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Book Review: Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen

Feb 8, 2018

Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen

Pages: 452
Publish date: 12 February 2018
Publisher: Rennie Road Books
ASIN: B077RVCP6M
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.

For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.

When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together.

Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?

Brookylnaire:

I received an e-arc of Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen from the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I loved this book. I loved this book so damn much! I’ve nearly read all of Sarina Bowen’s books now and this has to be one of my favourites. It’s fun, beautiful and put a smile on my face. It’s friends to lovers, and it’s done so well.

Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen follows Nate and Rebecca, two colleagues turned friends as they try and navigate their lives after they share a moment together. It’s a romance that the readers have seen a glimpse of from the Brooklyn Bruisers series by Sarina. Nate and Rebecca have known each other for about 7 years when the book starts off and it was great to see their relationship move from friends to something much more.

Nate is basically the best human ever! He was adorable and took my heart away. The reader was able to see his feelings for Rebecca grow and it just so nice to see. It was also nice to see a somewhat manly man care and adore Rebecca so much – and he didn’t care. I loved how his friends teased and while he tried to act chill, the reader is able to see that Nate doesn’t care that people can see that he likes Rebecca.

I loved that Nate took care of Rebecca after her accident, it was great to see that he was aware and paid attention to what was going on in her life. And while it did seem like her hovered a little, it was because he cared. He wanted Rebecca to have the best care that she needed. It was nice to see someone with money use it for good.

I enjoyed Rebecca as a protagonist just as much Nate. She is sassy, strong and just made me smile. After Rebecca’s accident on the ice, she feels lost. She can’t work, she can’t stand without feeling dizzy, she just wants things to go back to normal. It was hard to see Rebecca struggle with this. She wants to go back to work and do things with her life – but her health stops her. While it’s only temporary for Rebecca, I could totally connect with her.

The romance in Brooklynaire was totally adorable, I couldn’t deal with it. I loved how it turned from friendship to romance slowly – like 7 years slowly. I liked how they were both hesitate, but when it came to it, they both gave it. One of the great things that the reader gets to enjoy is the flashbacks to some of the key moments in Nate’s and Rebecca’s relationship. I loved seeing how much they cared for one another but didn’t admit it to one another, but then it slowly come together.

The only problem that I really had with Brooklynaire was that I really wanted more interaction between Rebecca, her family and friends. At the start, we get a good glimpse of Rebecca and her sister, but from then on – there isn’t much interaction. I wanted to get to know their relationship more, but I didn’t get that. The same goes for Rebecca and Georgia. They are supposedly really close and there was some girl talk – but I just wanted to see them together not for ‘big news’ talk, but more. However, this was only a little nick in a fantastic story.

Overall, I loved Brooklynaire. It’s got the classic Sarina Bowen steam with a beautiful romance to go along with it. Nate and Rebecca were adorable and I loved seeing their friendship turn to love. Brooklynaire explores love, friendship and finding your ground. It’s fun, heartbreaking and loving at the same time. Brooklynaire is a novel that will appeal to all romance lovers.

Have you read Brooklynaire yet? Are you planning on reading it? What did you love about it? What are some of your favourite friends to lovers romances? Let’s Chat!

Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest

Feb 6, 2018

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. Each week they post a new Top Ten list that members at The Broke and the Bookish will answer. Everyone join as you please. This week’s topic is Books That Have Been On My TBR the Longest.

So, this was hard. At the middle of last year, I went on a cleaning spree of my Goodreads ‘to read’ shelf and got rid of a lot of books. It was a great feeling, but in doing that a lot of books that have been on my tbr for years are gone. So most of the books on my tbr now are from the last couple of years.

I’ve got a really bad habit of adding books to my tbr and then completing forgetting about them when they come out. It’s a bad habit that I hope to fix, but you and I know both know that won’t happen.

So today, I thought I would share the books that have been on my Goodreads tbr the longest. Some I own, most I don’t but here we go.

The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray: This has been on my tbr since it came out, I have 2 copies and I still haven’t read it. I don’t even know why. I think I will love it. It’s historical fiction, fantasy and a mystery. So many things that I love.

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols: I added this one to my TBR when I first started reading contemporary romance. At the time I don’t think I would have liked it, but now I think I will love it. Hopefully, I can pick it up soon. A fun romance that involves a cop!

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: This has been on my TBR since I heard Laurie a couple years ago. I think it’s going to be a heartbreaking novel that’s going to tear me apart. But I also that it’s going to be honest and breathtaking.

In Honor by Jessi Kirby: A road trip that focuses on grief. Ah, this novel is going to tear me apart. But that’s why it’s on my tbr. I love road trips that not only helps the protagonist deal with life but let themselves fall in love.

