Jerry Cooke

4⭐️ - A sweet and steamy story of stolen moments and a small-home school bus!

Lane is about as commitment averse as it's possible to be, her past family traumas and loss making falling for somebody seem like a path to pain. Therefore, despite the obvious attraction, the report they have, and one very good New Years kid, she keeps her friend Matt at arms length. That is, until she buys a school bus on a whim to turn into a travelling tiny home - because Matt is the only person she knows with the commercial licence required to drive the thing. Cue a long road trip to collect the thing and many hours working in close proximity to make it liveable. With all that time in small spaces together, it becomes harder and harder to resist what's right there.

This is the second book in Hannah's 'Next' series, following on as a direct sequel to Next of Kin, and it was so lovely to see Chloe, Warren, Willow, and Em again. The main focus is on Lane and Matt though - the former Chloe's old college roommate and friend, the latter Warren's co-owner and colleague at their auto shop. Lane's commitment-phobia (as well as her at times debilitating agoraphobia) are at odds with Matt's large family and clear desire to make a life with somebody and it was so lovely following their story. It's such a good romance and very relatable, super worth a read, especially if you've read Next of Kin.

One sad thing is that it states, at the end of the book, that the next entry in the series would be out in 2023.. this clearly never happened. It was due to be Warren's brother Luke's story with Matt's sister Tabitha - I'd have adored reading that.

4.5⭐️ - An absolutely enchanting story with wonderful found family vibes, perfect for cosy season!

Kiela loves books and so is perfectly placed as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, where she tends the shelves and assists sorcerers alongside her assistant and constant companion, Caz - a sentient and ambulatory spider plant. Sadly, with the recent deposition of the Emporer by a rebellion, the library is currently being set on fire at this very moment. Thankfully, forward planning and a desire to save as many of the precious spell books as possible has lead Kiela and Caz to set up a boat ready for just such a need to escape and so they do just that. Together they flee to the one place Kiela can think of running to - the island she grew up on and where there's her parent's old abandoned house free for her to move into.

What Kiela finds on the island is a once thriving town now facing the deprivation from magic, with the emperor's years of hoarding spells and pulling back his once roving and supportive sorcerers who would maintain crops and support the islands. She quickly reasons that she may as well use some of the magic she's got access to in order to support the island, particularly the new friends she's making, but is justifiably afraid of being caught out having stolen the books. A cover is what she needs and so she sets about establishing herself as a jam seller.. with 'remedies' on the side 👀

This was utterly adorable and all I could ask for in a cosy fantasy, with wonderful magic, varied and diverse creature, and great representation. I'm eagerly diving right into the next book in the series, because I can't get enough!

4.75⭐️ - As sweet as a slice of honey cake and as magical as the greenhouses themselves!

When Terlu is sentences to be turned into a statue for casting a spell that creates a sentient plant, it's fair to say that she feels it a rather large over-reaction. Unfortunately, the judge doesn't agree and thus she ends up spending six years on a pedestal serving as a cautionary tale to any other librarians in the Great Library of Alyssium who might get ideas about about casting their own spells.

Having drifted in and out of awareness for all that time, Terlu is somewhat surprised to find herself flesh and blood again.. also very cold. Very cold. Fortunately, she finds herself in front of a perfectly temperate greenhouse.. a VERY large and distinctly magical greenhouse. It quickly becomes clear that not only is this complex of hundreds of connected greenhouses tended by only a single surly gardener, but that the magic maintaining it is slowly failing. Left with the mysterious encoded notes of the deceased master sorcerer that built the greenhouses and motivated to stop them crumbling away entirely, she must face her fear of being punished again and in doing so, finds the place in the world she's been seeking for most of her life.

This was such a sweet and cosy story, full of found family vibes, delightful talking plants, and the most magical of buildings. A continuation of The Spellshop, it's got subtle cute references that made me tear up - I really hope that the next book in the series continues to connect these two islands together, because there's so much in this world to love!

4.25⭐️ - A super cute cosy fantasy in a familiar world, with more peril than previous books!

