What This Week: February 24 - March 2

 What This Week: February 24 - March 2

How has another week passed already? I truly do not know but welcome back! I'm happy to have you here. I was able to accomplish a bit more this week, but I can't say the same for next week, so enjoy the long list for this time!

What books I finished:

• We All Fall Down by Erin FitzGerald
• Cross My Heart by Shae Ruby
• The Anaconda Downstairs by Amy Award
• The Resilience Project by Hugh Van Cuylenburg
• Blind Date with a #HOCKEYBOY by Ariana St. Claire
• The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy

What books I started:

• Scoring Grey by L.A Fero
• Overturned by Lamar Giles
• 
  

What I'm listening to:

• A lot of random new-to-me songs
• Rotten Mango podcast
• So Close to What by Tate McRae album

What I'm watching:

• Secondhand Lions
• Paddington 3 (in a theater with only my partner and I, it was so cool! I also highly recommend all of the Paddington movies for a delight)
• Sixteen Candles
• Little
• The Secret of N.I.H.M.

What I'm playing:

• Genshin Impact
• Office Cat
• A lot of word puzzles

What This Week February 17-23

 

 What This Week: February 17 - 23

Welcome to the second What This Week. It was a bit of a big week in my personal life so I haven't been consuming quite as much (I got a new job). That said, I truly love what I have been consuming

What books I finished:

• On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young
• Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver

What books I started:

• We All Fall Down by Erin FitzGerald
• The Charlie Method by Elle Kennedy
• The Resilience Project by Hugh Van Cuylenburg

What I'm listening to:

• Even more of Short n' Sweet (Deluxe) by Sabrina Carpenter

What I'm watching:

• Genshin Impact content

What I'm playing:

• Genshin Impact
• Office Cat

Top 5 Tuesday: Books I Want to Reread Someday

 

 Top 5 Tuesday: Books Want to Reread Someday

Welcome back to Top 5 Tuesday. Everyone be proud, I'm here two weeks in a row. Even if it is pretty late, I got y'all

This week's prompt is..... books I want to reread someday

Some books are just so obvious that it will be a great time again in the future. My hope with all rereads is that I would gain something new by rereading it.

Let's break down the why for each of these...

#1 is the only thriller I thought could be cool to reread. I feel like it would be a very different but worthwhile experience to read it again a while down the line while having the context of what everyone in the story actually did. 

#2 is the start of a series that is written by possibly one of my favorite humans ever. That is one big reason I wanna go back to the beginning someday and experience the magic once again. I also find the MMC to be very similar to my partner in some ways so it would be fun to read it with that in mind.

#3 is chock full of helpful advice that is gonna be relevant throughout my life. I think it would be good to circle back whenever my life circumstances change a good bit to prioritize the advice that will help me at the time. 

With #4 I just really want to annotate it because I didn't the first time and kinda regret that.

#5 on the list is actually a book I would be reading for the 4th time because it is just that impactful for me. It was the series that got me back into reading for fun so I gotta give it some love every few years.

1. The Villa by Rachel Hawkins
2. Something Lost by Erin FitzGerald
3. How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis
4. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
5. The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic 😁

See you all next Tuesday for another top 5!

January 2025 Reads

 January 2025 Reads

This month I read 15 books 

These books were 80 % fiction (my lowest ever)

They were 0% physical, 33% digital, and 67% audio

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and LGBTQ+

My average rating was 4.1 stars

My longest reading day was January 3rd

The Books

➽ Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica

➽  The Fiancé Dilemma by Elena Armas

➽ Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

➽ Good Lookin' Cookin' by Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George

➽ Streams and Schemes by Rebecca Kinkade

➽ When Haru Was Here by Dustin Thao

➽ Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

➽ Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia

➽ So You Want a #BOOKBOYFRIEND? by Ariana St. Claire

➽ The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

➽ Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeny

➽ Unapologetically ADHD by Peter D. Wright & Nikki Kinzer

➽ Bunny Season by Bindi Kennedy

➽ The Manicurist's Daughter by Susan Lieu

➽ Conflict Mediation by D.C. Emerson

 Top 5 Tuesday: Books I Never Reviewed

Welcome to Top 5 Tuesday, a new series I hope to start here on my blog. I've seen it floating around and thought it would be a lot of fun to give something other than wrap-ups and reviews.

