Vacation Reads - Part 2

The Kiss Quotient was just the first of three (I think) books with inter-racial couples (Michael is half Vietnamese) I've read this summer. (Also, I'm not counting Bridal Boot Camp because it was a short story.) Inter-racial couples really grab my attention, for obvious reasons for anyone who knows me or anyone who has read my blog since the beginning. That brings me too...

The Wedding Date

I sort of loved this story. Jasmine Guillory's heroine is black and hero is white. That is not the main focus of the plot, but it does play a part. There's a wedding (obviously), some misunderstandings, and some emotional moments. Any talk about the differences in race are natural to the evolution of the relationship. At least they felt natural to me, moments I could really relate to. What I appreciated about how Guillory handled it, was the thoughtfulness she gave to both characters. Alexa makes Drew really think about the differences in the way they grew up. I also really liked how Drew never doubted Alexa, even when she commented about a guy he thought of as a nice guy. The Wedding Date had a fun "rom-com" feeling. I think it would make an adorable Netflix movie.

Hearts at Stake

Like Faefever, Hearts at Stake was one of the only books I read that didn't have an adult romance at the centre of it. Hearts at Stake is a vampire book. One of the first I have read in a long time. It's also Young Adult, again a departure from my other steamy summer reads. The main reason I read it: author Alyxandra Harvey will be speaking at the York Writer's Conference this October. I have registered to attend her workshop about genre-blending. I enjoyed her first book in the Drake Chronicles and look forward to reading more of her work.

Steeped in Love

Together We Read is a digital book club with participating libraries Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Steeped in Love was the selection for August. I saw it on the homepage and the synopsis gave me that summer rom-com feeling, with a little extra that spoke to me. One of the main characters is a writer, suffering from writer's block. The other main character is a tea-lover and tea leaf reader. I LOVE tea. I'm probably drinking tea right now. It's one of those stories I had to read. Author Julie Evelyn Joyce is also very Canadian (just take a peek at her profile pic). Steeped in Love was funny, sweet, and had a great feel-good ending. Also, unlike several of the adult romances I read this summer, the "steam-level" was rather low. The story of Abbie and Ethan is heartwarming. It made me smile.

This summer I also read the sequel to The Kiss Quotient, The Bride Test, also featuring an autistic main character. Again, a fantastic story.

I read, Seaside Nights, Seaside Embrace, Seaside Lovers, and Promise My Love by Melissa Foster. Still clearly one of my favourite romance writers.

I read Reckless In Love, and Fearless in Love, by Bella Andre and Jennifer Scully, who have me loving the Maverick Billionaires.

I also read Chemical Reaction, the sixth book in the Nerds of Paradise series. It's Merry Farmer's last Nerd book for a while. She typically writers Historical Romances (Bodice-Rippers?), and it'll be a while before another Nerd book pops up. I don't think I've read a Historical Romance (unless Shadow of Night counts), but if it's written by Farmer, I might give it a try. Ten years ago, I never thought I'd read Romances, but this year, I had a summer filled with them. I think it's the happy endings. The past few years, I've needed more happy endings.

Why I Started Reading Romance Novels

Because sometimes I need a happy ending.

At first, I was going to call this post Guilty Pleasures,  but then I wondered what I have to feel guilty about. They are books. I love books. I am willing to give any book and any genre a chance. Yes, there are some I gravitate towards more than others, but I’m not going to discount a book just because someone calls it "cheesy" or "fluff" or whatever. I have been reading contemporary, ebook, romances. Mostly from Melissa Foster, a few from Bella Andre, some from Gena Showalter and Juliana Stone, and most recently, Merry Farmer.

It first started with Bella Andre. I can't remember why I read the first book in the Sullivan series. I remember it was free at the time. In The Look of Love,  boy saves a girl, but the girl also has to learn how to save herself. She escapes a bad relationship, finds freedom, and also find a super hot guy. Also he’s rich.

A lot of these people tend to be rich, at least one of the two main characters. Some are billionaires, some just live comfortably. They often on their own business that they’ve built from the ground up. A lot of the times, they work hard and don’t have time for relationships. Some of the men and women are more promiscuous then their partner, but love changes them or they see others in love and it changes them before they meet "the one". Usually the men come from a big family. They love their parents or at least one parent, they yearn for love, but often feel they don’t deserve it.

So maybe there’s a formula to a lot of these books, but I don’t care. Melissa Foster has become a favourite of these ebook romance authors. Though she writes about alpha males, females are independent, intelligent and strong-willed. They often don’t have time for relationships too. They are trying to build a business, or move forward with their lives in someway. They don’t necessarily need a man, but when the right one comes along they can’t resist each other, most of them often try.  No matter who these people are or what trouble they have to overcome, there is always a happy ending.

Lately, I’ve needed happy endings. The world is kind of being a difficult place to live in. After a hard day,  after reading the news and watching emotional videos, after listening to abrasive, emotional, commentary, I need a happy ending. I love reading all sorts of book, but they don’t always have happy endings.  I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but I wouldn’t call the end of Empire of Storms happy. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is only kind of happy at the end, the entire novel is laced with sadness. Even the end of the second Wonder Woman graphic novel I read left me a little angry. The Rules of Magic made me cry, as well as Anne Of Green Gables. Sometimes, I just want things to work out. I wanted a man and a woman to be together. I wanted the business to flourish. I wanted the little girl to get adopted.

I have to make a quick comment about why I added Merry Farmer to the mix. I think I was just looking at the Goodreads Giveways page when I saw a book that was number four in a series called Nerds of Paradise! Nerds! Like actual rocket scientists. Nerds who meet small town ranchers, farmers, etc. Boy nerds and girl nerds. I couldn't resist a title like that, so I checked out the series. The first one, Opposites Attract is free, so I read it. I have read the second and third novels since.

So, when I need a happy ending, these authors are who I go to. The books only take a day or two to read, and I am left feeling satisfied. For a few moments (maybe longer), I feel like things can work out. People can be nice. Love will win.