Leigh Kramer

The Chai Factor by Farah Heron {review}

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

My Review - 5 Stars

If you enjoy the enemies to lovers trope, have I got the book for you! The Chai Factor is an incredible debut that kept me glued to its pages.

Let me tell you: this book has some of the best character growth I’ve ever read. But I have to admit, I wasn’t sure about Amira, our Muslim engineer heroine, at first. I thought she was acting rather childishly for a 30 year old woman. Things aren’t going as she planned with her degree and she’s heading home to finish her grad school thesis in peace. This is all on her mind when a fellow train passenger sexually harasses her, with a side of racism to boot. (Amira’s mom is from Gujarat, India and her dad is a Gujarati Indian from East Africa.) But then a white man intervenes and my reaction was, “who is this unicorn?!” Amira’s reaction was to get pissed off at him and I just did not get it. At the same time, I wanted to know what was driving her reactions to the people around her.

Oh, and that white guy who tried to help her? Well, when Amira gets to her grandmother’s house, she learns Duncan and the rest of his barbershop quartet just moved in to the basement. I almost cackled at Amira’s horror over sharing space with him. There’s banter and sparks and animosity aplenty. They do not bring out the best in each other at first but the evolution of their relationship had me absolutely captivated. I could not get enough of their romance once they finally gave in to their feelings.

This story doesn’t shy away from hard topics. The plot delves into religious homophobia and workplace sexism. This is set in Canada and Islamaphobia, xenophobia, and racism are just as big of issues there as they are in the United States. It was interesting to see the similarities and differences between the two countries and particularly how current US policies impacted Amira, including a past incident of racial profiling at the airport. The story also digs in to how this plays out on social media: the harassment Amira faced after her story went viral, the way white supremacists use social media as a platform, and so on.

Amira and Duncan have to talk honestly about these specific differences. It becomes crystal clear when Duncan’s brother decides his daughter can’t spend time with Amira’s niece because of her race and religion. Duncan is trying to be the change he wants to see in his family and community, especially for his niece. However, he didn’t realize he should have told Amira about his family’s hateful views and this put her and her niece in harm’s way. My heart went out to Duncan in his anguish but it was ripped in two over the pain Amira and Zahra experienced. Duncan didn’t know what he didn’t know and yet the burden should not be on Amira to educate him. As a white person, it can be tempting to think I wouldn’t act like Duncan but I can’t let myself off the hook like that. We all have to do the work and interrogate our privilege. People’s very lives are on the line.

And so Amira and Duncan have to decide whether they can move forward. Are these differences too big to overcome? At first, Amira thinks they are. But this is where the aforementioned character growth kicks in.

Amira has to confront her anger and ask herself if this is all people see in her and if this is all she is. She does have to decide the kind of person she wants to be: in her relationship, in her family, in her friends, and in her workplace. Amira has a lot to be angry about and justifiably so but she can’t take it out on everyone around her. Reading her work through all of this turned out to be cathartic and I was really impressed with where she landed and how she decided to give Duncan another chance.

I loved Amira and Duncan together. The side characters were wonderful, from Amira’s best friend to her mother. Plus the rest of the barbershop quartet added so much depth to the story, what with two of the members being in a relationship. There’s so much more I could talk about but really you should read it for yourself. This book had great humor and heart and I’m really excited to see what Farah Heron does next.

For people who prefer low heat level, this is pretty closed door. However, it doesn’t shy away from Amira’s interest in dominating, which set it apart from other closed door romances I’ve read.

CW: Islamaphobia, xenophobia, racism, sexism, homophobia, closeted characters, divorce, reference to past racial profiling, sexual harassment, reference to side characters’ substance abuse, reference to past child neglect, unnecessary use of “spastic” as descriptor, eating disorder, hospitalization for eating disorder

 

Synopsis

Thirty-year-old engineer Amira Khan has set one rule for herself: no dating until her grad-school thesis is done. Nothing can distract her from completing a paper that is so good her boss will give her the promotion she deserves when she returns to work in the city. Amira leaves campus early, planning to work in the quiet basement apartment of her family’s house. But she arrives home to find that her grandmother has rented the basement to . . . a barbershop quartet. Seriously? The living situation is awkward: Amira needs silence; the quartet needs to rehearse for a competition; and Duncan, the small-town baritone with the flannel shirts, is driving her up the wall.

As Amira and Duncan clash, she is surprised to feel a simmering attraction for him. How can she be interested in someone who doesn’t get her, or her family’s culture? This is not a complication she needs when her future is at stake. But when intolerance rears its ugly head and people who are close to Amira get hurt, she learns that there is more to Duncan than meets the eye. Now she must decide what she is willing to fight for. In the end, it may be that this small-town singer is the only person who sees her at all.

 

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The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina: Separating the Myth from the Medicine by Jennifer Gunter {review}

Genre: Nonfiction

 

My Review - 5 Stars

I’m going to make a bold claim: if you are a person with a vagina, you need this book. Whether you read it front to back or use it as a resource tool, it is one of the most important books I’ve read for my own health and well-being and I commend it to everyone. I’m a relatively informed cis-het woman and I still learned so much in this book.

