Wulf's Book Reviews

Something Wilder by Christina Lauren My rating: 2 of 5 stars “Something Wilder” wants to be a second-chance romance, a treasure-hunt caper, and a desert survival thriller. Lily Wilder stages fake treasure hunts through Utah using the hand-drawn map she has from her father. Leo, her first love, returns with friends, and Lily’s map pulls them towards a real treasure hunt. The route back to the ranch and to each other soon becomes a violent scramble involving guns, knives, death, greed, and a suspiciously reusable set of villains. Attractive premise, poor execution. » An explosion detonated in his blood. « That sentence appears twice, in Chapters Thirteen and Fifteen; Chapter Twenty-One repeats the same blood-and-fire image twice more. The pattern feels less like a developing motif than a shortcut: whenever desire peaks, the prose reaches for combustion instead of letting the characters carry the scene. Romantic-adventure capers need momentum, danger, and protagonists whose choices becom...

The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce My rating: 3 of 5 stars I did not hate "The Ex Vows", but I found Georgia and Eli so persistently irritating that the novel never became more than a frustrating, middling read. Jessica Joyce still knows how to write atmosphere, banter, and emotional history, and the wedding-disaster setup gives the book enough momentum to stay readable. But the romance itself kept getting in its own way, and after a while I was less invested than exasperated. Georgia is frustrating in a very specific manner. She is so afraid of her own feelings, and so terrified that another attempt at this relationship might fail, that her caution gradually hardens into monotony. I understood where that fear came from, but understanding it did not make it any less irritating to watch her retreat from feeling over and over again. The novel clearly wants that fear to read as emotionally rich, yet for me it mostly read as repetitive. Eli annoyed me even more, because the book insis...

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur My rating: 4 of 5 stars After the disaster that the latest “Bruno” turned out to be, “The Fiancée Farce” was exactly the palate cleanser I needed: warm, funny, queer, and far more wholehearted than its knowingly ridiculous premise might suggest. On paper, a marriage of convenience is one of the oldest romance contraptions in the book. In practice, Alexandria Bellefleur makes it feel fresh because the romance is built not on trope, but on trust. What charmed me most was not simply that Gemma and Tansy want each other. It was that they begin, almost instinctively, to tell each other the truth. » these days, she was nothing if not brutally honest with herself « That matters. A lot of contemporary romances, including very good ones, still run on people withholding the one thing that would make the relationship real. “The Fiancée Farce” takes the more generous route. Tansy begins from a lie, yes, but the emotional shape of the novel comes from t...

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page My rating: 3 of 5 stars "This Book Made Me Think of You" has a premise that all but guarantees a soft landing: a grieving woman, a stack of handpicked books, and letters from a husband who knew he would not be there to shepherd her through the first year without him. For the opening stretch, it works. The grief is immediate, the numbness feels recognisable, and the bookshop setting offers a believable kind of shelter. » Crying like that had emptied her out completely. « That is the novel at its best: plainspoken, emotionally attentive, and willing to sit in the messy quiet after a loss. Tilly’s tentative return to reading is also a lovely idea, because it promises something literature can genuinely do - give you language, shape, and temporary room to breathe. The trouble is that the “journey” takes far too long, and not in a luxuriant, character-driven way. It is long as in dilated: set pieces that should have sharpened into tran...

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood My rating: 4 of 5 stars Ali Hazelwood's " Deep End " had me hooked early: a Stanford platform diver, Scarlett, fighting her way back from an injury, and an Olympic-level swim captain, Lukas, whose devotion to discipline borders on devotional. When an unguarded secret pushes them into an arrangement, Hazelwood lets competence, vulnerability, and desire braid together until the romance feels truly earned. One of the novel’s most important threads is how it treats desire as something to name and negotiate. Lukas’ dominant impulses and Scarlett’s submissive curiosity are explored through explicit communication, boundaries, check-ins, and consent that stays present on the page. Their sexual exploration becomes its own kind of intimacy, a way of learning each other, and of choosing each other. I also greatly enjoyed the tenderness around recovery. Scarlett’s trauma is not a hurdle to clear so the plot can sprint on, it’s something the book sits with...

Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a quick, spicy, unapologetically nerdy enemies-to-lovers novella, and it works because it keeps the conflict personal, specific, and relentlessly in the same room. » I am as certain of their love as I am of the binary code. « Two rival game studios get pushed into a forced collaboration, and then into a December “team retreat” at a cabin that feels like corporate captivity with snow outside and tension indoors. The heroine is a designer who cares about characters and story; the hero is all action-adventure polish, and she keeps trying to pretend their history is just professional rivalry, when it plainly isn’t. The best part is the slow re-framing of him: the silence that reads as disdain at first, then as restraint, then as something like carefulness. The chemistry is sharp, the humour doesn’t overstay its welcome, and when the emotional turn happens, it feels earned rather than dumped in at the end. My one actual “note t...

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple My rating: 3 of 5 stars I went into Maria Semple's " Where'd You Go, Bernadette " expecting a clever, slightly chaotic satire with a warm centre. That’s mostly what I got, but I also got a structure that kept tripping me up. Bernadette is, by design, difficult: brilliant, prickly, and permanently on the verge of bolting. Semple captures the specific kind of marital whiplash where the person you love becomes unrecognisable, and you’re left staring across the table, wondering when it happened. » There was a terrifying chasm between the woman I fell in love with and the ungovernable one sitting across from me. « Bee, thankfully, is the emotional anchor. She’s smart, steady, and quietly funny, and I cared about her far more than I cared about the Seattle “eccentrics” circling her mother like gnats. » One of the gnats at Galer Street claims I ran over her foot at pickup. I would laugh at the whole thing, but I’m too bored. ...

Not Safe for Work by Nisha J. Tuli My rating: 4 of 5 stars I've been working as an IT consultant/engineer/leader for about 30 years now. During that time I've professionally met hundreds of men - and a handful of women. The men could (and sadly can) get away with almost anything, or receive a mere slap on the wrist. I've also interviewed men and women for jobs: Overwhelmingly, HR ultimately decided to hire a man over a (usually more competent) woman. The one woman I was actually allowed to hire and mentor went on to perform spectacularly in her job and is still thriving. In my field, women, just like Trishara in this novel, have to work more, work harder, and swallow a lot of abuse while doing so. I have yet to meet a woman of colour in such a position. (The one I tried to get hired was rejected by HR, of course…) This is pretty much Trishara’s starting point: Despite being a skilled engineer, she's been passed over for promotions for years and now she is to be the to...

It's Always Been You by Samantha Brinn My rating: 4 of 5 stars Love, Loss, and a bit of a Letdown: Molly’s Story I don’t even remember what put Samantha Brinn on my reading radar. She’s a new-ish romance author who definitely deserves to be much better known. I fell in love with Brinn’s stories, world and, most of all, her fantastic quartet of female protagonists with the second instalment of her “ Laws of You ” series, “ When I'm with You ”, and the third one, “ Anything for You ”, absolutely sealed the deal for me. Thus, I was immensely looking forward to this final instalment, “ It's Always Been You ”, about the fourth major character, Molly “Rory” Jenkins. Molly has been a delight and spectacularly fun to read about in the previous novels so what could be better than an entire book about her? » Molly Jenkins contains multitudes. It’s my favorite part about myself. « Well, turns out that Brinn took a step back into more “traditional” romance: Her long-lost love Gabe i...

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe My rating: 2 of 5 stars Randall Munroe's “ What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions ” certainly has a clever premise, and I recognise its appeal to the science-curious. Drawing from his background as a physicist and former NASA roboticist, Munroe sets out to tackle (mostly) nonsensical questions with rigorous scientific logic. While that might sound fun in theory, in practice I found the book trying far too hard to be clever, and as a result, it came off as more smug than smart. Admittedly, some of the questions Munroe attempts to answer are genuinely imaginative, but his tone often feels too enamoured with its own geekiness. Rather than inviting the reader into a playful exploration, it too often felt like being caught in an endless lecture by someone who delights excessively in their own intellect. I couldn’t help but feel that the answers to these questions were...

