Young Adult Review: Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson

Published: May 4th, 2021

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult

# of pages: 416

My rating: 4 stars

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

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Two girls. One night. Zero phones.

Kat and Stevie—best friends, theater kids, polar opposites—have snuck away from the suburbs to spend a night in New York City. They have it all planned out. They’ll see a play, eat at the city’s hottest restaurant, and have the best. Night. Ever. What could go wrong?

Well. Kind of a lot?

They’re barely off the train before they’re dealing with destroyed phones, family drama, and unexpected Pomeranians. Over the next few hours, they’ll have to grapple with old flames, terrible theater, and unhelpful cab drivers. But there are also cute boys to kiss, parties to crash, dry cleaning to deliver (don’t ask), and the world’s best museum to explore.

Over the course of a wild night in the city that never sleeps, both Kat and Stevie will get a wake-up call about their friendship, their choices…and finally discover what they really want for their future.

That is, assuming they can make it to Grand Central before the clock strikes midnight.

I’ve been a fan of Morgan Matson’s books since I fell in love with Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour ten years ago. When you pick up one of her books, you know you’re going to get well-developed characters, realistic portrayals of friendships, lots of laughs, likely a few tears, and a sweet and swoony romance. Take Me Home Tonight had all those things, plus a fun premise and a vivid setting.

Best friends Kat and Stevie are complete opposites, but they love each other unconditionally and would do anything for each other. So when Stevie’s dad bails on her 18th birthday dinner in New York City, Kat suggests they go into the city anyway for a night of fun. Their plan is foolproof, as far as Kat’s concerned...but they weren’t counting on one disaster and mishap after another starting before they even arrived in the city. 

This book was so much fun. It started out a little slow and took me a while to warm up to Kat and Stevie, but once I did I was completely invested in their story and was cheering them on. They were well-developed and realistic, and I could relate to each of them in different ways. I was amazed and impressed with how well Matson managed to pull off so much believable character development and growth in the span of the one-night setting. There were also a lot of great side characters in this book (Brad the dog and Cary-with-six-jobs were my favourites), and I loved how New York City really came alive and felt like a character itself.

While I know I’m not the intended target audience for this book - I’m more than twice Kat and Stevie’s age - I also know many adults will read this book and think about how the girls’ phoneless adventure was how we lived every day growing up. It was amusing while also being realistic; we’re all so attached to and dependent on our phones these days for entertainment, mindless scrolling, posting endless updates, keeping in touch with everyone we know, taking pictures, etc. If Stevie and Kat had had their phones, their night would have ended up a lot different, so I loved that aspect of the story and how it forced them to be resourceful and also live in the moment.

I’m not sure if I can call this an ‘issue’, but my only *thing* with this book was how long it was. I’ve come to expect that from Matson’s books and you always inevitably get to a part where it doesn’t actually feel all that long, but 400+ pages for a contemporary set in the span of one night is a lot. Mild spoiler alert: I had mixed feelings about the side story with Teri; it was entertaining, but it was also completely unnecessary and made a really long book even longer. And while the main storyline with Kat and Stevie was wild, it was mostly believable, whereas Teri’s storyline was just so out there.

Take Me Home Tonight was a highly entertaining read. I felt like I was right there with Kat and Stevie in NYC. I felt for both of them and was rooting for them. I laughed at their mishaps and felt the pangs at the painful lessons they learned. After ten years, Morgan Matson continues to be a favourite author, and I couldn’t be happier.

Have you read Take Me Home Tonight? Who are some of your auto-buy authors?

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Romantic Comedy Review: Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack

Italy Ever After by Leonie Mack

Published: May 11th, 2021

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Genre: Romantic Comedy

My rating: 4.5 stars

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

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TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

I don’t often manage to read ARCs months in advance, but as soon as I was granted access to Italy Ever After on Netgalley in February, I dove right in. After fourteen months of isolation due to the pandemic - plus a long, cold winter - I’ve been dreaming of sunshine and beautiful far-off places. Italy Ever After was the exact vicarious holiday I needed to lift my spirits and bring me hope for better days.

Lou is getting divorced after twelve years of marriage to a man who made her feel talentless and ordinary. She’s coasting by in her career and has poured all her focus and love into her eleven-year-old daughter Edie, who’s a violin prodigy. When she gets the opportunity to accompany Edie to a music camp in Italy over the summer, she jumps at the chance and sees it as the perfect opportunity to explore different hobbies and find something that makes her extraordinary. It doesn’t hurt that Edie’s super-hot Italian music teacher will be at the camp too.

