[tps_title] 10. In a New York Minute, Kate Spencer [/tps_title]

Starting off our most anticipated romance books of 2022… Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can’t get away from her fast enough.

Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs.

Pre-order a copy here.

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[tps_title] Rebecca Serle, One Italian Summer [/tps_title]

Beloved romance author Rebecca Serle returns with her new novel One Italian Summer – a heartbreaking new novel exploring the relationship between a mother and daughter. When her mother Carol dies, Katy takes their planned trip to Positano on the Amalfi Coast. There, she feels her mother’s spirit. Buoyed by the stunning waters, beautiful cliffsides, delightful residents, and – of course – delectable food, Katy feels herself coming back to life.  And then Carol appears, healthy and sun-tanned… and thirty years old. Katy doesn’t understand what is happening, or how – all she can focus on is that somehow, impossibly, she has her mother back. Over the course of one Italian summer, Katy gets to know Carol, not as her mother, but as the young woman who came before.

Pre-order a copy here.

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This one struck us at just the perfect point of summer, a light and fun romping romance, with enough depth and emotion to make it deeply compelling and propulsive. The story centres around January and Gus – two published authors who are both separately experiencing writers block, whilst living at their neighbouring beach homes. There’s a darker underbelly to the story, for both protagonists are battling with their own demons – Gus with his childhood and January with the complicated loss of her father and the discovery that he had a mistress. The premise of the book is that they both decide to switch genres as a bet to see who can write and sell a book first, conducting ‘research’ whilst spending time together.

Slowly, the duo develop a friendship that deepens, both unravelling their own layers and breaking down walls to each other. They both begin to be open and honest with each other, and it is this honesty that is the pivotal hook upon which the book hangs. Emily Henry writes with an easy, charming writing style that doesn’t feel fluffy or cheesy. More than anything, Beach Read is a swooning and fun romantic comedy book – a perfect Meg Ryan of a book – and, as the title suggests, the perfect beach read.

The post REVIEW: Beach Read – Emily Henry appeared first on off the record.

Pick up a copy of the novel here.

Released this summer, Emily Henry’s sweet and charming novel tells the story of Alex and Poppy who meet at college and travel on one trip together every summer. Inspired by When Harry Met Sally, the novel is a second-chance romance toggling between the present day and the alternating previous vacations that led to the break between Poppy and Alex.

Both Poppy and Alex are immensely engaging and compelling main characters that are both incredibly likeable. Poppy is free-spirited, quirky and outgoing, whilst Alex is a quieter, more introverted character. The duo meet at college and become friends, going on adventures together each summer. In the present, after two years of not talking, Poppy is determined to fix things with Alex and persuades him to go on one last vacation.

Emily Henry’s writing is succulent and addictive, making this a novel that is sweetly charming from start to finish, filled with yearning and tension. Above all though Henry allows space for authenticity, the characters have very real struggles and challenges to undergo – Poppy is at a roadblock in her career. It is this that makes the novel so engaging, as it feels immensely real and immediate. This is the perfect summer read and we can’t recommend it enough.

Order You and Me on Vacation by Emily Henry here.

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[tps_title] 1. The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris [/tps_title]

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and the micro-aggressions, she’s thrilled when Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events cause Nella to become Public Enemy Number One and Hazel, the Office Darling.

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realises that there is a lot more at stake than her career.

A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.

Pick up a copy here.

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Anna K., Jenny Lee (Penguin, 2020), B-

Jenny Lee’s incredible YA novel is a remaking of Anna Karenina, set in a Gossip-Girl-esque glittering world of Manhattan – a world of unsupervised teens leading wild lives. Anna K is a socialite in the Manhattan set who falls in love with Alexia and grapples with her feelings for him over her boyfriend.

Read the full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

The Girl with the Louding Voice, Abi Daré (Sceptre, 2020), A-

Abi Daré’s thoughtfully crafted novel tells the story of Adunni who is sold in marriage to an older man, but then escapes her grave circumstances in pursuit of a better life for herself and ultimately education. It’s a difficult story of cruelty and oppression in a multitude of forms.

Read the full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

You and Me on Vacation, Emily Henry (Penguin, 2021), A+

Set for release this summer, Emily Henry’s sweet and charming novel tells the story of Alex and Poppy who meet at college and travel on one trip together every summer. This is a stunningly propulsive beach read that is a more human version of Harry Met Sally (with far more likeable protagonists).

Pre-order a copy here.

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (Quercus, 2021), A

Offering a grittier version of Daisy Jones and the Six, this novel tells the story of Opal and Nev – a punk-rock duo and their rise and fall, dealing with the difficult themes of racism, feminism and more.

Read the full review here.

Pick up a copy here.

The Prophets, Robert Jones Jr. (riverrun, 2021), B-

This debut novel by Jones Jr. tells the story of the forbidden love affair between two slaves – Samuel and Isaiah – in the Deep South. It’s uncomfortable, painful and displays the breadth of human oppression and cruelty.

Pick up a copy here.

Non-Fiction

Hood Feminism, Mikki Kendall, B

A vitally important read for any person who considers themselves a ‘feminist’ – showing the problematic interplay between race and feminist relations. Kendall offers an eye opening and uncomfortable dialogue on feminism.

Pick up a copy here.

The post Everything We Read in April 2021 appeared first on off the record.