One click author: Penny Reid

The first book of Penny Reid's I'd read was Neanderthal Meets Human.

I remember reading the title and thinking "Huh. That's a weird title." The cover of the book indicated it was a "smart romance". I didn't know what that was, but boy would I later on. I didn't read the blurb. I don't know why, just dived into the book.

It was a long book.

I'd read almost 3/4ths of it before I looked around and realized I'd been on the floor reading for a long time. My butt was numb. After I finished Neanderthal Meets Human, I immediately started her 2nd book in the Knitting in the City Series. Then her 3rd, and then her 4th. At that time Penny had released 4 books, and I was officially in a conundrum. I'd read all of it, and I needed my Penny Reid fix!!! So I cyber stalked her, and counted the days until she released her next book. I'm still doing the exact same thing.

I realized at that time that I wasn't reading many romances with smart characters. I didn't think my characters needed to be intellectual. Penny's books made me question what I was reading.

"You are what you read", and I realized my expectations had dropped with every disappointing book I read. I wasn't being challenged anymore.

As a reader your taste changes with time. Mine certainly has, and I firmly believe that Penny Reid has helped me change my taste for the better. Penny's characters are quirky, and they all have unique personalities. She writes heroines with substance. Women who have aspirations like you and me. They are not perfect, they are flawed, but no less lovable. A character I really related with is Kaitlyn from her Elements of Chemistry series, because the girl is bookish and nerdy, and weird. She makes mistakes. But she is strong. She is loved. Her heroes are not billionaires (although billionaires are fun). They are often scientists, and mechanics, and comedians, and rangers. Sometimes they are poets who look like vikings (Drew, sigh). The men in her books fall in love with the woman for her personality. She is not a summation of breasts, and legs. Her characters challenge one another, and in turn challenge the reader into thinking about situations which they might not have thought about.

What I love about Penny as an author, is that she is honest, and that honesty translates onto paper through her writing. She doesn't drag a problem for the sake of writing a book. She solves it in the most organic way possible.

I have read ALL of Penny Reid's books. She is a one-click author for me. I don't even need to read her blurbs to be interested in what she's writing. I cannot recommend her enough. If you are looking to "get smart" pick up a Penny Reid book. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

#oneclick #author #PennyReid #Sharks