Midnight Ruin by Katee Robert

Title: Midnight Ruin (Dark Olympus #6)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks 2024

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; She Reads Romance - Spicy

Spice Rating: 8

Eurydice Dimitriou has always been the innocent sister, but she's finally ready to step out of the long shadow cast by her powerful family…and the ex who shattered her heart. Perhaps rough hands on soft skin are exactly what she needs to forget her heartbreak once and for all?

Charon Ariti has been Hades's right-hand man for years. He's given everything to the lower city, but now he's ready to take something for himself. He's only too happy to give Eurydice a special kind of education…but is her heart really free enough to be claimed?

Orpheus Makos will do whatever it takes to make things right. Once the golden boy of the upper city, he's now a shadow of his former self. He'll do anything to get Eurydice back…even if it means she's not coming into his arms alone. Three hearts. Three futures. Countless ways to get it wrong.

But with enemies slipping through Olympus's faltering barrier to lay siege on the lower city, a trio of broken hearts will be the least of these would-be lovers' worries…

Oh this one was intense! We get a very dramatic and yet beautiful romance story wrapped around the larger political and fantastical storyline affecting Olympus. We move our action to the Lower City and find Eurydice attempting to find her new balance after the events in the first book in the series. I was very much into following her journey. At times, she is much too immature for my personal tastes. Enter Charon, the stabilizing force in her life. I have been wanting his story since the very first book. I was so very excited to see how he connected with Eurydice. As a bonus, we get to see how Orpehus fits into Eurydice and Charon’s relationship. And it was very spicy! I was so very into their relationship evolution. Even more, I’m very into the larger storyline featuring all the characters in the Dark Olympus series.

Dark Olympus

• #0.5 Stone Heart

• #1 Neon Gods

• #1.5 Hades and Hades

• #2 Electric Idol

• #2.5 Zeus and Hera

• #3 Wicked Beauty

• #4 Radiant Sun

• #5 Cruel Seduction

• #6 Midnight Ruin

• #7 Dark Restraint

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Title: A Fragile Enchantment

Author: Allison Saft

Publisher: Wednesday Books 2024

Genre: YA Romantasy

Pages: 373

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - New Adult Romance; Library Love

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous gossip columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible..

I’m not exactly sure why I picked this one up to read. I had previously read another of Saft’s books and was pretty disappointed in it. In fact, my biggest complaint was that “We get a YA fantasy set in a fictional world but with parallels to the religious divides in our own world. All through the book I was confused as to why were were coding the different groups with fictionalized words and practices instead of just making a direct comparison.” This one isn’t about religious divides but instead nationalistic divides. Niamh is clearly from British controlled Ireland with Kit being of the British royal family. Infanta Rosa is clearly from Spain and a rival power to England. Instead of setting this in an alternate Europe, Saft “creates” a fictional magical world. But why? I was very disappointed in the unnecessary complications. Further more, I really disliked the romance. I wasn’t swoon, it was downright cringy. Everyone claims that Kit hates everyone but Niamh, but in my mind, he still really dislikes Niamh. We don’t ever really see a probably softer side of Kit. I wanted more for Niamh, but she is completely enamored with his terrible attitude and behavior. I really need to put Saft on my “no” list.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hunt on Dark Water by Katee Robert

Title: Hunt on Dark Waters (Crimson Sails #1)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Berkley 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Witch Romance; Library Love

Evelyn is a witch with a perfect storm of impulses: terrible taste in bed partners, sticky fingers, and a lust for danger. After she steals from her vampire ex and falls through a portal to another realm, she’s fished out of the waters by a band of seafarers and their telekinetic captain. She’s immediately given a choice—join their ship’s crew or die.

Bowen has no memory of his life before he became one of the Cŵn Annwn. He and his band of pirates are bound by vow to patrol through Threshold, the magical sea in between realms, keeping the portals to other worlds safe. When he rescues Evelyn, he doesn’t expect to be attracted to the unflappably brassy pickpocket. The longer he spends in her presence, the more he begins to question if his heart is the next thing she’ll steal.

But as tension heats up between Bowen and Evelyn, the danger at sea escalates as well. Because Evelyn has no intention of keeping her vows to the Cŵn Annwn, and if she betrays the crew, both she and Bowen will pay the ultimate price....

