My 2021 Goodreads Reading Challenge: July - August

The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren

Jess Davis is a numbers genius. But when it comes to love she's had to accept there is no magic formula. But then she hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new matchmaking company that claims to find you the One using a DNA equation. Suddenly, love doesn't seem quite so far out of reach. Until her test shows an unheard-of 98% compatibility with GeneticAlly's founder, Dr River Pena. Jess already knows Dr Pena, and this man is 100% not her soulmate. Yet as the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the ultimate 'Diamond' pairing that could make GeneticAlly a fortune, Jess begins to realise that there might be more to the scientist - and to the science behind a soulmate - than she thought.

I really enjoyed the concept of this and the fact that Jess wasn't just some aimless twenty-something pining for love/to be in a relationship. I also felt some serious sparks from River and Jess. As soon as River puts his coat around Jess I was 100% on board with their relationship. I mean, the heat from them in that one moment sold me on them as a couple. The supporting characters are also well written. I loved Fizzy and Juno might just be the cutest and most adorable kid ever! I definitely need to read more of Christina Lauren's books.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

It's the following Thursday. Elizabeth has received a letter from an old colleague, a man with whom she has a long history. He's made a big mistake, and he needs her help. His story involves stolen diamonds, a violent mobster, and a very real threat to his life. As bodies start piling up, Elizabeth enlists Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron in the hunt for a ruthless murderer. And if they find the diamonds too? Well, wouldn't that be a bonus? But this time they are up against an enemy who wouldn't bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians. Can The Thursday Murder Club find the killer (and the diamonds) before the killer finds them?

The Thursday Murder Club, was one of my favourite reads of 2020. And this follow up certainly doesn't disappoint! We're thrown straight into the action and it's not just a typical murder mystery. Richard Osman's writing is just so warm, engaging and at many times, funny, yet heartwarming. I particularly enjoy Joyce's diary entries and she had some great one liners in this. It possibly wasn't as strong as the first book, with a few parts feeling slightly hard to believe. But I loved it all the same. We get to learn more about the characters and delve a lot deeper into what makes them tick. It was incredibly well paced and you find yourself rooting for our main characters. It's also one of those books and stories that you don't want to end. And for that reason, Richard Osman has made his way to the top of my favourite books of the year, for the second year in a row and we're only in August.

Publication date: 16th September 2021

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang

When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better.
That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in.

Having adored The Kiss Quotient (see my review here) and enjoyed The Bride Test (see my review here), I could not contain my excitement that the third book would focus on Quan, who has always been a favourite of mine. Sadly this had its ups and downs for me. I did enjoy the sexy scenes and how the topic of autism was handled. But I found it tough to keep reading chapter after chapter of Anna caring for her Dad against his wishes. It also felt like a wasted opportunity when it came to Quan. He isn't given the same development or attention as Anna. And his chapters feel quite surface level. I still enjoyed it but it certainly didn't top the first in the series.

Publication date: 2nd September 2021

On A Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk

When Fran Cooper accepts a mysterious temporary job as a PA to a celebrity, she is swept off her feet overnight. Working with internationally famous singer Juliette, Fran is the person charged with getting Juliette to the Crystal Ball, the glittering event where the world’s rich and famous gather on Panarea, a beautiful Mediterranean island, for a night like no other. What Fran doesn’t know is that on this one night, everything will change for her too – that instead of standing on the sidelines, she’ll be putting on the most beautiful dress she’s ever seen and having the most unforgettable night of her life.

This was the perfect escapist read, taking me to the glamour of a luxury yacht to a little Italian port (I really liked Fran and Evan's meet-cute in the shop) to an extravagant ball. It was almost like a mash up of The Devil Wears Prada and Cinderella. I loved Fran as a character. She was easy to relate to and incredibly likeable. And because of that I could easily put myself in her shoes. I enjoyed the romantic elements and Evan as a character for us to root for her being with. But I also liked that it wasn't all about going from one relationship into another or having her being in a relationship, albeit an unhappy one and then having a torrid affair one night whilst pretending to be someone else. When it comes to the best new books of 2021, I cannot recommend this highly enough!

Publication date: 11th November 2021

Maybe In Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid

At 29, Hannah still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan. Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

I was a big fan of the Sliding Doors-style concept, even if at times things got a little repetitive. I wasn't as taken with Hannah and Ethan as I was with Hannah and Henry. There was zero chemistry between them. Is it bizarre that I would much rather have been in the life where she was hit by a car? That life forced her to confront issues like talking to her family, appreciating life and a lot more. I adored her friendship with Gabby, which really was the backbone in both lives. Even though the ending was a little formulaic, I raced through this and truly do enjoy the way in which Taylor Jenkins Reid writes.

The Beach Reads Book Club by Kathryn Freeman

When Lottie is unceremoniously booted out of her uptight book club for not following the rules, she decides to throw the rulebook out the window and start her own club – one where conversation, gin and cake take precedent over actually having read the book! The Beach Reads Book Club soon finds a home for its meetings at Books by the Bay, a charming bookshop and café owned by gorgeous, brooding Matthew Steele, and as the book club picks heat up, so too does the attraction between Matt and Lottie. If there’s anything Lottie has learned from the romances she’s been reading, it’s that the greatest loves are the ones hardest earned.

This made me want to start my own book club and it was great to see them read the likes of The Kiss Quotient. It also meant that I now have a list of books to read after seeing the book club discuss them. The cast of characters were great (Audrey was a real stand out) and I liked reading from both Lottie and Matt's perspective. It always frustrates me reading rom coms/romances where if they just told each other how they felt everything could be resolved in seconds. So that was a bit annoying and it made for a rather predictable resolution. But I did enjoy the way that this was written.

The Paris Connection (also known as Uncoupling) by Lorraine Brown

Hannah and Si are in love and on the same track - that is, until their train divides on the way to a wedding. The next morning, Hannah wakes up in Paris and realises that her boyfriend (and her ticket) are 300 miles away in Amsterdam! But then Hannah meets Léo on the station platform, and he's everything Si isn't. Spending the day with him in Paris forces Hannah to question how well she really knows herself - and whether, sometimes, you need to go in the wrong direction to find everything you've been looking for.

Considering I won't be leaving Scotland this year, in terms of going on holiday, I really enjoyed being transported across Europe. I also thought that the concept was a solid and interesting one. However, Hannah wasn't the strongest or most likeable lead character to begin with. She does develop as the story went on. We also don't find out nearly as much about Leo, which makes it difficult to truly root for Hannah and Leo to be together. You're also definitely not rooting for Hannah and Si either. But I did like that she didn't just immediately start dating Leo and instead decided to pursue her own goals/life before they met up again. And overall, it was an enjoyable, escapist read.

The Dinner Guest by B P Walter

Four people walked into the dining room that night. One would never leave. Matthew: the perfect husband. Titus: the perfect son. Charlie: the perfect illusion. Rachel: the perfect stranger. Charlie didn’t want her at the book club. Matthew wouldn’t listen. And that’s how Charlie finds himself slumped beside his husband’s body, their son sitting silently at the dinner table, while Rachel calls 999, the bloody knife still gripped in her hand.

This was definitely an easy read and one that kept me wanting to read more, to an extent. But quite a few things were off putting. First of all, none of the characters in this are particularly likeable or have any redeeming features. Titus was especially hard to stomach. The amount of privilege that is mentioned, as though it is totally commonplace and something we all understand, was grating as well. The eventual reveal of who the killer was also particularly lacklustre. I found it hard to believe that all of a sudden this character had rage issues that hadn't been mentioned until the very end and murdered someone that way.