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Review: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match

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Review: Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her MatchAngelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne
Published by Avon on September 6, 2022
Genres: Historical, Paranormal
Pages: 389
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FINAL DECISION: This book was clearly a risk. The entirety of it is unlike what I expect from a romance novel. Parts were intriguing and seemed to be on the cutting edge, but ultimately this book is more reading experience from the left brain rather than emotional romance so it’s not one I would be returning to read again.

THE STORY: Angelika Frankenstein wants a love match. She’s been looking for the man of her dreams, but it hasn’t worked. Men find her odd. Too clever and pretty, Angelika works with her brother on his experiments to bring men back to life. This time, she creates a project of her own. And she is successful. The perfect man who she immediately loves awakens, but things are not all well. Her creation has no memory but is determined to discover who he is. At the same time, another man comes into her life, making her question whether her perfect creation is what she needs or whether there is something lacking in inventing the ideal man.

OPINION: This book takes risks. Unfortunately, the risks don’t really work out in this case. I loved the setup for this book. The idea of a woman creating her own suitor and then things being complicated with the “perfect” man was very intriguing. But the story stalls and the triangle being constructed just didn’t work on an emotional level. I never really liked Will, and I immediately figured out the “surprise” almost immediately. I really didn’t get any of the relationships here, and the resolution took too long and wasn’t particularly satisfying at the end.

There were potions of this book that I really loved, but the whole didn’t hold together as well as I would want. Passages were great, the possibilities were great. I suppose I was disappointed because I thought that the first few chapters of this book were amazing in the concept and then nothing seemed to come of that great premise.

WORTH MENTIONING: I liked the exploration of religion here which was nuanced and complicated.

CONNECTED BOOKS: ANGELIKA FRANKENSTEIN MAKES HER MATCH is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

Review: The Hating Game

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Review: The Hating GameThe Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Published by William Morrow Paperbacks on May 16, 2019
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 369
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION: This book isn’t what I expected from the blurb. I expected a lot of backstabbing and undermining and anger and angst. But this book was such a beautiful romance. I loved both these characters and how their relationship developed. It is a slow-burn romance but not boring — just wonderful.

THE STORY: Lucy Hutton’s nemesis is Joshua Templeman. Lucy and Joshua are executive assistants to the co-CEOs of a publishing company. Now they are both competing for the same promotion. Neither is going to back down from the competition, but at that precise moment, Lucy begins to get to know Joshua better. Perhaps neither really hates the other as much as Lucy expected — or is Joshua playing the long game in winning the competition between them?

OPINION: This book was hot several years ago. I have to admit that I wasn’t attracted to the book then. I ended up reading it recently for a book club. Unlike many “hot” books, this one was amazing.

From the first page to the end, I loved the couple and the story, even though it has many elements that aren’t my favorite — such as it is told in the first person present (by Lucy), and we never get Joshua’s perspective other than what Lucy learns. But it worked for me because it ended up being precisely what the story needed to work.

Lucy is sweet but surprisingly determined and strong when it matters. Joshua … no, I can’t say any more because it will give the story away. I can say that Lucy’s perception of Joshua is that he is a stick-in-the-mud, cold person, and a big jerk. When she finds herself attracted to him, she can’t imagine why.

What I love about this book is that it takes all the tropes of the office romance from 20-30 years ago and writes in a new and unexpected way. I’ve read stories like this many times before, but this book never gave the easy, expected answer. It is modern and funny, but it is also sweet and romantic.

It wasn’t the typical angsty and angry enemies-to-lovers story that I was expecting, but it was definitely worth the reading.

WORTH MENTIONING: THE HATING GAME was made into a movie.

CONNECTED BOOK THE HATING GAME is a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.