This pretty much had a lust-at-first sight thing going on and surely cannot be praised for its depth or anything remotely like that, bu|| 3.0 stars ||
This pretty much had a lust-at-first sight thing going on and surely cannot be praised for its depth or anything remotely like that, but it was still fun with a hint of angst and I really loved the relationship dynamic here.
This was an age-gap romance with a big size difference between Mike (a big handsome biker who very much enjoys his status as a ‘ladies man’) and Arden (a fiery, feminine boy who’s afraid to commit his heart again after being burned before). Mike is pretty much instantly obsessed with how cute and pretty Arden is, and he tries very hard to get the boy to give him a chance. Mike doesn’t want a relationship though and Arden wants more than a friends with benefits situation, so they dance around each other for a while. Yet, it’s clear they both care for each other a lot: They want to be around each other all the time, and Mike has a very nurturing vibe towards Arden. It was all pretty sweet.
Once again, very romantic and very sweet, but honestly, what else are we expecting from any story about Asa and Jude at this point, let|| 3.5 stars ||
Once again, very romantic and very sweet, but honestly, what else are we expecting from any story about Asa and Jude at this point, let alone their wedding? They’re just the absolute best couple. Period.
I just cannot get enough of this beautiful family!! The love between Asa and Jude is so vivid, and their banter is still going strong a|| 3.5 stars ||
I just cannot get enough of this beautiful family!! The love between Asa and Jude is so vivid, and their banter is still going strong as ever. The way they always pay attention to the little things and are so considerate of each other will never stop making my heart swell. And of course little Billy just makes every moment even more adorable with his mere presence! I just love them all so much.
Okay, this cracked me up. Having the grumpy, stoic, sarcastic Gabe babysitting an innocent, adorable five-year old? Yup, that sure had || 4.0 stars ||
Okay, this cracked me up. Having the grumpy, stoic, sarcastic Gabe babysitting an innocent, adorable five-year old? Yup, that sure had me laughing out loud. And honestly, it also warmed my heart, because it was just adorable to see that Gabe has opened up his heart to Billy. Who would have ever thought that we’d see the day where Gabe would obsess over making a small child happy and also freak out about not disappointing Dylan in the process? Really, Gabe has grown so much emotionally, and I’m so happy for him. Also, I’ll just never get enough of Billy. That boy is the cutest, funniest kid ever.
➛First read: September 2023 | ★4.0 stars ➛Second read: September 2024 | ★4.0 stars
Even though I really liked that the love journey betwe|| 4.0 stars ||
➛First read: September 2023 | ★4.0 stars ➛Second read: September 2024 | ★4.0 stars
Even though I really liked that the love journey between Jude and Asa was mostly smooth-sailing in the original book (especially since that highlighted the mature and loving relationship between the witty spitfire and the gentle giant), I do have to admit that I truly enjoyed getting some angst and drama with this short story!
I am a big sucker for jealousy scenes and even more for scenes where the love interest feels like he fucked up and starts having this inner monologue about how he is desperately afraid to loose that one person who means the most to him! We definitely get these scenes here in abundance.
I have to say, though, that Asa was uncharacteristically dumb and unable to read the room in this story, which I found a bit odd. I just can’t imagine the real him ever shoving aside Jude’s concerns like that or him not understanding that what he was doing with Hayden was wrong until it was pointed out to him. Thus, I do have to take this story with a bit of a pinch of salt. Regardless, I really did enjoy it a lot. I liked seeing both men jealous, and I especially enjoyed seeing Asa be a little insecure about losing Jude, and have him spiral about how that would literally devastate him.
Also, if anyone wants to see more of Malachi, they need to read Spring Strings, because that’s his book and it's honestly amazing.
Oh my god, this was absolutely amazing! The first half of this book was so hilarious, I nearly pissed myself laughing more times than I|| 4.5 stars ||
Oh my god, this was absolutely amazing! The first half of this book was so hilarious, I nearly pissed myself laughing more times than I can count. Eventually, though, this developed into something so much deeper: It turned into a beautiful love story between two men with a true connection, who created the sweetest family possible with the cutest five year-old boy I’ve ever seen.