This week's prompt is..... books I never reviewed

An important caveat to this is that these are books I didn't review on social media as I do post reviews on Storygraph and Goodreads for every book I read. Without further ado... here's my list

1. Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
2. Hexed by Emily McIntire
3. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Holang
4. Lies & Weddings by Kevin Kwan
5. Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

Here it all is in a pretty lil' graphic 😁

See you all next Tuesday for another top 5!

What This Week February 10 - 16

 What This Week: February 10 - 16

Welcome to the first ever What This Week. This will be my chance to keep you all updated on what I'm consuming. Perhaps we have some things in common?

What books I finished:

• The Wiener Across the Way by Amy Award
• Unthinkable by Dani Galliaro
• The Party by Natasha Peterson

What books I started:

• On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young

What I'm listening to:

• Short n' Sweet (Deluxe) by Sabrina Carpenter

What I'm watching:

• Ghost in the Shell 2.0
• Paddington 2

Free for a Limited Time

 

I am very happy to announce that A Deal for a Kiss by Willow Winters is free for a limited time!

You can grab your copy here

Blurb

Nothing could hide her from me. 

The darkness is everywhere and it moves about in the mortal realm…. And then there’s her.  Bright and so easily seen.

Mine. 

She calls to me like I prayed to the Gods she would. 

I should feel guilt for what I’m going to do.  What I must do.

She doesn’t remember, but I do.  She belongs to me.

I will claim her and bring her to the underworld as mine. 

At all costs… nothing will keep me from what belongs to me.

 

A Deal for a Kiss is a novella prequel to His in the Dark, but can be read as a complete standalone.

Recommended Reading by Paul Coccia Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Matchmaker

➮ Friends to lovers

➮ Small town

➮ Miscommunication

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

Blurb

In this opposites-attract YA rom-com inspired by Emma, a failed romantic gesture puts a damper on a queer teen bookseller’s summer of book matching and matchmaking until a handsome lifeguard and romance skeptic waltzes into his bookstore. Sometimes you get a second chance at happily ever after when you least expect it...

Curvaceous, clever, and an avid reader, seventeen-year-old Bobby Ashton never misses a main character moment. So when it comes to asking out his crush, he plans a romantic gesture grand enough to go down in local history. Unfortunately, though, his extensive knowledge of every rom-com trope ever doesn’t prepare him for how tragically he misreads the situation. Suddenly Bobby’s very public romantic gesture turns into an ordeal so embarrassing it could be a villain origin story.

Having masterfully shattered every plan for his perfect summer before college, Bobby’s last resort is working at his uncle’s sleepy bookstore. Soon, Bobby is expertly recommending books for customers to perfectly cure what ails them. Attempting to rebound after a breakup? There’s a book for that. Trying to tame your crochety coworker? There’s a book for that too. Then a plot twist Bobby never saw coming walks through the door in the form of Luke, an unfairly attractive and staunchly anti-romantic lifeguard.

Bobby’s blossoming connection with Luke reminds him of some of his favorite tropes: grumpy sunshine, quippy banter, and even forced proximity. But after his last romantic disaster, should Bobby use all the tricks in his arsenal to turn Luke’s head? Or is he misreading all the signs again? Do grand gestures really need to be so…grand?

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

This one has all of the rep you could possibly ask for. It has gay, lesbian, pansexual, drag queen, and ally representation. Every queer character in this book is unapologetically queer and it is a notable part of their character. Some are much more open about their identity while others are more quiet about it which reflects real life quite well. 

My Thoughts

This story was so camp which definitely grew on me as the story went on. At first, I will admit, Bobby's blunders felt like a lot and were a bit of a cringe factor but Coccia let the rest of the story unfold in such a way that it totally made up for it and made for a surprisingly well-rounded character. 

Bobby went from a bumbling idiot to someone who sometimes actually looks before he leaps. The genuine character development is what made this story special. I was genuinely nervous at first that the only redeeming quality about him would be how purely camp he was. Luke was a true catalyst for him to grow simply by showing him another perspective. Their eventual communication was genuine and refreshing. 