I finally picked up another one of Katee Robert’s series. And it wasn’t quite as good as the Dark Olympus series, but I did enjoy it. We get a portal jumping witch who finds herself involved in the Wild Hunt. But things are not quite as they seem and she becomes an agent of change as well as finding romance. Bowen and Evelyn aren’t my favorite couple but they grew on me as the book progressed. I was very intrigued by all the other characters and the background storyline. I do enjoy Robert’s storytelling and romance, so I imagine that I will be reading the rest of this series.

Crimson Sails

• #1 Hunt on Dark Waters

• #2 Blood on the Tide

• #3 Pirates

Next up on the TBR pile:

Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband by Melissa Maybe

Title: Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband (Daughters of the Glen #1)

Author: Melissa Mayhue

Publisher: Pocket Books 2007

Genre: Romance

Pages: 356

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; 52 Books - Hybrid Genre

Scotland, 1272. Connor MacKiernan, a descendant of the Fae Prince, is a warrior who lives only for honor and duty. Though he’s vowed never to marry, that’s exactly what he must do to save his sister. Enter a little Faerie magic, and the search for a bride is on.

Denver, 2007. Caitlyn Coryell is having a really bad day—she just discovered that her fiancé is cheating on her, marrying her only for her family’s money and influence. Imagine her surprise when she puts on an antique pendant and Connor suddenly appears in her bedroom, begging for her help. He offers an outrageous adventure: travel to his time, marry him for a short time, and return home.

But nothing goes as planned. Cate’s trapped in the 13th century, the wedding’s delayed, and someone’s trying to kill her. And in the middle of all this, she realizes that she’s falling in love with a man who can only be her husband for thirty nights. It will take more than the magic of the Fae to help them now. It will require the most powerful magic of all—the magic of true love.

This book has been sitting on my Unread Shelf for years so I finally picked it up. The book should probably have been left on the shelf. This is a poor imitation of Outlander with a weird time travel bent to the romance. I didn’t quite buy the whole time travel and Fey angle to the story. It' seemed a little too hooky. The romance itself was also pretty lackluster. I didn’t love Cate and Connor and didn’t really buy their relationship. My biggest complaint has to do with the gender dynamics. Connor plays the alpha crap and Cate decides that the way tot play the relationship is to use her feminine wiles. It’s cliched and super annoying. Not a fan. I perused the rest of the series and it looks like we are going to get the same types of relationships. I think I will not be continuing to read this series.

Daughters of the Glen

• #1 Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband

• #2 Highland Guardian

• #3 Soul of a Highlander

• #4 A Highlander of Her Own

• #5 A Highlander’s Destiny

• #6 A Highlander’s Homecoming

• #7 Healing the Highlander

• #8 Highlander’s Curse

Next up on the TBR pile:

Untouchable by Talia Hibbert

Title: Untouchable (Ravenswood #2)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Nixon House 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 344

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; She Reads Romance - Forbidden Romance

Spice Meter: 5

Sleeping with the staff wasn’t part of the plan.

Sensible, capable, and ruthlessly efficient, Hannah Kabbah is the perfect nanny… until a colossal mistake destroys her career and shatters her reputation. These days, no-one in town will hire her—except Nathaniel Davis, a brooding widower with a smile like sin and two kids he can’t handle.

Prim and proper Hannah is supposed to make Nate’s life easier, but the more time he spends around his live-in nanny, the more she makes things… hard. He can’t take advantage of her vulnerable position, but he can’t deny the truth, either: with every look, every smile, every midnight meeting, Nate’s untouchable employee is stealing his heart.

The trouble is, she doesn’t want to keep it. Forbidden love isn’t high on Hannah’s to-do list, and trust isn’t one of her strengths. When dark secrets threaten to destroy their bond, Nate’s forced to start playing dirty. Because this reformed bad boy will break every rule to finally claim his woman.

I’ll admit that I was skeptical of this book going in. The nanny trope is not one that I enjoy. Usually it involved a pretty big age gap and most definitely a power imbalance. Thankfully this book does not fall into those traps. Hannah is a fun character to follow through from the first book, but it’s Nate that really pulled me into this story. I totally felt for him. The sob story with his wife, the current sob story with this mom, and the beautiful relationship with his kids coupled with the whole vibe (hello tattoos) and I was completely smitten. There were a few decisions that I wasn’t excited about, but it all ended up okay by them last page.

