Hooked by Emily McIntire Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemy's daughter

➮ Fairytale retelling

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Off limits

➮ Mistaken identity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Dual POV

➮ Kidnapping

➮ Instalust

➮ Forbidden

➮ Mafia romance

Synopsis

James has always had one agenda: destroy his enemy, Peter. When Peter’s daughter Wendy shows up in James’s bar, he sees his way in. Seduce the girl and use her for his revenge. It’s the perfect plan, until things in James’s organization begin to crumble. Suddenly, he has to find the traitor in his midst, and his plan for revenge gets murkier as James starts to see Wendy as more than just a pawn in his game.

Wendy was hidden away most of her life by her wealthy cold father, but a spontaneous night out with friends turns into an intense and addictive love affair with the dark and brooding James. As much as she knows James is dangerous, Wendy can’t seem to shake her desire for him. But as their relationship grows, she learns more about the world he moves in, and she's unsure if she’s falling for James or Hook.

Best Quote From the Book

“Darling if I'm the dark, you're the stars."

My Thoughts

It took me a bit to really wrap up all of my thoughts and figure out a way to put them into words. For how dark this one was I am a bit surprised it is a five star but I truly cannot stop thinking about it and really want to continue the series. There is something about the pacing and nuggets of excitement in her writing that makes it really addictive. 

I also have to applaud the narrators for speaking with actual emotion and conviction when appropriate. Recently I've been listening to more audiobooks and wow there are a lot of lackluster narrators out there. The depth of emotion they can convey makes it quite engaging the whole time.

This twist on the original Peter Pan tale felt absolutely perfect. The modern setting with just enough nods to the original kept a lovely balance. I am also super happy to read a fairytale retelling that isn't fantasy. So so many retellings are fantasy and I don't like fantasy so I've always felt left out of an amazing concept. So thank you McIntire for letting us romance fans have a chance to experience it too!

I knew this was a dark romance booked but I was shocked by how quickly things took a very dark and violent turn. James' character is incredibly intense but it makes total sense. It fits really well into a modern-day villain. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I applaud McIntire for creating a multi-faceted villain character. Nobody is all good or all bad, we are all complex creatures. Wendy, James, and Peter strike an excellent balance between the good and bad elements of each of them. Their backstories are also fantastically deep without being overly confusing. 

It felt like the number of characters in total was quite well-balanced. There were a limited number of main characters but enough side characters to make the world feel full. That said, we aren't overintroduced to characters that play no part in the narrative. 

I will admit, the plot twist at the end originally made me a bit uncomfortable. I won't be explaining why to avoid spoilers but just know it isn't my favorite to be sure. For a spell, it was going to drag this star rating down just because of how much it initially made my skin crawl. After sitting with it for a while, I am happy to report that even with my distaste for it, it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book as a whole in a notable way. Just be prepared for some questionable moral decisions and shocking reveals. 

Please please please look up trigger warnings before reading as there are a lot. Personally, I know I wouldn't be able to stand this one if not for the sped-up audiobook due to the graphic and heavy nature of a lot of the subject matter. This book has some very spicy spice scenes so do not read if that isn't your thing. 

Overall, the writing as a whole is so well-done which is what sold me on this one being a five star for me. McIntire writes balanced worlds with flawed characters with emotional depth and the perfect balance of harking back to the original story. If I had to summarize this story simply, I would call it a beautiful nightmare. 

Light 'em Up by Kelly Jamieson Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Hockey romance

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Matchmaking

➮ One night stand

➮ Brother's rival

➮ Workplace romance

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Annie is thrilled to be working in professional hockey since her brothers are all players. Her new role as skating coach to the New York Bears is the perfect fit. Except one of the guys is Logan Coates—the guy who sent her brother to the hospital in a memorable game three seasons ago. She wants nothing to do with him.

Logan doesn't need some tiny figure skater telling him what to do. Although he's a fourth-liner, he wants more ice time. Learning from Annie Bang, who hates his guts. She’s a pint-sized badass, that's sexy as hell.

Best Quote From the Book

“Your cold hands aren't getting anywhere near my beefy baloney"... my man-sized manicotti... zipper sausage? How about love stick? Magic wand?"

