Half-Blown Rose by Leesa Cross-Smith

A special thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Hachette Book Group Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Vincent, having grown up as the privileged daughter of artists, has a lovely life in many ways. At forty-four, she enjoys strolling the streets of Paris and teaching at the modern art museum; she has a vibrant group of friends; and she’s even caught the eye of a young, charismatic man named Loup. But Vincent is also in Paris to escape a painful betrayal: her husband, Cillian, has published a bestselling book divulging secrets about their marriage and his own past, hinting that when he was a teenager, he may have had a child with a young woman back in Dublin—before he moved to California and never returned.

 

Now estranged from her husband, Vincent has agreed to see Cillian again at their son’s wedding the following summer, but Loup introduces new complications. Soon they begin an intense affair, and somewhere between dinners made together, cigarettes smoked in the moonlight, hazy evenings in nightclubs, and long, starry walks along the Seine, Vincent feels herself loosening and blossoming.

 

In a journey that is both transportive and intimate, Half-Blown Rose traverses Paris, art, travel, liminal spaces, and the messy complexities of relationships and romance, with excerpts from Cillian’s novel, playlists, and journal entries woven throughout. As Cillian does all he can to win her back, Vincent must decide what she wants...and who she will be.

Cross-Smith's strength is in her immersive prose. She doesn't shy away from creating a strong female lead who (gasp!) puts her own passion above everything, even her family. Reeling from betrayal, Vincent—as in van Gogh—embraces her desires and sexual needs and what it means to be a woman, even while bleeding and emotional. (There's lots of period talk.)

But here's what doesn't work. Every character is not only attractive, but intelligent and interesting, which makes it feel like it's a script for a Hollywood movie. There are also no consequences for anyone's actions, least of all our heroine's (cue the ending). Meandering at times and manic at others, readers will be left feeling a little empty.

Half-Blown Rose is compelling, passionate, and beautifully written.  

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LEESA CROSS-SMITH is a homemaker and the author of Every Kiss A War, Whiskey & Ribbons, So We Can Glow, and This Close to Okay. 

Cross-Smith lives in Kentucky with her husband and their two teenagers.

All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle

A special thank you to Libro.fm and Hachette Audio for an audiobook listening copy, and Grand Central Publishing for a finished copy of the book.

Told through alternating timelines of then and now, we follow the captivating life story of Hubert Bird. 

Like his best friend Gus, Hubert immigrated from Jamaica for a better life in England. He wasn't prepared for the weather, the food, and the people—it wasn't always easy being a Black immigrant. But when he meets the love of his life, it all becomes worth it. As an interracial couple, Joyce and Hubert face many challenges but with their abundant love, they raise two children and have a home of their own.

After losing Joyce, Hubert is alone in his golden years. So in his weekly phone calls to his daughter, Rose, he embellishes his life—his stories are so elaborate that he has to keep notes. But when Rose surprises him with the news that she's finally coming to visit, Hubert is left scrambling to make real friends, and fast! 

With the help of his neighbour, Ashleigh, a single mother from Wales, Hubert manages to pull off the impossible and make lots of friends. But with the origin of his earlier isolation always lurking, will he ever get to live the life he's pretended to have for so long?

All the Lonely People is utterly charming, and full of heart. With compounding emotions of love and loss, it is also a comment on race and relationships. 

Hubert's life with Joyce was central to his being and his grief is isolating. And although the loneliness he experiences diminishes his character, his heart stays open just enough to make connections and find purpose again.

Gayle is an incredibly engaging writer and in spite of his main character being abrasive at times, there is a gentleness about the story. All of his characterizations are strong—his cast is as diverse as they are endearing. They are a true testament that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference. 

All the Lonely People celebrates a life well lived. Highly recommend!

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MIKE GAYLE has written for a variety of publications including the Sunday Times, the Guardian, and Cosmo. He is the author of thirteen novels, which have been translated into more than thirty languages. 

Gayle resides in Birmingham with his wife, two kids, and a rabbit.

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

A special thank you to Libro.fm and Hachette Audio for an audiobook listening copy, and NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In an understaffed and overwhelmed hospital in Dublin, Nurse Julia Power cares for the expectant mothers that have come down with the terrible new Flu. They are quarantined together in a supply room that has been converted into the Maternity/Fever ward.

Julia is given a volunteer, Bridie Sweeney, from a nearby convent to assist her—she is a quick learner and eager to please. With Bridie's help being immeasurable to Julia, the two quickly form a bond. There are also very few doctors available so the hospital has allowed a woman doctor, Kathleen Lynn, who is rumoured to be on the run from the police. 

Through their seemingly impossible work, these women change each other's lives all while ushering new life and fending off death.  

Set during the war, The Pull of the Stars takes place almost entirely in the same room over the course of a few days. Donaghue's latest work is more than a story about a pandemic, it is also about the suffrage movement, birth, and religion. The women in this book are soldiers in their own right, they are fighting their own war against the Flu (pregnant women were more susceptible) as well as against the abuse of power at the hands of men, the very ones that are supposed to love and cherish them. Nurse Julia cares for women from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter what their backgrounds are, their suffering is all the same as are the expectations to have as many babies as possible which was thought of as a way of showing love to their husbands. 

