Rom-Com – Page 2 – For the love of Libros

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Not in Love

Posted on July 31, 2024 by ALSanchezBooks

French Toasts are a favorite breakfast dish in our home, served with fresh fruit, whipped cream and homemade spiced syrup, everyone always goes for seconds. When Eli made Rue breakfast, I swooned. When he made her French toast, I immediately knew what recipe to pair with this review.

“Is this French toast?” she asked once they sat at the table. He poured coffee in her cup. “Yes.” “And this is the fancy dish your fancy chef ex taught you to make?” She sounded skeptical. “Never said that the dish had to be fancy. And I recommend you try it before you say one more word you will regret.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she poured syrup on her toast, covered it with some of the fresh cream and the mix of berries, brought a bite to her lips with the air of someone who was doing him a big favor, and after chewing for a handful of seconds covered her mouth with her hand and said, “Holy shit.” He gave her his most told you so look. “What the hell?” She seemed affronted. “How?” “Secret recipe.” “It’s French toast.” “As you now know, not all French toast is created equal.”

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“Out of all the people I’ve met, the things I’ve wanted, the places I’ve been, none has ever felt as necessary as you do. Because I love you. I love you in a way I didn’t think I was capable of. I love you because you showed me how to fall in love. And I don’t regret it, Rue. I wouldn’t want it any other way. Even if you can never say it back. Even if you never think about me again after today. Even if you were right after all, and you’re not capable of love.”

Summary:

Rue Siebert and Eli Killgore are on opposite sides of a hostile takeover, that threatens to disrupt everything Rue has ever worked with at Kline, one of the most promising start-ups in the field of food science. But Eli has his own reasons for pushing this deal through – and he’s a man who gets what he wants.

Torn between loyalty and an undeniable attraction, Rue and Eli throw caution out the lab and the boardroom windows. Their affair is secret, no-strings-attached, and has a built-in deadline, but their hearts don’t want to play by the rules.

“Maybe people can be happy and sad. Maybe stories are messy and complicated. Maybe endings don’t always include solutions that tie everything together in a bow. But that doesn’t mean that they have to be tragedies.”

My thoughts:

⁃I’m a big Ali Hazelwood fan and have read everything she’s published. I’ve also done a Recipe and a review for all her major novels, this is my 4th. So while I love her work, and while I did enjoy this one, it’s not my favorite of hers.
I liked slow development of the friendship and relationship of the MCs as they share more of each other.
She described this as an erotic romance, and I agree this was definitely steamier from early on, and it was honestly 👌🏻 They had great chemistry
I was expecting the usual romcom, so I really missed having more of her usual funny banter and situations. If you’re looking For a steamier novel then this one is for you.
The narrators did a great job, I always like having dual narrators for dual POV. Eli’s narrators voice will forever remain in my brain whenever I read a description of a deep gruff voice. He absolutely nailed and it added to the steam factor 🥵
Last but not least, I suspect she left the door open for another book, because there was some serious something cooking up between Eli’s BFF Hark and his sister Maya. I smell an age gap romance on the way.

Do you like French toasts? What’s your favorite breakfast dish?

For the bread I recommend using thick sliced brioche, cinnamon bread pairs excellent bur plain brioche is still delicious.

Enjoy!

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Funny story

Posted on June 20, 2024 by ALSanchezBooks

In Funny Story by Emily Henry, when Dapthne decides she’s done with Waning Bay, Michigan, Miles makes it his mission to make her fall in love with the charming small town. In one of the scenes, he’s appalled to find out her ex, Peter, never took her to the iconic retro-style burger spot Big Louie’s to have their famous “Petoskey Fries” honoring the fossilized coral stones found in the area, and chocolate cherry milkshake.

I looked online for hours for the fries, and found nothing. So either there’s some super secret place they make these fries that has noline presence, lr EmHen made them up, both are probably equally likely 😂

But I didn’t want to give up, so in the book they’re described as fried with jalapeños, so I looked at a few recipes and decided to make them to see what they were all about. For the milkshake, I looked at several recipes and made some modifications. Both were very delicious, and I’m pretty sure will get made again.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“You kissed me.” His brow shoots up. “I thought that was what you wanted. I thought that’s what we were doing.” “No, I know.” I step back, my spine meeting the side of the bench seat. “We were. I just—it’s different now.” “What do you mean?” “I don’t want to play that game anymore,” I say. “I don’t want you to say things you don’t mean and do things you don’t want to do. It’s confusing.” “Who says I did anything I don’t want to do?” he asks. “You did,” I fire back. “You’re the one who told me you don’t want anything to happen between us—” “I never said that,” he argues, stepping closer. “—and I don’t want to be a prop to make your ex jealous, and I know I started it—” “You’re not a prop,” he says, looking hurt. “That’s exactly what I just was,” I counter. “You only want to kiss me when they’re there to see it. And I know I started it, but things are different now.”

