New Romantic Reads: Ship Happens and I Kissed Her First

27 Aug

Ship Happens
by Mason Deaver
Ship Happens is a funny second chance romance story about two transmen, one a tattoo artist and aspiring business owner, the other a marine biologist who studies squids. Owen’s best friend and her partner surprise him with a cruise to Alaska as a Christmas gift, but Owen is less then thrilled since along with some of their other friends they have also invited his bestie’s brother, who is also Owen’s ex. I liked that the story included representation of a nuanced character with a disability/chronic pain; Owen suffers from chronic arthritis. Some of the cruise details seemed a bit unrealistic, but the romance elements were strong and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. If you love grumpy/sunshine pairings then this is one you will want to pick up. Fans of Ship Happens may also want to check out some of Deaver’s other works including their adult novel debut, The Build-a-Boyfriend Project.

I Kissed Her First
by Betty Cayouette
I Kissed Her First is the charming new adult sapphic romance by Betty Cayouette. The story is written from alternating perspectives of personal chef, Riley, and an aspiring pop star, Luna, who fall for each other during Luna’s European tour. Added drama comes from the fact that Riley’s fathers, who own a lobster shack, don’t want her to become a chef even though she has become known on social media for her cooking. Luna has been having a staged romance with a fellow singer/songwriter in order to get positive publicity, but she has been frustrated with his cold behavior towards her and would like to break up with him. This sweet story would make a fun beach read. If you like fiction about cooks or pop stars this one is a definite pick. Cayoutte also has two other romances to check out Tell Me How You Really Feel and One Last Shot.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Artful Fantasy: A Portrait of a Witch Undone and The Art of Charming a Changeling

25 Aug


A Portrait of a Witch Undone
by Kate Shay
Dark fantasy fans will want to check out Portrait of a Witch Undone, the new novel by Kate Shay, a suspenseful tale of a young witch who must discover her true power in order to save her best friend and the coven that has rejected her.  Shay has created an intriguing alternate Boston, along with the surrounding marshes, that are painted with great verisimilitude with details such as the Gardner Museum and its artwork. Having lived there for two years and recently revisited on my last summer vacation I loved seeing all the details that make Boston unique. For those of you in the Hoboken area, the marshes will also remind you of those in the nearby meadowlands. Warning: you’ll be looking for mysterious witch lights there when you pass by after reading this since these real world details are infused with magical unique moments that set this apart from other witch fictions. If you enjoyed A Discovery of Witches, Practical Magic, and Kim Harrison’s Shadow Age series, then Portrait of a Witch Undone will have you spellbound.

The Art of Charming a Changeling
by Sylvie Cathral
The Art of Charming a Changeling is a sweet cozy fantasy set in a magical and more diverse Regency world where fairies are real and live in a world revolving around art. Florrie Hyverfell is a conservator, who on her first day working for a prince realizes that not only is a famous portrait a fake, but there is a trapped fairy, Vern, inside the painting. She has to find the original to keep her job and rescue Vern from captivity. Fans of The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels will enjoy the clever humor and fantastic spin on historic fiction. This is also a great pick if you are looking for a fun, light fantasy romance beach read this summer. I was truly charmed by the world Cathral created which had as much whimsy of Alice in Wonderland including a giant butterfly who survives by sipping colors, which may be my new favorite animal sidekick. If you also enjoy The Art of Charming a Changeling, you can also check out Cathral’s Sunken Archives series.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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