Bailey
My Shelf
We could be so good : a novel
by Cat Sebastian
FICTION Sebastia Cat
Romance, LGBTQ+
Nick Russo has worked his way from a rough Brooklyn neighborhood to a reporting job at one of the city's biggest newspapers. But the late 1950s are a hostile time for gay men, and Nick knows that he can't let anyone into his life. He just never counted on meeting someone as impossible to say no to as Andy. Andy Fleming's newspaper-tycoon father wants him to take over the family business. Andy, though, has no intention of running the paper. He's barely able to run his life--he's never paid a bill on time, routinely gets lost on the way to work, and would rather gouge out his own eyes than deal with office politics. Andy agrees to work for a year in the newsroom, knowing he'll make an ass of himself and hate every second of it. Except, Nick Russo keeps rescuing Andy: showing him the ropes, tracking down his keys, freeing his tie when it gets stuck in the ancient filing cabinets. Their unlikely friendship soon sharpens into feelings they can't deny. But what feels possible in secret--this fragile, tender thing between them--seems doomed in the light of day. Now Nick and Andy have to decide if, for the first time, they're willing to fight. --provided by publisher.
Hijab butch blues : a memoir
by Lamya H
BIOGRAPHY H, Lamya
Memoir
"Fourteen years old and growing up in the Middle East, Lamya is an overachiever and a class clown, qualities that help her hide in plain sight when she realizes she has a crush on her teacher--her female teacher. She's also fourteen when she reads a passage in Quran class about Maryam, known as the Virgin Mary in the Christian Bible, that changes everything. Lamya learns that Maryam was untempted by an angelically handsome man, and later, when told she is pregnant, insists no man has touched her. Could Maryam be... like Lamya? Spanning childhood to an elite college in the US and early adult life in New York City, each essay places Lamya's struggles and triumphs in the context of some of the most famous stories in the Quran. She juxtaposes her coming out with Musa liberating his people from the Pharoah; asks if Allah, who is neither male nor female, might instead be nonbinary; and, drawing strength from the faith and hope of Nuh building his ark, begins to build a life of her own--all the while discovering that her identity as a queer, immigrant devout Muslim is, in fact, the answer to her quest for safety and belonging"--

This is one of the best memoirs I've read in a long time. This is about Lamya figuring out her identity and finding people who accept both parts of what many see as contradictory. It's about dating and finding love while gay and Muslim and it's about the unbreakable love for family that Lamya will never sacrifice. I loved the way this book is structured, with stories of her life interspliced with stories from the Quran and I highly recommend it to anyone, but especially those who feel like they don't quite fit in a singular box. -Bailey
Don't forget the girl : a novel
by Rebecca McKanna
FICTION Mckanna Rebecca
Mystery
"We never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers. Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, Bree and Chelsea, watch as Abby's memory is unearthed and overshadowed by Blue and his flashier crimes. The friends, estranged in the wake of Abby's disappearance, and suffering from years of unvoiced resentments, must reunite when a high-profile podcast dedicates its next season to Blue's murders. Tense and introspective, Don't Forget the Girl is an astonishing debut thriller that mines the complexities of friendship and the secrets between us that we may take to the grave"--

This book is so rooted in time and place--and you might recognize most or all of these places! This literary-leaning thriller set in Iowa City is such a compelling read with such deep and interesting characters that kept me glued to the page. I was so intrigued by both the characters and mystery and loved seeing so many references to iconic places in our community. -Bailey
Beating Heart Baby
by Min, Lio, author.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Min Lio
LGBTQ+
Seventeen-year-old Santi Arboleda finally feels settled in his new life in Los Angeles with a growing found family and a relationship with musical prodigy Suwa--until Suwa is offered the chance to step into the spotlight that he has always denied himself and they must finally face their dreams, their pasts, and their futures, whether together or apart.

This is without a doubt one of the best YA novels I've ever read and it definitely deserves more readership! Perfect for lovers of music, art, anime and friends-to-lovers arcs, -Bailey
Home field advantage
by Dahlia Adler
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Adler Dahlia
Romance, LGBTQ+
Amber McCloud's dream is to become cheer captain at the end of the year, but after the football team's quarterback dies in an accident and is replaced by a girl, Amber knows she should work against this unliked Jaclyn to keep her cheer status but the two fall for each other.

This book gave me all the feels! I love a sapphic spin on the cheerleader/star player trope and this one did not disappoint! Amber and Jack had amazing chemistry and banter that had me completely invested in their relationship! While this book does tackle heavy themes of homophobia and misogyny, it does so while still remaining lighthearted and fun. -Bailey
The fiancée farce : a novel
by Alexandria Bellefleur
FICTION Bellefle Alexandr
Romance, LGBTQ+
Running her family's bookstore while fending off questions about her love life, Tansy Adams invents a girlfriend, Gemma, inspired by the cover model on a bestselling book, but when the real-life Gemma--who needs to marry in order to inherit her family's publishing company--discovers Tansy's charade, she takes things one step further and announces their engagement.

This book was pure fun with a modern spin on the marriage-of-convenience trope. I loved the bookstore setting, nods to the romance industry, and best of all, all the hidden taylor swift references! If you love rich people drama, great communication, and over-the-top shenanigans, I recommend picking this one up! -Bailey
A psalm for the wild-built
by Chambers, Becky, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Chambers Becky
Science Fiction
"In A Psalm for the Wild-Built, Hugo Award-winner Becky Chambers's delightful new Monk & Robot series gives us hope for the future. It's been centuries since the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and laid down their tools; centuries since they wandered, en masse, into the wilderness, never to be seen again; centuries since they faded into myth and urban legend. One day, the life of a tea monk is upended by the arrival of a robot, there to honor the old promise of checking in. The robot cannot go back until the question of "what do people need?" is answered. But the answer to that question depends on who you ask, and how. They're going to need to ask it a lot. Becky Chambers's new series asks: in a world where people have what they want, does having more matter?"--

This series is the warm hug you didn't know you needed--the hope you feel on the first warm day of March or seeing a dear friend after a time apart. This beautiful, wholesome story will remind you of what matters most; hope, love, and curiosity for one another. -Bailey
The Tea Dragon Society
by O'Neill, Katie (Cartoonist), author, illustrator.
jGRAPHIC NOVEL O'Neill
Graphic Novels, LGBTQ+
After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, apprentice blacksmith Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners.

This adorable graphic novel series is ultimate spring vibes--full of whimsy, bright colors, and beautiful stories of friendship, reading it feels like a late-spring picnic. -Bailey
The secret lives of church ladies
by Philyaw, Deesha, author.
FICTION Philyaw Deesha
Literary Fiction, LGBTQ+, Short Story
"The Secret Lives of Church Ladies explores the raw and tender places where black women and girls dare to follow their desires and pursue a momentary reprieve from being good. The nine stories in this collection feature four generations of characters grappling with who they want to be in the world, caught as they are between the church's double standards and their own needs and passions"--

Every single story in this collection is beautifully crafted, emotionally impactful, with characters you'll feel connected to even in just a few pages. This was truly a delight to read, perfect for taking a pause between weekend errands. -Bailey
The magic fish
by Trung, Le Nguyen, author.
GRAPHIC NOVEL Trung
Young Adult, Graphic Novels
"Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tíên still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tíên, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through? Is there a way to tell them he's gay?"--

This lovely graphic novel is perfect for spring, with a beautiful color pallet and a delightful story of a boy trying to share himself through stories. -Bailey
Every heart a doorway
by McGuire, Seanan, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Mcguire Seanan
Fantasy
Eleanor West's Home is a refuge for kids who have gone and returned from fantasy worlds. When Nancy arrives at the Home, changes are stirring and as tragedy strikes, Nancy and her friends may break Eleanor's rule of "no quests."

This portal fantasy series is perfect for an afternoon reading--whether that's outside on a bench or under a blanket during a rainstorm. This series is dark yet whimsical, and feels like fairy tales written for adults. -Bailey
The empress of salt and fortune
by Vo, Nghi, author.
SCIENCE FICTION Vo Nghi
Fantasy
"A young royal from the far north, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. Her brothers are dead, her armies and their war mammoths long defeated and caged behind their borders. Alone and sometimes reviled, she must choose her allies carefully. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace for the lack of five baskets of dye, befriends the emperor's lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for."--Provided by publisher.

This fantasy novella series is so charming and whimsical, with each volume following a cleric as they travel across the lands, collecting stories that would otherwise become forgotten to time. -Bailey
Gideon the ninth
by Tamsyn Muir
SCIENCE FICTION Muir Tamsyn
LGBTQ+, Science Fiction
Muir's Gideon the Ninth unveils a solar system of swordplay, cutthroat politics, and lesbian necromancers. Her characters leap off the page, as skillfully animated as arcane revenants. The result is a heart-pounding epic science fantasy.

