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

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Fake dating

➮ Professor x student (not in a class)

➮ STEM romance

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ BIPOC FMC

Synopsis

Olive doesn’t believe in lasting romantic relationships–but her best friend does. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. Like any biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees. That man is Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor. Olive is floored when Stanford’s reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep a secret and be her fake boyfriend. When a science conference goes haywire, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding abs. Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.

Best Quote From the Book

“I'm starting to wonder if this is what being in love is. Being okay with ripping yourself to shreds, so the other person can stay whole."

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

Two notable side characters end up in a gay relationship. Said relationship is totally accepted and even celebrated. While minor, their representation is very positive. In addition, Olive considers herself demisexual. This part of her identity is explored within the story and shapes her view on romance. 

My Thoughts

This is my first dive into Ali Hazelwood's books and I can say with passion that I was not disappointed. This book wonderfully balances comedy, science, and romance in such a way that kept me entranced from beginning to end. 

Hazelwood does an excellent job of covering the challenges involved with being a BIPOC woman in science. Olive struggles to be taken seriously and constantly has to prove herself worthy of being in the field with many white older men. This book provides the depth of day-to-day challenges that help make the representation worthwhile and rewarding. This book is excellent at the concept of being a mirror for some and a window for others. (If you have not heard of this concept let me know and I will gladly explain it in more detail).

The tension Hazelwood is able to create feels palpable. I truly adored the moments when Olive and Adam were forced together. Their passion and chemistry (pun intended) worked so well. By the end, they became a functioning couple with communication and all. Seeing the moments where Anh encourages them to act lovey-dovey was incredibly hilarious. Particularly the sunscreen scene (I seriously almost listened to that one twice). 

Every character in this book was fantastically written. From best friends to the antagonist, they all contributed to the plot and entertainment value of the story. I wish I could've seen even more of them and how their presence and meddling impacted things for the fake couple.  

The one area I thought was lacking was more of Adam's feelings. At first, he was not particularly expressive so it was hard to get a read on how he felt. There is a lot of getting to know Adam with everything except for how he feels about things. 

This book had way more actual plot than I was expecting. As I was listening to the audiobook I kept assuming I must be near the end because so much had already happened but no. There was more! I love that Olive and Adam had to really go through some trials and tribulations to get to the point where they knew they needed to address everything.  

One of my favorite parts was the great roasting of Tom by all of the characters. I found myself quite literally laughing and fist-pumping because all of it was so well-deserved. I won't dive into why he is so unlikeable but trust me, he absolutely is!

This book does contain open-door spice. That said, it can be skipped without missing anything particularly important to the plot. 

Overall, this is one of the top romances in my eyes. While not quite at the level of giving me that 5-star feeling, I highly highly recommend it. All of the characters are fantastic and there is so much plot for readers to immerse themselves in. It is also genuinely funny a lot of the time which adds to the appeal!

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

So Not My Mr. Wright by Evie Sterling Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Professor x student

➮ Age gap

➮ Fake dating

Synopsis

Fake-dating my hunky professor was not part of my story. He’s an older single dad. I vowed that for once, I’d become the heroine of my own fairytale. I drove my hot neighbor’s classic Cadillac into a cement barrier. It was accidental, but Micah didn’t agree. To avoid jail, I agreed to play his girlfriend while his family’s in town. That sounded harmless until I arrived at my neuroscience class and he was the teacher. Now I’m stuck in a faux relationship with my professor. I spend my days getting butterflies during his office hours, swooning over his cooking abilities, and feeling protective of his adorable son. A relationship between us is strictly forbidden by school rules. I feel guilty riding in his car, let alone sipping merlot with him. When flirting leads to kisses, we both know the situation is dangerous

Best Quote From the Book

“'You stormed the castle on the hill.' 'Stormed might not be the right word. With the shape that old car is in, it was more like I puttered up the road and hoped to reach the castle without having to hitchhike.'"

My Thoughts

This book was a very solid and sweet romance with some taboo elements. It is completely clean and wholesome. Evie Sterling is a master at creating sweet clean romances and this book is no exception. It is funny, authentic, gratifying, and very easy to read. The shorter nature of this book made it fly by easily. 

For the most part, their 16-year age gap shockingly didn't bother me that much. That said, when they were confronted with the consequences of their choices, the age gap and their professor-student relationship did feel a bit uncomfortable. They claim to be people who are trying to go about this ethically but barely consider that their power dynamic is not at all balanced and never will be. 

This book has amazing and adorable autistic representation through Micah's son. Sebastian is on the high-functioning end of the spectrum but never once does the book push away his autistic traits. Micah always wants to do his best for his son and make him as comfortable and accommodating as he can. It also portrays how people can have very different reactions to a child with autism and how that can lead to some very complicated and murky relationships. Having a brutally honest autistic character like Sebastian also propelled the story quite well. He was completely truthful about what he saw and felt which helped bring things to light for Clare and Micah. I loved this positive and realistic but not forceful example of autistic rep. I love seeing more and more books that include neurodivergent representation without expecting brownie points for it.

They hit their stride as a fake couple almost seamlessly. I loved seeing them play house together and just, fit. They naturally played well into each other's lives and stories. Especially with Sebastian in the mix, they got along quite well. The trust they built and how they meshed together was so sweet to see. 

I feel like their story didn't hit quite the way I wanted it to because the repercussions were shockingly minimal in the long run. People who would care suddenly and conveniently didn't care anymore. They didn't have to struggle with the taboo of their relationship for all that long at all. It was just boom, it's all okay, happily ever after. There was a lot of rising action and conflict with no crescendo. 

