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Jimenez's rom-com frequently had me laughing, made me tear up a little, and kept me hooked on the fake-dating, will-they-won't-they tension while also digging into some deep themes. Briana Ortiz's divorce from her cheater husband is about to be finalized, her brother Benny's health is failing, and she's living in her childhood home, complete with its original flowered couches and shabby carpet. At least she can pour energy into her work. She's busy as an ER doctor and is poised to become the next Chief. But when a new doctor relocates to the hospital, Bri's promotion is in jeopardy. She's set to detest this interloper--but then he sends her a letter that changes everything. Sometimes when I want to sink into a rom-com I'm distracted by what feel like overly manufactured roadblocks. (Really? They couldn't and wouldn't find five minutes to clear up this enormous misunderstanding?) BUT. In Yours Truly, Jimenez layers her characters with complex back stories, significant and interesting emotional baggage, and trauma from relationship disasters, all of which complicate their ability to be vulnerable. There's a health crisis and solution that involves the two main characters in key ways and complicates things. There's a fake-dating situation that's designed to save the feelings of loved ones. And there's a professional environment they must navigate within. It's not unusual for me to feel frustrated by a drawn-out will-they/won't-they tension, or by a fake-dating setup between two characters who should obviously be together. But this novel had me eating out of Jimenez's hand. I loved the letter-writing element and loved the looooove here! The banter between Bri and Jacob is funny and adorable, their attraction is sometimes steamy, the supporting characters are all wonderfully wrought, and I loved tracing Bri and Jacob's emotional self-discovery as they moved toward a hard-fought resolution to the issues initially stopping them from being together. Jimenez also digs into deep themes here: anxiety disorders, trauma, miscarriage, divorce, financial struggles, and more. I was hooked on Abby Jimenez's Part of Your World, but I loved Yours Truly even more. This book frequently had me laughing and also made me tear up at a couple of points. The very end of the book quotes from a personal set of writings and for some reason this felt a little jarring to me--I think I wanted to focus on Bri's internalizing the messages (which we as readers already understood) rather than jumping back and forth into them and then cutting to her reaction. If we're going to have a happy ending, we might as well fast-forward to a happy near-future scene and see it allll wrapped up--and Jimenez provides this for us. It doesn't feel like a spoiler to share that Yours Truly offers a clean ending without loose ends. Former enemies are best friends and almost everyone is in love with someone. If you've agonized through the main relationship's ups and downs throughout the story, you might just feel that Bri and Jacob--and frankly we the readers!--deserve this final section, which wraps up everything in a neat bow. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? Jimenez is also the author of Part of Your World, The Friend Zone, and The Happy-Ever-After Playlist. You might also like the books on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Great Light Fiction Stories Perfect for Summer Reading and Six More Great Light Fiction Stories.

Jimenez offers humor, spicy moments, and romance while incorporating weighty issues into her light fiction Told in alternating points of view from Daniel and Alexis, Part of Your World is romantic, often funny

This was a satisfying, often funny, romantic book that hit all the right notes for me. The Ex Talk is a fast read with lots of sexual tension along with some sexy romantic interludes, and data-driven dating program--and she receives an unheard-of 98 percent compatible romantic match with I appreciated that the will they/won't they romantic tension satisfyingly hinges on factors somewhat The story is steamy and romantic at times without being dramatic.

This light fiction young adult novel offers (reluctant) romance, best friendships, dance lessons, glimpses As Evie's putting her former favorite romance books into a Little Free Library, a wizened old woman approaches But Instructions for Dancing was romantic, sweet, fun to read (well, to listen to as an audiobook, which

This was a satisfying, often funny, romantic book that hit all the right notes for me. Very Sincerely Yours is light fiction that delivers delightful, charming banter, the promise of a new romance This was a satisfying, often funny, romantic book that hit all the right notes for me.

