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Mini-Reviews: Bookishly, Arabella, Goodbye

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Mia Page, Bookishly Ever After

Lexi Austen loves her job as the owner of Pemberley Books in Washington, DC. But lately it’s been harder and harder to make ends meet, thanks in part to a rival bookstore that’s begun encroaching on her turf. She concocts a scheme to distract the other bookstore’s owner, Sam Dickens, by making him fall in love with her, using techniques inspired by Jane Austen novels. But as Lexi gets closer to Sam, she soon finds it’s her own heart that’s in danger. I’ve been on kind of a disappointing streak with contemporary romances lately; this one was just okay. Lexi’s plan is obviously ridiculous, but I almost wish she’d gone a bit farther with it; that would have at least made the story a bit more unique. I did enjoy the DC setting, as I live pretty close, and the book mentions several real businesses and neighborhoods. But overall, I was underwhelmed by this one.

Georgette Heyer, Arabella

Arabella, a vicar’s daughter of no fortune, is eager to embark on her first London Season and hopefully marry a well-to-do man. En route, a carriage accident forces her to beg the help of Robert Beaumaris, one of the ton’s most eligible bachelors. When Arabella overhears Beaumaris complaining that she’s undoubtedly trying to trap him into marriage, she indignantly tells him she’s an heiress and has no need to marry for money. But when the rumor of her alleged fortune reaches London society, Arabella finds she needs Beaumaris’s help after all. This was one of my first Heyers, and it was a pleasure to revisit, although I found myself irritated that Beaumaris had so much more power and knowledge of the situation than Arabella did. But the romance is sweet nonetheless, and a mutt named Ulysses provides some fun comedy. Not a top-tier Heyer for me, but still a very good read!

Betty Neels, No Need to Say Goodbye

Louise Payne is a 26-year-old hospital nurse with three younger siblings to care for, and her salary barely allows them to make ends meet. A lucky inheritance from a distant relative provides the family with a country cottage to live in, where Louise finds that her near neighbor is Dr. Arlo van der Linden, with whom she worked in the London hospital. They were never particularly close before, but now Arlo is being friendly and helpful, even giving Louise a new job. Could he be interested in Louise’s pretty sister, Zoë? And if so, can Louise hide the fact that she’s fallen for Arlo herself? This was a quick read with a soothing, timeless atmosphere – I think it was published in the late ’80s or early ’90s but could have taken place much earlier. It’s a sweet though somewhat one-sided romance; Arlo is pretty high-handed, and we don’ know what’s going on in his mind till the very end of the book. I’ve got one more Neels novel on my shelves, and I’ll save it for the next time I want a quick read that doesn’t require any mental energy.

Mini-Reviews: Viscount’s, Christmas, Deerskin

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Louise Allen, The Viscount’s Betrothal

Decima Ross, a spinster at age 27, is sure no man could ever fall in love with her because of her exceptional height. After her brother’s latest insensitive attempt to push her into the arms of an unwilling bachelor, Decima flees, but a snowstorm forces her to seek shelter with Adam, Viscount Grantham. Snowed in with only two servants, Decima and Adam soon grow close; but when they meet again in London, Adam is betrothed to another (beautiful and petite) lady. I’ve really enjoyed some of Allen’s other Regency historicals, but this one was disappointing: anachronistic behavior and dialogue, and characters behaving stupidly for the sake of the plot. I’ll continue to read more by Allen, but this is not one of her best.

Julianna Keyes, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Eve and Will are rival writers at the same travel blog, and they’ve both been assigned to cover Noelville, Vermont, during the run-up to Christmas. The problem is, neither one of them is a fan of the holiday season. But as they experience the marvels of the Christmas-themed town—including a nutcracker museum, cookie decorating classes, a moonlit sleigh ride, and more—they’re slowly won over despite themselves, and they also discover a surprising mutual attraction. I enjoyed this little Christmas novella, which feels like a self-aware Hallmark movie. Eve and Will’s snarking about the over-the-top Noelville traditions is the best part of the book, and they have a lot of fun banter. I felt like the romance was missing a scene or two; there’s never really a point at which they express their feelings for each other. But I’d recommend this one if you’re looking for a fun, bite-sized holiday treat.

