The Happy Librarian
New Adult:
A developing genre of fiction with protagonists in the 18–30 age bracket
Something Blue
by Emily Giffin
Summary:
Following the smash-hit Something Borrowed comes story of betrayal, redemption, and forgiveness
Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: Her beauty and charm. Her fiance, Dex. Her lifelong best friend, Rachel. She never needed anything else. Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal.
Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempts to re-create her glamorous life on a new continent. But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply—and that her luck has finally expired. It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.
Review:
I'll admit, I did not enjoy some of the dynamics from Something Borrowed, the first book in this duology. However, I adore Something Blue and consider it one of my ultimate comfort reads! Readers will have no need to read the first book as this story stands alone. Often, coming of age stories are all about teens saving the world and growing older. But when a thirty year woman is still figuring her life out, it's incredibly relatable.
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Darcy struggles accepting her selfishness and must work hard to correct this character trait on a daily basis. Ethan is selfless but also a little self-riotous, constantly switching back and forth between supporting Darcy and struggling to acknowledge the improvements she's desperately trying to make.
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A coming of age story, a friends to lovers story, and a new mother story, Something Blue is the definition of a novel that 'gets you in the feels.'
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Key Elements: Young Mother, Coming of Age, Starting Over, London, Living Abroad, Friendship Dynamics [Adult Content]
Genres: Adult Literature, New Adult Literature, Romance, Women's Fiction, Contemporary
A Court of Thorns and Roses
by Sarah J. Maas
Summary:
When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a terrifying creature arrives to demand retribution. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she knows about only from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not truly a beast, but one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled her world.
At least, he’s not a beast all the time.
As she adapts to her new home, her feelings for the faerie, Tamlin, transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie she’s been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But something is not right in the faerie lands. An ancient, wicked shadow is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it, or doom Tamlin—and his world—forever.
From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read.
Review:
As a huge fan of fairy tale retellings, I was sucked into all the Beauty and the Beast elements scattered throughout the story. The slow burn between Tamlin and Feyre is drawn out a little too long, and Feyre makes many mistakes when trying to survive her new life in fae. Overcoming more than romance and politics, Feyre becomes responsible for the lives of too many creatures, a burden bestowed on her rather suddenly. Though Feyre does rise to the occasion, it brings into question the stability of the fae world. Something that will perhaps be explored further in the sequels.
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Key Elements: Family Drama, Poverty, Social Class Conflict, Loose Beauty and the Beast Retelling [Adult Content]
Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Retelling, Fae, New Adult, Paranormal
Lovehandles
by Holly Jacobs
Summary:
WLVH radio station lives by the motto "WLVH, Lovehandles, where love is more than just a song." They proved it over the summer when two contestants, Mary and Ethan, ended up falling in love and planning to marry.
Peter "Punch" O'Brien can think of a thousand other places he'd rather be than at their wedding. WEddings tend to do weird things to a woman's mind. He's nervous about his date getting the wrong idea. But it's not his date who's affected. It's Judy, his on-air partner, who gets a wedding whammy. Something changes afterward, and he's not sure he likes it. Suddenly all he can think about is...kissing her. Since Judy Bently is the most annoying woman he's ever met, kissing her should be the furthest thing from his mind.
Judy is very much aware of her partner's Casanova-like charms. No way is she going to fall under his spell. Things might have changed between them, but despite what her heart is telling her, she's going to do her best to change their relationship back to a simply on-air partnership. Because the only way an off-air partnership with Punch could end is with heartache.
Review:
This is the first adult romance book I ever read and I love that it is one of the more PG rated ones. Punch and Judy have such great chemistry and though the novel is short, there's still plenty of rich character development in the text. It's easy to see why Holly Jacobs is such a celebrated romance novelist. Her stories enrapture readers to fall in love over and over again, no matter how many times they read her work. Readers will be drawn to the fun radio show dynamic as well as the beautiful and unique way this love story unfolds.
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Key Elements: Romance, Contemporary, Basketball Coaching, Radio Shows [ Minor Adult Content]
Genres: Romance, New Adult, Women's Fiction