Ravenswood

• #1 A Girl Like Her

• #1.5 Damaged Goods

• #2 Untouchable

• #3 That Kind of Guy

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Title: A Holly Jolly Ever After (Christmas Notch #2)

Author: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Publisher: Avon 2023

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 432

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Pregnancy

Spice Rating: 5

Kallum Liebermanis the funny one™. As the arguably lesser of the three former members of the boy band INK, he enjoyed his fifteen minutes of fame and then moved home where he opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! He’s living his best dad bod life, hooking up with bridesmaids at all his friends’ weddings. But after an old one-off sex tape is leaked and quickly goes viral, Kallum decides he’s ready to step into the spotlight again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel. 

Winnie Baker did everything right. She married her childhood sweetheart, avoided the downfalls of adolescent stardom, and transitioned into a stable adult acting career. Hell, she even waited until marriage to have sex. But after her perfect life falls apart, Winnie is ready to redefine herself—and what better way than a steamier-than-a-steaming-hot-mug-of-cider Christmas movie?

With decade old Hollywood history between them, Winnie and Kallum are both feeling hesitant about their new situation as costars…especially Winnie who can’t seem to fake on screen pleasure she’s never experienced in real life. She’s willing to do the pleasure research—for science and artistic authenticity, of course. And there’s no better research partner than her bridesmaid sex tape hall of fame costar, Kallum. But suddenly, Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface and Winnie might be catching feelings herself. 

They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?

Spoilers Below!

Oh this was such a disappointment… After the first book in the series, I was very exacted to read the next book featuring Kallum. And the first half of the book was great. I fell for Winnie and Kallum. I really enjoyed the discussion about purity culture and the after-effects of bad relationships and marriages. I was excited to see Winnie making strides in her own sexual growth and independence. I loved seeing the two main characters begin to open up to each others and their friends and families. It was delightful. And then we get tot he second half of the book and absolutely everything gets destroyed. Instead of continuing Winnie’s journey of growth, she becomes pregnant and everything goes off the rails. She tells everyone but Kallum. She doesn’t communicate or handle anything well. But my biggest complaint is that instead of continuing the journey, Winnie immediately becomes pregnant. In many ways, purity culture warns that having sex leads to degradation and immediate pregnancy. In this case, at least the second part becomes true. And it annoys me so much! This is not a good message.

Christmas Notch

• #1 A Merry Little Meet Cute

• #1.5 Snow Place Like LA

• #2 A Holly Jolly Ever After

Next up on the TBR pile:

Mr. Fixer Upper by Lucy Score

Title: Mr. Fixer Upper (Fixer #1)

Author: Lucy Score

Publisher: Bloom Books 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 386

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Reality TV; Library Love

Spice Rating: 5

It’s a constant battle on set between sexy home renovation reality star grumpy Gannon and his no-nonsense field producer. Paige has zero time for temperamental talent, especially one who acts like being in front of the camera is the last thing he wants.

Mr. Sex in a Toolbelt has made it his mission in life to get a rise out of her, but Paige is a master at locking down her temper. They’re on the road together working long hours fixing houses and changing lives. When cracks in her legendary coolness start to show and sparks fly, Gannon is infatuated and the cameras are there to capture it.

But he’s fallen for pretty packages before and Paige won’t be taken seriously if she’s caught sleeping with the star of her show. She also can’t seem to resist those big, rough hands. Those smoldery hazel eyes. The dimples. The toolbelt. That fiercely protective vibe.

Too bad it’s all about to fall apart.
She never should have trusted him.
He never should have let her go.

At Christmas, I actually read the second one last month and really enjoyed it. So, I picked up the first one in the series for this month’s reading. The book had a lot more drama and serious conversations than I was expecting. I really did fall for Gannon and Paige as they navigate their undeniable attraction. The reality TV angle added just the right amount of other characters and background plot to continue the romantic storyline. The steamy scenes are very well done and steamy. I ended dup speeding through this one, but it was a lovely story. I just might have to read more from Lucy Score.

