Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Mental and physical health rep (OCD, celiac, dyslexia, autism)

➮ BIPOC rep

➮ Curvy FMC

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Ex-best friend

➮ LGBTQ+ rep

Synopsis

Bradley Graeme is a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine. Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Her followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption. These days, there’s nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. When Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she’s surprised to find Brad. Forced to work as a team, these two teens trudge through their messy past. This adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship? 

Best Quote From the Book

“Even if neither of us ever did anything interesting in our entire lives, it wouldn’t matter. You don’t need to be special or significant to have value. You’re just important, always, and people either see that or they don’t. They either love you, or they don’t."

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

Bradley identifies as bisexual. This is positively represented and all characters are supported. It is not overly focused on but does impact him as a character.

My Thoughts

You name any kind of representation category and this book has it. BIPOC rep, LGBTQ+ rep, mental health rep, and more! I love how Hibbert wanted to have a truly diverse cast of characters. Thankfully this representation didn't feel like an obligation or something to earn brownie points with underrepresented communities. 

I love the chemistry between Bradley and Celine. It is so legitimately funny. I was laughing out loud at work multiple times while listening to it. Particularly the scene in which they are having a full-blown conversation with a tree. It really just spoke to their characters. Hibbert does an excellent job blending comedic moments with more serious moments. 

Celine and Bradley have a dynamic with justifiable depth. It makes sense why there is some discomfort they share and a level of awkwardness. With things getting so twisted in their past, they both have a chip on their shoulders. They actually work through it and learn how to effectively communicate with each other. It provides a good example of how people can discuss and work through things to build an encouraging relationship. 

Bradley is one of the most genuinely supportive characters I have read about. He wants the world for Celine and it is so sweet to see. He is also shaping up to be an excellent communicator. He is a high contender for a good book boyfriend. He is actually healthy and pulls his weight in their relationship in every form it takes. 

I liked seeing them have to go through challenges together during the survival course. It was clearly a long-established program. The one thing I felt was missing from the story was more about the history of the program. If it is really so important and illustrious, that should be tapped into. 

Overall this was a cute and clean romance and lots of comedy. I want to give Hibbert all of the awards for fantastic representation and naturally flawed characters. I have already recommended this book to a few people, and I stand by this recommendation. 

Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Mean girl

➮ Sports (tennis)

➮ Unlikable MC

Synopsis

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. By the time she retires, she is the best player in the world. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. If you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach. Six years after her retirement, Carrie sits in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan. At 37, Carrie decides to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the 'Battle-Axe' and her body doesn't move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Grief is like a deep, dark hole. It calls like a siren: Come to me, lose yourself here. And you fight it and you fight it and you fight it, but when you finally do succumb and jump down into it, you can’t quite believe how deep it is. It feels as if this is how you will live for the rest of your life, falling. Terrified and devastated, until you yourself die.

But that is the mirage.

That is grief’s dizzying spell.

The fall isn’t never-ending. It does have a ground floor.

Today, I cry for so long that I finally feel the floor under my feet. I find the bottom. And while I know the hole will be there forever, at least for now, I feel as if I can live inside it. I have learned its boundaries and its edges."

LGBTQ+ Representation

4/5 🌈

The representation in this book is centered on the rival in the modern era of the story. Nikki Chan is a lesbian. This is mostly kept a secret from the world but the representation is positive and adds to the character and doesn't just feel like token representation.

My Thoughts

I want to start off this review by sharing that I got to enjoy this story as an audiobook alongside my mother. We both loved the story and found it highly engaging. Being able to listen along with her made it even more precious to me. 

Even without detailed tennis knowledge, I found myself able to follow the story. You can tell Reid did her research about the sport before writing. It was really a lot of show not tell in terms of how the game works in terms of specific rules and scoring. I appreciated this as someone who doesn't regularly watch tennis but understands the fundamentals of how to play it. I will be honest, at first I didn't think I would be interested in reading a book about a self-centered tennis player, but I was so wrong. If you are hesitant about the tennis, try the book anyways. 

My first experience with Reid's writing was with The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. This story was a very different experience but the storytelling prowess was the same. Both stories have so much emotional depth with their characters. I really enjoyed feeling their pain and triumphs throughout their lives. Reid excels at making readers invested in a character's life story. I wanted to watch Carrie win every match. I rooted for her to get back up and try again after a loss. I truly felt like a fan of hers. I cannot wait to enjoy even more of her writing in the future.

I appreciate how this book is a great example of a healthy father-daughter relationship. While daddy issues are relatable for many, it doesn't need to be in every book. 

