Name: Krystyna 's review of Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett
Item: Serious Moonlight
Rating: 3
Author: Krystyna

Jenn Bennett

“An atmospheric, multilayered, sex-positive romance.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) 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 Birdie 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 the most confounding mystery of all may be her growing feelings for the elusive riddle that is Daniel.

Serious Moonlight

ashley larsen

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.

Krystyna 

Happy release day for this book! 

This was my first Jenn Bennett book. It was a cute, enjoyable read. This story starts off at the Moonlight Diner with the introduction of the two main characters, Birdie and Daniel. In short, they met at the diner and hit it off pretty well. They planned to go see a movie and then ended up in the back seat of Daniel's car. Birdie freaked out and left him afterwards and tried to forget it happened. However, when she starts working at a new job, more than one mystery presents itself. 

I loved the diner setting and the description of Bainbridge Island. I enjoyed the mystery dinner date and the mystery scavenger hunt. and I loved that Birdie is obsessed with mystery novels. She loves detective stories. When she was a kid she loved Nancy Drew books, which is so relatable to me. When I was a kid, I read Nancy Drew books past my bedtime; I would get under a blanket with my book and a flashlight so I could keep reading. As a kid, I wanted to be a detective or P.I. when I grew up. So, I really enjoyed that aspect of Birdie's character. I love how Birdie and her grandfather bond over their love for mystery novels. I also loved "Aunt" Mona and the relationship she has with Birdie. 

There were some issues I had with this book. I found certain aspects to be a little problematic. I didn't care too much for the main mystery and I felt that it was a little too redundant. I also felt that given Birdie's issues that her family would have been more involved with her whereabouts. Also, some of their sleuthing wasn't exactly believable and the consequences weren't quite believable either. I enjoyed the mystery scavenger hunt part, but I didn't care too much for the ending. I felt that the story kind of plateaued for me for the majority of the book, with spikes of relationship drama mixed in. 

Overall, it was a decent, enjoyable read. It had some good quotes in it and the cover is cute. I am a sucker for a cute diner, small town, romance, mystery setting. So, I wanted to read this one after I read the synopsis. If you enjoyed Jenn Bennett's other books, give this one a try. It was a cute YA contemporary.

*Thank you, Edelweiss and Simon Pulse for the ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.*

Victoria

I did not want this book to end. I swear, I keep glancing at the page number and hoping that the end is still 2000000 pages away. 

The story was believable, relatable, and even though the author included lots of topics here (pre-marital sex and safe sex, depression and mental health, dealing with death, and more), it didn’t feel congested at all. Birdie is adorable and Daniel is wonderful. I want a sequel!!!

jess

I seem to be reading a lot of romance lately, and Serious Moonlight is pretty much on par with how I tend to read romance books; I liked it, but it didn't blow me away. I definitely think that Jenn Bennett is one of the authors I like when it comes to romance, though, because of how fun and positive they tend to be, and Serious Moonlight was no different.

Jenn Bennett is really excellent at creating these quirky, fun worlds and characters that are on the brink of being overbearing. I found this book toed the line of how much quirkiness I'm willing to read about while suspending my disbelief. Both Birdie and Daniel are very larger-than-life characters, despite being fairly introverted, and while I found them really cute I just didn't really see them as real people. It's not a bad thing, per se, but especially in contemporary I tend to like characters that seem like people. Aunt Mona I really struggled with, honestly. I just struggled to see her as a realistic character.

But otherwise, this book was so cozy and atmospheric. I was expecting the mystery aspect of the book to be more in the forefront, but I'm not even mad that it wasn't because it still gives off those kinds of vibes. That is to say: slightly spooky, old, quiet... (or maybe it's just the haunted hotel I'm writing this review in). Seattle was a perfect setting for this book, and Jenn Bennett's love for classic film really shines through even if all the references soared right over my head.

Another thing I really appreciated was the diversity of the characters and how it discusses grief and mental illness. Seeing an Asian boy with depression as a cute love interest was actually really great. And seeing Birdie struggle with grief over a long period of time and how that affected her will definitely help teens feel less alone if they've lost people. This book is really light-hearted while dealing with some serious topics, but it's not a serious book—it's still a sweet rom-com in the end. I love that this manages to be a love story that doesn't give off the problematic "love cures everything" trope.

I feel like romance fans will definitely enjoy Serious Moonlight, especially if you're a fan of Jenn Bennett. And if you're not, definitely give her books a try.

content warnings: parental death, grief, mental illness, mentions of suicide

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy!

