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The Romantic Agenda

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'The Romantic Agenda' by Claire Kann is a romance novel that explores the journey of Joy, an asexual protagonist, as she navigates relationships and self-discovery. The story delves into the dynamics between Joy and the characters around her, particularly Malcolm, Fox, and Summer. Readers appreciated the fresh take on a romance novel with diverse characters and representation of asexuality.

Characters:

Characters are diverse with distinct personalities, featuring a confident yet flawed protagonist and contrasting roles like the quiet ally and a frustrating love interest.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by present tense narration, with poetic expressions that can draw readers in but may also frustrate some.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot involves a love quadrangle featuring an asexual protagonist, exploring the intricacies of friendship and romantic relationships.

Setting:

Setting includes a contemporary lakehouse where much of the plot unfolds over a weekend.

Pacing:

The pacing is swift, focusing on a short time frame for character development and relationship dynamics.

Notes:

The main character, Joy, is a confident and stylish asexual woman.
Joy navigates complicated relationships, including a love quadrangle.
The story takes place over a weekend at a lakehouse.
It features underrepresented ace characters and explores the ace experience.
Joy has a strong romantic attraction but no sexual attraction.
The narrative is written in third-person present tense, which some readers found frustrating.
Joy's interactions with her love interest Fox are entertaining and sweet.
The book touches on themes of race and identity but doesn't fully develop them.
Readers appreciated the humor and relatability of the characters.
The protagonist struggles with feelings for her best friend, who is involved with someone else.
Many reviews mentioned wanting a sequel to further explore Joy's journey.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include poor representations of asexuality, discussions of race, and potential manipulation within relationships.

Has Romance?

Romance is a significant part of the story, with a medium level of focus, particularly on the evolving relationships between characters.

From The Publisher:

One of...

Parade's Best Romance Books of All Time

NPR's Books to Celebrate Pride Month

Buzzfeed's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Reads of 2022

Goodreads' Most Anticipated April Romances

Betches' Books To Add To Your Spring 2022 Reading List

Joy is in love with Malcolm.

But Malcolm really likes Summer.

Summer is in love with love.

And Fox is Summer's ex-boyfriend.

Thirty, flirty, and asexual Joy is secretly in love with her best friend Malcolm, but she's never been brave enough to say so. When he unexpectedly announces that he's met the love of his life-and no, it's not Joy-she's heartbroken. Malcolm invites her on a weekend getaway, and Joy decides it's her last chance to show him exactly what he's overlooking. But maybe Joy is the one missing something…or someone…and his name is Fox.

Fox sees a kindred spirit in Joy-and decides to help her. He proposes they pretend to fall for each other on the weekend trip to make Malcolm jealous. But spending time with Fox shows Joy what it's like to not be the third wheel, and there's no mistaking the way he makes her feel. Could Fox be the romantic partner she's always deserved?

Reader Stats (4):

Want To Read (3)
Not Interested (1)
 
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