Us Against You (Beartown #2) by Fredrik Backman

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After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in Hed, take in that fact. Amidst the mounting tension between the two rivals, a surprising newcomer is handpicked to be Beartown’s new hockey coach.

Soon a new team starts to take shape around Amat, the fastest player you’ll ever see; Benji, the intense lone wolf; and Vidar, a born-to-be-bad troublemaker. But bringing this team together proves to be a challenge as old bonds are broken, new ones are formed, and the enmity with Hed grows more and more acute.

As the big match approaches, the not-so-innocent pranks and incidents between the communities pile up and their mutual contempt grows deeper. By the time the last game is finally played, a resident of Beartown will be dead, and the people of both towns will be forced to wonder if, after all they’ve been through, the game they love can ever return to something simple and innocent.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I loved Beartown though I know a lot of people had a hard time with it because it is a tragic story. It's not easy reading and neither is its startling sequel, Us Against You. As you know, I deeply admire Fredrik Backman and Beartown was so different from what I was used to from him. I wasn't expecting a follow up because I was satisfied with how it ended. I realize now as I'm writing this why despite how heavy these books are, I love them so much. When people are put under the microscope and you keep zooming in closer, those people start to behave differently. The way they respond to the pressure is a glimpse into their personalities.

Same thing applies here in Us Against You where the story picks up a few weeks after a devastating crime that has run the accused and shamed hockey captain out of town and his accuser is left behind to face the town's wrath. Beartown is on the brink of implosion. It doesn't happen immediately. Instead Backman methodically demonstrates how each of Beartown's citizens are reacting to and are affected by the upheaval of their hockey team's demise. It's not just about hockey, but about what it represents to this town and how its identity and economy are closely entwined with its success. 

I was hyper aware of how fragmented the story is this time and admittedly it makes it slightly tougher to a reading groove so to speak. It jumps from one character to the next quickly as he sets up the story which requires patience as he leads to something big. He also introduces a new character who felt rather abstract  and sinister to me. The whole point of him is to prey on people's weaknesses and fears and spur on action. 

As an entire piece, I liked Us Against You. However, it did take me a while to finish it because the story is choppier and it is sad. Everyone involved is going through massive life changes and reeling from the reverberating effects of what happened to a few if its own. What kept me going is Backman's insight into human nature. He's able to pick apart and analyze things and know the truth of them. It's how I felt when I first read his debut, A Man Called Ove. I believe I said then that he's somehow able to put into words emotions that I myself hard to describe, and he does so in a way that makes them accessible. Us Against You might present an ugly side of people whose flaws we can easily recognize in ourselves, but there's also a glimmer of hope somewhere in there and it's that that I latch onto. Backman is a brilliant storyteller, sincere, vulnerable and honest in every word he writes.

~ Bel

Hooked On You (Chicago Rebels #4) by Kate Meader

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The steamy Chicago Rebels series returns with this racy and sassy tale of embittered hearts, second chances, and going for the goal—on and off the ice.

Violet Vasquez never met her biological father, so learning he left his beloved hockey franchise—the Chicago Rebels—to her is, well, unexpected. Flat broke and close to homeless, Violet is determined to make the most of this sudden opportunity. Except dear old dad set conditions that require she takes part in actually running the team with the half-sisters she barely knows. Working with these two strangers and overseeing a band of hockey-playing lugs is not on her agenda…until she lays eyes on the Rebels captain and knows she has to have him.

Bren St. James has been labeled a lot of things: the Puck Prince, Lord of the Ice, Hell’s Highlander...but it’s the latest tag that’s making headlines: washed-up alcoholic has-been. This season, getting his life back on track and winning the Cup are his only goals. With no time for relationships—except the fractured ones he needs to rebuild with his beautiful daughters—he’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore sexy, all-up-in-his-beard Violet Vasquez. And when he finds himself in need of a nanny just as the playoffs are starting, he’s faced with a temptation he could so easily get hooked on.

For two lost souls, there’s more on the line than just making the best of a bad situation… there might also be a shot at the biggest prize of all: love.

Source: advanced e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


It's been one heck of a good time reading Meader's Chicago Rebels series and I feel like everything has come together in this sizzling final volume.