Summary:

Daphne suddenly finds herself without a fiancé, because a few months before their wedding, Peter decided he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra. Stranded in Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family, without a home, but with a dream job as a children’s librarian, she suddenly finds herself roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Miles is exactly the opposite of Daphne. When they receive the invitation for Peter and Petra’s wedding, they drown their sorrows in adult drinks and decide to pretend to date, posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, mainly to get even at their exes. What could possibly go wrong?

“And I know I’m not who you pictured yourself with, but I think I could be, eventually. If you’ll let me. So don’t go. Because I don’t want you to. Because you’re my best friend, and I’m in love with you.”

My thoughts:

This book was one of my most anticipated for the year and it did not disappoint (I’m looking at you (Un)happy place 😒)
I absolutely loved Daphne and Miles. They were well developed, complex, imperfect, surprisingly relatable and deep characters.
We get a good dose of humor with the classic Henry fun and funny dialog and banter.
It deals with discovering what you want for yourself, and navigating your wants and needs and other people’s expectations.
I loved the nod to libraries and librarians, they are superheroes.
I also loved the romance that develops between them and the spice. The steamy scenes where perfect.
Waning Bay came with a great set of unique secondary characters: co-workers, small business owners, cooky stepmom and suspicious biker at a neighborhood bar. Helping make the small town charming and memorable.
I loved the narration of the audiobook, as always Julia Whelan is so talented.

Have you read this one? Or have it on your tbr?

This one not sits right below Book lovers as my favorite.

Enjoy!

Thse recipes were adapted from iamhomesteader.com and cookienameddesire.com

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: The Ex Talk

Posted on April 18, 2024 by ALSanchezBooks

My favorite romance book last year was Business or Pleasure. It was the first book I read by Rachel Lynn Solommon, but every review I read kept mentioning The Ex Talk. I finally got around to reading it and definitely regretted waiting this long.

I decided to pair the book with a recipe I make quite often at home, and easy version of Beef Bulgogi, since the MCs first time out is to a Korean place and Dominic suggests this dish to Shay to try.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩 This recipe was adapted from Justataste.com

“Let’s get this over with,” he says when I sit down across from him. “Make your case.” “Jesus, can we at least order first?” I open the menu. “What’s good here? “Everything.” ….. “I’ve never had Korean food,” I admit. “And you’ve lived in Seattle for how many years?” “My whole life.” …. He opens his menu, too. “Bulgogi. Korean barbecue beef,” he says, pointing to a row of menu items…. In the end, that’s what I do, and he says I can try his bibimbap. It’s strange, this offer, and even stranger is the reality that I am having dinner with Dominic Yun.

Summary:

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can’t imagine working anywhere else. But lately it’s been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who’s fresh off a journalism master’s program and convinced he knows everything about public radio.

When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it’s this or unemployment. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book! It was funny, emotional and relatable in so many ways. I loved the concept of it, the theme of their podcast was so interesting, I would have loved to listen to more of it.
I also loved all the NPR references and it definitely gave me some nostalgia.
The story flowed smoothly, and the characters worked well together, I loved the chemistry that Shay and Dominic had from the beginning.
We get a good dose of humor in between the very real situations Shay finds herself in, unappreciated at work, her boss misogyny, her self esteem takes a hit. This intermixed with a healthy dose of romance and spice. The steamy scenes where perfect.
I loved the narration of the audiobook, the narrator portrayed the characters so well.

Do you listen to public radio?

Enjoy!

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: The Honeymoon Crashers

Posted on December 1, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

Sometimes we’re in need of something light and fresh, to get us through a hard day. Sometimes we need a book that’s light and fresh in between deeper or tougher books. The follow up to The Unhoneymooners was just that. And I decided what better than to pair with a delicious Hibiscus flower 🌺 refresher, perfect for the book setting in Hawaii.

Also, as a bonus, I came up with a delicious Bourbon spiced hibiscus tea, for when you’re in the mood for a cocktail.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

Summary:

Olive & Ethan are getting married, but fearing what she thinks is the Torres family wedding curse, Olive has decided that eloping without her family is the best course. Andres they plan to go to Hawaii, where they fell for each other to do it. In comes Ami, and she’s not having it, just because her wedding was a mess and her marriage a scam, doesn’t mean that her sister can’t have the wedding of her dreams. So she flies to Maui and to surprise Olive & Ethan with an impromtu wedding, and they quickly enlist the help of Brody, Ethan’s old college buddy and best man to help Ami with the planning.

