Susan’s Book Blog

  You’re a Mean One Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky Pub Date 10/4/2022 ⛄️ 3 stars out of 5 ⛄️ This is basically a Schitt’s Creek Christmas AU. The narrator, Matthew, is so clearly written to be a David Rose-style spoiled brat that I could only picture the character as Dan Levy. He was so unlikeable it took me quite a while until I became invested. I actually considered quitting several times before the 25% mark. (Then again, it took me a long time to warm up to Schitt’s Creek as well.)  Matthew learns things about himself during his exile to his grandparents’ home. As he spends more time in the small town and with Hector, he learns that the life he previously knew was not a good one despite all its material rewards. Hector helps bring him down to earth and keep him there. Matthew’s struggles with anxiety also helped humanize him and soften his rough edges. I generally appreciate anxiety/mental health rep but it almost felt like a cheap ploy here to make Matthew likeable. It...

  So it's Pub Day for Alexis Hall's newest, Husband Material . (To read my early review of it, click here .)  I gave this book 2.5 stars out of 5. And I know I'm not alone in my feelings about this book, though the majority of reviewers seem to have no problems with it. I had thought about laying out more specifically and with evidence all the ways and reasons this book bothered me but at this point I’m pretty done with it. It broke my heart and I’m tired of thinking about it. I will just say that I heartily disagree with any and all 5 star reviews and any declarations of “it’s perfect!!”  I genuinely think that many of these readers have gone in already knowing they were going to give the book a stellar rating regardless of what they read.  That said, I stand by my previous rating and review. I’m not disappointed that they didn’t end up married, even though it felt a little bait-and-switch-y. I’m disappointed that Alexis Hall wrote what he did and thought it depicte...

  Husband Material  by Alexis Hall pub date Aug 2, 2022 Sourcebooks Casablanca  ⛪️ 2.5 stars out of 5 ⛪️  I am a HUGE fan not only of this book’s series predecessor, Boyfriend Material , but of Alexis Hall’s work in general. Literally everything of his I’ve read, I have loved. His writing style, his amazing characters, his facility with language and wordplay, his deep understanding (and inclusion) of complex social issues, these are all huge draws for me. I love everything he writes and trust him as a writer more than anyone I have ever read. I had ZERO doubts about this book. I was so excited to get to revisit one of my favorite fictional couples, Luc & Oliver - especially under the guise of seeing them move their relationship forward. Look at the cover! That title! They’re tying the knot! This is going to be wonderful! I thought. This book is cruel. Nothing about it makes sense. Does Alexis Hall hate us? Did he resent having to write this? I don’t know. I don’t...

 It’s Pub Day for this lovely, warm-hearted book about the value of friendships and found family. See my full review here   and definitely check it out if you get the chance!!  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Unplanned Life of Josie Hale by Stephanie Eding Pub: May 3, 2022 Sourcebooks Casablanca // 5 stars out of 5 // Josie Hale's life has been going downhill for a while now. Between her cheating husband, a messy divorce, and moving back home with her parents, she almost feels like she's starting all over again. Then she finds out she's pregnant, which is the icing on the cake of things in her life she hadn't planned for. Feeling all kinds of emotions (happy, overwhelmed, and especially hungry), Josie visits the local county fair to satisfy her cravings and greet the nostalgia of her childhood. Her two best friends from high school were the last people she expected to see, but Ben Romero and Kevin Lawrence are certainly a joyful sight for sore, crying eyes. When they realize each of their lives is a tangled mess, who better to help sort it out than each other? They make a pact to move in together and turn their lives around. And with a baby on the way, Josie will take as...