Violet and Bren are two souls who have hit rock bottom and have been climbing their way back to health and positivity ever since. Violet is a cancer survivor determined to live her life without fear now that she's in the clear. Bren, survives by taking things one day at a time as he works to remain sober and above the fray. Keeping a straight head on and staying disciplined is the only way he can fix the horrible mess that is disastrous marriage and subsequent divorce, his drinking and his estrangement from his daughters. Bren and Violet seem to antagonize one another whenever they come into contact even though they'd secretly very much liked to jump each other's bones. Violet's goal while in Chicago is to fulfill the terms as laid out in her father's will with regards to the team, and then move away to continue on with her life. Bren needs to prioritize his team and his daughters first. As much as one would like to control things, they can't and when he needs help with his daughters during the playoffs, guess who gets called upon at the last minute?

In my opinion, this is the hottest couple of the series. (Okay, settle down. Cade and Dante from Undone By You, are also up there.) I say this is because whenever Violet and Bren are around each other, it's like watching the sexiest slow dance as they circle one another carefully. They're fully aware of their own desires but there's that awful cold shower called "reality" keeps dousing whatever is burning between them. It is electric when they finally act upon it! However, it doesn't mean that all their concerns go by the wayside, it just gets trickier.

One of the best parts of this series has been the family. In the Chase sisters' situation, it's been the gluing together of fragments of family as left behind by their dead patriarch. Due to their respective upbringings, each sister has a uniquely different backstory. Their individual approach to life makes their interactions more interesting. Meader not only describes their romances in the making but also the growing bond of sisterhood and friendship between the women. It's why it feels that things finally come together here and what has made the Chicago Rebels stories so special. 

Whether you like hockey or are new to this series, you'll enjoy every moment of Hooked On You. It's hot and funny and so worth your while!

~ Bel

Brooklynaire by Sarina Bowen

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A sexy new standalone from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.

You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.

For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.

When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together.

Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review



Nate and Becca - FINALLY!! A coupling a long time in the making is what makes Brooklynaire an especially exciting read and one that I've been waiting for all this time. We've always gotten a hint of what lay simmering underneath in the previous Brooklyn Bruisers books and Brooklynaire delivers the goods!

The wrench thrown at this highly anticipated union is that this is a blossoming romance between a boss and his employee. Even though they go way back to when Nate hired Becca and they've become good friends since, it's still a precarious line to cross. It's a crucial fact neither of them can afford to ignore though they both come at it differently. Not going to lie, when they first hook up it is hot. But it's the aftermath that leaves everyone unsettled.

Once again Sarina Bowen does what I love best about her: she brings the hard realities, allowing her characters to fumble their way through. For Becca, it's the horror of being a cliché that holds her back from going further with Nate. "Secretary gets it on with owner" is not the headline she wants broadcast and neither does she want to deal with the inevitable rumours and gossip. Nate is also aware that he has to be mindful of the current climate and how he woos Becca. It's nice that Bowen brought these two perspectives here where the woman has to worry about her reputation (personally and professionally) and the man has to be concerned with how his actions are viewed. There's also that cynicism that comes with being rich: does she like me for me or for my money? And speaking of the man, there's something different about how Bowen has crafted Nate. He's gentler, he reveres Becca and it's never more apparent that during their first love scene. There's no vulgarity, no overabundance of testosterone, just pure, simple adoration and pleasure. I was so charmed by it that I read it again before continuing on. Also, it was scorching hot. Did I mention that already?

Bowen is an auto-buy for me. She has never let me down and I've read a lot of her stuff. She continues to write amazing stories that are sometimes punctuated by current hot topics and she does so in a lowkey way. Brooklynaire's added charm is Nate and Becca's connection. Friends-to-lovers is always a fun trope and here their penchant for palindromes is hilarious showing how well they get each other. They're creative and saucy with them, too. The ending, while fantastical from a real-life perspective truly works for them in the Brooklyn Bruisers universe. If you're a Sarina Bowen fan like I am, you'll need to get on this immediately!

~ Bel

EXCERPT

I grab a towel off a waiting stack of them and toss it onto the edge. “You can sit and put your feet in.”

She’s wearing a short little knit dress that’s been making me crazy all evening, so it would be easy enough for her to strip off those stockings, sit on the towel, and drop both feet in.

And that’s what she does. She eases one stocking down over a smooth knee and tugs it off.

I don’t want to stand there staring like a middle-school boy. Okay, I do want to. But I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. So I go over to the sound system instead, and I set my phone on the speaker and cue up a really old playlist. One she’ll recognize.

