I was pretty stoked when I found a signed copy of this older Amy Harmon book in the Used Books section of my local Schuler Books. I’m a big Amy HarmonI was pretty stoked when I found a signed copy of this older Amy Harmon book in the Used Books section of my local Schuler Books. I’m a big Amy Harmon fan, and have read several of her works, including the companion book The Law of Moses, so it’s great to get a cameo from another book you’ve enjoyed. Plus there is a lightly layered paranormal aspect to both which is always a sweetener for me.
And this book was great, though it does tackle some tough issues, which Harmon handles exceptionally. You will have to trudge along in a few parts, but the Epilogue is quite the payoff.
There was so much I loved in this book. So much. A bulleted list is needed:
1. Improbable romance. This is my ultimate catnip. Probably why I read The There was so much I loved in this book. So much. A bulleted list is needed:
1. Improbable romance. This is my ultimate catnip. Probably why I read The Host like 12 times. In this case, Cleo falls in love with a hologram. It’s just awesome that you’re thinking, how’s this going to work? Then when it does… Double whammy feels. 2. Sapphic love. The romance between Cleo and Billie was just lovely. The pacing to the love declarations was a little fast but fit well in the overall plot of the story. This book was a specific Pride Month pick for me. 3. Space adventure! A clever mystery unfolds as the heroes hurtle through space. 4. Found family. Our quartet of intrepid explorers are like any loving family. They bicker, they call “BS” when BS is called for, and they love and support each other 112 percent. This story works because all four in the main group get their moments to shine. 5. Debut novel? Bravo. Though some of the prose was a little clunky in parts, but I think Hamilton has room to grow, and I expect she will.
I read this book twice since I got it five days ago, and I know I’ll read it again and again....more
I did enjoy this book and would recommend. Or not. Let’s talk about it.
Specifically the knock on the love triangle that’s been addressed in other reviI did enjoy this book and would recommend. Or not. Let’s talk about it.
Specifically the knock on the love triangle that’s been addressed in other reviews. Yeah, it’s a little ridiculous, so go in knowing you’ve got to give the book its premise. You know, like Laura thinking she’s possibly found her soulmate based on the contents of the potential soulmate’s luggage?
If you roll with it, you’ll catch on to the fact that our FMC, Laura, really never 100 percent buys into the idea, but was trying very hard to find anything that might bring her happiness amidst the stress from her boss and circumstances in her personal life. “He’s my soulmate, damn it! (I really, really hope.)”
On the flip side, the author makes a compelling argument that Laura was always open to catching feelings for our broody taxi driver, Ted. Even when she finally meets suitcase guy, Ted’s in the back of her mind. The comedy is in Laura’s stubbornness in willing herself to fall in love with her ‘soulmate’ (damn it!), but she know’s from the onset that he’s not, her soulmate, and Ted is. If you read between the lines.
Speaking of Ted, Cousins does a great job of developing his character only via Laura’s first person pov. It’s a delight to see Ted regain some level ground in his own life as he’s falling in love with Laura.
Some final good, bad, and ugly. Good: the found family aspect of the story with Ted’s father. Bad: the stupid side quest to discover the secrets of Laura’s coin and her parents' love affair. Ugly: the eleventh hour cameo from the ex. Not cool Cousins! Low marks for having to resort to that old tired shtick.
Anyway, if you look real hard, you might find a fairly enjoyable romcom. However, no judgment if you don’t. ...more
It’s good that the author references the movie "The Butterfly Effect," because that’s essentially what we’ve got here in Meet Me on the Bridge (thoughIt’s good that the author references the movie "The Butterfly Effect," because that’s essentially what we’ve got here in Meet Me on the Bridge (though less dark).
For the most part, this book was enjoyable. The one tick is that you must buy into the ‘love at first sight / soulmates’ plot hook right away and stick with it; or else the romance is completely implausible. Much of the—no, scratch that—most of the MCs’ romance happens in flashback. So, whenever the FMC, Julia, mentions how much she loves Alex, we just must take her word for it because they’re only together onscreen for a short amount of time.
