Isn't It Romantic?

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Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday
Published by Forever on January 7, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Summer camp just got a whole lot hotter in this enemies-to-lovers romance, perfect for readers of Tessa Bailey and Lucy Score.

Teddy Knight’s band has just broken up in spectacular fashion after his longtime bandmate and—he’d thought—closest friend decides to go solo. So when he’s offered a last-minute gig to fill in as an artist-in-residence at a summer arts camp—which comes with a lake cabin and lots of free time to work on a revenge album—he takes it. No matter that he knows nothing about nature, dislikes kids, and is generally a grump.

Gretchen Miller is having a mid-life crisis. Luckily, her summer job as the dance teacher at Wild Arts summer camp will allow her to drop out of society for a while. Having sworn off dating, she decides she’ll go into the woods and become a crone. She might skip the “luring innocent children to their death” part of cronedom, but she’s all for the “curse men” aspect.

Teddy and Gretchen clash from the get-go when he mistakes her for a fan, and she relegates him to the “entitled jerk” ash heap. Despite their determination to dislike each other, a wary friendship blooms as the magic of the woods starts to unwind them, and they spend long hours by the campfire talking about art, being stuck, and the idea of starting over. But woods are often filled with monsters, and Teddy and Gretchen will have to face their fears if they want to start over together.

With her 40th birthday quickly approaching, Gretchen was determined to avoid a midlife crisis. Her plan to accomplish this was easy - expand her empire and quit dating. She never had any luck romantically, but she was able to build a successful business all on her own. Everything was going to plan until Gretchen accepted an artist in residence position at an arts summer camp where she was forced to work with former rock star, Teddy. Though his grumpy persona initially put her off, Gretchen's affection for Teddy grew as they bonded over their shared childhood trauma and became each others biggest cheerleader. Would Gretchen be ready to bid Teddy goodbye at the end of the summer or would she risk her future for love?

I was excited when I started reading Into the Woods because it brought me back to the Canadian Boyfriend world. You all know I love returning to familiar places, and Rory made several appearances as well. But it was also easy for me to become a Gretchen fan. I loved her spunk and drive. She was resilient and kind, and as much as I admired her business sense, I wanted her to have it all.

And when I say "it all", I mean Teddy. Teddy was kind of off-putting at first. He had let his anger get the best of him with respect to his band's demise, and he was emitting some serious grouchy vibes. But as both Gretchen and Teddy settled into camp life, they found they had a lot in common and that the camp really was a place of great inspiration.

I loved the camp! I was a city kid and dreamed of going to summer camp (spoiler - I never went as a kid). It was a pleasure hearing about this magical place, and I could feel the creative energy being generated when Gretchen and Teddy collaborated with the kids and other camp staff. I also appreciated the effect their time in the woods had on their lives. It had Gretchen and Teddy rethinking some of their plans and finding new directions for themselves.

As expected, I came for the romance, and I thought Gretchen and Teddy were so well suited for each other. As much as I hate how unstable their childhoods were, I loved that it gave them insight allowing them to connect on such a deep level. Their banter and chemistry was also off the charts, so it was easy to see they belonged together.

Overall, I enjoyed going Into the Woods with Gretchen and Teddy. This was a beautiful bubble where they were able to grow and thrive as they fell in love.

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For One Night Only by Jessica James
Published by Berkley on January 7, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

GLITTER BATS REUNION CONCERT—SOLD OUT!

When two former bandmates—and bedmates—are thrust back into each other's lives in a fake dating scheme for publicity, they'll be forced to face the music.

After her recurring role in tabloid headlines, Valerie Quinn’s musical TV show is on the network chopping block. Desperate for good press, she hastily reassembles her wildly beloved pop punk band, Glitter Bats. A reunion concert could be the former lead vocalist’s ticket to a media makeover, especially if it renews public speculation around her iconic situationship with bassist Caleb Sloane.

The only problem? They haven’t spoken in six years.

Caleb had the makings of a rock god, but fallout from the messy Glitter Bats breakup left him broke, anxious, and resentful of the industry. But when Valerie shows up at Caleb’s doorstep with that devastating smile and a plea for help, he reluctantly agrees to put on one last show.

So what if the fandom assumes the two of them are back together too? They’ll play along. You know...for the press.

Making music together not only revives the harmony between them, but also the discord that led to the band’s downfall. With their futures—and the Glitter Bats—in the balance, can they survive a romantic reprise?

In an effort to rehabilitate her reputation, Valerie will reunite with the Glitter Bats for one night only. It had been six years since Caleb walked out on the Bats. The full truth regarding the breakup was never revealed, but fingers crossed that history doesn't repeat itself during this reunion show.

I have a special place in my heart for second chance romances, but I love them even more when the characters can get a second chance at something else. In this case, Valerie was hoping to advance her career. The media was very unfair to Valerie, but she was determined to change their view of her in a bid to get her TV show renewed. She didn't expect to feel so much magic when she was back with the band, and she especially did not anticipate the sparks that still flew between her and Caleb.

This second chance romance really called to me. Caleb and Valerie shared so many firsts. Though they grew during their time apart, they still loved each other, and THIS was why I needed them to be together. Obviously, I was rooting for them the entire time even when they were too blind to see the writing on the wall. All I have to say is BE PATIENT! 

Clearly, I adored the romance, but I also liked seeing Valerie rebuild some of her most important friendships. The Glitter Bats were her friends first, then her bandmates. They gave her the "home" and support she could never get from her own mother. Therefore, Valerie lost her "family" when the band broke up. She struggled in the spotlight and was often betrayed negatively, but I could feel her happiness when she was back with the Bats. It was not all smooth sailing as there were still some residual bad feeling involving the breakup and the distance Valerie kept for so many years, but like most families, they made up and made beautiful music together.

Expect some drama, probably more than the story needed, but be sure to enjoy the great mixed media bits. I loved all the social and blog posts as well as song lyrics that were mixed in with the story. I find that gave the tale more dimension, and these bits were also a great way to color the story.

Overall: I was thrilled to accompany the Glitter Bats on their reunion journey which was filled with music, friendship, drama, and a fabulous second chance romance.

*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

Which band reunion would you love to see?
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