This is the first of what I hope will be many book reviews.  Not of New York’s best-sellers. Of books by both writers I know and those I don’t but like what they are saying.  Some are wonderfully written and awesome.  Others aren’t exceptional in any specific way but give the reader a good read.  So on to Progress by Amy Queau, available on Amazon:

I’m not sure what category Amy was thinking of when she wrote Progress, but it seems to me to fit nicely in the literary genre as well as in a couple of other genres, namely romance and contemporary women’s fiction.  I said literary because of the writing style and the feel of the whole thing.  I always think of fiction in terms of color and the cover Amy chose for Progress is fitting.  Gray, a color that’s is perfect for literary fiction.

There is explicit sex but it’s not your usual romance.  The end isn’t the usual HEA but it’s appropriate for the story.  Still, if you don’t like literary fiction and you do like romance, you might like this story.  The protagonist falls in love with a man she works with. Or she’s addicted to him.  The protagonist sees her affair both ways and is often unsure which it is.  Whichever it is, it starts her on a path to self improvement that eventually causes her to reevaluate her life.

If I told you more, it would be a spoiler but I will reiterate that it’s the right ending for the book. The ending separates it from many works of literary fiction… and from many romances.  I was surprised.  You might be too.