Good morning my lovely bookworms. It’s even a while. End of term was brutal for me and I just needed some time for myself and reset I guess. But it’s the start of my summer holidays and I intend to return my blog and bookstagram and I have a lot of books to catch up on so over the next week or two you have will have see some mini-reviews starting off with 2 week YA Romance reads.

Me and romance reads, I know I very rarely read or review some but here we are. They are so different and so many key and positive messages. I would urge you to pick them up.

The Love Interest by Helen Comerford
Published by Bloomsbury YA on June 6, 2024
Genres: Fantasy, Love & Romance, Young Adult, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Amazon | Waterstones
Goodreads

A swoony, speculative and entirely electric YA debut with a humorous and satirical take on the conventions of the superhero-verse, for fans of Michelle Quach's Not Here To Be Liked and the Marvel Universe.
Seventeen-year-old Jenna Ray has just been saved by the world's newest superhero, Blaze. And, in the eyes of the public, that means one thing: Jenna Ray has been cast as the Love Interest.
No. Not happening. Not if Jenna has anything to say about it (even if Blaze is actually quite sweet and cute).
But her plans to defy the HPA (the Heroics and Power Authority) and turn down this new role are thwarted when the Villains begin to take an interest in her and offer a life-changing proposition; become Blaze's Love Interest, while avoiding catching feelings for him, to uncover the HPA's secret plans and find her missing mum.
To make matters even more complicated, just as Jenna starts to embrace her new-found career, she discovers she might be more on the side of the superheroes than she ever imagined …

I love Marvel (and DC but mostly Marvel) so when I saw a YA superhero romance I was in. The book has the vibe of Marvel movies, mixed with The Boys. As much as the reader want to follow the same stereotypical superhero romance e.g the woman is in danger and needs to be saved and they fall in love, defeat bad evil and live happily ever after. We love those, I mean who doesn’t Lois Lane and Superman, Pepper Potts and Iron Man, Mary-Jane Watson and Spiderman. This book makes you think about the real world, the reality we are faced with mixed in with some dystopian, fantastical superhero element. Comerford really captures that you shouldn’t have to conform to society and what they dictate and Jenna Ray embodies this.

I rooted for Jenna Ray throughout the entire book and that she stuck to her own person regardless of the trials and tribulations she hasn’t to endure so called playing by the HPAs rules. Now it wouldn’t be a review if I didn’t mentioned Blaze, the famous hero himself. I felt a bit sorry for Blaze because he had to live up to a prophecy. That in itself is pressure, his so called love life and have a ‘Love interest’ determined the success of being a superhero. That twist in the storyline really lent a perspective of life itself. We are human and we see that all the time, so I really appreciated the human value not such a powerful character such as well, Blaze. Jenna Ray’s sister, father and her best friend were all an integral part of the book which made it an incredible cast of characters.

The Love Interest is a brilliant mix of romance, comedy, banter and satire to breaking down of the patriarchy that you won’t be able to put down. If you love Marvel/The Boys mixed with Holly Bourne – think Lottie from What’s a Girl Gotta Do then you’ll love this unique YA Romance.

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA for sending me a copy in exchange for a review. Check back later in the week as I interview Helen on her debut.

Slowcoach: A feel-good teen summer romance by Bethany Rutter
Published by Hot Key Books on June 6, 2024
Genres: Contemporary, Love & Romance, Young Adult Fiction, Young Adult Fiction / Romance / Contemporary
Amazon | Waterstones
Goodreads

For sixteen-year-old Ruby, GCSEs are over and summer has just begun, so that means hanging out with her BFFs in the park on their roller skates and having fun. She didn't expect it to mean signing up to run in the Dawson Dash - a 5k race for sporty sixth-formers. Because Ruby is NOT sporty. But she really needs to prove wrong her mean brother and even meaner PE teacher about what a fat girl can do.

When Ruby starts to train, she doesn't expect that she would need help - nor that she would find it in the cute boy who has just moved in next door. As the two jog through the long summer evenings in south London's parks together, with Ollie only seeing her at her sweatiest and most vulnerable, the last thing she expected was that he might . . . like her. Or that she could allow herself to like him.

But nothing this summer is working out like she expected . . .

It was a long time ago when I first read No Big Deal, I loved it. I described in then as ‘She owns who she is and she isn’t afraid to show it off.’ That is the same for her latest YA, Slowcoach. She doesn’t lose the true characteristics of her books from her debut to now and I really admire that.

Our main character Ruby never stoped believing, she didn’t let her brother and her father get her down no matter what. Whilst she knew she would get her brother’s time, she did the Dawson Dash for herself. She’s not ashamed of being fat, eating her mum’s amazing cakes or falling for the boy next door, Ollie. She stayed true to herself and the people around saw everything about her but most of all, they saw the incredible beauty and passion and damn brilliant persona that shines bright. Her friends support and I loved Sasha and Liv so much.

Her books tackle important body positivity in the most raw, relatable and honest with a dash of light hearted humour. Through in a love interest that you will adore and you will have life-affirming reaction to the book. Following Bethany on Instagram and seeing her personal journey with running, I was really inspired by her book Slowcoach and how real and how life’s journey has also impacted her writing.

I met Bethany as part of her book tour at my school and it was a real pleasure to host her. She is inspiring and it was amazing to chat to her about her book and being a writer. If you want the perfect, quick summer read that has meaning and cute romance, then Bethany Rutter is author you need to read.

Thank you to Hot Key YA for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.