My Thoughts

I adored this story for including a badass woman doing better than all of the men around her. Of course she's faster with less effort, that's how queens do it! But seriously, she's a FMC we can all look up to who knows her worth and doesn't take any flack from the boys. I love to see it. While she is a petite woman, she doesn't let that become her whole personality. She is also iconic for standing up for figure skating and getting some skin in the game. Overall she's a fun character who I would love to be friends with.

 

Speaking of iconic, Logan and Ivan are iconic for loving country music. I love seeing two strong men in sports unafraid to show their love for music which is often teased. I adore Ivan, he needs his own series just so he can be his amazing quippy self. Another character I would adore being friends with. This book does a great job of demonstrating a platonic relationship full of trust with physicality purely from the nature of figure skating. We need more really close best friends who really have no feelings for each other.

The only thing I wasn't fully in love with was how there were moments that highly promoted good communication amongst everyone but it felt like it wasn't as fleshed out as it could be. The moment everyone starts talking, it all gets resolved. In reality, I feel like there would be more pushback and would take more time to get there, especially for Logan and his father. 

This book seems to me like it would be fantastic adapted into a movie. I'd especially love to see Annie and Ivan's skating routine to the song Beggin' as I just know it would be incredible. Or all of the cute moments such as Logan's jealousy that I will not spoil despite how much I want to gush about them. 

I will say this book does include open-door spice and a good bit of it. That said, if you don't find that cumbersome, it can be skipped

Overall, this book does a great job with lovable characters with personalities, flaws, and complex character dynamics more indicative of real life than the average romance. It would be fantastic as a movie and was an engaging read from cover to cover.

I received this book as part of a Literary Media Tours arc team. My review is honest and voluntary

So Not My Romantic Getaway by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Coworkers to lovers

➮ Fake dating

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Off limits

➮ Mistaken identity

➮ HEA

➮ Meddling friends/family

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

I am stuck at a Hawaiian resort with my rival coworker… He’s terrible to work with but way too good at playing fake-boyfriend.

My Thoughts

One of Evie's best-written stories so far! It is super obvious that over the past year, she has greatly refined her writing style. This improvement has been very fascinating to see. I look forward to seeing it get even better in the future. 

In addition, this was the earliest in the story that I remember Evie's characters ever kissing. I'm used to her pacing being similar to a romance anime where the characters only kiss at the very end of a will-they-won't-they situation. It also felt steamier than before. This is a welcome change in my opinion. The steam made the tension higher which made the story more hard-hitting as a whole. 

There were a lot of smile-worthy moments. From adorable times with Jack's family (particularly his nieces). The animals involved also made me smile a lot. I think we would all benefit from a sea turtle as a therapist. The gorgeous setting of a Hawaiian island helped massively with this. Evie really made the setting part of the story without it taking over too much. 

The one part of the story I wasn't as in love with was how held back Hazel was by her overthinking. It felt like it took a very long time relative to the length of the book for Jack's free spirit to rub off on her at all. I really just wanted to shove them together and see her relax a bit more earlier on. 

Jack's character as a whole is super adorable. From him being a certified Swiftie, to his baby fever. I appreciate that while he is a daredevil masculine man, he also isn't afraid to like stereotypically girly things. His well-roundedness is so refreshing to see. I definitely wanted more of his perspective. 

I also really liked the way this book wrapped up. I will not spoil anything but I will say it is very fitting to who both Hazel and Jack have become by the end. 

Overall, this is definitely a top contender for my favorite book by Evie Sterling. The increased steaminess, beautiful setting, and well-written MMC caused me to smile a ton while reading. If are looking for a light-hearted summery romance to read while summer is still upon us, I recommend this one. 

I received this book as part of the haylingbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Protective Billionaire Boss by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

3.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Instalove

➮ Surprise pregnancy

➮ Love after death

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Warren DuPont sets off alarms I never knew existed. After my husband’s death, I wasn't expecting love. “Love has a way of finding us when we least expect it.” Turns out, it’s true. I also was not expecting to be pregnant. Unmistakably handsome and protective, Warren gives me a sense of comfort that is surprisingly intoxicating. Each encounter brings our relationship to heightened levels of connection. As our bond deepens, Warren might understand the pregnancy. But will he forgive me when he finds out I am not who I pretended to be?

Best Quote From the Book

“Emily's jaw drops. I didn't realize that was something that happened in real life. I thought that was only for movies. 'You have your own private elevator?'"

My Thoughts

While some of these tropes are very much not my thing, I will always give Evie a chance. Her short and sweet clean romances have become a staple of my reading this year. I was pleasantly surprised how a story that would typically not be for me turned out pretty good. I will say the provided synopsis is basically the entire plot so you know exactly what to expect going in. The story as a whole just flew by. I would sit down for a few minutes with it and suddenly I was 10% further in the book. 

Both Warren and Emily are grieving when they meet. Their different approaches to handling grief are both quite realistic. Many people will just try to push on like Warren. Many people struggle with what is and isn't allowed when a significant person is in your life like Emily. I would've loved to see more of both of them helping each other navigate that to help the instalove aspects seem less jarring. 

It was genuinely amusing to see Emily's reactions to the rich lifestyle. Especially her worries about taking Warren to Target. I have definitely felt that fish out of water experience before when in a situation where I was among a higher status. As dumb as it may sound, I did not know how to act or not feel bad when other people did things for me to that level just like Emily. Warren's "it's the least I can do" adage also adds to the humor of their dynamic. Bro will causally buy you a house at the minimum if he is fond of you. 

The glee I felt when Warren started interacting with his hobbies and just having a more well-rounded life was unmatched. I was so happy for him to get the happy ending he deserved. Emily also has a fitting ending for her character that gives her all she hoped for given the current circumstances. 

I also want to give Evie props for briefly noting that just trauma dumping on someone is pretty uncool without consent. Warren's cousin is pretty cool for that. 

There is one thing that irked me about the story that just kept coming up and definitely detracted from my enjoyment. There are constant "hint" drops about Emily's pregnancy. How on earth it didn't occur to her that she might get pregnant when she was trying with her late husband Caleb is totally beyond me. Every third page she is nauseous and not fitting her clothes again. It was so tremendously obvious it completely detracted from the story.

Overall while there were certain elements to this story that were not my favorite, I had way more enjoyment than I was expecting. I will be happy to continue reading the stories in this series. I think the best way to explain it is that Evie's writing is now further improved.

I received this book as part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Single Dad Billionaire Boss by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Single dad

➮ Age gap

➮ Billionaire

➮ Off limits

➮ Gumpy x sunshine

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Let’s be real, a single dad billionaire looking to hire a nanny: sign. me. up. What I didn’t sign up for was a man who looks like he stepped out of a romance novel. The complaint is: that he’s off-limits. We unexpectedly get snowed in together and both of us clearly feel the connection, but this can not happen. Reality begs me to resist. My heart wants to augment reality. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Life is not about worrying and mistrusting everyone, it's about going after and cherishing the things that matter. It's okay to be afraid, but not when it gets in the way of love."

My Thoughts

I do not tend to gravitate towards books with single parents. Often times the kid is in the way, annoying, or so rarely included it makes me wonder why they were even written into the story. This book had me praying that Zoe would be a cute and sweet kid. Thankfully, Zoe blew me away. For a 5 year old she has a lot of spunk and is incredibly funny and charismatic. A lot of her lines were my favorites in the whole book. I feel like we all need to approach life a little more like Zoe sometimes. There were times that her language skills did seem a bit above what I would expect for a 5-year-old which did take me out of the story for a brief period. 

Zoe was not the only character from this story I adored. Once I got to know Ella and Jacob I was quite enamored by them too. Truly I have never met characters with such a similar sense of humor to my own. Their jokes and quips had me laughing out loud. They have immaculate jokes from cover to cover. I also love how they write notes for each other. They are already excellent communicators who have experience tackling disagreements from the moment they met. 

As is the case with all of Evie's books, this one was on the shorter side. I basically read this whole book in one sitting (minus a lunch break). The beauty of the shorter style is that any parts of a story that may have dragged on are not included. 

