Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, 5 curators pick out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month. You can also add up to 2 additional books for only $9.99 each. (This box was named one of the best subscriptions under $15 by MSA readers in the 2020 Subscription Box Awards.)
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
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About this Box
The Subscription Box: Book of the Month
The Cost: $14.99 a month
The Product: Subscribers get to pick from a selection of hardcover books each month. Skip any month you aren't interested in. Add up to two additional books for $9.99 each.
Ships to: The U.S. for free
Book of the Month November 2020 Review
These are the five book choices for subscribers this month. Honestly, this is always such a tough decision for me each month, but this one was especially difficult! I opted for some romance to escape to.
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This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens - Retail Value $16.00 (available on paperback here for $12.89)
Our main character, Minnie Cooper, is like a more subtle, less awkward Bridget Jones. She is likable and caring, but also somewhat meek as she lets her luck, or lack thereof, dictate her happiness. The day she was born, her thunder was stolen by Quinn Hamilton, not to mention her name and the prize money for being the first baby born in the new year. Since her birth, her mother has pointed out how unlucky she is and each year, Minnie's birthday seems to be just as unlucky as the last. When she finally meets the man who she was brought up to believe has stolen her luck, she is surprised to find that she likes him more than she thought she would.
I thought this story would be told in typical fashion; they meet each other and then the book continues on as they continue to run into each other in the future until eventually, they fall in love, and while that is somewhat true, their first meetings are actually told in flashbacks. These fun time jumps show how Minnie and Quinn have either just missed each other in years past or they have unknowingly been involved in each other's New Year's adventures. I thought this was such a fun way to tell the story, as readers get to observe these events knowing more than the characters themselves do.
This story was a bit cheesy in parts and it all boiled down to a somewhat sappy rom-com, but there was a bit more to the story as the characters in the book develop and grow and Minnie herself begins to take her luck into her own hands as she gains confidence. I really enjoyed being caught up in this romance and while I was eager to see how it ended, it's one that I was sad to finish since I was thoroughly enjoying myself. I love the comfort of a love story where all ends well and this one definitely delivered!
Book Summary from Amazon:
Minnie Cooper knows two things with certainty: that her New Year's birthday is unlucky, and that it's all because of Quinn Hamilton, a man she's never met. Their mothers gave birth to them at the same hospital just after midnight on New Year's Day, but Quinn was given the cash prize for being the first baby born in London in 1990 – and the name Minnie was meant to have, as well. With luck like that, it's no wonder each of her birthdays has been more of a disaster than the one before.
When Minnie unexpectedly runs into Quinn at a New Year's party on their mutual thirtieth birthday, she sees only more evidence that fortune has continued to favor him. The gorgeous, charming business owner truly seems to have it all – while Minnie's on the brink of losing her pie-making company and her home. But if Quinn and Minnie are from different worlds, why do they keep bumping into each other? And why is it that each fraught encounter leaves them both wanting more?
Each month, Book of the Month includes a bookmark.
If you picked this book this month, please let me know what you think of it!
Verdict: I was happy with my Book of the Month pick this month. I wanted a sweet love story and that's what I got! If you're a sucker for romance like me then this one checks all the boxes and while there was a bit of innuendo throughout, it was actually more wholesome than others I have read. All of their chance meetings and the added sweetness of the relationships between the secondary characters added up to a great feel-good love story!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? Yes, but hurry! November 20th is the LAST DAY to sign up for Book of the Month to receive the November selections – learn more about the options here. If you sign up after the 20th, you may be able to choose this book as an add-on.
Check out all of our Book of the Month reviews and see what other book subscriptions made our favorites list!
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