I finished five books this week.

Dating Dr. Dil by Nisha Sharma

Contemporary romance

Advanced copy from NetGalley, expected publication March 15, 2022 This was an enjoyable read from start to finish. It’s funny, sexy, and thought-provoking. I loved Kareema and Prem individually and together. They had great chemistry and it was fun to watch their individual journeys as they eventually came together. This is the third romance novel I’ve read recently that deals with arranged marriages and it was explained really well here as well as the difference between an arranged match and a love match. I could understand Kareema’s desire to have a love marriage and how torn she was between being true to herself or loyal to her family and culture. The writing is sharp and there are some fantastically funny moments. There’s also a lot of steamy scenes. I highly recommend this one for readers of romance.

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Non-fiction/Science

This is a very unique book that’s beautifully written. It’s part memoir, part science and nature writing along with a thread of the history of Native American cultures. I’ve never read anything quite like it and I learned a great deal. While I enjoyed the book overall, reading it was a bit of a slog. I preferred the essays written in first person with a memoir feel. The ones that were heavy on science got a bit dense. I loved seeing how the author pursued science while honoring her own Native culture and learning as much as she can.

I highly recommend this one for readers of science and nature non-fiction.

Carpentry and Cocktails by Nora Everly

Contemporary romance

Book 5 in the Green Valley Library series which is a spin off from the Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid. I’m struggling with this series a bit because the books are written by a variety of authors and there isn’t any consistency from one to the next. This one hardly had a connection to the library at all. With that being said, this was a fun, easy read. It’s funny and sexy and the lead characters have great chemistry throughout the book. Everett doesn’t have his own journey, which was disappointing. He stays the same throughout the course of the story. It would have been more balanced if all the focus wasn’t on Willa. There also are quite a few loose threads the author leaves hanging. I recommend this one for readers of romance and it would work fine as a stand alone.

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Contemporary romance

I didn’t like this one nearly as much as the author’s previous book, but it’s still a great romance novel.I especially appreciated the way mental health and depression are addressed throughout this book. As someone who struggles with depression, I felt Ari was a realistic character. Her experiences with others’ reactions felt realistic as well. I loved her and Russell, and how they gradually found each other. There is great humor throughout the book and some stellar sexy scenes. I highly recommend it for readers of romance.

Fit by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Erotic romance

This erotic novella is about a woman who has a sexual affair with her trainer.  I have several friends who loved this one but I didn’t. It’s not bad, it just wasn’t for me. The relationship happened too fast for me to be invested and care about the characters. But I will say Rebekah’s writing is solid and her sex scenes are great. I recommend this one for readers of erotic romance.

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