Tag Archive for: romance

Fable by Adrienne Young

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This book is for any reader that has pretended to be a diver, diving deep into the ocean on the search for treasure, while in actuality diving in a swimming pool. Or for any reader that has pondered how enticing it would be, really, to say no thank you to current life and become a pirate, instead. If you’d rather not get water up your nose or say goodbye to stable income, Fable by Adrienne Young can provide similar high seas adventures from the comfort of your reading chair. Throw in a really cool protagonist, some slow burn romance, seafaring politics with a little bit of mystery, a ship crew that might have you thinking “squad goals”, and some child abandonment, and you have a favorite young adult novel of mine. The first in a nautical fantasy duology, Fable follows seventeen-year-old main character Fable as she navigates the unforgiving world of the Narrows, a collection of islands in the Unnamed Sea, after life has dealt her an unfair hand. 

Fable, at first introduction, seems unshakable. She lives a hard life on the port island of Jeval, known for its thieves and lack of resources, where she survives alone as the most skilled dredger on the island; in other words, she makes dives into the ocean in search of gems and anything else of value lodged in the coral surrounding the island. Unlike other dredgers, Fable has a secret she keeps: the gems sing to her. She can identify every gem she comes across, and can sense them when they are nearby, a dangerous ability in a world propelled by greed and survival. Fable learned these skills from her mother, who taught her the ways of being a gem sage. 

It doesn’t take long to learn that being unshakable is surface level; Fable is in survival mode. Fable grew up on the seas with her mother and father, Saint, on Saint’s ship until one night when Fable was thirteen the ship tragically sank, taking the life of her mother with it. Instead of doing, you know, something normal like caring for his grieving daughter, Saint instead abandons Fable on Jeval the following day with nothing to her name and no promise of return, telling Fable that if she gets herself off the island, he will give her everything she is due as his heir. That was four years ago. Now, Fable dredges to survive, selling what she dredges to the same trader that always comes to port, West, until she has enough coin to get off the island. 

Fable’s environment on the island becomes increasingly dangerous, eventually forcing her to barter for passage on West’s ship. Thus ensues seafaring adventures as Fable aims to complete her only goal: make it back to Saint and claim what is hers. Yet Fable must be careful, as her father isn’t just anyone, but the most successful trader in the Narrows with a large trading business, and should anyone discover who she is to him, it means certain death. And of course, the trip back to him is not easy, danger lurking at every turn. West’s crew is a tight knit, small group with secrets of their own, and Fable knows she shouldn’t trust them. But the more time they spend together, the more Fable thinks they might be what she truly needs: a family and people to call her own. Fable is smart and has clearly grown up learning how to navigate the harsh reality the dangerous world of the Narrows presents, and with everything seeming to work against her, can she persevere to find ultimate happiness and security? 

This is a book I’ve reread several times and always enjoy. While there are plot points that don’t truly make sense to me (like, what father dumps his pretty teenage daughter on a dangerous island because he is “scared for her safety”, and how, exactly does a crew of teenagers seem to defeat every obstacle a very hard world throws at them) I nonetheless find myself loving this book. It’s an easy, accessible read, with enough plot turns and excitement to keep me hooked. The descriptions, especially the underwater scenes, are beautiful. Adrienne Young brings the setting of the Narrows to life, which I always picture to be something like Pirates of the Caribbean. Fable is an easy book to dive into and devour, the combination of the plot, setting, and characters never disappoints me, and I enjoy it every time I pick it up and sail the Unnamed Sea. 

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Review by Sarah Turner-Hill, Adult Programming Coordinator

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray

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Sarah, our adult programming coordinator, talked about the Adult Winter Reading Challenge in her last review. To finish the challenge, you have to read five books from the categories given by the end of January. I needed a couple more books and chose a book from the New Large Print collection for the category ‘One Word Title’.

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray is set in Crittenden County, Kentucky. Tabitha Yoder is a recluse and an outcast. She doesn’t leave her house or answer the door except for her sister Mary. The former school teacher was once warm and friendly but that was before Leon Yoder.

Tabitha began teaching at the Amish school when she was 17 years old. Her students, including Seth Zimmerman, loved her. But it wasn’t long before her marriage to Leon was announced and she had to quit. Many in their Amish community knew something was wrong in the marriage but they looked the other way. Then Leon beat her so badly that she was hospitalized and lost her unborn child.

With help from others Tabitha divorced her abuser and he went to jail. The Amish community counseled her to not break her vows and when she went through with the divorce, she became an outcast. She makes baskets to sell to support herself and her only contact is Mary. Mary’s husband doesn’t approve of the divorce and limits Mary’s contact with her. Once a month Mary and her sons bring food and pick up baskets to take to a broker to be sold in bigger cities.

Tabitha has another visitor but doesn’t answer the door for him. Seth Zimmerman comes by and does chores for her. She never answers his knock and sometimes he leaves a note with food or to tell her what he has done.

