Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Matchmaker

➮ Friends to lovers

➮ Small town

➮ Miscommunication

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

Blurb

In this opposites-attract YA rom-com inspired by Emma, a failed romantic gesture puts a damper on a queer teen bookseller’s summer of book matching and matchmaking until a handsome lifeguard and romance skeptic waltzes into his bookstore. Sometimes you get a second chance at happily ever after when you least expect it...

Curvaceous, clever, and an avid reader, seventeen-year-old Bobby Ashton never misses a main character moment. So when it comes to asking out his crush, he plans a romantic gesture grand enough to go down in local history. Unfortunately, though, his extensive knowledge of every rom-com trope ever doesn’t prepare him for how tragically he misreads the situation. Suddenly Bobby’s very public romantic gesture turns into an ordeal so embarrassing it could be a villain origin story.

Having masterfully shattered every plan for his perfect summer before college, Bobby’s last resort is working at his uncle’s sleepy bookstore. Soon, Bobby is expertly recommending books for customers to perfectly cure what ails them. Attempting to rebound after a breakup? There’s a book for that. Trying to tame your crochety coworker? There’s a book for that too. Then a plot twist Bobby never saw coming walks through the door in the form of Luke, an unfairly attractive and staunchly anti-romantic lifeguard.

Bobby’s blossoming connection with Luke reminds him of some of his favorite tropes: grumpy sunshine, quippy banter, and even forced proximity. But after his last romantic disaster, should Bobby use all the tricks in his arsenal to turn Luke’s head? Or is he misreading all the signs again? Do grand gestures really need to be so…grand?

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

This one has all of the rep you could possibly ask for. It has gay, lesbian, pansexual, drag queen, and ally representation. Every queer character in this book is unapologetically queer and it is a notable part of their character. Some are much more open about their identity while others are more quiet about it which reflects real life quite well. 

My Thoughts

This story was so camp which definitely grew on me as the story went on. At first, I will admit, Bobby's blunders felt like a lot and were a bit of a cringe factor but Coccia let the rest of the story unfold in such a way that it totally made up for it and made for a surprisingly well-rounded character. 

Bobby went from a bumbling idiot to someone who sometimes actually looks before he leaps. The genuine character development is what made this story special. I was genuinely nervous at first that the only redeeming quality about him would be how purely camp he was. Luke was a true catalyst for him to grow simply by showing him another perspective. Their eventual communication was genuine and refreshing. 

Seeing an unapologetically gay and plus-sized MC was refreshing. I hope this openness and pride continue throughout more releases this year. It can make many queer people feel more seen in literature. 

My favorite character by far in this story was Gladys (the OG, read the story and you will know what I mean). Her wit and quips towards Bobby were the best. Seeing her slowly warm up was the best. Characters like her are one of my favorite microtropes. 

I received this book as an arc from Hear Our Voices. My review is honest and voluntary.

Game, Set, Matchmaker by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Matchmaker

➮ Best friend's brother

➮ Second chance

➮ Dual POV

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Small town

Synopsis

Game, Set, Matchmaker is a second-chance, opposites-attract, clean romance featuring a perfectionist heroine and her bad-boy ex who's actually super sweet. This book follows their happily ever after including a basket of kittens, leaf peeping, and the swoony feeling of falling in love with a perfect match.

Best Quote From the Book

“How do you leave a postcard-worthy town, Parker Manning, apple pie, and kittens? Not easily. Not happily."

My Thoughts

I was surprised that, unlike The Anatomy of Matchmaking, this book actually includes evidence that Gemma has matchmaking skills. I liked that this book showed her passion for matchmaking instead of just telling about it and not actually including much of it at all. 

The concept for the book is very similar to The Soulmate Equation and a few other science romances. It's all about how love can be boiled down into an equation or a formula. Thankfully as this book goes on, it is shown that love is more than that. 

I would say the style of this book is more like The Anatomy of Matchmaking than Digging Up Love With the Sheriff. With a strong small-town vibe and a greater focus on other characters in the story helping to push forward the plot. 

The setting for this book was absolutely immaculate. The small-town vibe felt very realistic and connected. As a person currently living in a small town, I can confirm that once you are connected to the town you know a lot of the people in it, or at least know somebody who knows somebody. The other people in the town had just the right amount of meddling and honesty to help push Gemma and Parker together without forcing anything. 

My biggest complaint is that for a good portion of the book, the majority of Gemma's personality is her obsession with her Perfect Match program and looking exclusively at the numbers. I would've loved to see more about her other passions, interests, or even just varied facets of her personality. 

I absolutely love Gemma and Parker's dynamic. Parker's character is an excellent laid-back contrast to Gemma's uptight nature. They balance each other out and play well together. I love seeing Parker tease her and get her to come out of her shell and let loose.

I would've loved to have seen the last portion of the book be expanded a bit. From the beginning, the book has a relatively slow pace. The last 15% of the book feels very packed together and lacks depth. That 15% includes the majority of the plot and action of the book so I wish there was more detail about it. 

As is the case with all of Evie Sterling's romances, there is absolutely no spice.

In sum, I recommend this book to fans of small-town, second-chance romances with no spice. The characters are interesting, the plot is entertaining, and the relationship dynamics make the reader feel like they are watching it all unfold in front of their eyes.

I received this book as part of a release team. My review is honest and voluntary.