One of the things that stood out to my mother the most was the plentiful life lessons. We can all learn a lot from Carrie's life. Carrie's father in particular was chock full of great advice. If I ever get a physical copy I will reread this story and highlight all of his advice. 

While it was pretty obvious that a certain plot point was going to happen. I still cried when it did. If you've read the book, you know what I am talking about. Otherwise, just prepare tissues for the last 10% or so. Even now over a month after I read the book, I am still depressed about it. My sadness is slightly dragging down my rating because my stars are always based purely on my enjoyment of the story. 

The narration of the story highly benefitted from having multiple narrators. The value of the audiobook was incredibly high quality. Particularly during the radio/TV broadcast segments felt real, with the production and all. It truly added to the immersion of the story.

In sum, this story is so solid and engaging from beginning to end. It excels at showing what happens instead of just telling it. Despite Carrie being a bit abrasive, I was still rooting for her to succeed at every turn. Our favorite character by far was her father. His advice touched us both and really felt like good dad advice. If I am going to recommend a book to someone who doesn't have a specific taste (or even those who do), I would recommend this one. 

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

April 2024 Reads

  April 2024 Reads 

This month I read 12 books 

These books were 100% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and sports

My average rating was 4.48 stars

The Books

➽ Love on the Scottish Spring Isle by Beatrice Bradshaw

➽ Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

➽ Number Thirty-Two by Cassie Steward

➽ The Trouble with Love and Ink by Harriet Ashford

➽ Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid

➽ So Not My Mr. Wright by Evie Sterling

➽ Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman

➽ When in Rome by Sarah Adams

➽ The Karate Mouse by Geronimo Stilton

➽ Something Gained by Erin Fitzgerald

➽ Frisky Collections Volume 1: Frisky & Queer by Michelle Mars

➽ Puck Like a Girl by Wynter Ryan

Something Gained by Erin Fitzgerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Age gap

➮ Friends to lovers

➮ Single mom

➮ Reverse grumpy x sunshine

➮ Cinnamon roll MMC

Synopsis

My plans and dreams have been put aside in favor of survival. The cowboy who finds me walking home offers me a ride and food. He has demons of his own, stating he doesn't expect repayment as he understands the struggle. When my son and I are in danger, Jacob provides us shelter. Both of us are hiding dark pasts. After a lifetime of feeling like I'm not enough, the thought of not being enough for him scares me the most.

Best Quote From the Book

“With a little effort, I could pour all the anger, mistrust, and hurt into the snow to leave behind."

My Thoughts

The magic is back! I love the callbacks to the characters in the previous books. They still give Mark flack for how protective he is of Lana which was well-deserved. Both Jacob and Emily go to Ashley for therapy which is cute and very fitting. Fitzgerald is excellent and weaving the stories of characters together without making an overly complicated web. Not everyone has to know everyone incredibly well and she does this perfectly! That said, I would've loved to see at least a little cameo from Travis, not just Ashley.

I loved the character of an ass-grabbing old lady so much. There were truly moments where her boldness made me chuckle. She is one of a few side characters that bring a little bit of light to a much heavier story. Their inclusion is much needed. 

I will say, Erin... I hate you a little for killing off the cutie horse. That poor baby did nothing to deserve that pain and suffering. At least it actually propelled the story forward and gave Jacob the push he needed to confront his feelings. 

This story is absolutely filled to the brim with heartbreak and teary-eyed moments. I definitely sobbed more than a few times with all they went through. The trauma was so authentic. I am unbelievably amazed at Fitzgerald's ability to express raw and deep emotion through her storytelling. The way they had to work through it all and the setbacks they endured are very reflective of the real lives of people who went through challenging times. Fitzgerald creates characters with deep deep trauma and then actually makes them put in the work to grow and move on towards happiness. There is no fast-forwarding through Jacob and Emily's respective traumas, they confront it for the long term. 

By the end, I was incredibly happy for Emily's son Riley. He went through so much so young and he came out at the end all the better. The bond he creates with Jacob is so heart-warming and gave me the warm fuzzies. I really appreciate how while Emily is a single mom, she isn't desperate or trying to fling her responsibilities onto someone else. Riley isn't just a character that is there to be there. He gives depth and significance to the bond between Emily and Jacob. 

This book has some open-door spice. It does contribute to the plot and how the characters are growing. That said, it can probably be skipped without missing all too much. 

Overall this was another incredible cowboy romance. The characters and depth of the story are by far the best aspects. I loved the cameos from the characters in the earlier books. I highly advise looking at the trigger warnings before reading this book because there are many that can be very raw and deep for those with similar experiences. 