Jude is the main narrator of the story, and oh what a joy it was to be inside this guy’s head! He was the kindest, funniest, most loyal and most likable character imaginable. I adored him so much. Jude is a model and the book starts with him needing to find a home to stay in after the roof of his flat collapses, which will take a few months to repair. He can stay with his best friend, Dylan, and his boyfriend, Gabe, but doesn’t particularly want to subject his delicate ears to the non-stop love-making these two get up to, so, no matter how much he loves them, he’d rather find some other place to stay. After a hilarious misunderstanding, he becomes the live-in assistant to the 15 years older moviestar, Asa, who seems to have some negative presumptions about models and their “lazy attitudes and airy brains.” Jude isn’t too bothered by his judgements, but he does find some glee in taking his revenge, which means he pretends to be a dumb airhead whenever he’s around Asa, and manages to mess up all his given tasks in the most hilarious ways possible. It doesn’t take Asa very long, however, to realise his mistake, and they both end up playing their game of pretending Jude is brain-dead, even though Asa is becoming increasingly more intrigued by the smart, funny, gorgeous man living in his house. Especially when he sees Jude interacting with his son, Billy, whom Jude shares an immediate bond with.
Billy’s relationship with both Asa and Jude was just absolutely heartwarming; they both cared about him so much, but also had a lot of fun with him. They joked around, but also treated him super softly and delicately. It was a beautiful display of perfect parenting and you could see how much that little boy loved them both; it truly warmed my heart.
Seriously, though, I loved this book so much! Jude and Asa had the best banter, and the overall story was just so freaking funny. It has a very dry wit and displays the perfect example of well-executed British humour! Moreover, it was beautiful to see these two men grow closer and closer. They learned such intimate details about the other, and they truly saw the other for who they were inside. I can’t really explain how gorgeous the slow-burn relationship between them was, because I just cannot sum it up in a few sentences. I loved how full of life these two were when they were together, and how much they both adored every little part about the other’s personality. They had true love between them. Honestly.
A romance between the Heir to the British Throne and the British Prime Minister apparently results in the sweetest, yet most impossible|| 4.0 stars ||
A romance between the Heir to the British Throne and the British Prime Minister apparently results in the sweetest, yet most impossible, forbidden love story imaginable!
I think what mostly made this book stand out for me was the fact that the love between Callum and Oliver felt so incredibly genuine. They truly connected on a deeper level, and their chemistry was palpable from beginning to end. The dynamic between these two was insanely cute and they were crazy compatible together. I honestly just loved seeing their bond grow stronger and stronger over time.
I really liked Oliver and Callum as characters. They were both very sweet, clever and loveable, but Callum definitely stole the show for me. He was geeky, clumsy and awkward, but in the absolutely best way possible. He was just utterly endearing, and I adored the hell out of him. It melted my heart to see Oliver adore him in every possible way as well; he cherished every odd quirk about Callum, and treasured every single thing about him. It was so lovely to see, and Callum honestly deserved someone who loves him like that.
I do have to say that, even though I thought this story, the characters and their romance were all incredibly charming, the writing itself wasn’t my favourite. It dragged a lot. Sometimes it felt more like I was reading an informational textbook than a cute contemporary, which was a bit jarring considering the fluffy and unrealistic nature of this book. I mean, the ending, for example, was absolutely batshit crazy, so I don’t think this book was really trying too hard to take itself seriously, which makes it odd to choose such an informational writing style. But oh well.
All in all, this book gave me a lot of happy vibes and Callum and Oliver were an amazingly sweet couple to read about....more
At the start of this book, I honestly felt really disappointed because I just wasn’t enjoying it much. For me, it dragged a little and || 3.5 stars ||
At the start of this book, I honestly felt really disappointed because I just wasn’t enjoying it much. For me, it dragged a little and the plot just didn’t grip me. I was a bit bored and it also didn’t help that the writing for these books just isn’t that great.
Before Seth, Domenico had sometimes found himself wondering if he could ever feel the way other people seemed to when they were in love, but now he understood that what he’d needed was a very special man. Someone who could accept Domenico the way he was without being hard as a block of marble himself.
However, after a little while, the story definitely picked up, and most importantly, so did Seth and Dom’s relationship. The moment the drama between them started happening again, was the moment I was once again enjoying the hell out of this book. I know these two are so toxic together and their relationship is beyond crazy, but I just love the tumultuous and angsty energy between them. Even though they fight all the damn time, they can also be so sweet and gentle with each other, and I love how they combine those two things in their relationship.