Seth does chores for those in the community to make amends and because he is a good man. Seth is also an outcast but not because he divorced. He is an ex-con. Seth came to the rescue of a young woman, Bethanne, who was being assaulted. In the struggle, the attacker fell and hit his head on a rock. He died and Seth was charged. Seth didn’t fight it and spent 3 years in prison.

Seth is a few years younger than Tabitha and briefly was a student of hers. He had a crush on her then and still has feelings for her but comes by because he feels she was wronged. His hope is one day she will trust him enough to open the door.

Tabitha can’t help but watch when Seth comes by and her innate kindness and good manners leaves her feeling guilty about not answering his knock. One day she gathers her courage and gets together a small thank you gift and opens the door.

The simple act of opening the door changed Tabitha’s solitary existence. With the blossoming of their friendship Tabitha takes a step toward reconnecting with life. And life involves relationships.

Tabitha only has Mary but Seth has a family even though the relationship is strained. He also has Elias, a friend who stood by him through his incarceration. Elias is now asking him to involve himself with Bethanne’s family. Seth is uncomfortable with their gratitude in saving Bethanne. Her younger brother, Lott, is acting wildly and Elias believes it has to do in part with the attack on Bethanne. Seth is reluctant to get involved until he learns that Lott wants to court Seth’s sister Melonie.

Tabitha is more than willing to provide a listening ear and counsel to Seth and they grow closer. Tabitha is finally becoming more comfortable and starts venturing out into the community. Then she gets a call – Leon is out and may be heading back to Crittenden County. Can Seth keep Tabitha safe or will she even allow it?

I’m not a regular reader of Amish fiction but this was a gentle read with sympathetic main characters and an engaging story. Even though Tabitha and Seth were outcasts from their community they didn’t lose their faith and that is a strong theme throughout the novel.

If you need to fill another category in your Winter Reading Challenge, you might give this quick, gentle read a try.

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Review by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian

The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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Emma Wheeler has been the full-time caretaker for her father, who suffers from a traumatic brain injury, for a decade, while her younger sister Sylvia finished high school and college. On the day her sister is due to arrive home, after graduating from college, Emma gets an unexpected call from her manager Logan.

Typically Logan passes along writing opportunities like movie reviews and magazine articles so that Emma can support herself while also having the time to work on other writing projects that she enjoys in her downtime. But Logan’s phone call is not typical. He makes Emma an offer that she can hardly refuse – real writing work, doing what she loves – writing a romantic comedy.

Okay, maybe not writing it from scratch, but re-writing it. And the best part is that it is a re-write for (and with) her favorite screenwriter, Charlie Yates. He is legendary in the writing/television world and has won numerous awards for his writing. Emma is a super fan that has followed him and his work for years.

She cannot believe that she has been offered the chance to work with Charlie Yates. The CHARLIE YATES! After the initial shock and excitement, reality sets in and Emma realizes there is no way she can leave her father and spend six weeks in Los Angeles. She is resigned to turning down the offer; however, after she tells her sister about the opportunity, Sylvia insists that she go. She assures Emma she will stay and take care of their father. After all, it is her turn to help.

After some convincing, Emma is soon headed to Los Angeles, but after Logan picks her up from the airport and takes her to meet Charlie, she realizes that not all the things Logan told her are true. Instead of her dream writing experience she is soon playing a starring role in a drama where Charlie Yates, who turns out to be a grump, is refusing to work with her.

Little does Charlie know that Emma is not one to give up so easily on her dreams. Based on her conviction that love matters and that it is her duty to stand up for rom-coms she devises a plan for getting the script rewritten and if she can change Charlie’s mind about love, all the better.

Bestselling author Katherine Center has outdone herself with her newest book. It is funny, clever, sassy and relatable. Her character development with Emma and Charlie is superb and they both feel like real people. Both have their insecurities and flaws, but they are also likable, well–round characters. Even the secondary characters are well done.

This book was a delicious treat to read and I would recommend it to those looking for a romantic comedy without any spice. Emma and Charlie’s relationship is sweet and the witty banter and humor they have with each other is spot on. I would give Center’s latest addition to the rom-com genre a perfect ten.

Review written by: Jeana Gockley, Joplin Public Library Director

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The Library of Borrowed Hearts by Lucy Gilmore

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Chloe once dreamed of being a librarian, now her dreams are for a dishwasher or a new roof. She does work in a library but not as a librarian. She is a general city worker. She may be sent to work in another city office or she will shelve books, cover the desk, or discard the many decades of old books that have accumulated in the basement. It is during this task that she finds a copy of the scandalous banned book The Tropic of Cancer.

The discovery of this book and the story that unfolds around it are the subject of Lucy Gilmore’s latest novel, The Library of Borrowed Hearts.

