January 2021 Reading Roundup

In addition to NetGalley ARCs, here is what I read in January 2021.  I made a sizable list of books to read mashed on an Oprah Magazine list of the best Romances of 2020, so most of these came from the list.  The results have been a bit of a mixed bag, but I have enjoyed reading more contemporary romances since historicals have always been my jam.  

Lover Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey ✩✩✩✩✩

This one was only OK.  Cute premise, though based on the rave reviews of other books in the series I was a little disappointed.  Personally, I just couldn't get past the fact that our protagonist's spouse had somehow purchased a whole-ass HOUSE (!?!?!?!?) in secret yet somehow, a handful of sessions with some guy who once read Gary Chapman’s book is going to fix it.  Writing was decent, characters were somewhat flat and dialog was trite at times. This one just wasn't a good fit for me.

Never Kiss a Duke by Megan Frampton ✩✩✩✩✩

A solid mid-pack romance that grants all the comfort of the genre.  I had a chance to review the second in this series which I enjoyed in very much the same way.  Nothing really stands out, but Frampton writes well and utilizes all our favorite tropes in clever ways.  The chemistry here didn't feel as saucy as one usually sees, but sometimes a slow burn, normal-person love is OK too.

Whiteout by Adriana Anders ✩✩✩✩✩

This got great reviews and was touted as a blend of contemporary romance and thriller.  It did a middling job at both.  The “love/lust at first sight that can't be named because I am such a damaged man” routine often played out as irritating instead of a fun romance trope.  The action/thriller aspect started strong, but gets resolved by some hand waving and, frankly, the criminals are so archetypal that the reader has a hard time believing this plan ever even got off the ground.  However, the experience of reading does keep you engaged and even when you find the characters annoying and the plot predictable, you do want to see what happens.

The Handmaid’s Tale: The Graphic Novel by Margaret Atwood and Renee Nault ✩✩✩✩✩

We all know this is a great book and this graphic novel adaptation is amazing.  The drawing style and color palette perfectly reflect the tone of the story.  While the prose is heavily shortened, the artwork conveys all the nuance and implications of the novel.  

Beach Read by Emily Henry ✩✩✩✩✩

This contemporary was everything the review promised and more.  It blends shared history, disastrous meet-cutes, slow burns, hilarious supporting characters and a modern romance that feels like it could actually happen.  A romance that sparks hot but also shows people acting in ways that **actually people act** was a delightfully refreshing genre read.  

Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory ✩✩✩✩✩

Once you get past the “not like other girls” nonsense of the protagonist, this was a great read.  Again, this one shows people acting in ways that might be reflective of actual humans.  Both characters are kind of messy and have some personal growth to do before they can really commit to love.  The contrast of how Olivia struggles against racism and patriarchy, while Max has to constantly learn that he is not the center of the universe, feels modern and topical, but not overbearing.  Plus, the food.  Any book that focuses on food is a winner for me.

Inappropriate by Vi Keeland ✩✩✩✩✩

This one will just get chalked up to “different strokes for different folks.”  This felt like a shortened  Fifty-Shades-style fanfic.  Ireland’s sassiness is really just immaturity dressed up as “better than other women” and despite the specific subplot of lifting up other women, she acts in typical mean-girl fashion most of the time.  Grant is a walking ode to how misogynists can mask their BS with money. Sure, a tragic backstory tries to make up for him being a jerk, but even that feels contrite and overplayed.  This one just wasn’t my style, though it was a thankfully fast read.