Kiss Kill Vanish by Jessica Martinez: A YA thriller – yes please! As soon as I read this synopsis I knew that I had to read it – but it’s yet to happen. Mostly because I don’t think it got published here in Australia, so I just never got around to it.

Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeleine Kuderick: I feel like this is going to be heartbreaking, but really impactful all at the same time. I think that books like this are so so important and I want to finally pick it up.

Clipped Wings (Clipped Wings #1) by Helena Hunting: A new adult novel that sounds haunting, beautiful and will tear me apart. I feel like these characters will take me on a ride of ups and downs.

Spark (Spark #1) by Rachael Craw: I’ve only ever heard amazing things about this one and I don’t even know why I haven’t picked it up. Like I have no excess. At all. Expect maybe because I don’t own it.

Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer: This was on my TBR before I read Letters to the Lost and I still haven’t read it. Again I have no reason. This one seems like another heartbreaking but wonderful read.

And that is it! What are the books that have been on your TBR for ages? Do we share any that’s the same? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard

Feb 1, 2018

Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard

Pages: 384
Publish date: February 8th, 2018
Publisher: Pan Macmillian Australia
ISBN: 9781509852864
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

Eden McKinley knows she can’t count on much in this world, but she can depend on Bonnie, her solid, steady, straight-A best friend. So it’s a bit of a surprise when Bonnie runs away with the boyfriend Eden knows nothing about five days before the start of their GCSEs. Especially when the police arrive on her doorstep and Eden finds out that the boyfriend is actually their music teacher, Mr Cohn.

Sworn to secrecy and bound by loyalty, only Eden knows Bonnie’s location, and that’s the way it has to stay. There’s no way she’s betraying her best friend. Not even when she’s faced with police questioning, suspicious parents and her own growing doubts.

As the days pass and things begin to unravel, Eden is forced to question everything she thought she knew about the world, her best friend and herself.

Goodbye, Perfect:

I received an arc of Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard from Pan Macmillian in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

There are going to be some spoilers in this book review. It’s really hard to talk about Goodbye, Perfect without spoiling certain themes.

I hadn’t picked up a book from Sara Barnard before I read Goodbye, Perfect but now I am intrigued. I have a love/dislike relationship with this book. For the most part, I really enjoyed the book, but then there were parts that just didn’t sit well with me.

Goodbye, Perfect follows Eden who thought her life was going pretty well and then her best friend runs away. 5 Days before GCSEs Bonnie runs away with a boyfriend that no one knew about – one that shouldn’t be her boyfriend, their music teacher Mr Cohn. And Eden is the only one that knows of Bonnie’s location With the police and Bonnie’s family burning questions down her back – will she tell where Bonnie is or will she kill is a secret.

Eden was a pretty easy character to get along with. While it was hard to know why she hides things about Bonnie’s location, I can understand why. Eden is 15/16 and at that age, your friends are your life. It’s how you survive high school a lot of the time. Throughout Goodbye, Perfect the reader is able to see the struggle that Edge goes through holding in all these secrets. What makes it worse is that Bonnie’s lies keep on piling up and I think that puts a lot of pressure on Eden as well.

Goodbye, Perfect deals with the theme of student/teacher relationship. And it has a very honest outlook on the situation, but also very scary. Throughout the novel, the reader is able to see that Bonnie believes that she loves Mr Cohn. And nevertheless will do anything for him. There is also the fact that Mr Cohn also believes he loves Bonnie. But doesn’t realise what he is doing is wrong. Maybe. If Bonnie was over 18, and Mr Cohn wasn’t her teacher. I wouldn’t give a damn about the age gap – however being in the position of power is a whole new level.

Family was another massive theme of Goodbye, Perfect. Eden has a pretty good support system. Eden and her little sister are adopted, and they have pretty amazing parents. You don’t see that much in the novel, adoptive families that are great, so it was nice to see. Even though Eden has a rocky relationship with her older sisters, it was great to see them bond. It was nice seeing them getting to both know and understand each other. Eden boyfriend was also adorable! Them two together just melted my heart. While their relationship didn’t take over the book. It was there and he not only supported Eden but was just there for her.

Goodbye, Perfect also deals with growing up and trying to find your place in the world. I loved seeing Eden be a normal teenager; struggling with where she fits in. I liked that Eden wasn’t ‘smart,’ I loved seeing her study and not fit into the ‘norm’ of young adult students. I thought it was brilliant that she failed and had to try again – it made her that more real.

Overall, Goodbye, Perfect was a hard read. It explores family, friendship and doing what’s right. Eden struggles with the boundaries of friendship and how secrets can hurt a lot of people around it. Goodbye, Perfect is an emotional read that pushed characters to their limits. If you are looking for an intense and emotional read then this one is for you.