A fun and spicy queer hockey romance, MUCH better than the first book. Not a complete 5 star read because of some issues with it (view spoiler)[ casuaA fun and spicy queer hockey romance, MUCH better than the first book. Not a complete 5 star read because of some issues with it (view spoiler)[ casual racism in descriptions of a character (hide spoiler)] and this is definitely like, a fantasy hockey league that does not follow real life rules (for obvious plot reasons).
Not sure if I would read the rest of the series though....more
To be fair, I am not the target audience for this book. It was both better and worse than I was expecting, and I did laugh quite a bit while reading iTo be fair, I am not the target audience for this book. It was both better and worse than I was expecting, and I did laugh quite a bit while reading it. ...more
A Schitt’s Creek inspired romance of a fallen Hollywood It girl who is sentenced to a small coastal town and the grumpy fisherman who is d 3.5 stars!
A Schitt’s Creek inspired romance of a fallen Hollywood It girl who is sentenced to a small coastal town and the grumpy fisherman who is drawn to her.
My first ever Tessa Bailey who I’ve been meaning to read for several years (don’t come at me, I know). I never picked her books up because every time someone recommended them to me, it was followed with “her characters are the best dirty talkers” or something to that effect. And… that doesn’t really interest me. I am an angst romance gal, I’m not really here for the spice. I don’t judge others for loving it, I am cheering you on. That’s just my reading tastes.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but overall felt the pacing was really off. Brendan went from hating Piper and being awful to her, to in love with her in like two seconds flat. I need a little bit more development than that. The second half did bring some angst in, mostly from how Piper was dealing with her own insecurities and I enjoyed that. But everything was resolved VERY quickly and honestly, I wanted Piper to get more apologies from those in her life who made her feel shitty. We got almost no groveling from anyone but Brendan and that rubbed me the wrong way.
A very cute and spicy book inspired by Schitt’s Creek, I enjoyed it but maybe my expectations were too high of Ms. Bailey and I’ll need to try something else by her in the future....more
Despite this book having a beautiful cover, the inside of it was a mess. A young woman answers an ad to be a mail order bride and moves from New York Despite this book having a beautiful cover, the inside of it was a mess. A young woman answers an ad to be a mail order bride and moves from New York City to Montana to marry two men. Once married the three of them need to navigate this new relationship together.
First off, I was in for this somewhat bonkers plot, but it really wasn't developed well at all. Everything felt rushed or not fleshed out and thrown in for drama. I hated Will and honestly thought he hated Julie himself (as he bought her an ugly ring and constantly spent time with another woman). Forrest was fine, just boring. And honestly I thought with this setting there'd be more history in it and some more spice considering it's a three way marriage.
I will say it held my attention enough to finish it but I didn't enjoy this book nor would I continue reading the series. But remember I am picky and you may love it so go ahead and try yourself. ...more
The Duke Heist is the story of forgettable Chloe Wynchester, she has a face that is not easily remember 3.75 – 4 stars!
What a delightful little book!
The Duke Heist is the story of forgettable Chloe Wynchester, she has a face that is not easily remembered and it allows her to sneak in and out of social situations as she pleases. Chloe and her other siblings are mostly all adopted orphans, and when a family painting that has great meaning to them is stolen, the family works together to steal their prized possession back.
I went into this book pretty much blind. I received a copy in my Read, Romance, Repeat box and I have to admit, if I didn’t get it in a subscription box I never would have picked this book up on my own. And that would have been a shame because I really enjoyed this story of the plain jane wallflower and the somewhat oblivious duke. I loved all the banter between the siblings, I thought it was interesting to read a book in this time period centered around adoption. And most of all, I really enjoyed the story of two people who had been overlooked in some point in their lives, and just wanted to be loved.
I will definitely be reading more by Erica Ridley and if you want a cute escape from reality, you need to read this book!...more
If I could give the writing style 5 stars I would, but unfortunately, everything else in this book was completely lackluster. The romance, the charactIf I could give the writing style 5 stars I would, but unfortunately, everything else in this book was completely lackluster. The romance, the characters, the story. I was hooked for the first 100 pages or so and then it somehow got incredibly boring and dragged out. This book would have been a great short story, imo....more
So… it’s been a minute since I’ve read a Karina Halle novel. Not gonna lie, I kind of quit her after the North Ridge series. Not because anyt 4 stars
So… it’s been a minute since I’ve read a Karina Halle novel. Not gonna lie, I kind of quit her after the North Ridge series. Not because anything was wrong, but the woman writes so fast I can’t keep up!! And I lost my reading mojo on top of that. And I’m not reading as much indie romance as I used to. But when I went to a signing of hers recently, I was reminded of all the books by her that I love, and found myself wanting to pick her up again. And now I have a back log to catch up on!