Fern has been running her bookshop in Murk for many years now and the more she hears about how well her old friend Viv is doing running her bustling café in Thune, the more dissatisfied she has felt with her own life. Finding out that there's a vacant building next to Legends & Lattes, she sells her old shop and sets off for the big city! She's happy to see Viv and Tandri, but even after she sets up her new shop with the help of handyman Caz, she still feels that emptiness inside. After getting drunk and having a heart to heart with Caz, she finds her self stowing in the way in the back of a wagon. When it transpires that owner of this wagon is the one and only Astryx One-Ear, Blademistress, Oathmaiden, and skilled bounty hunter. Despite some initial misgivings, they begin to travel together and in doing so, Fern finally faces the doubt she has about her future path.

This was just as cute as Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust, but has a lot more fighting and danger than the other two, making is a little less cosy, but just as sweet and fun. The world really is a wonderful one and it was super lovely to see more of Viv, Tandri, Potroast, and Caz - I hope so much that Travis Baldree writes more of these, because it's one of my favourite series of all time!

4.75⭐️ - A thrilling lovers to enemies to lovers sapphic undersea adventure with Bioshock vibes!

Sargent Nix Marr hasn't seen her former royal paramour, Subarch Kessandra, for over four years. Not since a horrific cave-in below the underwater city of Fall robbed her of a best friend and had Kess abandoning her. Understandably then that she's not best pleased when the Subarch shows up to observe her squad's training session and announces that she's looking for a bodyguard to protect her on a return trip to the depths. Her sense of trouble is confirmed when Kessandra shows up in her father's home the next day, offering to fund his medical treatment in return for Nix's cooperation, leaving her little choice. As the two embark on the three day journey to Fall within The Luminosity - a town sized giant submersible - things go from feeling bad, to being distinctly terrible, and the two must work together to safe as many as they can.

I have loved Rebecca's cosy fantasy writing for a while now, but this is the first dark work I've read by her.. and I loved it. It gives such Bioshock nostalgia, with the wonderful art deco submersible, the mindlessly aggressive enemies, and the water filled sections - truly just the perfect vibe for this story. Kess and Nix are such a great pairing, reminding me a little of Vi and Kate from Arcane - Nix a powerful fighter from the outskirts of the city, Kess the high-born smart gun wielder. Made me love them all the more and so impatient for next year's sequel to find out what happens to them!

4.75⭐️ - A beautiful and cosy sapphic Christmas story of second-chance love!

Arden has been working as an actor for years now, going from role to role, always dreaming of finding finding something that can let her drop the artificial party-girl image she's had to hold up for so long. When the perfect role finally comes along and she aces the audition, she think's it's her big chance, but the directly understandably doubts her ability to portray the wholesome small-town girl. Which is ironic, because she IS a small-town girl, albeit one who hasn't been back to her home town in years. When her publicist lies and says that Arden's childhood best friend Caroline is actually her long-term secret girlfriend, she's given until Christmas to get an article published about it.

There's just one problem - Arden hasn't talked to Caroline in years and asking her to be her fake girlfriend isn't the best way to apologise for being gone so long without any contact. The sweetened deal of letting the wannabe journalist write the article that Cosmopolitan will publish.. and that would support her application to Columbia.. might just be enough to get her on board though. As the two spend twelve holi-dates together for the article, old feelings start to come back and the lines between lie and truth become blurred.

This was just as adorable as I'd expect from Rachael and Alyson, a cosy and sweet small town experience that introduces the characters that later show up in Joy to the Girls! I was rooting so hard for them, even though I knew though they were going to make it in the end. Such a cute winter treat!

4.25⭐️ - A wonderful and affirming story of second and third chances and falling in love in a single day!

Ellie Oliver thought her life was changing for the better when she moved to Portland from Ohio. She was finally getting away from her emotionally abusive mother, starting a job with her dream animation studio, and has a ten-year plan for how to get the life of her dreams. When a freak snowstorm sees her spending a whirlwind day with the tall and intriguing Jack, it seems like something really special might be developing.