Seeing an unapologetically gay and plus-sized MC was refreshing. I hope this openness and pride continue throughout more releases this year. It can make many queer people feel more seen in literature. 

My favorite character by far in this story was Gladys (the OG, read the story and you will know what I mean). Her wit and quips towards Bobby were the best. Seeing her slowly warm up was the best. Characters like her are one of my favorite microtropes. 

I received this book as an arc from Hear Our Voices. My review is honest and voluntary.

December 2024 Reads

  December 2024 Reads 

This month I read 18 books 

These books were 100 % fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and thriller

My average rating was 3.54 stars

The Books

➽ Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutano

➽ Scout Elf Snowed In by Wynter Ryan

➽ Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

➽ Love in the Scottish Christmas Village by Beatrice Bradshaw

➽ All I Want for Christmas is My Brother's Best Friend by Wynter Ryan

➽ Swingers by Marnie Vinge

➽ If You're Reading This by Kiersten Modglin

➽ The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

➽ Hexed by Emily McIntire

➽ Scout Elf in Love by Wynter Ryan

➽ Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

➽ Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison

➽ Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

➽ Two Can Play by Ali Hazelwood

➽ The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

➽ Identity by Nora Roberts

➽ Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

➽ Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver

November 2024 Reads

 November 2024 Reads 

This month I read 21 books 

These books were 95% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and thriller

My average rating was 4.24 stars

The Books

➽ Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver

➽ Just Friends by Evie Sterling

➽ Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

➽ ADHD is Awesome by Penn & Kim Holderness

➽ The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

➽ Beach Read by Emily Henry

➽ A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Black

➽ This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

➽ The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters

➽ Kill Joy by Holly Jackson

➽ The Something Smutty Book Club by Erin FitzGerald

➽ The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

➽ Room One Hundred and Thirteen by Wynter Ryan

➽ Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan

➽ Puck After Puck by Wynter Ryan

➽ The Guncle Abroad by Steven Rowley

➽ Thier Vicious Games by Joelle Wellington

➽ Lights Out by Navessa Allen

➽ The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

➽ The Christmas List by Maren Moore

➽ Merry with a Tattoo Artist by Wynter Ryan

Reading is Political

 

This was originally posted on my Instagram but I thought it was important to include it here

Trust me, I would love it if this could be an “agree to disagree” situation but it isn't. This is a matter of basic human rights, literally life or death. I am terrified of who is now in a position of power again in this country. You “can’t handle a woman president” grow up. It is 2024, the world needs to be past this. I REFUSE to go back. It is not something to sit down and take. Stay loud my friends, refuse to be ignored. Reading is polticial. Full stop. Who you support and what you read is political. Banning books is political. So yes, this is incredibly relevant to my platform. The censorship needs to stop. All people deserve to see themselves represented in literature. I am going to feel pure rage and grief. I may not fully be a woman, but the feminine rage is strong. I am scared for women, children, LGBTQ+ people, BIPOC individuals, union workers, teachers, people with disabilities, and so many more marginalized groups that are now in danger. Please know that I love you and will send all of the support I possibly can at this time. We will get through this, please don’t stop fighting. We are allowed to feel all the feelings. We are mourning. It’s okay to not be okay. If you support someone who doesn’t value everyone, please get off my page. I am a safe space and your viewpoint is not. You voted for racism, homophobia, sexism, etc. I do not respect that choice.

The Something Smutty Book Club by Erin FitzGerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Silly novella

➮ Found family

➮ HEA

Synopsis

The last thing anyone should have allowed Mathilda Cooper to do was start a book club. The town's librarian and notorious man fiend has made it her mission in life to find the smuttiest, filthiest books in print and the women attending are starting to wonder if it's entirely for shock value.

Every other Wednesday night, the women in the small community of the Wolf Mountain Ranchers meet to talk books--and listen to Mathilda run her mouth. Catch up with Emily, Genesis, Lana, Ashley, Jenna, Clara, Talia, and Morgan in this fun collection of Wednesday night revelations.

My Thoughts

This novella was just a further reminder of how in love I am with these characters and this series as a whole. While I am very sad to see it go, I am also so happy with how it was wrapped up. It truly did such an amazing job at helping the plotlines of the main characters and background characters feel settled. While I will always be down for more of this series, I am also quite happy with this as the series conclusion.