Chloe’s quest to be a librarian was upended by her mother’s abandonment of Chloe’s siblings. Eleven year old Trixie (Beatrice) tried to care for her younger brothers (Theo and Noodle (Aloysius)) but CPS soon sent them to foster care. Chloe has them back home and is doing her best to raise them but money is tight. Selling this abandoned copy may net her a tidy sum as this version is a 1960 Mexico printing. The book was not allowed to be published and sold in the U.S.

She hopes to get enough for at least a down payment on the roof then discovers writing in the margins. At first disappointed that the value has now dropped she soon becomes intrigued. It appears C and J were corresponding with each other using passages in the book to further their flirtation/conversation.

But book values and flirtations have to wait for dinner, homework, and a new crisis. In a vain attempt to train their old dog to fetch, Noodle threw his Frisbee into the yard next door. Unlike the rest of the neighborhood Jasper Holmes has a beautiful yard and a bad disposition. Anything that comes into his yard never comes out. Knowing how much that Frisbee means to Noodle, Chloe heads next door. Her request for the toy is denied but with more conversation than usual.

Holmes doesn’t like the nickname Noodle then accuses her of wasting money. For Chloe that is the final straw and she tells him just how much $5.00 means to her family, even telling him about taking the book to sell. His response is to ask what book and appears stunned by her response. When he makes no move to bring her the Frisbee she leaves.

Once the kids are in bed she starts researching the book’s value but is soon caught up in the notes in the margins. Interrupted by someone at the door she opens it to Jasper Holmes on the doorstep with the Frisbee and an offer to buy the book. When she doesn’t name a price, he offers $5,000.00 then gives her a blank check. Handing over the book she realizes Jasper is J.

Chloe is now on a quest to discover any other volumes Jasper and C wrote in. One of the notes in The Tropic of Cancer referred to Hemingway novels. Chloe and her best friend Pepper are scouring all the Hemingway novels looking for notes when she is called to the hospital. Noodle is in the ER having fallen off a cliff!

Suffering a broken leg and bruised ribs, Noodle was found by Zach, a trainer at the survival camp. Zach teaches Air Force pilots how to survive after a crash. He is also a flirt as Chloe soon discovers. Dealing with the broken leg will be enough of a problem but the reason Noodle was running and fell worsens the situation. He hit a boy at school and was suspended for a month.

Forced to leave him home alone, Chloe is at work when Zach shows up. He wants an update on Aloysius, to invite Chloe out, and to return a Hemingway title. But, he emphasizes, he is not responsible for the writing in the margins. Thrilled to have another part of J and C’s story Chloe leaves to check on Noodle but he is gone. It seems Jasper has decided that Noodle should stay with him during the day. Could this be the beginning of a friendship with her grouchy neighbor?

Chloe has guessed that the C in the margins is a Catherine and she’s right. In chapters titled Catherine then later Jasper and 1960 the love story of J and C is told. As the novel flips between 1960 and present day we see how the past affects the future and the people we become. For Chloe J and C’s story is important because she sees some of herself in Jasper.

This novel is centered around a romance but it is so much more. It’s about love in all forms -for family, friends, community, books and each other. It’s also about sacrifice, forgiveness and learning to let go.

Gilmore’s characters have depth and with an intriguing story line this is a heartfelt read. You’ll find it in the new book section at the library.

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Review by Patty Crane, Reference Librarian

Meet Me in Paradise by Libby Hubscher

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Marin Cole is not a risk taker.  When she was seventeen the death of her mother caused her to alter her lifelong dream of becoming a globetrotting journalist, like her mother had been, to instead become a responsible caregiver to her twelve year old sister Sadie.  

Years later, Marin has grown into a homebody who has never seen the ocean or climbed a mountain, much less traveled to an island paradise. But all of that is about to change.  

Sadie, her younger, thrill-seeking photographer sister returns home from a trip to China looking worse for wear and manages to convince Marin they need a trip together.  They are soon booked for a girls trip to the beautiful, remote island of Saba.  Marin thinks it will be the perfect opportunity to convince her free spirited sister to settle down and start working at the same advertising agency that Marin works for in Tennessee. Little does Marin know that Sadie has other plans.  

The big day arrives and Marin is headed to Saba, only Sadie is nowhere to be found.  Thanks to turbulence, Marin ends up in the lap of a handsome stranger, mixes up her luggage with another passenger, and loses her passport; all before arriving in Saba.  Once arrived she does her best to book it right back home, but without a passport that is difficult.  She has little choice but to accept the generosity of the handsome stranger from the plane and try some new experiences.

At first glance this book seems like your typical fun, breezy romance.  Clueless uptight girl, handsome mystery man, island getaway; all the usual elements set to combine into a perfect beach read to soak up the rays with, but there is more to this book than meets the eye.

Divulging Sadie’s plan and motives would spoil the book, but thanks to it Marin is able to take the trip of a lifetime and in the process learns so much about herself.  Hubscher has crafted a funny, clever, and at times, gut wrenching tale.  Readers are in for a special experience as they travel alongside Marin.