In my post for 8/30/22 I referenced an author that I recently discovered, whose romance series intertwined the characters from one book to the next. The author's name is Jasmine Guillory. Per the Amazon information page
Jasmine Guillory is an American romance novelist. Her works' protagonists are often African-American professionals. In February 2019, her book, The Proposal, was ranked on The New York Times Best Seller list for paperback trade fiction.
Each novel has an interesting premise for how the male and female of the couple are introduced. Each holds an accomplished job position. Although it is noted that none of the females fit the "ideal body image", they are confident women none the less, and still desired by the males.
- In Royal Holiday © October 2019 Vivian, mother of Maddie from an earlier book in the series, accompanies her daughter to England where Maddie has a job outfitting a member of the royal family. There she mets Malcolm Hudson, assistant to the queen. This novel paints an interesting perspective on a budding love between two people in their fifties. It is filled with the flirtatious banter I like in romance novels. It is set in England, quite different from the Los Angeles or SanFrancisco settings of Guillory's other novels in this series.
- In Party of Two © 2020, at a hotel bar Olivia Monroe (sister of Maddie) happens to strike up a conversation with junior senator Max Powell about favorite desserts. Not learning her name but finding out where she works, he sends her a scrumptious chocolate layer cake inviting her on a date. The plot is about hiding from the press, going incognito, and flitting between a Los Angeles or San Francisco setting. The incidental focus on eating and desserts is a fun plus.
- In While We Were Dating ©July 2021 Anna Gardiner, beautiful actress on the rise to stardom, meets Ben Stephens while shooting an advertising campaign for a cell phone. (Ben is the younger brother of Theo from the third book, The Wedding Party.) This book has an opposite premise from the secrecy of Party of Two. Anna and Ben strive hard to be seen together for publicity. But it is all for show... isn't it?
These three books, like the first three (from my post for 8/30/22), are filled with lively banter both in person and via text messages that caused me to smile quietly. Each character, those newly introduced, as well as a friend or family member from a previous book, is delightfully portrayed. The inter-relation and communication amongst them makes me feel like I am peeking in on a dedicated family and friends network – sort of a mutual admiration society.
There was an overall theme of fun and acceptance in this additional three of these Jasmine Guillory books that made for pleasant reads. Each amused me enough to compel me to complete the series. There were intimations about other peripheral characters that make me wonder if perhaps more books are coming. I rate each of the above books three stars. They were a fictional romp that were worth the enjoyable time investment.
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