Discretion is about young and broke tourist Sadie, who on her way to the train station in Nice gets attacked in the street. Sadie is rescued by Olivier, a Dumont, one of the wealthiest families in France. From there, it’s an instant spark and Sadie and Olivier are inexplicably ddrawn to each other. But Olivier’s past threatens the two of them, maybe even their lives.
There’s a reason Halle is one of my favorite authors: she’s a damn good writer. I know even if I don’t always super love a story by her, the writing will suck me in. And that’s what happened with this book, I’m not really one for the Cinderella trope but from page 1, I couldn’t put this book down. I’m definitely intrigued by this first book and want to read more. And I for sure need to play catch up/reread all my Halle favorites....more
“Damon Isaac King … wait, your initials are—” I grit my teeth. “I know. You don’t think Stacy has made that joke to our parents ever sin 4.5 stars!
“Damon Isaac King … wait, your initials are—” I grit my teeth. “I know. You don’t think Stacy has made that joke to our parents ever since I came out? ‘No wonder he likes dick when his initials are DIK.”
I don't want to jinx it, but I've been on a reading winning streak lately and this was just the most recent book I read that was awesome! All my trusted MM reviewer goodreads friends loved this, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I am a wildcard and don't always love what everyone else does.
A great play on the fake boyfriend trope, this one comes with a little bit of a twist. When Maddox was in high school, he broke up with his girlfriend by telling her he was gay (when he really wasn't). In return, she "outed" him to the whole town, including his parents. Not wanting to seem like an asshole, he went along with the charade and moved to NYC. Now years later, he reconnects with his ex, only to have him and his "boyfriend" invited to her wedding. Thus begins a fake boyfriend drama llama.
I love a good MM read, I haven't read one for a while and this is a genre I need to dive into more often. Loved the banter between Maddox and Damon and their friends. This was on steamy book so if you are looking for something smutty look no further. It also had sweet moments but it wasn't sugary so I was very happy about that. I would love to read this author again!
“I finally get it. I don’t give a shit about labels, because I don’t need to. All I need to care about is making this guy mine.”
“I know many scientific facts about the human heart- not the least of which is that it's far easier to make a heart stop beating entirely 4 stars!
“I know many scientific facts about the human heart- not the least of which is that it's far easier to make a heart stop beating entirely than to keep it from loving the wrong person.”
A fabulous historical romance to end 2018 with!
Devon Ravenel is a rake who just inherited a title and an estate, as well as debt and four women he has no idea what to do with. Three are his young cousins and one his cousin's widow. Firmly intending on selling the estate to settle the debts and dust his hands of the woman, Devon visits the estate and realizes this may be one problem he cannot just get rid of.
Full of Kleypas charm, I was so happy to fall into one of her historical romances again. I swear I didn't enjoy this genre until I read her, these books have become a wonderful escape from reality. I love the bickering that happens with her main characters, the descriptions of the surroundings anf of the time. Kleypas takes the past and makes it magical.
5 stars for the character development and an interesting heroine... 2.5 for the actual romantic plot. I enjoyed getting to know Avery, she 3.5 stars!
5 stars for the character development and an interesting heroine... 2.5 for the actual romantic plot. I enjoyed getting to know Avery, she was so cute and I related to her a lot. But Joe.... fell flat. He was boring. I had no idea that a Travis man could be boring! How tragic.
Loved the bits with Steven and Sofia, and Coco the dog. Again, this book had all the right pieces... except for an intriguing leading man. I wish we had gotten more out of Joe. I still love Lisa Kleypas!! Would gladly read more from the Travis series.
“I think the busiest people are often the loneliest.”
Smooth Talking Stranger is the third book in the Travises series and it was such 4.5 stars!
“I think the busiest people are often the loneliest.”