This was such a perfectly silly goofy good time seeing everyone in the town come together. I really applaud Erin for creating character relationships in a small town that are genuinely interwoven but didn't end up where every character somehow automatically knew every other character just because they are from the same area. I really can see all of these ladies having a fun time in a book club together and most of their men reaping the benefits of their reading materials content.

This paragraph is to Erin and only Erin, everyone else can scroll past. Erin, babes you did it again! You absolutely knocked it out of the park. I am always amazed at how I love your writing more and more with every single book. I would give this more than 5 stars if possible honestly.  Thank you for blessing us with such beautiful characters! You know I am a ride-or-die for your writing and will shout from the rooftops about how everyone needs to experience the magic in your stories. 

You absolutely need to read the rest of the series before picking this one up but when you do it will be so worth it. It truly felt like coming home and being wrapped in a warm hug. Even one page in, there were no punches pulled with the silliness. Coop will always be Coop (iykyk). So many moments in this book pulled at my heartstrings to see everyone growing older and settling into their lives. 

If it wasn't obvious from the title, this book does contain spicy content. If you aren't into that sort of thing this book isn't for you. 

I received this book as an arc from the author. My review is honest and voluntary

October 2024 Reads

October 2024 Reads 

This month I read 21 books 

These books were 95% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, contemporary, and mystery

My average rating was 4.38 stars

The Books

➽ Trouble in Love by Bindi Kennedy

➽ Daydream by Hannah Grace

➽ Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

➽ Time & Time Again by Chatham Greenfield

➽ Tips and Trysts by Rebecca Kinkade

➽ The Villa by Rachel Hawkins

➽ A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston

➽ Check Please #1: Hockey by Ngozi Ukazu

➽ Puck Dirty to Me by Wynter Ryan

➽ Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

➽ Tag, You're Dead by Kathryn Foxfield

➽ The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets of Happy Living by Meik Wiking

➽ The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

➽ The Honeymoon Crashers by Christina Lauren

➽ Summoned by Shae Ruby

➽ Text Appeal by Kylie Scott

➽ Puck Me Better by Wynter Ryan

➽ Mr. Heartbreaker by Piper Rayne

➽ Love Sick by Cynthia A. Rodriguez

➽ Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

➽ Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

Text Appeal by Kylie Scott Review

 

3.25/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Small town

➮ Fake dating

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

Synopsis

Romance author Riley always dreamed of living by the water. Within a day of landing in Port Stewart, she's getting calls and texts for some dude on her new number. Weird ones. Sad ones. Sexy ones. Ones that make her want to meet him. For curiosity's sake...if nothing else.

After years of being on-again-off-again with his high school sweetheart, Connor wants to move on. If only everyone in Port Stewart agreed. What he needs is to be seen with someone else. So when fate puts him in the path of the new girl who got his old number, faking it seems like the solution.

Spending time with him might be great research for Riley’s romance writing…if only she can keep her feelings in check. The more she gets to know him, the harder she’s falling. Can their serendipitous meeting turn into something real and true?

My Thoughts

I have a bit of mixed feelings about this one. It wasn't bad by any means, it was just incredibly unoriginal. Everything in this book has been done before many times over. Nothing makes it special or unique in any way. I really wanted something more from it. 

For a book called Text Appeal, I wanted a lot more text conversations. While there were some, I was really wanting more of them. The texting aspect is what inspired me to pick this one up in the first place so I was sad to see how lackluster it ended up being. I've seen other books include way more text conversations and more entertaining ones that weren't advertised in that way. 

All of this said it was a solid story. If you are looking for a predictable small-town fake dating romance, this one has you covered. The characters are nice enough and it checks all expected boxes. I just simply wanted more or at least something to make this story stand out more. I'll be honest here, in a week's time, I will not remember this one at all. That's okay! Not every read is going to be earth-shattering or life-altering. 

There was one element of the book that made me really pissed. This is a spoiler warning for the rest of this paragraph. He gave her fucking breakup oral. Who the actual hell does that and doesn't expect to be stomped in the face as a result? Riley then suddenly forgives him and commits to a man who is very much not ready to actually be in a relationship. It was so toxic and frankly gross. He leaves a toxic woman, only to become toxic himself. 

