Kate Goldbeck, 2025 4.5 stars for crashing into him. I cannot give this book enough credit for letting the main character fail and make impulsive choices. I think Kate Goldberg is the queen of normie romance and there is such a need (I deeply feel) for romances with lost souls who don't say, "yeah I need to grow first" before falling head over heels.

Amy Yorke, 2025 Four stars for fun that covers the bases as a book one. It's lighter on fantasy but deeper on feelings (the big squishy love ones) because it's "New Adult" (think older YA) and the seeds are there for bigger moments in magic. What I wanted was more intensity with higher questions on the morals of war, the question of trusting advisors, and one more step forward on the magical mysteries, but I attribute that to this being New Adult, and either way, I'll gladly return for the sequel.

Charlotte McConaghy, 2025 4.25 Stars for haunted, mesmerizing nature fiction. Before writing this review, I drove in the snow to the library to get one of her earlier books, because I'm just that intrigued by Charlotte McConaghy's voice and narrative style. This one is a stealthy thriller that gives you just enough information about Rowan, a woman who washes up on the shores of an isolated research base off the coast of Antartica, and the family lead by Dominic who rescue her while fearing her intrusion.

Lauren Okie, 2025 Absolute perfection and one of the top five books I've read this year. Lauren Okie pulls through on two major storylines: A wife experiencing infertility and treatments with her dirtbag finance bruh husband, and the crackling dialogue with her old work crush whom she conjures back into her life amid the crises. The infertility pieces felt extremely personal and Lauren Okie shares in the afterward about her choices bringing this storyline to a book.

Brynne Weaver, 2025 So I was not aware that serial killer love stories were a micro genre of romance, outside of some expected monster kink, but here you have it. Brynne Weaver really gives this a flow with the quirky Cape Carnage setting and Nolan as our strong dimpled male hero, hunting down Harper, the tough but loyal heroine who feeds misogynist pricks into her wood chipper.

Clare Gilmour, 2025. 5 Stars for Chemistry in Song Absolute five-star read because this defies all the tropes and slashes them to the ground to make way for a slow burning, cauldron bubbling, sweet steamer of a novel with A+ chemistry, solid partner communication, and a family dynamic that felt real and whole. Clare Gilmore immediately establishes the setting (Knoxville and Nashville, TN, USA), the characters (Paige, a young songwriter, and Liam, her ex-boyfriend, a college athlete), central plot elements (Paige and Liam reconciling for song inspiration, Paige as the youngest of five daughters), within the first few chapters, so that we care deeply for the characters and we believe that this is the right and just next move for them to get back together as a sort of poetic justice.

Ellen O'Clover, 2025 3.75 stars, not for the lighthearted.  Sometimes I wonder why do I do this, jump into books where the women are fractured and flailing about until they meet the town vet and he has this raspy voice that mutters slow, low feelings. All the insta love and he was just there! All along! And sometimes the story unearths a tragedy that really explains why the heroine was so low.

Farah Heron, 2025 3.75 Stars but damn I want to give it more. This was so close to a four-star or higher rating for me because it was escapist, it had a strong intelligent love interest, and the setting was a main character, a love letter to finding home and building joy in Toronto. Ruby is so authentically herself in enjoying the life she's chosen to live and express passion for food, fine things, celebrations and Britlit addictions.

Betty Corrello, 2025 5 Stars for Nadia, all of her Absolutely masterful writing and storytelling from Betty Corrello. I related so closely to the feelings of unhappiness, the deep blue that Nadia is trapped in, despite it stemming from a personal health issue, because the writing was so vivid. Corrello brings us close within Nadia's thin skin and we see her questioning her life, her future, and where she fits in.

Betty Corrello, 2024 4.5 Stars for Del, anytime HOW did she do that? Betty Corrello wrote one my most favourite-ever FMC and then she kept building on growth and positive decisions and made Del even more assured and confident throughout the story. This book is beautiful and simmering and fully realized. Del is back at home in seaside Evergreen while she works on her comedy material for her biggest break, running into Eddie, her old high school love or enemy or fuckboi mess.

Regina Black, 2025 5 Stars for Finesse and Craft Absolutely beautiful story of romance and beginnings and family/community. This story is a ballad, and it's told in three different timelines but it transitions between each of them with perfect timing. I was so taken by August and Luke as these imperfect characters that fight within themselves and fight against the perceptions that hold them back.

Katie Nayman, 2025 Wow - I see why this is highly reviewed because the form of this, the writing and the vulnerability (actual poems) is top notch. Leigh is the main character but her Anxiety is a supporting (unsupporting) character and this is a study in self-doubt. I really liked Will and wow again, he had some swagger when it came time for burn time, and his poems matched his characterization in such a deft way.