Solar Eclipse of the Heart by Kate Robb
⭐ 3.5/5 stars
Kate Robb knows how to write a charming romance! Her characters have great chemistry, her banter is delightful, and she has a real talent for creating relationships worth rooting for. I enjoyed Solar Eclipse of the Heart, although I was hoping for a little more magic, both literally and figuratively. Prime Time Romance remains my favorite of her books.
The story follows Annalise, who is preparing to leave for a two-year doctoral program in Europe. She’s also grieving the loss of her beloved uncle to cancer. When a leather jacket that once belonged to him resurfaces at a thrift shop, Annalise discovers that putting it on transports her into a memory. Meanwhile, she’s developing feelings for her roommate, MacKenzie, a musician who happens to be the person who has the jacket.
The romance is easily the strongest part of this book. Annalise and MacKenzie have wonderful chemistry, their banter feels natural, and the friends-to-lovers relationship is genuinely sweet. This is where Robb really shines.
Unfortunately, the magical realism never quite came together for me. It’s not that the jacket’s powers went unexplained, but rather that the storyline didn’t reach the emotionally satisfying conclusion I was hoping for. There were several threads that seemed to be leading somewhere meaningful but ultimately didn’t amount to much. In particular, I wanted Annalise’s uncle and her grief over his death to play a more significant role in the story. The setup had so much potential for exploring memory, loss, and the people we carry with us, but I felt like we only scratched the surface.
I also had the pleasure of tandem reading this one, thanks to an eARC from Dial and NetGalley and an advance audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio!
The audiobook is narrated by Brittany Pressley, who is one of my favorite romance narrators. She is especially good at voicing slightly insecure, somewhat neurotic female protagonists. Honestly, sometimes she sounds like the voice inside my own head! Her performance was excellent, and this was an especially easy book to follow on audio. I loved being able to switch between the e-book and audiobook depending on what I was doing.
Ultimately, this is a sweet, entertaining romance that left me wishing the magical elements had carried a little more emotional weight. If you’re looking for a charming palate cleanser, something light and easy that doesn’t demand too much of you, this could be exactly the book you’re in the mood for.
3.5 stars. A lovely romance with a magical premise that I wish had gone a little deeper.
Thank you to Dial and NetGalley for the eARC and Penguin Random House Audio for the complimentary advance audiobook!
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