Tag: love

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, color by Maarta Laiho

- Stephanie Leave a comment

“Sometimes you have to let your life get messy. That’s how you get to the good parts.”
― Molly Knox Ostertag, The Girl from the Sea

Lee Knox Ostertag has written and/or drawn some of my favorite graphic novels, Strong Female Protagonist and The Deep Dark, to name a few. When I spotted The Girl from the Sea on the shelves and realized that I hadn’t read it yet, I knew I needed to give this one a go.

Published in 2021, The Girl from the Sea is a queer, coming of age romance graphic novel set on an island. Telling the story of fifteen-year-old Morgan and her secrets, readers are drawn into her world as she works to figure out who she is and who she can trust. Morgan can’t wait to escape the island where she lives. Her life may seem perfect, but her mom is sad because of the divorce, her dad is nowhere to be seen, and her little brother keeps getting angrier. Morgan should be able to rely on her friends, but lately her secrets are pushing them farther and farther apart. Morgan’s biggest secret is that she wants to kiss another girl, but she hasn’t been comfortable enough to tell anyone else. Sitting on the cliffs by her house one night, Morgan suddenly finds herself falling into the sea. When a mysterious girl named Keltie saves her, Morgan is convinced she’s in a dream. Waking up the next morning, Morgan realizes that Keltie is, in fact, real. The two become friends, going on adventures across the island that help Morgan to come out of her shell and enjoy life more. Who exactly is Keltie though? She has her own secrets, which could destroy their friendship and budding romance.

The vibrant colors and beautiful artwork pulled me to this graphic novel. I love a coming of age romance, especially when the characters are queer and struggling to figure out who they are. The struggles between friends were realistic, while the romance and relationships were wholesome and relatable. The ending was a bit bittersweet, but still somewhat happy. All in all, I’m glad I picked up this book.

The Greatest Thing by Sarah Winifred Searle

- Stephanie Leave a comment

High school can be an incredibly emotional time, but add in missing your best friends and things get harder. This is what Winifred experiences in The Greatest Thing, a young adult graphic novel written by Sarah Winifred Searle.

Starting sophomore year of high school should be easy and fun, but Winifred only feels dread. Her two best friends have transferred to a private high school, leaving her alone. She isn’t sure how she will survive high school, but she soon meets April and Oscar. They quickly become friends, making zines, having sleepovers, shopping at thrift stores, and helping each other survive the school madness. Their friendships help Winifred cope with what’s she’s feeling, but her underlying problems are still there. At times of quiet or unease, she slips back into old habits. Winifred has been keeping a secret from her friends, her family, and even herself. If she doesn’t find a way to deal with it, it could destroy all of her relationships.

This young adult graphic novel tugged on my heart strings from the very first page. The author has clearly put a lot of thought and emotion into this story in order to deliver such an honest story of self-growth, self-acceptance, and love. Friendship is an overarching theme throughout, but what I appreciated was that not everything worked out perfectly at the end. It was clear that Winifred and her friends have a lot of things to work through, but also that many tools are available to help if they want them. Overall, this is a message of hope for anyone struggling.

(Content warnings for eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and self-harm)

Slip written by Marika McCoola, illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Slip written by Marika McCoola and illustrated by Aatmaja Pandya is an incredibly emotional coming-of-age young adult graphic novel that isn’t afraid to talk about tough topics. What hooked me about this graphic novel is that it centers on ceramic artist! Most of the graphic novels about art that I read center on painting or dance, so seeing one based on a talented young ceramic artist, I knew I needed to give this a read (Plus I know almost nothing about working with ceramics, so I wanted to learn!).

Trigger warning for suicide attempt.

Jade is a ceramic artist who has earned a spot at a summer art intensive at the Art Farm. She is hopeful that this intensive will help her create a portfolio which will help her get accepted into art school and also help her get a scholarship. Her mom thinks that this is a lot of pressure since it’s the student residency intensive, but has faith that Jade can succeed. Right before Jade is set to leave though, her best friend Phoebe attempts suicide. After learning this, Jade struggles with focusing on herself and constantly worries about Phoebe.

