Friends with ARCs | The Bromance Book Club + Song of the Crimson Flower

I've been lucky enough to discover some contemporary romance gems this year, and The Bromance Book Club happens to be one of them! I fell hard for the premise: a baseball player is struggling to deal with the fact that his wife wants to file for divorce and ends up finding help and support from a group of guys who have a romance book club that helps them understand the women in their lives better. And honestly, this book was a ton of fun to read! I flew through the pages in one sitting, swept up in the rom-com-iness of this plot and rooting for Gavin and Thea to work things out for their second chance at a happily-ever-after. But don't be fooled by what I've just said - there's actually more to this story that meets the eye, as these two struggle to navigate their relationship while addressing their own individual pasts. Throw in some moments that made me laugh, sweet romantic gestures that made me swoon, and some secondary characters that I totally need to read more about, and what you get is a novel that I just know will delight a lot of other readers out there. The Bromance Book Club is entertaining, clever and fun, and I'd highly recommend checking it out.

Which historical romance would we recommend to the bromance book club? I had to think about this one, because I wanted to recommend a historical romance where I thought the readers would be entertained but also take something away from the story. I'd personally recommend Hello Stranger by Lisa Kleypas, though there would be many more recs to follow after that one!

The Bromance Book Club will be released on November 5, 2019 by Berkley.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review.

Song of the Crimson Flower is the kind of light YA fantasy book that readers can fly through. I know I sure did when I read it! Julie C. Dao has once again woven together a story that really sucked me in from start to finish, a story about Bao (a poor physician's assistant) and Lan (a wealthy nobleman's daughter), a romantic rejection, a witch's curse and a quest to break the spell. Inspired by Vietnamese folklore, written just like a fairytale and with callbacks to the two books of Dao's previous duology - this was a magic combination for me as a reader. I truly loved Dao's portrayal of these two characters, their struggles and their quest (which was, as per usual, my favorite part). This novel is truly an excellent expansion of Dao's world, and it has me believing that there could potentially be many more stories with the same setting. (Fingers crossed that this is a prediction!) I can recommend Song of the Crimson Flower wholeheartedly to YA fantasy readers, and will definitely be reading whatever Julie has coming out next.

Is there an instrument you wish you knew how to play? I know how to play the piano (though I'm rusty after years of no practicing), and I know the basics of guitars and recorders. I would love to know how to play the violin though!

Song of the Crimson Flower will be released on November 5, 2019 by Philomel Books.

I downloaded an e-galley from Edelweiss for review.