Oh, and time-travel stuff happens using Hermione’s Time Turner, revolving around Julia’s absent mother, her dementia suffering grandmother, and a serial killer. You’ll have to read the book to make sense of that sentence, which for the most part, I recommend you do. ...more
Lucy Parker succeeds in folding in—baking term intentional—several different tropes in this delightful British romcom. Battle Royal is an enemies to lLucy Parker succeeds in folding in—baking term intentional—several different tropes in this delightful British romcom. Battle Royal is an enemies to lovers, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, rivals to collaborators romance; all written very well which is not an easy trick, I think.
TBH, the start was slow for me, and I put the book down for a while after Chapter 1. However, trusting my GR Friends’ reviews (thanks guys!), I picked it back up and I’m so glad I did. After restarting the book, I realized that the reason I thought the start was slow was actually the author, I’m going to say meticulously, setting up the main characters. It was further into the story when I began to appreciate how fleshed out all the characters were, particularly their backstories and how their childhoods influenced them as adults.
When Sylvie and Dominic do hit that all important first romantic moment, it's a fist-pump moment because the reader already knows and likes the characters in and of themselves. From that point, it was pull up the popcorn and watch these kids fall in love enjoyable.
There is a side quest to learn about the princess’s favorite great-uncle which went off in the weeds a bit. If you frame it as an exercise for Dom to reconnect with his sister, Pet, I think that’ll help. Parker does get full marks in getting me invested in baking competitions and royal politics, neither of which is normally of interest to me.
This was my first Lucy Parker book, and I’ve already added the sequel, Codename Charming, to my WTR Shelf, again primarily based on my GR Friends endorsement of the author. Cheers and thank you, and bravo author....more
Finally, an Amazon First Read I enjoyed, and a redemption for Jen Comfort in my estimation.
I was excited to read this book because I did not like her Finally, an Amazon First Read I enjoyed, and a redemption for Jen Comfort in my estimation.
I was excited to read this book because I did not like her last one, The Astronaut and the Star. I like to think I was daring her to write another AFR that I wouldn’t dislike. I’m glad she accepted my challenge because What is Love? is delightful.
Pacing is so important in enemies to lovers, and Comfort shoots the lane perfectly, mostly be leaning heavily into the thin line between hate and sexual tension. Yikes, it was delicious. There is also a heavy dose of opposites attract, which she used to great effect. Like herself, Comfort’s FMC lives with ADHD, and I thought the author succeeded in writing Maxine’s frenetic personality as adorably feisty and relatable, rather than coming off as obnoxious, especially in the way she treated the MMC, Teddy.
Ah, Teddy. The more Maxine antagonized him, the more he fell in love with her (as well as wanting to rip her clothes off.) It was great how the author revealed the real man behind the stuffed shirt, both to the reader and to Maxine.
Bravo, Ms. Comfort. You are back in my good graces....more
So this is a book about a 30-year-old doormat who spends the book undoormatting herself, which includes falling in love with a rather self-centered maSo this is a book about a 30-year-old doormat who spends the book undoormatting herself, which includes falling in love with a rather self-centered man and helping him unself-center himself.
This is the second in Burgoa’s Against All Odds series. It’s a standalone, but I would recommend reading the previous book, Wrong Text, Right Love, asThis is the second in Burgoa’s Against All Odds series. It’s a standalone, but I would recommend reading the previous book, Wrong Text, Right Love, as the characters are more intertwined than the typical appearance of crossover characters in standalone book series. The two FMCs are close sisters, and the MMCs are twin brothers. Not technically necessary to read the first book, but my recommendation.
I may have found my new favorite romcom trope. This is the second ‘unexpected pregnancy’ romance I’ve read recently, and I’ve really enjoyed both. (Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young was the other.)
The plot in this book is just a series of the MCs overcoming challenges in their own lives, as well as their budding romance. Our FMC especially was not giving in till the MMC got his own crap together. It was delightful to read Nyx’s POV where she is solidly, “yes, I’m falling in love with you because you’re sweet and wonderful, but you ain’t going to know that until you've figured out your own headspace and heartspace.”