“You both fucking betrayed me, so cut the bullshit. We’re stuck together anyway, but that doesn’t mean anything’s changed since yesterday.” Mark gasped. “I’m sorry! It’s my fault. I should have said something, but you told me I shouldn’t get in between you two if anything happened. I panicked!” Seth slammed his fist against the table so hard each of their cups bled coffee. “He cuffed me to the fucking bed, Mark!” Domenico bit into his lip, and his mouth filled with a metallic taste. He clutched at his shirt. It’d been less than a day without Seth’s affection, and it was already taking such toll on his mind he’d agree to anything Seth wanted. “I made a mistake.” Seth’s eyes met his, and Dom had never seen those brows eyes so cold. “Fuck you. You’re just doing damage control because shit didn’t go your way. You’d do it all over again given half the chance.” Domenico swallowed hard. “What do you want me to do?” “I want nothing from you. I can’t even deal with you being here right now.” Seth took a deep breath and curled his shoulders. “You’ve broken me so bad I don’t even know where to go from here.” Domenico stood up and grabbed the back of Seth’s chair. “What is it that you want, damn it? I love you! I would do anything for you. Being away from you makes me physically sick! Haven’t we been through worse times and survived?” Seth nodded, and quickly got up to avoid touching Dom. “Maybe we shouldn’t have.” What seemed like a bad dream before was now becoming a nightmare. Seth truly was questioning their relationship. Domenico had assumed that yesterday’s argument was one of Seth’s typical, rash decisions, yet after so many hours apart, Seth was only more bitter. Domenico took a deep breath, resisting the sting of pain deep in his chest. “You can’t mean that. We will always be together. You know this.” “Do I?” Seth whispered.
My favourite part will forever be how insanely obsessed Dom is with Seth; I never would have guessed things would turn out this way between them from how everything started in the first book in the series, but somehow the previously cold and cruel Dom has just become so utterly whipped for his man, and I love that. Every time Dom gets jealous, possessive or insecure about Seth’s affection just has me in a chokehold. It’s so damn good.
P.S. I really don’t like Mark. I know he’s supposed to be their adopted son or whatever, but it doesn’t feel that way. The age-gap between them isn’t big enough, and Mark only really seems to respect Dom. I think I could get behind Mark’s addition to the family more of he also developed an actual bond with Seth, but unfortunately I don’t see that happening anytime soon… As it is right now, I mostly just find Mark annoying.
Okay, so I’m not quite sure what to say about this. On the one hand it was painfully stupid and exceedingly frustrating, but on the oth|| 3.0 stars ||
Okay, so I’m not quite sure what to say about this. On the one hand it was painfully stupid and exceedingly frustrating, but on the other hand I breezed right through it without any boredom or reluctance. I mean, this book was somehow insanely addictive to read, even though I didn’t actually like it? I know, it doesn’t really make sense, but it’s the truth.
This book is commonly known as “the grovel book”. Meaning, the plot is supposed to have one big scene of groveling after another. Which, technically, this did. But it wasn’t really what I was expecting or hoping for. When I think of groveling I think of desperation, of longing, of regret, of pain, of pure and complete love. I didn’t get that here. The ‘groveling’ felt… random? There was no build-up to their relationship, and the book basically began with the grovel from the get-go. This meant that we didn’t understand their dynamic or any previous feelings they might have had. I have absolutely no clue whatsoever why the heroine had fallen in love with the hero at the beginning, and I also have no idea why the hero suddenly changed his mind about her and loved her back. I only understood why he was no longer angry with her, but why that would mean he was suddenly irrevocably in love with her, I have no clue. Therefore, the grovel felt emotionless, and I had no real investment in it. Also, groveling usually means romance, softness and gentleness for me. It means the hero wanting to show himself from his best side to get the heroine to forgive him. To fall back in love with him. With this book we didn’t really get that. The hero mostly felt indignant and entitled when it came to the heroine’s forgiveness. He acted like she was just being difficult by not crawling back to him. Like that was what she was supposed to do, and he didn’t understand how she could possibly not! That’s not really the attitude I was hoping for.
Which brings me to my next point, namely; the hero and heroine’s disappointing personalities. When you think of a book with a lot of groveling, you assume the heroine is strong-minded with a real sense of self-respect, right? But no. Theresa wasn’t like that. She was stubborn, sure. But she wasn’t strong and she didn’t have any self-respect. At heart, she was just like all the other horrible heroines who have absolutely no back-bone. I mean, it literally wasn’t even that she didn’t want to forgive the hero, it was simply that she didn’t believe he would actually want her, and thus, she didn’t trust him to not break her heart again. It had nothing to do with her not wanting to be with someone who had caused her so much pain, humiliation, grief and loneliness. It was just a lack of her believing he would actually want her… After all, she was still constantly horny for him, and even had sex with him multiple times while he was supposed to be groveling. Which is not what I wanted from this. At all.
