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A Long Time Coming by Meghan Quinn

Title: A Long Time Coming (Cane Brothers #3)

Author: Meghan Quinn

Publisher: Meghan Quinn 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 448

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: She Reads Romance - Friends to Lovers; Library Love

Spice Meter:  5

Have you ever heard of a man-in-waiting?
Yeah, neither has my best friend's soon-to-be monster-in-law. Ooo, sorry, I meant mother-in-law. Nor has she heard of the term,
what the bride wants, the bride gets.
With wedding planning underway and a short timeline, my best friend, Lia, has recruited me to help her battle the snarly beast that is Mrs. Beaver. Not scared at all, I accept the challenge as her man-in-waiting--aka, man of honor--and take matters into my own hands.
The only problem is, with every second we draw closer to the wedding, I'm starting to see my best girl in a different light.
She's always been beautiful to me, but now . . . I find myself staring a touch too long. My hand lingering for one more minute. And when she's upset? Allowing her to sleep in my bed.
And before I know what's happening, it hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm in love with my best friend. Not just in love, but infatuated.
No one compares to her and nothing seems to distract me from that realization.
Not the girl I try to date while I help plan Lia's wedding.
Not her angry fiancé who thinks I'm growing too close.
And not the looming deadline of her nuptials.
Which means, there's only one thing left for me to do. Prove to Lia I'm the one she should be with instead. But with the pressure of her engagement, the stress from her soon-to-be mother-in-law, and the breath-stealing nerves running through me, I'm finding it a lot harder to claim the girl than I would like to admit.
Say a little prayer for me . . .

Thankfully a strong showing for the ending of this contemporary series. Breaker is a terrible name for our MMC, but I did love him. His friendship with Lia was delightful. I completely bought the idea of their friendship. And I completely bought their progression to a romantic relationship. I usually don’t like Friends to Lovers as usually there’s a big unrequited love aspect to the story. This one avoids most of that and focuses on their growing attraction. There were a few sections that dealt with Brian and Lia where I just really wanted to see Lia punch him. Thankfully this is a good contemporary romance with a Happily Ever After, so no worries. Light, fluffy, and with some great steamy scenes. I enjoyed this one.

Cane Brothers

  • #1 A Not So Meet Cute

  • #2 So Not Meant to Be

  • #3 A Long Time Coming

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Meghan Quinn, She Reads Romance, Library Love, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 05.22.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

The Kraken's Sacrifice by Katee Robert

Title: The Kraken’s Sacrifice (A Deal with a Demon #2)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Trinkets & Tales 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 175

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Begins with a “K”; She Reads Romance - Audiobook

Spice Rating: 6

Catalina only made her deal with the demon because she had nowhere else to go. The world has kicked her every chance it got, so she’s all too happy to leave the realm she knows behind. What’s the worst that could happen?

She doesn’t anticipate being auctioned away to a kraken.

Thane is cold and distant…but he’s not unkind. Isolated as they are, Catalina finds herself seeking his company again and again. And when she finally agrees to uphold her portion of the bargain?

That’s when things get really interesting.

But she only gave the demon seven years, and when the time is up, she’ll have no choice but to leave behind the kraken who’s stolen her heart and return to the world that doesn’t want her.

While I absolutely adore the Dark Olympus series, I find that this series it just not my favorite at all. I was intrigued by the set up and loved meeting Azaziel in The Court of the Vampire Queen. I wanted to see how these broken women found their place and happiness. And while I love the women, I have yet to actually enjoy the male characters. Even with chapters from their points of view, we don’t really get a good connection to them. Thane spent the entire time whining about losing his husband years ago. Dude, please stop. I imagine that I will keep reading the series, but I doubt that it will be a favorite of mine.

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Katee Robert, romance, She Reads Romance, 52 Book Club, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 05.09.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Reckless by Anne Stuart

Title: Reckless (House of Rohan #2)

Author: Anne Stuart

Publisher: MIRA 2010

Genre: Romance

Pages: 408

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; She Reads Romance - Historical Romance

Spice Rating: 5

Charlotte Spenser, straight-laced spinster with a search for knowledge, thinks observing an orgy from a safe distance is an excellent idea.

