JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Young baronet Robin Blyth thought he was taking up a minor governmental post. However, he’s actually been appointed parliamentary liaison to a secret magical society. If it weren’t for this administrative error, he’d never have discovered the incredible magic underlying his world.

Cursed by mysterious attackers and plagued by visions, Robin becomes determined to drag answers from his missing predecessor – but he’ll need the help of Edwin Courcey, his hostile magical-society counterpart. Unwillingly thrown together, Robin and Edwin will discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles.

Freya Marske’s debut novel A Marvellous Light is both fantasy and queer romance, set in early 1900s Edwardian England. The confident — but slightly clueless — Robin Blyth finds himself thrust into the hidden world of magic and the victim of a curse he can’t control.

Readers will enjoy the premise of the novel, the integration of magical realism throughout the story, and the leading characters Robin and Edwin. Both these men are grappling with the situation before them — Robin, determined but ultimately in over his head, and Edwin, unfortunately plagued with meagre magic and constantly tormented by his siblings.

Notably, this is the first book in a planned series, and Freya does leave much to be answered. There is enough world-building in this as the first book, but still much to be explored in sequels.

“Robin’s second impression was that Lord Hawthorn had also been visited by disruptive thieves during the night, because the room into which they were led was a morass of belongings strewn over every surface.”

Family dynamics is a strong element in this story — how Robin and Edwin both interact with family amidst society. I can’t quite explain it, but this book feels suited to seasoned readers — those who know exactly what they’re looking for in a novel. Those who love genre fiction and romance, and unsuspecting characters thrust into an alternate world that they’re ill-prepared for. Personally, I found the opening of the novel quite slow and impenetrable, but admittedly it got better as it went on.

When Robin is attacked by thugs and finds himself cursed, he must work together with Edwin to end the curse and find the object these thugs are so desperate to uncover. Stylistically, Freya writes in third person but moves back and forth between Robin and Edwin’s POV. Freya’s writing is sharp and succinct — her description allows for emotional and depth, without being fluffy or over-the-top.

“Edwin settled himself back against the leather of the seat. It was real. The rattle of the window in its frame was real. Robert Blyth was not exactly imaginary — no, he was too solid, too broad-shouldered, his voice too loud and too warm: the voice of someone who’d never had cause to make himself smaller.”

Admittedly, I felt that the blend of magical realism and romance was not seamlessly executed. Moments of romantic tension seemed so far removed from the plot lines that the core mystery of the novel seemed forgotten. There’s a sequence of sex scenes in the middle of the novel that didn’t feel easily embedded — the rest of the novel centres entirely around the mystery element that I felt quite surprised to find sex scenes in the novel at all. Whilst they were sensual, and I’m sure they’ll be appreciated by some readers, I’m not sure they fit easily into this book where they are.

“Excitement crawled over Robin’s scalp. He didn’t think Courcey actually meant him any harm; the man was far too prickly. If he’d been trying for charm Robin might have been worried.”

Recommended for readers of fantasy romance, and perhaps magical realism. I wouldn’t recommend this book to reluctant readers. Readership skews female, 25+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Marvellous Light
Freya Marske
November 2021
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Loving Lizzie March by Susannah Hardy

Life is not going to plan for failed fashion designer Lizzie March, and then she finds herself pregnant to super-hot bad boy Jake Wheeler.

Convinced that he’s The One, now all she has to do is make him realise that she is The One for him!

But is it possible she’s been looking for love in all the wrong places? Maybe everything she has ever wanted is right under her very own stilettos.

Susannah Hardy’s debut novel Loving Lizzie March is a romantic comedy about life, love and friendship in your 30s. Lizzie’s relationship history is a bit of a trainwreck and her fashion career is on hold. Actually, it seems like her friendship with best friend Clem is the only stable element of her life, but even that’s starting to blow up. Lizzie’s life isn’t heading where she thought it would, and she needs to learn to take control.

Most of the humour in the novel is situational comedy, rather than humour in dialogue. We meet Lizzie as she’s stalking her colleague and former one-night-stand, climbing on top of his bin trying to find out he’s home or not. That opening alone sets the tone for the rest of the novel, and gives us a clear picture of who Lizzie really is.

I would’ve loved a bit more humour in her workplace, if there was capacity. She sells wine over the phone, which is kind of quirky. Her job at the call centre is used as a setting rather than a plot device, so we don’t really get much of a sense of her actual work at the call centre and that could’ve been an opportunity for even more humour in the novel. But I did like how Susannah set up the tension between Lizzie and Jake at work, as well as the other colleagues who weave in and out of the story.