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Steph L 

This book was fantastic. I love it because of the characters and the story. I was curious as to where the story would go, and I was kept on my toes the whole time. I just loved this book so much.

Samantha Chavez 

I’ve read all of Jenn Bennett’s and adored them. The romance is always amazing and accompanied by subplots that draw the reader in. Although I did enjoy this novel, it felt as if there were too many things going on. There were points where I would forget subplots until they were mentioned again 100-200 pages later. 
Despite this, I still enjoyed the characters and liked the character development of Birdie. 
If you’re looking for a romantic novel that deals with issues of loss and losing pieces of oneself, this novel is for you.

Sophia Hofmann 

I prefer her other books, but this one is still pretty good.

Alanie Rhodes

Jessica Guht

Words cannot express how much I loved this book, but I'll try my best!

Birdie is a mystery lover who I would consider to be slightly anxious in social situations (honestly I relate so much). She is starting a new job at a hotel on the night shift, and many adventures unfold during the summer.

Where do I even start?!? I'm going to start with Daniel. Ah Daniel *sigh*. He seems like my dream guy. I love how much he cares for Birdie, and how Jenn Bennett makes that apparent just through his actions. I also love that he's not the perfect dream guy, he seems like he could be a real person. Also when his past comes out and Birdie starts second guessing everything, I FELT THAT. I've never even been in that situation but Jenn Bennett did such a good job writing that I understood what Birdie's thought process was. In conclusion I loved Daniel, and I would like a real life Daniel please and thank you. Screw dark and brooding, I'll take friendly and approachable any day.

Now onto Birdie, Birdie is a super relatable main character because she has flaws! And she is forced to confront them! Instead of her just being a perfect and super boring main character, she is interesting because she overthinks things, and reacts poorly, and then gets called out for these mistakes. And the best part, she learns from it all and realizes that there are things about herself that she wants to change. So refreshing!

Thank you Jenn Bennett for making such a beautiful story with well-written characters and an interesting plot. I love your books and I will continue reading every one because I have never been disappointed. Actually, I've never just been satisfied either, i am always head-over-heels in love and completely hooked.

shequina 

Vera Sokolyanskaya

Seattle is Love. I think I've been to many of the places mentioned (even the store on Pier 54).
I have a thing for ferry boats
Veronica Mars quote/ Teen detective
sorry, this review is a mess.

I want to go to Seattle now.

Maria

Дженн Беннет пишет миленькие романтические истории – без глубоких психологических раскопок, без неприглядной социалки, просто красивые девочка с мальчиком находят друг друга и сливаются в экстазе. И да, даже такие казалось бы банальные истории можно писать с разным уровнем качества. Беннет обычно справляется неплохо. Но в этот раз, как мне кажется, перегнула палку. 

Наша героиня Бёрди (да-да, ее зовут Птичка) встречает в кафе красавчика и так увлекается беседой, что, слово за слово, занимается с ним сексом на заднем сиденье автомобиля. Как только дело сделано, Бёрди внезапно думает «омг что же я натворила», и выбегает из машины в закат. Через месяц она устраивается на новую работу, и кто же кто её коллега? Естественно, тот самый мальчик. Awkward!

Как по мне, завязка несколько идиотская. Я готова была бы поверить, что воспитанная бабушкой на домашнем обучении девочка постеснялась отказать красавчику – но тогда он получился бы насильником, а этого современная авторка YA уже не может себе позволить. Так что Беннет придумывает историю безумной страсти c первым встречным. Seriously? Дети, ну я не знаю, вы что, животные, в самом деле?

Еще два странных момента. Во-первых, Беннет снова использует прием «у героини проблемы со здоровьем», в Starry Eyes девочка покрывалась волдырями, а тут у неё мышцы внезано теряют тонус в самые неподходящие моменты, и это возможность для героя доблестно её спасать. Сюжет damsel in distress кажется неуместным в 2019 году.

Во-вторых, сколько можно использовать оперу как символ недоступного и высокого? Разве этот прием не был отработан еще в «Красотке»? Мне очень странно, что подростки впервые в жизни видят фото декораций оперного театра – как будто только что из леса вышли.

Но в целом Serious Moonlight – это типичная Дженн Беннет, так что фанатам можно спокойно читать. Героиня хорошенькая и неловкая, герой – красавец-глаз-не-отвести, суперзрелый, поддерживающий и понимающий в свои 19 лет (такой зрелости в реальной жизни вы не увидите не только в девятнадцатилетнем парне, но в принципе в мужчине любого возраста), Сиэтл как сеттинг – сплошная романтика. В общем, то что нужно дождливым осенним вечером.

Heather Heaton

https://youtu.be/xqTXIzLpndA
I read this book for Gilmoreathon 2020 and it was the perfect fall read that fit perfectly into this readathon. Watch my vlog to hear more about my experience with this book, linked above.

laura

i really enjoyed this book. I normally love Jen Bennett books and this book was no exception. I really enjoyed how this book focused on the self discovery for the lead girl. I think the setting of this story the older hotel was so fun, I just wish it was featured a bit more. I found the plot to be predicable at moment but still a enjoyable plot and not too predictable. The romance was super compelling and I found myself often screaming at the book. I would have liked a clear epilogue but other then that was fun summer themed read!

Carly Boyer

It was going to be 5 stars and then I got to about 85% and it just became so corny and not in a good way. The plot twist came out of nowhere and I really didn’t like it/think it made any sense, and this was the main thing that knocked my rating down. I did really enjoy it though!! I think it would be a good movie/TV show, I kept imagining the little descriptions of people that Birdie does being scrawled across the screen in a chalk font LOL.

Roberta Dee

First of all, don't let this cover mislead you. This book does not take place during the fall/winter time. However, it does remain to be a love letter to Seattle where it takes place. This is my second book by Jenn Bennett that I have read, and I definitely did not like it as much as Starry Eyes. While I understand that this is a YA novel with teenagers coming to terms with hardships, I found Birdie a bit immature despite the serious life events she's endured from such a young age. I truly enjoyed Daniel as a unique character and he really grounded the novel when Birdie was being a bit irrational. I may not be the target audience, since I couldn't relate to Birdie that much.

b.andherbooks

Jenn Bennett writes my favorite YA Contemporary romances, hands down. While The Anatomical Shape of a Heart is still my absolute favorite, Serious Moonlight is yet another a quirky and fabulous tale from this author.

Featuring a mystery loving amateur sleuth with a case of narcolepsy and the street magician/hotel driver hottie she had an instant connection with that was ruined by an awkward hookup, this is a story perfect for those looking for a little suspense (quiet, non-scary) in their YA romance. 

I loved Birdie and Daniel's adorkable and tense dance around their real feelings for each other. You want them to JUST KISS ALREADY but understand why they each have real fear about whether or not a relationship is in the cards for them.

I also loved the fantastic cast of adult secondary characters, as they are more than just stumbling blocks to the teens (older teens, 18 and 19) adventures in hooking up.

Super fab!

Lynn Braden

While working in a downtown Seattle hotel, Birdie meets Daniel with whom she had a one-afternoon-stand in the back of his car. After she gets over her embarrassment of running away afterwards, Daniel provides her with an opportunity to solve a mystery, which is her passion. As they work to find out why reclusive author Raymond Darke has been coming to their hotel on the same night and at the same time each week, Birdie and Daniel begin a tentative friendship. However, both have lots of physical and emotional baggage that make their new relationship a challenge.

The title, Serious Moonlight, comes from Daniel's love of David Bowie. The first half of this book is a bit slow because so much time is taken introducing the characters and their personalities without really moving the plot forward. The pace of the story picks up, though, about midway through the book when Birdie and Daniel finally realize that their relationship is more than just friendship. The mystery that Birdie and Daniel have been trying to solve comes to a very abrupt end with a whale of a twist as the issues that they have been avoiding come to a head. Overall, this is a good romance with a unique mystery for the characters to solve.

Anne Jones 

Vanessa Bintou

I read Alex, Approximately, Serious Moonlight and Starry Eyes in less than a month and I liked all of them very very much. The fact than Jenn Bennet can so effortlessly built such real characters is amazing. All of her heroes and heroines have an unusual interest that somehow we can all relate to and personal issues that are approached with great respect. 

I don't really want to go into details this time, since this book felt a little darker to me and I had to read about serious mental health issues spoiler>depression and suicide attempt/spoiler> that both my parents had to cope with. What I will say is that once again I will applaud the way she approaches health issues and sex in a healthy and positive way and her variety of personalities, ethnicities and sexuality. 

 The one thing I didn't like as much this time is that the book felt a little long sometimes, but in any case a great read!

Manon van Heumen

This books was so cute! I need to get her other books!

Stefie 

Of all her books that I have read, this is my least fav read.
I mean it's not bad at all. I just like the other ones better :)

ashley larsen &
Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett

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