At the Art Farm, Jade meets many new people and learns many new techniques that have the ability to help her expand her art. Jade also feels the spark of a summer romance with a quirky artist named Mary. Through the summer, Jade struggles to find her motivation to work, but eventually finds her rhythm. She starts making ceramic monsters as a way to help vent her anger, frustration, and fear. The scary part is that her creations start coming alive when she puts them in the kiln. Jade must figure out what is causing them to come alive and find a way to stop them. Slip is an engaging read that doesn’t end prettily. There are clearly still plenty of issues for Jade to work through, but readers are left with the sense that she is on a path to succeed.

Racing Romances

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Walking the new shelves, I discovered a new trend in sports romance I haven’t yet read: racing romances! I’m talking car racing, mostly Formula 1. Determined to find one that I would like, I searched the catalog for some romances will have your heart racing while the characters race around the track.

As of this writing, all titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani, book 1 in Lights Out series

Formula 1 driver Dev Anderson’s career is on the line. After a social media disaster leaves him with an angry team and sponsors threatening to jump ship, he needs someone to help save his image. At a party in Monaco, he bumps into the woman who can fix it all. There’s just one problem: she’s his best friend’s little sister. And, okay, maybe there’s another problem—he kissed her last year and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it since.

Recent college grad Willow Williams needs a job. She may have a talent for seeing the bright side of any bad situation, but it’s hard to stay positive when she’s struggling to get hired. So when Dev offers her a temporary solution, she can’t help but say yes. Even if it means ignoring the crush she’s had on him since childhood.

Willow and Dev are determined to keep things strictly professional, regardless of old feelings and the blazing chemistry between them. But in the glittering and high-stakes world of Formula 1, some lines are meant to be crossed… – Berkley

Drive by Tamara Lush, book 1 in Pretenders series

Determined to win. Destined to fall.

Savannah “Savvy” Jenkins is no stranger to the crude comments and leering looks she gets in the pit. Out to prove that she can succeed in a man’s world, she thinks she knows what to expect when she joins Formula World champion Dante Annunziata’s crew.

Dante is determined to finish his season on top. And Savvy is nothing but a distraction that threatens to get in the way. Convinced Savvy has no business on the team, Dante’s prepared to do anything to get her off.

But when a paparazzo catches the two in a compromising position, Dante and Savvy are in for a fauxmance for the ages. As their fake attraction turns real, they realize that there may be more to life than simply speeding through it. – W by Wattpad Books

Offtrack  by Esha Patel, book 1 in Offtrack series

Diana Zahrani is Formula One’s first female racing driver this century. All the other drivers are told to race carefully around her, and leave her to her real job: being a pretty face and good advertising for a hypermasculine sport. But Diana’s not worked this hard her whole life just to be a mascot.

World Championship favourite Miguel de la Fuente is not taking any rookie seriously, let alone a woman. With his first championship win looming, all he has to do is stay focused – and make sure Diana stays out of his way.

But motorsports is a small world, and as Diana and Miguel race their way through the season, they’re forced to face each other again and again. When sparks fly, Miguel and Diana must decide for the sake of their teams where their priorities lie: on track, with the championship, or offtrack, with each other… – Avon

Pole Position by Rebecca J. Caffery

Kian Walker has always been the golden boy of motorsport. The four-time Championship winner has racing in his DNA – his father was a legend on the track, just don’t let him catch you comparing the two. As reckless and unreliable at home as he was behind the wheel, there’s nothing Kian wants less than to be just like his dad.

Enter Harper James. This year’s rookie called up to compete with the big boys – and Kian’s new teammate. Cocky, hot-headed and with a reputation for breaking as many hearts as he does new track records, Harper’s the opposite of Kian in every way. But when the season starts, there’s no getting away from him.