I received this book as an arc and am part of the author's arc team. 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

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

2.75/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Black and grey morality

➮ Book about books

➮ Unreliable narrator

Synopsis

Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars, but Athena’s a literary darling, and June didn’t get a paperback release. When June witnesses Athena’s death, she acts on impulse and she steals Athena’s experimental novel about the contributions of Chinese laborers to the British and French war efforts during WWI. So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song including an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this story deserve to be told, whoever the teller is? June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, but evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. 

Best Quote From the Book

“Reading lets us live in someone else’s shoes. Literature builds bridges; it makes our world larger, not smaller."

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

Athena is referred to as vaguely queer. I want to iterate that this is a completely valid identity and does not take away from the LGBTQ+ community so no negativity is needed. I would've loved to see this aspect of her character come into play more throughout the story. 

My Thoughts

This book is the cornerstone of the unreliable narrator trope. June is incredibly delusional and cannot be trusted. As the story progresses, she goes further and further off the deep end. It got to the point I could hardly stand to finish the book. June is just so insufferable the important message of the book just falls by the wayside as I was blinded by my distaste for her character. I acknowledge that June is not supposed to be likable, but rarely do I feel prickly about and character and June hit that mark. 

This book takes a powerful stance in terms of the state of the literary world and the inherent racism within it. I admire Kuang's strength it took to express such a bold viewpoint. That said, it did feel like Kuang made this book overly personal. It morphed into a misguided perspective on racism in the form of self-insert fanfiction. A lot of the criticism of Kuang's other works is thrown into the narrative of this one. 

I went into this book as blindly as I could given this book's popularity. In a way, I wish I hadn't. This book would've had more value to me if while reading it I was taking it as more of a literary commentary instead of a narrative. My perspective while reading definitely negatively impacted my rating of the book because my ratings are based almost purely on my enjoyment while reading. 

Overall, if this book lost its last portion where June becomes insane in her delusions to the point of neuroticism, this story would be a lot easier to get through and still get the message. I highly respect this book for its commentary aspects, especially in terms of what would slide in the publishing industry as it stands today. I recommend reading it for those involved in the publishing industry or highly interested in it. If that is not you, the annoyance you will feel while reading is not worth the hype.

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

2024 Quarter 1 Stats

 

2024 Quarter 1 Stats 

So far I have read 30 books

I have read 5,616 pages

I have listened to 130.55 hours of audiobooks

My most prevalent moods are emotional, funny, and tense

I have read 29% fast-paced, 59% medium-paced, and 12% slow-paced

I have read 97% fiction and 3% non-fiction

My most popular genres are romance, contemporary, and thriller

I have read 53% digital, 37% audio, and 10% physical

My average rating is 3.91 stars

November 2023 Reads

  November 2023 Reads 

This month I read 4 books 

These books were 100% fiction

The most popular genres were contemporary, LGBTQ+, and young adult

My average rating was 4.69 stars

The Books

➽ The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

➽ A Fabumouse Vacation for Geronimo by Geronimo Stilton

➽ The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

➽ People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

March 2024 Reads

 March 2024 Reads 

This month I read 12 books 

These books were 100% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, thriller, and literary

My average rating was 3.92 stars

The Books

➽ S.T.A.G.S by M.A. Bennett

➽ Hour of the Olympics (Magic Tree House #16) by Mary Pope Osborne

➽ The Things We Leave Unfinished by Rebecca Yarros

➽ Lege et Lacrima by Alina Comsa

➽ Bunny Hunting by H.N. DeFore

➽ Maybe Once, Maybe Twice by Alison Rose Greenberg

➽ None of This is True by Lisa Jewell

➽ Catching Feelings by Maren Moore

➽ The Heart to Seek Part I by Sushidren Jayasingham

➽ Yellowface by R.F. Kuang

➽ The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton

➽ Crushing on the Grumpy Best Man by Lila Marlow

February 2024 Reads

  February 2024 Reads 

This month I read 10 books 

These books were 90% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and young adult

My average rating was 3.73 stars

The Books

➽ Chasing Waves by Dani Hart

➽ Something Lost by Erin FitzGerald

➽ Icebreaker by Hannah Grace

➽ The Anatomy of Matchmaking by Evie Sterling

➽ Digging Up Love With the Sheriff by Evie Sterling

➽ Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

➽ Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

➽ Something Broken by Erin FitzGerald

➽ Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant by Curtis Chin

➽ Game, Set, Matchmaker by Evie Sterling

The Heart To Seek Part I by Shushindren Jayasingham Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

3/5 ⭐

Synopsis

Creerloshin starts a journey to discover true love and kindness. In this journey, he meets 24 different women who all shape his life. How will he grow and learn about love? What will these women teach him? This book is inspired by true events.