This one is the first I have read of her billionaire bosses series. I love how even earlier on in her writing career Evie excels at writing sweet and funny romances. Of all of the books of hers I have read so far, this is one of the funniest. I would say the humor is on par with Fake Dating and Matchmaking 101. This story is also the one that I would say is most begging for a sequel. I could absolutely see the need for another story when Zoe is older. 

The only reason this book is not a 5-star is that it includes another rushed engagement. I would've preferred that instead of them getting engaged so fast, it was left off with Ella and Jacob simply dating. 

Ella is a social worker who has a special place in my heart. As a psychology major, I took a lot of classes related to social work. It was obvious that Evie did her research about how social workers build trust with kids and how ethics work in the profession. This realism made me love the story even more. 

I received this book as part of the Haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

So Not My Boss Crush by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Office romance

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Reformed playboy MMC

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

For six years, Brock Benson was the monster I worked for. The gorgeous monster—who never even said hello. Then one morning, everything changed. When Brock’s assistant quit, I had no choice. Brock approved, and gave me a promotion I didn’t want… Now I’m fielding calls from his ex, managing his schedule, and caring for his sister's dogs. I’m intertwined with Brock’s life and it’s not terrible. When he gives me a house key, my heart skips a beat. Our texts are getting more flirty by the day. Our usual morning has been replaced by stolen kisses in the break room. But Brock's go-go, and I like to stop and smell the roses. Crushing on my boss is bad enough. Falling in love with him is completely out of the question. This relationship should come with one of those coffee-cup warnings: ‘CAUTION: CONTENTS HOT.’  We have to cool it off, or else one of us will get burned

Best Quote From the Book

“Brock Benson's Sizzling, Scandalous Dating Life"

My Thoughts

I will admit at first I was nervous about how quickly Gwen and Brock began to fall for each other. It felt like a bit of a breakneck pace for people who barely interacted previously. That said. the longer it went on, the more realistic it felt. At first, it was like okay he's hot and actually talking to you now but he is incredibly belligerent. Eventually, it became more like, wow that is a genuine connection. I have seen such an instant connection in my own life before, so it was just an oddly portrayed version of that. Granted Brock isn't any better, he was head over heels just because she was pretty and genuinely nice. 

Brock is so tone-deaf about how he comes off. How did he not notice how much of a jerk he sounded when talking to most people? It felt more like a caricature than an actual person when we first met him. It was like Gwen reminded him to act like a decent human being. 

There are so many wonderful meddling characters in this book. Among them are Brock's sister, Gwen's best friend, and even Gwen's mother. Knowing all of them were rooting for the duo made the book have a nice and comfy vibe. They were all also an excellent source of giggles. 

The part of the book that really surprised me was the plot twist. It truly felt like it suddenly came out of left field. I would've loved to have seen a few foreshadowing moments leading up to the climax of the story. 

The part about the castle room was truly beautiful. I loved seeing Gwen's spirits become lifted as she remembers her grandmother's legacy. I wish I could've had an experience like that of my own. This entire series is really making me want to visit that castle if I am honest.

Overall, this story is a pretty lighthearted romance. There are some instalovey vibes but I do suggest you give it a chance. The side characters are what really made this story shine. Their meddling and genuine nature was a refreshing element to the story. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

When in Rome by Sarah Adams Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Mental health rep (depression)

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Found family

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Amelia, aka Rae Rose, is burned out from years of maintaining her "princess of pop" image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome... Kentucky. When Noah finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn't have time or patience for celebrity problems. He's running the pie shop his grandmother left him. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room. Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose, kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. Soon she'll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she's been missing, and she'll help him open his heart. Amelia can't resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.

Best Quote From the Book

“I think we'll get hurt a lot in this life, but maybe it's worth it because sometimes we will experience really amazing things, too. Maybe not everything will end in hurt. But we'll never know if we don't try."

My Thoughts

I will be honest, I don't have a ton to say for this one beyond expressing that I really enjoyed it. I loved Noah and Amelia, especially when they were together. All of the side characters were amazing. Particularly the nosy neighbors and Noah's even nosier sisters. Mabel in particular is so funny. My mom and I listened to this story together and found ourselves giggling at her commentary and meddling multiple times. They all fit so well together naturally. You could tell Rome is a small town where the love and protection run deep. 

I think what kept this book from being a 5-star was that Noah's perspective didn't seem that realistic. It didn't feel like it was a guy talking. Not to be promoting gender norms but it really felt like both perspectives were written with a similar way of thinking and receiving the world which doesn't fit two characters who are clearly very different. Particularly the high level of detail Noah uses to describe Amelia's appearance at many points. If he was so wrapped up in his feelings, he wouldn't be overanalyzing her makeup or sweater especially given he is a guy who claims to not care about any of that.

Every other character and aspect of this story felt realistic. Of course, Amelia is going to be burnt out and in a rut. Of course, his sisters are going to want in on every detail of his love life. It all just fits so well together. 

Noah has officially landed himself on my book-boyfriend list. He is so adorable and you gotta love a man who cares deeply about his choice of sleepwear (if you know, you know). He also loves to bake and read so we would get along swimmingly.  His bluntness was often quite amusing to witness and added exponentially to his charm.

This book only has closed-door intimacy. 

Overall I really loved this story for its characters and interconnectedness. If Noah's POV was more realistic, it would've been perfect. I highly recommend this book to all romance fans and cannot wait to dive into book two!

Fake Dating and Matchmaking 101 by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Frenemies to lovers

➮ Brother's best friend

➮ Second chance

➮ Fake dating

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

Fake dating my frenemy to save a wedding? Not my most brilliant scheme because now I’m starting to want real kisses instead of fake. My brother’s best friend, Cole, has always been majorly annoying. He’s my opposite in every way, and we’re better at bickering than getting along. So, it’s super awkward when we have to fake date at a couples' yoga retreat. It’s the only plan I can come up with to save my brother’s wedding. Cole and I get on each other’s nerves and now we’re forced to do couples’ activities for hours a day! He can’t wait until the charade is over. When we rescue a baby goat together, I see his softer side. Add fake kisses to the mix, and I’m basically seeing stars. This insane chemistry is a fluke… right? He asked me out over a decade ago, and that was a total disaster. Should we give this a second shot? 

Best Quote From the Book

“Even out here in the middle of nowhere, with the sun sinking lower each passing minute, I feel completely safe."

My Thoughts

I loved the little feature of Gemma in a podcast episode. It reminded me of my time reading Game, Set, Matchmaker. This little nod is just the right level of callback to show that the books are set in the same universe but the characters do not have to know each other personally. It is a nice thing to see done right. 

I truly cannot believe I am reading another book prominently featuring yurts in such a short time period. The Trouble with Love and Ink also includes yurts as a major propellant of the plot. Are they trendier than I realize? Dear reader, have you ever heard of a yurt? 

The best part of this book by far is the goat. This adorable creature is named Blue. In the same way he snuck into all of the characters' hearts, he snuck into mine. Blue is a large part of the many funny moments in this book. A baby goat can cause a surprising amount of comical hijinks. This is my official petition for more authors to include baby goats in their work. 

I really like how the characters are written about in this book. Oliva is a curvy girl full of determination. Cole is much more reserved and is much less in tune with his feelings. Each of them has notable flaws that help add realism to the story. They aren't just perfect cookie-cutter characters. These flaws are a major component and are not ignored throughout the story. They also help ground both of them as they have to tackle their flaws head-on. 

I love how even though Cole is not the best communicator, he demonstrates his feelings through actions. He goes totally above and beyond for Oliva and Blue. I will not give specifics to avoid spoilers, but let's just say we would all be lucky to have a Cole take an interest in us. 

The one thing I thought was really missing was Oliva's brother Trent's reaction to them getting together officially and admitting their feelings. There is a lot of hype up throughout the book about his obliviousness for it not to be resolved. The perfect time to reveal it all is cut short and the book proceeds to the epilogue. I would've also adored to see Blue's further hijinks at the wedding as the ring bearer. Evie, girl, you held out on us which I am upset by. 