This might be one of the most dangerous sports in the world, so why then does Kian’s heart feel safer flying around the track at 220mph than when he’s anywhere near his teammate? – One More Chapter

Throttled by Lauren Asher, book 1 in Dirty Air series

Noah: Maya Alatorre is the sister of my teammate… and my new obsession. Keeping my distance during the Formula 1 season should be easy, except I always find ways to see her: press tours, pre-race rituals, sponsor events and black-tie galas. The more time we spend together, the stronger my desire grows.

Sneaking around with her is one thing, but wanting more? Never going to happen. She might be a distraction dressed like a daydream, but no woman is worth risking the championship title over. Or so I thought.

Maya: Noah Slade is Formula 1 royalty and my brother’s biggest rival. When I’m invited to join my sibling while he competes for the World Championship, I promise to avoid Noah at all costs. Twenty-one races, two drivers who hate each other, and one forbidden attraction I can’t ignore.

Developing feelings for Noah wasn’t part of my plan. But then again, neither was anyone finding out. Turns out the man I was warned about happens to be the one I can’t stay away from – even if he breaks my heart once the season comes to an end. – Simon & Schuster

Fall Festival Romance Reads

- Beth Leave a comment

Fall festivals are a popular way for communities to come together and celebrate the changing of the seasons with food, music, and fun. For the heroines of these romances, the festival in their small town also leads to love! Descriptions from the publishers.

The Hollywood Jinx by Sariah Wilson

The small town of Patience needs a financial boost. Temporary librarian and aspiring film-score composer Jane Wagner’s plan? Invite movie star Nick Haddon to the town’s harvest festival and stand back for the tourist surge. No one thought he’d say yes — much less that he’d bring a documentary crew to stream his visit. Patience is the perfect stopover on Nick’s journey of self-improvement and his chance to put good karma out in the universe. Spending time with a lovely guide like Jane is a bonus. Jane is falling hard. But she can’t ignore the differences between them. He’s famous. She isn’t. He’s here for two weeks. This is her home. Where can it possibly lead? 

The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane by Jeannie Chin

June Wu’s family inn desperately needs guests, her mother’s medical debts are piling up, and the surly, if sexy, stranger next door is driving away the customers she has left! When he asks for June’s help, though, she can’t say no. After all, his new bar could be just what the upcoming Pumpkin Festival needs to bring in more tourists. Ex-soldier Clay Hawthorne is opening the bar in memory of his fallen friend. June soon becomes his biggest supporter, and while their partnership is supposed to be only temporary, for the first time Clay wants something permanent. Can two opposites really learn to meet each other in the middle? With the fierce attraction between them, will working together be playing with fire? 

The Nearness of You by Dorothy Garlock

Lily Denton dreams about the people and excitement of New York City. But ever since her mother died, her overprotective father won’t ease up on her. She spends her days working at the library and her nights hoping life doesn’t pass her by. At the Fall Festival, tourists fill the streets and the crisp autumn air sneaks in. Professional photographer Boone Tatum’s penchant for trouble is exactly what landed him in this small town in the first place. Yet the moment he meets beautiful Lily and snaps her photograph, everything changes. Lily and Boone’s dream of a life together is thrown into peril — unless Lily finds the courage to stand up for herself and a man she only just met.

The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser

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What would you do when your life falls apart around you? Your relationship is over. You lost your job. You have no idea what you’re going to do next, but you receive word of an inheritance from a great uncle, so you decide to visit where he lived. This is the plot of Jackie Fraser’s The Bookshop of Second Chances.

Thea Mottram is not doing well. She has been let go of her job. Her husband of nearly twenty years has left her for one of her friends. She’s lost and confused. While contemplating what to do next, Thea is sent a letter from a great uncle in Scotland. He has passed away and has left her his home and his sizable antique book collection. Desperately needing an escape, Thea decides to head up to Scotland for a few weeks to start clearing out the house and to get a sense of what to do with his books.