This was unlike anything I've ever read before and left me thinking every time I put it down. Not only is this about lesbian necromancers in space, it's hilarious and full of twists as Gideon finds herself part of deadly challenges amidst a suspicious cast of characters. You can expect not to fully understand what's going on to start, but your understanding of the world and the plot grows as time goes on, much like the characters themselves begin to shift perspectives as the nature of the challenges they face become more apparent. -Bailey
Ellen outside the lines
by Sass, A. J., author.
jFICTION Sass, A. J.
Diverse Characters, LGBTQ+
"Ellen, an autistic thirteen-year-old, navigates a new city, shifting friendships, a growing crush, and her queer and Jewish identities while on a class trip to Barcelona, Spain"--

This middle grade novel is such a charming, wholesome book that perfectly captures the inner struggles of so many autistic teens: the desire to be seen as "normal" as peers, even when the energy to do so it is to the individual's detriment. Reading about Ellen making new friends and exploring a new place is so much fun to encounter for kids, and was so delightful to read as an adult. -Bailey
Act your age, Eve Brown
by Hibbert, Talia, author.
FICTION Hibbert Talia
Romance
"Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong--so she's given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself even though she's not entirely sure how. Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner is on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car supposedly by accident. Yeah, right. Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she's infiltrated his work, his kitchen and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore and it's melting Jacob's frosty exterior."

I think of this quite book fondly as it is one of the first books where I truly felt represented and understood--isn't it amazing how literature holds that power! But more than that, it's a beautiful and hilarious romance between two autistic characters, utilizing the grumpy x sunshine and hate-to-love tropes! Hibbert's writing is so much fun, and can be read as a stand-alone or as a sequel to the other Brown Sisters books! -Bailey
The many half-lived lives of Sam Sylvester
by MacGregor, Maya, author.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION MacGregor, Maya
LGBTQ+, Young Adult, Thriller, Suspense
An autistic nonbinary eighteen-year-old moves to a new town and school with the support of their loving father and finds friends in an LGBTQ-plus club, but they all must come together to solve the decades-old murder of a teenage boy and confront the demons lurking in Sam's past.

This YA thriller blends mystery with contemporary as Sam navigates life at a new school and works with new friends to solve a decades-old murder. I adore the way Sam's autism is such an integral part of their life or experience without overshadowing their personality or driving the plot. The mystery was intriguing and left me guessing until the end! -Bailey
We ride upon sticks
by Barry, Quan, author.
FICTION Barry Quan
"Helmed by good-girl captain Abby Putnam (a descendant of the infamous Salem accuser Ann Putnam) and her co-captain Jen Fiorenza (whose bleached blond zClawy sees and knows all), the Falcons prove to be wily, original, and bold, flaunting society's stale notions of femininity in order to find their glorious true selves through the crucible of team sport and, more importantly, friendship."--Provided by publisher.

This adult novel is such a fun and witchy ride about a girls field hockey team determined to make their 1989 season the one where they go to state--even if that means involving some supernatural forces. With each chapter following a different girl on the team, this novel blends character exploration, magical realism, and historical fiction. -Bailey
Check, please!
by Ukazu, Ngozi, artist, author.
GRAPHIC NOVEL Ukazu Check
"Eric Bittle may be a former junior figure skating champion, vlogger extraordinaire, and very talented amateur pâtissier, but being a freshman on the Samwell University hockey team is a whole new challenge. It is nothing like co-ed club hockey back in Georgia! First of all? There's checking (anything that hinders the player with possession of the puck, ranging from a stick check all the way to a physical sweep). And then, there is Jack-- his very attractive but moody captain"--Provided by publisher.

This adorable graphic novel series follows a hockey team on and off the ice as they train, get up to antics, and fall in love! -Bailey
Beartown : a novel
by Backman, Fredrik, 1981- author.
FICTION Backman Fredrik
"From the New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove, My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She's Sorry, and Britt-Marie Was Here, comes a poignant, charming novel about a forgotten town fractured by scandal, and the amateur hockey team that might just change everything. Winning a junior ice hockey championship might not mean a lot to the average person, but it means everything to the residents of Beartown, a community slowly being eaten alive by unemployment and the surrounding wilderness. A victory like this would draw national attention to the ailing town: it could attract government funding and an influx of talented athletes who would choose Beartown over the big nearby cities. A victory like this would certainly mean everything to Amat, a short, scrawny teenager who is treated like an outcast everywhere but on the ice; to Kevin, a star player just on the cusp of securing his golden future in the NHL; and to Peter, their dedicated general manager whose own professional hockey career ended in tragedy. At first, it seems like the team might have a shot at fulfilling the dreams of their entire town. But one night at a drunken celebration following a key win, something happens between Kevin and the general manager's daughter--and the next day everything seems to have changed. Accusations are made and, like ripples on a pond, they travel through all of Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. With so much riding on the success of the team, the line between loyalty and betrayal becomes difficult to discern. At last, it falls to one young man to find the courage to speak the truth that it seems no one else wants to hear. Fredrik Backman knows that we are forever shaped by the places we call home, and in this emotionally powerful, sweetly insightful story, he explores what can happen when we carry the heavy weight of other people's dreams on our shoulders"--