That was last Christmas though and that one day lead to a year of questioning and longing. Having since lost her animation job, she's now working as a barista with a worsening financial situation, which makes the offer from the shop's rich landlord to enter into a marriage of convince to meet the stipulations of his inheritance something that she can't say no to. Having to spend Christmas with his family to really sell the fake relationship, the last thing she expects to find is that Andrew's sister Jaqueline is none other than the girl she gave her heart two that time last year. Faced with having to weigh supporting Andrew and her own financial security against taking a chance on something that could have been, Christmas becomes incredibly complicated all of a sudden.

Ugh, this story was full of so much beauty and affirming queerness, matched against longing and frustration. Ellie's horrible treatment by her parents being healed by Andrew and Jack's wonderful family is so sweet to see, and the chemistry between Jack and Ellie is utterly palpable. I loved their story so much for so many reasons, but I can't give this five stars because I felt left wanting by a lack of epilogue. I know it leaves things open, but I always want more 😅

4.75⭐️ - An adorable, neurodiverse, and spicy winter romance with old affection flickering into a cosy fire!

Clara and Evan have been friends for most of their lives, even if they've not always been in the same city. Thankfully, they are now, because when Clara starts a new job with her dream mentor and inadvertently makes her think she's got a girlfriend, Evan is the perfect person to talk to about it. The problem is, Clara is single.. and also regrettably straight, or at least so she's always thought. As it turns out, Evan has a staff party hosted by her toxic ex- to go to and Clara would be an excellent date for that, so the two agree to fake-date in order to help both their situations. Evan just has to try not to focus on the fact that she's always been attracted to her friend.. and definitely not think about how much she wants to kiss her.

Utterly adorable, a totally affirming little Christmas snack with all of Hannah Bonam-Young's flare for representation. With Clara having ADHD and Evan being autistic, we get two really great perspectives into both of their internal experiences. As an AuDHDer, it felt really authentically handled, especially in terms of Evan's hyper-sensitivity to touch and sometimes getting overwhelmed, and Clara's over-explaining. The way they both understood each other and accommodated every part? Made me so happy to read.

4.75⭐️ - A phenomenal dark and atmospheric fantasy with hidden past, found family, and complex machinations at play!

Lady Imogen Nel has spent her life as a ward of the king of a small land, sequestered in a high mountain keep, and has been expected to make frequent blood offerings to the king's god. She's also a siren. She keeps the to herself though, because the king happens to be a hunter of sirens (and proud of it) and so being small and unthreatening to survive is what she relies on. When a tall handsome king of a land across the water shows up at a ball, she finds it a pretty good excuse to get the hell out of there. As she finds her way to the new kingdom and has to content with new magics, political pressures, and creepy mage seers, she realises that fate may have far more in store for her than she original imagined.

This was an amazing story with fantastic world building. The romance was slow burn and complex, with a lot of warring feelings. There's not just a one-bedroll trope, but also a one-horse trope, and plenty of steamy forbidden love. I absolutely devoured this and I can't wait for the continuation of the story.

Thoroughly recommend!

4.5⭐️ - An absolutely enchanting story with wonderful found family vibes, perfect for cosy season!

Kiela loves books and so is perfectly placed as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, where she tends the shelves and assists sorcerers alongside her assistant and constant companion, Caz - a sentient and ambulatory spider plant. Sadly, with the recent deposition of the Emporer by a rebellion, the library is currently being set on fire at this very moment. Thankfully, forward planning and a desire to save as many of the precious spell books as possible has lead Kiela and Caz to set up a boat ready for just such a need to escape and so they do just that. Together they flee to the one place Kiela can think of running to - the island she grew up on and where there's her parent's old abandoned house free for her to move into.

What Kiela finds on the island is a once thriving town now facing the deprivation from magic, with the emperor's years of hoarding spells and pulling back his once roving and supportive sorcerers who would maintain crops and support the islands. She quickly reasons that she may as well use some of the magic she's got access to in order to support the island, particularly the new friends she's making, but is justifiably afraid of being caught out having stolen the books. A cover is what she needs and so she sets about establishing herself as a jam seller.. with 'remedies' on the side 👀

This was utterly adorable and all I could ask for in a cosy fantasy, with wonderful magic, varied and diverse creature, and great representation. I'm eagerly diving right into the next book in the series, because I can't get enough!

