★★★ Bookmarked for Love by Sarah Monzon | A Feel-Good, Bookish Themed Contemporary Romance!
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.
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About This Book:
Can a jeopardized children's library program spark a partnership that saves their careers but costs them their hearts?
When children's librarian Martha Aldridge learns about budget cuts that will not only put her out of a job but also shut down the library's children's programs, she's determined to raise the funds needed to save both. The good news is, she knows just who to ask for a large donation on the library's behalf. The bad news? She swore she'd never step foot in his office again.
Julien King has been groomed to one day run his family's publishing empire, and now he must prove he's ready to take the helm by turning around the company's languishing children's imprint. That wouldn't be a problem, except he doesn't know the first thing about children's literature. So when Martha waltzes into his office, he sees an opportunity and makes her an offer she can't refuse. He'll give her the money she needs for the library in exchange for her help in acquiring a bestselling manuscript that will resurrect the dying imprint. The longer they're forced to work together, however, the more they come to realize their jobs may not be the only thing on the line.
"With a uniquely heartfelt message, lovable characters, and laugh-out-loud moments, Sarah Monzon's novel is a delight!"--MELISSA FERGUSON, bestselling author on An Overdue Match
"This charming rom-com won me over from page one."--BECCA KINZER, award-winning author on Hearts in Circulation
In her charming rom-com style, Sarah Monzon delivers a bookish novel brimming with forced proximity, workplace romance, a curvy and plus-size heroine, the silver fox trope, and middle-age romance. For fans of Pepper Basham, Courtney Walsh, and Becky Wade.
MY REVIEW: ★★★ 3/5
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One of the things that immediately drew me to Bookmarked for Love was the age of the main characters. It's refreshing to find a contemporary romance featuring characters in their late 30's/early 40's and I liked the micro trope of age gap as well. Add in a children's librarian/an aspiring author, a publishing CEO, childhood connections, forced proximity and plenty of bookish elements and this story had all the ingredients a book lover will enjoy!
My favorite part of this book was Martha. Her kind, nurturing heart won me over. I loved how devoted she was to the library patrons and the children she served. The love, care and devotion she poured into her job and the library programs made her feel authentic and easy to root for. She was the reason I kept turning pages—I wanted to see her receive the happy ending she deserved.
That said, this book didn't work quite as well for me as I'd hoped. Around the middle of the story, I found myself struggling to connect with Julien's choices, attitude and motivations, particularly during the writing conference. While I appreciated plus-size representation, I felt the focus on Martha's size became too repetitive. One particular scene later in the story, meant to be comedic, felt forced and didn't land right, but overall I liked the story well enough to see it through to the end.
Readers who enjoy sweet, clean romances, forced proximity, older characters and bookish themes may love this release. While it wasn't a favorite for me personally, I still found value in Martha's story and plan to read more from this author in the future, including the first book in this series which I have yet to read. Give this one a try for yourself and see what you think!
*Reviews are subjective and I encourage you to form your own opinion about this story after reading it as well as thank the author for the time and talent she gave while creating this story.
About the Author:
HOLT Medallion, Selah Award-winner, and Carol Award finalist, Sarah Monzon is a stay-at-home mom who makes up imaginary friends to have adult conversations with (otherwise known as writing novels). As a navy chaplain's wife, she resides wherever the military happens to station her family and enjoys exploring the beauty of the world around her. Learn more at SarahMonzonWrites.com.
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Books + ReviewsMandy | Turquoise AvenueBook Review, Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Sarah Monzon, Bookish Books, Bethany House PublishersComment
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