Much of this book about a rock star and his (unrecognized) teenaged soulmate didn't ring true enough for me to feel that I could buy into the story. Moonlight Drive relies upon a seemingly implausible premise: Nick, a rock star, doesn’t recognize the person who provided the pivotal, years-long emotional connection in their early teens. The new band “groupie” was really Nick's dearest friend in his (recent) teens. She once went by the name Dani and now goes by Daniela--another reason it doesn't feel like it would be an enormous stretch for Nick to make the jump to identifying her. Daniela soon lives on the bus, is invited to share rooms with the band, and tantalizes the star--all without being recognized by the soulmate of her youth. Nick engages in outrageously destructive, hurtful behaviors. Exploring this brokenness could have been intriguing, but I found his character frustrating and off-putting. He absurdly feels he deserves congratulations for the small measures that he considers restraint (in one example that felt staggering, he receives oral sex from a stranger with his soulmate sitting next to him rather than having sex with the woman, and he seems to feel this is a sacrifice). The relationship at the heart of Moonlight Drive just didn't hold up for me. There were some steamy moments, but the sexiness often felt violent, the racy talk didn’t land for me and at times felt jarring and aggressive, and most importantly, to me, the characters' emotional connection didn’t feel real. A style note: there are many instances of interrupted speech--so much so that sometimes I wasn’t even sure what the characters were getting at--and frequent instances of what felt like unrealistically intuitive mind-reading as characters pieced together what they imagined the other to be trying to express. This felt unnecessarily confusing. I was puzzled as to why the "secret" that Nick, a professional musician, played piano and wrote songs would be considered too sensitive or personal to be made known. This felt forced and a little silly. I also wasn't clear as to how his broken, consistently self-destructive drug- and alcohol-fueled implosions allowed him to feel irresistible, even to the most grounded characters. Even solid mentor Jim inexplicably says to Dani about Nick's appeal, "Keep spending time with him, on him, you're gonna fall in love." The specter of Nick's addiction overshadows much of the story, and this element felt tragic and compelling. Hadley's descriptions of the clothing styles of the musicians of the era were entertaining and a highlight. But much of this felt too convenient and unrealistic for me, and reactions frequently didn’t seem to follow from events. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book through NetGalley and Chameleon Media Productions. Do you have any Bossy thoughts about this book? If you like stories about music, you might like the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Rockin' Stories about Bands and Music or the books A Song for the Road or The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes.

Robin and Edwin's love is romantic and sweet and heartbreaking and sexy; the mystery at the heart of

The Ex Talk is a fast read with lots of sexual tension along with some racy-steamy romantic interludes If you like romantic, sometimes racy light fiction that offers character backstory, witty banter, and

Axelrod offers a light fiction romance that's heavy on engaging passages about making music, band life Axelrod offers a light fiction romance that's heavy on engaging passages about making music, band life

The True Love Experiment is a wonderful, romantic read about forbidden attraction and heartwarming vulnerability Fizzy is a straight talker, a sex-positive woman, and a successful romance writer, but she's never been “Romance isn’t gratuitous bodice ripping. It can be, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but in the end, romance isn’t about the fantasy of being “People think romances are just about sex—and some are, which is fine—but they’re also about social change

Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story that But Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story

school setting reminded me of Naomi Novik's A Deadly Education, although the tone of this book is more romantic A chaste attraction involves lots of romance and a love that must not be (in order to save lives)--and

Silver offers a story with a missed-chances premise in which romance, drama, and an unwavering hope in

I listened to this romantic fantasy about a chosen one, a long-lost family, portals to a magical world It's a romance, in that the brooding young man Keegan who leads the clan and who seems sure to become But if The Dragon Heart Legacy series remains a cozy, convenient, wine- and romance-focused story with

The story is heartwarming, funny, with strong friendships, plus it's steamy and romantic at times without But then her daring best friend (who writes sexy romance novels!) data-driven dating program that makes sense to her--and she receives an unheard-of 98 percent compatible romantic I appreciated that the will they/won't they romantic tension hinges on factors somewhat outside of the The story is steamy and romantic at times without being dramatic.

