I Read 5 Book in March: Rapid Reviews
Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch
Obviously, as a young adult novel, this is very clearly a PG rated romance novel. Because of that, you get two ratings!
16-year-old me would very easily give her a 5 out of 5 stars. If you’re an adult, you’ll probably give it a 3.5 out of 5 just because it feels like it’s missing something. Regardless, I loved this read and was happy to finally get around to reading it!
By no surprise to anyone, the book was better than the movie.
Love and Gelato just checked off all of the boxes for me.
Cute coming-of-age story
Cutesy romance
Summer in Italy / Sightseeing
Finding your family
Why is it that all of the good stories start off with dead parents? The world may never know, but this one starts just the same. After Lina’s mother passes away from cancer, she is left to fulfill her mother’s dying wish of visiting Italy and getting to know her father. Much to her surprise, he lives in a World War II cemetary and looks nothing like her.
Now in a foreign land with no one to turn to, all she has is her mother’s old journal from her own time in Italy to try get to the bottom of the truth that brought her there. Along the way she see’s beautiful sites, discovers delicious foods, and finds love and friendship in the place where she was once all alone.
A fast read with quirky- easy to love characters that I recommend to any young adult! It made me wish I could go to Italy myself and follow her steps around the city!
Favorite Quotes:
“You know how in English we say that people wear their heart on their sleeves? Well, in Italian, you saw, ‘avere il cuore in mano.’ You hold your heart in your hand.”
2.Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch
The 2nd in the Love & Other Detours series!
It was ironic at this point in my life that the second destination in this series is Ireland because I had never dreamed of going there or had any interest in it until my best friend moved there last summer.
While I wait for my bank account to fill up enough for me to go visit her, this was a great read for a future tourist of Ireland!
I will admit that I did enjoy Love & Gelato a lot more then I enjoyed this one but I am always determined to finish a series no matter what. 16 year old me would give this book 3 out of 5 stars. Adult me will give it a 2 out of 5.
Love & Luck is a story about heartbreak, family, and finding happiness.This story follows Addie (Lina’s best friend from the first book) and her brother Ian as they travel across Ireland to follow his favorite band… without their parents knowledge or permission. It’s full of close calls and hi-jinks from teenagers trying to live their best life while trying not to get caught breaking the rules.
Throughout the book Addie carries a big secret that has caused a wedge between her and her brother. All the readers know is that it involves a heartbreak that causes her to go on her own journey to follow a guidebook she finds, Ireland for the Heartbroken.
I am not a huge music person so that “groupie” part of the book was sort of dull to me but I enjoyed all of the great sites that they visit and the history behind them!
The bickering and fighting between siblings while simultaneously looking out for each other was my favorite as it was very relatable. Their friend and travel companion, Rowan did not seem too vital for the story and I feel like he could have been a great addition had his character had a little more oomph but their immediate family had all of that so it was a bummer that they weren’t in more of it!
Overall all not the best read in the world but a good addition to the series. Here’s hoping the third is better!
Favorite Quotes:
“I am the hero of my own story.”
The cringiest thing to read because I have this exact quote tattooed on my back. Thank you 18-year-old me who had access to Pinterest.
“Hearts break open until they stay open. It’s what they were made to do. The pain? It’s part of the deal. A small exchange for the wild, joyful mess you’ll be handed in return.”
3.Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh
Full disclaimer, please only read this if you are 18+.
(additional disclaimer: bullying, abuse, sex)
Because this is an adult book, you only get one rating. ADULT me would give this 4 out of 5 stars.
We are back in Ireland for this one!
This book has been circling Tiktok for a while but what brought me to finally read it was because it was recommended to me by a few of my sophomore students. After reading it, I was flabbergasted that 15-year-olds would be reading this. It is classified as a young adult book but it should really 18+ strictly. I’m not a prude, I know that 16-year-olds are having sex, but that doesn’t mean they need to be reading about it too.
Our main characters are Shannon, a 15-year-old transfer student at Tommen College who is just looking to survive high school after being bullied mercilessly at her old school. On her first day, fate brings her face to face with Johnny after he accidentally gives her a concussion with a rogue rugby ball.
Before her, he’s always been dedicated to his training and future in professional rugby but now he can’t stop thinking or worrying about Shannon. His previous sport injury continues to make his life and future career complicated. Even when he tries to hide it, Shannon sees right through him.
Even though she’s hesitant to their friendship, she can’t help but care about him. With her own dark secret at home shes toes the line carefully with Johnny. But no matter how hard they try, they can’t stay away from each other.
When they finally decide to try being together, family issues at home keep Shannon from fully opening up to Johnny. He wishes he could protect her from everything but what happens when the thing he has to protect her from is the thing that will tear them apart?
This was truly a page turner from start to finish and at no point did I find myself bored or did the story drag on. Probably my only complaint was that because Johnny’s injury was groin related- they talked way to much about his junk which added a layer of raunchiness to the story! Regardless, the author left this book at such a cliffhanger which I usually hate but she did it so well I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the 2nd book!
The only reason I did not give this 5 out of 5 is because I don’t think it’s one that I would reread or insist that other people have to read it (especially teenagers) but it had everything, yearning, action, suspense, feelings. It’s a book that’ll give you a good kick in the chest.
4.Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh
Did not even let a day go by before I picked up the 2nd part of this series!
We picked up right off of the cliffhanger that was Shannon’s complicated home life.
I loved all of the characters in this series right off the bat. All the tidbits we get from everyone really help set up the series and makes me excited to read all 6 of them.
In Keeping 13, everything finally comes out to light for Shannon and now she has to face her complicated homelife under the eye of everyone. Her family and friends all come together to create a strong support network for not just Shannon but her brothers too.
After another surgery, Johnny is able to recover and help Shannon but he can’t help but worry about how his time is running out to get back on the field and make his dreams come true.
Johnny and Shannon’s relationship faces more trials and tribulations but their love stays as strong as ever! We also get a lot more of Johnny’s parents in this one who are hilarious and adorable!
With just as much action, hilarious side characters, and raunchiness, this book was a great addition to the series! This book earned a 4 out of 5 for me again. It kept me hooked just as much as the first one and there were so many sweet and tender moments that I loved!
Even though this is only book 2 in the series, I feel that this gave us the perfect ending for Shannon and Johnny without a cheesy wedding and babies epilogue!
5.The Bride Test
As it neared my thirtieth birthday, I needed a break from the ‘young-adult’ novels.
This was a perfect one day read for me! It was cute, concise, and entertaining with a little side of spice!
4 out of 5 stars again because I did really enjoy every bit of it and I would recommend it to others but also, not sure I would pick up for a re-read.
Think sunshine meets grumpy but it’s normy meets neuro-divergent.
In Vietnam, Esme is just trying to make it through the day working as a housekeeper in a fancy hotel when she gets approached by a rich women seeking a wife for her son. At a chance to live a better life and go to America, she takes her up on the offer. What she didn’t mention was that her son was not looking for a wife, in fact, he avoided human contact as much as he could. Khai was autistic and enjoyed his alone time and having things just the way he likes them. He didn’t need someone coming and messing that up for him.
Once Esme waltzes into his life, he’s thrown off by how she fits in his world. Esme is surprised by how much she actually likes Khai and grows to care for him. If she wants to stay for good she’ll have to find a way to get him to do the same for her.
I loved this book because it was so easy to fall in love with each of the characters and their many quirks. Esme’s journey to America was also a great addition to the plot because she not only has to learn how to live alongside Khai but also integrate herself into the American lifestyle.
With cute (and funny) miscommunications, tender caring moments, awkward interactions, and great characters, this is a great read for romance readers!
Favorite Quotes:
“Everyone deserved to love and be loved back. Everyone.”
“He was a puzzle she never would have been able to solve if he hadn’t shown her how. Those were the best kinds of puzzles, though, weren’t they? The ones no one else could figure out?”
“She had that fire. She felt it. That was her worth. That was her value. She would fight for her loved ones. And she would fight for herself. Because she mattered.”
