A sweeping debut about finding your own family when the world has turned their back on you
—Amanda Khong, Bookish Brews
Bookish Brews Snapshot
The Reckless Kind by Carly Heath
Asta wants nothing more than to spend her life performing with her friends and fellow outcasts, Gunnar and Erlend, rather than marry her betrothed, Nils. When Nils injures Gunnar, the three best friends move to a secluded cabin where they only have one chance at securing their way of life: winning the village’s horse race.
🌳 Found Family 💜 Asexual Rep 💔 Grief and Love 📜 Historical Fiction
- Genre: Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Book Review
Cozy, sweet, quaint, delightful, warm, heartfelt, emotional, adorable
The Reckless Kind was one of those books that I knew would be delightful before I even picked it up. I worked with Carly on a post about diverse characters in historical fiction and she is so thoughtful that I was positive that she handled these characters with care and I was so right. There is so much heart and soul poured into these characters that everything about them feels like a warm hug. If you are looking for a cozy book for this winer, look no further than The Reckless Kind.
In Norway in 1901, all Asta wants is to be with her best friends, Gunnar and his secret boyfriend Erland, and be herself at the village theater. But it seems like the only future that is planned for her is a domestic life married to Nils, her odious betrothed. When Nils jealously lashes out at Gunnar and gravely injures him, Asta shuns marriage forever and moves in with Gunnar and Erland. Together this found family must figure out a way to survive on their own in the quaint and loving life they’ve built for themselves.
Carly Heath creates a wonderfully cozy world in The Reckless Kind. The love that all three of these characters have for each other is so deep and genuine, they make such a wonderful found family. You can tell that there is so much heart and love that was put into each of character and it shines so brightly in their relationships with each other. This entire book felt like a warm literary hug. I love the way that Asta, Erland, and Gunnar find a home in each other and are working toward building a life together. It’s simple and it is beautiful in its simplicity. It’s a wonderful winter read for curling up by the fire with a cup of tea.
The Reckless Kind if a delightfully cozy book full of heart and love. It’s so easy to fall in love with Asta, Gunnar, and Erland with how deeply they care for each other and how much care Heath clearly put into these characters. A perfect book to read for cold winters!
