There is a specific kind of magic that happens when a writer knows exactly how to balance high-stakes reality with the escapism of a “bolt of lust” romance. Chelsea M. Cameron has long been a staple in my reading diet, but with Undeniable You, the fourth installment in the Sapph in the City series, she has truly outdoneRead More
Suddenly Star-Crossed: With Stars in Her Eyes by Andie Burke Review
Seconds from a meteoric career launch, cellist Courtney Starling suffers a frightening migraine attack during a key performance. She escapes to her happy place—her best friend’s Kansas bookshop, where she meets Thea Quinn, who moved into town looking for a fresh start. Their meet-disaster (which features a little dragon) feels like a sign. Maybe TheaRead More
Haunted in Every Sense: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
Louise Erdrich’s The Sentence highlights the power of words. As it is set in a bookstore and the author herself owns Birchbark Books, I anticipated a richly detailed sense of place and community as well as a clear love of books. The Sentence delivers those things along with a complex look at what it means to be haunted. (ContentRead More
The Cozy Fantasy Book That Finally Won Me Over: Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
For all of its popularity right now, cozy fantasy has never really worked for me before. I’ve tried reading a couple books in the genre, including one of the most popular ones out there, but both times I ended up being disappointed. Still, when I saw Rebecca Thorne’s Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea at my local bookshopRead More
Soothe Your Sapphic Soul with Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
With the weather getting colder and the… general state of the world, I’ve been gravitating towards cozy fantasy lately, which is why I finally picked up a book that’s been on my TBR for far too long: Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne. This is the first in the Tomes & Tea series,Read More
An Emotional Demon Hunter Romance: The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée
Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary! Tamara Jerée’s The Fall That Saved Us centers around Cassiel, a former demon hunter who has left her abusive family behind in favor of a quiet life in a little bookshop she now runs. When a succubus named Avitue shows up one day, the two fallRead More
A Muffin Baking- and Hijinx-Filled Romantic Comedy: Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter
Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary! Vengeance Planning for Amateurs by Lee Winter was published February 2024 and is Lee’s first intentional romantic comedy. The book follows muffin baker Olivia Roberts, her beloved stuffed penguin Trip, and her band of book club misfits that meet at the local crime bookstore.Read More
A Genre-Bending Haunted Bookstore Story: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
Buy this from Bookshop.org to support local bookstores and the Lesbrary! I kept hearing people rave about this book when it was new. I heard it was a cozy read about someone working in a bookstore haunted by the ghost of a customer. So imagine my surprise when the book begins with the main characterRead More
Healing Through a Haunting: The Fall That Saved Us by Tamara Jerée
Bookshop.org Affiliate Link The author’s content notes, which also apply to this review: “While Cassiel’s story is focused on healing, heavier themes of trauma and shame are explored to give context to the protagonist’s journey. Please consider the major content notes: cutting scars, brief self-harm ideation, discussion of an eating disorder, family emotional abuse, andRead More
Alexandria Bellefleur Continues to Make Seattle the Romance Capital with The Fiancée Farce
Bookshop.org Affiliate Link In a year of reading romance novels, I have learned a lot about the genre. First, and most importantly, I enjoy it so much that I usually read an entire novel within a single twenty-four hour period. Another thing that I have noticed—something that threatens to temper that enjoyment from time toRead More