stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

I am not sure what needs to be said that hasn't already been said about this book.
I am kicking myself for not reading this sooner like when I first got it from BOTM when I joined way back in 2020.  

I don't really have any notes but Gus Everett is absolutely perfect and was an immediate add to my book boyfriend list. 

This one had so much heart and gave you the tension, dash of sadness, the swooniness that you look for in a book. 

I really need all 3 of Emily Henry's books to be turned into a movies. They are perfect.

Also, Julia Whelan's narrating was SUPERB!  

Audiobook: Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted copy of this book! 

Of course I had to give this a read when it came out that my love Harry Styles was going to be starring in a movie based off the book. 

I definitely didn't pay attention to the trailer or the movie and I don't read description so I truly went in this blind. I was surprised by some of the semantics of the relationships. I understand why Tom felt like he had to use Marion has a beard during this time in the 50s. 

I wish this book was in 3 POVs instead of just Marion and Patrick. I think having Tom's POV would have been added value in the complexity of the story. Also if this would be re-recorded using the actor's narrations I would not oppose to hearing Harry's voice as Tom had there been his POV. 

I did want a little more just not sure of what.
I enjoyed listening and wanted to see what would happen but I just needed more. 

I am anxious to see how the text is translated to the screen. 

Edit after seeing the movie: I thought the movie was done very well. I thought there was ample time of past and present and wasn't too much of one or the other. Everyone did a great job and my love just looks good in the 50s era. 

We need more queer in entertainment as it has always been around whether society wants to admit it or not. 

Thank you so much to Alexis Hall, Forever & NetGalley for an advance copy of this book!

I will be honest, I was nervous about reading this one as I enjoyed Boyfriend Material but it wasn't my favorite and felt like it dragged. But this exceeded my expectations and I absolutely loved this. I did not get a chance to read Rosaline's book first but I felt that it was okay not to have read it first? Not reading it did not take away Paris's story.

"My advice to you is to stay calm, try to enjoy it, and remember at the end of the day it's only baking."

Paris Daillencourt is selected to be on the next season of BBC's Bake Expectations. He starts off strong but slowly his anxiety and need to feel perfect slowly starts to overtake and he begins to struggle on the show. While on the show he meets Tariq Hassan where they instantly connected. Tariq acknowledges Paris's anxiety and works with him but ultimately knows that it is beyond what he can do to help.

"I just don't - I don't know how to not be terrified all the time."

I think the reason why I enjoyed this so much was how I related this to Paris. I don't think my anxiety is as bad as what was detailed in this book but I similarly have these thoughts daily. I am constantly worried about saying the wrong thing, posting the wrong thing, just being judged by everyone around me whether I know them or not.  It definitely comes through when  I am packing for a trip or trying to plan an outfit. I think but what if it's this, but what if it's that. I will share my thoughts with my husband of all these things and he just looks at me and I say I know its exhausted being in this brain. I am not sure how my husband puts up with it but I think he has learned to just let me work through it and is there for some stable ground when I need him.  I just wanted to give Paris a big hug.

"I just wish I could be half as...everything as you are."
"Honey, I wish I was half as everything as you think I am."

I really LOVE Tariq. He challenged Paris in so many ways and wanted Paris to be the best version of himself that he knew he could be. And I also really liked that he didn't just go back to him when Paris showed he was getting better. He waited and gave him more time to work through his treatment. In the end he could not turn off the charm that is Paris. I loved his family and the role that they play in his life. I also thought it was refreshing to have a male love interest who isn't willing to give up his beliefs for anyone. He knows who he is and isn't going to compromise that.  I also loved that he recognized that their relationship could be a showmance which I feel like is very common among reality tv relationships - kudos to Alexis for including this. 

One item that we wished we had more resolution was Paris's parents. I wanted to know more about their story with being neglectful and why they are choosing to ignore their only child. I understand there are parents who choose to do this and it makes me so angry. I hope through therapy Paris stops reaching out to them and carves his own life away from them (which I guess that is what he does). I feel his need to be perfect stems from his need to get the attention from his parents. He is constantly to try to prove he is worthy and exceeding in life. 