“Theresa, don’t you dare beat yourself up about it. If the divorce rumours are true then he’s a bastard for abandoning his pregant wife when she needs him most,” Rick fumed. “No, I’m happy for him. He was trapped…” she was so dazed, she barely realised what she was saying and Rick swore in disbelief. “My God, it’s like you have battered wife syndrome. Stop making excuses for him, he’s an ass who hurt you time and again.”
Now, moving on the the hero, it doesn’t get much better. He might possibly be the most stupid person on the planet. This man does not know what the word “communicate” means. None of his problems would exist if he just opened his mouth and spoke what he was thinking once in a while. Why didn’t he say he loved her? Why didn’t he say he wanted to stay married to her after they had a son? Why didn’t he say he wasn’t in love with Fransesca? Why didn’t he say any of the things he needed to say to get Theresa to understand and/or forgive him? Why would he constantly let her assume the worst? It would almost seem as if he was actively working against himself on his quest of winning Theresa back. It was insane! And don’t even get me started on the fact that he was still an arsehole, even while he was trying to win her back, because I don’t even want to get into it. He still did some very questionable and rude things, which was a shame, since his nicer moments were often glossed over or even skipped entirely in the book. The narration would just say something like: “they played board games all night,” and not really get into any of their conversations or interactions during those sweeter or softer scenes.
All in all, I really didn’t like the characters or the romance, but the book itself was somehow still entertaining. It wasn’t great. But it wasn’t bad either. Just some simple, mindless fun with a heavy dose of stupidity....more
Ryke and Daisy were honestly very cute together, and I loved how protective he was of her. They were matched pretty perfectly; both hav|| 3.0 stars ||
Ryke and Daisy were honestly very cute together, and I loved how protective he was of her. They were matched pretty perfectly; both having a wild, adventurous, laid-back, humble and caring nature. They just seem like that type of couple who would never get bored of each other and who can do the most insane and dangerous stuff together without ever losing the big ass smiles on their face! They just really give off this super cool and sexy vibe as a couple without even really trying. But it’s not just that; they are always each other’s rock, and give full-on support for anything the other wants to do or achieve. Judgement literally isn’t a word that exists in their vocabulary, and they have legit mastered the hurt/comfort trope.
I do have to put this out there: This book (and probably the entire series) very much romanticizes trauma, but I tried not to think about that too much, because it would have just pissed me off the entire time.
Anyway, like I said, I loved Daisy and Ryke, but unfortunately that love did not extent to any of the other four semi-main characters. They are all terribly selfish (except sometimes Connor), and the way they treat Ryke and Daisy made my blood boil. Both of them are kind of the black sheep; easily forgotten, and even more easily ignored. The rest really took them for granted, which sucked, because Ryke and Daisy were the only selfless and likable people in the group.
It also really pissed me off that Daisy felt like she had to suppress all of her issues and trauma because she felt like her family was already dealing with enough because of Lily. Like, no offense… but Daisy went through so much more than Lily. Sure, Lily has a sex addiction, but Daisy has depression, has an eating disorder, has been physically assaulted, has night terrors, has PTSD, has been sexually assaulted multiple times, has no agency over her own life, has been violated in more ways than one, is used by everyone around her, is stuck in the toxic culture of modeling, is being abused by her mother, and basically just gets ignored all the damn time by everyone even though she’s the person who deserves to complain the most. Everyone in that family just made me mad because they were so damn selfish!! How can they not take notice of the teenage girl slowly dying inside?? Instead they were all just so preoccupied with their own damn issues (which were largely their own fault anyway), and expecting everyone to care about how much they were struggling. All these people were insanely self-absorbed. And it broke my heart, because Daisy deserved so much better. I literally started crying when I read about what happened with her friends and the dildo in the elevator… Just legit sobbing. And none of her family was there for her during those times. None of them cared enough to notice. This teenage girl just had to keep it all inside…
“I don’t ever, ever want to choose Lily over Daisy. Just because Lily cries harder. Just because Lily screams harder. It doesn’t mean that Daisy’s pain isn’t more.”