I loved Lou and found her so real and relatable. She barely knew who she was anymore outside of being a wife and mother, so her idea of seeking a talent was really her way of seeking validation and fulfillment after her husband made her feel so small for so long. I loved watching her come into her own, learn a lot about herself - often with help from others - and learn to stand up for herself, speak up, and go after what she wanted. She and Nick were both living in fear, embodying past mistakes, and were unable to move forward. They had great chemistry and banter and they really saw each other - and weren’t afraid to tell the other what they saw, good or bad. They balanced each other perfectly, and I loved watching them grow closer. I also really enjoyed Lou’s relationship with Edie, and how much Nick cared about her too.

This book is a must-read this spring and summer for romance fans. Prepare to be whisked away on a virtual trip to sunny Italy and fall in love with the setting and characters.

Have you read Italy Ever After? If you could hop on a plane and take a trip anywhere right now, where would it be?

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Romance Review: Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst

Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst

Published: April 20th, 2021

Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Heat rating: 🔥🔥

# of pages: 304

My rating: 4 stars

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

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All Maggie Bliss needs to do is write. Forty-eight years old and newly single (again!), she ventures to Paris in a last-ditch effort to finish her manuscript. With a marvelous apartment at her fingertips and an elegant housekeeper to meet her every need, a finished book—and her dream of finally taking her career over the top—is surely within her grasp. After all, how could she find anything except inspiration in Paris, with its sophistication, food, and romance in the air?

But the clock is running out, and between her charming ex-husband arriving in France for vacation and a handsome Frenchman appearing one morning in her bathtub, Maggie’s previously undisturbed peace goes by the wayside. 

I had really high hopes for Maggie Finds Her Muse: an older heroine who’s a romance writer travels to Paris to find her muse? Sign me up! I love books set in Paris, but many of them feel like they’re lacking in some way, leaving me wanting more. I’m thrilled to say Maggie Finds Her Muse didn’t disappoint - it was funny, compelling, charming, and I really felt like I was there in Paris with Maggie.

Maggie Bliss, 48, has a horrible case of writer’s block. The third book of her bestselling trilogy is due soon, but she hasn’t even started writing it. Between feeling completely stuck and breaking up with her boyfriend, something’s gotta give. When her agent invites Maggie to join him and his partner at their home in Paris for the next several weeks, she agrees, hoping the change of scenery will unblock her creative flow.

This book was such a light, fun, feel-good read. Maggie had realistic struggles, but they weren’t drawn out or overdramatized for the sake of it, which I appreciated. I loved her explorations and observations of Paris, felt like I was vicariously consuming tons of delicious food and wine, and enjoyed the variety of characters from Solange, Maggie’s agent’s wise and wily housekeeper, to Solange’s son Max, a sexy Frenchman who instantly piques Maggie’s interest, to Maggie’s adult daughter, Nicole, who had Asperger’s. Oh, and Solange’s snorty, farty bulldog, Jules, won a special place in my heart too.

I’m used to reading about characters in their twenties and thirties, so I really appreciated that Maggie was 48, had been married and divorced, and had a long career. Despite the fact Maggie is eleven years older than I am, I connected with her easily and found her relatable. I enjoyed the romantic elements in the story, from Maggie’s break-up with her self-centred boyfriend to reuniting with her ex-husband to meeting Max. She didn’t come to Paris looking for romance, and she felt strange about the romantic stirrings she was feeling because she’d just ended a relationship. Still, those feelings were there, and it would have been easy for her to go back to comfort and familiarity with her ex-husband - who had changed and seemed like a better match for her now than he was way back when - or pursue something with Max, who was very French, seemed like a lady’s man, and represented the new and unfamiliar. I loved watching Maggie grow and learn, figure out what she wanted at this stage of her life, and go for it.

Maggie Finds Her Muse left me with a big smile on my face. Between great characters, a fun premise, and a beautiful and vivid setting, this book was a definite winner for me, and I know I’ll be recommending it to many fellow romance lovers. 

Have you read Maggie Finds Her Muse? Do you enjoy books that feature older characters? How about books set in Paris?

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Young Adult Review: Hot British Boyfriend by Kristy Boyce

Hot British Boyfriend by Kristy Boyce

Published: February 9th, 2021

Publisher: HarperTeen

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult

# of pages: 336

My rating: 4 stars

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

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After a horrifying public rejection by her crush, Ellie Nichols does what any girl would do: she flees the country. To be more precise, she joins her high school’s study abroad trip to England. While most of her classmates are there to take honors courses and pad their college applications, Ellie is on a quest to rebuild her reputation and self-confidence. And nothing is more of a confidence booster than getting a hot British boyfriend.

When Ellie meets Will, a gorgeous and charming Brit, she vows to avoid making the same mistakes as she did with the last guy she liked. Which is why she strikes up a bargain with Dev, an overachieving classmate who she’s never clicked with, but who does seem to know a lot about the things Will is interested in—if he helps her win over her crush, then she’ll help him win over his.