Fixer

• #1 Mr. Fixer Upper

• #2 The Christmas Fix

Next up on the TBR pile:

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Title: Raiders of the Lost Heart

Author: Jo Segura

Publisher: Berkley 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 357

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; She Reads Romance - Nerd with Glasses

Archaeologist Dr. Socorro “Corrie” Mejía has a bone to pick. Literally. 

It’s been Corrie’s life goal to lead an expedition deep into the Mexican jungle in search of the long-lost remains of her ancestor, Chimalli, an ancient warrior of the Aztec empire. But when she is invited to join an all-expenses-paid dig to do just that, Corrie is sure it’s too good to be true...and she’s right.

As the world-renowned expert on Chimalli, by rights Corrie should be leading the expedition, not sharing the glory with her disgustingly handsome nemesis. But Dr. Ford Matthews has been finding new ways to best her since they were in grad school. Ford certainly isn’t thrilled either—with his life in shambles, the last thing he needs is a reminder of their rocky past.

But as the dig begins, it becomes clear they’ll need to work together when they realize a thief is lurking around their campsite, forcing the pair to keep their discoveries—and lingering attraction—under wraps. With money-hungry artifact smugglers, the Mexican authorities, and the lies between them closing in, there’s only one way this all ends—explosively.

Mix together Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, and some Lara Croft and we get this fun, action-filled romance story. Corrie and Ford have the type of history that I am definitely okay with when it comes to romance stories. I don’t like friends to lovers, but adore enemies to lovers. Their relationship definitely falls into that second category. Of course, we have tons of sexual chemistry, but they cannot seem to stop bickering and fighting over every little thing. I enjoyed the shift of setting to an archaeological dig in the Mexican jungle and the added dash of intrigue and mystery. Once the characters finally admit their attraction to each other, I loved seeing their relationship evolve over the rest of the adventure. A very fun romance book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Teach Me by Olivia Dade

Title: Teach Me (There’s Something About Marysburg #1)

Author: Olivia Dade

Publisher: Olivia Dade 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 261

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; She Reads Romance - Nerd with Glasses

Their lesson plans didn’t include love. But that’s about to change…

When Martin Krause arrives at Rose Owens’s high school, she’s determined to remain chilly with her new colleague. Unfriendly? Maybe. Understandable? Yes, since a loathsome administrator gave Rose’s beloved world history classes to Martin, knowing it would hurt her.

But keeping her distance from a man as warm and kind as Martin will prove challenging, even for a stubborn, guarded ice queen. Especially when she begins to see him for what he truly is: a man who’s never been taught his own value. Martin could use a good teacher—and luckily, Rose is the best.

Rose has her own lessons—about trust, about vulnerability, about her past—to learn. And over the course of a single school year, the two of them will find out just how hot it can get when an ice queen melts.

Overall, I really enjoyed Dade’s other series Spoiler Alert. This book didn’t quite do it for me. I wanted to like it so much especially as it featured teachers. But… I think the book spent a lot of time discussing teaching and how Rose had to present herself on the job. Too much time. I just lost interested at multiple parts of the book. And ultimately, I wasn’t super excited for the main couple like I should have been. I would have liked more scenes of them together after their first night together. Instead, we flash through time to get to the big confrontation at the end. I just wasn’t totally into it by then. I did look at the summaries for the other two books in the series and I might just try those.

There’s Something About Marysburg

• #1 Teach Me

• #2 40-Love

• #3 Sweetest in the Gale

Next up on the TBR pile:

Damaged Goods by Talia Hibbert

Title: Damaged Goods (Ravenswood #1.5)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Nixon House 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 181

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: COYER

Spice Meter: 5

Second chances shouldn’t feel so sinful.

Laura Burne‘s husband is a monster, her diamond ring is a trap, and her pregnancy is the push she needs to finally escape. She runs away seeking safety… and finds Samir Bianchi, her long-lost teenage sweetheart.

With his kind eyes and dirty smile, Samir’s still hot as hell—and he still treats Laura like a goddess, baby bump and all. The wild boy she spent one magical summer with is every inch a man, and he’s more than ready to care for her tiny family.

But Laura’s been keeping a secret Samir might never forgive. When she finally confesses, will he remain by her side? Or is this fairytale ending too good to be true?

