Today marks ROUND TWO of having one of my very best friends, Kelly Wuyscik, on the blog. Today she is sharing with you the best romance and contemporary novels! Read on for her top 4 picks that are MUST reads this season as you cozy up by the fire.
Guest Blog By: Kelly Wuyscik
Any Rogue Will Do (Misfits of Mayfair) by: Bethany Bennett
Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Regency
Squeeeeeeee I’m still squealing a week later about this book! An enemies-to-lovers plot mixed with a fake engagement? Sign! Me! Up! Charlotte (Lottie) and Ethan were a duo I loved together and I enjoyed my time watching their story unfolded.
Ethan disgraced Lottie, but it wasn’t entirely his fault. Ethan, a hot mess who ended up inheriting more than he was ready for, ended up tarnishing Lottie’s reputation. As a result, Lottie hates his guts. A few years later, Lottie wants nothing to do with marriage at all. She is en route to London for one season to find a satisfying husband who will essentially live in the city and leave her alone while she lives her happy little life out in the country. She’s got land coming her way if she finds a husband (per her father’s rules). So she’s got a plan and nothing will get in her way.
Ethan and his best friend Carlyle (who I adore, by the way) run into Lottie on their way to the city. He doesn’t remember her but oh does she remember him. And she lets him know it. After that, Ethan is smitten and Lottie is mad as a wet hen but slightly intrigued. She’s still ranting, but still even more intrigued, and yet still furious with Ethan. It’s delightful.
Lottie and Ethan are (still) the talk of the ton all these years later and they just want it to stop. They decide to flip the script by pretending to be engaged. Insert a rogue (haha, pun) suitor hand-selected by Lottie’s father who won’t take no for an answer, a delightfully supportive and feisty godmother, a whole lot of drama and steam, and you have an incredibly fun (even if sometimes frustrating) story.
Overall conclusion:
I do have to say that I did sometimes have a hard time with Lottie. While she had a lot to deal with and overcame an unimaginable tragedy, it became too much of a defense mechanism. I love a heroine with a spine, but Lottie’s was so strong and unyielding that she sometimes was insufferable. What warmed me up to her the most was her sharp tongue and quick wit. The banter with Ethan made it easier to tolerate her when she was being short-sighted.
All in all, this debut has everything you could want in one of your favorite contemporary novels. The gossip, impropriety (and steam!), silly miscommunications and meddling, and drama of a solid regency romance were on point. It was well-plotted, the storyline was thought out and well-written, and I found myself flying through it. I’m still shocked this is a debut for Bennett and cannot wait to see what else she delivers.
Pride and Papercuts by: Staci Hart
Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Novels
Before I begin, I’d like to politely ask Ms. Staci Hart to stop making me cry. Look, I get emotional when I’m reading, but for some reason, when I’m reading a Staci Hart novel, I’m crying through 40% of it because it’s just ripping my heart apart.
So Staci, be a peach, and STOP MAKING ME CRY.
Now that that’s out of the way…
I love Jane Austen retellings. I really do. What’s better than a reimagining of a timeless classic? To experience it all over again for the first time because, while you have a vague idea what’s coming, you really don’t know what to expect because the author tweaked it. What I loved about Pride and Papercuts (and honestly, the rest of the Austen collection) was that I didn’t quite know where Austen ended and Hart began. Staci has this way of writing that feels classic and ageless, without making you feel like you’re in English class. The writing is flowery and descriptive, but not too much.
I mean …
“For all of my certainty, I know this certainty above all — there is only you. There will only ever be you.”
Come ON. How do you NOT swoon?!
Staci also managed to take two of the most beloved characters in romance history and make them feel fresh. While I loved the nods to the original story (and even the movies, Matthew Macfayden forever), what I loved more was how Staci managed to modernize the story. Subtle shifts in character portrayals and motives kept you slightly unsure of what was coming, and I think that made this take unique. (Don’t worry though, Laney was definitely an obstinate, headstrong girl that we all can be proud of).
Overall conclusion:
The rest of the Bennett clan had their moment(s) in the Pride and Prejudice inspired novels up to this point. While they were loosely based on the original Bennett clan, Pride and Papercuts delivers the integral characters exactly as they are in the original, and we can immediately spot the similarities. But this time we get to be inside Darcy’s head. This time, we get to see what we only assumed in the Austen classic. This time, we got to really see how similar our hero and heroine are. Not just because we’re supposed to infer it, but because we get both sides. This was one of the greatest joys.
I loved this retelling (if I haven’t gushed enough up until now). I loved the language, I loved the dialogue, I loved the sprinkles of original verbiage, and I loved the inner-monologues of both Laney and Liam. Reliving this story was wonderful and I immediately told my fellow Austen loving friends to queue this one up, because I know they’re going to also enjoy it as much as I did.