This book does have a few spicy scenes but they can be skipped without missing any plot. 

Overall, this book was incredibly basic but not terrible (minus the ending). If you are looking for a predictable read, I can recommend it. It isn't making any waves nor is it very impactful but not everyone is looking for that all the time. 

I received this book as an arc from Valentine PR. My review is honest and voluntary. 

Tips and Trysts by Rebecca Kinkade Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Definitely spicy (it's how it sends its message)

➮ So many piercings

➮ Old money politician MMC

➮ Sneaking around

➮ BIPOC author and FMC

Synopsis

Best Quote From the Book

“If I could suck my own d*ck, do you think I would be here right now?"

LGBTQ+ Representation

2/5 🌈

While the MCs are not queer overtly, they have all explored queerness in different ways. I can also almost guarantee they would all be very chill with it. 

My Thoughts

I truly never could've imagined how much I could enjoy a book with as much spice as this one has. Kinkade really puts the spicy scenes to use and uses them to tell a story with an important message. It really brings about discussions about racism, racial fetishization, bodily autonomy, privilege, and discrimination as a whole. The message was powerful and clear throughout. To blend that with such an entertaining story takes an incredible amount of skill I absolutely admire. 

The dialogue was so expertly employed. It was a perfect mix of sarcasm, directness, and funny moments. I have so many little notes of me just having a ball while reading. There were definitely had me quite literally clutching my non-existent pearls so prepare yourself for a wild ride if you decide to pick this one up. 

I am absolutely in love with Cora and Everett. Not gonna lie, they have definitely played a part in increasing my standards for people. They are both such dynamic and fascinating characters. At this point I find myself going about my day thinking "Cora would hate that" or "Everett would totally do that for her" etc. They live in my head! Honestly, for that reason alone this could definitely be called a 6-star. I can't wait to go back and read the first book in the series! 

My only complaint about this one is how often I had to bust out a dictionary. I would consider myself familiar with a variety of vocabulary, but this one threw me for a loop. If it were part of the dialogue it would make a bit more sense for the characters. As it stands as part of the descriptions. My consistent research took me out of the amazing story a bit. That said, I am always happy to learn new words so thank you for introducing them to me!

If the title and literally everything else about it didn't give it away this book is absolutely positively quite spicy. Unless you are a bit... special like I am, this is not the one to try if you are not a fan of spice. (I deal with spice for the sake of you all). 

I received this book as an arc from the author. My review is honest and voluntary.

2024 Quarter 3 Stats

 

2024 Quarter 3 Stats 

So far I have read 130 books

I have read 19,416 pages

I have listened to 529.57 hours of audiobooks

My most prevalent moods are emotional, lighthearted, and funny

I have read 26% fast-paced, 67% medium-paced, and 7% slow-paced

I have read 94% fiction and 6% non-fiction

My most popular genres are romance, contemporary, and LGBTQ+

I have read 44% digital, 45% audio, and 11% physical

My average rating is 4.16 stars

September 2024 Reads

 September 2024 Reads 

This month I read 19 books 

These books were 89% fiction

The most popular genres were romance, sports, and LGBTQ+

My average rating was 4.45 stars

The Books

➽ Mismatched by Anne Camlin

➽ Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

➽ Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

➽ More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satoshi Yagisawa

➽ Forward Progress by Lisa Suzanne

➽ Love in the Scottish Fall Forrest by Beatrice Bradshaw

➽ The House of Hidden Meanings by RuPaul

➽ Mr. Penumbra's 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

➽ How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

➽ Something Saved by Erin FitzGerald

➽ Check and Mate by Ali Hazelwood

➽ The Noh Family by Grace K. Shim

➽ Puck Me All Night Long by Wynter Ryan

➽ Delayed Penalty by Teagan Hunter

➽ Field Goal by Lisa Suzanne

➽ Rookie Mistake by Maren Moore

➽ Silver Fox Billionaire Boss by Evie Sterling

➽ The Club by Ellery Llyod

➽ The Serial Killer Guide to San Francisco by Michelle Chouinard

Something Saved by Erin FitzGerald Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Single uncle