“Most conversations with my mother centre around the same subject: Mr Right. And how and when I’m going to meet him. As far as she’s concerned, being thirty and single is a tragedy. She simply cannot understand why I haven’t been snapped up.”

Pacing is a strength in this novel, and I think that’s an important factor in women’s fiction — especially romantic comedies. We need to move through the story at heightened speed, and it needs to feel like a lot is happening. The protagonist’s life needs to feel chaotic in order to trigger self-reflection, and eventually, self-improvement. Being written in first person allows Lizzie to reflect on her life choices and acknowledge her mistakes. It also allows for an authentic voice to come through, and it aligns with the genre really well.

The nappy bag idea is cute, and the relationship between Lizzie and Clem is one of the strongest components of the plot. The majority of people who read this novel will be women and they’ll be able to relate to Lizzie and Clem’s friendship. It’s long-lasting and it’s secure, but there are also expectations that need to be met. Lizzie tends to railroad conversations and doesn’t really think about what Clem is going through, and Susannah has set up quite a complex dynamic between the two women that reflects everyday life. Their personalities certainly allow for interesting interactions — Clem is the sensible, emotionally secure, level-headed lawyer and Lizzie is…Lizzie.

“I’m thrilled with my idea. I’ve never had any sort of plan before so I’m already one step ahead. Now, all I have to do is be mysterious and aloof — occasionally resist the advances of a devastatingly handsome man to whom I’m pregnant, as well as incredibly attracted and desperate to marry. Piece of cake.”

There is a level of absurdity to the storyline, and things do feel like they wrap up a little too neatly. Whilst Lizzie does grow on the reader over time, she is quite unlikable in the beginning — and dare I say, certifiably bonkers. The segue into the drugs arrest was a bit bizarre, and shoe-horning the storyline about Cherie into the novel felt a bit unnatural. Sometimes the dialogue felt a bit inauthentic, like I couldn’t see the conversation playing out in real life.

But the intended audience for this kind of book won’t care about any of that. They’ll be glad to delve into an easy, light read. Something you could imagine reading on a plane, if we can ever go anywhere again. On a beach somewhere, far away. Loving Lizzie March will take your mind off all that’s going on in the world right now.

“After inheriting my nana’s sewing machine, I chose textiles as my elective and I loved it. My teacher, Miss Wilton, was fantastic. She was young, hip and inspiring, and encouraged me to really push myself and my creativity in all sorts of wacky directions.”

Heartwarming and heartfelt, Loving Lizzie March is for readers of women’s fiction and chick lit. Readership skews female, 25+

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loving Lizzie March
Susannah Hardy
July 2021
Pan Macmillan Publishers

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures.

But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train.

Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem…

Casey McQuiston’s One Last Stop is a heartwarming romance, the perfect long weekend or holiday read. Her previous novel Red, White and Royal Blue was an instant favourite of mine, so of course I was excited to read her latest release.

I’d recommend you go into this book without reading too much about the plot. I’ve actually removed some of the blurb from above to stop readers from knowing what the twist is. Because it’s quite unexpected in the book, and I think it’s a fantastic twist that works better when you don’t see it coming.

“And the thing is, in New York, everyone ends up worn down by the MTA and tourists and rent prices. Everybody’s seen it all. But that also means, sometimes, everyone is the smallest nudge away from delirium — from being trapped on the subway on a Wednesday morning and turning it into a ‘90s hip-hop dance party.”

When August moves into a NY share-house apartment with three other people, I instantly felt like I was reading about an episode of New Girl.

One of the strengths of this story — apart from its originality and characterisation — is the dynamic between August and her roommates. Conversations are funny and whip-smart, and dialogue captures all the personalities with ease. I found the friendships in this story just as interesting to read about as the romance that the story is centred around. Young women, particularly young queer women, will be able to see themselves in this story.

“There are two things coiled in August’s chest these days. The first is her usual: anxiety meets full-on dread. The part of her that says, trust nobody, even and especially anyone that pushes softly into the chambers of your heart. Do not engage. Carry a knife. Don’t stab them, but also, maybe stab them if you have to. The other, thought, is the one that really freaks her out. It’s hope.”