CW: Domestic Violence (in past, but discussed on the page)

And here we get Laura’s story as touched on very briefly in the previous book. I really wanted to love this story of empowerment and opening up to love, but ultimate, I didn’t love it. Laura is a prickly character that I really wished had sought out therapy instead of solitude. And I must say that pregnancy storylines are really not my favorite. They’re fine, but I have lots of mixed feelings about them. Samir is great and I really fell for him over the course of the novella. But their pairing just didn’t work for me. Oh well. They can’t all be winners.

Ravenswood

• #1 A Girl Like Her

• #1.5 Damaged Goods

• #2 Untouchable

• #3 That Kind of Guy

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert

Title: A Girl Like Her (Ravenswood #1)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Nixon House 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 288

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; She Reads Romance - Reverse Grumpy Sunshine

Spice Meter: 5

Ruth Kabbah is okay with being an outcast.

Between her autism, her comic book nerdery, and the whiff of scandal her small town can’t forget, Ruth will always be Ravenswood’s black sheep. Since she prefers silence and solitude to gossip and pub crawls, that suits her just fine—until Evan Miller comes to town.

Ex-military man Evan is gorgeous, confident… and he’s Ruth’s new neighbour. Unlike everyone else, he doesn’t seem to mind her crotchety ways or her cooking disasters. In fact, if Ruth didn’t know any better, she might think Evan likes her.

But Ruth’s been burned before, and some lessons are hard to forget.

She can’t let her guard down—no matter how many home-cooked meals Evan brings over. Because affection is temporary, trust is made to be broken, and the heat of desire is a dangerous thing to play with.

So why does this man feel so safe?

CW: Domestic Violence (in past, but discussed)

After reading the third book in this series and picking it for my book club selection, I decided to circle back around and read from the beginning. This one did not disappoint. We get a reverse grumpy sunshine trope with two seemingly different people. In fact, these two people are perfect for each other, challenging and complementing each other. Ruth is not an easy person to be with and Evan may be too easy to be with. But together, we get to see them fit together to form a great partnership. The sections detailing the domestic violence in Ruth’s past were difficult, but Hibbert always the space I needed to process it and continue to read. It helps that those conversations are not in the same chapters as the spicy scenes. I like a bit of separation. (As opposed to how my previously read book, Under Her Skin, approached the conversations.) I got to the end and had that warm and fuzzy feeling to their relationship. That’s what I want in my romance.

Ravenswood

• #1 A Girl Like Her

• #1.5 Damaged Goods

• #2 Untouchable

• #3 That Kind of Guy

Next up on the TBR pile:

Under Her Skin by Adriana Anders

Title: Under Her Skin

Author: Adriana Anders

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 344

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Small Town Romance; Library Love

Spice Meter: 5

His scarred hands are the gentlest I've ever known. If only life were a fairy tale where Beauty got to keep her Beast…

Every morning I wake up and remind myself I am not my past, but beneath my drab clothing hides a secret—proof of the abuse I suffered at the hands of my possessive ex, tattooed on my skin in a lurid reminder of everything I've survived. I'm alone and in hiding, trying to rebuild some semblance of a normal life. I didn't expect healing to come in the form of a rough ex-con whose rage drives him in ways I'll never understand.

Ivan's scars are on the inside—a wounded soul like me. But day by day, this gentle giant proves to me that there are second chances in life, and he deserves them as much as I do. And maybe finding each other will finally allow us to pick up our broken pieces and make something beautiful and new…

CW: Sexual and Domestic Violence (before the book begins, but discussed in detail)

This was one of the books that was on a list of older protagonists. I wanted to find an older protagonist for my book club pick. This one shuffled down the pile and I’m glad it didn’t. I ended up not loving this book very much. Sure we get an older protagonist, but it’s one that’s been on the receiving amount of a shocking amount of domestic and sexual violence. I really had to take some breaks in reading this book and even skimmed a few pages that detailed the violence. It’s a okay story with okay characters, but ultimately, I came to the end of the book hoping that Uma went to therapy instead of jumping into bed with Ivan. Seriously, consensual sex does not “fix” past trauma. I was very conflicted by the ending HEA and really wished that this had taken a much more empowering turn than it did. And the revelations from the neighbor really threw me. I do like black humor, but this seemed to be more a case of people not taking situations seriously.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Do Your Worst by Rosie Danan

Title: Do Your Worst

Author: Rosie Danan

Publisher: Berkley 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 317

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - January (You Didn’t Get to in 2023); Library Love

Spice Meter: 5

Riley Rhodes finally has the chance to turn her family’s knack for the supernatural into a legitimate business when she’s hired to break the curse on an infamous Scottish castle. Used to working alone in her alienating occupation, she's pleasantly surprised to meet a handsome stranger upon arrival—until he tries to get her fired.

