Book Reviews on the Fly
Here are a few book reviews. I have read these titles over the last month. None of these books were overly dynamic but for the most part I enjoyed them.
Even If the Sky is Falling
Short Story collection by multi authors.
Releasing May 30, 2023
This collection of cute stories was truly amazing! The romances were good. For Short fas read the authors all did a great job of giving us cute stories with great characters. The characters felt authentic even in the face of disaster. The premise was unique and made for an enjoyable read.
What I particularly loved about this collection was how each author used the disaster as a prompt to create their own unique world and showcase their individual writing style. This made it difficult to rate the stories as I connected with each one differently. It was fascinating to see how each author approached the challenge, and I look forward to reading more from them.
Jana Goes Wild by Farah Heron
Releasing May 2, 2023
I was very much anticipated Jana Goes Wild, I have enjoyed previous books by this author.
This is second chance romance with all most too much going on. A two-week wedding vacation for her friends along with her kid, a super judgmental mom, the father of her kid, and her potential new boss. It is a lot!
The portrayal of the blurb for this book does it a disservice. This book was not about a character trying to lose their hang-ups and shed their flawless persona. Jana, in fact, was seeking perfection. Jana does move outside her comfort zone a few times, but they were hurried experiences that I cannot say she learned much from. The endless introspection by Jana and whining about the same things over and over again was at times too much to take.
This book is very focused on being stuck on a trip with her ex and overanalyzing their breakup and how it has affected her life. Jana is obsessed with the breakup. It seems to be the only thing she can talk about with him and anyone who will listen. Because of this choice of the author to use the breakup as her whole personality the character arc is very weak. The hero Anil equally lacks growth as a character, stunting the romantic relationship. Anil is a good guy, and he does stick to his commitment to Jana.
This was just not the reading experience I had hoped for. I also did not realize this was a sequel and a true standalone because of this I do think some of the back story was missing. The romance was not as centralized a I like, and I do think this title leans more towards women’s fiction.
Power by JD Hollyfield
Released April 17
I enjoyed reading Theo and Fable’s story. Theo, a grumpy boss, and Fable, his happy-go-lucky assistant, have great office banter that leads to a cute romance. Fable’s sarcastic remarks are a perfect match for Theo’s attitude, and she doesn’t let him get away with anything. The story captures both characters’ personalities really well. There’s also some family drama on Theo’s side, at times it felt like manufactured angst. It does creates a conflict that adds to the story but not sure it was needed. Overall, it’s a well-written and edited inter-office romance.