My thoughts:

This is an audio original, meaning there’s no actual book. The narrators did a great job voicing Ami & Brody and they had great chemistry. I’m a sucker for a full cast and sound effects so this was great.
Being a novella, they have to cram things, so there is an element of insta-love that I usually don’t like. Overall it was handled well, and didn’t feel forced.
The story flowed smoothly, and the characters worked well together, aside from Brody, eho is a new character, we get to see again the infamous Torres family with their drama and charm. We get a good dose of humor, romance and spice im the story.
Overall the story while short worked for me, and honestly it was the perfect length, like a satisfying snack to get you feeling all light and happy.

What’s a book you really want a sequel to?

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Business or Pleasure

Posted on October 21, 2023October 21, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

I’m not a vegetarian, but I love my vegetables. I try to have my recommended daily portions as much as possible, and one way I do it is by creating colorful, flavorful and delicious salads.

While I usually add animal protein to mine, this time, I went with plant based to make one that would be Finn Walsh approved.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“You’re not hopeless,” I tell Finn once the cyclist is out of earshot and we’re relatively alone again.”I have plenty of awkwardness in my past, too. And the fact that you’re not making this about your fragile wounded masculinity is a huge plus.”

Summary:

Chandler Cohen is a ghostwriter, she’s been getting more recognition in her industry and while it’s not her dream job, she’s pretty proud of her most recent book. That is until she attends a signing for saidbook and the “author” doesn’t even recognize her. Seeking to drown her disappointment, she turns to the bar where she meets a sweet and charming guy she immediately connects with. But it ends up a spectacularly unsatisfactory hookup, decides to make a hasty exit and forget about the whole thing. Except she can’t, because her new ghostwriting project is writing a memoir for Finn Walsh, none other than her unfortunate one-night stand.

My thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book! It was laugh-out-loud funny, emotional and relatable in so many ways.
Chandler and Finn had great banter and chemistry from the first moment they meet. I couldn’t help but root for them to find a way forward after their awkward one-night stand.
Even though at times the plot seems far fetched, the characters were absolutely adorable, well fleshed and relatable despite their professions.
There was no wasting time getting to the steam, but at the same time, the author managed to give us this slow and teasing burn as she builds up the relationship between the MCs, in such a way that it feels so natural how they fall for each other.
I loved the way the author encouraged open and honest conversation about sex. And how they were open and communicating about their wants and needs.
I also loved the mental health rep of both OCD and generalized anxiety disorder. She did a great job portraying the characters conditions without making them sound token or cliché.
The twists to the usual tropes made it feel fresh and original.
The audiobook was excellent, the narrator portrayed the characters so well.
This was my first by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and I really need to read more of her backlist now

What would you put in your bowl?

Book tour, books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Love, Theoretically

Posted on September 22, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

One of my favorite things to make whe we have company is a cheese and charcuterie board. I think it’s the perfect appetizer for any occasion. They’re beautiful, and delicious and they’re also fun to put together.

Elsie is apparently from my team, and the moment Jack orders her a board for herself I knew this would be the perfect pairing for this review.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“It’s easier like that, isn’t it? […] Never showing anyone who you really are. […] That way if something goes wrong, if someone rejects you, then it’s not about you, is it? When you’re yourself, that’s when you’re exposed. Vulnerable.”

“I like to see you. When you’re not trying to be someone else”

Summary:

Theoretical physicist Elsie Hannaway is an adjunct professor by day, hoping to some day land a tenure. By night, she makes up for her non-existent paycheck by offering her services as a fake girlfriend, using her perfected people pleasing skills to embody whichever version of herself the client needs. Until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

My thoughts:

I will officially read anything Ali writes at this point. She delivers this smart, sexy and witty banter that is on point.
This is her best one yet of her adulr romance books, if I hadn’t already identified some repeat traits from her prior books I’d have rated it higher.
But even if some things feel repetitive, I still find her stories oh so enjoyable
Elsie and Jack are just great together and I loved watching their chemistry turn into more.
Plus, I loved that we get cameos from olive and Adam 😍
She again manages to expose some realities, in this one it’s the plight of the adjunct professors, the fight for fair prescription prices and the insanely high cost of insulin and supplies that are life sustaining for so many people with diabetes. My doctor ❤️ absolutely loves she used her voice to highlight this problem.
I cannot finish this without commeting on the steam, as expected it was, sexy, burning hot and just perfect.

