane
Genre: Adult Romantic Comedy
Buy Love and Shenanigans: Amazon US || Amazon Canada

This is the only book on the list that doesn’t involve ‘escaping’ to Ireland, because it features characters who already live there and is written by an Irish author. Love and Shenanigans is the first in the Ballybeg series, which follows the lives, loves, and misadventures of people in the small town of Ballybeg, Ireland.
After discovering the drunken vows they exchanged in Las Vegas almost a decade ago were actually legally binding, Fiona and Gavin find themselves in a bit of a predicament...especially since Gavin was about to marry someone else. Unfortunately (or in this case, fortunately), the divorce laws in Ireland make a quickie divorce impossible, so Fiona and Gavin have to figure out what to do next. If escapist fun is your thing, this book will likely be a hit!

Have you read any of these books? Do you have a favourite book set in Ireland? Have you been to Ireland?

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Review: London, Can You Wait? by Jacquelyn Middleton

London, Can You Wait? by Jacquelyn Middleton

Series: London Belongs to Me #2

Published: October 26th, 2017

Publisher: Kirkwall Books

425 pages (paperback)

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Acquired this book: From the publisher in exchange for honest consideration

Rating: 5 stars

Warning: May contain spoilers

GoodReads || Buy the book: Amazon US ~ Canada || Chapters

Alex loves Mark. Mark loves Alex. But is love enough?

Since moving to London from the US, twenty-four-year-old Alex Sinclair seems to have it all: a coveted job writing for the theatre, supportive friends, and the man of her dreams—gorgeous Irish actor, Mark Keegan. But in the year since the acclaimed debut of her play, Alex and Mark’s lives have been turned upside down.

Thanks to his role on a smash-hit British TV show, Mark is catapulted to stardom. Alex couldn’t be happier—until her boyfriend’s popularity and insatiable drive to succeed means they’re apart more than they’re together. Forced to share Mark with showbiz heavy-hitters, intrusive press, and unrelenting fangirls, Alex’s hopes for a stable and committed life with him start to fade. Her struggles with panic attacks, career uncertainty, and Mark’s increasingly worrisome behaviour make her wonder: how much more can she bend before she breaks?

It’s no secret I loved London Belongs to Me. All you have to do is look at my bookstagram account and the dozens of pictures I’ve posted featuring this beautiful book. I was excited when I learned there would be a sequel, and yet also nervous because while I was curious where Alex’s story would go, sequels can be so hit or miss. I shouldn’t have doubted Jacquelyn Middleton, though; I loved the continuation of Alex’s story.  

London Can You Wait picks up a year after where London Belongs to Me left off. Alex is settled in her life in London and in a committed relationship with Mark. While she still loves the city and her hot Irish boyfriend, things aren’t perfect. Mark’s work schedule, paired with his people-pleasing personality, plus Alex’s own personal issues, create a lot of tension and anxiety for the young playwright, and just as much strain on Alex and Mark's relationship.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster. There were so many twist and turns and unexpected events. It dealt a lot with secrets, half-truths, lies, and omissions, and the repercussions that come with all those things. Several really upsetting things happened that made parts of the book difficult to read. Certain things made me angry, but I also had to appreciate how those things were realistic. Middleton took a gutsy risk and it paid off. Life can be messy and complicated. Unexpected things happen all the time, and they’re not always good things. People sometimes make bad, stupid, destructive decisions, or even decisions that seem right in the moment. These things are all part of life, and especially part of growing up. Alex experienced a lot of growing pains, but her struggles made her a stronger person, and I loved seeing her find her way. I also appreciated that Alex’s anxiety, which was a big part of London Belongs to Me, was still a big part of London Can You Wait.

Many of the things I loved about London Belongs to Me were present in London Can You Wait, like the nerdy references and the strong friendships. I loved Lucy and Freddie just as much in this book, and I loved how they each had their own storylines, too. I also enjoyed getting to see more of London and Manchester, as well as a few new settings. It’s obvious Middleton did her research when it comes to locations because I always feel like I was right there with Alex and the others.

My favourite type of books are ones with a strong emphasis on character growth and development, which is part of why I love London Belongs to Me and London Can You Wait so much. They focus on Alex’s journey - as an artist, as a woman, as someone with anxiety, as someone falling in love and learning it’s not always sunshine and roses. I love the romance between Alex and Mark, but it’s Alex’s personal journey that resonates most with me.

London Can You Wait is full of heart and humour. It’s a must-read for all the nerdy Anglophiles out there, as well as lovers of romance and women’s fiction. I’d love to see these books made into a TV show featuring a diverse cast of twenty-somethings.

Read my review of London Belongs to Me

Buy: Amazon US ~ Canada || Chapters

Have you read London Belongs to Me or London Can You Wait? What did you think? What's your favourite place to read about? Do you like coming-of-age books?

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Pity Party: Table of One

Last night, my friend JK got on a plane, passport and visa in hand, and flew to London. After spending a few days there, she’ll be on her way to Wales, then Scotland, and finally Ireland, where she’ll be living for the next two years. After living in London for two years (November 2014-November 2016) on a UK visa, she always knew that, visa permitting, she’d be going to Ireland next.