Adrian Rohan, black sheep of an already infamous family, has always encouraged female education, and he’s more than happy to give her hands-on experience.

They’re so mismatched it’s a wonder they don’t explode. He’s everything bad, and she can’t resist him.

What could possibly go wrong?

Wow… I am definitely done with this series. I had my hesitations about the first book. And this volume absolutely confirmed all my hesitations and really soured me on this author. The main storyline features a terrible pairing of people. Charlotte is a naive spinster. Adrian is just a complete asshole. I could not even find one shred of attraction to him. Their entire relationship was extremely dysfunctional. I just wanted both of these characters to run away from each other and never get together again. Blergh. I just cannot with this series at all. On a brighter note, I just removed two books from my Unread Shelf.

House of Rohan

  • #1 Ruthless

  • #2 Reckless

  • #3 Breathless

  • #4 Shameless

  • #5 Heartless

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Anne Stuart, 2 stars, Unread Shelf Project, She Reads Romance, UnRead Shelf Project RC
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 03.26.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Title: Bride

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Publisher: Berkley 2024

Genre: Romantasy

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Includes a Wedding; She Reads Romance - Arranged Marriage

Spice Rating: 5

Misery Lark, the only daughter of the most powerful Vampyre councilman of the Southwest, is an outcast—again. Her days of living in anonymity among the Humans are over: she has been called upon to uphold a historic peacekeeping alliance between the Vampyres and their mortal enemies, the Weres, and she sees little choice but to surrender herself in the exchange—again...

Weres are ruthless and unpredictable, and their Alpha, Lowe Moreland, is no exception. He rules his pack with absolute authority, but not without justice. And, unlike the Vampyre Council, not without feeling. It’s clear from the way he tracks Misery’s every movement that he doesn’t trust her. If only he knew how right he was….

Because Misery has her own reasons to agree to this marriage of convenience, reasons that have nothing to do with politics or alliances, and everything to do with the only thing she's ever cared about. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to get back what’s hers, even if it means a life alone in Were territory…alone with the wolf.

I picked up another Ali Hazelwood romance. Every time I have finished one of her previous books, I have enjoyed, but it’s hasn’t been something I recommend to all friends. Enjoyable, but nothing groundbreaking. I think I feel the same way about this one. I liked it. The plot and characters kept me interested and turning the pages, but I wasn’t raving about it at the end. I will admit that Hazelwood is great at writing sexual tension. All of her books contain a lot of tension. But, I’m not as excited about the after. Misery has a snarky side that I did really enjoy. And I eventually did buy a relationship between her and Lowe. It just took awhile for me to get there. So overall an enjoyable romantasy for my week.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Ali Hazelwood, romance, fantasy, vampires, werewolves, 52 Book Club, 4 stars, She Reads Romance
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 03.19.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn

Title: So Not Meant to Be (Cane Brothers #2)

Author: Meghan Quinn

Publisher: Bloom Books 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 480

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library Love; She Reads Romance - Enemies to Lovers

Spice Meter:  5

Am I friends with JP Cane?
Ha! That's laughable.
Besides the fact that he’s adopted some far-fetched notion from the movie When Harry Met Sally that says men and women can't be friends and work together, it’s safe to say we're not friends. He's annoyingly loud, obnoxiously handsome, and has made an art out of poking all my hot buttons . . . multiple times a day.
So you can imagine how disgruntled I am when I not only have to fly to San Francisco with him for work, but stay in the same penthouse. Yup, we're sharing the same air, twenty-four-seven. We're talking full-fledged working roommates.
The man doesn't know what it means to wear a shirt, thrives off protein bars, and you guessed it, moans loud enough for people to believe he's Meg Ryan in a restaurant.
Spoiler Alert: I WON'T be having what he's having.
Tack on his continuous flirting and his polished good looks, and I'm caught staring down the barrel of a seductive temptation that makes it hard for me to sleep at night.
But guess who can control herself? This girl.
Because if there is one thing I know for certain, it's that JP Cane and I are so not meant to be.