➮ Cowboy romance

➮ Small town

➮ Nanny romance

Synopsis

When Morgan shows up on my doorstep wearing a pencil skirt and heels, demanding she be allowed to interview for the position I posted for a nanny, I'm reasonably sure she's joking. The woman the kids take to immediately makes it plain straight away that she has no experience as a nanny, and I wonder what's the real backstory to the slightly familiar-looking woman who doesn't seem to legally exist. In my experience, women have secrets and it turns out Morgan is no exception. Something about her begins to glue the pieces back together. I'm exhausted, fighting to fill the financial holes my father's big dreams have created, and the truth is that my third-generation ranch is under threat from developers with deep pockets. The bigger problem? The kids Morgan is nannying aren't actually mine yet. Can I live with what she's hidden, or is it best for everyone if I just cut her loose?

My Thoughts

It is truly so devastating to me that this is the last full-length story in this series. I am truly so in love with all of the characters and their entangled stories. I am going to have to deal with the angst-neglect I feel until the spinoff series next year. (I'm not crying, you are!) But for real, this series will forever have a place in my heart, this story included. 

I am so happy Grant finally has his happy ending. He's had the short end of the stick for this entire series so Morgan was definitely what he needed. Their angst was exactly what I've come to expect from Erin. They are such a natural pairing and draw out the best in each other. It certainly isn't simple for them to reach their happy ending but that is what makes it have that incredibly rewarding feeling. 

If it wasn't for Erin, I still wouldn't be a fan of kids in books. Brandt and Amelia are both precious and entertaining respectively. They added some very necessary propulsion to the plot. Without them, this story wouldn't have been nearly as impactful. Seriously, if you don't like single-parent figures, this series may very well change your mind as it did mine. Also, I want to highlight how fun of a character Alberte is as well. She pairs so well with the kids and provides some much-needed comic relief. 

Of all the books in this series, this one really excels at having an intriguing intermingled A and B plot. It gave a more sitcom feeling in that way which I didn't notice in the other books. It was a nice twist to the style of the series thus far that kept things interesting. I love it when the MCs in romance books grow both together and apart.

My favorite scene in the book was definitely when Jenna showed up. It was the justice for Grant moment I was hoping for and made me giggle. 

This book was also riddled with many fun references to all sorts of things. I won't go into specifics so you can find them on your own but they certainly brought me joy

This upcoming novella to wrap up the series has me intrigued and I cannot wait for it. Also, the series following Ashley's brothers should be quite entertaining. Thank you Erin for continuing to keep us well-fed.

Psssst, Erin if you are reading this, I think Morgan's family could make an interesting series on their own. Is this me begging you to never stop writing? Maybe...

This book does contain open-door spice. It can probably be skipped without missing too much important content. 

Overall, I highly recommend this series as a whole. Not only is it written by a woman who has my heart, but it will keep you up reading with angst to die for. The characters have wonderfully rich backstories that truly impact who they are today. Now that the series is (mostly) concluded, you have zero excuses to not binge the whole thing!

Thank you Erin for the arc! Trust me, I have nothing to lie about how much I adore this series

Love in the Scottish Fall Forest by Beatrice Bradshaw Review

* This review is spoiler-free *

4.5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Single dad

➮ Forced proximity

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ Opposites attract

➮ Age gap

Synopsis

Gennie Rivers lives for the thrill, both on and off set. Her wildest stunt yet is a gig on a film set in Scotland. Nathan, hiding from a scandalous past as a pop star, is determined to protect his little daughter Abby from the spotlight at all costs. When financial troubles force the protective single dad to rent out his land, the last thing he needs is a daredevil disrupting his carefully constructed peace. Forced into close proximity at his rural estate, the grumpy Scot and the free spirit from LA can’t resist their magnetic attraction. With the ghosts of past hurt and betrayal lingering, they must decide if they’ll take the greatest leap of all – trusting each other. 

LGBTQ+ Representation

5/5 🌈

There were nice levels of inclusion of LGBTQ+ side characters. They are naturally woven into the story and being queer is a normal part of their identity just as any other trait would be. 