Admittedly, you do have to stretch your imagination to follow the storyline. The circumstances surrounding Jane become quite hard to believe as time goes on, and the ending is also a bit of a mind-boggle. But if you push past that, One Last Stop is a really moving story about love and how it can persevere even in the most unlikely of situations.

I’m glad this book is less thirsty than Red, White and Royal Blue. I probably loved Casey’s previous book more, because I loved the setting a bit more, but the only downside to Red, White and Royal Blue is the graphic, detailed, over-the-top sex scenes were a bit much for me and I found myself skipping them towards the end. But luckily this book has toned it down quite a bit, and whilst there are sex scenes, there are far fewer. Although, personally, I wasn’t a fan of the sex-in-public-on-the-subway scene. Yeesh.

“Jane talks to everyone, but she never misses August, always a few sly words or a quick joke. And August wonders if maybe, somehow, Jane thinks about it as much as August, if she gets off at her stop and dreams about what August is up to. Some days, when she’s working long hours or locked up in her room for too long, Jane is the only person who’s kind to her all day.”

Recommended for contemporary romance readers — those moved by young love, and that time in your life where you’re trying to figure out your life. There are elements of magical realism, speculative and sci-fi in the story, but if you go in unprepared I do think you’ll love the twist just as much as I did. Readership skews female, 16+

Thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

One Last Stop
Casey McQuiston
June 2021
Pan Macmillan Book Publishers

You Were Made For Me by Jenna Guillaume

The day I created a boy started out like any other.

Katie didn’t mean to create a boy. A boy like a long-lost Hemsworth brother: six-foot tall with floppy hair and eyes like the sky on a clear summer’s day; whose lips taste like cookie dough and whose skin smells like springtime.

A boy who is completely devoted to Katie. He was meant to be perfect. But he was never meant to exist.

You Were Made for Me is Jenna Guillaume’s second YA novel, another heartfelt rom-com for a teenage audience. I loved her first book, What I Like About Me, and so I was excited to pick up this next read.

Teenager Katie swoons over romance and wants her first kiss to be perfect, but she’s having trouble getting any guy to notice her. When she sculpts the ‘perfect guy’ and then wakes up to find him naked in her bed, she suddenly finds herself with not just a boyfriend, but the perfect boyfriend. He’s sweet, affectionate and absolutely adores her. He’s everything that she ever wanted — but now that she has the perfect man, she starts to doubt whether he is actually what she needs. Over the course of the novel, Katie learns what it means to have a meaningful connection with someone.

“I felt around on my bedside table for my glasses and slipped them on. They were still wonky, but they did their job. The room came into focus, and I got a proper look at the naked guy for the first time. He was scratching his head, his face placid, like he didn’t have a care in the world.”

You Were Made For Me explores themes of love, relationship and friendship, but also family, body image, grief, self-confidence and following your heart no matter where it leads you.

Young readers may recognise themselves in Katie — anyone who feels alone, perhaps lonely. Anyone who isn’t popular in school. Anyone who is craving the experience of a first kiss and feels like the perfect guy will never exist.

Jenna is skilled at crafting a premise that teenagers can relate to, and older readers can recognise and sympathise with. We were all teenagers once! Admittedly, the characters did seem younger than 16 at times. Katie and Libby are optimistic and positive, but perhaps a little naive. Katie’s reliable and dependent neighbour Theo seemed the most consistent in terms of age vs. personality. He was also one of the most likeable characters in the book.

“I don’t know why I was so shocked to see him there. I mean, he lived down the road, in one of the big houses by the beach. I’d seen him skateboarding past, usually with a package from the fish and chip shop next door tucked under one arm. But he’d never come in before.”

The chapters are short and the layout really accessible to young eyes. And inside this gorgeous front-cover design, Jenna’s latest read features a diverse cast of characters — culturally, physically and sexually — so young readers will be able to see themselves reflected in the pages.

“We were at the park down the road from Libby’s place to do our official Guy handover. I had to go to work, which meant Libby was on Guy duty for the day. I felt weird about leaving him and had been tempted to call in sick…”

Stylistically and structurally, the narration bothered me. It’s hard to explain, but the book is written in first person POV, as if telling a story to the reader, but every so often Katie’s best friend chimes in and the two start having a conversation. It feels very stilted and unnatural — a little awkward? I would’ve preferred the narration to stick to first person POV without the back-and-forth with the best friend.