thwart them; and Instructions for Dancing, Nicola Yoon's newest young adult book about heartbreak, romance As she's putting her former favorite romance books in a Little Free Library, a wizened old woman approaches

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading Bill Browder's Red Notice, which is nonfiction about the author's uncovering of corruption in Russia and the significant repercussions of doing so; The Guide, a new book by one of my favorite authors, Peter Heller, which picks up after the events of his book The River as main character Jack serves as a fishing guide at an elite but eerie Colorado resort; and The Ex Talk, Rachel Lynn Solomon's debut light fiction, which incorporates a love of public radio, will-they/won't-they tensions, humor, heart, and some steamy scenes. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 Red Notice by Bill Browder The subtitle of Browder's nonfiction book Red Notice is A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice, and in it, Browder traces his path from Wall Street to the Soviet Union after its breakup--and the crimes, mysteries, and political machinations that he witnessed and uncovered. As Browder began to expose corruption in Russia, he attracted the dangerous attention of Putin, which put Browder's life in jeopardy. After Browder escaped Russia, he became determined to bring to justice those in the Putin regime who had tortured and put to death his trusted Russian associate and lawyer. His actions drew even more ire from Putin and those in his ranks, and Putin famously retaliated to Browder's attempts to identify those responsible for his friend's death by largely preventing Americans from adopting Russian children. My book club is reading this one. If you like nonfiction books that read like fiction, you might try the books on the Greedy Reading List Six Compelling Nonfiction Books that Read Like Fiction. 02 The Guide by Peter Heller A new Peter Heller book is out! A new Peter Heller book is out! The Guide is a literary thriller by one of my favorite authors, in which Jack (from Heller's book The River) is a guide at an elite fishing lodge in Colorado. After suffering a great loss in The River, he's eager to lose himself in nature and meet the needs of the boutique resort's clients. When he's set up as the guide for a famous musician, he baits her line, carries her gear, and sets her up for a successful fishing trip. But Jack is starting to realize that something dark and dangerous may be at work here, and that things are more complicated than they had seemed. I hope you'll join me in my adoration of Peter Heller's varied books, including his thrilling, character-driven story The River, the meditative yet decisively action-oriented The Painter, and his post-apocalyptic story The Dog Stars, which was a five-star read for me. I received an advance digital copy of this title courtesy of Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and NetGalley. 03 The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon In Solomon's Ex Talk, Seattle public radio producer Shay Goldstein is in her late twenties, she's put in her time, and she thinks that her ideas deserve respect. So when young hotshot Dominic Yun shows up and, as a male, automatically has the ear of their misogynistic boss, Shay is beyond annoyed. The two find themselves driving everyone around them crazy with their constant bickering. Meanwhile, Shay feels that she's following all of the typical steps of being a grown-up: she has the job, she bought a (currently empty-feeling) house, and she keeps trying to settle down. Her widowed mother and her longtime best friend are each in love with wonderful partners, and Shay's beginning to wonder if she's attempting to leap into commitment with the wrong people because she's still reeling from the loss of her dad. When Dominic and Shay get talked into posing as exes in order to host a promising radio show about relationships, they're forced to get to know each other better in order to fake their past--but actually the door opens for a potential future for them instead.