Anything for You by Samantha Brinn My rating: 5 of 5 stars Anything for You: A Feminist Utopia Wrapped in Warmth and Wit. I just wish it wasn’t fiction. “ Anything for You ” by Samantha Brinn is the third instalment of the “ Laws of You ” series and continues the story of Hallie, Julie, Molly, and, in this novel, Emma. These four female protagonists are best friends (or “found family” as they regard each other) and share a law practice. They’re all strong, capable, empathetic women in their late twenties or early thirties with distinct personalities and well-established backgrounds. They basically read a little too well to be true but that’s part of my enjoyment of these novels, and we’ll get to that in a moment. Beyond that, they’re part of a group of friends and partners most of whom appear in every novel. While I usually much prefer small cameo appearances, this different approach works brilliantly here: While Brinn’s focus is clearly on the respective protagonists, she effortles...

The Wedding People by Alison Espach My rating: 5 of 5 stars Hope and New Beginnings: Why You’ll Fall in Love with ”The Wedding People” I knew absolutely nothing about “ The Wedding People ” by Alison Espach . I just liked the cover. Once I had started reading it, I didn’t want to stop—for anything or anyone. Now that I’ve finished it, I’m suffering from a severe bout of book hangover. Phoebe Stone comes to the Cornwall Inn to kill herself. She just wants to splurge on herself one last time, dine nicely, enjoy the sunset and then overdose on… medicine. Before she can do pretty much anything of that, though, Phoebe finds herself amidst the chaos of the “wedding week” of the bride, Lila, the groom, Gary, and the eponymous “wedding people”. Lila literally barges into Phoebe’s life and room, and sets Phoebe on a path that will drastically change her life. » No. You definitely cannot kill yourself. This is my wedding week. « This premise had me hooked very quickly. What really sealed the d...

Failure to Match by Kyra Parsi My rating: 3 of 5 stars After the police procedural version of a “grimdark” novel , I needed “light” - and quickly! “ Failure to Match ” by Kyra Parsi got the job done. Of course, everything was highly predictable and, yet, I enjoyed reading how Jamie fell in love with Jackson. In the beginning, I was highly sceptical considering character descriptions like these: » Minerva Sinclair was a tall, willowy woman with stark white hair and cutting features, and her signature “look” consisted of cherry-red pantsuits, vintage cat-eye sunglasses, and knife-sharp stilettos. Per our client paperwork, she had her personal tarot reader (Imogen) on speed dial and kept her wrinkly sphynx cat (Harry) cradled against her bony chest everywhere she went, as per the guidance of her spiritual advisor (Velma). « Or eye-roll inducing humour like this: » Also, she’d literally named her hairless cat Harry, and I didn’t think she’d intended the pun. « (Since it’s so bad: It...

Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey My rating: 2 of 5 stars I decided to put in another festive romance reading “sprint” and, regrettably, I settled on Tessa Bailey's “ Window Shopping ”. It endeavours to offer a festive romance wrapped in themes of redemption and self-discovery but, for me, falls short of expectations. While I anticipated a heartwarming holiday tale filled with charm, I instead found a collection of hurried resolutions, clichéd characterisations, and strained dynamics. Stella’s characterisation was one of the main frustrations. She veers wildly between crippling insecurity and unconvincing strength, making her emotional journey feel inconsistent and unrelatable. Her conflict with her parents, which could have provided a rich emotional arc, is resolved almost instantly and without any meaningful dialogue or exploration. This lack of depth extended to Aiden as well. While he’s positioned as the quintessential romantic hero, his internal monologues hint at self-...

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren My rating: 3 of 5 stars On a mere whim, on 24 December, I decided I wanted to read a holiday romance during the holiday it depicts. Consulting my library, I quickly settled upon “ In a Holidaze ” by Christina Lauren which turned out to be a mixed bag but still effectively did the job. Between holiday chores (when my wife asked me to do something “steamy”, I didn’t expect it to involve the steam cleaner!). Late at night today, I finished it (the novel, not the cleaner). Mission accomplished. “Holidaze” started exactly as I hoped it would: Two families coming together in a cabin to celebrate Christmas, lots of holiday cheer, endearing characters—it was fun! The “Groundhog Day” style time loop device was, thankfully, used sparingly, but this still was the first minor gripe of mine: » I believe now that the universe delivers random acts of kindness, and it’s on us to decide what to do with them. « Attributing intention, kindness, or actually anyth...