Additionally, the girl-gets-a-boy-and-ignores-the-best-friend is a stereotypical trope I was a little sad to see in this book. And the fact that Katie’s boyfriend suddenly appears out of thin air and she’s able to hide this grown teenager from her family and her parents is a little comical.

I do think Jenna’s first book is a stronger read — the characters are a little more likeable and the book has a more seamless style and format. But young teenage girls will enjoy this story, the quirks of the characters, the quick dialogue and the absurdity of the premise. It reminds me a little of the Life-size film with Tyra Banks, which is showing my age.

Readership skews female, 12+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

You Were Made For Me
Jenna Guillaume
August 2020
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Fool Me Once by Karly Lane

Farmer Georgie Henderson manages a cattle property in the New England region of New South Wales, but her dream has always been to buy back her family farm, Tamban.

When an unlikely meeting with Michael Delacourt at a rowdy B&S Ball sends them on a whirlwind romance, Georgie can’t believe it’s possible for life to be this good. For the first time ever, her dream of buying back Tamban takes a backseat to her happiness.

But her world shatters when she discovers the shocking secret Michael has been trying to keep from her.

Can Michael convince her they still have a future? And after having her heart so thoroughly broken, can Georgie ever trust anyone again?

Karly Lane’s Fool Me Once is rural romance fiction, set in remote New South Wales and exploring one woman’s journey to buy back her family farm.

At its core, Fool Me Once explores the concept of family and how that can be different for every person. Family is the father Georgie has lost, and who she desperately misses. Family is also her best friend Shannon, and her close bond with Harry and Matt, who she trusts and respects greatly.

Fool Me Once also showcases the importance of women in management roles (particularly within farming). Georgie is strong-willed and determined, and working to carve a career for herself in a male-dominated industry.

Rural romance has the ability to immerse you in another world, where communities rally together, loyalty within friendship and family are key, and the prospect of building a life on the land with someone else is exciting and enthralling.

“Georgie let out a long breath. How did he shake her carefully erected defences and common sense with just a look? She’d had her share of romances, but nothing serious and few that ever went anywhere other than the occasional movie or dinner.”

The setting will transport readers to the dusty, hot outback where lives are vastly different to our own. This is one of the biggest strengths in the novel, capturing the isolated and secluded Australian bush, but also illustrating that close bond that farmers share with their land and their select family & friends.

Georgie is relatable and readers will find sympathy in Georgie’s plight, and her determination to run a farm by herself and one day buy back her family farm.

Because its fiction, many romance fans will adore the methods that Michael goes to in order to win Georgie back, although personally I found him arrogant. He’s forceful at times, a little over-the-top with his emotions, and in real life I’m not sure how his actions would actually be received by a woman.

“He’d pondered what to do with the information for the past two days. The right thing would be to tell Georgie and get it out in the open. That’s what he’d decided to do, face to face, which was why he hadn’t waited until the weekend to come out.”

Stylistically, the book is written in third person but switches perspective between Georgie and Michael.

The intimate third person perspective allows us to see all sides of the story, and gain a deeper understanding for each character. We come to understand Georgie’s driven nature, her passion for the land, her vulnerability, and her gentle soul. We also witness Michael’s inner turmoil, his intense love for Georgie, and his determination to fix his past mistakes.

Fool Me Once demonstrates an appropriate balance between prose and dialogue, not bogging us down too much with exposition or description. Karly moves through some scenes at lightning speed, and it always felt appropriate for the story. The novel itself spans quite a long time period, and Karly manages the transition through time effortlessly.

“She smiled a sad smile and Georgie thought about the photos of the woman Harry used to have on the fireplace mantle. She hadn’t known Vera — she’d died more than thirty years ago — but she felt as though she had.”

Admittedly, as a first-time reader of Karly’s work, I found the story a little slow to start — the tension and pacing picked up as soon as Michael’s secret was out in the open, and since his secret is mentioned in the blurb I thought it could’ve been revealed a little earlier in the book to really propel us into the story sooner.

Additionally, the secret wedding in Hawaii felt a little unrealistic and unnecessary. Did it need to happen? If you take it out, the story could still function as the same. Michael still could’ve desperately tried to reunite with Georgie.

Seductive and satisfying, Fool Me Once is recommended for romance readers. There’s a lot of sex mentioned in the book — and deliberately corny pick-up lines — but I think young readers will also enjoy this. 16+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fool Me Once
Karly Lane
May 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers