Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Title: Say You’ll Remember Me

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publisher: Forever 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Valentine’s Day (Grand Gesture); Read Around the USA - California

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4

There's no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.

But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what's between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

I have really enjoyed all the Jimenez romances that I’ve read before this one. But this one just really did not work for me. In general, I appreciate about Jimenez balances romances and real life obstacles and difficulties. Unfortunately, this one leaned too much on the serious plot lines. I didn’t feel that there was enough romance. Our main characters spend almost the entire book apart. I want to read romances where we get to see the main characters interact in person with each other. We didn’t get that here. Instead, there’s a lot of crying about money and Samantha’s mom’s condition. Important stuff. But this read more as a women’s lit selection than romance. A rare disappointment for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Title: Great Big Beautiful Life

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkley 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 432

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Breezy Pier; Read Around the US - Georgia

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4.5

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be theMargaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the twentieth century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication.

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

I absolutely loved the romance between Alice and Hayden. I loved seeing these almost enemies slowly thaw toward each other and start to connect. I loved their little banter. I even enjoyed their misunderstandings and their miscommunications. Their relationship felt really real to me. I loved those pages within each chapter. What made this not quite amazing to me was the storyline with Margaret. While I enjoyed reading about her life, I found the entire construct to me very very reminiscent to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I found myself drifting slightly during those sections. And the big twists at the end was a bit contrived. I just didn’t really love that whole section, which was a lot of this book. I didn’t hate this book, but definitely not my favorite Emily Henry selection.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Enchantra by Kaylie Smith

Title: Enchantra (Wicked Games #2)

Author: Kaylie Smith

Publisher: Forever 2025

Genre: Fantasy; Horror

Pages: 448

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Wedding Season

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 5

Welcome to Enchantra. There’s only one rule: Never, ever trust your heart.

When Genevieve Grimm’s mother is killed, Genevieve wants answers nobody can give… until she receives an invitation to Enchantra, a cursed palace filled with temptations and illusions.

Arrogant and dangerously handsome, Rowin Silver meets her at the door and refuses to let her inside. But Genevieve finds her own way in… And soon realizes her mistake.

Enchantra is a twisted labyrinth of marble and thorns, where Rowin’s family are trapped forever in a deadly game. Now, Genevieve must win or die.

Rowin offers her a deal. They can compete together… if they convince everyone watching that they’re desperately in love.

Genevieve knows she can’t trust Rowin, but she’ll do whatever it takes to survive. As they hunt and hide together, Genevieve tries to ignore the desire burning between them. She absolutely cannot fall for this man. Cannot forget that she’s only pretending to be in love.

The sequel to Phantasma and we get to see Genevieve navigate a horrifying situation. Thankfully we have moved beyond Phantasma to focus on another “game” within the same world. I dislike Genevieve in the first book, but she grew on me during this one. Her pretty exterior hid a spine of steel and a stubborn streak a mile long. It was nice to really dive into her character and see her navigate an unknowable game. Rowin was a great foil for Genevieve and an even better foil for Knox. I loved how immediately the two of them teamed up to win the games and help the Silver family. We also get all the wonderful new characters within the Silver family. I cannot wait to see it Smith writes a book focused on Sevin. He’s definitely a favorite of mine. The plot was fast paced. The romance was sufficiently angsty and full of sexual tension. The games were bloody and scary. And the sex scenes were very open door and lots of fun. Loved this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

Title: Swept Away

Author: Beth O’Leary

Publisher: Berkely 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Beachside Cafe; Cover Lover - Birds

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 3

What if you were lost at sea…with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend's daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.

I have enjoyed O’Leary’s past books, but had heard grumbles about this newest one. I went in with a bit of trepidation, but was pleasantly supposed. I really enjoyed seeing two characters with the ultimate forced proximity trope learn to rely on each other and eventually love each other. I am always the most excited in romance books for the parts where characters actually talk to each other. That’s what most of this book was about! Absolutely perfect. On the other hand, I knocked off a star because of the last section on land. We get the big reveal/twist that I totally telegraphed early on. That third act break-up was completely unnecessary and definitely should have been changed. I wouldn’t have minded a bit of a struggle at the end, but the way it played out was way too melodramatic. A little switch and this could have been a 5 star read for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

Title: Romantic Comedy

Author: Curtis Sittenfeld

Publisher: Random House 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 309

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Quarter of a Century - 2023; Romanceopoly - Festival Barn

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4.5

Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.

But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.

Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy—it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right?

With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.

Oh goodness. I truly disliked this book. My main issue with the book is actually the format and writing style. The “Dear Diary” style of relating the week at the non-SNL production got old really fast. It felt super immature and distracted from the characters. The second section of emails was tired and repetitive. I couldn’t even imagine having to listen to that on audio. Thank goodness that I was reading it with my eyes. The third section was the only part that I was okay with. It’s written with first-person narrative, but seems normal. My other issue with the book is the story itself. There’s an attempt to show a story focused on insecure woman as she attempts to not fuck up a New Romantic relationship. I appreciate the attempt, but found Sally so unlikeable and annoying in many ways. I would have liked to see so much more between her and Noah, but instead we don’t get them together until the 70% mark of the book. As an extra note, I hated reading the COVID section. The entire section where Jerry contracts COVID seemed out of place and took my out of the point of the book. This is going to be interesting book club.

Next up on the TBR pile:

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

Title: My Vampire Plus-One (My Vampires #2)

Author: Jenna Levine

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 372

Rating: /5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Frosty Bistro; Cover Lover - Eyewear

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she's tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone--anyone--to pose as her date.
 
After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he's perfect for her purposes. He's a bit strange, but that’s fine; it'll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn't hurt that he's very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

The book had been on my list from the fall when I wanted a bit of supernatural angle to my reading. Unfortunately, there were a ton of holds on the book. Overall, this was super cute. Reggie is an oddball vampire who’s not looking for love. Amelia is an accountant pretty stuck in her life. Together they are a strange pairing but one that actually works. We get some ridiculous romance tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, and silly miscommunication. I wasn’t annoyed by any of them, but this isn’t the best romance I’ve read. It was cute and fun, just what I needed for this week, but nothing amazing.

My Vampires

• #1 My Roommate is a Vampire

• #2 My Vampire Plus-One

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire by Sarah Hawley

Title: A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire (Glimmer Falls #3)

Author: Sarah Hawley

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Romancce

Pages: 448

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romancceopoly - Heroine’s Rising (Strong, Independent Female Character)

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 5

Werewolf Ben Rosewood is happy with his life. One hundred percent. Everything is fine. His business, Ben’s Plant Emporium, is thriving, and he’s even expanding the shop. His anxiety disorder is…well, it’s been better, but that comes with the territory of running a business and having beastly urges every full moon, right? As for romance—who has the time? Though his family is desperate to see him settled, Ben is fine approaching forty as a single werewolf. But after drunkenly bidding on and winning a supposedly-possessed crystal on eBay one night, he finds himself face-to-face with a beautiful yet angry vampire.

Eleonore Bettencourt-Devereux is a rare breed—a vampire succubus born from two elite European bloodlines during medieval times. Thanks to an evil witch, she’s been stuck in a crystal since she was thirty, forced to obey orders from the possessor of the rock. Eleonore's been dreaming of breaking the spell and severing the witch’s head for centuries. But did this witch really sell her to someone new, and for only ninety-nine cents?

Eleonore would claw this werewolf’s heart out and eat it, if only the binding spell would allow her to. But Eleonore and Ben soon realize they can help each other with both vengeful and less hostile needs. And why not have a little fun along the way?

I finished another series! Unfortunately, this volume didn’t quite land for me. I love Oz and Mariel and Astaroth and Calladie were at least interesting. While I was rooting for Ben and Eleonore, I found their actual relationship to be pretty surface level. Too much of the narrative was focused on Ben’s inability to say no to anyone and then Eleonore’s revenge schemes. It was a bit unbalanced for me. I wanted to see them have more conversations and growth as a couple. Oh well. They can’t all be winners for me.

Gimmer Falls

• #1 A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

• #2 A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch

• #3 A Werewolf’s Guide to Seducing a Vampire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura

Title: Temple of Swoon

Author: Jo Segura

Publisher: Berkley 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 355

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Latinx Author; Cover Lover - Favorite Color

Spice Rating: 5

While her mentor may be the world’s most badass archaeologist, the only thing bad about Dr. Miriam Jacobs are her corny jokes. But when Miri is charged with leading an unmapped expedition through the Amazon for the fabled Lost City of the Moon, she finally has her chance to prove to her colleagues that she’s capable—and hopefully prove it to herself, too.

Journalist Rafael Monfils has joined the archaeological team to chronicle their search for the lost city. Or at least, that’s what they think he’s doing. Rafa’s real goal? Make sure the team does not reach the Cidade da Lua, stopping the desecration of the holy city and protecting his mother’s legacy. All he needs to do is keep them on the wrong path.

If only the endearingly quirky Dr. Jacobs wasn’t so damn tenacious—each of Rafa’s tricks and purposeful wrong turns only seem to fuel her determination. Even worse, he’s charmed by her goofy attempts to channel Lara Croft as they traverse the dangerous Brazilian rainforest. But they’re not the only crew hunting for the lost city, and soon the untamed jungle—and their untamed hearts—might be the least of their worries...

I thoroughly enjoyed Segura’s first book. It was the perfect blend of romance and action/adventure. Romancing the Stone is one of my favorite movies from the 1980s and this one is definitely reminiscent of that movie. We get a fun, perky, slightly clues main female character and a brooding, sexy main male character. We see them come together and attempt to find the Ciudad de Lua (or are they?). Thankfully the book was very propulsive and the action pushed the characters into fun situations and tense situations. By the end of the book, I could actually buy the relationship between Miri and Rafa. I really hope that Segura keeps writing these types of books.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Ship of Bones and Teeth by Karina Halle

Title: A Ship of Bones and Teeth

Author: Karina Halle

Publisher: Karina Halle 2023

Genre: Romance Fantasy

Pages: 508

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Lighthouse: Fairytale Retelling - The Little Mermaid

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

Princess Maren is a woman with a secret.

When she was just 16-years old, she sold her soul to the sea witch Edonia, giving up a life underwater in exchange for the love of Prince Aerik on land. But after a decade of abuse and misery inflicted by the cruel prince, Maren wants nothing more than to leave him and her royal role behind and find Edonia to reverse the spell.

An opportunity for escape presents itself when the prince and princess are traveling overseas and are taken hostage by a band of notorious pirates, led by the fearsome Captain Ramsay "Bones" Battista. Maren has heard the sordid stories about the infamous pirate--not only is his ship supposedly haunted and crewed by the damned, but that no prisoners ever survive. Fortunately for Maren, she learns that the captain also has a score to settle with the sea witch. With any luck, Maren may be able to get her old life back, even if it's being held in the captain's wicked hands.

But Ramsay gets more than he bargained for when he learns who--and what--Maren is, and that her appetite for revenge, freedom, and bloodlust rivals his.

Meanwhile Maren finds herself falling for the pirate's dark nature, even as she discovers that Ramsay has a secret more deadly than her own.

When it comes to the high seas, not all monsters lurk beneath the surface.

I grabbed this one as a dark, adult retelling of The Little Mermaid and it really hit the spot for me this week. I dove in not quite knowing what to expect, but very quickly I got my feet underneath me and the plot hit full steam. Trying to figure out exactly who Maren and Ramsay were was an added bonus to the storyline. We get a contentious relationship between our main characters until larger forces bring them together. I was fully immersed in the world and wanted to see more from all of the other characters. I must say that the steamy scenes are very steamy and very riské; be forewarned. While I really enjoyed this book, I might have actually been a bit sad that this is a standalone.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Roommate by Rosie Danan

Title: The Roommate (Shameless #1)

Author: Rosie Danan

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 325

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Starstruck Sweets (Celebrity); Cover Love - Need of a redesign

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 5

The Wheatons are infamous among the east coast elite for their lack of impulse control, except for their daughter Clara. She’s the consummate socialite: over-achieving, well-mannered, predictable. But every Wheaton has their weakness. When Clara’s childhood crush invites her to move cross-country, the offer is too tempting to resist. Unfortunately, it’s also too good to be true.

After a bait-and-switch, Clara finds herself sharing a lease with a charming stranger. Josh might be a bit too perceptive—not to mention handsome—for comfort, but there’s a good chance he and Clara could have survived sharing a summer sublet if she hadn’t looked him up on the Internet...
 
Once she learns how Josh has made a name for himself, Clara realizes living with him might make her the Wheaton’s most scandalous story yet. His professional prowess inspires her to take tackling the stigma against female desire into her own hands. They may not agree on much, but Josh and Clara both believe women deserve better sex. What they decide to do about it will change both of their lives, and if they’re lucky, they’ll help everyone else get lucky too.

Overall a cute romcom style romance featuring some great conversations about sex work. The set-up/meet cute is very contrived and silly, but once I got over that, I really fell into he story and the characters. Josh is a great male lead who really stays true to himself the entire story. I loved seeing Clara grow and change throughout the book. The steamy scenes were definitely steamy and fun. The third act break-up/conflict felt believable and sufficiently full of drama without being too cliched. I also loved seeing a male lead actually make amends for his actions. The ending was rushed and a bit too cliched for my tastes keeping the book from being a 5 star book. But in the end, I still really enjoyed this one.

Shameless

• #1 The Roommate

• #2 The Intimacy Experiment

Next up on the TBR pile:

Apprentice to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Title: Apprentice to the Villain (Assistant and the Villain #2)

Author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer

Publisher: Entangled 2024

Genre: Romance (lite)

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Full Moon Adventure; Cover Lover - No People

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 3

Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs—Kingsley’s included—point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?

While I absolutely adored the first book in this series, this particular one really suffered from middle of the series syndrome. It felt like the story alternately rushed the plot forward and stagnated the key relationship between Trystan and Evie. Mainly I was super frustrated about the stagnation section. I love Trystan and Evie and of course we are supposed to be rooting for them as a couple. But… I’m not at all convinced that they should be together. Their complete inability to speak to each other was extra annoying. I wasn’t expecting the second book to see them get a HEA, but I would have liked to see real growth in their relationship. The plot and larger storyline was interesting, but I did get a bit annoyed by the amount of coincidences in the book. I’ll be continuing the series, but I’m not quite as desperate to get the next volume when it publishes in August.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

Title: Kiss the Girl (Meant to Be #2)

Author: Zoraida Córdova

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Crystal Lake (Fairytale retelling)

Spice Meter: 3

A modern tale of unexpectedly falling in love, and finding your voice—the highly anticipated third installment of in the acclaimed and best-selling Meant to Be collection. Ariel del Mar is one of the most famous singers in the world. She and her sisters—together, known as the band Siren Seven—have been a pop culture phenomenon since they were kids. On stage, wearing her iconic red wig and sequined costumes, staring out at a sea of fans, is where she shines. Anyone would think she's the girl who has everything. But lately, she wants more. Siren Seven is wrapping up their farewell tour, and Ariel can't wait to spend the summer just living a normal life—part of a world she's only ever seen from the outside. But her father, the head of Atlantica Records, has other plans: begin her breakout solo career immediately, starting with a splashy announcement on a morning talk show. The night before, Ariel and her sisters sneak out of their Manhattan penthouse for a night of incognito fun at a rock concert in Brooklyn. It's there that Ariel crosses paths with Eric Reyes, dreamy lead singer of an up-and-coming band. Unaware of her true identity, Eric spontaneously invites her on the road for the summer. And for the first time in her life, Ariel disobeys her father—and goes with him. Caught between the world she longs for and the one she's left behind, can Ariel follow her dreams, fall in love, and, somehow, find her own voice?

I finally got around this Little Mermaid retelling. I was going to read it last fall, but of course, I had too many library books checked out and had to make some tough choices. I got it back and sped through this very lite retelling. I found that I really dig the rock star trope in my romance. In this one, we get a Disney-esque pop star going undercover to rediscover herself and find her path in music and a up-and-coming lead singer out to get a record deal. I’m not a super fan of intentional lying in romances, but I will forgive Ariel as she is trying to escape her controlling father. We breeze through this book with some very cute encounters and lite sexual tension. Overall, it was a good romance even if it was very closed door. Cute retelling.

Meant to Be:

• #1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

• #2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory

• #3 Kiss the Girl by Zoraida Córdova

• #4 Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren

• #5 Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton

Title: Hunting Adeline (Cat and Mouse #2)

Author: H.D. Carlton

Publisher: 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 651

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Butterfly Garden

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 8

Warning: This book contains graphic depictions of sexual assault. Please review the content warnings before proceeding.

“If she were to die… the world would die with her.”
The worst Adeline Reilly expected for her life were a few unholy ghosts haunting the hallways of Parsons Manor, not falling in love with her stalker and ending up in the clutches of a trafficking ring.
Trapped in a house used to groom women for the elite, she faces the biggest fight of her life—survive the Culling and escape. But that’s not so easy when watchful eyes are determined to see her fail. However, Adeline may have an unlikely ally, who just might be the key to her getting out alive.
But trusting them is a risk that could cost her everything.
Meanwhile, Zade will stop at nothing until Adeline is safe in his arms again, even if he must burn the world to find her. Hunting his little mouse is what he’s best at, but who she’ll be when he finds her is a battle that he doesn’t know he can win.
It won’t be the test of time they must survive, but the memories of who they once were.

I really enjoyed the first book detailing a morally grey main character and his actions towards a woman. I really wanted to explore the topic of consent and fantasies. It was a fascinating book. But then there was a terrible cliffhanger at the end of the book. I had to see how the story ends, but I’m not sure that I actually enjoyed reading it. We spend almost half of the book with Addie in captivity being brutalized constantly. I fully admit that skimmed through huge chunks of this section not wanting to read about the abuse. I did find the second half more interesting, detailing how someone can deal with and heal from trauma. We get a HEA here, but it’s a long and disturbing journey. Be forewarned.

Cat and Mouse

• #1 Haunting Adeline

• #2 Hunting Adeline

Next up on the TBR pile:

Blame the Mistletoe by Dani Collins

Title: Blame the Mistletoe (Love in Montana #2)

Author: Dani Collins

Publisher: 2014

Genre: Romance

Pages: 205

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER; Romanceopoly - Alpine Cottage

Where I Got It: Kindle

Spice Rating: 4

Liz Flowers has never enjoyed Christmas, but this one is shaping up to be the worst by far. She let her ex take her daughter to Mexico while she stays behind in a strange town, sitting her former mother-in-law’s high strung little dog. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, but this California girl doesn’t have much in common with the ranchers in small town Marietta. Blake Canon perks up with male interest when he sees a new face at his friend’s Christmas cocktail party. His son is away and a light affair would take his mind off his financial troubles. Then he realizes he knows Liz. She was once married to the brother of his ex-wife. Their children might be cousins, but Blake and Liz do the kissing—under the mistletoe. It’s the beginning of a new view of Christmas for Liz, but when their children arrive home unexpectedly, and family secrets are revealed, Liz isn’t sure she’ll stay in Marietta for Christmas after all.

One last holiday romance read and it was a bit of a dud. I wanted a fun romance. Instead, I got an overly wrought emotional mess full of lost adults and some bad decisions. The casual misogyny and patriarchal attitudes from various characters really got to me in the end. I didn’t really enjoy either of our main characters or the plot. The setting was another negative. The concept that these two connect in this small town where so many bad memories and enemies live is laughable. I just couldn’t get over it. And the secrets were just contrived and painful. I was not a fan. (Not a great start to my reading year, but I’m sure that I’ll hit on a great book soon.)

Love in Montana

• #1 Hometown Hero

• #2 Blame the Mistletoe

• #3 The Bachelor’s Baby

• #4 His Blushing Bride

• #5 His Christmas Miracle

Next up on the TBR pile:

Snowed In for Christmas by Jaqueline Snowe

Title: Snowed in for Christmas

Author: Jaqueline Snowe

Publisher: Forever 2023

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Gym (cheating a bit as I don’t have long romance books, but the MMC is a football coach, so I’m counting it)

Spice Rating: 5

Sorority mom Becca Fairfield is used to guys not taking her seriously. She’s too blond, too quirky, or Just. Too. Much.So she’s ditched dating to focus on her job and a house filled with drama and plenty of tea. Now with the holidays and a major blizzard on her doorstep, Becca has everything she needs to survive the next two weeks on her own. Hot cocoa, plenty of books . . . and the memory of a steamy kiss with a certain sexy, grumposaurus next-door neighbor to keep her warm.

Only Becca’s seriously underestimated this Snowpocalypse. So when the power goes out and Harrison Cooper—football coach, master crank, and the guy who acted mega-awkward after said steamy kiss—offers her shelter, it only makes sense to accept. They’ll just be Blizzard Buddies. Hang out, stay safe, and maybe indulge in a little R-rated cuddling. Becca knows that Harrison isn’t the dating kind, and what happens during the storm lasts only as long as the storm. But are they keeping warm . . . or playing with fire?

Very sweet and a little spicy Christmas romance. I usually hate the miscommunication trope, but this one did not bother me as much. It wasn’t so much miscommunication as no communication. But the main characters fairly quickly sort that out. Plus we get forced proximity and one bed! I do enjoy those tropes a lot. Overall this was a breezy and fun Christmas themed romance for my week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Role Playing by Cathy Yardley

Title: Role Playing

Author: Cathy Yardley

Publisher: Montlake 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 333

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Autumn

Spice Rating: 5

Maggie is an unapologetically grumpy forty-eight-year-old hermit. But when her college-aged son makes her a deal—he’ll be more social if she does the same—she can’t refuse. She joins a new online gaming guild led by a friendly healer named Otter. So that nobody gets the wrong idea, she calls herself Bogwitch.

Otter is Aiden, a fifty-year-old optimist using the guild as an emotional outlet from his family drama caring for his aging mother while his brother plays house with Aiden’s ex-fiancée.

Bogwitch and Otter become fast virtual friends, but there’s a catch. Bogwitch thinks Otter is a college student. Otter assumes Bogwitch is an octogenarian.

When they finally meet face to face—after a rocky, shocking start—the unlikely pair of sunshine and stormy personalities grow tentatively closer. But Maggie’s previous relationships have left her bitter, and Aiden’s got a complicated past of his own.

Everything’s easier online. Can they make it work in real life?

Another contender for Dirty Book Month. While I really enjoyed a story featuring older protagonists, I really really wanted a few more spicy scenes. Those few don’t come until about 70% of the way through the book. If I put that complaint to the side, I really loved following Maggie and Aiden as they navigate life online and in person. We get to see two people who are ostracized from being their shelves by those around them. I rooted for them to to at least be comfortable in themselves by the end of the story. The scenes with Maggie’s ex-hsuband really made me so angry. I was so glad to see Maggie continue to be her honest self. Overall, a really good contemporary romance.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dragon's Bride by Katee Robert

Title: The Dragon’s Bride (A Deal with a Demon #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Trinkets & Tales 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 179

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Haunted House (Monster Romance)

Spice Rating: 6

Briar Rose might have a name out of a storybook, but she learned at a very young age that no prince was coming to save her. She’ll have to save herself. Unfortunately, even that is an impossible task in her current situation—trapped in a terrifying marriage to a dangerous man.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is how she finds herself making a deal with a demon. Freedom from her husband…in return for seven years of service.

She expects the service to be backbreaking and harsh. She doesn’t expect to be put on an auction block in a room full of literal monsters and sold to the highest bidder.

To Sol. A dragon.

He might seem kinder than his fearsome looks imply, but she knows better than to trust the way he wants to take care of her, or how invested he is in her pleasure. In her experience, if something seems too good to be true, it certainly is.

Falling for Sol is out of the question. She’s suffered enough, and she has no intention of staying in this realm…even if she leaves her heart behind when she returns to her normal life.

Unlike yesterday’s 3 star book, I liked this one much more. But I still ended up coming to the end of this book with a general air of meh. We first meet the demon bargainer in another one of Robert’s book. I was intrigued but the setup of the auction of the various women in exchange for a favor. I’m glad to read about one of those women’s story in this book. Briar has so much trauma and I really connected to her anxiety and trepidation about getting involved in someone else. Sol creates a safe space for Briar to heal. All of those parts, I really enjoyed. The actual romance I enjoyed less. The sex scenes are often very strange. I don’t mean the monster-human pairing, I’m referring to the tone. The tone is often very weird and I wasn’t quite buying into the sexual attraction. Oh well. Maybe the next one will be more my style.

A Deal with a Demon

• #1 The Dragon’s Bride

• #2 The Kraken’s Sacrifice

• #3 The Gargoyle’s Captive

• #4 The Succubus’s Prize

• #5 The Demon’s Bargain

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell

Title: The Prince and the Apocalypse

Author: Kara McDowell

Publisher: Wednesday Books 2023

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Beau Boulevard (Read a young adult book of your choice)

Spice Rating: 3

Wren Wheeler has flown five thousand miles across the ocean to discover she’s the worst kind of traveler: the kind who just wants to go home. Her senior-year trip to London was supposed to be life-changing, but by the last day, Wren’s perfectly-planned itinerary is in tatters. There's only one item left to check off: breakfast at The World’s End restaurant. The one thing she can still get right.

The restaurant is closed for renovations—of course—but there's a boy there, too. A very cute boy with a posh British accent who looks remarkably like the errant Prince Theo, on the run from the palace and his controlling mother. When Wren helps him escape a pack of tourists, the Prince scribbles down his number and offers her one favor in return. She doesn’t plan to take him up on it—until she gets to the airport and sees cancelled flights and chaos. A comet is approaching Earth, and the world is ending in eight days. Suddenly, that favor could be her only chance to get home to her family before the end of the world.

Wren strikes a bargain with the runaway prince: if she’ll be his bodyguard from London to his family’s compound in Santorini, he can charter her a private jet home in time to say goodbye. Traveling through Europe by boat, train, and accidentally stolen automobile, Wren finds herself drawn to the dryly sarcastic, surprisingly vulnerable Theo. But the Prince has his own agenda, one that could derail both their plans. When life as they know it will be over in days, is it possible to find a happy ending?

I don’t remember where I saw this recommended, but I do love an apocalypse story so I grabbed it from the library. This was very cute with a great meet-cute and fast-paced storyline. This is YA, but more like New Adult with protagonists that have graduated from high school. I was more okay with that given that the characters were still young adults, but not super whiny. As for the storyline, I enjoyed following Wren and Theo through Europe. It moves quickly without many lulls. This isn’t a deep book, but fun for the week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Twice Tempted (Night Prince #2)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 360

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; Romanceopoly - Fated Folly

Spice Rating: 5

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges . . .

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her,and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover Vlad has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever--especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity . . .

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust--the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other, or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity . . .

Oh yes! This was exactly what I wanted from this series! The first book had me very frustrated by both Vlad and Leila’s behavior. Thankfully this book starts to break their behavior down and we actually see some growth from our characters. And while we don’t get a happy ending (there are two more books in this series), we get shades of happiness sprinkled in throughout the obstacles and pain. The big mystery really amps up in this volume and I cannot wait to see where this all goes.

Night Prince

• #1 Once Burned

• #2 Twice Tempted

• #3 Bound by Flames

• #4 Into the Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Unmasked by the Marquess by Cat Sebastian

Title: Unmasked by the Marquess (Regency Imposters #1)

Author: Cat Sebastian

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 304

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Courtship Row; Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

The one you love…

Robert Selby is determined to see his sister make an advantageous match. But he has two problems: the Selbys have no connections or money and Robert is really a housemaid named Charity Church. She’s enjoyed every minute of her masquerade over the past six years, but she knows her pretense is nearing an end. Charity needs to see her beloved friend married well and then Robert Selby will disappear…forever.

May not be who you think…

Alistair, Marquess of Pembroke, has spent years repairing the estate ruined by his wastrel father, and nothing is more important than protecting his fortune and name. He shouldn’t be so beguiled by the charming young man who shows up on his doorstep asking for favors. And he certainly shouldn’t be thinking of all the disreputable things he’d like to do to the impertinent scamp.

But is who you need…

When Charity’s true nature is revealed, Alistair knows he can’t marry a scandalous woman in breeches, and Charity isn’t about to lace herself into a corset and play a respectable miss. Can these stubborn souls learn to sacrifice what they’ve always wanted for a love that is more than they could have imagined?

I’m a bit disappointed by this one. I had heard great things and wanted to explore a queer romance. This one just didn’t quite land for me and I’m not exactly certain why. Robin/Charity/Robert was a complicated character and I didn’t quite buy their entire motivation. I totally get their identification and nonbinary. I don’t really get their motivation when it came to the Duke and such. Or maybe it was because I didn’t buy the Duke and Robin together. They still seemed mismatched by the end of the book. I wanted a bit more conversation and connection… But I will be reading on in the series as many have said that the second one is better.

Regency Imposters

• #1 Unmasked by the Marquess

• #2 A Duke in Disguise

• #3 A Delicate Deception

Next up on the TBR pile: