Bookmarked

Bookmarked. Bella Jay. 2022. [Source: ARC provided courtesy of author.]

I’ve heard of honeymoons. Babymoons, even. A divorcemoon, though? This will either be a complete disaster or the greatest thing ever. Either way, Brooklin’s about to find out when she accepts her estranged husband Elgin’s invitation for a final baecation before they divorce. It’s a bit unconventional, but what does she really have to lose?

Brooklin, aka Books, and Elgin, aka Juice, have been together more than a decade; long enough to see his unexpected pivot into Hollywood stardom and her own ascent as a host of a popular romance book podcast. It’s no small thing to part ways after so much time and so many changes. To his credit, Juice creates the perfect getaway for the two, with a book-inspired itenery that’s entirely suited to Books’ love of reading and will ensure she doesn’t forget how very good they were together. Throughout their story, Bella Jay brilliantly captures the complex emotional and mental journey it is for them to consider what’s ahead of them.

This book was an emotional roller-coaster as it explored Books’ and Juice’s search for clarity about the decision to end their marriage. One moment they were in the midst of a passionate sex-capade as if everything was great between them, and in the next moment they’d erected emotional walls as if the memory of their divorce had suddenly reappeared. The ups and downs they experience are what one would expect of a couple in their position — there are lingering questions, blind-siding revelations, and emotionally charged conversations that were long overdue which make the trip about more than a final fling. The second-guessing, frustration, and anguish are juxtaposed with trust, tenderness, and chemistry that neither can easily forget. The result was a story that at times felt as gut-wrenching as it did endearing.

While Bookmarked’s central plot is focused on the end of a marriage, the arc of the story makes it well-suited to women’s fiction. Brooklin’s issues are front and center, and the divorce sometimes feels secondary to her making sense of her life. She is, understandably, in flux as she tries to figure out her love life, career, and life expectations in general. While the romantic relationship drives what happens, her self-reflection and processesing outshines it.

In two words, I would describe Bookmarked as bittersweet and satisfying. There is so much angst that comes from these two sharing space for what they assume will be a final time. It’s awkward and uncomfortable to read at times, but is also filled with moments to make you smile or blush as they remind each other of why they lasted so long. For all the emotional turmoil, I couldn’t put this down and was fully invested in Books and Juice’s relationship. As far as whether I’d recommend it? Absolutely.