• Star- Crossed Romance
5

Shakespeare for a Modern Girl:

Wilson updates a classic

Inamorata is a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, though not in the annoying, cliche kind of way.

I’ll be pretty frank: I kind of hate love stories. I rarely get wowed by a good old-fashioned “boy-meets-girl, boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl back” story. It’s like there’s a formula that is followed (and though I had to drop out of calculus because I was flunking,) I can guess the plot pretty much three chapters in.

That being said, I actually really enjoyed Inamorata. I didn’t guess the ending, though at first, I thought I had it figured out. I think that the characters are unique and flawed. Jules Fairchild, the heroine of our tale, is of Fae bloodline. Her dear Romeo, Rowan Bishop, a Mage. Jules is the perfect student, perfect daughter kind of girl, while Rowan is a motorcycle, tattooed rebel. Their families helped found the town they live in, Havenwood Falls. The families have had beef for centuries, following murder accusations on one side and denial of said accusations on the other. The perfect setup for our star-crossed lovers. After Rowan gets Jules into trouble, the two have to have tutoring sessions together. While studying though, the truth of their pasts will set Jules free.

This was my first Havenwood Falls story, though it may not be my last. The novella is easy to follow, even if you are a new reader to the universe. I was rarely confused, which is shocking, as I live my life in a state of confusion. It’s a quick read, coming in at just under one hundred pages. However, the story feels longer. It’s not rushed at all and flows beautifully. It was a love story, but not one where my feminist heart bleeds with rage over the main character’s relentless desire to have a man.

The book has a closed door sex scene, so if you’re not into that kind of a thing, or you were worried about your kid reading something a bit too risque, you’re good.

Overall, I’m giving this novella a five-star rating, as I found it to be pretty flawless in design. I am a TA as an elective and read about fifty different pieces of fiction from young adults a week, so to read so Young Adult fiction that’s good is refreshing. Kudos to you, Randi Cooley Wilson for keeping me entertained and surprised!