4.5⭐️ - A beautiful and affirming small town romance filled with emotional healing and tender representation.

Milo has spend over a decade staying as far away as possible from the memory of his parents and has no desire at all to go anywhere near his home town, but with his brother Nik starting up a brewery a couple of towns over and calling in his assistance, he's got no choice to leave his wandering behind. Prue has spend her entire life in this small town, giving up dreams of college and life experience in order to stay and help her father care for her mother whose Alzheimer's is starting to grow more pronounced. With this wandering soul and this homebody carer come into contact, it shakes up both of their worlds in ways that neither of them could have expected.

This was such a sweet and caring story, with so many wonderful relationships. Milo's love for his brother and sister, his gaggle of nieces and nephews, and his sister-in-law are beautiful to explore as the book goes on, as is his history with Prue's mum and his shared cultural history with her dad. It's just as lovely seeing Prue getting to know Milo's family, particularly his brother Nik and his wife Sef. There's so many touching moments of healing and care shared between them all. It was beautiful to see.

As typical of Hannah Bonam-Young's writing, the subjects of illness, trauma, and sexuality are tenderly dealt with and clearly well researched. The depiction of how Alzheimer's can affect a person in particular are written with a lot of care, as the discussion of Prue's virginity, and Nadia's addiction. There's so much empathy and kindness in how Bonam-Young writes about these topics in her book and also so much realism in how pain can exist alongside happiness and love.

4.75⭐️ - An adorable, neurodiverse, and spicy winter romance with old affection flickering into a cosy fire!

Clara and Evan have been friends for most of their lives, even if they've not always been in the same city. Thankfully, they are now, because when Clara starts a new job with her dream mentor and inadvertently makes her think she's got a girlfriend, Evan is the perfect person to talk to about it. The problem is, Clara is single.. and also regrettably straight, or at least so she's always thought. As it turns out, Evan has a staff party hosted by her toxic ex- to go to and Clara would be an excellent date for that, so the two agree to fake-date in order to help both their situations. Evan just has to try not to focus on the fact that she's always been attracted to her friend.. and definitely not think about how much she wants to kiss her.

Utterly adorable, a totally affirming little Christmas snack with all of Hannah Bonam-Young's flare for representation. With Clara having ADHD and Evan being autistic, we get two really great perspectives into both of their internal experiences. As an AuDHDer, it felt really authentically handled, especially in terms of Evan's hyper-sensitivity to touch and sometimes getting overwhelmed, and Clara's over-explaining. The way they both understood each other and accommodated every part? Made me so happy to read.

4.25⭐️ - A wonderful and affirming story of second and third chances and falling in love in a single day!

Ellie Oliver thought her life was changing for the better when she moved to Portland from Ohio. She was finally getting away from her emotionally abusive mother, starting a job with her dream animation studio, and has a ten-year plan for how to get the life of her dreams. When a freak snowstorm sees her spending a whirlwind day with the tall and intriguing Jack, it seems like something really special might be developing.

That was last Christmas though and that one day lead to a year of questioning and longing. Having since lost her animation job, she's now working as a barista with a worsening financial situation, which makes the offer from the shop's rich landlord to enter into a marriage of convince to meet the stipulations of his inheritance something that she can't say no to. Having to spend Christmas with his family to really sell the fake relationship, the last thing she expects to find is that Andrew's sister Jaqueline is none other than the girl she gave her heart two that time last year. Faced with having to weigh supporting Andrew and her own financial security against taking a chance on something that could have been, Christmas becomes incredibly complicated all of a sudden.

Ugh, this story was full of so much beauty and affirming queerness, matched against longing and frustration. Ellie's horrible treatment by her parents being healed by Andrew and Jack's wonderful family is so sweet to see, and the chemistry between Jack and Ellie is utterly palpable. I loved their story so much for so many reasons, but I can't give this five stars because I felt left wanting by a lack of epilogue. I know it leaves things open, but I always want more 😅

4.75⭐️ - A truly beautiful and affirming exploration of a marriage, healing, and grief.