Robin McKinley, Deerskin

Lissar, the daughter of a beloved king and queen of a prosperous kingdom, has a seemingly charmed life. But apart from her fleethound, Ash, she doesn’t have many friends and tends to be isolated and overlooked. When Lissar is 17, a traumatic event forces her to run away from home, and after a long period of healing, she finds herself in a new kingdom with a job in the royal kennels. As she slowly wins respect and love from those around her, she starts to hope for a better life—until the ghosts of her past trauma come back to haunt her. This book is a retelling of the Perrault fairytale “Donkeyskin,” which I’m not familiar with. But the dark thing that happens to Lissar is truly dark, so proceed with caution. Otherwise, McKinley’s books always seem to have weird pacing—lots of setup and a very short climax—but I don’t mind because she’s such a great writer that she just carries you along. This isn’t one of my top favorites by her, but it’s still well worth reading.

Mini-Reviews: Muse, Accomplished, Burning

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Mimi Matthews, The Muse of Maiden Lane

This final book in the Belles of London series features Stella Hobhouse, who’s bold by nature but has been stifled by her strict brother and by self-consciousness about her unusual silver hair. Meanwhile, Teddy Hayes is a passionate artist who struggles to be independent despite having to use a wheelchair for mobility. When the two meet by chance in an art gallery, Teddy is struck by Stella’s unique beauty and wants to paint her. She resists at first, but as the two grow closer, they both find the courage to take a chance on art and love. I’ve been waiting for Teddy’s book since he appeared as a supporting character in A Convenient Fiction, and overall I was not disappointed. I liked that the book doesn’t shy away from either his flaws or his vulnerability, and Stella is a great match for him, as she understands and shares his struggle for freedom. The novel is a little too overpopulated with characters from previous books, but otherwise I really enjoyed this one. The first book in a new series by Matthews is slated to come out in 2025, and I will definitely be checking it out!

Amanda Quain, Accomplished

Georgie Darcy has been in a dark place ever since her boyfriend, Wickham Foster, betrayed her and almost got her expelled. Her classmates at Pemberley High all hate her, and her overprotective older brother, Fitz, seems to view her as nothing but a problem for him to solve. Georgie is determined to fix everything, but all her plans go spectacularly awry. I’m of two minds about this YA take on Pride and Prejudice from Georgiana’s POV. It’s a clever idea, and I actually really liked the book’s portrayal of Fitz Darcy (and Charlie Bingley, who is an utter delight). The novel also highlights just how horrible Wickham was to Georgiana in P&P; here, he’s clearly emotionally abusive and has left Georgie with some serious trauma. I honestly just wanted all the Darcys to go to therapy! I also found Georgie pretty frustrating, as she consistently makes the worst possible decisions. Overall, I think the pros of the book outweigh the cons, but I haven’t decided whether I want to keep it or not.

Genevieve Cogman, The Burning Page

After the events of The Masked City, Irene is on probation with the Library and is being sent on a lot of low-interest but high-danger jobs. But she’s back in action when her old enemy, Alberich, threatens both her specifically and the Library in general. Meanwhile, someone else also seems to be trying to kill her – could it be her Fae nemesis, Lady Guantes? As Irene pursues her dual goals of serving the Library and staying alive, she also gets some insight into Library politics and learns a bit more about whom she can really trust. I’m continuing to enjoy this series, and I was happy to see Irene, Kai, and Vale all working together in this installment. Irene’s growth is compelling: She’s always been emotionally detached and totally committed to the Library, but now she’s forging close relationships that may be changing her priorities. I’m interested to see how things develop, so I’ll most likely continue with the series into next year.

Mini-Reviews: Rule, Convenient, Plus

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Sarah Adams, The Rule Book

Nora Mackenzie is a talented sports agent who’s constantly fighting to be taken seriously by her male peers. So when she gets the opportunity to take on NFL star Derek Pender as a client, she jumps at the chance – even though they used to date in college, and it ended badly. When Derek learns that Nora wants to be his new agent, he decides it’ll be a good opportunity for him to get a little revenge on the woman who broke his heart. But their working relationship ignites old feelings, which may put both their careers at risk. I don’t particularly care about football, and second-chance romance isn’t one of my favorite tropes. That said, this is a pleasant, entertaining contemporary romance, and the connection between Nora and Derek feels genuine. It was also fun to get a few cameos from Nathan and Bree from The Cheat Sheet. Overall, it’s fine but not a book I’m super enthusiastic about.