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a bizarre, dark set of short stories by a former Late Show with Stephen Colbert writer, Jen Spyra; Rachel Griffin's young adult fantasy novel The Nature of Witches, in which witches control the weather and find romaaaance; and I'm listening to Fallen, my first book in Linda Castillo's thirteen-book Kate Burkholder series--each of which is set in Amish country. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 Big Time: Stories by Jen Spyra This book! I'm not sure what to say (or even to think) about this book so far. Spyra is making me verrrry uncomfortable as I read her collection of stories, which are satirical, dark, edgy, bizarre, and often outrageous. This isn't your typical humor book, and I'm curious about what unsuspecting readers may think if they go into this one without an awareness that dark subjects are played up for amusement. Spyra may be aware of the line that separates questionable from likely offensive, but she often leaps over it. 02 The Nature of Witches by Rachel Griffin In the world of Griffin's young adult fantasy novel The Nature of Witches, witches control the weather. And (this part of the storyline may feel familiar) climate change is causing weather patterns to spin out of control. Destructive blizzards, devastating tornadoes, desperate heat, and shockingly bitter cold are threatening the land around them--and endangering the lives of witches and shaders (regular humans) alike. Luckily, Clara is the most powerful witch in a generation. But she doesn't have a clue how to control her power, and she's destroyed some of those closest to her while trying to test it. There are lovely moments of humor interspersed with the action and lots of (literally) flowery language; the characters at times talk extensively about flowers and plants. I received a prepublication digital edition of this book courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley. 03 Fallen: A Novel of Suspense (Kate Burkholder #13) by Linda Castillo I'm listening to the audiobook version of Linda Castillo's mystery-suspense novel Fallen. This is the first book I've read in Castillo's thirteen-book Kate Burkholder series--all set in Amish country--although these have been on my to-read list for a long time. A rebellious young woman who left her Amish culture behind and became estranged from her family has returned to Painters Mill, Ohio. But her homecoming ends almost immediately in tragedy: she is brutally murdered in a motel on the outskirts of town. Chief of police Kate Burkholder, who was once part of the local Amish community herself, is called in and is shocked to identify the victim as Rachael Schwartz, a fun-loving, mischievous free spirit she had babysat years earlier. The crime against Rachael is so vicious as to seem personal, and Kate must try to determine why Rachael returned to town, uncover her buried secrets, and figure out who would have wanted her dead. I received a prepublication audiobook of this title courtesy of Macmillan Audio and NetGalley.

by Emily Henry Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic But Henry strikes the perfect tone for this wonderfully sweet, funny, friendship-based, romantic story 05 Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon This light fiction young adult novel offers (reluctant) romance Evie copes with loss and some heavy issues, but Instructions for Dancing was also romantic, sweet, fun

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading People We Meet on Vacation, Emily Henry's newest light fiction novel about best friends and polar opposites Poppy and Alex on their annual vacation; Now You Say Yes, Bill Harley's irresistible middle-grade novel about orphans on a cross-country journey as they desperately try to stay together as a family; and Don't Look for Me, Wendy Walker's suspenseful, character-driven novel about a mother coping with the worst grief imaginable while a lurking evil endangers key characters' safety. Which books are you reading and enjoying these days, bookworms? 01 People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry In Emily Henry's newest novel People We Meet on Vacation, best friends and polar opposites Alex and Poppy are on their annual vacation. Poppy is impulsive and fun-loving, and Alex would generally rather stay home and read than seek out adventure. The pair has long been emotionally inseparable despite living in different cities--Poppy in New York and Alex in their small hometown. But two years ago on their vacation, something BIG happened. It threatened their friendship and continues to loom over everything between them. They haven't talked about any of it, but Poppy has convinced Alex to join her again on vacation to try to recapture their effortless times together. Surely, she thinks, they can fix everything in a week. She'll just push down her strange feelings about Alex and pretend that fateful time never even happened. This is already feeling like a will they/won't they story I'll love. Henry's Beach Read was a favorite book of mine last year, and it made it into the Greedy Reading List Six Lighter Fiction Stories for Great Escapism. 02 Now You Say Yes by Bill Harley In Bill Harley's newest work, the middle-grade novel Now You Say Yes, we follow newly orphaned fifteen-year-old Mari and her on-the-spectrum nine-year-old stepbrother, Connor, as they strike out on a cross-country journey in a desperate attempt to avoid foster care. Mari, who finds that she's tough in the face of adversity, is bent on staying with her brother, preserving the only family they each have left. But she's not legally an adult, and she doesn't have many options of who she can rely on to keep them safe. Harley's story about loyalty, loss, and pushing forward is beautiful; it's sometimes heartbreaking and consistently lovely. 03 Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker Molly Clarke is dealing with bottomless grief. Her youngest daughter died in an unthinkable accident, and for Molly, making her way through each day is like wading through waters threatening to drown her. So she walks away--from her distant husband, her always-furious oldest daughter, her absent middle son, her broken life, and her relentless pain. At least, that's what the clues left behind seem to indicate. But the truth of what has occurred is horrible, terrifying, twisty--and fascinating. Walker's premise is difficult to read and experience on the page, but the character depth, exploration of grief, and self-actualization she offers in Don't Look for Me is pleasantly surprising and continues to build and grow. I'm flying through this tale and can't wait to find out what's what.