This book was just very well written and dovetailed perfectly with the previous book in the series which I enjoyed as well.
Okay, let’s start at the top... Poston gets my love and affection for coming in with the premise that of course men love Romance. (We do!) I adored PosOkay, let’s start at the top... Poston gets my love and affection for coming in with the premise that of course men love Romance. (We do!) I adored Poston’s The Dead Romantics, which features a male romance book publisher. However, that led me to really want to love her (unofficial) second book in this series, The Seven Year Slip, which I enjoyed but didn’t love. Plus, I noted in Slip that I thought Poston overused certain phrases, and often repeated long descriptions of setting and character.
Okay, moving on… I really wanted to love A Novel Love Story too. But again, like Slip, I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. Moreover, my critique that she repeats descriptions of characters and settings in Slip, are valid in this book too. For example, the reader knows the bookstore is cozy, because she describes it as such in great detail, several times. Same with all her settings and characters; multiple flowing description. I’m sure there isn’t an unwritten rule among romance authors about how many times you can mention the MMC’s eye color or whatever, but after Poston’s twenty third reference to Ander’s ‘minty’ green eyes, it was throwing me out of the story.
Okay, moving on... again… A Novel Love Story is a contemporary romance, written by a romance author, about a fictional romance author’s series of fictional romance books, literally set in the fictional romance author’s fictional romance books’ setting. To say it was meta would be an understatement. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I liked the whimsical, supernatural premise and setting of the story, except the (real) author draws attention to the (fictional) book series’ whimsy, which draws attention to the (real) book’s intended whimsy.
Final thought… I did enjoy this book and you can too, but you have to stick to the author’s premise—hard—and go with the meta, whimsical flow. [Reviewer Note: I feel I must apologize for my gratuitous overuse of ellipsis in this review. I know I have a problem... and I’m seeking help.] Cheers....more
The ol’ short, x.5 Side Character book. These can go different ways, from awesome to terrible. Only Hard Problems was closer to awesome on the scale, The ol’ short, x.5 Side Character book. These can go different ways, from awesome to terrible. Only Hard Problems was closer to awesome on the scale, and here’s why: The main protagonist spends the book grappling with information he was given at the end of the previous book in the series that will have significant ramifications for the overall plot. That works. It’s not just a side adventure....more
Aside from the insta-love in this short near-future sci-fi book, this was very sexy and romantic. The insta-love is at least acknowledged, which proviAside from the insta-love in this short near-future sci-fi book, this was very sexy and romantic. The insta-love is at least acknowledged, which provides some plausibility.
The romance is set around a clever social injustice subplot where individuals with cybernetic implants—cyborgs—are the pariah of society. Book 1, Tin Man, and this book have been delightful and I am looking forward to finishing out the trilogy with Tin Soldier....more
If you love all things Egypt, and Egyptian mythology and mummies, you are going to LOVE this book. Unfortunately, I'm more meh regarding Egypt stuff, If you love all things Egypt, and Egyptian mythology and mummies, you are going to LOVE this book. Unfortunately, I'm more meh regarding Egypt stuff, but I did enjoy the book.
Up front, the romance is a long game, and sits in the background to the action and adventure for most of the book. That’s not to say that our MCs aren’t delightful themselves, and even more so in their interactions with each other, because they certainly are. Delightful. (Uh, poorly worded sentence alert, but you follow me.) Inez is a spitfire, and Whit discovers that’s a major attraction point for him. Like I said, it’s a long game, and includes a rather divisive cliffhanger.
The mystery portion of the book had me frustrated at times. The main reason being that Inez’s uncle is rather an asshat, but Inez is still desperate to connect with him because he’s all the family she has left, but he is determined that she learns nothing of her parents’ mysterious death. It rankled me, so good job author on cranking up the conflict?
This being an Egyptian archelogy trope, there is magic, but Ibanez uses it to great effect. It never ‘saves’ anyone or is the deus ex machina. Again, more poorly worded sentences, but I liked that the author played a light hand with the magic, rather than a more often used heavy hand in a similar trope.