Mimi Matthews, A Convenient Fiction

Alex Archer came from nothing; he was raised in an orphanage and ran away as soon as he could. Due to his skill at cards, he’s amassed a comfortable fortune through gambling over the years, but now he’s set on acquiring an estate through marriage. He has his sights set on a local heiress, Henrietta Talbot, but finds himself drawn to her friend Laura Hayes instead. Laura has neither property nor fortune – in fact, she’s barely making ends meet – but their mutual attraction threatens to overthrow all Alex’s plans. There’s nothing particularly unique about this Victorian romance, but for some reason it really works for me. What can I say? I love emotionally repressed heroes and practical heroines, and despite the fact that this book is steamless, the chemistry between Alex and Laura is palpable. I love Mimi Matthews in general, and this is one of my favorites by her. I’m now even more excited for The Muse of Maiden Lane, which features Laura’s brother, Teddy, as the hero.

Jenny L. Howe, On the Plus Side

Everly is a plus-size young woman who feels she’s “too much” and tends to hide herself, both physically and in terms of her opinions, desires, and talents. When she’s nominated for a makeover show geared toward plus-size individuals, she is excited for the chance to reinvent herself, and she soon finds herself drawn to grumpy cameraman Logan. But when the show starts taking some narrative liberties with Everly’s story, both her romance and her newfound confidence are threatened. I wanted to love this book, and as a plus-size woman myself, I could relate to many of Everly’s experiences and struggles. But in the end, everything works out for her pretty quickly and effortlessly. She attracts Logan’s admiration immediately, accepts her body wholeheartedly, and even mends her complicated relationship with her mother. It all just feels too easy and idealized. Overall, I’d consider trying more by Howe, but this book fell a little flat for me.

Mini-Reviews: Rules, Witch, Bride

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Sinéad Murphy, The Jane Austen Rules: A Classic Guide to Modern Love

This short book positions itself as a dating guide based on the timeless wisdom of Jane Austen. As a diehard Austen fan, I loved the premise, but I have mixed feelings on the execution. I do think the advice, both about dating and how to be a woman in the modern world, is largely good. The Austen analysis is also interesting; it’s not super deep literary criticism, but some of Murphy’s interpretations are ideas I hadn’t considered before. However, I wasn’t a fan of the writing style, which is trying—and mostly failing—to imitate Austen. Plus, Murphy misquotes the first sentence of Pride and Prejudice, which is frankly inexcusable! So, while I didn’t hate the book, I wouldn’t recommend it either, even for Austen fanatics.

Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond

In 1687, orphan Kit Tyler experiences severe culture shock when she leaves her life of luxury on a Barbados plantation and moves in with her aunt’s family in Connecticut Colony. At first Kit hates her new life: Her uncle is strict, she’s forced to help with the unending household chores, and the broader Puritan community is suspicious and unwelcoming. Gradually she comes to appreciate her new situation, particularly after she befriends an old woman widely reputed to be a witch. But when the town’s hostility toward the “witch” turns ugly, Kit’s own safety is threatened. This was my favorite book for a while growing up, and upon rereading, I was surprised by just how many scenes I remembered. I found it a very enjoyable read that paints a vivid picture of colonial New England, both good and bad. I also loved Kit’s character development, as well as the multiple satisfying love stories. I’m glad I decided to revisit this one!

Cornell Woolrich, The Bride Wore Black

This thriller features a mysterious woman who is systematically murdering men throughout New York City. Her motive is unclear, as she doesn’t seem to know any of the men personally. Beautiful and clever, she’s easily able to gain access to her victims, and she always vanishes directly after the murder without a trace. Eventually, a policeman notices a pattern among the killings and makes it his mission to bring this femme fatale to justice. This is a fascinating, suspenseful novel with a clever structure, following the woman and each of her male victims in turn. As a result, I felt some measure of empathy for every character and was eager to discover the woman’s motive. The ending is both satisfying and heartbreaking—everything is resolved, but none of the characters get what they want. I’d definitely recommend this one to fans of suspense and noir, and I’m interested in reading more by Woolrich.

