Kara McDowell

I really liked how this handled the heroine’s mental health struggles, but the romances weren’t my favorite.

Decision making is never easy for Paige and it’s downright impossible to choose between experiencing snow for the first time with her friend Fitz who’s the boy she’s secretly in love with or Christmas in New York with her mom which would be a dream come true for Paige and her travel writer aspirations.

One Way or Another alternates between Paige’s two fates, the snowy cabin show more and New York, with the start of each chapter clearly marking time and place so there isn’t any confusion for the reader.

I found both Fitz and Harrison likable enough (although I did sorta want Harrison to be less curmudgeonly/brokenhearted so I could “see” more of New York at Christmas), my issues with the romances weren’t about either guy being unworthy. It’s just that the snowy cabin fate tested my tolerance limit for interruptions by other characters and Paige cutting off Fitz every time he tried to tell her how he feels. Generally I’m a fan of delayed gratification in romance novels, I get that it’s important to prolong tension, however, at a certain point here the interruptions/cut off conversations seemed excessive and forced and I longed for Fitz to say what he had to say already and produce some forward momentum. As for the New York fate, with Harrison still bruised from his breakup and Paige pining over Fitz, they did have chemistry but I found it hard to completely invest in them when I couldn’t stop questioning whether their hearts were really in it or not.

While there are plenty of other readers who enjoyed the romantic aspects of this book more than I did, what I think most everyone can agree on is the depiction of Paige’s anxiety disorder. The author convincingly conveyed the seriousness of what Paige is going through, how it affects every aspect of her life, the frustration with herself, the panic, and the spiraling thoughts. I may not have cared all that much about the romances, but I most definitely cared about Paige and her receiving help and support. show less

As someone who is clinically diagnosed with anxiety, this book has represented the disorder. While reading, I find myself relating to the character. I believe the author has adequately researched the struggles and narratives of anxious people. The grounding technique actually helps and I'm glad that this book includes that. Also, this book makes a bold statement that getting help is not that scary. Definitely breaks the stigma around mental health.

Aside from that, this book is also fun to show more read. It is exciting at every turn. Perhaps the two fates of Paige means that what will be, will be. No matter the means, the end will always be the same. This book has taught me to live in the moment and be in the present. Que sera sera.

I love this book and I'm glad that this has been my first book this year. What a way to start the year indeed! show less

This book completely surpassed my expectations! I devoured this captivating rom-com in one sitting, unable to tear myself away. Stranded in London, Wren Wheeler teams up with the charming British crown prince, Theo, as they face an impending global catastrophe. Their journey across Europe is filled with comedic mishaps, unexpected hurdles, and a blossoming romance that tugged at my heartstrings. What I adored most were the flawed and relatable characters. Wren's need for structure and Theo's show more desire for freedom added depth to their connection. With an ending that left me yearning for more, I'm eagerly hoping for a sequel to continue this enchanting tale! show less

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for a copy in advance.

Ever accidentally married the King of England on a apocalypse fueled whim and then the world didn't end and you had to have awkward conversations after your plane crashes near a deserted island?

This was ridiculously fun. Everyone had to kind of awkwardly work through the consequences of their actions when the world was certain they were all going to die. Wren has to try to reconcile herself into being a totally normal college show more student when her very official marriage license looks horribly legitimate. She reunites with Theo to get it figured out and everything goes wrong immediately.

Everyone is stress tested when their plane goes down and the royal family and Wren, her sister, and her best friend are dropped into the middle of nowhere, injured, and without a rescue in sight. Now she has all the face time with her wayward husband that she could dream of and they still aren't on the same page.

Wren and Theo are so good when they aren't around other people. He has duties and giant piles of rules and she doesn't fit into any of them so it's all just hard. I was delighted by this and read it in one sitting. The banter is good and the adventure of trying to survive kept this book skipping along.

This entire series has been a delightful surprise. show less