brgntteva's Reviews (939)

 I received and ARC of this book (quite some time ago, I'm sorry to say). Thank you Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group.

At first I thought it was a romance, then I realised it was more women's fiction, dived into it bearing this thought in mind and it worked.
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The story unfolds around four adopted brothers, volatile Jesse, intense Damian, protective Lucas and sweet Noah (aka the Harlem Knights), each with his own different origin and personal baggage, all made Strong (in a figurative and literal way) by Mama Joy Strong, who runs a knitting shop in Harlem. A place which has become a shelter for every hurt child in the neighbourhood, Kerry included. When Mama Joy suddenly dies, the brothers have to figure out what to do, and Jesse and Kerry have to deal with their own path towards growing and trust and finding a purpose, and their own happiness.

Now, if I had gone towards it as a full on romance, I would have been slightly disappointed, not for a mere matter of "couple time", but because the novel is packed with family, friendship, working together and finding one's place in the world. And that's what makes it a lovely read.

I especially loved sassy Val, Kerry's best friend (what didn't come out of that mouth, I mostly lol), who always had the right perspective on everything, and I loved the brothers' dynamics, and how the whole neighbourhood was made quite vivid, what with all kids and grannies.

There was a lot of repetitive self-doubt and looping insecurity on Kerry's side and Jesse's, but the way he especially made his way through his feelings and his own skills was very well paced.

Steam level: near close door

I would love to read the stories of all the brothers. 

[ENGL BELOW] 
La notte di capodanno un marito confessa alla moglie di amare il collega, e che lei è stata l'eccezione: l'unica donna che abbia mai amato o possa amare. Da lì, è la narrazione di lei, che va avanti con i gemellini, che scopre cose di lui e di sé, nel mezzo dell'inverno islandese, dove il sole "sorge" alle 11 e "tramonta" alle 15, in compagnia di una terapista e scrittrice nana. 

A husband confesses his wife to be in love with his colleague, a man, and to have always been gay, except when he fell in love with her, the only woman he could ever or will ever be able to love. What follows is her way to cope with grief, while finding out things about herself, and her former husband, all the time being helped by her neighbor, a writer and therapist lady midget.

Two grown ups falling in love, and finding the courage to actually own it to each other, it's been a nice ride.
Kareema, married twice, 1 (petty) daughter.
Set, fucked up abusive father, one son.
The novella follows them along three years, switching from past to now, and it's packed full of sex, I mean it. (squirming alert).
The resolution was a bit questionable, in my opinion, or maybe just a tad fretted, but I found it all sweet (and steamy) enough 

 this was a re-read:
The first part where Bella and Edward go though the enemy-to-(sorta)-lovers is so my favorite. It catches the freaking teenage emotions so well, and all the drama teen, and teen first love (borrowed jacket, the crooked smile -is it like a teen trademark?- the smell, the first glares).

The last third (aka since they're together) is less unputdownable, and I don't have the nerve to get through all the misery of new moon once more (probably).

But it's been fun 

 The main meet cute device is kinda questionable, as in it made me question my own beliefs on the (sex) matter. That said, it's pretty hot, the guy is seriously sweet, the heroine has a mouth of her own, and it's overall enjoyable.
I want some more by this writer, I like her sparkling style