Mini-Reviews: Bookshop, Notebooks, Vampire

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Madeline Martin, The Last Bookshop in London

Grace and her best friend Viv are excited to move to London from the countryside, both of them dreaming of working in a fashionable clothing shop. But the only job Grace can get is as an assistant at the disorganized and overcrowded Primrose Hill Books. At first she just wants to work there long enough to get a good reference, but gradually she comes to find fulfillment in her job, as well as a new love of literature. However, her joy in her work is tempered by the onset of World War II, in which she experiences the horrors of the Blitz firsthand. I have to say, much as I enjoy a book set during the Blitz, this one did nothing for me. The writing style felt awkward and unpolished, and while the author obviously did some research, it intruded on the narrative rather than being subtly incorporated. I wasn’t impressed with this one and won’t seek out more by this author.

John Curran, Agatha Christie’s Secret Notebooks: Fifty Years of Mysteries in the Making

This book is based on a collection of Agatha Christie’s notebooks, in which she jotted down the ideas and worked out the plots that would eventually become her published novels, stories, and plays. Curran, obviously a huge fan, compares Christie’s notes with her finished works and thereby paints a picture of her creative process. I think Christie aficionados would enjoy this book, but it’s definitely not for the casual fan as it assumes in-depth knowledge of her work (though Curran does provide spoiler warnings). Many of the notes aren’t particularly detailed or interesting, though they do shed a fun light on Christie’s somewhat haphazard process. The book also feels disorganized, with photos of the notebooks and little informational boxes interrupting the main narrative, sometimes for several pages. Basically, I’d only recommend this one to the true die-hard fans, but it did make me want to go back and reread some of my favorite Christie novels!

Jenna Levine, My Roommate Is a Vampire

Struggling artist Cassie is about to be evicted, so when she sees a “roommate wanted” ad on Craigslist for a great apartment with a suspiciously low rent, she’s desperate enough to check it out. Her would-be roommate, Frederick J. Fitzwilliam, seems strange and old-fashioned but harmless – that is, until she discovers the bags of human blood in the refrigerator. Yes, Frederick is a vampire, and he needs Cassie’s help to navigate the modern world. A romance soon develops between them, but people from Frederick’s past seek to keep them apart. I liked the premise of this book and found it a fun read, but I was unable to suspend my disbelief about Frederick’s situation. There are too many inconsistencies in what he knows about the modern world vs. what he doesn’t, and very little time is spent on what vampire life is like, whether Cassie will be “turned” and what that will mean for her, etc. Those hoping for a modern vampire story that makes sense will be disappointed, but if you’re just looking for a cute contemporary romance with paranormal trappings, you might like this one.

Mini-Reviews: Love, Byzantium, Ensemble

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Lindsey Kelk, Love Me Do

UK native Phoebe Chapman is excited to spend a couple weeks visiting her sister in Los Angeles. Sure, her sister has to leave pretty much immediately for an emergency work trip, but Phoebe is happy enough to stay at her luxurious house and explore the city, with the help of handsome neighbor Ren and bubbly personal trainer Bel. Phoebe soon learns that Bel has a crush on Ren but is painfully awkward around him, so she decides to help the couple get together. But a little well-meaning advice soon spirals out of control, with Phoebe writing love letters to Ren on Bel’s behalf – while falling for Ren herself. I’m a sucker for a Cyrano de Bergerac storyline, and I enjoyed this book even though Phoebe’s plan was obviously doomed from the start. Yes, Ren is a little too good to be true, and the conflicts are all resolved pretty quickly. But I liked Phoebe’s humorous voice and her enthusiastic descriptions of LA from an outside perspective. Overall, it’s a fun read if the premise interests you.

John Julius Norwich, A Short History of Byzantium

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, English popular historian John Julius Norwich wrote a three-volume history of the Byzantine Empire. This book condenses that longer work into a single tome of 500-ish pages, giving a broad-strokes overview of the history of Byzantium from the reign of Constantine the Great in the fourth century to the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453. It’s a lot of ground to cover, so Norwich mostly sticks to the emperors and other powerful figures (popes, patriarchs, rival monarchs, etc.) who show up in the historical record. As someone who’s only mildly interested in the Byzantine Empire, I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book, which would probably be more enjoyable to someone with more background knowledge. But Norwich is an entertaining writer, and I think I will retain at least some of what I read, so I’d recommend it to people who are enthusiastic about the period.