I adored the romantic setup and seemingly ill-fated attraction in Saft's young adult fantasy-mystery, I loved the setup of Saft's romantic young adult fantasy novel Down Comes the Night. all in place here: magic, healing, a defiant main protagonist with a conscience, loyalty, drawn-out romance Saft is also the author of another romantic young adult fantasy novel, A Far Wilder Magic. I loved her character-building, her balance with the young romance, her fantastic, detailed setting,

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm reading a romantic book about aspiring musicians with intertwined pasts Hadley The title of this book (which is explained as coming from a Doors song) evokes romantic ideas, and so far the story reads to me like a soap opera-esque romance.

Solomon offers a sweet, romantic young adult story with emotions that feel authentic; the book showcases Today Tonight Tomorrow is a sweet, ultimately romantic story that celebrates many of the essential teenage

Charleston; and Jack, a quiet, gorgeous book from Marilynne Robinson that's focused on a meandering romance by Marilynne Robinson Jack, a quiet, gorgeous book from Marilynne Robinson, focuses on a meandering romance thoughts about faith and meaning in life; and the fraught, heart-wrenching, tender, likely ill-fated romance

In a Holidaze is a romantic holiday time twist with sexy interludes and a reliably happy ending. I read In a Holidaze during Christmas week, and it was a romantic holiday time twist with sexy interludes The author duo also wrote the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating as well as Love and

I reviewed the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating on this site, as well as Love and

One to Watch is engrossing escapism into a world of reality TV, romantic possibilities, and luxurious what it might mean for her career, for promoting body positivity, and maybe even for her lackluster romantic She's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu Stayman-London allows Bea to sink fully into the romance, fashion, and reality television ups and downs

there is a refreshing lack of violence beyond fistfight-level conflicts; and the forbidden love and romance

head down, work on his dilapidated house, get an occasional beer at the pub, not get forced into a romantic In a Holidaze feels like a romantic holiday read that might be perfect for this pre-Christmas week. The author duo also wrote the fun and romantic Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating as well as Love and

But letting go of expectations about realistic cause and effect in order to buy into a romantic setup difficult for me than suspending my disbelief to buy into the outlandish or supernatural aspects of a romantic steps in their lives, inner voices that feel real, human connections that warm my heart, and a little romantic what it might mean for her career, for promoting body positivity, and maybe even for her lackluster romantic She's in--for a fantastic wardrobe, incredibly awkward moments, scripted romance, and a beautiful Malibu

a wonderfully oddball main protagonist, a strange adventure, a mystery to be solved, and simmering romance Her bodyguard is a surprisingly sympathetic strong, silent type (cue: simmering hints of romance with Romantic undercurrents are wonderful, and there is No Swooning or Ridiculousness.

I was all in for her passionate whirlwind of a romance and relationship with Caesar (and the partnership's political implications in the world), but by the time Mark Anthony came around, I felt like the romantic

tour in place of the reticent (the writer is famous in literary circles) author of a new blockbuster romance She's ready to take on the persona of a romance novelist at readings and signings, but she also becomes entranced by the romantic story she's pretending to have authored. Can the romantic story that brought them together help them rethink their recent heartbreak? I didn't really believe in the Charlie-Kate romance; we are told that this relationship and its tensions

I like a forbidden-romance setup, but in this instance I was annoyed that Bridget would set up such a More Romantic Reads Carley Fortune is also the author of Meet Me at the Lake , Every Summer After , and You might also like my Bossy reviews of these romantic novels .