Smooth Talking Stranger is the third book in the Travises series and it was such a delight to read. This book follows cynic Ella Varner, who finds herself the guardian of her newborn nephew rather abruptly. She thinks the father is Jack Travis and approaches him for a DNA sample. Jack Travis takes an immediate liking to Ella and begins pursuing her, much to her chagrin.
“I respect you," he murmured. "and your views. I think of you as an equal. I respect your brains, and all those big words you like to use. But I also want to rip your clothes off and have sex with you until you scream and cry and see God."
I was in the exact right place to read this book, I picked it up and never wanted to put it down. I love characters like Ella, I love in a romance novel when the woman needs convincing and the man is so sure of his feelings. Maybe because I hate wishy washy heroes, but Jack was just perfect. The heart of this story was Ella's relationship with her nephew Luke, and I found myself tearing up a few times when reading about them.
If you haven't read a Kleypas book yet (and I know who you are) you need to. She's the perfect escape from reality.
“Sometimes when we're not paying attention, relationships happen. There is no rule that requires two people in love to be exactly alike. In fact, there is some scientific evidence to suggest that on a genetic level, the people who are the most opposite are the most likely to have a healthy and long-lasting pairing."
“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life 4 stars!
“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.”
Blue Eyed Devil is the story of Haven, a young woman from a very wealthy oil family. Coming out of a bad marriage Haven has attracted the attention of Hardy, a rival of the family. But there may be more to Hardy than meets the eye, but Haven isn't sure if she's ready to handle a man like him.
It's funny because everyone told me after I read Sugar Daddy that I would love this book more and well.... I didn't. Don't get me wrong it was fantastic, but it's almost like how everyone else LOVES Devil in Winter and while I enjoyed that one too, it doesn't live up to the hype. Maybe it's just me and my picky ass reading tastes? This book was very rushed at the end and everything just fell together with minimal conflict (even tho there was a crapton of buildup to it).
What I loved was Haven as a heroine. Beat down she had a hard time of it, but she overcame and did her best to live her life on her own terms. I love Kleypas' writing style which makes it so effortless to fall into her world and read about her characters. And I even really enjoyed the sex scenes, normally I skip those in my romances. I can see why others loved this book and I really liked it, hence 4 stars.
“One of the blessings human beings take for granted is the ability to remember pain without re-feeling it. The pain of the physical wounds is long gone …and the other kind of hurt, the damage done to our spirits, has been healed. We are careful with those scarred places in each other.”
“My physical appearance was just a small fraction of who I was. I was more than a pretty bauble to hang on the tree of a man’s world.”
A 4.5 stars
“My physical appearance was just a small fraction of who I was. I was more than a pretty bauble to hang on the tree of a man’s world.”
After a horrible trip to her childhood home, Ava just wants to get the heck out of Arizona and back to her apartment in Boston. Her attempts at everything in the airport from first class upgrades to meals to the coffee cart are thwarted by a rude Scotsman…. who happens to be her seatmate on her flight. Their hatred for each other soon turns into a night neither of them will ever forget.
By chance Caleb reenters her life when Ava had thought he was just a one night stand, and the two decide to explore their physical attraction even further…
“When you were infatuated with someone, you failed to see their imperfections. When it was more than a fixation, you still cared about them in spite of their flaws.”
First off, Samantha Young is romance royalty. She delivered THE BEST ANGST in any romance novels, hands down. She’s also one of the few authors that I don’t skim sex scenes (yes I am weird and I do that most of the time). When I read a book by Young, I am enthralled from the very beginning, all the way to the last page at the end. I always say this too but I love how she manages to write characters from different countries and nails it every time, there are never cultural inaccuracies which blows my mind.
There are similarities in this book to On Dublin Street, a heroine with a messed up family past and a best friend who dies tragically (not a spoiler it’s in the beginning of both books). But the similarities end there. I loved Ava. She was such an incredible female character unlike many we see in this genre. She’s gorgeous but wants to be valued as more. She works hard but remembers to be kind. Caleb was an amazing alpha-hole, but was nice at the right points. I wish we had gotten more of his side of events but I still really loved him too.
I have two things to gripe about in this book, the first affected my rating the other did not. At the end of the book, what was done to Ava, there needed to be a lot more fucking groveling. I was actually appalled at the lack of groveling at the end considering Caleb’s words and actions. The second thing I have to gripe about, I friggin hate the cover of this book. I know it’s the newest rage in romance and we have The Hating Game to blame for it, but the cover of this book does not match the inside at all and I am looking forward to when (if) they change the cover in the future. I want to reiterate, the cover did not affect my rating.
