Love is In The Air and Between The Pages

Carole E. Barrowman, English professor at Alverno College, author, and reviewer brings us romance novels this month. She says these tend to fall into several categories. 1. Friends to lovers 2. Opposites attract 3. Forbidden love 4. Thrown Together 5. Second Chance/starting over. Here are her picks and why 1. really good, actually by Monica Heisey (Morrow) This book is really good, actually. Heisey was a writer on Schitt’s Creek. This book definitely has that sensibility. It’s laugh out-loud funny (it remined me of an updated version of Bridget Jones’ Diary). Maggie, the narrator, has a sharp philosophical point of view on the world and on relationships. This fits in the starting over/second chance category. I adored this book so much. 2. Rosewood by Sayantani Dasgupta (Scholastic Press) I loved the author’s last book, Debating Darcy, a retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Her newest is a reimagining of Austen’s Sense and Sensibility about two sisters at a retreat run by the producers of a Bridgeton-like show. This is a YA novel with a wonderful cast of characters and a sweet love story. I think it fits into the stuck together category. 3. Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey (Avon) This opposites attract romance novel is a steamy read. Hallie is redesigning the gardens at an estate in a small town when her high school crush returns to town for peace and quiet to write a novel. Not happening. Not with Hallie around. Like a bag of Sour Patch kids, this book is sweet and pretty spicy. Of course, I devoured it fast.