Clover Callahan: The Fate Date

Preamble

Before getting into the details of this review, I should say that I received early access to this book via a free advanced reader copy (ARC) for an honest review. This was my first experience as an ARC reader. 

The author, Clover Callahan, is local to the Ottawa area. In a recent Instagram post that was released prior to the receipt of the ARC copy, she outlines the setting of her novel “The Fate Date.” The post begins with a land acknowledgement to the Algonquin Anishinaabe and the Mohawk Haudenosaunee peoples.

I really appreciated this, it warmed my heart. It's not often that Ottawa is the setting for a (romance) novel, and I appreciated that the author had the awareness for this inclusion when describing the setting. 

At first glance, this book isn’t in line with my usual books for representation; the lead characters are not racialized, neither are they really going against the grain socially or at risk of marginalization. However, after reading the novel, I have to say, I’m so glad I did.

It is of importance to me to support a local indie (for now) romance novelist; after reading the book, it’s hard to believe that this is the author’s only published novel.

Ok, let’s get to it!

Review

Oh my goodness! I didn't want this book to end! The story is so well written. 4 stars.

© Clover Callahan

This is Clover Callahan’s first publication, “The Fate Date.” Where to begin? Forced proximity, opposites attract. He's like a robot with a heart. She's like a bubbly, effervescent unicorn that needs his grounding. The juxtaposition of the two, the passionate vs. the linear, the intuitive vs. the unfeeling logic, and the way their lives come together, is really wholesome and really well done. 

As someone who has worked in STEM for the last 15 years, I can tell you that the author got the diction choices right. Mentions of “binary”, “spreadsheets”, and “software upgrades” were excellent descriptive choices that really helped to convey the male character’s personality and the world that has molded him. 

The same thing goes for the female lead. As someone who reads oracle cards (not tarot, but I have some familiarity with it), the way she meets the readings and her life with intuition and tuning into the planetary energies feels very accurate and believable. 

This book presents a unique cross section of worlds, and with those interests myself, it seems we were really well suited for each other. The unique match certainly allowed me to pick up on a lot of the nuances throughout the book, which allows me to appreciate the writing in a way that I might have missed if I wasn’t so personally familiar with the two worlds.

While the two worlds do seem unique, they’re likely going to make this story very relatable; who doesn’t know someone working in tech? And even if someone isn’t into astrology, most people have a basic understanding and at least a position of their views on the subject.

In terms of the setting, the story is a beautiful homage to Ottawa and the surrounding area. For those that are familiar with the city, there are subtle mentions that feel both like an inside joke, but also like a badge of pride in that you likely have to be very familiar/live in the area to really get them. 

The environment is also really well conveyed through the characters. Those familiar with the area will notice the colloquial bilingualism/”franglais”, and the way that certain expressions between English and French are interchanged. Conveying the local culture this way was really clever and appreciated.

There were elements woven into the story that I didn’t expect; they were not typical or predictable. They also set up the potential for more related books to be published in a series, and I’m all here for it! I really hope the author keeps using her gifts because I really need to read more of the Glengarry family!

Also, there is SPICE! More than in the “Veronica Speedwell” series by Deanna Raybourn, but less than Ana Huang’s “Kings of Sin” series. It doesn't have the explicit sexual aggression like in an Ana Huang story, but it’s also not so conservative that it glosses over the spicy bits, leaving you wanting details. It's all personal preference/what you're in the mood for, but I found it to be just right.

Really well done. I can’t wait to read more of Clover Callahan’s work.

Thank you to Clover Callahan and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to join the ARC team and read an advanced copy.