When Thea arrives in Scotland, she is instantly at ease. No one knows her – well if they know her, it’s tangentially through her great uncle, but most importantly no one knows about her relationship imploding and her job loss. Her new home is a quaint cottage with comfortable rooms and an adorable lawn covered in tulips. The locals in the nearby town of Baldochrie are inviting, warm, and just a little bit odd. She could get used to living here if she decides to stay. The only person in town that doesn’t like her is the owner of the local bookshop Edward Maltravers. This is inconvenient as she wants to sell parts of her uncle’s book collection to him. He tests her patience the more time she spends with him. When Thea lands a job at the bookshop, their relationship evolves as she learns more about Edward, his contentious relationship with his brother who is the local lord, and the longstanding family feud that everyone in town knows about. Thea eventually thinks that she would like to stay in Scotland forever. Her interactions with Edward greatly impact her decision. Staying in Scotland could prove to be just as messy as the life she left behind, so Thea has to figure out what exactly she wants to do.

This is a closed-door romance that is very low stakes. While there is some romance on the page, the private moments happen behind doors and off page. While I enjoyed The Bookshop of Second Chances, I found myself slightly annoyed with some of the main characters. They gave off emotionally immature vibes and were constantly trying to explain away bad behavior as happening because they didn’t know any better. As a result, I had to remind myself that the characters in this book were in their mid 40s or older and not in their early 20s. The scenery and the side characters helped me get over my icky feelings, leaving me happy I had read this book and hoping that everything would work out positively for involved in the end.

Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman

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Are you looking for a contemporary fiction book with a dash of romance? One that doesn’t have romance as the major theme? If so, I recommend Charm City Rocks by Matthew Norman. While there is romance, there are other themes and relationships focused throughout which, in my opinion, lean this title more about friendships and family and less about romance.

Billy Perkins is an independent music teacher working out of his apartment above Charm City Rocks, a record shop in Baltimore. He’s happy. He loves his job and loves being a single dad to his nerdy teenage son, Caleb.

Margot Hammer is the former drummer of the band Burnt Flowers. They used to be famous until Margot had an infamous meltdown on television. Now she is a recluse living alone in New York City. After a new music documentary is released highlighting Burnt Flowers, Margot finds herself somewhat unwillingly thrust back into the spotlight. When a new publicist assigned to her by her label shows up on her doorstep, Margot knows she’s in for quite the life change.

Billy and Caleb have been watching this new music documentary together. When Billy mentions to Caleb that he has always had a crush on Margot, Caleb gets an idea. You see, Caleb is having difficulty choosing what college to go to because he thinks that Billy is lonely. Late one night, Caleb works out a plan to get Margot to visit Charm City Rocks.

In the cold light of day, Caleb thinks his plan is a dream, but imagine his surprise when Margot and her publicist show up in Baltimore. Her label has decided that she needs the publicity, so when the opportunity to play with a young band in Baltimore pops up, they jump at the chance. When they arrive however, they are greeted by Caleb, Billy, and the very confused owner of Charm City Rocks. This messy introduction puts Billy and Margot on a collision course to figuring out what really makes them happy.

What set this book apart for me was its unique storytelling. Norman writes from the perspectives of multiple different characters: Billy, Caleb, Margot, and more. Supporting characters are so much more in this book – readers get a glimpse into their lives and how fully they impact and interact with each other. This was a quick, charming, quirky read, one that is humorous, relatable, and goofy. This book doesn’t focus only on romantic love, which was a relief. Norman writes about family, both found and ones you’re related to, as well as finding yourself and discovering what you really need. Pick up this feel-good contemporary romance for a palette cleanser.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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Do you have a favorite romance novel trope? Some examples of the most common tropes are friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, forbidden lovers, secret identities, forced proximity, second chance, and fake relationships. This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the romance tropes, instead these are ones that have popped up in the romance books I have read in the past couple months. My latest romance read, The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon, featured two of these tropes: enemies to lovers and fake relationship.