Another reason why I enjoyed this so much is because my husband and I went through a phase and binged watched all the seasons of the Great British Bake Off during the pandemic. It took me back to those episodes and the cheekiness of the hosts with the contestants. 

I love that Alexis included recipes featured in the story at the end of the book. I love these added bonus elements that authors will include - recipes, playlists, etc. 

Bravo! I can't wait to go back to read Rosaline and see what the next book in the Bake Expectations beholds.

Thank you so much to Meryl Wilsner, St Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book! 

""You tired?" Parker asked. No just thinking about fucking your mom."

This was an absolutely FABULOUS book! I had been reading a string of holiday books or books with heavy topics and this is exactly what I needed. 

What do you do when your accidentally hook up with your best friend's mom?! 

That is exactly what happened to Cassie Klein. She meets an older woman, Erin Bennett, at a bar that she is instantly attracted to and things get hot and heavy in the backseat of the car. Both thinking that this is just a quick fling and not to be repeated, they go their separate way. Until the following morning one of her best friends in college asks her to join her for breakfast with her mom and low and behold it is the woman from the night before. 

"I want to go scuba diving with you." 

This year I definitely read more sapphic books than I have in any prior years and I have to say this one takes the cake. I have never read a book with this topic and I think that is why I was so intrigued and kept me wanting more.  The complexity of the relationship not only between Cassie and Erin but also Erin and Parker, Cassie and Parker, and then Cassier and Acacia. 

I was not sure how I was going to like having an old woman with a younger woman and then lets throw in her being friends with her love interests daughter?! It has disaster written all over it. But for some reason it worked. The sneaking around, the texting, the sexting! I really wish we could have had a chapter on just Parker's POV to see her freak out instead of hearing about it after the fact (maybe a bonus chapter?!).  

THE SPICE IN THIS!!!! The affection and passion Cassie and Erin have for one another was *chef's kiss*. You could tell just how happy both of them were in their interaction and then in how they treated each other in their intimate moments. I knew as soon as Parker invited Cassie to her house over winter break that it was game over. 

I paired this also with the audio and the dual narration was so great! Both female voices were perfect for each character. Cassie's had a younger more youthful tone while Erin's was older more serious tone.  Both did a great job with the different inflexions when needed. I had even read at a faster speed and it was not lost in it. 

I did not read Meryl's prior book so I wasn't sure how their writing style would be but if it is similar to this, then I am all in. I love the way the story flowed and the dual POV is also a bonus. 

I absolutely will be recommending this book to all my friends and hope they get all flushed like I did while reading. 

Thank you so much to Helena Greer, Forever Pub and NetGalley for an advance copy of this!

"How turned on could you get talking about glitter, after all?”

Season of Love is a queer, Jewish romance that focuses on Miriam Blum learning the death of her beloved great aunt and having to come back to her hometown that she left behind. Miriam leaves Charleston, her business, her "fiancée" and heads up north. She is reunited with her cousin whom she missed and then also met with Noelle who works at her great aunt's business. There is tension from the start as Noelle has heard stories about Miriam and doesn't understand how she could just leave everyone. Miriam had no intention to stay in Advent but after she is inherited the farm along with her cousin, Noelle and family friend Levi, she now has second thoughts. Between trying to get the tree farm up and running for the holiday season and deciding what she wants to do, there are these bubbling feelings for Noelle. 

"I’m ready to ruin myself if I get to do it with you.”

I am conflicted on how I feel about Noelle and Miriam. I understand that Miriam was in a relationship of convenience with someone so there wasn't any feelings there but once her relationship ended suddenly it was game on. I thought there would be a little more time to develop. Granted I know this isn't real life and a book and we have to keep things moving. I love how passionate Noelle was for protecting those in her life. She didn't want anything to change her perfect bubble.  I did have a small issue towards the end when she was really going hard on Miriam for leaving when they only had known each other a short while.  

Don't let this beautiful whimsical cover fool you. This book definitely deals with some heavy topics compared to other holiday books.  It was refreshing to see topics that normally aren't presented in books such as financial abuse, alcoholism and even having a character who is considered butch, fat no less.   I  really enjoyed the Jewish culture woven into the text and how the conversation also briefly describe what it was so I wouldn't need to google it.  I just really enjoyed all the representation presented in this book.