But even as Ellie embarks on a whirlwind romance, one that takes her on adventures to some of England’s most beautiful places, she still needs to figure out if this is actually the answer to all her problems…and whether the perfect boyfriend is actually the perfect boy for her.

I feel like I should preface my review by saying Hot British Boyfriend had so many of the things I love most about YA, but it also reminded me how far past my own YA days I am. I’m not the intended audience for books like this, and I’m fully aware of that, so I always try to also be aware that my thoughts and feelings could likely be very different from the book’s actual target audience. I see so many adults reading YA and getting mad that the teenagers in the book…*gasp!*...had the audacity to act like teenagers. Like, what did you expect? If you wanted to read about people making mature decisions or not being driven by hormones, maybe you should have picked up a different book. So I always know going into a young adult book that I will likely want to shake the characters at some point (or many points), as well as sit them down and talk to them, and probably hug them really tight. I wanted to do all those things with this book and there was a lot of internal ‘Ugh, come on, Ellie, do better!’, but honestly, I feel like that’s the sign of a good YA book that will likely really speak to its intended audience of teens.

Okay, that was a long preface, but I thought it should be said. I feel like Teenage Marie would have loved this book with her whole heart, so it’s Teen Me I tried to channel while reading.

Hot British Boyfriend was adorable and entertaining. I enjoyed the characters, plus the setting made me go all heart-eyes on multiple occasions. Ellie didn’t have many friends before going to England, and she was stinging from the rejection of the one person she thought was her friend. Between the very public humiliation that led her to leave DC, and the fact the program she was part of was meant for honour students - which she wasn’t - she felt she had a lot to prove, both to herself and to others. She was wary of people and their motives, but quickly befriended her roommate Sage, along with two other students from back home, Dev and Huan.

When I said this book had so many of the things I love most about YA, one of those things was the friend group. These four seemed like such unlikely friends, but they worked together. Their interactions were amusing and sometimes heartwarming, and I wanted to be part of their group. I also really appreciated Ellie’s growth and how she slowly found her way, figured things out, made mistakes, sorted her priorities, and learned to be herself and unashamedly love the things she loved. Teenage Marie would definitely have been friends with her and we would have rocked our matching unicorn hoodies and made some amazing faerie gardens together.

If you’re looking for a light, sweet, feel-good YA book, look no further (unless you’re an adult who hates when teens act like teens - if that’s the case, maybe give this one a pass and leave it to the actual teens). Pack your bags and prepare for a fun cross-Atlantic vacation with a group of friends you’ll wish you were part of.

Have you read Hot British Boyfriend? Have you done much armchair travel yet this year? 

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One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle: A Much-Needed Escape for Summer 2020

One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle

Published: July 30th, 2020

Publisher: Self-published

Tropes: Forbidden romance, single dad, forced proximity, holiday romance

Heat level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

# of pages: 382

My rating: 4 stars

Acquired this book: From Valentine PR in exchange for honest consideration

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After the death of her best friend and writing partner, Grace Harper is struggling both with grief, and with her next novel, the first one she’ll have to write alone.

 

Fortunately, her new powerhouse agent, the formidable Jana Lee, has a solution for her. She can stay at her villa in Tuscany for a month, soak in the sunshine, relax, and find her confidence again. After all, Jana has a lot riding on Grace’s next book, and the last thing she wants is for her reputation as a “super-agent” to be tarnished.

 

At first the villa is a dream come true for Grace – that is until Claudio Romano shows up one day with his ten-year old son, Vanni, in tow. Turns out, this is Claudio’s house, and Claudio happens to be her agent’s ex-husband from long ago. Thanks to their annual father and son bonding trip being cancelled, Claudio and Vanni are here to stay.

 

So is Grace.

 

With the three of them sharing the same house, Grace’s writing plans are thrown out the window. But even if she’s not pounding the keyboard, she’s still finding beauty and inspiration... in none other than Claudio. He's unlike any man Grace has met before. He’s smart, charming, and wickedly sexy, plus a great father to Vanni. He’d be the perfect summer fling – if only he wasn’t completely off-limits.

 

But as the hot Italian summer wears on, Grace and Claudio are destined to succumb to the heat, no matter how hard they try to resist each other. One steamy encounter with Claudio could affect Grace’s chances of starting her career over.

 

Or he could be exactly what she needs.

 

The books of Karina Halle’s I’ve read typically fall into one of two categories: romcoms or super angsty contemporary romance. One Hot Italian Summer was somewhere in between - it was emotional without being angsty or dramatic, and it had Halle’s signature super-hot sexytimes. Add in a beautiful Italian setting and you have the perfect summer escape while the world is still in lockdown from the coronavirus.

