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1223 results found for "rom-com"
- Six Book Recommendations from Smarty Librarians
They welcome everyone who comes through the door, they shepherd visitors through issues and opportunities with technology, suggest community resources for those who might benefit, run story times for littles
- Review of The Hallmarked Man by Robert Galbraith
I feel compelled to see this series through to its end. A new investigator on the team comes from the police and is a known rabble-rouser with her mischievous (Robin is left wondering if her hesitation is due to a lack of interest in such commitment, a lack of
- Review of Ancillary Justice (Imperial Radch #1) by Ann Leckie
seemed promising in terms of potential excitement, but much of Breq's journey toward retribution felt comprised
- Review of Heart the Lover by Lily King
housemates with each other and with another student named Ivan, and together they form a charming, complementary The next relationship is more passionate, more loving, more complicated, and more promising. interest turns out to have a weak-boy disconnect between his stated intentions and his ability to make a commitment They can't be counted on, they're incapable of feeling mature feelings or honest communication, enough
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 10/6/25 Edition
They are housemates with each other and another student named Ivan, and together they form a charming, complementary
- September Wrap-Up: My Favorite Reads of the Month
01 A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher I loved my first T. Kingfisher read. For my full review of this book please see A Sorceress Comes to Call . 02 Fagin the Thief by Allison her first historical fiction novel, Smith offers a Victorian England tableau featuring a wonderfully complex , the story begins in medias res , as the reader witnesses our key characters--four septuagenarian--coming But when a slick local developer associated with their own retirement community is murdered, and other
- Review of Heart, Be at Peace by Donal Ryan
downturn has created opportunities for the entrance of drugs, violence, greed, and an undermining of the community's I had to force myself to come around to living with the fear, that feeling of being overwhelmed by a be checked, but a fire for revenge takes hold, and it becomes clear that something big is about to come
- Review of What We Can Know by Ian McEwan
Did she know about the cheese-rolling competitions? libraries teeter upon mountaintops, and citizens feel confident that due to "advancements in quantum computing , negligence leading to death, drug-addled decision-making, and terrible mistakes are all essential components The assessment of our complex current-day messes, soaring successes, sweeping promise, and looming sense Derangement gathered pace, the weapons proliferated and they did little, even as they knew what was coming
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/29/25 Edition
an economic downturn has created opportunities for drugs, violence, greed, and an undermining of the community's The book unravels messy realities, secrets, and life-and-death stakes in the past as well as complications
- Six Second-Chance, Do-Over, Reliving-Life Stories I Loved
Each possibility of a present and future is built upon different combinations of decisions Nora could Some lives are notable, others comfortable, and still others are full of pain. She often feels buoyed or hindered by a feeling of déjà vu , and occasionally she feels compelled to it’s a romance, but it’s really a story about loyalty and devoted friendship without easy or saw-it-coming Now she's coming to terms with the recent and tragic loss of the person she loved and the future she
- Review of The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1) by Richard Osman
septuagenarians who meet to resolve cold cases--then aim to solve the mysteries of murders occurring in their own community , the story begins in medias res , as the reader witnesses our key characters--four septuagenarian--coming But when a slick local developer associated with their own retirement community is murdered, and other He has created a complementary gang of four with disparate personalities, pasts, motivations, and abilities demises occur while the story progresses, which adds urgency to the Club's desire to find answers and complete
- Review of The Fraud by Zadie Smith
attempting to wrest an inheritance from the nobility, but I was most captivated by the unmarried, aging, complex her first historical fiction novel, Smith offers a Victorian England tableau featuring a wonderfully complex When she comes into a financial windfall, she dispenses with it in an unorthodox, secret, wonderful fashion
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/22/25 Edition
her first historical fiction novel, Smith offers a Victorian England tableau featuring a wonderfully complex But when a slick local developer associated with their own retirement community is murdered, and other
- Six Great Books about Brave Female Spies
other books. 02 The Huntress by Kate Quinn The character-driven post-WWII story was wonderful, with compelling Quinn's character-driven post-World War II story was wonderful, with compelling and lush detail about Is she laying groundwork for her release, or spinning webs more complicated than her captors imagine? And while the second section wasn't a complete surprise, I found it really satisfying. but the “end of movie”-type closure for both felt too convenient, and even a little dismissive of the complexities
- Review of Fagin the Thief by Allison Epstein
where the band of thieves scrape by, care for each other, sometimes betray one another, and live their complicated
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/15/25 Edition
Kingfisher novel, the fantasy story and retelling of the Grimm Brothers' Goose Girl , A Sorceress Comes I received a prepublication edition of this title courtesy of NetGalley and Del Rey. 02 A Sorceress Comes
- Six Historical Fiction Favorites
World Spin , and other books. 02 The Light After the War by Anita Abriel Vera and Edith are such a complementary I was completely engrossed. doctor, Kathleen; and a young volunteer, Bridie, over the course of three tumultuous days as the fiery, complex
- Review of Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows #1) by Devney Perry
I knew all of this was coming, but I didn't mind it.
