grief

Promise Me Sunshine

Promise Me Sunshine released earlier this month, thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

This was a beautifully written, tender story about a woman learning to live again after a devastating loss. 

Lenny’s best friend in the world, her person, passed away and her world is just absolutely rocked by it. She’s living in a cycle of temporary nanny gigs, afraid to make a commitment to anyone, and also afraid to return to her apartment she shared with her friend so she wanders the streets and sleeps on public transportation. She meets Miles, uncle to one of her charges, and he offers to help her work through her “live again” list, while she helps him bond with his niece. 

The grief was handled so beautifully – both characters have suffered losses but are at different stages in the grief cycle and I just thought the representation felt so real and authentic. They bonded over their grief but also helped each other work through it. Despite all the grief, there was still humor and a bit of romance throughout. 

The blurb says it’s a romance, and I’m not quite sure I agree with that – it definitely read more woman’s fiction to me, with a romance that kicks in ⅔ of the way in (at least for Lenny. Miles was obviously in love with her from the beginning)

It didn’t quite top Ready or Not for me, but I did like it a whole lot! 

Unloved

Unloved is one of those books that’s been on my TBR for years and years. I can’t remember how it got there but when I saw it was now in KU I finally decided to read it and I’m so glad I did.

I am an absolute sucker for a true forced proximity romance – in this, the FMC is attacked and injured by a fellow hiker on a hiking trip, and the MMC swoops in to save her. He takes her back to his secluded cabin and nurses her back to health, until her wounds have healed enough to make the treacherous journey back to civilization. 

It’s not always an easy story, both have traumatic backstories revolving around violence that are explored via flashbacks but it was a lovely romance nonetheless.  

Cass is my favorite kind of hero, broken and secluded but ultimately caring and full of so much love. He lives off the grid, totally alone, because believes it’s best for society if he is not a part of it. His dad was a terrible man who did terrible things, and he’s worried those violent genes are a ticking time bomb in him. 

Brynn is also a bit of a hermit, her fiance died years ago in a violent act and she’s having trouble moving forward. They were so sweet together, Cass tried so hard not to fall for her but the forced proximity did its magic and they just couldn’t stay apart. Both characters were so resilient and I just genuinely liked them a lot.

It was a bit instalove and crazy dramatic at times and I ate it up. It was also heartbreaking, heartwarming, and emotional. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am now dying to read the author’s entire backlist.

TWs: death of a loved one, grief, violence, gun violence, cancer