If you know me well, you’ll likely know Ireland is my #1 dream destination. I’ve always wanted to go, and have even attempted to plan several trips, but something always happens and they fall through. When JK asked me last year to go with her to Ireland, I was determined to make it happen. I could stay there legally for three months without a visa, and since I can work from anywhere, it would have been ideal. I started saving immediately and planning out the things I wanted to see and do. I imagined the sweet little cottage we would stay in, my dream accommodation ever since reading Nora Robert’s Jewels of the Sun and fell in love with Jude’s house in Ardmore, Ireland. But as time went on, I had to accept the ugly truth: I wouldn’t be going to Ireland with JK.

Why? Simply put (although there’s actually nothing simple about it), the last year and a half has been hell for my family. Without getting into too many details, I’ve had a lot to deal with, a lot of responsibilities that shouldn’t be mine, and because of that, every time I’d get ahead with my savings, I’d need to use the money for something else. Not only that, but there’s no way I could leave right now; I’d feel like I was abandoning my family in their time of need. Even if I was the type of person to say ‘It’s my life, and I can’t let anyone or anything hold me back’, I know I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy myself because I’d be worried about what was going on here.

Throw in the fact my career feels like it’s circling the drain, plus I’m stressed, overwhelmed, and overworked most of the time, and here I am throwing a fairly epic pity party. And I hate it. There’s no cake or balloons or entertainment, it’s just me inside my own head, alternately worrying and feeling sorry for myself. And feeling envious - there’s a lot of envy. I’m jealous of JK for getting to live my dream. I’m jealous she doesn’t have the responsibilities and commitments I have. I’m jealous her money is her own and she was able to save enough to go. I’m jealous of the countries she’ll see and the people she’ll meet and the experiences she’ll have while I’m stuck here, feeling like things will never change and having a hard time seeing any light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

There are other factors, too, known mostly as ‘the online comparison game’. Being online, we’re surrounded by people living fabulous lives (or at least seemingly fabulous - what you see online isn’t necessarily the whole story) and it’s hard not to be envious sometimes. I follow a lot of travel accounts on Instagram; at times I realize I’m a masochist, because seeing all those beautiful places I long to travel to makes me wistful and sometimes downright sad, depending on my mood. And yet I love looking at pictures of pretty places and getting ideas of places to go and things to do someday. Can you say 'bear for punishment'?

Another issue (there’s more?! you say) is seeing people gain massive amounts of followers, or sell thousands of books, or get sponsorships and other great opportunities while I feel stagnant in so many areas. I’ve read so many blog posts with flashy titles like ‘the must-do trick to quadrupling your Instagram following’ or ‘how I hit the bestseller list and made enough money to quit my job’ or ‘how I got eleventy billion page views in six months’ (okay, I made that one up, but you get the idea). I’ve tried many of the things people have suggested, always hopeful the newest idea will be THE ONE, and I sit and watch my numbers...do nothing. Hardly anyone reads my blog, my Instagram follower number is stuck, and don’t even get me started on my book sales. It’s hard not to get frustrated and that frustration often leads to feeling sorry for myself.

Here’s the thing about all of this: I know I’m being ridiculous. I know this is small peanuts in the grand scheme of things. I also know I have so many things to be grateful for and a lot of people have it far worse than I do. But that’s the thing about self-pity: it’s not exactly a discerning emotion. It doesn’t care that you’re smart of self-aware or have better things to do with your time than wallow over things you can’t change. But then that’s part of it too - not being able to change things and feeling powerless and hopeless. It’s a vicious cycle.

So what do I do with all these overwhelming emotions? I guess the only thing to do is just keep on keeping on. Continue to work as hard as I can, save money, hope the situation with my family improves, and believe that someday I’ll get to Ireland and that everything else will sort itself out. I saw this quote yesterday while I was working on this blog post, and it really spoke to me:

“If it doesn’t open, it’s not your door.”

I’ve always been someone who believes everything happens for a reason. I have to believe this isn’t my time to go, for whatever reason. But I refuse to give up on my dream of going to Ireland. And in the meantime, I’ll continue to work hard, focus on the areas of my life I can change (like writing and publishing more books, which will likely lead to more book sales), remember I have plenty to be thankful for, and hope that when I finally do get to travel again, it’ll be amazing.

As for online stuff, despite my masochistic tendencies when it comes to following people living the high life, I do have some advice for others who get jealous of people online: It’s important to curate your Instagram/Twitter/Facebook feed. It’s one thing to feel occasionally wistful at something someone else has, but it’s a completely different story if someone else’s life makes you feel like shit about your own. If someone’s feed makes you feel like you’re not good enough or you find yourself making constant comparisons, hit the unfollow button. It’s there for a reason. People should inspire you, not bring you down.

There are times in everyone’s life where they want what they can’t have. Everyone occasionally wants more or wishes things were different. The trick is to focus more on what you do have. What you can accomplish. I talked recently about self-care and giving yourself permission to feel your feelings. You're allowed to feel down and you're also allowed to take some time for yourself (social media breaks are especially good if online stuff is a source of your issues). Work through your feelings, find the root of the problem, and figure out what you can do to make things better. And if you want to sit at my table of one and make it a table of two, maybe we can turn this pity party into a real party. My comments and email are always open, or feel free to tweet me if you need support or encouragement.

Do you ever get in funks where you feel sorry for yourself? What do you do to get over them?

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