#AmReading

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Just My Type by Falon Ballard
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on February 7, 2023
Age/Genres: Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

To win the job of her dreams, a relationship-prone journalist needs to learn how to stay single in this heartwarming and hilarious new romantic comedy from the beloved author of Lease on Love.

Lana Parker has never been single for long. After a disastrous break-up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Carson, Lana's bounced from long-term relationship to long-term relationship. She's an expert girlfriend, even acting as the resident dating and relationship columnist for one of Los Angeles's trendiest websites. But now, at the age of thirty, Lana suddenly finds herself single again, and she's determined to stay that way, no matter how challenging.

That is, until her high school ex, Seth, now a journalist in his own right, takes an assignment at Lana's site. Ready to put down roots after years of traveling and freelancing, Seth becomes not only Lana's colleague but also her competitor. With their combative relationship history--and undeniable chemistry--they quickly find themselves pitted against each other in a battle of wits: writing an article series that goes against dating type. For Lana, that means writing about staying single and embracing it. For Seth, it's learning to settle down and become boyfriend material. Whoever's is most popular wins a highly coveted columnist spot that either could only dream of. But when the two square off against one another, it's not only their careers on the line--it's also their hearts.

One of the things I try to do when I finish a book is to capture a few thoughts. When I finished, Just My Type, this was what I wrote:

Do you hear that sound? It’s my heart exploding from the last two chapters of this book. I had no doubts that Ballard’s follow up would delight me. Add one of my favorite tropes (second chance romance) and a very rom-com feel to the mix, and it was beyond successful. I tend to be a soft touch and to get very invested in my couples, but I feel I shed more tears for these two than I normally do. Their reconciliation was of vital importance to me, and I was very please with the personal growth Lana experienced as well. What a great way to start my reading year!

Needless to say, this book was a hit for me. The premise was one that my sappy heart adores – a second chance with your first love. Lana and Seth parted ways when they attended universities at opposite sides of the country, but they never stopped thinking about each other. Ahhh, the pining. But a not-so-ideal attempt to reunite at their high school reunion put Seth on Lana’s list of persona non grata. When Lana was paired with Seth for a relationship advice series, let’s just say, things got complicated.

The relationship series was such a fantastic and fun way to have Lana and Seth come to terms with their past while allowing them to renew their bond. Watching their interactions warm up, bit by bit, and seeing them share more and more with the other filled me with joy. There were a few heartbreaking moments as they shared more about their breakup, but the abundance of love and affection displayed by them put a perma-grin on my face.

In case you couldn’t tell, the romance portion of this book was a standout element for me. Combine with a fabulous cast of supporting characters and great personal arcs for Seth and Lana, I found Just My Type to be the total package for me.

*ARC PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

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The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh
Published by Pamela Dorman Books on March 1, 2022
Age/Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

From the New York Times bestselling author of Ghosted comes a love story wrapped in a mystery: an up-all-night page-turner with a dark secret at its core

I have held you at night for ten years and I didn't even know your name. We have a child together. A dog, a house.

Who are you?

Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she's told them about herself is a lie.

And she might just have got away with it, if it weren’t for her husband’s job. Leo is an obituary writer; Emma a well-known marine biologist. When she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – researching and writing about his wife’s life. But as he starts to unravel the truth, he discovers the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Even her name isn’t real.

When the very darkest moments of Emma’s past finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was . . .

But first, she must tell him about the other love of her life.

When asked by his boss to draft his wife’s stock obituary, Leo begins to uncover secrets from her past which may alter their future.

This is my second novel by Walsh, and the beauty of her books is the way she structures her stories. She unveiled the details in a way that kept me wanting more and delivered such big emotional blows. That is my cat nip, people. The book was also broken up into parts where Walsh would give me just enough information to keep me wanting more. Providing some resolution while feeding me bits causing more questions to arise.

I have seen this book labeled as a thriller. I don’t know if I would call it a thriller. There was definitely an air of mystery as Emma’s past was slowly unraveled and was filled with many twists, but I think my expectations for a thriller are a bit more heart-pounding. Nonetheless, this story pulled me in right from the beginning. I felt very invested in Emma and Leo’s relationship, and I wanted things to work out, but wow! Emma had a whole other life that she hid away. 

Ultimately, this was a story of love and forgiveness, and it was wonderfully told.

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