I’m going to stop there and hope you can figure out the gist of my feelings within the crappy writing. Cheers....more
This is one of those stories where the protagonist learns a lot about herself in a short amount of time based on a deadlined activity, event, or questThis is one of those stories where the protagonist learns a lot about herself in a short amount of time based on a deadlined activity, event, or quest. In this case, dying and being sent back from the afterlife to find a potential soulmate. The interesting wrinkle in this elaborate setup is that the life and death aspect… I wouldn’t say it’s irrelevant, but rather, it’s entirely played for laughs. The magical realism is more in the background than an Ashley Poston book for example. No, it’s the heroine’s self-discovery aspect that takes center stage.
And it turns out our FMC is a bit of a bitch at the start, based on reactions and opinions of the side characters and MMC that she interacts with. Oops. Seeing herself through the mirror of others is not a pretty picture. Thus begins the turnaround to discovering her own self-worth, gaining new friends, repairing existing relationships, plus falling in love with SPOILER REDACTED.
I enjoyed this story and would recommend. However, it is the second book in a row I’ve read that is heavy on meta references to romance and romcom novels. Several popular contemporary romance authors are name dropped throughout, and I get why that could throw a readers out of the story.
This book requires the reader to accept a couple of huge assumptions going in.
First, that the FMC has been unrequitedly in love with the MMC for thirtThis book requires the reader to accept a couple of huge assumptions going in.
First, that the FMC has been unrequitedly in love with the MMC for thirty years. Second, that the MMC has been oblivious to the FMC pining for him for thirty years; even though they have been close friends and pseudo-family since they were children. And, that the love interests’ shared friends and family—who all seem to recognize that the FMC has been in love with the MMC for thirty years—have never at any point said, “hey buddy, you know she’s in love with you, right?”
Swallow all that and this book is lovely! Plus, along with the long list of assumptions described above, the reader should know it is more Women’s Fiction than Romance.
Having accomplished all the above (yay, me!), I was able to enjoy Beth’s journey of self-discovery and growth, poignantly conveyed over five Christmas seasons.
As far as the romance is concerned, I was up to the three-quarter mark and still not sure which way it was going to go. Either Beth would finally get over loving Mark and find happiness with another person, or Mark would finally get his head out of his ass and return Beth’s affection. You’ll need to read the book to discover which it is....more
This was the quintessential ‘side-character’ book, which I’m not a fan.
Part of the problem is obvious. It is a big deviation from the main plot line eThis was the quintessential ‘side-character’ book, which I’m not a fan.
Part of the problem is obvious. It is a big deviation from the main plot line established in the previous two books in this case. Second, your favorite characters from the main plot line are just absent in the side-character book. Third, I just didn’t find the main protagonists, Nephele and Nero, or their side quest all that interesting. Fourth, the side plot hangs up on my least favorite trope in Fantasy, (view spoiler)[drinking blood = erotic (hide spoiler)]. Finally, it feels a bit disingenuous, like a ploy to extend a series and sell more books.
Plus, I may have found a book that has reached my steam tolerance. Not something I thought possible, but there you go; and it was a discernible notch up from the previous two books, IMO, so it caught me be surprise....more
Katherine Center is a pro. I’ve loved everything she’s written, this book now included. However, no book is perfect and The Rom-Commers is no exceptioKatherine Center is a pro. I’ve loved everything she’s written, this book now included. However, no book is perfect and The Rom-Commers is no exception.
TBH, the entire story is heavily contrived and not particularly plausible. That's okay, just wave your wizard wand through the setup and incant (in your best Hermione voice), “ignoreus ridiculousness!” Now that you’re magically onboard with the story’s premise; it’s smooth sailing from here.
