TESSA TALKS BOOKS

Romantic Suspense

• One-word review: Moving
• Emojis: 🤨🥰🫣
• Rating:  5🌟s

My thoughts:

Among the Heather by Samantha Young has solidified the author’s place on my auto-buy list. I loved this story! It had me feeling every emotion and then some at different points: it frustrated me, had me shedding a tear or two, and even had me on the edge of my seat for a while. How can I not love a story that can take me through all that in mere hours?

I also admired how the story tackles body image issues. It is respectful and full of empathy but shows how utterly frustrating those issues can be for loved ones. I found that to be authentically portrayed even in a situation that is anything but typical.

The relationships in the story – from the romance to the family bonds to friendships – all captivated me with their genuine warmth and love. I think I loved North even more than I did Aria. I was happy he could tell his story in alternating chapters with hers. They each describe their perspective, which is perfect for the pacing and the themes.

Among the Heather is an emotional tale that warmed my heart and had me longing to visit the coast of Scotland.

Romantic Fantasy

• One-word review: Captivating
• Emojis: 😍🥹🥰
• Rating: 5 🌟s

My thoughts:

There is something so captivating about how Allison Saft writes, and A Fragile Enchantment showcases that skill to perfection. I was instantly pulled in by the beauty of her words and the magical qualities of the tale unfolding, albeit a little slowly at first. Still, I was so mesmerized that I didn’t care.

The story is a regency-like romance between a seamstress who enchants the clothes that she makes and a reluctantly betrothed Prince who is the perfect grumpy to her sunshine. When she captivates him with her ability to see inside his heart, two nations stand on the brink of ruin. The direness of it all quickens the pace, especially towards the end. The themes based on royalty versus commoner (or classism) resound even in current events.

I also enjoyed the bit of Gossip Girl-ness with a mystery writer trying to shake up the political landscape for the better by posting all the dirt on the nobility. It adds a mystery to the story that I admit I figured out immediately but still enjoyed. And who doesn’t want a bit of scandalous gossip? It provides fun and intrigue that breaks up the romance aspect nicely. I would have loved to learn more about the magical world. Still, I was entranced by this story, the characters, and the beautiful writing.

Romantic Comedy (YA)

• One-word review: Charming
• Emojis: 💕🥱😑
• Rating:  3🌟s

My thoughts:

Our Cursed Love by Julie Abe is a magically charming YA rom-com that shows the perils behind fearing telling your best friend that you love him/her.

I enjoyed the two characters. They are sweet and earnest, which makes it easy to like them. But in saying that, they are also kind of beige or vanilla. They needed some significant elements to make each of them uniquely interesting. As I was writing this, I realized a key component was missing for me. I didn’t care, and in a story like this, the reader needs to care for buy-in to happen. If I felt that the characters had revealed their whole selves and piqued my interest that way, it would have made this much more of a possibility.

I did like the magical elements and the setting. A magical university in Japan is unique enough to pique my interest. And I wanted to see it and experience it for myself! But the pacing was torturously slow for my tastes, and I needed a bit more from the main characters.