Shay Goldstein has been working at a Seattle public radio station for almost a decade. Hired on for an internship when she was 19, Shay has worked her way up to producing her own show. Working at PPR is her dream and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. The one wrinkle: working with Dominic Yun, her newest colleague who just graduated with his masters in journalism and who will not shut up about having his masters. He’s the hot new thing at the station and Shay can’t stand him.

At a pitch meeting for new ideas, Shay proposes a new show where two exes talk about their relationship and deliver relationship advice on air. Their boss decides Shay & Dom should host, despite the fact that they have never dated and frankly can’t stand each other(though the hatred feels more fueled by Shay than Dom). Their new show, The Ex Talk, skyrockets to fame, their popularity soars, and their lie grows bigger and bigger. The more time Shay and Dom spend together, the more they realize they might not actually hate each other. Their deception looms, leaving the two knowing that if the truth comes out, their careers and budding relationship will end.

This title is loosely related to the book, Business or Pleasure by the same author, which I read last year and LOVED. I have yet to read a title by this author that I haven’t enjoyed.

Lore Olympus: Volume One by Rachel Smythe

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I have talked about my love for Greek mythology on the blog before, so when I found a WEBTOON about Greek mythology, I knew I would love it. Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe is a printed/published comic book series that began as a WEBTOON comic of the same name. As of this writing, there are five published volumes of Lore Olympus! (And all are owned by the Davenport Public Library and available for you to check out – the sixth is set to be published hopefully in May 2024!)

Lore Olympus: Volume One introduces readers to the messy, glitzy world of forbidden love, scandal, gossip, and wild parties in Olympus. The Greek pantheon is a wild group of gods and goddesses, spiraling out with numerous other family members. This retelling focuses on Hades and Persephone, putting a modern twist on a classic tale – the parts that occur in Olympus happen in modern times, while the parts that take place in the mortal realm happen in the original classic timeline(no cell phones etc. in the mortal realm).

Persephone was raised in the mortal realm, but her mother, Demeter, has allowed her to live in Olympus after she promises to train as a sacred virgin. Her roommate, Artemis, takes her to a party one night that changes her entire life. Persephone bumps into Hades, feeling a spark and tether to this God who is incredibly charming, yet misunderstood. The world of Olympus is new and confusing to her with the swirling mess of politics and relationships that govern day-to-day life. Figuring out who to trust is hard enough, let alone trying to figure out what’s happening with her powers and where she fits in amongst the established in Olympus.

I LOVE Greek mythology. So Much. This whole series is right up my alley. Hades and Persephone are adorable. The artwork is also especially beautiful. I highly recommend you read the other published volumes and check out the Lore Olympus WEBTOON if you wish.

Love Everlasting Volume 1 by Tom King

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Love Everlasting: Volume One is a graphic novel that was published in 2023. It contains Love Everlasting #1-5 and was written by Tom King, artist Elsa Charretier, colorist Matt Hollingsworth, letterer Clayton Cowles, and editor Marla Eizik. This book caught my eye as the cover reminded me of Jamie S. Rich and Joelle Jones’s Lady Killer. (The familiar cover is Issue #1 and an image can be found on the Dark Horse website.)

‘Love is everlasting.’ That is what Joan Peterson is told immediately before she is murdered. Shocking, right?! In Joan’s world though, being murdered is a frequent occurrence. She has been caught in a never-ending cycle of deadly romance for as long as she can remember. After each death, Joan wakes up in another timeline with a new, yet somehow the same, problem: a man wants to marry her. Every time she falls in love, says yes to marriage, she is dramatically torn from that world and catapulted into another one with more disastrous love on her horizon. Joan is confused about how she even started on this path, wanting to break free, but unsure of how. Readers are at a loss right alongside her. Towards the end of this first volume, Joan starts her journey to escape this maddening cycle of love and death. Will she escape? Only time will tell.