 

Seeking inspiration and a break from rainy Edinburgh with its painful memories, Grace accepts an offer from her agent to spend a month at her villa in Italy. Grace has a lot of inner obstacles to overcome; she lost her best friend and writing partner, Robyn, a few months before, and hasn’t fully allowed herself to grieve yet. She's also afraid her inspiration and success came from Robyn and that she’ll have neither without her. She expects a quiet, solitary month in a beautiful, sun-drenched setting, but her plans are quickly derailed when the actual owner of the villa - her agent’s sexy Italian ex-husband, along with their son - return home unexpectedly.

 

As a writer myself, I love books about writers. It’s always interesting to get an inside look at how people work and the different processes they have. I related a lot to Grace’s feelings of self-doubt, her procrastination and distractions, and her search for inspiration. I loved that Claudio was an artist too - a sculptor - and that he encouraged Grace to own her art and her talent.

 

The sexual chemistry - and sexual tension - between these two was scorching hot, and I appreciated that it was a slow-burn romance where the pair had a chance to get to know each other and start to develop feelings before falling into bed together. Claudio was so passionate and romantic, and I enjoyed watching him helping Grace with her grief and also her uncertainty surrounding her career. He saw her potential and wanted her to see what he saw - that she was amazing and capable and could have and do anything she wanted. Grace really needed someone like Claudio who wanted to bring out the best in her, and she was able to do the same for him, even if she didn’t realize it. I also really enjoyed Claudio’s son, Vanni. He was hilarious and precocious, and he helped Grace in his own way too.

 

Full of romance and passion with a gorgeous setting that will make you feel like you’re really there, One Hot Italian Summer is a must-read this summer. 

Have you read One Hot Italian Summer? Have you read any books this summer that provided a much-needed escape from our current reality?

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The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler: RomCom Fun in the Land of the Midnight Sun

The Tourist Attraction (Moose Springs, Alaska #1) by Sarah Morgenthaler
Published: May 5th, 2020
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Tropes: Small town, vacation romance/fling to forever
Heat level: Steamy (lots of hot kisses, no on-page sex)
My rating: 4 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration
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When Graham Barnett named his diner The Tourist Trap, he meant it as a joke. Now he's stuck slinging reindeer dogs to an endless string of resort visitors who couldn't interest him less. Not even the sweet, enthusiastic tourist in the corner who blushes every time he looks her way…

Two weeks in Alaska isn't just the top item on Zoey Caldwell's bucket list. It's the whole bucket. One look at the mountain town of Moose Springs and she's smitten. But when an act of kindness brings Zoey into Graham's world, she may just find there's more to the man than meets the eye…and more to love in Moose Springs than just the Alaskan wilderness.

Like many other people, I’m all about the light and funny books these days, and The Tourist Attraction definitely delivered. It was sweet, hilarious, had great characters, and a romance that was easy to root for.

Graham hates tourists. As a reluctant diner owner in Moose Springs, Alaska, he’s seen it all, and he hates that his town is overrun with rich, entitled tourists who wreak havoc, flash their money around, and are just generally a nuisance, even if they do help him pay the bills. He does have a soft spot for one tourist in particular, though, and when she arrives with a friend in tow, he’s charmed despite himself. Zoey isn’t like the others; she’s not rich and spoiled, and she didn’t choose Alaska on a whim. She toiled away as a waitress for years, saved all her money, and finally made her dream of visiting Alaska come true.

Graham and Zoey were such great characters. They had an instant connection and their playful banter had me grinning and laughing out loud. Zoey is adorable and relatable, and I wanted to be friends with her right away (hello, fellow shy bookworm, let’s hang out and read together!). I appreciated that she didn’t have everything figured out; she’d settled into her waitressing job back home as a means to an end, with her big goal being Alaska, and now that she could check that off her bucket list, she didn’t really know what was ahead. As for our hero, I know a lot of people are all about the grumpy hero, but they’re not always my favourite; they’re often unforgivably rude and seem to have little to no reason for the giant chip on their shoulder. Graham appears gruff and grumpy, but he’s actually a squishy, soft sweetheart, and the way he is with Zoey melted my heart. He saw her - truly saw her - from that very first moment, and the way he thought about her and treated her made me swoon.

The Tourist Attraction is adorable and witty, and the banter between Graham and Zoey is honestly some of the best I’ve seen. Prepare for lots of giggles and swoons, a side of feels, a stand-out setting, and a couple of animals that totally steal the show. I’m excited this book is the first in a series of standalones, because I’m eager to return to Moose Springs in the autumn with Mistletoe and Mr. Right. 

Have you read The Tourist Attraction? What did you think? Have you been to Alaska?

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