Fresh off a professional scandal, Clark Edgeware can’t allow a self-proclaimed “curse breaker” to threaten his last chance for redemption. After he fails to get Riley kicked off his survey site, he vows to avoid her. Unfortunately for him, she vows to get even.

Riley expects the curse to do her dirty work by driving Clark away, but instead, they keep finding themselves in close proximity. Too close. Turns out, the only thing they do better than fight is fool around. If they’re not careful, by the end of all this, more than the castle will end up in ruins.

Overall a cute supernaturally tinged romance featuring two opposite people. I really do love a good enemies to lovers trope and this one definitely fit the bill. Riley can be a be secretive and naive at times, but she’s a good character to root for. The scenes without Clark in them were just not as good as the ones with him in it. We needed the banter and the barbs for this story to really work and keep me engaged. There are some very spicy scenes in this one including a scene in a library. I would never desecrate a library like they do, but hey, it’s a book. The appearance of Clark’s father was very cringe-worthy, but added that extra obstacle that the story needed. Definitely a fun romp.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Falling for the Rockstar at Christmas by Lyndsey Gallagher

Title: Falling for the Rockstar at Christmas (Sexton Sisters #1)

Author: Lyndsey Gallagher

Publisher: 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 356

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Spice Meter: 5

Ten years ago, I inherited our family castle and sole care of my youngest sister. More Cinderella, than Sleeping Beauty, at the mere age of twenty-eight I have a teenager to raise and a hotel to run. If the hotel is to survive past Christmas, I need a lottery win, a miracle, or Prince Charming himself to sweep in with a humongous… wad of cash.

When my super successful middle sister announces she’s coming home for the holiday season, I’m determined to put my problems aside and make this the most fabulous Christmas ever. Especially as it might just be the last one in our family home.

I didn’t factor in the return of my first love, Ryan Cooper. Back then he was the boy next door. Now, he’s a world famous singer/song writer. We were supposed to go the States together. He left without me. Now he’s back. Rumour is he has writers block. Apparently this is a last-ditch attempt to find inspiration before his record label pulls the plug permanently.

And guess where he wants to stay? You have it in one- the most inspiring castle hotel in Dublin’s fair city.

Every woman in the city wants to pull this Hollywood Christmas cracker. Except me.I’m going to avoid him at all costs.

Easier said than done when he’s parading around under my roof, with enough heat exuding from his molten eyes to melt every square inch of snow from the peaks of the Dublin mountains...

A breezy decent Christmas romance to end my year’s reading. This is another one of those random free Kindle reads that I grabbed. At first, I was very concerned that our main characters were going to be 18 year olds. Thankfully, only the first chapter is set at that time and then we jump ahead ten years. Much better… From there, we have two characters rediscovering love and lots of added obstacles (of course). Overall, this was fine and breezy. Nothing too ground breaking. And I’m sure that I will forget about this book in a month, but sometimes that’s okay.

Sexton Sisters

• #1 Falling for the Rockstar at Christmas

• #2 Falling for my Forbidden Fling

• #3 Falling for My Bodyguard

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stopover by TL Swan

Title: The Stopover (Miles High Club #1)

Author: TL Swan

Publisher: Montlake Romance 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 481

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

I was upgraded to first class on a flight from London to New York. The food, champagne, and service were impeccable. The blue-eyed man sitting next to me, even better. He was suave and intelligent. We talked and laughed, and something clicked. Fate took over and the plane was grounded, and we had an unexpected stopover for the night. With no plans, we made our own. We danced and laughed our way around Boston and had a night of crazy passion that no woman would ever forget. That was twelve months ago, and I haven’t heard from him—until today. I started a new job and met the CEO. You can imagine my surprise to see those naughty blue eyes dance with delight when he saw me across the mahogany desk. But I’m not that carefree girl anymore. My life has changed, I have responsibilities. I just got an email. He wants to see me in his office for a private meeting at 8:00 a.m. Naughty blue eyes have no place in the workplace. What kind of private meeting does he have in mind?

