Review: For the Love of the Bard by Jessica Martin
Rating: 3/5
Sub Genre- Women’s Fiction with Romantic Elements
Tropes: Second Chance, Coming home,
Pop 78%
As someone who loves Summer Stock and any opportunity to engage in Theatre things this book was amazing! It was my first book by the author, and I really enjoyed her writing and engaging story. The setting of the story was everything I wanted and more when you give me a title like For the Love of the Bard . Small town theatre can be a hotbed of fun and drama. The nods to Shakespeare were so wonderful.. especially for this bardolator.
Miranda has return home to Bard’s Rest with the purpose of finishing her YA Novel. Miranda’s mom has other ideas, roping her into helping with the town’s centennial celebration of their Shakespeare Festival. Miranda of course takes on way more than she should and is in the mix of it she reconnects with an old flame. I also love how she really strengthens her relationship with her sisters. I enjoyed that connections she makes with her hometown after being gone for so long. I love the coming home vibes and finding more than when you left.
Adam- what to say about Adam. Here is where some of my hang ups come in this story. I wanted more of a character arc for him. He should have repented more. He should have been begging. He did Miranda dirty. I wanted more of the romance between Miranda and Adam. This friendship that sparks and slowly burns. Their history is very complicated and somewhat messy.
But this story wasn’t about their relationship as much as it was about Miranda’s journey.
The importance of family that is shown and themed through out the book by using Miranda’s mother’s heath issues was handled with such grace and care. I also thing that the journey to self-love that Miranda experiences was so on point and added so much to the story.
If you are looking for a good story with romantic elements, you should totally read this. But if you are looking for a true romance this is not it. The title was sold to me as being a romance it isn’t. This is women’s fiction with romantic elements. I would have liked it more if it was sold to me that way. When reading romance, I want the relationship to be centered stage. This book really focused on Miranda and her journey which is fine but that isn’t romance. This is one of those times I got duped.