So now that I’ve inhaled this story, if you need me, I’ll be spending time with Matthew Macfayden while he tells Kiera Knightley that she has bewitched him, body and soul. I’m sure you understand.
I Promise You by: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Fiction, Sports, Contemporary Novels, Romance, New Adult, Academic
“This is the real me, football player. A little wild, a little scared of you.”
Ummmm well she did it. Ilsa Madden-Mills wrote an even better Waylon U book than I Hate You (which was even better than I Bet You, which was even better than I Dare You. They keep getting better).
Dillon and Serena’s story was heartfelt, hilarious, and honest. I loved every minute I got to spend with those two. From the Oreos at the Piggly Wiggly to disastrous paintball war, these two were adorable together. It was an honest, heartwarming relationship.
Dillon wasn’t your typical sports alpha. An alpha, sure, but he wasn’t cocky or self-assured. Instead, he was dedicated and trying. He knew he had to prove himself, both on the field and in life (especially with Serena). He was fantastic and someone that every reader could cheer for. I also loved how absolutely superstitious he was. The man knew what worked and what didn’t and nothing was going to keep him from achieving his dreams.
Serena was also an incredible character. A heroine who went through some shit at only 26 years old, and was doing her best to get back on track. She gets sucked into Dillon’s world through both fate and circumstance. It’s watching them get to know each other (Dillon is persistent). Her family was a hoot, and Serena did nothing but try her best to protect herself and her family.
I also love that Ilsa wrote these two as a real couple (if that makes sense?) They fight and make up. Their friends interfere and their family keeps throwing them in situations that force them to communicate. At the end of the book, their big blowout (you know the formula) was predictable in reason, but not in how it was written. It was honest, it made sense, and I appreciated it. There’s so much well done in this book that it made me cry that much more.
Overall conclusion:
I cried a lot reading this book. Happy tears, sad, tears, HOW DARE YOU tears, etc. Just a lot of tears.
“How is it possible that our planet continues to spin with billions of people, yet it feels as if we are alone in this moment?”
I mean, COME ON.
I really enjoyed this book and suggest you add it to your now growing list of contemporary novels to read. The Waylon U universe is amazing, and I loved being able to spend time there again around that magical bonfire. Serena and Dillon sucked me in from page one, and I highlighted so much of this book so I could remember my favorite bits, that I doubt I left anything untouched. Well written, emotional, sharp and witty, and just so much fun! Ilsa is an auto-buy author for me for a reason, and books like I Promise You make it easy to understand why.
Mistletoe and Mr. Right (Moose Springs, Alaska #2) by: Sarah Morgenthaler
Fiction, Romance, Contemporary Novels, Romance, Women’s Fiction
After finishing the Tourist Attraction and finding out that Lana was getting her story, I was P U M P E D. I really enjoyed the first book, even if it was long, and was excited to see how things would pan out for Lana in Moose Springs, a place that she considered her home-away-from-home. (And no, you don’t need to read The Tourist Attraction first, but I do recommend that you do).
I liked this book, a lot actually. Way more than I anticipated. While I was excited for Lana, I didn’t think anything could top Zoey, and boy was I wrong. Lana was a delight (and in my head she was British just because she was so proper) and I just loved everything about her. I loved everything down to the soul of her, and especially enjoyed spending time with her while she ran amok (with Zoey) in Moose Springs.
Also, I really really liked Rick. I know I’m probably in the minority there, but he was a just simple man who wanted to be happy. I think at its core, that’s a beautiful thing to want. No, he wasn’t as hilarious as Graham, or as intriguing as Easton, but he was still himself. He knew what he liked, he knew what he didn’t, and he just kind of wanted to ‘be’. And he just kind of wanted to ‘be’ with Lana. Did I love his insecurities (especially when they reared their ugly head at the end)? No, of course not. But no hero is perfect, and they never should be.
Overall conclusion:
I loved a lot about this book, but one thing I wish Morgenthaler could nail is the pacing. These books just feel long. They’re fun and emotional, but also paced a bit weird. The slow burn felt SUPER slow (also forgot she was a fade to black writer), and then we flew through the ending. I think some of the earlier bits could have been shortened, so we could have had a much firmer and, honestly, more satisfying conclusion, but it is what it is. It’s not going to stop me from reading the next one.
Some high points to lure you in:
– taxidermy squirrels that move on their own
– a moose defending the town from Christmas decorations
– Jake the blind border collie
– Darla the hedgehog and her lil mittens
Long story short, I enjoyed my time in Moose Springs. I loved spending more time with Lana, I really did like Rick, and I liked the overall story of this one. I laughed so hard I snorted on a few occasions, and I cried so hard I gave myself a headache. All in all, a success.
*All Reviews by Kelly Wuyscik
Wanting to check out more of Kelly’s reviews and find more amazing romance books? Visit @andkellyreads via Instagram & Goodreads
*Disclaimer: The books mentioned in this blog were gifted to Kelly in exchange for her honest reviews.