Aja Gabel, The Ensemble

This novel closely follows four characters, members of a professional string quartet whose careers and lives are intertwined in various complicated ways. There’s first violinist Jana, the ambitious and emotionally ruthless leader of the group; Brit, the calm and kind second violinist; Henry, the viola prodigy to whom everything seems to come easily; and Daniel, the cellist with a monumental chip on his shoulder. As time passes, each character comes to terms with what he or she really wants from the quartet and from life in general. Literary fiction doesn’t always appeal to me; I find “literary” is often synonymous with “depressing.” But in this case, I found enough to like about these (sometimes quite unlikable) characters, and enough outcomes to root for, that I liked the book more than I expected to. I also thought the descriptions of music and life as a musician rang true. Overall, I think I’d like to read this book again someday, so I’m keeping it on my shelves for now.

Mini-Reviews: Like, Gentleman, Aristocrat

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Hannah Orenstein, Love at First Like

Jewelry store owner Eliza is dismayed when she sees on social media that her ex-boyfriend has just gotten engaged. To console herself, she tries on the store’s most extravagant ring and takes a photo – then accidentally posts it to Instagram. When she wakes up the next morning, she discovers thousands of new social media followers, as well as several big online orders from the store. Since her fake engagement is good for business, she decides to keep up the charade. But as her little white lie spirals out of control, she risks losing both her business and a chance at love. I thought this book sounded cute, but Eliza’s behavior made me so mad! Basically, she starts dating a guy in the hope that he’ll actually become her fiancé (and thus make the lie true)…but she 100% leads him on and manipulates him into falling in love with her, not telling him the truth until after he proposes. I thought it was irredeemably awful of her, and her subsequent happy ending felt undeserved. Not recommended.

Mimi Matthews, Gentleman Jim

Ten years ago, stableboy Nicholas Seaton and young lady Margaret Honeywell fell in love, but the cruel interference of a rival suitor forced Nicholas to run away, and Maggie hasn’t heard from him since. Now, visiting a friend in London, she encounters Lord St. Clare, an enigmatic viscount who has recently come to England after years spent abroad. Maggie is convinced that St. Clare is Nicholas, but he staunchly denies it, while at the same time determinedly pursuing a relationship with her. Who is St. Clare, and what’s his purpose in coming to London? I haven’t hit a bad Matthews book yet, and this one is just as well written and entertaining as her others. It’s explicitly inspired by The Count of Monte Cristo, so if you know that story, the plot is pretty predictable. I also found the central romance a bit farfetched, given that Maggie and Nicholas were so young when they initially fell in love. But then, second-chance romance really just isn’t my trope. I did like the book and plan to continue with the series, though this installment can 100% stand alone.

Mignon G. Eberhart, Murder by an Aristocrat

Nurse Sarah Keate is called to the home of the wealthy and prominent Thatcher family when one of its members, Bayard, is shot in the arm. The family claims the shot was an accident that occurred while Bayard was cleaning his gun, but Bayard tells Nurse Keate that someone in the household tried to kill him. His claim seems to be proved true when he’s later found dead in the library. The family then coerces Nurse Keate into staying at the house, where more sinister things occur, including another death. This was my first book by Mignon G. Eberhart, and I quite liked it! The sensible Nurse Keate is a great narrator, and I appreciated the way the mystery unfolded; new evidence came to light at a good pace and so forth. The suspense aspects of the plot (lots of “had I but known” moments) aren’t really my thing, but they’re not too intrusive here. I’ll certainly read more by Eberhart, especially if I can get my hands on some other Nurse Keate books.

Mini-Reviews: Sonya, Benedettos, Magic

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Ben Macintyre, Agent Sonya: The Spy Next Door

Born to German Jewish parents in Berlin in 1906, Ursula Kuczynski grew up sympathetic to left-wing politics and joined the German Communist Party in her teens. After her marriage, she and her husband moved to Shanghai, where she was approached by a Soviet intelligence officer and recruited as a spy. She accepted the work eagerly, her ardent communist beliefs intensifying as the Nazis rose to power in Germany. Using the code name Sonya, Ursula engaged in espionage for the USSR for decades, her missions taking her all over the world and eventually leading her to the UK. I don’t generally gravitate toward nonfiction, but Ursula’s life is so fascinating that this biography reads like a novel. Macintyre weaves in plenty of history to give context to Ursula’s actions and also paints a vivid picture of her personal life, using her own writings and those of her family, friends, and associates as sources. This is definitely another winner from Macintyre!

