This month, I did a lot of alternating between reading fantasy and romance (as my last post explained, switching up the genres helps avoid slumps). Starting a contemporary rom-com is like a breath of fresh air after leaving a rich fantastical world with life-or-death stakes. So in this article, I'm going to be ranking the six romance novels I read in May from lowest to highest, including my brief thoughts on each one.
6. The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams - 3 stars
This is a book that's going to appeal to a certain audience, that doesn't mind adults acting like literal 13-year-olds. It wasn't the worst romcom I've ever read – I liked Bree's personality, and her friendship with Nathan was cute, it just...very childish. If you're looking for a feel-good light read and you like adult romance, this will probably work fine. Just don't expect a literary masterpiece.
5. Seoulmates by Susan Lee - 3.5 stars
Seoulmates wasn't bad, but it wasn't memorable, either. The characters are a little two-dimensional, the writing is average. One thing I did appreciate was that the leading couple got into fights, argued, and made up within hours. The conflict was there but there weren't long, agonizing portions of the story in which we have to
listen to the characters be angsty instead of just talking it out like normal people in a healthy relationship.
4. Off the Record by Camryn Garrett - 4 stars
This is the first book on the list I truly enjoyed. It is technically a contemporary romcom, although the main story isn't the romance but the #MeToo movement (check TWs before picking up). It was a powerful story, but I think it could have been more so if it hadn't tried to do so many things. I felt like the author was trying to put an excessive amount of themes in one short book.
3. Long Story Short by Serena Kaylor - 4 stars
Shakespeare. Theatre camp. Rivals to lovers. Have I sold you yet? This was such a cute book, with especially good side characters. Beatrice is basically the same person as me, just to a way more extreme degree (plus math skills and a hate for theatre that I do not possess). It was fun to read about a homeschooled MC, which is pretty rare.
2. Julieta & the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu - 5 stars
This is the definition of 'book that feels like a Taylor Swift song.' Fun fact, I actually read this the day after its pub date – I was just scrolling through my TBR looking for romcoms and apparently when I added it I didn't realize it wasn't out yet! Anyway, it combines a bunch of different tropes because there are three potential love interests – and developing them all equally/giving them all credibility is an often difficult feat that the author manages to do very well.. While it's objectively well-written as well, one of the main reasons it ranks so high on my list is because it's a You've Got Mail retelling, which I can never resist. Also, bonus points for the Argentinian culture incorporated.
The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland
Fans of The Bachleorette will definitely enjoy this sweet coming-of-age story (though I've never seen it and loved The Jasmine Project anyway). I set out expecting a lighthearted, deliciously tropey romance, and while it delivered on that front, it turned out to be a much more heartfelt and genuine story about Jasmine's growth as a character, in self-esteem, and courage. I loved reading about her giant, hilarious, chaotic, and somewhat overbearing yet loving family. So much heart packed into a little 400-page package.
Have you read any of these contemporary novels? Which was your favorite?