Category Archives: Contemporary

Aftershocks by Marisa Reichardt

When a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hits California, Ruby is trapped in a laundromat with Charlie, a boy she had her first conversation with only moments before. She can’t see anything beyond the rubble that she’s trapped beneath, but she’s sure someone will come save them soon. As the hours and days tick by, Ruby and Charlie struggle to stay hopeful—and stay alive. Ruby has only Charlie’s voice and her memories to find the hope to keep holding on. Will the two make it out alive? And if they do, what will they have lost to the earthquake?

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Alcoholism & alcohol abuse
  • Earthquake (theme)
  • Death of a parent mentioned

Adult Onset by Ann-Marie MacDonald

Mary-Rose MacKinnon–nicknamed MR or “Mister”–is a successful YA author who has made enough from her writing to semi-retire in her early 40s. She lives in a comfortable Toronto neighbourhood with her partner, Hilary, a busy theatre director, and their 2 young children, Matthew and Maggie, trying valiantly and often hilariously to balance her creative pursuits with domestic demands, and the various challenges that (mostly) solo parenting presents. As a child, Mary-Rose suffered from an illness, long since cured and “filed separately” in her mind. But as her… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Internalised racism
  • Homophobia & biphobia
  • Paedophilia & child sexual abuse (off-page)
  • Child abuse
  • Stillbirth (on-page)
  • Death of an infant
  • Animal death

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

For twenty-six-year-old Adelaide Williams, an American living in dreamy London, meeting Rory Hughes was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: this charming Englishman was The One she wasn’t even looking for. Is it enough? Does he respond to texts? Honour his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy, Adelaide does everything in her power to hold him together—even if it means losing herself… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Rape
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Depression
  • Anxiety & panic attack
  • Attempted suicide & suicidal ideation
  • Miscarriage
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a parent in a car accident

Acting Up by Adele Buck

The stage is set for the play of a lifetime: but it’s the romantic drama backstage that has everyone applauding. Paul and Cath are the perfect creative team. He’s an up-and-coming theatre director and she’s his unflappable, rock-steady stage manager. If Cath’s had to bury her unrequited affection for Paul for ten long years to keep things professional, it’s just the price she pays for a career she loves, working with her best friend by her side. Until he hires her old nemesis as the leading lady for a new play that’s their chance to make it big. Handling temperamental actors is… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Familial estrangement
  • Bullying

Act Your Age by Eve Dangerfield

All Kate ‘Middleton’ McGrath wants is a man to call ‘Daddy’ in bed. But kinks aren’t for everyone. She gets it. They’re definitely not going to be for her grumpaholic boss, Mr Henderson. But a girl can dream, can’t she? Especially when he’s always so stern with her. Tyler Henderson is a golden boy who’s lost his shine. He’s old, his dream career is over, his fiancée left him. Now all the former firefighter can do is bury his troubles in paperwork and hard liquor… and try to keep Middleton out of his head. He’s not going anywhere near that girl. He’s done with sweet and innocent. And things don’t come much sweeter or more innocent…. Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Ableism & ableist slurs
  • Workplace sexism
  • Infidelity recounted
  • Cyberharassment & cyberstalking by an ex-partner

Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling

Twelve-year-old Jolene spends every day she can at the library watching her favorite livestream: The Desert Aviator, where twelve-year-old “Addie Earhart” shares her adventures flying an ultralight plane over the desert. While watching this daring girl fly through the sky, Jolene can dream of what it would be like to fly with her, far away from her own troubled home life where her mother struggles with a narcotic addiction. And Addie, who is grieving the loss of her father, finds solace in her online conversations with Jolene, her biggest—and only—fan. Then, one day, it all goes wrong… Read more.

Goodreads

Trigger and Content Warnings

  • Parent with substance addiction
  • Grief & loss depiction
  • Death of a father
  • Plane crash

    Nate Plus One by Kevin van Whye

    Nate Hargraves – stage-shy singer-songwriter – is totally stoked for his cousin’s wedding in South Africa, an all-expenses-paid trip of a lifetime. Until he finds out his sleazeball ex-boyfriend is also on the guest list. Jai Patel – hot-as-hell high school rock-god – has troubles too. His band’s lead singer has quit, just weeks before the gig that was meant to be their big break. When Nate saves the day by agreeing to sing with Jai’s band, Jai volunteers to be Nate’s plus-one to the wedding, and the stage is set for a summer of music, self-discovery, and simmering romantic tension. What could possibly go wrong . . . ?

    Goodreads

    Trigger and Content Warnings

    • Homophobia
    • Racism & mentions of apartheid
    • Child abuse
    • Alcohol consumption
    • Grief & loss depiction
    • Death of a parent
    • Animal death

    Milo and Marcos at the End of the World by Kevin Christopher Snipes

    Milo Connolly has managed to survive the first three years of high school without any major disasters, so by his calculations, he’s well past due for some sort of Epic Teenage Catastrophe. Even so, all he wants his senior year is to keep his head down and fly under the radar like the quiet, well-behaved, churchgoing boy that everyone thinks he is. Everything is going exactly as planned until the dreamy and charismatic Marcos Price saunters back into his life after a three-year absence and turns his world upside-down. Suddenly Milo is forced to confront the long-buried feelings that he’s kept hidden not only from himself but… Read more.

    Goodreads

    Trigger and Content Warnings

    • Hate crime
    • Racism
    • Internalised religious homophobia & threats of conversion therapy
    • Fire
    • Hurricane
    • Sinkhole
    • Bullying

    Bloom by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau

    Though he loved working there as a kid, Ari cannot fathom a life wasting away over rising dough and hot ovens. But while interviewing candidates for his replacement, Ari meets Hector, an easy going guy who loves baking as much as Ari wants to escape it. As they become closer over batches of bread, love is ready to bloom . . . that is, if Ari doesn’t ruin everything.

    Goodreads

    Trigger and Content Warnings

    • Ableism
    • Death of a grandmother mentioned
    • Fire & related loss of property and business

    Tiny by Kim Hooper

    Nate and Annie Forester are faced with every parent’s worst nightmare when their three-year-old daughter, Penelope, is hit by a car right before their eyes. In the aftermath of her death, the distance between them grows. Josh, twenty-two years old–third party to the nightmare–was behind the wheel on the fateful day Penny ran into the middle of the street. Unable to stop thinking about Nate and Annie, Josh has started to stalk them, thinking up ways to approach them and apologize. One morning, he is sitting in his car, in front of their house, when he sees Annie leave, suitcase in tow. Hours later, he witnesses Nate in a frenzy of worry. His wife has disappeared and he is left… Read more.

    Goodreads

    Trigger and Content Warnings

    • Grief & loss depiction (theme)
    • Death of a daughter in a hit-and-run accident
    • Stalking