Enemies to lovers is my favorite romance trope, so of course, I picked up this series. I was into the first book and hoped I would love the second. Unfortunately, I really disliked JP and that fact really turned me of to the entire book. We start out strong with a fun slightly antagonistic relationship between Kelsey and JP. We get some good banter and ridiculous situations. But then, JP’s entire demeanor and personality really started to bother me. At a certain point in the book, JP tells the readers that he is completely in love with Kelsey and is going to attempt to get her to see that. But all of his actions are so hot and cold. She does one thing, such as go on a date with another man, and he completely shuts her out. Mind you, she has no idea that JP supposedly loves her. He just completely shuts down and then gets mad at Kelsey when she questions him. His inability to communicate or at least modulate his moods raised some serious red flags for me. I doubt that them declaring their love is going to eliminate his mood swings. Very scary behavior from the male lead. I just couldn’t root for them at all.

Cane Brothers

  • #1 A Not So Meet Cute

  • #2 So Not Meant to Be

  • #3 A Long Time Coming

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Meghan Quinn, 3 stars, Library Love, contemporary, She Reads Romance
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 03.15.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Worst Best Man by Lucy Score

Title: The Worst Best Man

Author: Lucy Score

Publisher: Bloom Books 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 432

Rating: 4/5 stars

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

Spice Rating: 5

The bride is a doll. The groom is the perfect gentleman. But the rest of the wedding party? They're the stuff of nightmares. Rich? Check. Vapid? Double Check. Entitled? Not enough checks in the world. And the Best Man? More like the Worst Man.

But Maid of Honor Franchesca takes her duties seriously. Kidnapped groom? She's got this. Rude attendees? You just watch her handle them. So a Best Man with a big attitude and an even bigger...checkbook? Yeah, there's no way she's going to let that pretentious, judgmental jackhole ruin her best friend's wedding. No matter how sexy he is. (Well, that's the plan anyway...)

Aiden Kilbourn doesn't do long-term relationships. He's busy ruling the business world, and has yet to find a woman he can tolerate for longer than a month, two at the outside, anyway. Conquering the unconquerable is basically his bread and butter. And he hasn't met a challenge that he can't win. But Franchesca Baranski? This smart-mouthed girl from Brooklyn may just be his downfall.

Another contemporary romance for me. I think I might need to lay off these for awhile. But before I do, I did end up enjoying this enemies to lovers story. The banter in the first half of the book was amazing. I loved Aiden and Francesca’s adventures in attempting to get the groom back. The book went downhill a bit after they started dating. It just wasn’t quite the same spark. My favorite parts were when Aiden interacted with Francesca’s family especially her brothers. It was fun and silly. The steamy scenes were pretty steamy, but not quite my favorite. There was a little too much aggression in those scenes for me to love them. But overall, it was a decent romance.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Lucy Score, 4 stars, Library Love, She Reads Romance, contemporary
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 03.08.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Katee Robert, greek and roman myths, contemporary, Unread Shelf Project, 5 stars, She Reads Romance
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 02.23.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Allison Saft, young adult, romance, She Reads Romance, Library Love, fantasy
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 02.21.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Talia Hibbert, Library Love, She Reads Romance, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 02.08.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, contemporary, romance, Christmas, 2 stars, She Reads Romance
categories: Book Reviews
Wednesday 02.07.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Lucy Score, 4 stars, She Reads Romance, contemporary, Library Love
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 01.26.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, She Reads Romance, 4 stars, Library Love, Jo Segura
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 01.20.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Talia Hibbert, Library Love, She Reads Romance, 4 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Thursday 01.18.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Adriana Anders, 3 stars, She Reads Romance, Library Love
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 01.16.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

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.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

remina.jpg stolen.jpg water moon.jpg frankenstein.jpg jujutsu5.jpg jujutsu6.jpg jujutsu7.jpg alley.jpg deserter.jpg liminal.jpg lovesickness.jpg sensor.jpg tombs.jpg
tags: romance, Rosie Danan, 4 stars, She Reads Romance, Library Love
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 01.12.24
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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