Overall if you are looking for a clean romance with a cute goat and characters with flaws, this is definitely a book to check out. I would've loved a few more moments described above but even without them, the story is endearing. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the haylingsbookstorm street team for Evie Sterling. My review is honest and voluntary

Love on the Scottish Spring Isle by Beatrice Bradshaw Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Runaway bride

➮ Dual POV

➮ International romance

➮ Travel romance

➮ Forced proximity

Synopsis

April is a runaway bride who escapes to a Scottish Isle. When she is there she runs into Euan MacLeod, a Scottish surf instructor, bartender, and infamous womanizer with a long streak of one-night-stands. Yearning for a chance at freedom April wants one of his one-night-stands. But Euan has to risk more than his beloved camper van. Will their vacation fling become an anchoring love?

Best Quote From the Book

“He kissed her hair. It was the color of  Saorsa's sand, her eyes the color of the ocean. She looked and tasted as if she were made of this isle. The place he loved most in all the world."

LGBTQ+ Representation

4/5 🌈

This book has a lot of wonderful LGBTQ+ representation sprinkled throughout the end portion of the book. I noticed a non-binary best friend, an advertisement with two fathers, and an old lesbian couple. All of these instances of representation were brought up casually and positively. 

My Thoughts

This book has an absolutely beautiful setting! I want to visit that island and see all of the amazing scenery in the book. I am impressed with how well Bradshaw wove the scenery seamlessly into the story. She is linguistically talented for this reason alone. 

My second favorite part of this book after the setting is how this book allows both main characters to grow on their own. In so many romance books the love interests only grow in the presence of the other person or do not grow at all. April and Euan learn and decide how they want their lives to proceed separately from one another. I want to see more of this!

There was one part that I did find a tad bit cringy. This is a personal grievance/ick of mine that I did not realize I had until now. April referred to Euan's butt as his peach emoji. I feel like especially in a book with spice, we are all adults here and can call body parts by their proper names.

The nicknames they both gave each other were so fun and clever. It reminded me of all of the various nicknames I have given my friends over the years. Their banter overall was quite good and funny to read.

During my reading experience, I was reading this book with a thunderstorm outside as I got to the scene with a thunderstorm. I can say this highly elevated my reading journey. It was so vibey and cool to feel extra connected to the book. I already felt connected to the setting through the writing, this just took it to another level. If you happen to be able to have the same experience, you will understand. 

I will note this book has multiple explicit sex scenes. The author has stated that she is a big advocate for sexual liberation and conveys such in her books. That said, these scenes can be skipped without missing too much plot if spicy scenes are not your cup of tea.  There is also a spicy bonus chapter available for anyone who enjoys that content. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The setting is immersive and gorgeous above all else. April and Euan's banter is amusing and flows well. Both April and Euan grow on their own which adds a lot of value to their commitment. I cannot wait to dive into future books by Beatrice Bradshaw. 

I received this book as an arc from Book Sirens. My review is honest and voluntary

Crushing on the Grumpy Best Man by Lila Marlow

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

In an attempt to make peace, Max Waltons invites Jessa on a cruise back to Europe after her best friend and his brother's wedding. At the wedding, they butt heads a lot. Now that they are stuck on a cruise together, will they be able to play house and get along?

My Thoughts

This book is pretty much the definition of short and sweet. It is naturally very fast-paced. I enjoyed a fun vacationy read to get me in the warm weather mood. I would've loved to see the book slow down the pace a bit. 

It really felt like the characters barely knew each other and were suddenly in love. Readers don't get to know the characters all that much beyond their attraction. Particularly, I would've liked to see more of them before the wedding. Perhaps the other books in the series would help with that.

My favorite part of this book by far is all of the scenes where they have to play house with Emil. The little one is just so cute and sweet. He propelled the plot a lot simply by existing. 

I am a bit sad that the ruined vacation trope happened again in this book. This is really just my request for people to be able to have a nice vacation in a book. That said, I will forgive it this time because this book did need the conflict. I liked how the conflict was handled. 

Overall if you want a short, sweet, lighthearted, and vacationy read, this book is for you. It is a spice-free enemies-to-lovers story. I would've liked to see it be a tad bit longer but I appreciate that it trims out unnecessary parts of the story. 

