We Live and Breathe Books: Library Loans

The Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen
Published by Berkley on January 28, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
four-half-stars

Goodreads

After a case of mistaken identity and an almost one-night stand, two stranded wedding guests have to find their way to their final destination together, in this riotously fun debut romance.

Ada’s little sister is getting married. Which should be a happy thought, right? But the once close sisters have been in a year long fight, the wedding is all the way in Ireland, and Ada is so broke that she just barely managed to get a ticket on a budget airline. And as if things couldn’t get worse, said airline just cancelled her connection. Which means Ada is stuck in London with no way to make it to the wedding.

Surely she’s hit rock bottom?

So, there’s no reason for her not to spill her heart out about the over-the-top wedding, her sister’s worryingly quick engagement, and the womanizing best man she’s dreading meeting to a handsome also-stranded stranger at the bar. Until she realizes the stranger is headed to the same wedding. Oh, and he’s the infamous best man.

Now, Jack and Ada must put their simmering attraction behind them to make it to Belfast before they miss the nuptials. But between flat tires, missed trains, and suspect hostels, Jack and Ada start to question whether their feelings are worth going the distance, or just a distracting detour along the way.

While traveling to her sister's wedding, Ada encountered multiple setbacks. Determined to make it to the church on time, she joined up with Jack as they fought against the weather, missed connections, and broken down vehicles to get to the church on time.

This book is a cautionary tale NOT to take a budget airline. A canceled flight kicked off this story that reminded me of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles but with romance. No lie, this was quite a stressful journey, but it was also very healing for both Ada and Jack.

Ada had sort of hit bottom. Ada lost her business, her boyfriend of eight years asked for a break, and now her sister had distanced herself from her. She was feeling low, but who would have thought man-whore Jack would be the person to help her through her personal crisis.

I was glad to learn more about Jack because he was very misunderstood and misrepresented. I swear! There is more to his story, so be patient and just let it play out. It wasn't what I thought (which was good), and he really was a total gem. Jack was a great source of encouragement for Ada though I did feel that they both really benefitted from their unexpected detour.

Speaking thereof, this was NOT an easy trip, but it did allow Ada and Jack to have some fun. Obviously there were the wild, rom-com antics that you expect when people are racing the clock to get somewhere, but there were all these fun and sweet moments too.

Overall, I enjoyed this mad-dash which was chock-full of humor and shenanigans and packed an unexpected emotional punch. I was very invested in Jack and Ada as I rooted for them to NOT miss the wedding and not to pass on opening their hearts to love.

The Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison
Published by Dutton on January 7, 225
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
four-half-stars

Goodreads

The extraordinary new novel by Jonathan Evison, about a married couple in their golden years, from when they met across big ups, deep downs, and survive-it-all, opposites-attract love

Abe Winter and Ruth Warneke were never meant to be together—at least if you ask Ruth. Yet their catastrophic blind date in college evolved into a seventy-year marriage and a life on a farm on Bainbridge Island with their hens and beloved Labrador, Megs. Through the years, the Winters have fallen in and out of lockstep, and from their haunting losses and guarded secrets, a dependable partnership has been forged.

But when Ruth’s loose tooth turns out to be something much more malicious, the beautiful, reliable life they’ve created together comes to a crisis. As Ruth struggles with her crumbling independence, Abe must learn how to take care of her while their three living children question his ability to look after his wife. And once again, the couple has to reconfigure how to be there for each other.

In this bighearted and profound portrait of a marriage, Jonathan Evison explores seventy years of big moments in subtle ways, elegantly braiding the Winters’ turbulent history with their present-day battles, showing us how the oddly paired college kids became parents, fell apart and back together, andgrew into the Abe and Ruth of today. Endlessly heartwarming and moving, The Heart of Winter is a reminder that true love lives in small, everyday moments.

In their 70th year of marriage, a couple must deal with a health crisis which will challenge them once again.

Seventy years! That was how long Abe and Ruth had stood by each others sides. They amassed many memories, some good, some bad, but all were part of their history together. The heart of this tale is Abe and Ruth's love story. Starting with their disastrous first date and then raising a family, they dealt with an empty nest, retirement, and aging side by side. There was plenty to ponder as I read through their past and present, but it was their love and dedication that captivated me. I thought it was very lovely.

These were people who took their vows seriously. In good times and bad, in sickness and in health, they were able to get through it. They continued to work on their relationship and themselves through all those years, and it was a beautiful life they built together. Not perfect, but full and rich in love.