- Review of The Raven Scholar (Eternal Path #1) by Antonia Hodgson
A representative from each of the seven regions must compete to replace their ruler, who is about to The ruthless young competitors are warriors and strategists who have been cultivating the skills and Yet her dogged determination and brilliant insights eventually earn her other competitors' grudging respect As nefarious plotting and crimes are uncovered and the stakes of the competition become ever heightened everything is as it seems, and only clever Neema seems capable of unraveling the layers that make up the complex
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/8/25 Edition
A representative from each of the seven regions must compete to replace their ruler, who is about to The ruthless young competitors are warriors and strategists who have been cultivating the skills and As nefarious plotting and crimes are uncovered and the stakes of the competition become ever heightened
- Six Wonderfully Witchy Stories
Harrow I was especially taken with the sisters' complicated relationships and with the link Harrow draws The Winter of the Witch is set in fourteenth century Russia, complete with rich folklore, conflicts a strong-willed, green-skinned young girl; explored the social pressures of Munchkinland; offered a complex Louise is a thief who keeps the company of prostitutes and lawbreakers. Things quickly get complicated, and there's a twist: circumstances demand that instinctual nemeses and
- Review of Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh
But the situation is far more complicated than it seems.
- Review of My Friends by Fredrik Backman
it alternates peeks into the past with present-day events and an unlikely modern-day friendship that comes The current-day storyline is largely focused upon a clumsy, heartwarming, lovely coming-together of opposites
- Review of This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune
I also took significant issue with Bridget's histrionics in urgently demanding that Lucy come to PEI
- Review of Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart
Yet Vera idolizes him for much of the book, until she comes to some sober realizations.
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 9/1/25 Edition
it alternates peeks into the past with present-day events and an unlikely modern-day friendship that comes
- August Wrap-Up: My Favorite Reads of the Month
a dedicated Maine State Game Warden who has fought for years for an amount of respect to match her commitment Meanwhile, the novel explores imperfect parenting, compounding mistakes by clinging to fear or regret by Claire Lynch Claire Lynch's novel shapes two timelines separated by decades into an engrossing, complicated In 2022, Heron, Maggie's father, has just received terrible news about his health, and he works to come Characters come off as less realistic than their fictionalized versions (who are main protagonists of
- Review of A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna
long-term, and while they initially are unaware of Sera and her bolstering of the inn's features and comfort Then Luke Larsen, a handsome, grumpy magical historian, comes to stay at Jasmine and Sera's inn along
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 8/25/25 Edition
I'm Reading Now I'm reading Gary Shteyngart's story of a precocious young girl finding her way in her complicated But the situation is far more complicated than it seems. of Mental Illness and the Quest to Belong Anywhere by Maria Bamford In Sure, I'll Join Your Cult , comedian
- Six Long Contemporary Novels to Sink Into
I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie When I was compiling this list and double-checking page counts, I kept All but one of these wonderful titles ( Demon Copperhead , at 560) comes in at over 600 pages, so they're This was strange and compelling. Mitchell is one of a kind, and I love it. Another book I loved of his was Utopia Avenue , and it was completely different in tone but also wonderfully In interconnected stories--which felt equally compelling to me--Shipstead brings to life these disparate
- Review of A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck by Sophie Elmhirst
fiction, skillfully using dry firsthand accounts and subsequent interviews to build a fascinating, fluid, compelling Nonfiction I've Loved If you love nonfiction books, you might like the titles on my Greedy Reading Lists Six Compelling
- Review of A Family Matter by Claire Lynch
Claire Lynch's novel shapes two timelines separated by decades into an engrossing, complicated family In 2022, Heron, Maggie's father, has just received terrible news about his health, and he works to come In the modern timeline, Heron's state of dying adds a layer Maggie's complicated emotions upon her discovery
- Review of Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
This short novel explores an alternate-history, near-future, post-war San Francisco in which robots come In a San Francisco of the near future, a group of deactivated robots come back online in an abandoned
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 8/18/25 Edition
, compelling nonfiction book about a couple whose ambitious sailing trip from England to New Zealand In 2022, Heron, Maggie's father, has just received terrible news about his health, and he works to come Then a handsome, magical historian and his young sister come to stay at Jasmine and Sera's inn, and suddenly
- Six Riveting Time-Travel Stories to Explore
This was sooooo good, unexpected, sweeping, and compelling. is a romance, but it’s actually a story about loyalty and devoted friendship without easy or saw-it-coming This was strange and compelling. For my full review, please check out The Bone Clocks .