I received this book as part of a haylingsbookstorm arc team. My review is honest and voluntary

Lege et Lacrima by Alina Comsa Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Small-town romance

➮ Chosen family

➮ Strangers to lovers

➮ Dual POV

➮ Instalove

Synopsis

When Lalah finds her boyfriend in bed with another woman, she knows she has to absolutely change her life. After years of being a nomad, Lalah settles in the town of Lost Hope.  After a snowstorm, Cole and his family end up on her doorstep. The knight in shining tattoos brings his two step sisters with him as they begin to warm her heart once again. Cole makes fighting Lalah's demons his new mission. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Reading was my escape, my safe place, my protective cocoon."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

Cole's little brother Blake is bisexual. This is briefly mentioned in the story and is totally accepted. Blake is not properly out at the time of the book but it is implied he has some sort of relationship with a man. 

Cole is totally supportive and is simply happy if Blake is happy. The reason this rating is not higher is because that part of his character was set up as if more would be done with it but it simply never happens. Blake does not have a book of his own planned but it does seem like things were set up with that possibility in mind. Until he gets to properly explore his bisexuality, this rating will not be higher. 

My Thoughts

When I discovered that Lalah is a reader girlie, I started to love her character. She is confident and knows what she wants. A lot of what she wants is to read in peace and avoid people. I find that dream highly relatable. When she creates her dream house, I want to steal it. I will gladly take that state-of-the-art security system and that beautiful giant library. I'm pretty sure anyone reading this review would also love that.

This book seems like it is trying a bit too hard to set up the plot and establish the characters for the entirety of the rest of the series. As a result, trying to learn about every single character relevant to the town is a lot for readers to process. It's okay to not know the characters in book five all the way from book one. Readers are confronted with a lot of backstories and a spider web of relationships to shift through. Even in a small town, not every person in town will be connected to one another directly. I would've loved to see the web built out over the course of the series instead of being aggressively peppered in throughout the first book. 

I was shocked to see how happy I was with Lalah and Cole's instalove attitude. It was quite funny during many different moments. Including the extreme caveman energy of many of the guys in town. 

Admittedly I don't really get the heavy inclusion of Latin in the story. It threw me off a bit initially because I've never seen another story employ Latin in that way. 

This book in total is over 500 pages. Surprisingly I don't think those pages were wasted. The entire book was truly filled with plot and character-building. That said, I would've loved to see it trimmed down at least 100 pages. Perhaps that is mostly due to my short attention span. 

The found and thrown-together family works incredibly well together. I love seeing the girls interact, Blake's funny moments, and how naturally Lalah lets Cole's family into her life. It truly seems like they were all destined to have a life as a family. They chose each other and supported one another in a very powerful way. 

Please do keep in mind this book does have a decent amount of spice. It would be difficult to skip so I do not recommend this book to those not interested in or uncomfortable with spice. In addition, please review the trigger warnings before diving into this book because it does cover some heavier topics. 

Overall I quite enjoyed reading this story. The fond family, funny bonds, and host of solid characters make it stand out. Going forward, I hope the rest of the series is slower to introduce new characters.

I received this book as part of an arc team. My review is honest and voluntary

Game, Set, Matchmaker by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Matchmaker

➮ Best friend's brother

➮ Second chance

➮ Dual POV

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Small town

Synopsis

Game, Set, Matchmaker is a second-chance, opposites-attract, clean romance featuring a perfectionist heroine and her bad-boy ex who's actually super sweet. This book follows their happily ever after including a basket of kittens, leaf peeping, and the swoony feeling of falling in love with a perfect match.

Best Quote From the Book

“How do you leave a postcard-worthy town, Parker Manning, apple pie, and kittens? Not easily. Not happily."

My Thoughts

I was surprised that, unlike The Anatomy of Matchmaking, this book actually includes evidence that Gemma has matchmaking skills. I liked that this book showed her passion for matchmaking instead of just telling about it and not actually including much of it at all. 

The concept for the book is very similar to The Soulmate Equation and a few other science romances. It's all about how love can be boiled down into an equation or a formula. Thankfully as this book goes on, it is shown that love is more than that. 