When I turn around again, she’s seated on the towel, both legs hanging down into the churning water. “Ah. Wow.” She looks up at me, her eyes sparkling. “Nice place you got here.”

“Isn’t it?” I toe off my shoes and kick them to the side.

The first song comes on, and it’s a Macklemore tune that we used to play far too often in our first office. Rebecca laughs immediately. “You didn’t! I haven’t heard this playlist in forever. But I’ll bet I still know every transition. Lady Gaga is next.”

“She sure is.”

Rebecca kicks her feet, making a splash. “I have a little confession to make.”

“What’s that?” I loosen my tie and slide the knot out.

“Well…” She grins up at me. “I used to have a crush on you. Back in the early days.”

My hands freeze on the tie silk. “Get out of town. You did not.”

“No, I really did.” Her cheeks are pink. “That first year especially. But you were taken, and you were my boss. Those two things made it pretty easy to tamp down, when you’re a practical girl like me.”

I walk over and drop down beside her, my back to the water, though, because I’m still wearing trousers and socks. “So how does that work, exactly?”

“What?” She gives me a sidelong glance, but then looks away again and won’t meet my eyes.

“How do you stop wanting someone? I’m a practical person, but I don’t see how that makes it any easier. Nothing seems to mute the raging attraction I have for you.”

Her chin turns quickly toward me, and I seize the opportunity to kiss her. And it only takes one kiss—one slide of my lips over hers, and I’m on fire again.

We’re facing opposite directions, so it’s awkward as hell. But I don’t even care. I take greedy sip after greedy sip of her mouth, until she pulls back to stare at me. Her color is high and her eyes are bright and happy. “This is like Twister.”

“It’s better,” I correct. Lady Gaga comes on, just as Becca said she would. “Are we getting into this pool or what?”

Becca kicks a foot in the water. “I’m tempted. But I don’t have a bathing suit.”

“Oh, snap.”

She smiles and shakes her head. “Are you really getting in?”

“We don’t have to.” I’m never going to pressure her.

Her fingers trail across the surface of the bubbling water. “But this is an adventure, right?”

“Right.” I stand up and remove my socks. She’s watching me. And I can’t read her expression. “What?”

“Just wondering what else you’re going to take off.” She smiles.

“Come here.” The order rolls off my tongue.

But Rebecca doesn’t blink. She gets up and turns toward me, curiosity in her eyes.

“You tell me. What am I taking off?”

She puts two hands tentatively on my chest, and I make myself be patient. Everything I ever wanted is on the other side of this moment. I just need us to break through this awkwardness—the “will we or won’t we” tension.  

Her fingers find the top button of my shirt. “I’m not getting in the water unless you are.”

That’s a compromise I can live with. I find my lower shirt buttons and work upwards, until we meet in the middle. She pushes the two halves of my shirt apart and runs a hand down my bare chest.

My inner caveman stands up and cheers.

So Over You Blog Tour - Excerpt & Giveaway

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Three estranged sisters struggle to sustain their late father’s failing hockey franchise in Kate Meader’s sizzling Chicago Rebels series. In this second entry, middle sister Isobel is at a crossroads in her personal and professional lives. But both are about to get a significant boost with the addition of a domineering Russian powerhouse to the Rebels....

Isobel Chase knows hockey. She played NCAA, won Olympic silver, and made it thirty-seven minutes into the new National Women’s Hockey League before an injury sidelined her dreams. Those who can’t, coach, and a position as a skating consultant to her late father’s hockey franchise, the Chicago Rebels, seems like a perfect fit. Until she’s assigned her first job: the man who skated into her heart as a teen and relieved her of her pesky virginity. These days, left-winger Vadim Petrov is known as the Czar of Pleasure, a magnet for puck bunnies and the tabloids alike. But back then... let’s just say his inability to sink the puck left Isobel frustratingly scoreless.

Vadim has a first name that means “ruler,” and it doesn’t stop at his birth certificate. He dominates on the ice, the practice rink, and in the backseat of a limo. But a knee injury has produced a bad year, and bad years in the NHL don’t go unrewarded. His penance? To be traded to a troubled team where his personal coach is Isobel Chase, the woman who drove him wild years ago when they were hormonal teens. But apparently the feeling was not entirely mutual.

That Vadim might have failed to give Isobel the pleasure that was her right is intolerable, and he plans to make it up to her—one bone-melting orgasm at a time. After all, no player can perfect his game without a helluva lot of practice... 

Source: advance egalley provided in exchange for an honest review


I amuses me how though I'm not a hockey fan I look forward to these sports romances so much. Truthfully, the game itself goes over my head but I'm here for the story and this Chicago Rebels series presents the stories from a different angle -- that of a female run organization.

Isobel and Vadim have history and meeting up again brings out all the animosity and hurt. Raised by her father to be the best female hockey player ever, her dreams were crushed due to an injury. She found a new career in coaching but she's always felt that she never lived up to her true potential. Vadim who was recently traded to the Rebels is sidelined by an injury and only under Isobel's watchful coaching can he be healthy enough to be back on the ice sooner rather than later. The problem is that they can't get along. Way back when she was a young girl on the cusp of greatness, she and Vadim were secretly an item. It was her father's ambition for her that led to their breakup and Vadim being blackballed for a short period of time. Just as in the first book, Irresistible You, Isobel like her sister Harper, continues to live under their dead father's ever present shadow. It's hard to detach personal ambition from guilt over letting him down. Now she and Vadim they have to work together they have to balance their feelings alongside professional etiquette with everything being more precarious because of Isobel's position as owner and also as an assistant coach. Tongues will wag and reputations will be at risk should people start suspecting anything between them. 

While the description might make it seem that the problem between them comes down to sex, it doesn't. There is a lot more going on with each of them though nothing overdramatic. Isobel is still dealing with the disappointing blow to her career. Not only that, she's also looking to break the barrier by becoming a coach of a professional men's hockey team. And she has to prove that she's the right person for the job by more than just her last name or the fact that she's a part-owner. This means dealing with the occasional skepticism or random sexist comments thrown at her. Meanwhile, Vadim has to come to terms with someone who was once close to him whom he had written off years ago. This particular storyline brings out his more sentimental side. The one thing I will say that is uneasy for me is the two of them pursuing something knowing full well what a delicate position Isobel is in being a team owner whose every move is documented and judged. These are the very same concerns Harper had in the first book as she took up with Remy. You just get protective of these characters and don't want them to get hurt. At the same time, it is a look into how women in the workplace are held to a different and often more rigid standard, especially when they're in a position of power.

Meader does also give us sneak peeks of future books by teasing us with tiny subplots. (Seriously, she has me excited for book 3!) I utterly enjoyed So Over You, and that it offers something new by featuring a strong, intelligent and capable female athlete who can go toe-to-toe with any other competitor on the ice. It's a fun and sexy distraction that you shouldn't miss!

~ Bel

// Enjoy this special excerpt from So Over You //

“This little job is the difference between you playing and not. Dancing with the Stars, Vaddy baby. It’s where all the washed-up pros end up.”

Annoyed at his reaction to her, he skated away, throwing out over his shoulder, “I will be playing, Isobel. You will have no say in that. I spoke with Moretti—it is clear why you have this job.”

Her brow crimped. Naturally, it was adorable. “Please. Enlighten me.”

“He is new and no doubt under pressure to bow to the owners. You can write your own ticket.”

“If that’s the case, I’d just appoint myself as head coach and be done with it.”

“You are also conscious of what the fans and media think, so you are starting small. Really, you could have called or texted, Isobel. Buying my contract seems like a lot of work to bring me back into your world.”

“You weren’t my first choice. But luckily your poor play this season meant Quebec was happy to offload you.”

He ignored the brief stab. The last six months had been difficult. Isobel understood this, yet they could not resist these little cuts.

“I think you wanted to be closer to me. Just like before, right, Bella?”

A blush crept up her cheeks on hearing his endearment for her.

He would test her. Make her angry and emotional. Make her cry. Because angry, emotional criers were not the stuff of coaches. If she was serious about a career in the NHL, she would hear worse.

She would get him game fit. He would get her battle ready.

He continued to needle. “Yes, I think that must be it. It seems that the female owners of the Rebels would like to abuse their position and use the players for their personal pleasure. Your sister and Remy DuPre—that is interesting.”

“Is it?”

“Harper may have duped a Rebel player into her bed, but please don’t imagine you and I will be renewing our acquaintance in a similar manner.”

 That got her attention, at last. Her creamy skin blazed, her crimson mouth twitched, and even from a distance he could see those melted-shamrock eyes darken. She looked like she wanted scream at him. Burst into tears. Slap his face.

Yes, Bella. Let us see if you can handle the barbs of every player, coach, and fan who will dismiss you. Let us see if you can handle me.

Fury powering her stride, she skated over, skidding to a halt mere inches from his face. As before, she was magnificent.

“You’ve found me out, Petrov.”

“I have?”

“It’s all an elaborate ruse. We bought your contract even though you really haven’t been performing well this season. Let’s face it, you’ve sucked donkey balls, Vadikins. But I convinced my sisters that I alone could bring you back to top condition. Make you a valuable asset to the team. I also made sure I’d be the only one working with you . . .” She leaned up on the tips of her blades, a balancing act that required great skill and remarkable ankle strength. Close enough that he could have slipped his tongue between his lips and tasted hers.

Her breath was a hot puff of temptation. “So we would have all this alone time.”

With that fiery gaze, she held his own.

Unerring.

Unflinching.

Until her mouth creased, and she broke into a laugh. He remembered that laugh. Just as before, it hit him right in the balls.

She used the edge of the iPad to poke him in the chest. “You thought I’d go to all this trouble to try to get into your hockey shorts, Petrov? I’m a team owner—I can have any of these Rebel boys with the click of my fingers!” She chuckled, clearly enjoying herself. “Despite what that supersized ego of yours thinks, the only performance I want from you is on the ice. Maybe if you spent less time carousing—”

“Carousing?”

“Yes, it’s nicer than calling you a club-hopping, vodka-sodden manwhore. Less of that and more effort on your day job, please. And don’t worry yourself that I’m interested in ‘renewing our acquaintance.’ I’ve had better lays with the Ukrainian delegation at the last Games.”

He had to say he enjoyed this sharp-tongued, quick-witted version of Isobel. But not enough to admit it to her.

“There is nothing you can teach me.”

“So sure, Russian.”

“I am positive.”

“We’ll see.” She skated back to the edge of the rink. “Again.”

// Giveaway //

To celebrate the release of So Over You, Kate Meader is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card! Enter here! 

Pipe Dreams (Brooklyn Bruisers #3) by Sarina Bowen

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A goalie has to trust his instincts, even when taking a shot to the heart…

Mike Beacon is a champion at defending the net, but off the ice, he’s not so lucky. A widower and a single father, he’s never forgotten Lauren Williams, the ex who gave him the best year of his life. When Lauren reappears in the Bruisers office during the playoffs, Beacon sees his chance to make things right.

Lauren hates that she’s forced to travel with the team she used to work for and the man who broke her heart. There’s still undeniable sexual tension running between her and Mike, but she won’t go down that road again. She’s focused on her plans for the future—she doesn’t need a man to make her dreams of motherhood come true.

Lauren plays her best defensive game, but she’s no match for the dark-eyed goalie. When the field of play moves to Florida, things heat up on the beach.

One of Mike’s biggest fans doesn’t approve—his teenage daughter. But a true competitor knows not to waste the perfect shot at love.

Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I seriously do not know how Sarina Bowen has the time to write so many books but I'm glad she does. She's one of a few of my must-read authors; I'm so there whenever they have a new release out. 

So here I am talking about Pipe Dreams, book 3 in the Brooklyn Bruisers series. I'm predicting some burst ovaries with this one because it's a second-chance romance featuring a single dad and the woman he had to give up in order to take care of his family. There's some heartache from the past mixed in with deep desires that never went away. Give those ingredients a good shake and you have some major sexual tension vibes flowing through the pages.

Mike and Lauren are both extraordinary people for all their strength and weaknesses having been through a disastrous breakup that saw both of them come away with broken hearts and dreams. So one can understand why Lauren wants to stay the hell away from hockey, the Brooklyn office and most of all Mike, Mr. Heartbreak himself. But she's forced to be there and even the most strong-willed person in the world would have trouble facing off with him. Mike is naturally ecstatic to see her again though cautious about how the interaction will go between them. He knows he left her in pieces but he doesn't get the full picture until now when she finally throws it all at him. Yikes!

I think one of the positives of their story is that it's about perspective, the kind that you gain with distance and time apart. Having been through the worst both Lauren and Mike can look back and say what they did and didn't handle well. And this go round nothing is left unsaid. Once they get through that awkward and painful ceremony of asking for and receiving forgiveness, they can start over though with some changes.

I thought Pipe Dreams was a good read even if I was iffy about how badly Mike wanted to accelerate things with Lauren. For example, I was a bit surprised that he insinuated himself into a major decision in her life and that she initially went along with it without either of them discussing the impact of that decision on some important people in their lives. That's solely my hang up and how I read that particular situation, and to be honest I liked that it had me thinking about how I might respond in such a scenario.

There is no shortage of love for Sarina Bowen here at Bibliojunkies. We adore her and everything she does. I believe there's a fourth book in the works and frankly, I'm hoping that's Nate and Becca's story. They've been in the background this entire time and we've caught glimpses of Nate's distant pining and Becca's adorable obliviousness. I want more, and I have to know, please! Anyway, Pipe Dreams, read it and enjoy yourself!

~ Bel

Beartown by Fredrik Backman

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The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with a dazzling, profound novel about a small town with a big dream—and the price required to make it come true.

People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey team is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of a handful of teenage boys.

Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected.

Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain. In this story of a small forest town, Fredrik Backman has found the entire world. 


Source: advance e-galley provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review


Beartown takes a look at the dynamics of a small town and its residents who live in the woods. The town's entire culture and psyche is centered on that of the junior hockey team. Their identities along with their goals, their economics, their purpose in life are tied up in it. Think Friday Night Lights but more intense. Backman introduces us to several people  - adults and teenagers - who are directly or indirectly involved with the hockey team and shows us how their lives are impacted by it. It takes a few pages to meet all of them but as soon as he's set that up he's the director having the camera slowly pan out, giving us a wider scope of the town. The result is that we see what hockey means to these individuals, what they've done for it, sacrificed for it and ultimately created because of it. Beartown is another testament to Backman's amazing ability to write about people's flaws and strengths, bringing their humanity to the forefront. What he's done here is show us that sometimes that thing that unites a community can also be something that pits one against the other. In this case, it's a sports culture that makes celebrities out of those who aren't ready, and how bringing them to cult-like status can create heroes and villains.

The beauty of Beartown is that we get to be inside the minds of all the characters and see how they affect one another. It's such a lovely advantage as a reader to be able to have that within reach but it's also an imposing thing as the story takes on a dark turn. You're an eyewitness to these events as the chips fall into place, coming to a climax that you're anxiously awaiting. Backman lays it out perfectly, weaving together their histories and keeping you guessing as to what's next. All the while, these characters feel real and their struggles or insecurities are relatable. You can recognize those things in them which makes this story an interesting study in human psychology and relationships.  

I'm not going to delve into plot specifics because the effect won't be as impressive if you're not watching it unfold yourself. The first page did startled me. It had me wondering as I continued when Backman would bring me back to that very moment on that first page. The anticipation gave me a rush! Because there are so many characters, there are a several storylines and for the most part they do intersect. By the way, there are some triggers but in order to avoid spoilers I've included them in the labels so please refer to them if you'd prefer to know ahead of time. 

I've wanted to read Beartown for months ever since I saw it was out in Backman's native Sweden. Sadly or rather inconveniently, I don't speak Swedish so I've had to wait patiently for it to be released in the US. As I've come to expect it's another outstanding novel from a master storyteller. The surprise though was the type of story this was and how serious it became. But it's the various twists and revelations that make Beartown a must-read now and a must-have addition to your bookshelf!

~ Bel

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

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Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

Despite the rather unbelievable premise, Being Sloane Jacobs was quite fun and I couldn't help but fall for it while reading it during the Winter Olympics.

It took a little bit to buy into them trading places and adapting easily to each other’s lives. They're from opposite backgrounds with contrary dispositions, there was no telling which way this would go. I think I spent half the time convincing myself to go with it and the other half worried about how and when their ruse would be discovered. At some point, I ended up being more concerned with what the two Sloanes were mentally working through than all the other stuff.

Essentially, they’re both overwhelmed and exhausted by their own lives. They’re expected to behave a certain way, deliver certain results and follow a pre-destined path towards glory. Seems impressive on paper but when real life intrudes and shakes their faith in themselves and their respective families, suddenly all that they’ve been working towards has become unbearable. So trading spots isn’t such a bad idea after all. It’s a mental vacation from their lives and a chance for some breathing space. This break is exactly what they need to get their heads sorted out. As the weeks go by, they meet new friends (and enemies), learn challenging new repertoires, engage in some out-of-character high jinx and of course, there are boys involved. They eventually have to return to reality but by then they come to terms with what they have and face head on their fears and anxieties over their futures.

All in all, Being Sloane Jacobs is cute with a side of mischief – just enough to sweeten your day!

~ Bel