Book review
‘Would You Rather’ Isn’t Another Silly Romance Novel, And I’m Here For It
Can a silly game lead best friends to long-lasting love, or will it leave their friendship in shambles?
I don’t read romance novels. Except for when I snuck-read Lady Chatterley’s Lover as a tween or teen.
But Lady Chatterley was more about my erotic and sexual education from the safety of a book.
Previously, I considered romance novels silly, kinda like the cover image above.
Allison Ashley is a modern-day romance writer. Her publicist reached out to me and offered an advance copy of Ashley’s newest book, Would You Rather.
I hesitated. It’s a Harlequin book, after all.
And, I don’t — didn’t — read romance novels.
Like any curious person or writer researcher, I started with a Google search.
Would you rather dress up as The Smurfs for that costume party, or stay home and read a romance novel?
Allison Ashley lives in Oklahoma, my home state. She is an oncology healthcare worker by day.
And she uses her day job for her moonlighting job as a romance writer.
When not writing, you’ll find me working in oncology — an emotionally draining, yet unfathomably rewarding profession. I’ve spent 10 years encouraging patients to push through and sometimes giving them permission to let go, and through it all my escape has been books.
Would You Rather features chronically ill Mia and her stoic best friend Noah. They’ve forgone romance in an effort to forever preserve their friendship.
The obstacles abound. Mia needs a new kidney. Noah has unresolved trauma from a haunted past. They live in the United States, so medical expenses are an issue.
Ashley tackles big topics like for-profit health care from a professional and patient perspective. Her honesty is incredibly refreshing.
Would You Rather proves that romance novels can be fun, sexy, and smart.
Much of Would You Rather? centers around the question: Is it worth risking a tight friendship to test out falling in love?
I was still recovering from Long Covid while reading Would You Rather. I continued to deal with mystery chronic pain and illness in my personal life.
Through Mia, I felt seen. Through Mia and Noah, I got to witness ideal conversations between a dreamer (Mia) and a stoic (Noah). I got to observe as their friendship deepened and they began to communicate on a deeper level.
To top it all off, these adorable friends inspired me to request chicken wings from my stoic, and wonderful cook of a husband. Look, wings are practically their own character in the book. And, I’m here for it.
5/5 recommend
I’m lucky this is the romance novel that was sent my way. Ashley’s publicist was spot on when she read some of my work and thought I’d like Ashley’s work and even relate to the characters.
I plan on reading more from Allison Ashley: she has quite a catalog already.
It’s not easy to find beautiful, romantic stories woven through with the reality of chronic illness and chronic pain.
Would You Rather is not your typical romance novel. It’s not steeped in superficial fluff. Instead, it tackles heavy psychological and physical limitations while looking through a lens of optimism and hope.
But, don’t take my word for it…
Thanks for stopping by! Are there any romance writers you love? Any romance novels that surprised you? Let us know in the comments below.
Aimée Brown Gramblin is practically a superspy, because that’s basically what writers are, right? She dabbles in nonfiction articles, emits poetry, and lives her life as a WIP memoirist.