My Thoughts

This was definitely my favorite of the series. You can tell how Bradshaw has been honing her craft through the series and this is the beautiful result. It was a well-balanced story with enchanting characters. I quite enjoyed my time with it.

The one part of the book that wasn't my favorite is that there were almost too many beautiful descriptions. At times it felt a bit over-narrated. I'd love to see more moments of dialogue that are just purely the dialogue. 

I really appreciated how self-aware Gennie was throughout, especially at the beginning. It was refreshing to see a character who knows she needs character growth and knows how she feels in a clear way. Nathan is also pretty self-aware but not as strongly as she is. Also just having a strong FMC in general is something I will always appreciate. 

Speaking of lovely characters, this book definitely awakened a phase in me of enjoying funny/sweet children in books. Abby was such a delight and her unbridled optimism helped propel the plot when needed. Now I just want to read all of the single parent books I have (don't worry I am already getting this desire fulfilled). 

I want to applaud Bradshaw once again for including queer side characters in her stories. It is nice to see and is done in an artfully subtle way. As she mentioned to me, she doesn't want to appropriate stories but knows.

As always, the scenery throughout is so aptly described. It felt like I was there with the autumn leaves along with the characters (if only it were actually fall weather outside). This series has definitely made me want to plan a trip to Scotland to see the beauty for myself. 

Oh my gosh, the tension in this one was unmatched by the rest of the series. It had me absolutely eating it up! It was the perfect balance of will they won't they combined with moments of non-romantic bonding. 

I will keep this part brief to avoid spoilers but I need to note my favorite scene was by far when Gennie gave Daniel a piece of her mind. It was peak entertainment and wholeheartedly well-deserved. 

There is spice in this story so if that is not your thing, this is not the series for you. That said, the spice is much more artfully done than a lot of spice in romance books.  

I received this book as an arc from the author. My review is honest and voluntary

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams Review

 

* This review is spoiler-free *

5/5 ⭐

Tropes

➮ Small town

➮ Practice partners

➮ Grumpy x sunshine

➮ He falls first

Synopsis

Annie wants to find her perfect match. Finding her dream man may be harder than she imagined. Annie starts to think the problem might be her. Maybe she only needs a little practice . . . and Annie has the perfect person in mind to be her tutor: Will.

Will the bodyguard is temporarily back in Rome, providing security for Amelia Rose as excitement builds for her upcoming marriage to Noah Walker, Annie’s brother. He has one personal objective while on the job: stay away from Annie and other attachments to this sleepy town.

Amid steamy practice dates and strictly “educational” tutoring lessons, Annie discovers there are more layers to Will’s usual stoic attitude. Maybe her love life doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be real.

Best Quote From the Book

“I am the quiet one in my family. The one with her nose always in a book because she prefers worlds where she doesn’t have to interact with other humans. It’s so much easier to read about relationships than to foster them. Less dangerous too."

My Thoughts

I quite enjoyed the first book in this series, When in Rome. You can find my review here. This one was even better which I didn't even know was possible! Both Annie and Will are just so perfect. We ALL need someone as supportive as Will in our lives. 

I have to give massive props to Adams for creating characters who always make each other grow and blossom into their best selves. It gives the essence of a real healthy relationship which is always refreshing to see. They felt like two flawed people who both had things to gain in the relationship. The way their character development was executed was particularly sweet and fantastically paced. There were also no stupid third-act breakups so that's a nice bonus. 

I am truly so in love with both Will and Annie. I absolutely would want to be friends with both of them because they seem like such genuinely nice and fun people to be around. They support each other's passions and feel nicely fleshed out. They both do small gestures that show how much they care. 

It was overall such an entertaining story. There were emotional moments, deep moments, steamy moments, funny moments, and ones that made readers smile. It strikes the perfect balance and hits all of the notes I want a romance book to hit. 

Also, I love that Annie and all of her sisters are romance reader girlies of different kinds. It was definitely a full-circle feeling that truly encompassed all that Annie had become. 

There are a few spicy scenes that contribute to character development so if you don't like spice this probably isn't the best book for you. If you do like spice, this spice was particularly fun!

Overall, I highly recommend this one! It was a well-balanced and entertaining read with many lovely elements. All of the characters are well-rounded and fun to read about.