If He Had Been with Me was everything and more to me. The story follows Autumn and Finn, childhood best friends who had drifted apart, but remained in each other's lives. The novel explores their unfulfilled love, as they both go through life and relationship struggles. I have read many romance books, but none had me so in love with the characters as this did. This book inspired me to remember that I have to face reality along with the idea of love.
Lynn Painter’s novel, Betting on You, is a sweet, fluffy, 2000s romcom in a book. Charlie and Bailey meet at the airport as the two are moving from Alaska to Nebraska. At first, they couldn't stand each other. Bailey is annoyed with Charlie’s outward obnoxious manner, while Charlie can barely tolerate Bailey’s uptightness. The two are forced to sit together on their plane ride. After this, they depart and never see each other again- or so they think.
Once Upon A Broken Heart by Stephanie Garber is about a girl named Evangeline who is heartbroken over a boy that she loved. He ended up engaged to her step sister, and Evangeline was deeply hurt. She finds the church of the Prince of Hearts, a mystical fate related to all things love and heartbreak, and prays that the marriage does not go on. While there, she meets a mysterious boy who turned out to be the Prince of Hearts himself.
Teenager Autumn navigates her way through high school beside loyal friends and a loving boyfriend. Throughout the book she reflects on her relationship with her former best friend and boy next door Phineas Smith, or Finny as she calls him. Finny and her were closer than siblings, but popularity and unspoken truths pushed them apart. Autumn's realization that she is in love with Finny causes problems as they rekindle their friendship. They are both in loving relationships, but that does not make their love nonexistent.
All the Jingle Ladies is a realistic fiction teen romance novel that follows the fifteen-year-old, Molly, through the Christmas season. Her family is the Brussel Shouts, also known as the band, that infamously wrote the song “Love Your Elf”. As a little girl, Molly dressed up as the starring elf in her family’s music video, not knowing how much embarrassment this would cause later in life. To avoid anyone recognizing her, Molly stays far away from anything Christmas, that is, until she meets someone.
John Green's The Fault in Our Stars is a poignant contemporary romance that follows Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old cancer survivor, as she navigates love and loss. Hazel meets Augustus Waters, a charming and witty fellow cancer survivor, at a support group, and the two quickly form a deep bond. While Hazel struggles with her fear of being a "grenade" that will hurt those she loves, Augustus is determined to live life to the fullest.
Aelin Galathynius continues down her path to reclaim the throne of Terrasen, yet war and enemies continue to loom ahead. As more Valg secrets are revealed, the possibility of Erilea’s collapse grows stronger, and Aelin fights to protect her loved ones and her people. With her unbelievable power and cunning mind, Aelin challenges the Valg King and undergoes a quest to save her land. This book may seem a bit daunting at first, at 720 pages, but the constant jumps between character perspectives keeps the reader engaged and constantly on edge.
Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch is a young adult contemporary romance set in Italy. Following her mother’s death, Lina is forced to move to Italy to fulfill her mother’s dying wish and get to know her long lost father. All Lina wants to do is go home until she receives her mother’s old notebook and stumbles upon a trail of clues making up a mystery she’s determined to solve.
Reckless by Lauren Roberts is a young adult romantasy that is the sequel to BookTok sensation Powerless. Much like Powerless, Reckless follows Kai and Paedyn as the two main characters, however, we also receive a third POV from Kai’s brother Kitt. To avoid spoiling the plot for anyone who hasn’t read Powerless, I’ll jump right into the pros and cons.
American Royals is a realistic fiction young adult novel that follows the royal family of America, the Washingtons. The book mostly centers around the oldest daughter, Beatrice, who is preparing to become America’s first queen. The younger sister, Samantha, is always in the shadow of Beatrice and is trying to stand out. While her twin brother, Jeff, is trying to figure out what to do with his life.