One of my all-time favorite books, this adult novel series is about a small town for whom hockey is everything. Following a cast of characters from around the town, this town sees their junior boys hockey team as their only hope--and will support them even when it means opposing justice. Backman's beautiful prose combines with a gritty plot about a fractured town and a shared love of sport. -Bailey
She drives me crazy
by Quindlen, Kelly, author.
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Quindlen Kelly
After an embarrassing loss to her ex-girlfriend in their first basketball game of the season, seventeen-year-old Scottie Zajac gets into a fender bender with her nemesis, Irene Abraham, head cheerleader for the Fighting Reindeer. When the accident sends Irene's car to the shop for repairs, the girls are forced to carpool, and their rocky start only gets worse. In trying to get back at her toxic ex, Scottie bribes Irene into a fake-dating scheme that threatens to reveal some very real feelings.

This sapphic rom-com is full of fun tropes as a basketball player and cheerleader enter a fake dating scheme. Though they start off as enemies, soon these two girls realize their passionate hatred may actually be a different feeling... -Bailey
Haikyu!!
by Furudate, Haruichi, 1983- author, artist.
MANGA Furudate Haikyu
"Ever since he saw the legendary player known as 'the Little Giant' compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else? After losing his first and last volleyball match against Tobio Kageyama, 'the King of the Court,' Shoyo Hinata swears to become his rival after graduating middle school. But what happens when the guy he wants to defeat ends up being his teammate?!,"

This manga series is so uplifting, following an underdog team with an unmatched drive to improve and be the best that they can be. What I love about this series is that even the smallest side characters get a backstory, but at it's core, this book features Shoyo Hinata, a short rookie with not much skill, but a love for volleyball and a drive to keep improving. -Bailey
Man O' War
by Cory McCarthy
YOUNG ADULT FICTION/Mccarthy Cory
Young Adult, LGBTQ+
On a field trip to SeaPlanet, seventeen-year-old Arab-American high school swimmer River McIntyre has a chance encounter with Indy, a happy, healthy queer person, which sets off a wrenching journey of self-discovery, from internalized homophobia and gender dysphoria, through layers of coming out, affirmation surgery, and true love.

This book is an exploration of internalized homophobia, dysphoria, and keeping your head above water. It follows a teenage swimmer struggling to explore themselves and remain competitive in the sport they love. -Bailey
Killers of a certain age
by Deanna Raybourn
FICTION Raybourn Deanna
"Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that's their secret weapon. They've spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller by New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn. Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills. When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they've been marked for death. Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman-and a killer-of a certain age"--

One thing about me, I love a heist novel. This was such a fun story about assassins on one final mission--and did I mention they are women in their seventies? I figured I would enjoy reading this one, but had no idea I would put off finishing it because I didn't want it to end! -Bailey
One for all
by Lillie Lainoff
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Lainoff Lillie
In 1655 sixteen-year-old Tania is the daughter of a retired musketeer, but she is afflicted with extreme vertigo and subject to frequent falls; when her father is murdered she finds that he has arranged for her to attend Madame de Treville's newly formed Académie des Mariées in Paris, which, it turns out, is less a school for would-be wives, than a fencing academy for girls--and so Tania begins her training to be a new kind of musketeer, and to get revenge for her father.

This 'Three Musketeers' retelling places sisterhood at the center as three girls enter a secret society that trains them to become assassins. Even as someone with no knowledge of the source material, I enjoyed this book and loved this modern take on such a classic story. -Bailey
Radio silence
by Alice Oseman
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Oseman Alice
A studious girl and a quiet, straight-A boy start a controversial podcast together that challenges their courage and forces them to confront issues in the form of backlash and censorship.

