Too many people write off the romance genre as frivolous or silly. It certainly can be, but the main problem I have with the romance genre – and why I have historically steered clear of it – is the toxic and heteronormative relationships it often evangelizes. We have all seen the recent discourse on Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. I read The Duke and I...and yeah. I am still going to read the rest of the series though because I enjoy torturing myself. It is really fun, and you should try it. Books like Get a Life, Chloe Brown are the gems that have made me fall in love (ha, pun unintended; sorry not sorry) with romance.

The story is compelling. The prose is engaging and humorous. Brian is a PhD student in anthropology and is in a rut. He experiences a traumatic event which prompts him to accept a job with the famous and arrogant cryptozoologist, Mark, who is running from a traumatic event of his own. Mark has received grainy footage from Karla, a woman in rural Iceland who claims she has seen a unicorn.

I found this book through watching Joel at Fictional Fates on Youtube. I am glad I went on his recommendation because I do not read a lot of sci-fi. This one was definitely worth it.

A beautiful story of neighboring immigrant communities in Gilded Age New York