Review: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

Publication Date: April 16th 2019 by Simon Pulse

Pages: 432

Source: e-ARC

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

After an awkward first encounter, Birdie and Daniel are forced to work together in a Seattle hotel where a famous author leads a mysterious and secluded life in this romantic contemporary novel from the author of Alex, Approximately.

Mystery-book aficionado Birdie Lindberg has an overactive imagination. Raised in isolation and homeschooled by strict grandparents, she’s cultivated a whimsical fantasy life in which she plays the heroic detective and every stranger is a suspect. But her solitary world expands when she takes a job the summer before college, working the graveyard shift at a historic Seattle hotel.

In her new job, Birdie hopes to blossom from introverted dreamer to brave pioneer, and gregarious Daniel Aoki volunteers to be her guide. The hotel’s charismatic young van driver shares the same nocturnal shift and patronizes the waterfront Moonlight Diner where she waits for the early morning ferry after work. Daniel also shares her appetite for intrigue, and he’s stumbled upon a real-life mystery: a famous reclusive writer—never before seen in public—might be secretly meeting someone at the hotel.

To uncover the writer’s puzzling identity, Birdie must come out of her shell…discovering that most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

My Thoughts:

When we meet Birdie and Daniel they’ve already met and had an intimate encounter that didn’t end well when Birdie freaks out and runs off. Birdie thinks *hopes* she’ll never run into Daniel again, but she’s mortified to find out he works at the hotel where she’s just been hired.

I struggled with Birdie at first, not really knowing her history, trying to avoid Daniel and what happened with them when he seemed like a nice guy.  I got it more as the story went on, but I think I warmed to Daniel more than Birdie even though the story is told in her POV.  Daniel handled her skittishness like a pro, coaxing her out of her shell and lowering her shields by enticing her with a mystery to solve, knowing she’s a hardcore mystery junkie, which I totally loved. Slowly they draw close, sharing secrets, and overcome the awkwardness of their first “date”.

Jenn Bennett makes the city of Seattle come to life, making me want to visit all over again! How did I miss the Elliot Bay Book Company?!! I enjoyed the secondary characters, although I thought Mona’s costuming was a little over the top, I just couldn’t picture someone dressing up like that on a daily basis, but what do I know? I did love Mona as a character, though: loyal, understanding and loving!  I really enjoyed her side story.

Jenn Bennett’s been hitting it out of the park with her young adult romances, and though this wasn’t my favorite among the bunch, it was still pretty lovely.

3.5 Suns