Tag Archives: romance

Competitive Romances: Raiders of the Lost Heart and Love & Other Disasters

29 Nov

Raiders of the Lost Heart
by Jo Segura
Raiders of the Lost Heart is a new romance novel by Jo Segura coming out next Tuesday, December 5! Archaeologist Dr. Socorro Mejia aka Corrie is a renowned expert on the Chimalli, an Aztec warrior, who also is claimed to be one of Corrie’s ancestors. When a expedition is planned for the Mexican Jungle to find Aztec artifacts from Chimalli, she jumps at the chance even if the organizer is shrouded in mystery. When she discovers the expedition is being lead by Dr. Ford Matthews, a rival since her grad school days, she thinks her big break, might instead be a big mistake. Despite the feud between the two, there is simmering heat from the novel’s start and for readers who are drawn to friend to lovers romantic storylines this will be a funny, spicy treat. Also as a fan of the Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider series I enjoyed the exciting adventure aspect of the story (Ford Matthews gets his name from Harrison Ford). The fact that Corrie has ties to the culture that she is exploring and the author herself is of Mexican descent, helped with the negative cultural associations that can arise from this type of archeology adventures feeling exploitative.

Love and Other Disasters
by Anita Kelly
I was curious to check out Love and Other Disasters when I saw one of my colleagues was reading it with one of HPL’s Book Clubs a few months back. I’ve read several other romance books set during the recordings of reality cooking competitions and was curious to see how this one compared. This book focuses on the romance between two contestants on the show London and Dahlia. Dahlia is getting over a divorce and London is still getting comfortable with their non-binary identity so neither is necessarily looking for love, but they both feel an attraction when they are placed at nearby stations during the show taping. I thought the romance was sweet and both London and Dahlia were charming. I also liked that beyond the romance the novel also had added family complications that both London and Dahlia need to resolve and the novel would be a good read for those looking for stories of new adults working on finding themselves and solidifying their identities. My one qualm with the story was the way in which there is much discussion about London’s identity as a non-binary person, Dahlia’s identity as a queer sis-woman is never really explored and felt a bit glossed over. On the whole though I thought this was a positive portrayal for the LGBTQ community and would recommend it to fans of foodie romances.

For reviews of two romances and one mystery set during the holiday season checkout next Wednesdays post!

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager

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Bad Spells, Good Books: In Charm’s Way & The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic

23 Aug

In Charm’s Way
by Lena Harper
In Charm’s Way is the fourth in the supernatural romance Witches of Thistle Grove series; although not necessary to be read in order, you will have some spoilers for previous books if you read this one first. I had been looking forward to hearing about the resolution of Delilah Harlow’s story since the events of Back in a Spell, released this past January. In that novel another witch’s out of control spell causes Delilah once perfect recall to be damaged. Now she struggles to regain her memory and her sense of self. She is helped by her new charming raven familiar Montalban. Delilah spends much of her time working at her family’s magical book store, so if you are a book worm like me you will likely identify with this clever introvert. If you are someone who generally doesn’t read romance, but loves fantasy, I’d still highly recommend this series since the interesting world building with the magical town and complex, well developed characters will have you hooked. Though of course it wouldn’t be a Thistle Grove story without romance in this case it comes in the form of the Catriona Quinn, a beautiful “monster hunter” with an unusual lineage.

The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
by Breanne Randall
Coming soon on September 19, The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic is Breanne Randall’s first novel to be published, but hopefully not her last. Fellow fans of the magical realism of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Allen Addison will want to check this one out. Sadie Revelare is happy working with her grandmother at their small café, A Peach in Thyme, but then everything seems to start to unravel when her first love returns to town and her grandmother reveals some serious medical news. Sadie believes that these heartbreaks are a side effect to the power she wields. When her estranged twin brother returns further family secrets are revealed and it will take all the Revelare’s and their communities efforts to save them. I enjoyed the whimsical magic details mixed in with the more serious topics of the story. Sadie’s best friend lives with bipolar disorder and her brother suffers from depression and although neither is explored in depth since they are secondary characters, it provided representation of those living with the condition, and Sadie herself discusses plans to see a therapist for grief counseling. You’ll be left craving some of the delicious drinks and treats that are mentioned in the story, so it is lucky that each chapter ends with a recipe from Sadie’s grandmother so you can try it for yourself just BYOM (bring your own magic). I made the Chocolate Pecan Pie (good for healing strength and longevity) and the Cherry Cheese Pie (helps ensure the peace, good for family gatherings) for our Fourth of July celebration this year.

I received advanced copies of both novels from Netgalley and the publishers in order to provide you with honest reviews.

Written by:
Aimee Harris
Information and Digital Services Manager




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