I picked this one up as a contender for Dirty Book Month, but I realized that I just couldn’t handle the drama within the storyline. Jameson was much too much an arrogant alpha male for me to root for him. I couldn’t believe some of the things that he did to and around Emily. She was way too immature most of the story. I was very annoyed by her constant whining and need to argue with Jameson. In the end, I didn’t feel like the characters actually resolved any of their fundamental differences. Their big problems were just swept under the rug. I was much too stressed out after reading this story. Not my cup of tea at all.

Miles High Club

• #1 The Stopover

• #2 The Takeover

• #3 The Casanova

• #4 The Do-Over

Next up on the TBR pile:

Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas by Joanne Kennedy

Title: Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas (Blue Sky #2)

Author: Joanne Kennedy

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Soldier Street

Spice Meter: 4

Book 2 in award-winning author Joanne Kennedy's new Blue Sky Cowboys series, Blue Sky Cowboy Christmas is an emotional, compelling story from a master of the genre. Joanne Kennedy's sexy cowboy romances feature the rugged and lonely Wyoming range, where the nearest neighbors are miles away and the climate is brutal for man and beast. This beautiful and sensuous tale takes place at the holidays, when a lonely cowboy is more desperate than ever to connect with the woman of his dreams.

Nope nope nope. I kept reading this thinking that I was going to enjoy a fun cowboy Christmas romance. Instead, I just kept getting more and more frustrated over the characters inability to talk to each other. Miscommunication is not one of my preferred tropes and it just kept going on and on. I couldn’t handle the constant circular arguments and conversations. This book could have been a third of the length and retained the important bits. I just wasn’t interested in the couple or the story.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn

Title: A Not So Meet Cute (Cane Brothers #1)

Author: Meghan Quinn

Publisher: 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 404

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Spice Meter:  5

How did you two meet? The quintessential question asked to every couple. And the answer is usually some bubbly, lovey dovey tale of being struck in the bum by Cupid’s arrow.
My meet cute (well not so meet cute) is slightly different. I was trolling a wealthy neighborhood in Beverly Hills, searching for someone to take me as their bride, you know, to make my arch nemesis jealous who consequently just fired me.
He was stomping around the block like some sort of gorgeous ogre, mumbling about a business deal gone wrong and attempting to finagle his way out of it.
And that's when we bumped into each other.
There were no sparks.
Not even a hint of blossoming love.
But next thing I knew, I was scarfing down free chips and guac, listening to this man lay out all of his problems which led to his big ask . . . he wanted me to be his Vivian Ward, you know, from Pretty Woman--minus the frisky behavior.
We're talking about living in a mansion, intimate double dates, and pretending we were head over heels in love . . . and engaged. Can you imagine?
The absolute audacity.
But people do crazy things when they’re desperate. And I reeked of desperation. So, I struck up a deal.
My one big mistake, though . . . big . . . HUGE? I accidentally fell for the incomparable Huxley Cane.

Another story of a rich bachelor hiring a girlfriend and then falling for her. It may be a common trope in romance, but I also really enjoy it. Hux and Lottie were such a fun couple. Their banter is spot on and so is the ridiculous situations they find themselves in. It is utter fiction and yet it was such a great ride. The scenes with Dave and Ellie were so cringe-worthy, but played perfectly. I couldn’t wait to see what silly situation Hux and Lottie would get themselves into next. Honestly, I sped through this book enjoying every page. This isn’t life-changing romance, but it sure is fun.,

Cane Brothers

• #1 A Not So Meet Cute

• #2 So Not Meant to Be

• #3 A Long Time Coming

Next up on the TBR pile:

Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson

Title: Miss Kane’s Christmas (Christmas Central #1)

Author: Caroline Mickelson

Publisher: Bon Accord Press 2012

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 154

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Spice Meter: 1

With Christmas only three days away, Carol Claus agrees to her father’s request that she leave the North Pole on a mission to help save Christmas. Joining single father Ben Hanson and his children for the holidays seems an easy enough task until Santa informs her that Ben is the man behind the disturbing new book ‘Beyond Bah Humbug: Why Lying to Your Children about Santa Claus is a Bad Idea’. Posing as Miss Kane, the children’s new nanny, Carol pulls out all the stops to show Ben how fun Christmas can be, all the while struggling to understand how one man could hate the holidays so much. How could she, Santa’s only daughter, be so attracted to a man who refuses to believe her father exists? **Please note - this book was formerly titled 'Carol's Christmas'.

