Love, Julie
Jamie Anderson| TRM Publishing 350p, e-book, $4.99, ISBN 978-1-739-62062-2
This sobriety centered feel-good romance puts friendship and caring first, centering warmth more than heat. Forty-four-year-old Julie decides that her recovery after falling off the wagon at her brother Ben and best friend Kate’s engagement party should consist of helping them to plan the wedding while taking a year of celibacy, in contrast with her old habit of casual hookups while drunk. When Ben pulls in his too cheerful and organized friend Luke, whom Julie previously met at an unhelpful AA meeting, as her partner on the project, Julie gradually lets Luke melt her icy demeanor into a supportive and enjoyable working friendship. But when it looks like romance could be on the table, Julie’s fears translate into skittish behavior, and it will take real courage to get to her happy ending.
Rather than alternating perspectives, Anderson keeps Julie as the point-of-view character throughout, allowing the reader to focus on her emotional process, and leaving space for the parts of the story that are about Julie settling into a professional and social life not dependent on drinking. Nevertheless, Luke’s attitudes are straightforward—he
Great for fans of J.M. Darhower’s Ghosted, Emma Scott’s Forever Right Now.
doesn’t feel much like a mystery, even when the two are out of contact—and the engaging and playful dynamic between them during their working dates feels balanced. Julie’s self-reflection feels authentic, and the relationship buildup that allows her to open up about rougher incidents in her history feels natural.
Supporting characters are somewhat stereotypical but fill in the joys and stresses of Julie’s daily life; the protagonists of the first book in the series (Someone to Kiss), provide an outside view and just the right amount of supportive modeling. The telegraphing of Luke and Julie’s separation after she denies the emotional connection of their first sexual encounter proves distracting, especially as readers understand that the story arc requires a resolvable conflict. Nevertheless, Anderson builds a solid amount of empathy for Julie throughout the story, and readers will find the successful relationship well earned.
Cover: A | Design & typography: A | Illustrations: – Editing: A | Marketing copy: A