LGBTQ+ Representation

0/5 🌈

Admittedly if anything, this book is a bit transphobic and doesn't accept the concept of there being more than two genders. I cannot say anything about the author's personal beliefs but I did think it was worth pointing out.

My Thoughts

The first thing that struck me about this story is the very poetic and thoughtful writing style. It felt like the narrator was wistfully sitting down to have a chat about how the loves in his life have gone so far. It was quite natural and reminiscent. 

Readers can clearly see the desperation in the narrator's perspective demonstrates the high value he places on love. From the beginning to the end, so much thought and contemplation is made about every relationship Creerloshin has had. 

That said the overanalyzing of every relationship he has ever had with women was a bit jarring. He seems to assess every female he meets as a potential wife. While likely unintentional, there are some parts of the book that read rather arrogant and borderline narcissistic. These women are people of their own and just because they talk to you doesn't mean they are suddenly potential wives. I would've loved to see greater acknowledgment of the importance of platonic love in friendship. For a book that places so much value on love, the different kinds of love often fall by the wayside. 

One part of this story that rubbed me the wrong way is the insinuation that there are only two genders. I realize that it was an off-handed line, but it felt very unnecessary and out of place to what was happening in the story at the time. I was tempted to take off an additional star just for this factor but decided that was a bit harsh. 

This book has absolutely zero dialogue. The author said this was a deliberate choice to respect the privacy of people's conversations. Due to this lack of dialogue, the point of view and perspective is quite one-sided. I would've loved to see more from the women's perspectives. How did they feel when getting to know Creerloshin? Were their feelings anywhere near the level of his?

This book does an excellent job of expressing the feelings associated with the rise and fall of falling in love. When Ceerloshin fumbles his relationships, a lot of depth and care is shown as to why it all went wrong. From the elation to the heartbreak, this book dives into it all.

This book inspires readers to take an in-depth look at their own relationships and what makes them thrive or fail. In the journey of searching for those who we love and who love us in return, it would be a good idea to take a page from Creerloshin's book.

Overall this book is excellent for those looking for a book that dives into what it means to love and be loved. This book sometimes comes off a bit concerning with stalking behavior or overall arrogance, so do keep that in mind. 

Catching Feelings by Maren Moore Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Enemies to lovers

➮ Roommates to lovers

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Found family

➮ Sports romance

➮ Dual POV

Synopsis

After an "accidental" hook-up, Viv is distressed to learn that she is stuck with Reese Laundry. Reese is the All-Star Catcher at Orleans University. He is rich, handsome, connected, and charming. Viv is the only girl on campus that doesn't fall at his feet. With an unfortunate curveball in life, Viv and Reese become roommates. As they get to know each other better, maybe Reese isn't so bad?

Best Quote From the Book

“I don't get what the big deal is. Everyone's so annoyed that I am being an over-the-top cat daddy, but I can't help it that I love her. I'm a proud helicopter cat dad."

My Thoughts

This book opens up with an absolutely fantastic playlist! It has songs for everyone from pop-punk to Taylor Swift. While this book isn't about music, the songs in the playlist are actually relevant to the story. It's been a while since I saw a story with a good playlist so it was a pleasant surprise when I opened the story. 

I love the combination of a writer FMC and a baseball player MMC. They naturally go together quite well and do what they can to support the other's passion. Reese's sister is also a huge reader so I love the representation of girls bonding over books. 

As a huge sucker for good banter, this book left me very satisfied. Reese and Viv's teasing felt very natural and funny. There is an inherent level of comfort in their quips that demonstrates how well the characters play off of each other. You can tell Moore took a lot of time and care to explore the dynamics of the relationships between all of the characters.

The found family in this book are all so supportive of each other and show up when they need to. Their trust and bond propel the growth in the book.

Honestly, there is almost nothing I would change about this book. The only thing I wish was different is their wonderful vacation getting quickly cut short. One of my least favorite romance tropes is when the main characters are finally having a nice time together and something comes along to quickly end their happiness. I would love to see a book with a fully played-out nice vacation, date, trip, experience, etc.

This story is absolutely spicy and is not the book for those who aren't into spice. The spice genuinely contributes to the plot and helps the story move along so I wouldn't recommend skipping it. There are also some truly funny spicy moments (all I will say is body wash, if you know you know).

In sum, I really enjoyed this book and it was an easy 5-star. Do I think it will be a book I remember forever and ever? Probably not, but at least in the short term, I found it quite excellent and well-balanced. I particularly love the character dynamics and how they shape the plot. It wasn't just that plot points were thrown onto the characters, they were actually navigating various changes.

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