WHAT I READ: DECEMBER 2022
2022 went out with a bang with some really fun reads, including a Kindle Unlimited series that I became fully addicted to!
Well, That Was Unexpected by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Pretty fun! This book was like Never Have I Ever meets Crazy Rich Asians, and it was very cute. Sharlot and George are really fun together, and their families and misunderstandings are pretty endearing. The real star of this story was the Indonesian backdrop, this story made me move Bali and Jakarta to the top of my must-visit list!
When in Rome by Sarah Adams
A cute rom com, pop star Amelia and pie maker Noah make for a fun couple and the (intentional and explicit!) nods to Roman Holiday are lovely, with the twist being that it's set in Rome, Kentucky, not the bigger, more glamorous and well known Rome in Italy. The villain was clear from the first time it was hinted at early in the book and waiting for it to finally be revealed was a bit tiresome, but still a fun, fluffy read.
Truth or Tequila by Donna Schwartze
So this is book one of the Grand Slam series, and I truthfully wasn't a big fan. It's a fluffy sports rom com and truthfully it was a bit too insta-love for me, I like more of a slow burn and a little more actual plot. The twist for me is that I kept reading the series, and these characters are the leads again in book three in a way that deepened their relationship and my affection for them-- going back to write this review I can't help but be coloured by how much I love Sophie and Seb now!
Raine Out by Donna Schwartze
Exponentially better than the first book in the series! Higher stakes, more well-rounded characters, less baseball and more intrigue thanTruth and Tequila. Raine is a spy, Alex is a baseball player (and a teammate of Grand Slam book one's Seb) and they are on a tropical island to celebrate Sophie and Seb's wedding--and maybe catch a criminal? I enjoyed it!
Leave It On The Field by Donna Schwartze
Seb and Sophie are back and the team has made it to the Grand Slam, bringing all their friends and family to town and rocketing their relationship's fame to new heights, leading to online abuse and harassment of Sophie that tests their bond. I read this book the same week as I was watching Harry & Meghan, and the parallels have to be intentional. This book brought together everything I liked about the previous two titles in the series and dropped off all the things I wasn't so keen on, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read that was emotional and deeper than I would expect from a sports rom com! It also introduced even more characters from what I'm thinking of as the Donna Schwartze biblio-universe, leading me to immediately seek out her other interconnected series. I'm hooked!
The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay by Donna Schwartze
Book one of the Blitzen Bay series was a little disappointing after how much I loved Leave It On The Field, but it did introduce the Stars Hollow-esque town of Blitzen Bay and its assorted lovable characters, who I can already tell I'm going to adore more with each book in the series. The title gives away the main plot here-- Noelle ditches her groom at the altar and hides in the back of a stranger's truck to escape her overbearing momzilla. That truck belongs to Nash, and he takes her to Blitzen Bay, where she falls in love with the town, and with him. Cute, unexpectedly Christmas-y, which was good timing for me, and fluffy, I'll keep reading the series despite this not totally doing it for me.
No One Wants That by Donna Schwartze
Finally it's time for Butch's story! I met Butch in Raine Out and loved this grumpy SEAL, so I was excited for him to find love. There were a couple of things I didn't love about this one-- love at first sight is one of my least favourite tropes, and Butch falls instantly for Kit, plus their age gap skeeved me out a bit, but overall it was fun to see the lovable grump find his match, and their banter is pretty great!