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez My rating: 4 of 5 stars If you came here looking for the third instalment of Abby Jimenez' “ Part of Your World” funny and fluffy romance series, you’d be both right and wrong. While starting out on a fun premise, “ Just for the Summer ” evolves into areas that are anything but fun and light, and—for me—Jimenez pulled it off really well. Justin and Emma both feel “cursed” - they date someone and once it’s over, their respective ex meets their “soulmate”. When they realise they share this, any romance’s direction is clear: they have to date each other to “break” the “curse”, and, afterwards, meet their respective soulmate. During the early parts of the novel, they meet, they like each other, and proceed to date—it’s all nice, light, and (mostly) easy… » I dropped to one knee. She sucked in air. “Uh, what are you doing?” she said, her eyes darting around. “Romance.” “Justin, stop it,” she whispered. “Get up! Get up!” I took her hand and d...

The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren My rating: 5 of 5 stars I’ve been in need of some light reading entertainment lately and “ The Paradise Problem ” by Christina Lauren certainly fits that bill. Due to Anna, its strong, independent, smart, self-confident, and down-to-earth female lead, it felt surprisingly fresh and real. At its core, “The Paradise Problem” is a delightful blend of wit, charm, and a touch of the absurd, anchored by an emotional resonance that feels authentically raw. While it veers slightly from their earlier works, such as “ The Unhoneymooners ” ( which I also enjoyed ), it still boasts that inimitable Christina Lauren spark, albeit with a stronger focus on individuality and the intricacies of self-discovery. The setting—a tension-filled reunion with Liam’s dysfunctional family—only heightens the stakes, making me appreciate the story even more. Centred on Anna, our brilliant and self-possessed protagonist, the novel immediately strikes a balance b...

When I'm with You by Samantha Brinn My rating: 5 of 5 stars I read my first romance novel at the tender age of 43. I had realised I couldn’t claim to read anything till I had tried romance at least once. It was fun, light, spicy, and provided a nice diversion. Since then, I’ve read a lot of the “big names” in romance and enjoyed a good lot of them. Along on my Goodreads feed comes “ When I'm With You ” with a mediocre cover by Samantha Brinn — a name that was completely unfamiliar to me. On a whim, I decided to make it my next read, since I was looking for a pleasant diversion. What I got was a novel that actually plays in a completely different league than pretty much any other romance I’ve read so far. From page one to the very last one, I was captivated: Both Julie (30), a sharp-tongued, quick-witted, strong, fierce, meticulous lawyer, and Asher (31), a football quarterback (don’t worry, I don’t know what that means and still don’t care) have their respective i...

The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer My rating: 4 of 5 stars “ The Grand Sophy ” by Georgette Heyer delivered exactly what I expected: a sparkling, if somewhat dated, Regency romance. At times, it felt stuffy and blustery, especially in the dialogue, where I found myself struggling with the verbosity of certain characters. » Really, Horace, I must say that I think that most unjust of you, for how could he help it? It is so mortifying for him! And, what is more, excessively unfortunate, because I don’t doubt that had he been able to attach Cecilia… But no one can deny that nothing could be more ill-timed than Charlbury’s mumps! « This type of rambling speech made the beginning of the book feel quite slow for me. The social dynamics and constant talk of marriages seemed quaint and twee—typical of early 20th-century historical fiction, yet it grated on me initially. However, as the story progressed and Sophy’s vivacious nature took centre stage, the novel became utterly irresi...

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld My rating: 3 of 5 stars Curtis Sittenfeld 's “ Romantic Comedy ” failed to deliver what I’d hoped, taking far too long to engage, and bombarding the reader with tedious background details about television production. The novel’s focus on the behind-the-scenes mechanics of a sketch show often felt like unnecessary padding, leaving the narrative sluggish at times. » The sets would be built at a warehouse in Brooklyn then transported back to 66, ideally on Friday, to be painted. « Exciting, right? That’s the kind of procedural minutiae that dominates much of the early parts of the novel. While some readers might appreciate this level of intricate detail, I personally found it detracted from both the pacing and the emotional depth I was looking for. When Sittenfeld could have been focusing on the actual romantic and comedic elements, she instead seemed determined to dive into the trivial goings-on of a writers' room. I found this a...