Claire Kann

There is so much I love about this book. The story is super cute (I love Takumi!), but it also covers some tough topics. Alice is asexual and biromantic, and I really liked how asexuality was discussed in this book (although, obvious disclaimer, Alice’s asexuality is just one of the many ways to be ace). Alice is also black, and the racist micro aggressions that she experiences are also addressed. It’s also nice to read a new adult book without a bunch of sex scenes, because usually I show more have to read YA to escape that.

The part of the book that I didn’t like was Alice’s friendship with Feenie, who was just horrible, in my opinion. I wish Alice had been able to see that, she deserved better friends.

But aside from that, this is a really cute romance with a black asexual main character, a story which doesn’t often get told. show less

Zinnia knows her best friends and roommates, Grace and Fiona, are falling in love so she decides she's going to have a partnership, too, and not be the awkward third wheel. Not particularly interested in falling in love, she makes a dating app profile and business proposal, and starts meeting men. Enter Jordan, a successful entrepreneur who has a reason of his own for wanting to get married: his family is famous and on a reality TV show. His sister, Sadie, is pregnant with twins and off the show more show this season, so they're looking for a diversion, and the Estranged Son coming back, married, is the perfect storyline. The family expects him to get back with his ex, but Zinnia's proposal might just be his way out.

A marriage of convenience can be tough to pull off in the present day, but Kann's set up is intriguing and has enough details about the way "reality" TV can massage storylines and edit to maximum effect to make Jordan and Zinnia's situation feel grounded. I enjoyed seeing how they got to know and trust each other. Most of Kann's protagonists are asexual, and while the word is never used to describe Zinnia, it's clear that she hasn't had a lot of romantic relationships and feels fulfilled in the love she has from other people - her parents, her best friends - that don't feel all that different to her. Falling in love wasn't the plan. I did think that their "I'm in love with my spouse but s/he isn't in love with me" lasted a little too long, especially when they're so in tune with each other's feelings in so many other ways. But it was a delightful story, and the way it ended for the show's big finale was incredibly satisfying. show less

Lucky Hart has a special ability to be able to read people - she thinks of it as a "first impression" in which she can see their core personality. Used to being ostracized for this, she has nevertheless dived into a study of the supernatural and ESP. When a production team is looking for a caretaker for Hennessee House, where the previous ones have left screaming within three nights, Lucky jumps at the chance to investigate what makes the place tick and to get her name out in public. What show more she doesn't expect is the potential for love with Maverick Phillips, a fellow worker on the show.

I like a slow burn romance with other things going on, and I appreciate Kann's portrayal of asexual characters in her stories. I enjoyed seeing the relationships Lucky builds with the production team - not just Maverick and his daughter, Rebel, but also Georgia (a producer on the show) and Xander (the would-be owner of the house with deep pockets). And of course, the sentient Hennessee House itself. What does it want, and why does it seem different with Lucky than the previous caretakers? It was mostly fun - and a little spooky - to see it all unfold. show less

Joy and Malcolm have been best friends for ten years: they went to college together, work together, and they're both asexual. But Malcolm has been in multiple relationships, while Joy has had a crush on him for ages, and he seems completely unaware despite the fact that they share everything. After his latest breakup, Malcolm's been in a funk, but this weekend - he tells Joy to clear her schedule, and he takes her along to meet Summer, his latest girlfriend. The catch? Summer's friend Fox is show more coming along, and Malcolm wants Joy to keep him occupied. Fox is grumpy and reserved, but convinces Joy to fake date and see if they can make Malcolm jealous. She agrees, but the setup starts to bring on feelings that are all too real.

I liked this contemporary romance with ace representation. Joy is a fun character, very secure in herself, and willing to tell it like it is, though she does get frustrated with people who assume things about her identity - like that she'd never date. The complicated feelings that she and Malcolm have for each other lasts throughout the book to the point of being a love triangle, which isn't my favorite, but also felt realistic for a close friendship that had lasted as long as theirs had. I would have liked to see more of Fox's personality fleshed out. I could see why he liked Joy, but it was less obvious what she saw in him, other than a mystery to crack. And it's written in present tense, which is not my favorite, but I managed to mostly overlook it because I liked the characters. show less