Overall if you are looking for a cute and sweet age-gap romance book with a cute kid, this is the book for you. I would've loved a bit more from the conflict inherent in the story. Even so, the characters and funny moments easily make up for it

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

The Trouble With Love and Ink by Harriet Ashford Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Fake dating

➮ Slow burn

➮ Office romance

Synopsis

Emily Lane was supposed to be on vacation but is instead meeting a new hire who steals the position meant for her. Needing an escape, Emily takes on her sister's calligraphy company, which fits her skills quite well. The only caveat to this arrangement is that she has to pretend to be her sister. This was all going well until she discovered her client's brother was Beckett Atteridge, the office promotion thief. He will keep her identity secret on one condition: she is his fake date at the wedding in Costa Rica. As lines are blurred between real and fake, the vacation will either become as escape or a heartbreak. 

Best Quote From the Book

“But when [my pen] finally connected with the page, that's when the magic happened. Heavy strokes going down followed by the lightest of up strokes. It reminded me of  following music in choir. Every downstroke belted a proud fortissimo, and every upstroke sang a delicate, hushed pianissimo."

LGBTQ+ Representation

3/5 🌈

While not at all prominent in the story, there is a small mention of a gay couple amongst the bridal party. They are portrayed as very fun and kind. Everyone is totally chill and accepting of it. 

My Thoughts

I am shocked with how I genuinely have nothing negative to say about this book. There is always at least one thing I can critique in all of my reviews. That will not be happening here. This book is absolutely wonderful from cover to cover. 

From literally the second page, I was completely hooked on the story. It was nearly impossible to put down, I took every stolen minute to read the book, even standing in line at the store. For a debut novel, this book blew it out of the water completely! 

Ashford's writing style is naturally very witty. At times that can end up being rather grating, but not here. It just feels very natural and easily funny. There were so many moments I was legitimately laughing at this book. I kind of felt like a teenage schoolgirl giggling and kicking my feet at their dynamic and romance. There is one funny moment that involves aggressively floating that I want to shout out as a moment to look out for. The humor was exactly the kind I like with lots of inside jokes and references to each other. 

Both Emily and Beck are such endearing characters. Emily and I have a passion for calligraphy and letting. Having that in common with the FMC just added even more value to the story. I will also give a lot of love to Beck for his character design, meaningful tattoos, and casual elegance. We all have to appreciate a man who knows how to dress well and doesn't make a huge deal out of it. 

Ashford gives a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle nods to her home state of Texas. This includes Buc-ee's among other Texas staples. I admire how she puts herself into her book without literally just basing the FMC entirely on herself. It can be a difficult balance to incorporate special author's touches without making it overly personal. Especially for a debut novel, this line was totally respected.

I will note this book has a few spicy scenes, they are open-door. Don't bother skipping them; they add so much to the plot and give another peek into the characters. If you are uncomfortable with any spice, this book is one to skip. 

I am absolutely ecstatic that this book has a nearly non-ruined vacation. They don't have to run away entirely due to tragedy. They actually communicate and address things as they come up in a very supportive way. 

This was an absolutely smashing debut novel. This was the easiest 5-star I've given in years. Zero complaints. Go, run, and preorder this book so that you experience the magic and humor that is Emily and Beck. This hidden gem deserves to become a bestseller ASAP!

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

Y'allywood Billionaire by Terra Weiss Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Coworkers to lovers

➮ Fake dating

➮ Forced proximity

Synopsis

Maddox and Riley are co-stars in a popular TV crime series Urban Dawn. On the screen they are a steamy duo, off the screen they don't even talk. That was until an awkward encounter at a nude beach leaves them reeling. As they begin a fake relationship for ratings, they have to deal with getting to know the real versions of each other.

Best Quote From the Book

“I want to try. Whatever it is, I want to make it work. I'm into this Riley. This feels different for me."

My Thoughts

Maddox and Riley feel like a pairing where it makes sense that they ended up being forced together. They have a lot of loved ones in common and their characters have a lot of chemistry. 

Who would've thought toilet paper gowns would be something to bond over? This concept really summarizes the type of humor this book has. They end up in wacky situations and have to do their best to figure it out in some rather wild ways. The humor in this book reminds me of A Love Catastrophe in that it involves a lot of comedic and clumsy chaos. 

This book also has a deep-running family and found family storyline. Particularly with the loss of Riley's grandmother. These relationships help push the story forward and give the characters purpose beyond their roles in Urban Dawn. 

I really like the pacing of this book. The various plot points are perfectly placed. It keeps things exciting but is still easy to follow. As a first read of 2024, I am quite happy with it. The cast of characters is so genuinely funny and engaging. For a group of rich people, they are quite down-to-earth and not snobby. I'd be happy to read other books that follow other members of this group. 

For once a book where people set boundaries and defend them. It was such a refreshing inclusion. When Riley and Maddox establish their fake relationship, they clearly state what they are and are not okay with. After establishing the ground rules, they stick to them and enforce them. I'd appreciate seeing more of this from the fake dating trope. 

This book provides a nice representation of the positive benefits of therapy. Riley genuinely benefits from it and it isn't blown out of the water that she sought help for her mental health. 

My one complaint about this book is the inclusion of the pandemic. Honestly, it is just too soon for me to enjoy reading about characters suffering from the ramifications of the pandemic. It felt a bit too, currently accurate to keep it a nice reading experience for that portion of the book. 

The plot twist at the end (which I will not say too much about) is very perfect for Riley's character. It spreads an important social message and is an important reminder that our actions and decisions do impact others.

This book does have a few spicy scenes so keep that in mind. They can be skipped but are embedded in chapters. 

As a note, I did get the chance to read this book as an ARC. This review is entirely voluntary. I really enjoyed this reading experience. With a fun cast of characters, positive mental health representation, excellent pacing, and lots of funny moments, I am happy to recommend this book.