We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.
Books: The Next Chapter & The Art of Burning Heather
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Me - The Next Chapter by Camille Kellogg is a romance between childhood Hollywood star Katrina Kelly (or Kat) and Jude, a bookstore manager, who have a chance encounter when Kat comes into Jude's store one day. Immediately, they both feel a spark, and soon they begin to fall for each other, but what Jude doesn't know is that Kat initially agreed to go out with Jude to boost her career by confirming her queerness in the public eye.
I'm normally not a fan of romances where one or both of the main characters are keeping a huge secret from the other, but I really enjoyed this one! Don't get me wrong, I completely disliked the lying aspect. In fact, Kat generally got on my nerves many times throughout the book. She could be incredibly selfish, and she often put her career above everything else in her life, not only to Jude's detriment but to her own. However, I understood that she acted the way she did based on her childhood in the limelight. She learned early on that other people couldn't be trusted, and that's a hard habit to break. I could sympathize with her most of the time, even when she made wrong decisions. I enjoyed watching her grow and learning to listen to her heart and stand up for herself.
As for Jude, I loved her from beginning to end. She, too, had been hurt in the past, and as a result became very closed off. She was completely stuck in her life without even realizing the extent of it. I loved watching her start to move forward again as she figured out what she really wanted. I also really related to her struggles with anxiety, although part of me wishes this had been expanded upon further throughout the story, I still appreciated its inclusion.
The romance between these two was so sweet! The chemistry was instant, and I worried at first that it would be insta-love, but it didn't feel that way at all. There was an instant attraction between Jude and Kat, and sparks were definitely flying; genuine trust and love took a lot longer to build up between them. I really liked watching these two learn to fit their very different lives together while also consistently working on their own separate personal issues. Neither of them "saved" or "rescued" the other. They were both there to offer care, advice, encouragement, and support to help each other along the way. Jude helped Kat realize that her feelings and desires mattered, and Kat helped Jude understand that change didn't have to be scary. They brought out the best in each other, and overall, I just really enjoyed them together.
There were also some really heartwarming friendships in this book. I particularly loved Jude's friends from The Next Chapter, the bookstore at which she worked. Her whole friend group loved each other so much, and it was just adorable to see them be there for each other, no matter the circumstances. I also enjoyed the more complicated dynamic between Kat and her former best friend and former co-star/current rival, Madelyn.
If you enjoy romances with sweet sapphic couples, storylines involving fame– and particularly child stardom, and a lot of personal growth, I'd recommend The Next Chapter!
Mom - Today I recommend The Art of Burning Heather by Devrie Brynn Donalson. As children, Deli and Lachlan had a brief encounter in the Scottish Highlands. Years later, after her heart is broken by the man she always loved and her best friend abandons her, Deli returns to the Highlands to stay with her estranged Aunt Mo. She is quickly adopted by the locals, except for the suspicious Lachlan.
This is a sweet, slow-burning romance. Deli and Lachlan are two broken people who have been let down in many ways. It is quite touching how they gradually learn to trust and care for each other. Deli, in particular, seems always to have been surrounded by people who did not have her best interests at heart. Her so-called friends were not very good people, and her family was controlling. It is quite heartwarming how she is taken in not just by her aunt but by the entire village. It is a village overflowing with lovely, charming, and quirky characters who are so fun to read about and take to heart, like Hannah, who doesn't speak but can intuitively draw one's heart's desire, Kiernan, a child wise beyond her years, and many more. These are characters that stick with you even after you finish reading.
You can also learn about the meanings of various flowers through reading this book. Not only does the title reference a flower, but as a talented floral designer, the character of Deli is very knowledgeable about the subject, and it comes up throughout the story. There is even an extensive glossary of flowers and their meanings at the end of the novel for those who want to delve deeper into the subject. It just adds another layer of appeal to this already quite pleasing book.
Movie - All I Want for Christmas Is You
Today, we are talking about All I Want for Christmas Is You. Ashley and Nick meet cute and fall in love, but after a sudden tragedy, Ashley is finally putting her life back together when a shocking surprise upends her life again. This movie is extremely cliched and predictable. It also moves along at a breakneck pace with little story or character development, making it extremely hard to care about the characters and what happens to them. However, if you're such a sucker for romance that you don't care about those things, you might enjoy it.
And that's our view. The Next Chapter was published in June. The Art of Burning Heather was published last week. All I Want for Christmas is You is available for purchase on DVD or digitally for purchase or rental.
Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.
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