What are your thoughts on cheese and charcuterie boards?

Are they overhyped or do you enjoy them?

Book tour, books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: The true love experiment

Posted on August 4, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

I thought there was no better pair for this book than one of my favorite coffee shop orders, the masala chai latte.

Just like this book, the drink is full of spice.
And just like Fizzy had her choice of some very handsome eligible bachelors, you’ll have the choice of 3 versions of this drink.

The Quickie 😏 :with tea bags; The Slow burn 🔥 : with tea made from scratch; and my personal favorite, The Dirty 😈 : with a shot of expresso (of course 😉😉)

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“Romance isn’t gratuitous bodice ripping. It can be, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but in the end, romance isn’t about the fantasy of being wealthy or beautiful or even being tied to the bed.” …. “It’s about elevating stories of joy above stories of pain. It is about seeing yourself as the main character in a very interesting—or maybe even quiet—life that is entirely yours to control.”

Summary:

Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached. Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

My thoughts:

From the first moment we met Fizzy in The Soulmate equation I loved her character. I was so happy she got her own story and her own HEA. And bonus we get cameos from Jess, River and Juno.
I’m not a fan of reality tv or dating shows in general but I loved the idea of using the “hero” archetypes for the different men cast on the show, it was so original (specially the Vampire 😂)
The chemistry and banter between Connor and Fizzy was perfect.
Fizzy is so open in discussing her wants and needs, I love how she finds ways to insert funny “dirty jokes” whenever, and when she finally get her mojo back.
This one was steamier than other Christina Lauren books I’ve read, but it was perfect lust to love story, perfect for our Fizz.
The audiobook was fantastic and who can resist Connor’s sexy British accent 🔥
Finally, I love all the truth bombs dropped along the story and how she cleara up misconceptions about romance books and romance readers 💣

What’s your favorite coffee shop order?

BIPOC / Latinx characters, Book tour, books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: One Tough Cookie

Posted on July 12, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

I’m so happy to participate in this tour. I mean, this book was literally begging for a recipe and review post 🤭

Karina works in a cookie factory, where all the cookies have fun names like: flirty, perky, mellow and active. Her favorite was The Perky, which is made with expresso, so I decided to make it using the recipes included at the end of the book.

I followed the recipe as the book except I used freshly brewed expresso. After trying it I would make some changes when I make it again. I’d use more sugar as I found it a bit bland, and maybe more expresso so I can highlight the coffee flaver more.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“They were a part of each other now, and when the connection broke, Karina would always be incomplete, a broken half roaming the earth.”

Summary:

All cookies are made with love—even if twenty-seven-year-old Karina Cortés doesn’t believe in the concept. For her, a simple life with no attachments is a good life. And her life is indeed good—even with her biggest accomplishment being passing the GED exam. Karina is able to secure an incredible and well-paying job at Singular Cookies, Inc., a small family-owned cookie manufacturing plant in Fort Pierce, Florida. And although the founders of the company treat her like family, Karina insists she doesn’t need or want one. Not after her mother chose a man over her own daughter, pushing the young Karina to move out and make it on her own.

Work and play collide when she meets the company’s hot new mechanic, Ian Feliciano, who stirs up feelings she tends to avoid. Karina knows she shouldn’t date him, but she’s strong; she’ll never turn pathetic like her friends or, especially, her mom. And with a looming plant inspection and trying to break up the CEO’s new romance, Karina has enough to distract herself. As the inspection draws near and Karina battles her heart, she’ll have to decide whether to continue holding on to deeply ingrained beliefs that keep everyone at bay, or learn that love is not as dangerous as she fears and in the end, it is our history—our singular recipe—that shapes how we live.

My thoughts:

⁃ Karina was the most unlikeable MC I have ever wanted to really like. From the get go she portrays herself as a tough female, with a I don’t need anyone and I don’t give a sh… attitude, very assertive with her sexual wants and needs. But deep down, you can see the cracks in her armour. The biggest problem I had was that it took too long for me to feel connected to her. You see as it’s revealed where all her trauma comes from, but she’s such a bully to her friends, she keeps lying to her love interest repeatedly, it really grated on me. I did end uo liking her as a character, but it took too long into the book for that to happen.

– Ian, our MMC is the portrait of the perfect man. For reasons I still don’t get, he falls for Karina, despite her insistence of pushing him away. He comes off as clingy, and he doesn’t respect Karinas boundaries, instead he gets pushy sometimes to get her to agree with him. Now, Karina doesn’t explain and constantly lies, so I think they’re both in the wrong anyway.