I am very anxious to see where Hannah and Levi's story takes us. And hope to see characters from this book make it into the second. 

Audiobook: I have been meaning to read this for awhile. I purchased this way back in February 2021 on a whim after learning it had a fat female MC. The push to finally read this was that it was the first selection for BBBC's subgroup A Plus book discussion and I was tapped to cohost with another member.  

Anytime I read a YA book that centers around a fat MC, it really makes me wish there were books like this when I was in middle and high school. And to even have a love interest that was labeled as husky and not the cool popular boy? How wonderful to see. There were moments that were so relatable and Charlie honestly was cooler than I ever was but it was still a delight to read. One line that really stood out that is relevant at any age "I'm not sick Mom, I'm just fat." Like wow something so simple and yet so effective? 

I really enjoyed this and thought it was great on audio. I am looking forward to the discussion on this book.

Audiobook: I am not sure what took me so long to read/listen to this one! I am into Hollywood theme type books this year and even though this wasn't exactly Hollywood, it was about the entertainment industry. I love that Toni did not want to be front and center in the music business. Often times stories are told from the lead singer or the hottest actor/actress POV but instead she wants to be behind the scenes. I am very anxious to see how that works for her from what we know by the end of the book. 

I recently got to meet and hear Xio talk about this book and it made me appreciate it even more. Especially with her references to Philly and even though I am not from Philly, I knew enough to know what she was referring to. I am looking forward to the other Lily's books! Also if you didn't know, The Lillys are on Spotify! 

Thank you so much to Mary Warren for an advance copy of this book! 

I had been so excited for this arc as I want to keep reading and promoted books with plus size main characters. 

I must say, I really enjoyed this. 

Quick recap: Hannah is tired of being overworked and overlooked at her lawyer job. She is also tired of being the girlfriend who does everything in a relationship. She is ready for a change. She quits her job. She breaks up with her boyfriend. She runs off to her family's farm to get some quiet time and decides she wants to start writing the book she's always wanted to write. One night with a friend she purchases a love spell from a fortune teller and unbeknownst to Hannah, it came true. The next morning a Scottish hunk appears in the barn from the 1700s. 

This is a Stephanie thing but sometimes getting through the beginning where it sets the scene for the book is the hardest for me to get through. It's no fault of the author but I just get impatient while waiting for the good stuff to begin. So for me the book didn't really start until Graham appears. I also don't know why I was nervous about the time travel element (I think because of my fear of fantasy) but it absolutely played no other part than him arriving to the farm. 

I love seeing how Graham navigated the 21st century and don't know how he didn't give up because I know I would be struggling more had I gone back in time. He was trying so hard to fit into her world. I love that he took what he was good at in the 1700s and thrived in it in 2022. 

THE ROMANCE! THE SPICE! I absolutely loved the spicy scenes and how delicate Graham was with her. He definitely made me swooooon. I love that he loved Hannah for everything she is.  This couple made me smile so much and I was fully invested in them. I would have been so sad if Hannah didn't get the HEA she deserved. 

Also once again I LOVE ME A KARAOKE SCENE IN A BOOK! 

I am looking forward to seeing what Mary continues to write! 

Thank you so much to Timothy Janovsky, Sourcebook and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book! 

"Listen, if I'm going to sit on a man's lap, it's not going to be to tell him what I want for Christmas, okay?"

This was one of my anticipation holiday releases this year and it delivered. The title alone is so catchy and I can't help but say it in the tune of the Grinch. The cover also stands out with its bright green and similar standard Grinch design. 

Matthew Prince is a self absorbed, entitled, ego driven twenty some year old who has been giving everything to him. When he impulsively bought an island with his parent's money, that was when enough was enough and they shipped him off to his grandparents house while they try to clean up the mess. Being used to the hustle and bustle of the fast life of New York City, he is now being forced to slow his pace down in the Berkshires.  There he is met with Hector Martinez who is a local college student staying with his grandparents. Which is all good except Matthew will be sharing a room and gasp a bathroom with Hector. Being an only child, Matthew is not used to having a roommate or sharing anything. Matthew and Hector navigate how to live with one another and then they decide to take on working together for the annual gala. 

