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Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky
Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Feeling nostalgic on the eve of his birthday, he sends emails to all the boys he (ahem) loved before he came out. Morning brings the inevitable Oh God What Did I Do?, but he brushes that panic aside. Why stress about it? None of his could-have-beens are actually going to read the emails, much less respond. Right?
Enter Derick Haverford, Wren's #1 pre-coming-out-crush and his drive-in theater's new social media intern. Everyone claims he's coasting on cinematic good looks and his father's connections, but Wren has always known there's much more to Derick than meets the eye. Too bad he doesn't feel the same way about the infamous almost-kiss that once rocked Wren's world.
Whatever. Wren's no longer a closeted teenager; he can survive this. But as their hazy summer becomes consumed with a special project that may just save the struggling drive-in for good, Wren and Derick are drawn ever-closer...and maybe, finally, Wren's dream of a perfect-kiss-before-the-credits is within reach.
Why you should read it: Oh, this was just impossibly sweet and lovely. These characters were agonizingly relatable (I remember being this age, finishing school and having no goddamn idea what I was supposed to do with my life or who I wanted to be). And I'm such a sucker for a good second-chances story, where we see people who are fundamentally GOOD fuck up and then put their whole heart into trying to do better. This book was beautifully satisfying.
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For Never and Always by Helena Greer
Hannah Rosenstein should be happy: after a lonely childhood of traipsing all over the world, she finally has a home as the co-owner of destination inn Carrigan’s All Year. But her thoughts keep coming back to Levi "Blue" Matthews: her first love, worst heartbreak, and now, thanks to her great-aunt’s meddling will, absentee business partner.
When Levi left Carrigan's, he had good intentions. As the queer son of the inn's cook and groundskeeper, he never quite fit in their small town and desperately wanted to prove himself. Now that he’s a celebrity chef, he's ready to come home and make amends. Only his return goes nothing like he planned: his family's angry with him, his best friend is dating his nemesis, and Hannah just wants him to leave. Again.
Levi sees his chance when a VIP bride agrees to book Carrigan’s—if he’s the chef. He'll happily cook for the wedding, and in exchange, Hannah will give him five dates to win her back. Only Hannah doesn’t trust this new Levi, and Levi’s coming to realize Hannah’s grown too. But if they find the courage to learn from the past . . . they just might discover the love of your life is worth waiting for.
Why you should read it: This is a sequel to one of my favorite reads of 2023, exploring two new POV characters with a history even more complicated than the first book let on. It's a compelling story about two people who adore each other but are, in a lot of fundamental ways, poorly matched. Watching them find their way back to each other, while they learn to navigate a different path, was lovely and fascinating — and I had no idea going in that it would include an exploration of one character's demisexuality (which, well-written characters within the ace umbrella will ALWAYS be a particular weakness of mine). Lovely all around.
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That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert
If there's one thing Rae can't stand, it's pity. She's forty, frazzled, and fed up--so attending an awards ceremony alone while her ex swans about with his new wife? Not an option. To avoid total humiliation, Rae needs a date of her own. And her young, hot-as-hell new best friend is the perfect candidate...
Zach Davis, king of casual hookups, has a secret: the notorious womaniser craves emotional connection, and anonymous encounters leave him feeling hollow. After years of performance, Zach's desperate to be himself. So why does he agree to play Rae's fake boyfriend? And why does it feel so easy?
When the line between pretence and desire blurs, Zach's forced to face an unexpected truth: there's nothing phoney about his need for Rae. But the jaded divorcée's been hurt by playboy men before. Can a weekend of faking it prove that Zach's for real?
Why you should read it: Talia Hibbert has such an incredible way of crafting stories about people with heavy baggage, finding each other and working together to lighten the load for each other. The road is always gorgeous to read, even when it's not an easy one, and this book is exactly that kind of lovely. Sweet, earnest characters struggling to trust each other and ultimately finding their way together. I enjoyed this enormously.
Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky
Wren Roland has never been kissed, but he wants that movie-perfect ending more than anything. Feeling nostalgic on the eve of his birthday, he sends emails to all the boys he (ahem) loved before he came out. Morning brings the inevitable Oh God What Did I Do?, but he brushes that panic aside. Why stress about it? None of his could-have-beens are actually going to read the emails, much less respond. Right?
Enter Derick Haverford, Wren's #1 pre-coming-out-crush and his drive-in theater's new social media intern. Everyone claims he's coasting on cinematic good looks and his father's connections, but Wren has always known there's much more to Derick than meets the eye. Too bad he doesn't feel the same way about the infamous almost-kiss that once rocked Wren's world.
Whatever. Wren's no longer a closeted teenager; he can survive this. But as their hazy summer becomes consumed with a special project that may just save the struggling drive-in for good, Wren and Derick are drawn ever-closer...and maybe, finally, Wren's dream of a perfect-kiss-before-the-credits is within reach.
Why you should read it: Oh, this was just impossibly sweet and lovely. These characters were agonizingly relatable (I remember being this age, finishing school and having no goddamn idea what I was supposed to do with my life or who I wanted to be). And I'm such a sucker for a good second-chances story, where we see people who are fundamentally GOOD fuck up and then put their whole heart into trying to do better. This book was beautifully satisfying.
- — - — - — - — -
For Never and Always by Helena Greer
Hannah Rosenstein should be happy: after a lonely childhood of traipsing all over the world, she finally has a home as the co-owner of destination inn Carrigan’s All Year. But her thoughts keep coming back to Levi "Blue" Matthews: her first love, worst heartbreak, and now, thanks to her great-aunt’s meddling will, absentee business partner.
When Levi left Carrigan's, he had good intentions. As the queer son of the inn's cook and groundskeeper, he never quite fit in their small town and desperately wanted to prove himself. Now that he’s a celebrity chef, he's ready to come home and make amends. Only his return goes nothing like he planned: his family's angry with him, his best friend is dating his nemesis, and Hannah just wants him to leave. Again.
Levi sees his chance when a VIP bride agrees to book Carrigan’s—if he’s the chef. He'll happily cook for the wedding, and in exchange, Hannah will give him five dates to win her back. Only Hannah doesn’t trust this new Levi, and Levi’s coming to realize Hannah’s grown too. But if they find the courage to learn from the past . . . they just might discover the love of your life is worth waiting for.
Why you should read it: This is a sequel to one of my favorite reads of 2023, exploring two new POV characters with a history even more complicated than the first book let on. It's a compelling story about two people who adore each other but are, in a lot of fundamental ways, poorly matched. Watching them find their way back to each other, while they learn to navigate a different path, was lovely and fascinating — and I had no idea going in that it would include an exploration of one character's demisexuality (which, well-written characters within the ace umbrella will ALWAYS be a particular weakness of mine). Lovely all around.
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That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert
If there's one thing Rae can't stand, it's pity. She's forty, frazzled, and fed up--so attending an awards ceremony alone while her ex swans about with his new wife? Not an option. To avoid total humiliation, Rae needs a date of her own. And her young, hot-as-hell new best friend is the perfect candidate...
Zach Davis, king of casual hookups, has a secret: the notorious womaniser craves emotional connection, and anonymous encounters leave him feeling hollow. After years of performance, Zach's desperate to be himself. So why does he agree to play Rae's fake boyfriend? And why does it feel so easy?
When the line between pretence and desire blurs, Zach's forced to face an unexpected truth: there's nothing phoney about his need for Rae. But the jaded divorcée's been hurt by playboy men before. Can a weekend of faking it prove that Zach's for real?
Why you should read it: Talia Hibbert has such an incredible way of crafting stories about people with heavy baggage, finding each other and working together to lighten the load for each other. The road is always gorgeous to read, even when it's not an easy one, and this book is exactly that kind of lovely. Sweet, earnest characters struggling to trust each other and ultimately finding their way together. I enjoyed this enormously.
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