– I liked the supporting friendship of the MCs group of friends, they really added to the story

– I liked learning the process of the cookie factory, apparently the author has experience in food science so she integrated her knowledge into the story. As someone who enjoys baking, it was interesting to learn how different the process is on a large scale.

– I found the use of the cookies as a way to describe the characters of the book a cute and fun idea.

– Overall the book is good, the chemistry between the characters is there. I’m just not a fan of the miscommunication or lying as main drivers of the story. I understand that was the main characteristic of our MC and the reason for the use and her ultimate growth as a character.

If someone were to name a cookie after you, what would they name it? Mine would probably be named: Smarty pants cookie 🤗

Thanks to Hear our voices book tours and to Alcove press. I received a digital advance copy for review via, all opinions are my own.

books, favorites, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Happy Place

Posted on June 17, 2023June 24, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

Now that the reviews for this book are becoming sparce, I’m happy to share mine with a little treat of a deliciously refreshing drink for your summer parties.

Mojitos are one of my husbands favorite drinks. It’s common to find them with different fruit flavors here, usually passion fruitI, but I wanted to try out making them with a different fruit. I hope you give this one a try.

If you make it or share it please tag me 🤩

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘥.”

“It doesn’t matter how busy life’s been, how long the five of us have gone without seeing one another: meeting at the cottage is like pulling on a favourite sweatshirt, worn to perfection.”

Summary:

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t. They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends. Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives. Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

My thoughts:

⁃ Let me start by saying the banter I’ve come to expect from Emily Henry was delivered in this book.

– For me, it took a while to get into the story and feel connected to the main characters, specially because don’t love miscommunication as the main driver of the story and the end was not believable (avoiding spoilers) from my medicine background.

– I loved the chemistry between the secondary characters snd the friendship between them. The reality of how friendships change as we get older and our lives get more complicated. It made me think anout my own friends and how I treasure how we’ve kept our relationships despite time and distance.

– If you’re are looking for a fun summer beach read and are still one of the holdouts, pick this one up.

– While it wasn’t my favorite of her books, she knows how to make a story compelling. I still highly recommend it for fans of her work.

What’s your favorite summer drink? I love Pineapple- cilantro margaritas. Look for my prior Recipe and review to find the recipe if your curious to try it.

Have you read this one? What did you think?

What’s your favorite cake flavor?

books, favorites, Historical Fantasy, recipe, recipe and review, reviews, Rom-Com

Recipe and a Review: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies

Posted on May 19, 2023 by ALSanchezBooks

I can’t believe this is my first #RecipeandaReview of the year, but alas, It’s been busy. I’m excited for this one to be the first for 2023: Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett paired with an Enchanted Fairy Spiced cake

When I think about fairies, I think of magic, woods, secret gardens and storybooks. As I read this one, set in cold Scandinavian region, poor Emily and Wendell traipsing in the snow covered mountains, I wanted to make something delicious that would warm them up for a cold winter night.

I found the perfect Spiced cake recipe and made some adjustments. It’s delicious and moist and not too sweet, that you can have it with your morning coffee (I did without the frosting). I also tried my hand at decorating it and I think it came out lovely.

“The Folk were of another world, with its own rules and customs—and to a child who always felt ill-suited to her own world, the lure was irresistible.”

“I prefer your company, Em.”
He said it as if it were obvious. I snorted again, assuming he was teasing me. “Over the company of a tavern filled with a rapt and grateful audience? I’m sure you do.”
“Over anyone else’s company.” Again, he said it with some amusement, as if wondering what I was doing speculating about something so evident.

Summary:

Emily Wilde is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world’s first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But she prefers the company of her books, her dog, Shadow, and the Fair Folk to other people. As journeys to a small town in the far north to study faerie folklore and discover dark fae magic, she ends up finding much more. As an academic, she tried to merely observe and gather information from the community, but this is no ordinary community, and she discovers that it’s only through getting involved and helping them thst she can truly find all that she is looking for.

My thoughts:

⁃ This book was so magical, whitty, cozy and charming. I can’t think of any other book to compare it to. It feels like historical fiction but with these wonderful magical elements of the world of fairies.

⁃ The writting like a field notes diaty, with footnotes included to add on fairy tales of the folk of different aread, it was a wonderful addition to complement the story.

⁃ Like the original fairy tales, it dives into dark fairy lore where stories have dark undertones. Fairies are mostly not good, and while you can make bargains with the wee folk, you have to be careful of the courtly fae, who can be pretty evil.

⁃ I loved the banter between the main characters. There are romatic leanings between them, Emily and Wendell are so very cute together.