Can they put their differences aside to make the gala a success? 
Will news of his island purchase get out? 
Does the forced proximity push Matthew & Hector together? 

"Who knew a little snow could turn a Scrooge into a romantic?" 

Matthew was meant to be an unlikeable character and compared to other characters I have read with similar characteristics, I was not turned off by his actions. I was looking forward to see how far he would go and what buttons he pushed just because it makes the redemption so much sweeter.  

Hector was not perfect at the start of this book either. He did not let Matthew walk over him and gave him push back which was something Matthew was not used to.  He challenged Matthew and I loved that. 

The side characters were also enjoyable! I love Matthew's relationship with Noelle and I am glad he realized how superficial his prior relationships were.  Even his relationship with his parents was interesting to see in the 2nd half of the book. I would have love to seen more with his father has more of the focus was on his mother. I also wish the mother would've apologized to a certain character and perhaps they did off the pages (fantasy in my head). 

Timothy's creative way to describe what Matthew does to help calm himself down was brilliant. I love that Matthew comes up with these event planning ideas in his mind which then led to him figuring out what he was meant to do. I also love the different representation Timothy has in his books. It is refreshing. Even to have his parent's divorce as an adult is something you don't see often in books. I also loved all the pop culture references throughout the book (hello Deuxmoi). 

One flaw that I found which is more of a Stephanie issue is some of the chapters were a little long for me. I'm a sucker for short chapters.

"Everything's more festive in an ugly Christmas sweater." 

Read this if you are a fan of:
- Forced Proximity 
- Enemies to Lovers
- Redemption ARC
- Big Town to Small Town
- Taylor Swift references 

Timothy will be an autobuy author (not that I wasn't expecting this after his debut novel Never Been Kissed). 
I am looking forward to what he has up his sleeve in his future books. 

PS: Timothy don't think I missed the reference to our share love of a certain British boybander. I most certainly didn't and loved it! 

"Because not everyone always makes it. You have to make the most of the happy endings whenever you get the chance."

Thank you so much to Atria Books for an advance copy of this!!!

Wow. Wow. Wow.

Backman is such a remarkable writer. My exposure to Backman is still just the Beartown series but I really need to start working on his backlog because the writing is just exceptional.

He has such a skill to weave multiple storylines and characters and somehow make it all make sense by the end. As I was reading, I kept thinking "I wonder what the purpose of this character or this moment is" and then it eventually all make sense.

In the beginning of the book Backman says you do not have to read the first two books in order to read this one. I do feel as though it is true but to really get a sense of connection with these characters I think reading the first two books are important to read.  I felt such a connection with them and to see how they have grown between books felt like a warm comforting blanket.

"We all have a hundred fake personalities depending upon who we're with. We pretend and dissemble and stifle ourselves just to fit in."

This book was not a super quick read for me. Due to a busy September the time it took for me to dedicate to this book wasn't ideal but we made it work. This book was a hefty size coming in at 670 pages with rather small font. And as I mentioned earlier with the storylines and characters, it was a lot to take in and remember as I read. But we did it.

Did I throw my book during one point in the home stretch? Yes I did.
Am I going to say at what moment? Nope. Those who have read should know the moment.
Am I ever going to forgive Backman? Hm that is debatable.

The way Backman writes is that you never know what way the story is going to go.
It is like a thriller when you think the author is going to take you one way but then it ends up being something completely different. He did this to use in the prior books and this one was no exception.

Beartown is reeling after a natural disaster damaged the city as well as the neighboring city Hed. Their ice hockey rink collapsed after the storm and Beartown's rink was offered to them to use. If you know anything about this series, you know that these two cities do not get along at all so this arrangement was not welcomed.

We continue the lives of the Anderson family, the Ovich family and the other hockey players.
We meet more new families, characters - Hannah & Johnny and their children, Matteo & Ruth and their parents. 

I won't say more than this but I truly hate Tails with every fiber in my body.

This series will stay with me and I am sad that it is coming to a close.
I thought it did wrap up nicely and gave us an insight on what happens to all the characters.
Would I want to see a book take place in the future so we could see what all happens with Alicia being a female hockey player? Heck yes!

I will constantly be recommending this series.

And honestly how does Backman write anything else after this?!

Sample of some of the quotes I liked from the book: