I Don't Regret You by Jodie Larson

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Regrets.

We all have them.

Like the Aqua Net hairstyles back in the 80's, the 90's grunge fad, or the person you lost your virginity to as a teen because you were "totally in love".

I have a few of my own. Specifically, marrying my rebound guy but staying married because I was too weak to fight for my own happiness.

He took me down and kept me there for far too long.

I'm done. Done living with regrets and done not pursuing what makes me happy.

Then you came along and showed me that I was worth more than who I had become.

You are not my regret.


Jocelyn (Joss) is stuck in a loveless marriage with her emotionally abusive husband, Mike. She had long ago given up on the ideal life she hoped for and is now simply living day to day trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy for her two children, and does this with no support system. She's a hostage to her husband's mood swings, parents live far away and she's always felt like an outcast since she doesn't have any friends in town. Joss has just grown to accept the status quo until the day she witnesses her husband lash out at the kids. That's all the convincing she needs to kick him out and start anew. Taking a second job, she works herself to the bone but the strangest thing is happening: folks are slowly coming forward offering her help and most importantly the kindness that she's been missing all these years. One of them is Henry, another divorcee, who hires Joss at his restaurant. He's always been the sole person in town who ever acknowledged her and offered a smile or a quick kind word here and there but kept his distance because she was married. He makes it clear that he's there for her if she ever needs anything. And so begins a friends-to-lovers journey that is second only to Joss' emergence as a woman in her own right.

This is an emotionally-charged read but any story about someone coming out of an abusive relationship would be. I was encouraged at least to see Joss take her life back, keeping her head up despite setbacks or tiredness. Her biggest lesson through it all is learning how to accept help graciously, something she's been reluctant to do until now. The abuse she suffers might be a trigger for some people and what I can say is that Larson shows us a woman who rises up, finds her people and gives love a second chance. Joss gets her happily ever after after all.

~ Bel

Starting Over by Sue Moorcroft

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New home, new friends, new love. Can starting over be that simple?

Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex -fiancé, Olly Gray. She’s moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country.

Miles Rattenbury’s passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. 

When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they’re nearly neighbours – yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him...

Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?


I have read a few books recently with strong female characters looking to overcome some horrendous event in the past. Each one is different in personality and it's fascinating to see how each one deals with the hand they've been dealt.

Tess is moving into a new cottage after breaking up with her ex. She makes quite the impression when she literally runs her car into the back of Miles' truck and needs him to tow her car to his garage so that it can be fixed. Not the best way to meet new people. Miles, known as Ratty to his friends, isn't impressed with Tess' curt behaviour during this encounter. They do wind up running into each other on various occasions through her new neighbours and so have to endure each other's company. They do eventually get closer but it takes a while to get there. Tess' previous relationship was a disaster that left her utterly shaken. Her healing has been slow; she's had no real support from her family so her new life in the country has been refreshing. This bizarre thing she has going with Ratty will do for now especially since he's not for any kind of commitment whatsoever.

I adored the English countryside setting; it looked so cozy and picturesque in my mind. The writing took a bit of getting used to at first. Moorcroft's style is different from what I've typically read in the past so I had to get a few pages in before I found its rhythm. There were a few references that I missed only because of a lack of familiarity, but it certainly didn't hinder my overall enjoyment of the novel. The pacing of the story which spans a couple of years is perfect allowing for the characters to develop in their own time. The romance between Tess and Ratty is a slow build which is kind of a rare thing in romances lately, and I preferred it mainly because after what Tess went through previously, she needed to go at her comfort level. It's heady stuff resulting from her nasty relationship/breakup with her ex-fiancé. That storyline is complicated and emotional, and on the flip side even provides some absurd moments in the present. Speaking of absurd, Tess' new friends and family are all wacky which makes them all lovable, except maybe the parents who are a bit clueless and meddlesome.

Starting Over is the first book I've read by British publisher, Choc Lit and the first by Sue Moorcroft. Reading it had me feeling as if I was transported to the English countryside and living in a quaint cottage surrounded by a loving and well-meaning group of friends. It's the perfect choice if you we want to see a heroine who's been through the wringer find that happily ever after!

~ Bel

Maybe Someday (Maybe #1) by Colleen Hoover

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At twenty-two years old, Sydney is enjoying a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her best friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers that Hunter is cheating on her—and she’s forced to decide what her next move should be.

Soon, Sydney finds herself captivated by her mysterious and attractive neighbor, Ridge. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the passionate way he plays his guitar every evening out on his balcony. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either. They soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one.

A passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance, Maybe Someday will immerse readers in Sydney’s tumultuous world from the very first page.

I’ve decided what it is I like about Colleen Hoover that has me devouring her books – she’s unafraid to explore very uncomfortable situations. Maybe Someday is a very good case of “right place, wrong time” when Sydney and Ridge crash into each other’s orbit. There’s an undeniable attraction but the problem is that she just broke up with her lying, cheating boyfriend (who happened to be hooking up with her best friend and roommate) and Ridge is madly in love with his girlfriend, Maggie. So now the trick is how they have to get along as roommates and songwriting partners.

What I loved: The fact that both Sydney and Ridge acknowledge what is occurring between them. They actually communicate! Whether it’s through conversation or through their songwriting, they’re honest about their feelings and the predicament that puts them in.  Sydney is keenly aware that to pursue anything with Ridge would cast Maggie in the role of the betrayed girlfriend, just as she was. Having had her heart broken recently, there's no way she's doing that to someone else. And Ridge, oh this guy is loyal to a fault. He sees the hurt and confusion he’s causing her because he feels it, too. At least these two have their conscience keeping them in check.

What I struggled with: That extremely fine line between physical and emotional cheating. While they try desperately to avoid anything physical between them, they get more emotionally invested in each other. Therein lies the dilemma: is emotional intimacy just as destructive as any physical intimacy between them? I couldn't root for anyone when it meant that someone else would get hurt. 

So with these two things working against each other, I could have given up. But I didn't. I just had to know where Hoover was taking this story and how Sydney and Ridge would work things out. There’s so much intensity and passion within these pages, especially when writing songs together is such an intimate thing between them. That’s when the barriers come down and what feelings that can’t be said aloud are conveyed through music. 

Despite how uneasy this was at times, I did like Maybe Someday a lot. BEWARE: This will push your "wiggy button" regarding long-term relationships and friendships that skirt the line between remaining friends and moving beyond that. And I’m not condoning cheating either. I happen to think that Hoover did a terrific job giving two people the emotional depth to tell a very difficult story. They’re good people caught in an unenviable position where they choose to put others before their own wants.

~ Bel

The Shameless Hour (The Ivy Years #4) by Sarina Bowen

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The girl who’s had everyone meets the boy who has no one.

For Bella, the sweet-talking, free-loving, hip-checking student manager of the Harkness men’s hockey team, sex is a second language. She’s used to being fluent where others stutter, and the things people say behind her back don’t (often) bother her. So she can’t understand why her smoking hot downstairs neighbor has so much trouble staying friends after their spontaneous night together. She knows better than to worry about it, but there’s something in those espresso eyes that makes her second guess herself.

Rafe is appalled with himself for losing his virginity in a drunken hookup. His strict Catholic upbringing always emphasized loving thy neighbor—but not with a bottle of wine and a box of condoms. The result is an Ivy League bout of awkwardness. But when Bella is leveled by a little bad luck and a downright sinister fraternity stunt, it’s Rafe who is there to pick up the pieces.

Bella doesn’t want Rafe's help, and she’s through with men. Too bad the undeniable spark that crackles between the two of them just can't be extinguished.

So I’m making my way through the Ivy Years series in anticipation of The Fifteenth Minute coming out soon (I’m weird like that – I have to read a series in order) and The Shameless Hour absolutely stops me in my tracks. Not what I expected, possibly because I didn’t read the synopsis carefully but I consider Sarina Bowen a superhero for trying to tackle the very controversial subject of slut-shaming and female empowerment.

Bella is a modern young woman who knows her mind. She sees herself as a feminist with the self-confidence that a lot of other women would envy. And envy her they do. It's no secret that Bella enjoys sex and the company of men. But that’s not all there is to her.  She’s also the hockey team manager for the Harkness men’s team who's very adept and successful at her job which she loves, and is well-respected by the team. However, that coupled with her penchant for hook-ups have earned her a reputation. No matter, she always shrugs off those nasty whispers or looks from other people, especially other women. She has more important things to worry about, mainly what she intends to do after graduation. That's the only area in her life currently with a big question mark. 

Rafe is the good boy any parent wants to see their daughter bring home. His single mother raised him to have a healthy respect for women and he believes in relationships. He’s completely blindsided by his girlfriend on his birthday and the relationship he once thought was rock solid, has crumbled instantly. Bella runs into him at their dorm that night and while commiserating over their respective broken hearts, they wind up hooking up. This is not Rafe’s thing and now he’s plagued with guilt while she sees it as no big deal. Unfortunately a lack of communication leads to some misunderstanding between them, thereby some seriously bad decision-making on both their parts. Later, Bella finds herself in a compromising position with only Rafe there to witness the aftermath.

While The Shameless Hour is well done, I struggled with it. A lot had to do with my personal upbringing. In short, I grew up being told that a woman should behave and dress a certain way in order to convey an appropriate message about herself. So that's what I've always kept in mind. A guy getting lucky is a stud yet a woman who enjoys sex is considered a slut. That double-standard is waning (thankfully), though I still find it hard to reconcile with what has been instilled in me. Harder yet is how as a parent I address this with my own kids. I appreciate that this book made me think about what female empowerment means today. Any time I felt myself being judgey, I’d tell myself to quit it.

The Shameless Hour is gritty and Bowen herself has said that it was hard to write. I can imagine. There were parts where it was like reading it with one eye open because I was so weary of what was happening. But there are also several moments that counterbalance the tough subject matter. When Rafe and Bella flirt with each other, it’s fun. When Rafe turns up his Latin charm, things get downright sexy. But the real hero is Bella. A few good friends in her corner and the love of a man who admires her, she rises above all the crap that’s been heaped on her. She doesn't care to prove herself to anyone, only to declare that she’s not one to be messed with. I encourage you to read this book. It’ll give you plenty to think about and discuss.

~ Bel