Katie Cotugno, Meet the Benedettos

A few years ago, the five Benedetto sisters were living the high life in LA as stars of a successful reality TV show. Now, their fame and status are fading, and they’re even in danger of losing their house. Lilly, the sisters’ de facto leader, is determined to hold her family together but doesn’t quite know how. And things get even more complicated when movie star Charlie Bingley and his friend Will Darcy move into their neighborhood – especially when Charlie seems interested in Lilly’s sister June, and Lilly herself is simultaneously attracted to and repulsed by the snobbish Will. I couldn’t resist this Pride and Prejudice retelling and devoured it in a day. I like how this novel centers the relationships among all five Benedetto sisters; they’re very different people, but it’s obvious how much they love each other. I also loved the chemistry between Lilly and Will and especially loved getting inside Will’s head. Some things didn’t quite work for me – the ending was a bit anticlimactic – but overall I enjoyed this one, and it’s reminded me that I really want to read P&P again soon!

V.E. Schwab, A Darker Shade of Magic

This novel is set in a universe in which there are four different Londons: Grey London, in the ordinary world; Red London, in a prosperous world with abundant magic; White London, where magic is scarce and used as a weapon; and Black London, which devoured itself long ago. Kell lives in Red London but has a unique ability to travel between the worlds. Lila, a Grey Londoner, is a thief with ambitions to become a pirate. They meet when Lila picks Kell’s pocket, but the item she steals turns out to be an extremely powerful and dangerous artifact from Black London. Together, they must return it to its proper world before it falls into the wrong hands. I really love the creative world-building of this novel, and Kell and Lila are both compelling characters. Once they meet up, the book becomes a page-turner after a somewhat slow start. I first read this novel eight years ago and wondered whether it would hold up, but I still enjoyed it this time around and am excited to continue with the trilogy.

Mini-Reviews: Counted, Daemon, Elephant

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Noelle Adams, Counted

Jude has just learned that he has an inoperable brain tumor and has about three months left to live. He’s determined to achieve a few of his bucket-list goals before dying, and the most important one is to get married. So he decides to propose to Eve, a family friend who’s known him for years, though they’ve never been close. Eve has some misgivings but wants to help Jude, so she accepts. But they’re both caught by surprise as their marriage of convenience slowly turns into something real. I saw this book mentioned online as a gender-swapped retelling of The Blue Castle, so of course I had to try it! Really, it’s not very similar except for the premise – it’s much racier, for one thing! – but I still did enjoy this book. Both Jude and Eve are introverted, emotionally reserved people, so it’s nice to watch them slowly open up, and the development of their relationship feels realistic. It’s a quiet book with not much happening, and it might be a tough read for those who’ve been seriously ill or cared for someone who was. But despite the book not being quite what I expected, I’m glad I read it.

Carol Berg, The Daemon Prism

Two years after the events of The Soul Mirror, Dante is visited by a solider suffering from a magic-induced dream, in which a beautiful woman offers him a jewel that will give him his heart’s desire—but once obtained, the desire is then corrupted. When Dante removes the dream from the soldier’s mind, it enters Dante’s consciousness instead, tempting him with ever-greater magical knowledge. His quest to find the woman and discover the secrets of the jewel soon becomes part of a much bigger magical journey involving an ancient prophecy and the souls of the dead. This is a very satisfying conclusion to the Collegia Magica trilogy; after seeing Dante through the eyes of other characters in the previous books, it was fascinating to get his own perspective here. The plot itself is convoluted, and parts of the story drag a bit, but I loved Dante’s character development and the way things were resolved with the other main characters in the series. Overall, I’m glad I finally read these books, and fans of thick fantasy sagas should definitely check out Carol Berg.

Hannah Ledford, Elephant and Castle

Years ago, American student Nora spent a summer in London, where she fell in love with up-and-coming musician Hugh, though their relationship ended when she went back to the US. Now Nora’s job has brought her back to London, and when she encounters Hugh again, she finds herself wondering what might have been. Complicating matters is Hugh’s best friend, Julian, who liked Nora before and whose feelings come rushing back when he sees her again. But how can he pursue a relationship with her when she and Hugh might have unfinished business? This was a cute little contemporary romance that I read in a day. I like a hero who pines for the heroine, and the obstacles to Nora and Julian’s relationship felt legitimate – in fact, perhaps a little too legitimate given how easily they were ultimately brushed aside. The book ultimately felt light and superficial; I never really got emotionally invested in the story. Still, it’s a pleasant read with an enjoyable London setting, so it’s potentially worth a read if you like the premise.