Dr. Jen Gunter writes in an accessible, engaging style. Her astute insights and observations are interspersed with humor and wit. Her goal is to empower and inform and she more than did the job. I especially appreciated how she showed the role of patriarchy in women’s health: "Medicine has been steeped in man-splaining from the start.” We need so much more research and information on vaginas and vulvas and she is shining a bright light for us.

There are chapters like how to discuss concerns with your doctor, as well as chapters on topics like menopause, genital hygiene, Toxic Shock Syndrome (not as big of a risk as I thought!), and hair removal. It’s one of the most thorough resources I’ve ever read and I feel so much more empowered as a result, as well as more aware of what I didn’t know before because of how little good information is out there. We are constantly exposed to poor research and often gaslit for our concerns so it is beyond helpful to have a guide at the ready should you experience any symptoms or receive a diagnosis.

This is a truly inclusive book. Chapter 3 is specifically about trans people: Vaginas and Vulvas in Transition. It was so great to see the various concerns and barriers to care addressed. Throughout the book, she specifically notes risk factors and concerns for those who are lesbian, bisexual, or trans.

The myth-busting portions proved to be particularly valuable, whether it was something I’d heard or done before or not. For instance, I was flummoxed to learn wearing cotton underwear to prevent yeast infections is a myth. Something I've heard my whole life! But there’s negligible research to prove that claim, no matter how often I’ve heard that advice. Same goes with peeing after sex to prevent a UTI. Two studies showed there is no correlation there.

Related to all this myth-busting is Gunter’s stringent research methodology. She takes great pains to reference when research has been negligible, when sample sizes are too small to give us clear results, when more search is needed, and so on. She backs up her work and shows where more information was needed to make a determination. There’s also an entire chapter on how to evaluate medical research, which includes how to determine whether bias is at play and where to even start online. As someone who was a sociology major, I wish this was something more people knew, particularly how to evaluate research quality, so I was glad to see her lay it out.

I’ll be recommending this one to everyone I know. All my gratitude to Dr. Gunter for writing it.

 

Synopsis

OB/GYN, writer for The New York Times, USA Today, and Self, and host of the show Jensplaining, Dr. Jen Gunter now delivers the definitive book on vaginal health, answering the questions you've always had but were afraid to ask--or couldn't find the right answers to. She has been called Twitter's resident gynecologist, the Internet's OB/GYN, and one of the fiercest advocates for women's health...and she's here to give you the straight talk on the topics she knows best.

Does eating sugar cause yeast infections? Does pubic hair have a function? 
Should you have a vulvovaginal care regimen?
Will your vagina shrivel up if you go without sex?
What's the truth about the HPV vaccine?

So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it's easy to be overwhelmed--whether it's websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women's health--and the internet's most popular go-to doc--comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women. From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey. Discover the truth about:

- The vaginal microbiome 
- Genital hygiene, lubricants, and hormone myths and fallacies 
- How diet impacts vaginal health 
- Stem cells and the vagina 
- Cosmetic vaginal surgery
- What changes to expect during pregnancy, after childbirth, and through menopause
- How medicine fails women by dismissing symptoms
Plus: 
- Thongs vs. lace: the best underwear for vaginal health
- How to select a tampon 
- The full glory of the clitoris and the myth of the G Spot

... And so much more. Whether you're a twenty-six-year-old worried that her labia are "uncool" or a sixty-six-year-old dealing with painful sex, this comprehensive guide is sure to become a lifelong trusted resource.

 

Buy the book:

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Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Citadel Press in exchange for an honest review.

Circe by Madeline Miller {review}

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology

 

My Review - 5 Stars

I was not familiar with the witch goddess Circe before reading this. And at first, I wasn’t sure what to make of her. She was passive, starved for acknowledgment from her parents, not fully aware of what was happening around her. She was naive and had a soft spot for people, even those who treated her horribly. In short, she wasn’t like any other goddess I’d read before.

But as the story progressed, I began to see what made Circe special. She wasn’t like any other goddess, yes, and that was a good thing. Her family is the worst and it would be no compliment to resemble them. She’s the black sheep of the gods, in fact. And as an Enneagram 4 who often feels like the odd one out, I could relate.

Very hard things happen to Circe. Please be mindful of the content warnings. I will say none of the depictions felt gratuitous or overly long but a couple of things were still hard to read about. We do get to see Circe fully come into her power as a witch. She doesn’t always make the right call but she continues to learn and grow and this was wonderful to see. I was fully in her corner by the book’s end.

The power in Madeline Miller’s books, for me, lies in the last couple of pages. I’ll be lost in the story and then all of a sudden I’m in tears. Somehow she manages to weave together the connections she’s been building along and I cannot help but have an emotional response. Although I’m relieved, in this case, Circe got a happy ending.

I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Miller writes next.