Bridie is a character filled with hope. Although she provides optimism, Bridie has it the hardest. Blossoming under Julia's care and encouragement, she is thrilled to be given any type of responsibility and for the first time in her life, Bridie feels useful and hopeful. Another important character is Dr. Kathleen Lynn—who was an actual person—a rumoured Rebel on the run from police. Although she doesn’t have a lot of page time, she really propels the plot and I wanted to learn more about her and find out what happened to her.

Donoghue does not use any punctuation. This is a huge pet peeve of mine because I never understand why someone would willingly choose to distract and confuse their reader. And who decides this? Is it the writer, or is it the editor? But it works for this novel because it creates flow—the dialogue is like a current that sweeps the reader along without a pause to allow emotion or thought. It is an unconscious stream of dialogue and prose.  

The covers for this book are fantastic: the US version has Julia's pocket watch surrounded by the symbols that she etches into it and the Canadian and UK covers have four magpies. According to the "One for Sorrow" nursery rhyme, one magpie means sorrow (Julia's brother), two magpies mean joy (the front cover has two), three magpies are for the girl,  and four magpies are for the boy (there is one on the spine and one on the back which makes a total of four and I'm not going to spoil who the girl and boy are).

Although I found the ending hopeful, there was a romantic subplot that came out of nowhere. And for me, this is the difference between four and five stars because I felt that this was a plot device for another character's growth that wasn't necessary.

Rich in historical detail, The Pull of the Stars is an exploration of nursing, illness, maternity, and above all, hope.

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EMMA DONOGHUE is a writer of literary fiction, historical fiction, short stories, and fairy tales. She is best known for The Wonder, Frog Music, Slammerkin, Akin, Life Mask, Landing, The Sealed Letter, Stir-Fry, Hood, and Landing. Her international bestseller Room was a New York Times Best Book of 2010 and was a finalist for the Man Booker, Commonwealth, and Orange Prizes. It was also made into an Oscar nominated movie starring Brie Larson (who won the Oscar for Best Actress).

Donoghue was born in Dublin but now resides in London, Ontario, with her partner and two children.

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez

A special thank you to Libro.fm, Hachette Audio, Hachette Book Group Canada, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for an ARC/audiobook listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

On her way to visit the grave of her late fiancé, artist Sloan Monroe nearly hits a dog when he dashes out in front of her vehicle. When she stops to check on the dog, he jumps onto the hood of her car and then into the car through the sunroof. After getting a ticket for obstructing traffic, a visit to the vet, several unanswered calls to the number on his collar, and posting his picture everywhere with no response, Sloan decides to claim the dog. He turns out to be just what she needs to distract her from her grief.

Jason Larsen, dog owner, is off the grid in Australia and is shocked to receive Sloan’s many messages. After proving that Tucker is indeed his dog, and that he didn’t abandon him (his sort of girlfriend was supposed to be looking after him), he negotiates for Tucker to stay with Sloan while he finishes up his trip.

The two begin flirty texts that morph into long phone calls with the promise of a face-to-face meeting. When Sloan discovers that Jason is actually Jaxon Waters, the singer of "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," she's completely blindsided. This is the song that Sloan couldn’t stop watching the animated video for after her fiancé, Brandon, died. Jaxon's music haunted her, it spoke to her soul, and it brought her so much comfort during the darkest period of her life. Could this be fate?

Utterly charmed by Tucker, and Jason’s patience and kindness, Sloan falls in love. Plus he's super hot! But Jason’s label has other plans as to who he should be dating now that he is on the cusp of superstardom and embarking on a major tour. Touring with Jason also means that Sloan will have to abandon her art that she has just started getting back into.

Is Jason worth the sacrifice? Can Sloan handle what could seemingly be another heartbreak?

Opening with an epic meet cute, Jimenez sets the tone for the perfect rom-com. However, after starting the book, I quickly abandoned it to read Jimenez’s debut The Friend Zone and I’m so glad I did because I was able to fully appreciate the back story. Fans of Kristen and Josh will be thrilled with this book—the  couple get lots of page time as Sloan’s support system while she navigates her grief and her new relationship.

What I loved was how Jimenez pens Sloan so carefully—she is a character that is completely broken by grief and is simply existing. I encourage you to read the incredibly touching inspiration for this book in the acknowledgments.

The only thing that didn't work for me was the whole crazy ex subplot. At times it felt a little clichéd and overly dramatic. I'm wondering if Lola will be the subject of a different book which is why she was given such a big part?  

This book has all the feels, it is emotional, raw, and just plain funny. I adored the witty banter and Jimenez has an impeccable ear for dialogue. The Happy Ever After Playlist is heartfelt, flirty, and fun.

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ABBY JIMENEZ is a Food Network champion, motivational speaker, and contemporary romance novelist.

Jimenez currently lives in Minnesota.