Sarah and Caleb are childhood sweethearts, having been together since they were both fifteen. When an attempt to be helpful at a charity gala leads to a period of trouble between them, Sarah's sister Win recommends an outdoor retreat called Reingite that she thinks might help them reconnect. As they're thrown into the wild together, they find the opportunity to explore the way things have changed for them, the effect of past trauma, and their hopes for the future.

This was a really wonderful sequel to Out on a Limb, especially to see more of Win and Bo and their growing family. The couple running the retreat, Yvonne and Helen, also have Yvonne's granddaughter with them, Libby, who has recently lost her mother. This allows Sarah to explore her own trauma regarding the loss other mother at nineteen. This was alluded to in the first book, but in this book it's revealed that her mother died regeneratively due to ALS (/motor neurone disease). This was particularly sad to me, as my grandmother died of ALS when I was a child and I know first hand just how cruel of a condition it is. The examination of it was filled with the same tenderness and research that is a hallmark of Hannah's writing.

This was such a sweet and beautiful story and all I could wish for is more stories about Sarah, Win, Caleb, and Bo, because they are such wonderful characters and I loved their stories so much!

5⭐️ - A beautiful and affirming journey of healing and found family!

Win and Sarah have been friends their entire life, which was inevitable given that they were raised together after both their mothers became pregnant at the same time in their last years of high-school and so moved in together - making them sisters in every way the counts. Sarah has been with Caleb since she was fifteen and with them now married and living a well-to-do life, it's hard for Win not to feel like a third-week and an underachiever by comparison. She's also dealt with varying levels of self-consciousness over the years due to a lifelong limb-difference (a shortening of her hand), something her toxic ex- definitely made worse.

When Win attends Sarah's annual halloween party in her dependable pirate costume (because when you've to a shorter hand, a hook looks incredibly convincing) and finds herself called out for being a duplicate pirate by the tall and handsome Bo, whose prosthetic makes for a wonderful peg leg. Feeling an undeniable connection and attraction - and feeling understood thanks to their shared experiences - it's pretty hard to resist ducking out of the party and hooking up. When, six weeks later, Win's period is nowhere to be seen, it becomes clear that their lives are about to change in a way neither of them could have anticipated.

This was a wonderful book, filled with all of Bonam-Young's trademark tender and authentic exploration of the topics. With her experience of the same limb-difference that she's written Win with, as well as her experience of pregnancy, there's a potent about of truth and honesty in this story and it shines through. That first-hand experience makes the book feel like something special and with the same kind and wholesome relationships as in her other books, this is a truly affirming and sweet story to read. There's also so much relatability, having experienced much of the same narcissistic emotional manipulation from an ex- that can make it really hard to open yourself to love again.

I loved Win and Bo together so much, and loved Sarah and Win's pseudo-sisterhood and ride-or-die connection just as much. They're truly the best characters and I'm so glad I can read more about them in Out-of-the-Woods.

2.75⭐️ - A logic defying modern take on the Ghost of Christmas Past, with some sweet and affirming moments.

Harriet's December seems to be getting off to an unusual start, with disruption to her seasonal routines. Not least because a gruff and weathered looking Irishman has appeared in her house, insisting that he's the Ghost of Christmas Past. This doesn't make much sense to Harriet, because she's lead a people-pleasing life and can't see any reason her future would be a grim one. Other than in terms of her familiar relationships, of course, with her controlling mother and perfect sister being a big part of her people-pleasing ways.

Nolan's magic is kind of undeniable, but as they start to visit her memories of the past, it doesn't really seem like there's anything to learn from - other than that her mother is horrible. As the two get closer together, magic starts to go awry, and it seems there may be an unexpected path forward for both of them.

I had really big hopes for this. Perhaps that large expectation was part of the problem, but I didn't really feel as much enjoyment with this as I did First-Time Caller. Harriet is a well flushed out character and it was good that we're allowed an insight into both her past and Nolan's, but the way the two are written as connected is somewhat beyond what my mind would accept. The fact that Nolan is given corporal form I could just about accept, but, well, I loved Casper as a kid and this book defied some rules of ghosts that I'd take as basic 👀