- Review of The Knight and the Moth (Stonewater Kingdom #1) by Rachel Gillig
heartwarming, sometimes funny moments as an unlikely pack of allies sets out on a journey of discovery, complete The class-warfare and discrimination against hungry sprites by the comfortable, wealthy, longstanding
- Review of Heartwood by Amity Gaige
a dedicated Maine State Game Warden who has fought for years for an amount of respect to match her commitment But search parties, flyovers, and rescue dogs come up empty day after day. she struggles to survive in the wild, and witness to 76-year-old, wheelchair-bound Lena's retirement-community Meanwhile, the novel explores imperfect parenting, compounding mistakes by clinging to fear or regret
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 8/11/25 Edition
Annalee Newitz's newest science fiction, Automatic Noodle , a novella about deactivated robots who come Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz In a San Francisco of the near future, a group of deactivated robots come a dedicated Maine State Game Warden who has fought for years for an amount of respect to match her commitment But search parties, flyovers, and rescue dogs come up empty day after day. she struggles to survive in the wild, and witness to 76-year-old, wheelchair-bound Lena's retirement-community
- May Wrap-Up: My Favorite Reads of the Month
builds between an injured Union soldier and the Virginia woman who secretly takes him in is touching and complicated She's booking occasional commercial jobs, but she firmly believes she's destined to become famous and She's hired to mind the bratty child actors for a community theatre production of The Sound of Music It's a combination I love. This is Ava Robinson's first novel. Male guards come and go, feeding the women minimal rations and never speaking.
- Review of Trust by Hernan Diaz
Characters come off as less realistic than their fictionalized versions (who are main protagonists of
- Review of The Colony by Annika Norlin
their own desires in order to follow the charismatic Sara--until an outsider shakes up all they have come She spies from a distance the comings and goings of a group of seven people, some young and some older
- Review of Bug Hollow by Michelle Huneven
The family located him in Bug Hollow, a Northern California community where he was living his best life very patient, frequently seems irritated and even revolted by her daughters, and often makes critical comments
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 8/4/25 Edition
decades-spanning story of a Northern California family after a tragic loss; and I'm reading a novel about a commune The family located him in Bug Hollow, a Northern California community where he was living his best life She spies from a distance the comings and goings of a group of seven people, some young and some older
- July Wrap-Up: My Favorite Reads of the Month
The complicated interpersonal situations added wonderful depth to the complexities of astronauts' training , stresses, competition, and life-and-death goals of entering space. , here .) 06 Boy by Nicole Galland Galland offers a detailed peek into the London of Shakespeare's company fiction tale Boy , Alexander "Sander" Cooke is a famed, sought-after "boy player" in Shakespeare's company nearly over, and he has neither an assurance of steady work as a young man playing male roles with his company
- Review of Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor
At rock bottom, she allows her subconscious to develop a rich imagined world and story that are completely (augmenting her ability to be mobile with futuristic walking aids; diving into her relationship and commitment parents' home country of Nigeria remain constant, as does her desire for adventure, her unwillingness to compromise The excerpts highlighted commonalities between the imaginary world that poured out of her and Zelu's
- Review of I'll Be Right Here by Amy Bloom
I was invested in Gazala's young life; the concessions, cleverness, and compromises necessary during desperate times; and particularly her ability to navigate a potentially deadly and complex wartime crisis 5 Bossy stars, the heartbreakingly beautiful In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss , Away , Lucky Us , Come
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 7/28/25 Edition
unorthodox relationships, futuristic possibilities, and stories within stories that illuminate people's complicated 5 Bossy stars, the heartbreakingly beautiful In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss , Away , Lucky Us , Come At rock bottom, she allows her subconscious to develop a rich imagined world and story completely unlike parents' home country of Nigeria remain constant, as does her desire for adventure, her unwillingness to compromise
- My Six Favorite Reads of the First Half of 2025
Jack Troy and his oldest daughter Ronnie are coping with complicated family dynamics in their drafty, During the annual, chaotic community fair preceding this holidays, which this year is a rainy business The complicated interpersonal situations added wonderful depth to the complexities of astronauts' training , stresses, competition, and life-and-death goals of entering space. dynamics underscore friendships, family relationships, and the community as a whole.
- Review of Atmosphere: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The complicated interpersonal situations added wonderful depth to the complexities of astronauts' training , stresses, competition, and life-and-death goals of entering space.
- Three Books I'm Reading Now, 7/7/25 Edition
One complication: when Sydney worked the crime beat as a journalist years ago, she explored a young girl's







