CW: rape, violence, detailed childbirth scenes, infidelity, physical abuse, child abuse, suicidal ideation, reference to bestiality, reference to incest, death of a child, death of a loved one, death of an animal, war

 

Synopsis

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child—not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power—the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves.

Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus.

But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

 

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Playing House (Uptown #1) by Ruby Lang {review}

Genre: Contemporary Romance

 

My Review - 4 Stars

If you enjoy house tours, you’ve ever been curious about what urban planners do, or you like heroes who wear glasses, this is the novella for you! Fay and Oliver knew each other back in the day but when their paths cross on a house tour, Fay ropes Oliver into pretending he’s her boyfriend to fend off the advances from a creep. Soon, they’re visiting more apartments pretending to be a married couple, focusing more on the game and geeking out over their love for their jobs as urban planners than anything else.

And they have good reason to want to hide from reality a bit. Fay is adjusting after divorce and figuring out how to balance work and life. Oliver has been freelancing after his job went under and wondering if he’s like his loser dad after all. As someone who is self-employed but didn’t plan on it becoming my full-time job, I intensely related to Oliver’s arc (minus the dad issues) and found it refreshing to see a character with the same concerns as anyone who has freelanced.

For all Oliver and Fay have in common, there are major things they don’t discuss. Chief among them: Oliver applied for a job at Fay’s firm. He never asks for an update about the interview, assuming he won’t be asked and she doesn’t want to embarrass him. But she doesn’t ever ask him where he’s working, even though she knows his last company folded. I found this to be strange, while recognizing the way their paths crossed again left little room for the questions people normally ask when they run into someone they used to know. Of course, there’s an eventual reckoning and I really liked how this resolved.

This is otherwise a low conflict story and I breezed through it. Oliver and Fay have great chemistry and I’m full of hope for their relationship. But it was their work as urban planners that was the real star of this story for me. They view apartment tours with such a different lens and I loved hearing the way they think about neighborhoods and what can make a community great. Plus, Oliver has a great moment with his mom finally understanding what it is that he does that made me smile.

CW: divorce, parental abandonment, unemployment

 

Synopsis

Romance blossoms between two city planners posing as newlyweds in this first in a bright new series by acclaimed author Ruby Lang

The last thing Oliver Huang expects to see on the historic Mount Morris home tour is longtime acquaintance Fay Liu bustling up and kissing him hello. He’s happy to playact being a couple to save her from a pushy admirer. Fay’s beautiful, successful and smart, and if he’s being honest, Oliver has always had a bit of a thing for her.

Maybe more than a bit.

Geeking out over architectural details is Oliver and Fay’s shared love language, and soon they’re touring pricey real estate across Upper Manhattan as the terribly faux but terribly charming couple Darling and Olly.

For the first time since being laid off from the job he loved, Oliver has something to look forward to. And for the first time since her divorce, Fay’s having fun.

Somewhere between the light-filled living rooms and spacious closets they’ve explored, this faux relationship just may have sparked some very real feelings. For Oliver and Fay, home truly is where their hearts are.

 

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Disclosure: I received an advanced copy from Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.

Teach Me by Olivia Dade {review}

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Seasoned Romance

 

My Review - 5 Stars

What a gem of a story! Teach Me is absolute perfection, a layered, nuanced seasoned romance and I could not get enough of it. This is the kind of book that makes you laugh out loud one moment and tearing up the next.

Martin and Rose are both in their early 40s, which fed my deep and abiding need for seasoned romance. They’re both divorced and I really admired how this aspect was treated. Rose is an ice queen to Martin’s cinnamon roll soul. They’re both great teachers and I really wish I’d had history teachers like them. I was invested from the moment they met and loved how they kept drawing closer and closer to each other, despite the barriers in place. This is some of the best character development bar none and I especially appreciated Rose’s arc.

I typically avoid single parents in my romance but Martin was a remarkable father and I loved his teenage daughter. Speaking of which, the side characters were the actual best. The other teachers, Rose’s former in-laws…they added so much depth to the story. Truly, I loved this book with my whole heart! Olivia Dade is a remarkable author and I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

CW: classism (which is countered), past child abuse (physical and emotional), past death of a parent, grief, divorce, scheduled school lockdown drill, past infidelity, past workplace sexual harassment, childhood poverty, fatshaming (which is countered)

 

Synopsis

Their lesson plans didn't include love. But that's about to change...

When Martin Krause arrives at Rose Owens's high school, she's determined to remain chilly with her new colleague. Unfriendly? Maybe. Understandable? Yes, since a loathsome administrator gave Rose's beloved world history classes to Martin, knowing it would hurt her.

But keeping her distance from a man as warm and kind as Martin will prove challenging, even for a stubborn, guarded ice queen. Especially when she begins to see him for what he truly is: a man who's never been taught his own value. Martin could use a good teacher--and luckily, Rose is the best.

Rose has her own lessons--about trust, about vulnerability, about her past--to learn. And over the course of a single school year, the two of them will find out just how hot it can get when an ice queen melts.

 

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