The 2020 pandemic was a strange time for family, friends, and romance. Close quarters meant seeing people at their best and at their worst, with little room for escape. It’s not the period one would naturally think of for a romance to take shape. And yet, Jem Spears’s A COURTSHIP IN QUARANTINE uses this turbulent time as a backdrop for a fairy tale romance that’s equal parts romantic wish-fulfillment and a lesson about standing up for what’s right.
The story begins with notes exchanged between “R” and “M,” who have both arrived in New Zealand at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Quarantined in adjacent hotel rooms for two weeks, the two strike up a pen-pal friendship that quickly evolves into mutual crushes. “M” is freelance author Mattie, preparing to weather yet more abuse from her wealthy relatives at her brother’s wedding. “R” is Raphael, preparing to play a role he hates in a film adaptation of a terrible book. While their problems seem worlds apart, the upcoming wedding and film shoot have far more in common than either of them bargained for.
With help from Mattie’s sister Daphne, their friend Rin, and Raph’s fellow actor and best friend Luke, this unlikely couple grows closer while opening up about their respective problems. As Raph becomes more uneasy about the message of the film and Mattie realizes whom she’ll have to cross paths with at the wedding, they realize their problems are the same: a desire for respect from people who refuse to respect them. Amidst their burgeoning relationship (as well as a growing romance between Luke and Rin), the five prepare to set things right for everyone.
A COURTSHIP IN QUARANTINE swings between playful banter, steamy romance, and genuinely difficult confrontations. While the story occasionally slides into slightly on-the-nose dialogue (“That’s what makes us good allies,” and the like), the importance of respect—for oneself and others—shines through. Raph and Mattie’s whirlwind romance is the stuff of daydreams, but it’s grounded in sturdy and realistic characterization for both parties. The conflicts are timely yet timeless, and the strength of the protagonists is just as inspirational as their relationship. While the preponderance of zombie- and horror-related COVID books is understandable, it’s refreshing to see an author use this period of recent history as a backdrop for an uplifting love story.
What starts as a lockdown-era “Shop Around the Corner” quickly turns into a story of love building strength during turbulent times. Jem Spears’s A COURTSHIP IN QUARANTINE is a romance, but it’s also a call to stand up for one’s convictions.
~ Kara Dennison for IndieReader