I would say the style of this book is more like The Anatomy of Matchmaking than Digging Up Love With the Sheriff. With a strong small-town vibe and a greater focus on other characters in the story helping to push forward the plot. 

The setting for this book was absolutely immaculate. The small-town vibe felt very realistic and connected. As a person currently living in a small town, I can confirm that once you are connected to the town you know a lot of the people in it, or at least know somebody who knows somebody. The other people in the town had just the right amount of meddling and honesty to help push Gemma and Parker together without forcing anything. 

My biggest complaint is that for a good portion of the book, the majority of Gemma's personality is her obsession with her Perfect Match program and looking exclusively at the numbers. I would've loved to see more about her other passions, interests, or even just varied facets of her personality. 

I absolutely love Gemma and Parker's dynamic. Parker's character is an excellent laid-back contrast to Gemma's uptight nature. They balance each other out and play well together. I love seeing Parker tease her and get her to come out of her shell and let loose.

I would've loved to have seen the last portion of the book be expanded a bit. From the beginning, the book has a relatively slow pace. The last 15% of the book feels very packed together and lacks depth. That 15% includes the majority of the plot and action of the book so I wish there was more detail about it. 

As is the case with all of Evie Sterling's romances, there is absolutely no spice.

In sum, I recommend this book to fans of small-town, second-chance romances with no spice. The characters are interesting, the plot is entertaining, and the relationship dynamics make the reader feel like they are watching it all unfold in front of their eyes.

I received this book as part of a release team. My review is honest and voluntary.

Something Broken by Erin FitzGerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Best friend's brother

➮ Small-town 

➮ Cowboy

➮  Second chance

➮ Single dad

➮ Only one bed

➮ It's always been you

➮  Dual POV

Synopsis

His sister's best friend wasn't supposed to upend his life. Ashley was a thunderbolt compared to Travis' slow ranch attitude. He quickly fell for her when they met years ago. After a foolish choice, he lost her for decades. His sister orchestrates them a second chance. Will they be able to reconnect?

Best Quote From the Book

“We'd always had this connection, something deep and emotional, a link from his heart to mine, and I'd thought I was going to die when he'd been the one to sever it"

LGBTQ+ Representation

3/5 🌈

There is a background character who is married to a gay partner. They play a minor role and have multiple lines. Their appearance is deemed completely normal and is portrayed in a positive light. 

My Thoughts

This book is the second in the Wolf Mountain Rancher series. This book follows the best friend and the brother of Lana from Something Lost. As such, the end result of this book is revealed in book one as well as a good bit of their journey. Even so, I found it worth reading. There were a lot of surprising caveats in Travis' point of view that helped differentiate it from the first book. In addition, reading the first book is not necessary to understand this one but there is a ton of character overlap. 

There were some rather skippable scenes because many of the days were quite repetitive. There were many instances discussing Ashley getting sad and drinking. I found myself skimming these scenes because they weren't very unique. I do understand that the reputation does demonstrate that Ashley was stuck in the cycle for a long time. 

This book goes back and forth in time a lot as the characters remember and address more of the past as the story progresses. I really appreciate that these time changes are clearly labeled throughout the chapter and at the beginning of the chapter. This clarity is highly beneficial to understanding the story. 

While I am not going to go into details to avoid spoilers, I want to shout out a hilarious scene to look out for. The scene with Ajmal and Travis was by far my favorite part of the entire book. I will be rereading that scene in the future.

At the end of the book, there is a completely adorable wedding scene. I loved seeing all of the family members interact and witness the squabbling. I absolutely had misty eyes by the end. It's impressive for a not-sad scene to incite some tears. 

I will note that there is some spice in this book. These scenes do not go into too much detail or depth. These scenes can be skipped without missing any important plot points. 

Overall, to my surprise, I felt there was still a lot to gain from this book after reading the first one. I would've liked it even more if it was a little less repetitive. There were a lot of emotional and funny scenes that help the reader see the depth and complexity of Travis and Ashley's relationship. This book was excellent at showing progress instead of telling. 

I received this book as part of a release team. My review is honest and voluntary.