I don’t read romance novels…or I should say, I usually don’t read romance novels. I’m not sure why I picked this one up to read. Look at the name; it’s obviously a romance. But that name was probably why I brought it home with me.

Why don’t I read romance? Mostly because I like surprises. Apparently romance readers like the stories because they know what to expect and they like happy endings. I like stories with twists and turns and surprise endings. I know some people swear that romance stories are not written to formula, but one thing you can count on is the happy ending. The stories may differ; the characters (heroine and hero in romance) may have different personalities in each one; the plots or subplots can be interesting. But to me the main story is heroine meets hero, heroine is attracted to hero and hero to heroine, conflict—conflict—conflict, heroine and hero end up together in the end. Oh yes, I mustn’t forget, both heroine and hero are supposed to grow and become better people by the end.

Monsters: A Love Story is a good read, even if it does follow the formula. Liz Kay writes interesting complex characters and the story is fun. Stacy Lane is a recently widowed mother of two boys and a poet who has published a novel-in-verse. Tommy DeMarco is an actor and movie producer who has read her book and loved it. He wants to turn it into a movie. The story bounces back and forth between calm, suburban Omaha and wild, partying Hollywood. Tommy is laid-back and has no boundaries. Stacey is nothing but boundaries.

I enjoyed the story, although I did get a bit aggravated towards the end with the two main characters not getting together. I guess that’s part of the romance genre. If you don’t approve of rough language, don’t read this book. (It doesn’t bother me.) You can decide if either Stacey or Tommy (or both) are the monsters.