I requested to be put on Sophie Andrews’ arc list because I really liked the three books of hers I had read. I also enjoy her on social media. Andrews was describing Under One Roof as the kind of low angst, no third act break up, high heat romance we need in stressful times. So when I read it and had issues with it I really struggled with how to review it. I see what she’s going for, but I don’t think she makes it work. While I was dithering around about the Under One Roof review, I got an arc for the next book in the series, Just This Once. The second book in the series didn’t hit my buttons in the same way, but it didn’t help as much with the flailing as I would have liked.
Under One Roof taught me that I have strong opinions about nanny romances. I can do boss/employee romances to a point, and Andi is too dependent of Griffin at the start of their relationship for my comfort. It might have worked better for me if their relationship had been allowed to be fully messy. The biggest problem I had with Sophie Andrews determination to keep things low angst was that all the problems were solved so easily that I felt like the old women in the meme who says, “that’s not how any of this works.” Instead of a catharsis, the stress was transferred from the characters to me. Andrews is good at angst. She filled the book with potential angst – a single dad who feels inadequate to parent his children, a woman who feels like a professional failure, and children who feel emotionally abandoned by their surviving parent. It’s an angst parade and I would have enjoyed wallowing in the mess.
Just This Once didn’t have the same issue of all the glossed over angst. It did have an issue with the author wanting to address a serious current issue, but still keep the angst on the lower side, and it did not work for me. And yet, I understand the desire to say, “hey, this is bad!” I LOVE that Sophie Andrews characters live progressive values. I love that most of the time she normalizes the vast spectrum of people who exist. But the ICE raid on Taryn’s bed & breakfast renovation felt like a flail. A flail I understand. I think ICE raids are bad. I’m all for putting your politics in your books, but this didn’t feel like it had been thought through. I get it though.
Dante and Taryn were a much better couple that Andi and Griffin. Dante isn’t terribly concerned with the opinions of others, but Taryn’s reluctance to commit to a relationship with a much younger man feels relatable. Just This Once has more of the messiness that Andrews does so well, so while the problem solving is still a bit abrupt, it’s a more satisfying read.
Will I continue reading Sophie Andrews books? Yes. Maybe not as arcs though.
I received both books as advance reader copies from the author. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.