Cute little Christmas romance, but I must say that this one was just a little too cutesy for my tastes. We didn’t get enough setup and exploration of the characters for me to really love this one. Carol is fine, but she was much too much of a 2D character. Fine for an afternoon’s reading, but that’s it.

Christmas Central

• #1 Miss Kane’s Christmas

• #2 Mrs. Saint Nick

• #3 The Return of Kris Kringle

• #4 The North Pole Prize

• #5 The Christmas Makeover

• #6 Eve’s Christmas Wedding

• #7 A Very Marisol Christmas

Next up on the TBR pile:

That Kind of Guy by Talia Hibbert

Title: That Kind of Guy (Ravenswood #3)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Nixon House 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 272

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Spice Meter: 5

She wants a fake relationship. He needs something real.

If there’s one thing Rae can’t stand, it’s pity. She’s forty, frazzled, and fed up—so attending an awards ceremony alone while her ex swans about with his new wife? Not an option. To avoid total humiliation, Rae needs a date of her own. And her young, hot-as-hell new best friend is the perfect candidate…

Zach Davis, king of casual hookups, has a secret: the notorious womaniser craves emotional connection, and anonymous encounters leave him feeling hollow. After years of performance, Zach’s desperate to be himself. So why does he agree to play Rae’s fake boyfriend? And why does it feel so easy?

When the line between pretence and desire blurs, Zach’s forced to face an unexpected truth: there’s nothing phoney about his need for Rae. But the jaded divorcée’s been hurt by playboy men before. Can a weekend of faking it prove that Zach’s for real?

I think I finally found the selection for dirty book month! I have previously read Hibbert and loved her inclusion of a variety of characters, not just skinny and “normal” people finding romance. This is one of her previous books, but I was pulled to it because of the older protagonist. Once I started the book, I immediately fell for Zach and Rae. I loved the idea of a woman finding her place after divorce and finding it with a misunderstood man. Their sexual tension was palpable throughout the first half of the book. I usually want to see steamy scenes earlier in the book, but this was the right balance of tension and action. And then we get to the conversations between the characters. I loved how Zach and Rae finally reveal themselves to each other and come to a beautiful understanding.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Worst Christmas Ever? by Rebecca Paulinyi

Title: The Worst Christmas Ever? (South West #1)

Author: Rebecca Paulinyi

Publisher: 2018

Genre: Holiday Romance

Pages: 194

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Spice Meter: 4

When Shirley 'Lee' Jones returns home from an awful day at the office, the last thing she expects to find is her husband in bed with another woman. Six weeks until Christmas, and Lee finds the life she had so carefully planned has been utterly decimated.

Hurt, angry and confused, Lee makes a whirlwind decision to drive her problems away and ends up in Totnes, an eccentric town in the heart of Devon. As Christmas approaches, Lee tries to figure out what path her life will follow now, as she looks at it from the perspective of a soon-to-be 31-year-old divorcée.

Can she ever return to her normal life? Or is a new reality - and a new man - on the horizon?

Finding herself and flirting with the handsome local police officer might just make this the best Christmas ever.

A very cute Christmas story about a woman finding her place after a devastation revelation. At first, I was unsure if this really would be a romance as it seemed to have a different tone. But eventually we did get there. Lee is a great character to follow as she upends her life and move to the South West. I fell in love with the village of Totnes and would love to read more about the inhabitants. Small towns at Christmas are my reading kryptonite. It’s a cute little pick-me-up kind of story.

South West

• #0.5 Deadlines and Dates

• #1 The Worst Christmas Ever?

• #2 Lawyers and Lattes

• #3 Feeling the Fireworks

• #4 The Best Christmas Ever

• #5 Trouble in Tartan

• #6 Summer of Sunshine

Next up on the TBR pile: