I’ve been finding so much solace in romance reads recently and I have a few blog posts just devoted to romance reads. This is the second in what I’m sure will be a long series. Today we’re going to be focusing on contemporary romances I’ve enjoyed like Better Have than Never, A Holly Jolly Ever After, and A Shot in the Dark.
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Better Have than Never by Chloe Liese
Katerina Wilmot and Christopher Petruchio shared backyards as kids, but as adults they won’t even share the same hemisphere. That is, until Kate makes a rare visit home, and their fiery animosity rekindles into a raging inferno.
Despite their friends’ and families’ pleas for peace, Christopher is unconvinced Kate would willingly douse the flames of their enmity. But when a drunken Kate confesses she’s only been hostile because she thought he hated her, Christopher vows to make peace with Kate once and for all. Tempting as it is to be swept away by her nemesis-turned-gentleman, Kate isn’t sure she can trust his charming good-guy act.
When Christopher’s persistence and Kate’s curiosity lead to an impassioned kiss, they realize “peace” is the last thing that will ever be possible between them. As desire gives way to deeper feelings, Kate and Christopher must decide if it’s truly better to hate than to never risk their hearts—or if they already gave them away long ago.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I really enjoyed Two Wrongs Make a Right and so I was excited for Better Have than Never. I’m here for all the Shakespeare re-imaginings and while this is more subtle than what one might be expecting, it’s delightful. With neurodivergence, demisexual, and ADHD representation, Better Have than Never this childhood enemies to lovers romance is one I finished in a few days. Featuring a dual POV, this was a perfect choice to see the miscommunications, apologies, and has a careful versus a smidge of recklessness.
Better Hate than Never is one of those sequels which feels effortless. For Kate and Christopher, they’re steeped in a sea of misconceptions and words tossed around. My heart broke for Christopher, the ways he is so scared of being attached to her family. And for Kate I 100% understood her feelings of being the black sheep. This is one of those romances where I couldn’t pick a favorite even if I was pressed to do so. I loved watching their relationship and friendship evolve. The thin line between love and hate, between protection and stifling, and the chemistry is sizzling. Find Better Hate than Never on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.
A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.
Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?
With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself.
They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I’m the biggest Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone fan since their first novel, A Merry Little Meet Cute. And A Holly Jolly Ever After is no exception. With dual POV, if you love those stories about two characters who are drawn together by a spark and they have a “teach me” vibe? Then go pick this one up now. From the beginning, I loved Winnie. The ways she feels she’s done everything right and made so many choices that were never hers. And all the ways she’s been put into this box of sexuality and objectification by society.
It manages to be this spicy and charismatic romance, while also subtly exploring the way our culture and society approaches sex and sexuality. But to talk about Winnie and Kallum, I love them to pieces. Both disappointed by their family, I adored watching them get to know each other and how they both de-construct the scaffolding and indoctrination of our society and fame. We also love a good queer questioning rep! If you loved the first, then this is an easy recommendation, but this is perfect for fans of characters who learn to speak for their wishes and embrace their own body. Find A Holly Jolly Ever After on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.
A Shot in the Dark by Victoria Lee
Elisheva Cohen has just returned to Brooklyn after almost a decade. The wounds of abandoning the Orthodox community that raised her, then shunned her because of her substance abuse, are still painful. But when she gets an amazing opportunity to study photography with art legend Wyatt Cole, Ely is willing to take the leap.
On her first night back in town, Ely goes out to the infamous queer club Revel for a celebratory night of dancing. Ely is swept off her feet and into bed by a gorgeous man who looks like James Dean, but with a thick Carolina accent. The next morning, Ely wakes up alone and rushes off to attend her first photography class, reminiscing on the best one-night stand of her life. She doesn’t even know his name. That is, until Wyatt Cole shows up for class–and Ely realizes that the man she just spent an intimate and steamy night with is her teacher.
Everyone in the art world is obsessed with Wyatt Cole. He’s immensely talented and his notoriously reclusive personal life makes him all the more compelling. But there’s a reason why his past is hard for him to publicize. After coming out as transgender, Wyatt was dishonorably discharged from the military and disowned by his family. From then on he committed to sobriety and channeled his pain into his flourishing art career. While Ely and Wyatt’s relationship started out on a physical level, their similar struggles spark a much deeper connection. The chemistry is undeniable, but their new relationship as teacher and student means desperately wanting what they can’t have.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I have loved every one of Victoria Lee’s books and this adult romance debut had me screaming. With queer representation, I adored the way Lee balances emotional depth and development, topics of addiction and religion, as well as a tender romance. All in all, it feels deeply raw and honest. The moments we feel so close to breaking, question everything, and wonder what we need. Also what a phenomenal meet cute! A Shot in the Dark is another dual POV book which works perfectly to see Ely and Wyatt’s inner monologues.
How we can want someone so badly and be unsure if we should broach the distance. A Shot in the Dark‘s focus on art and photography was incredibly illuminating. The book radiates a rainbow of colors, layers, and more. The moments of vulnerability and fragility in art. Not to mention Ely’s relationship to religion, her family, and her past. It examines the depths of addiction and how it changes your family, your interactions, and these relationships. A Shot in the Dark is tender, raw, and sparkling all at once. Find A Shot in the Dark on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, & Blackwells.