Alice Oseman perfectly captures what it means to be a teenager, the beauty of platonic love, and the magic of fandom and friendship. This book is about academic pressure, but more than that, it's about the radical act of rejecting a normative life and following your passions. It is about the impact art can have and friends who won't stop listening. -Bailey
Obie is man enough
by Bailar, Schuyler, author.
jFICTION Bailar Schuyler
Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and his best friends. But it's time for Obie to find where he truly belongs. As Obie dives into a new team, though, things are strange. Obie always felt at home in the water, but now he can't get his old coach out of his head. Even worse are the bullies that wait in the locker room and on the pool deck. Luckily, Obie has family behind him. And maybe some new friends too, including Charlie, his first crush. Obie is ready to prove he can be one of the fastest boys in the water--to his coach, his critics, and his biggest competition: himself.

This heartwarming middle grade novel features a transgender swimmer as he struggles with masculinity and finds joy in being himself. -Bailey
Beating Heart Baby
by Lio Min
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Min Lio
LGBTQ+
Seventeen-year-old Santi Arboleda finally feels settled in his new life in Los Angeles with a growing found family and a relationship with musical prodigy Suwa--until Suwa is offered the chance to step into the spotlight that he has always denied himself and they must finally face their dreams, their pasts, and their futures, whether together or apart.

This book broke my heart and pieced it back together. This is an intense and beautiful love story, but it's not a romance: it's an ode to internet friendships, the power of art, and the endurance of love across time and space. -Bailey
Legends & Lattes: A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes
by Travis Baldree
OverDrive eBook
An Instant New York Times Bestseller A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2022 A Library Reads Pick An Indie Next Pick A Goodreads Best Fantasy Choice Award Nominee The much-beloved BookTok sensation, Travis Baldree's novel of high fantasy and low stakes. *This new edition includes a very special, never-before-seen bonus story, 'Pages to Fill.'* After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time. The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is. If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone. But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed. "Take a break from epic battles and saving the world. Legends & Lattes is a low-stakes fantasy that delivers exactly what's advertised: a wholesome, cozy novel that feels like a warm hug. This is my new comfort read."—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

This is a Dungeons and Dragons inspired fantasy, but don't fret: no creatures were harmed in the writing of the book. On the contrary, this is about what happens after: when an orc is tired of fighting monsters, and wants to relax and open a coffee shop. It's a lovely and wholesome read perfect for a winter afternoon! -Bailey
Our wives under the sea
by Julia Armfield
FICTION Armfield Julia
"Leah is changed. Months earlier, she left for a routine expedition, only this time her submarine sank to the sea floor. When she finally surfaces and returns home, her wife Miri knows that something is wrong. Barely eating and lost in her thoughts, Leah rotates between rooms in their apartment, running the taps morning and night. As Miri searches for answers, desperate to understand what happened below the water, she must face the possibility that the woman she loves is slipping from her grasp. By turns elegiac and furious, wry and heartbreaking, Our Wives Under the Sea is a genre-bending exploration of the depths of love and grief at the heart of a marriage"--

I was enthralled with this book from the first page. it is slow and descriptive and filled with interiority, but has a dual timeline that keeps you turning the pages. The sapphic romance contrasts with the horror elements in a way that leaves you unsettled, yet satisfied. -Bailey
Ballad for Sophie
by Filipe Melo
GRAPHIC NOVEL Melo
"When a young journalist prompts a reclusive musical superstar to finally break his silence, he pours out an astonishing saga of rivalry and regret, starring child prodigies and bitter old men, beautiful dancers and demonic managers, Nazi commandants, compassionate nuns, and lifesaving animals. Ballad for Sophie is a sweeping tale that spans the twentieth century, packed with all the drama of a rock & roll biopic and more twists than a night at the opera."

This is one of the best graphic novels I've ever read. The story itself was amazing, but the way the graphic novel format leveraged to add just a bit of the uncanny made this a magical reading experience. I love the way music is an anchor to this story, and will definitely touch the hearts of any musician! -Bailey
My Lists

About Me
Bailey is a Library and Information Science student at the University of Iowa and works in Access Services and on the Bookmobile. They love to read all kinds of books, but have a soft spot for speculative fiction and LGBTQ young adult novels. Outside of reading, they enjoy weightlifting and any craft that involves a needle and thread.
From an author that primarily writes regency-era romance, I was so excited to see this historical romance set in a 1950s newsroom. Sebastian captures the time and place perfectly of 1950s New York City--the twinge of nostalgia post-WWII, mixed with the sense that big social change is on the horizon. I loved the banter between the love interests, Nick and Andy, and the way they work to create a life together and push against the boundaries society has created for them. It's quite emotional, but manages to also be funny and light-hearted throughout. If you enjoy the banter and tenderness of Emily Henry or the historical setting of Patricia Highsmith's The Price of Salt, I highly recommend checking out this romance. -Bailey