“We’re all afraid of something, sweetheart. It’s up to us whether we stay and fight that fear… or whether we run and hide from it.”
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes came from an unedited copy and are subject to change in final review.
The second prequel novella to Consumed, we get to see a fiery hot exchange between Anne and Danny. All I can say is I'm excited for theFree novella!!!
The second prequel novella to Consumed, we get to see a fiery hot exchange between Anne and Danny. All I can say is I'm excited for the full length novel!! I'm going in!
It's the beginning of her new series coming up. I was lucky enough to get an arc of Consumed from Netgalley, so I snagged FREE novella from JR Ward!!!
It's the beginning of her new series coming up. I was lucky enough to get an arc of Consumed from Netgalley, so I snagged the prequel novellas to get prepared to read it. This novella was a great little escape from reality, a perfect Sunday afternoon short read. It follows coworkers Danny and Anne and the events leading up to the rehearsal dinner for their friends.
I gotta say, this novella has me excited for what is to come!!!
“Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.”
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'm so 5 stars!
“Sometimes life has a cruel sense of humor, giving you the thing you always wanted at the worst time possible.”
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I'm so shocked, I put off reading it for years because of the horrible title. It was so good!!!
First thing everyone needs to know or this book might piss them off, the hero isn't introduced until halfway into the book. Yes there is another man at the beginning and he's wonderful but he has his own book in this series.
Sugar Daddy is about Liberty Jones, a young pretty girl who grows up in a trailer park. Tragedy seems to strike her family often, and when it does she's left to pick up the pieces.
“Many times in life I've regretted the things I've said without thinking. But I've never regretted the things I said nearly as much as the words I left unspoken.”
This was a book that completely sucked me in, I never skimmed and I was so invested in what happened to Liberty. This book is a romance, but it's mostly her journey in her life and how she works through her problems. I loved all the characters in this and cannot wait to read more of the series. This is officially my favorite Kleypas novel I've read, to date.
“I'd sell my soul to have you. In my whole life, you'll always be what I wanted most."
I love Elle Kennedy and I have loved almost everything she’s ever written. When I heard she was coming out with a new book that she wrote a 3.5 stars
I love Elle Kennedy and I have loved almost everything she’s ever written. When I heard she was coming out with a new book that she wrote alone I was beyond excited and when the arc landed on my kindle I dived in right away. I loved Summer as a main character, she had such spark and personality and such life. Kennedy’s writing style is also something I love because I could fall effortlessly into the story. Reading her books never feels like work and I love the world she’s built in the Off Campus universe.
What brought the rating down for me was Fitz. I literally wanted to smack him for 75% of the book! God, that man drove me crazy and not in a good way. I get that he had trouble expressing himself and his parents totally screwed him up, but I really hated how he constantly bashed Summer and called her drama all the time. She’s a human being with emotions dude, not a robot.
I think lots of readers will love this book and for the most part I did too. I will eagerly be waiting for Brenna’s story because she was one of my favorite things about this story and I think her book will be amazing.
An ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
“There are some experiences in life they haven't invented the right words for.”
Lisa Kleypas is such a fun guilty pleasure read! His 3.5 - 4 stars
“There are some experiences in life they haven't invented the right words for.”
Lisa Kleypas is such a fun guilty pleasure read! Historical romance isn't normally my go to, but sometimes you just need that escape from reality. Leo and Cat were the couple I was looking most forward to in this series, and 3/4's of this book I loved but the last 1/4 was a little bit too rushed and sweet for me.
A true story of hate to love, Leo and Cat have spent most of this series squabbling until they discovered a hidden attraction that shocks them both. That and a secret past, this book has all the tropes romance readers are looking for.
I enjoyed this book but I think I am gonna take a break from HR for a little bit. But I hope to read the last book in this series sooner rather than later.
“I know I'm a bad bargain. But I'm begging you to have me anyway. Because I want a chance to make you as happy as you make me. I want to build a life with you."
He fought to steady his voice. "Please come to me, Cat, because there's no surviving you. You don't have to love me back. You don't have to be mine. Just let me be yours.”
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