A Romance Review: Say You Still Love Me

I picked up K.A. Tucker’s book Say You Still Love Me at the library and was surprised that I hadn’t read any of her books yet. How could I have missed out on romance novels published by a Canadian with long holds lists at my local library? I know now, and I have a few more K.A. Tucker books on my holds list.

Piper Callloway is living her best life. She is set to take over her father’s giant real estate development business, she has great friends, and says no to marrying the man her father approves of. She seems to have things mostly handled. Then in walks Kyle. Kyle, from Camp Wawa. Kyle, her first love. Kyle, the man who makes her breath stop and her heart race.

Say You Still Love Me is a story that explores the excitement of teenage love, and the satisfaction of second-chance romance. Tucker explores how the past shapes the present, and maybe true love does actually exist.

What I enjoyed about this book was the theme of forgiveness. How do you let go of past hurts inflicted by the people you love the most, both lovers and family? Forgiveness in real life isn’t easy, and Tucker doesn’t make it easy for her characters, either. And that tension helps drive Piper’s decisions. And because we know it’s a romance, there will be a Happily Ever After (at least for Piper and Kyle), but the path to get there isn’t always a breeze.

Another aspect of the book I really liked were the friendships. Piper reunites with her true love, yes, but she also builds strong friendships with some of her friends from Camp Wawa. I appreciated that Tucker wrote about the power of friendship, and how true friends support, push, and empower. We see all of that in the relationships that Piper chooses to develop. Hurray for love, but also as equally, hurray for friendship!

As an editor, the element of the book I thought that was accomplished the best is the use of flashbacks. Tucker doesn’t shoehorn the flashbacks with awkward intros and conclusions. Instead, she allows the flashbacks to be their own chapters. She doesn’t cram her story with flashbacks, or make the flashbacks every other chapter. Instead, she develops her characters, and some of the major plot points, by returning to the summer camp of thirteen years earlier when it provides a helpful glimpse into the past of Piper. For anyone wanting to include flashbacks in their own writing, Tucker’s book is an excellent example of how to do it well. The flashbacks are purposeful, yet engaging. The flashbacks keep the same point of view (Piper’s point of view), so we experience the past alongside her. Also, this point of view allows Tucker to leave gaps in what truly happened that summer so that the truth can be revealed when all of the campers reunite as adults. Fantastic!

One recommendation I would have as an editor would be to limit the use of italics. At times, I found them overbearing. Readers can interpret the emotion through the word choices and the context in well-written books, and I think that Tucker didn’t need to rely on italics as often as she did in this book. Why? Because she’s an excellent writer.

Here are some of my favourite lines from Say You Still Love Me:

  • “My heart is pounding inside my chest, the blood rushing in my ears. I try to keep the stupid grin from my face. … I knew if from the moment I saw him. Others–sane people–would call it infatuation. But I knew.”
  • “Does he still kiss like he used to, I wonder, or has that changed along with the rest of him?”
  • “I let vulnerability fill my voice, a sound that has become foreign to me in recent years, as I’ve learned to maintain the edge I need to become Piper Calloway.”

Overall, I enjoyed reading about Piper and Kyle reuniting and rekindling their love story. I look forward to reading other books by K.A. Tucker.

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A Romance Review: A Kiss of the Siren’s Song

I bought E.A.M. Trofimenkoff’s book from Chapters, but that’s not where I heard about it. Remember that glorious moment in the early spring when Threads was all about Canadian authors and Canadian books? That’s where I found E.A.M. Trofimenkoff. The graphics and cover of the book are stunning, and I was definitely intrigued by the premise.

Sybine, a Robin Hood-like thief, is running for her life, and a pirate ship taking on crew seems like the perfect getaway. Meanwhile, Elora is hell-bent on getting revenge against the pirate captain Drakkon Stormson. When Sybine and Elora end up as bunkmates, things start to come together. Both women become their true selves, and help each other navigate the world of pirates, magic, and the sea. They are stronger together than apart, and that’s a surprise to everyone except the King of the Sea. Fate sometimes needs a push.

“A Kiss of the Siren’s Song is an action-packed Sapphic fantasy romance about keeping your enemies close, and your secrets closer.”

From Trofimenkoff’s back cover.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the fantasy world that Trofimenkoff creates. The sea is a mysterious place, so add in magic, demons, ancient rites, and the gods, and suddenly things get complicated for the characters. I liked the idea that sirens aren’t your typical evil females luring men to their deaths. The sirens in this world have unique abilities that are misunderstood and feared by humans, hence the lore and culture that humans create about them. I also enjoyed the magical sparks that flew between Sybine and Elora. When they eventually figure out that they can trust each other and be together (shouldn’t be a spoiler because it’s a fantasy romance!), I couldn’t help but cheer a little.

One aspect of the book that impressed me, and that was unexpected, was the artwork throughout the book. I thought it was so fun, and the idea of the kraken wasn’t forgotten because its presence was on every section and chapter opening.

As an editor, I appreciated the careful planning of this book. The thoughtfulness of the characters’ backstories, and the details in the worldbuilding, allowed the reader to pick up on the hints and clues along the way and enjoy how the characters fought through some extraordinary situations. The revision process to add in and refine the plot and structure is hard work, and I can imagine that a lot of time and effort went in to revising this story to make it such a delightful book for readers.

One recommendation I would have as an editor is to be aware of repetition. The book ends strongly in comparison to the beginning. In the beginning, ideas are repeated, including intentions, motivations, and backstory. Although it’s great for the reader to have a solid understanding of where the characters are, I thought that E.A.M. Trofimenkoff’s writing was strong enough to take out those repetitions (and shorten and tighten up the first section of the book). But, as some of my friends in my book club have told me, repetition at the beginning of a story helps them pick up where they left off.

Here are some of my favourite lines from A Kiss of the Siren’s Song:

  • “We all have our own part to play, whether for the will of good or evil, if they even exist in such a dichotomy. You are who you have always been: yourself.”
  • “Love is not transactional. You can’t buy it. You can’t trade it. You definitely can’t own it. Love is a gift.”
  • “I was everything and nothing. Connected to all, yet bound to none. My heart burned in my chest. I was just as much a part of the sea, I realized, as she was a part of me.”

If you love pirates, fantasy, krakens, and true love, this is the book for you!

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