Josie Silver's newest rom-com, in which a divorced actress is hired to play the role of a reclusive romance historical fiction set in Elizabethan London; and I'm reading One Golden Summer , Carley Fortune's newest romance to play the part of a novelist--and tour in place of the extremely shy author of a new blockbuster romance by the romantic story she's pretending to have authored. Can the romantic story that brought them together help them rethink their recent heartbreak?

with her volatile, emotionally and verbally abusive, strong mother to her own artistic expression, romantic a school, through Roy's young adulthood and rejection of her mother's presence in her life, to her romantic

using the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies, Better Than the Movies. Now she's working at an animal rescue center and sorting out burgeoning romantic feelings for two different using the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies. Liz is a hopeless romantic who has been waiting her whole high school career to be swept off her feet in quintessential romantic-comedy fashion--with the perfect soundtrack playing in the background.

as the Black Death looms, dangerous rumors of witchery threaten, and she juggles family, a forbidden romantic Romantic storylines for the twin sisters diverge and serve as important elements in the plot and in the

I've been rom-comming it up, and you can find lots of my favorite romantic reads on the blog--with a

Emma Wheeler writes romantic comedies, and she longs to be a screenwriter. There's a romantic gesture centering around a script, and it didn't quite sit right with me (regarding

Page's romantic novel celebrates the importance of books for coping, celebrating, and exploring, while The community loudly voices support for their beloved store, but it will take a contemporary-romance Luckily, this is a feel-good romance celebrating books while its main protagonist reels with grief.

didn't have a plausible connection, and the story's baseball focus gave it a more formulaic sports-romance Than the Movies , but this story is so baseball-focused, Liz is so determined not to be sentimental or romantic But for me, the story didn't support these romantic, sexy fantasies--I remained somewhat irritated by

newest book of essays from the oddball, poignant, darkly funny David Sedaris; and I'm reading The Dead Romantics , Ashley Poston's adult debut about a romance ghostwriter who is haunted by ghosts as she copes with Please click here for my review of David Sedaris's The Best of Me. 03 The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston In Ashley Poston's The Dead Romantics, Florence Day is a ghostwriter for a famous reclusive romance

There is a romantic element, but this is, happily for me, a richly built fantasy and not a romantasy. The romance is lovely, poignant, and just enough.

There's a little bit of romantic, funny, steamy light fiction; the next wonderful installments in two , with the inspiration of her mom's favorite romantic comedies. Liz is a hopeless romantic who has been waiting her whole high school career to be swept off her feet in quintessential romantic-comedy fashion--with the perfect soundtrack playing in the background. the banter, the heartbreaking, heartwarming growth, the fun--this is basically a perfect young adult romantic

This is the type of romantic fantasy I adore. Romantic undercurrents are wonderful, and there is No Swooning or Ridiculousness. There is a romantic element, but this is, happily for me, a richly built fantasy and not a romantasy. The romance is lovely, poignant, and just enough. This first romantasy in Perry's planned trilogy offers monsters, royalty, secrets, hidden identities,

The Books I'm Reading Now I'm so excited to be reading the newest book by Curtis Sittenfeld, Romantic 01 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld I am so so SO excited to read this novel. Romantic Comedy will be published April 4. 02 Silver in the Bone by Alexandra Bracken In Alexandra Bracken's

Her romantic partners often feel manipulative, involve gaslighting, and keep her on edge and unsure of

I know that romantic books sometimes rely upon outlandish setups, and I feel theoretically willing to But sometimes I have difficulty seeing past what feel like unlikely scenarios in romantic novels. And the Bobby-Robin relationship as well as the Gio romance had me swooning.

that I adored, Romantic Comedy (this was my favorite read of the month!) Harper allows for Falk to develop more fully as a character--as a friend, a romantic interest, a father For my full review, check out Exiles. 02 Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld This was my favorite read I love Curtis Sittenfeld's books, and in Romantic Comedy she offers an outstanding premise: Sally Milz Romantic Comedy offers lots of funny, funny dialogue that delighted me.