I loved Emma’s gumption and loyalty and dedication, but the whole plot basically revolves around her being some kind of romcom-writing expert or something, who just hasn’t been discovered by Hollywood yet because, circumstances. Fortunately and are-you-kidding-me conveniently, her high school ex-boyfriend is the agent for Hollywood’s most successful screenwriter who just so happens to have written the most awful romcom screenplay ever. Emma’s skills are needed! And through her super-agent/ex-boyfriend, the all-important connection with the MMC, Charlie, is made and a brilliantly written enemies to lovers romance unfolds over the next 300 pages; concluding in a happy tears-inducing ending.
Despite my snark in this review, I really did love this book, and I think you will too. Just note caveats above.
REREAD NOTE: This had me crying in exactly the same spots as the first and second time through. That's a plus, right?...more
Just for the Summer, is the third book in Jimenez’s 'Part of your World' series. It can certainly be read as a stand-alone, but my recommendation is tJust for the Summer, is the third book in Jimenez’s 'Part of your World' series. It can certainly be read as a stand-alone, but my recommendation is to read the first two books first. If you are familiar with the characters from those books, there will be a couple of plot points in this book that will land stronger. Again, my suggestion, not a necessity.
If I had to choose as my forever book boyfriend between Daniel (Part of Your World), Jacob (Yours Truly), or Justin; I would pick all three. What? There’s no rule that says you can’t have more than one fictional book boyfriend, right?
And herein lies Jimenez’s magic. She can write an MMC like nobody’s business. Handsome, sexy, swoony, and absolutely no possibility they could exist in real life. This is not a complaint. Jimenez’s main men are far from perfect, but often seem too good to be true. Again, not a complaint because I think that it’s hard for an author to write and get right. Jimenez nails it.
Her leading ladies on the other hand… They come with issues and Emma is no exception. Not to give too much away, but I offer Jimenez full credit on how deftly she writes about traumatic mental illness. I’ll only add that therapists and counselors are GD rockstars.
Jimenez’s other super power that makes here one of the best in the business is her ability to write a third act breakup that will rip you apart but then put you back together just in time for an amazing, (tear-jerking in my case) HEA ending. I’ve had issues with Jimenez’s previous books, but her turn-around endings have all been brilliant, and that is true with this book.
[I was fortunate to win an opportunity to review an ARC through Abby's Facebook readers page.]...more
Unlike Sanderson's other YA 'The Reckoners' series, this book was the perfect conclusion to a very enjoyable series.
I've tried so hard to get my Star Unlike Sanderson's other YA 'The Reckoners' series, this book was the perfect conclusion to a very enjoyable series.
I've tried so hard to get my Star Wars loving teenager to give this series a try, but alas, he's just not a reader. Do I consider that a failure on my part? A little....more
Some backstory: My wife has a high school friend who is an actress in LA, and though I’ve never met her, I’ve chatted with her when she’s been on the Some backstory: My wife has a high school friend who is an actress in LA, and though I’ve never met her, I’ve chatted with her when she’s been on the phone with my wife, and we’ve bonded over our shared love of FaRo books. My wife is amused at all this because she is specially NOT interested in that genre. Anywho, my ‘book buddy’ and I (my wife’s name for us) were recently raving over Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros which is of course, awesome (if a bit too long IMHO). I tell her I’m currently reading The Witch Collector series and she says she’s listening to the Audible Original audiobook Witches Get Stuff Done. Now I don’t usually listen to audiobooks because my family barely tolerates my reading addiction as it is, and putting AirPods in my ears while reading may be a tipping point I want to avoid. Anywho (x2)…
I did have some Audible credits to burn, so I decided to give WGSD a try, thinking I can listen to it when I’m by myself in the car, or doing non-heavy-thinking tasks at work. Turns out, the audiobook has been delightful because it’s puff enough that I can listen to it sporadically, and not lose the plot thread. Anywho (x3), all this is leadup to my riveting review:
The story is good not great, as far as paranormal (witchy) romances go. Even though the book is written in dual POV, the romance felt tacked on to the found-family aspect of the story, which was fine. Bottom line, I am enjoying the series only because it’s not filling up my precious book reading time.
P.S. These chicklit > romance books should have some type of warning, or maybe its own classification. Who can we get to work on that? ...more
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