Now, of course I’ll also need to do a little rant on my most hated character: Loren. Loren is a massive prick and I don’t really know why Ryke puts up with it. Somehow Loren doesn’t seem to understand that he is getting a lot more out of their relationship than Ryke is, because he constantly acts like he’s doing Ryke a massive favour by letting him be close to him? But like, sir, you’re a giant mess, you’re an absolute drag to be around, and frankly, you need all the help you can get. You should be GLAD Ryke is willing to put up with your ungrateful arse. Loren was literally only sober because of Ryke. Without him, he’d probably be half-dead by now. And all Ryke gets in return is hate, judgement and the cold-shoulder treatment?? Seriously, PISS OFF. Loren is literally the most selfish person ever, and I don’t really care if it’s because he’s an addict. I mean, doesn’t everyone have a reason for being the way they are? It doesn’t make them any less of an arsehole. Also, why does Loren think he has the right to be this ridiculously overprotective of Daisy? He hardly even knows her (like, seriously, their relationship is extremely shallow and superficial) and he’s not even her brother. Daisy’s ACTUAL sisters didn’t have a problem with her and Ryke being together, so what the actual hell was this idiot’s problem? I mean, I understand he’s about as narcissistic as one can possibly be, but MY DUDE, this is in no way, shape or form about you!! Stop making yourself the victim all the damn time. Like, he hasn’t helped Daisy with any of her problems, EVER, while Ryke was there 24/7, helping her (and helping Loren too, by the way) in any way he could, but somehow Loren still thinks he has the moral high ground here? Like Daisy is just that important to him? And not to Ryke?? God, how I hate this man and how nobody ever calls him out for his horrendous behaviour. If I’m being honest, my biggest issue with Ryke and Daisy’s relationship was how he seemed to prioritize his relationship with his selfish brother over her wants and needs sometimes. He mostly didn’t, but sometimes… sometimes he did. And I truly despised those moments.
All in all, I obviously had some issues with this book but none of them centered around the romance between the main couple. It all had to do with their relationships to the other people around them…...more
Oh, this is what a love story should be! It had me kicking my feet up in the air, twirling my hair, giggling like a maniac and squealin|| 4.5 stars ||
Oh, this is what a love story should be! It had me kicking my feet up in the air, twirling my hair, giggling like a maniac and squealing like a 14-year old girl who just saw Harry Styles for the first time (and no, we will not talk about the fact that I would still squeal like that at 21 for that man, because it’s definitely besides the point. Anyyyway….)
This story felt so beautifully magical (which is funny since Mik and Zuzana are technically the only characters in the series who are not magical), and I couldn’t help but swoon and sigh dramatically at the pure and sweet love between these two. It’s not easy to explain what made this so lovely, but it was truly a perfect mixture of sweetness, good humour and gorgeous writing.
Mik and Zuzana are honestly the most adorable couple ever! They’re both so cute, and they go so well together. Zuzana is such a sassy little spit-fire, and it was amazing to see her matched with someone so gentle and preciously perfect for her. I had constant heart eyes while seeing these two being so ridiculously in love with each other!
I also loved that Zuzana was the one who made the first move and came up with this elaborate scheme to woo her lover rather than just sit around and wait to be noticed! It’s so typically her, and I adore that about her. I also adored that Mik went along with it instantly, while, of course, making his own adorably sweet gesture at the end.
Lastly, I really loved the glimpses of Zuzana and Karou’s friendship we got here. There is no doubt in my mind that they are fiercely loyal and dedicated to each other and their interactions are always hilarious. They have an amazingly realistic and true friendship!
All in all, this novella was laugh-out-loud hilarious, endearingly innocent, utterly adorable, sugary sweet, and stunningly magical! It really felt like a fairy tale!
This wasn’t bad or anything, but it was just wholly unnecessary and rather boring. There was literally no plot whatsoever.
Also, I’m per|| 2.5 stars ||
This wasn’t bad or anything, but it was just wholly unnecessary and rather boring. There was literally no plot whatsoever.
Also, I’m personally not even a fan of Cardan and Jude as a couple, but even I was still hoping for a little more scenes with them together, and especially about Cardan’s feelings for her. But nope. None of the flashbacks even really had Jude in them, let alone featured her in a romantic way. It was all very disappointing and underwhelming.
I do like Cardan as a character, though. I mean, he’s obviously not a good person and I’m certainly not obsessed with him like many other readers are, but he’s pretty fun to read about.
This was insta-lust; nothing more. There were also constant, non-stop time jumps that made it completely impossible to actually see any || 1.0 star ||
This was insta-lust; nothing more. There were also constant, non-stop time jumps that made it completely impossible to actually see any (supposed) development between these two: It’s all tell, and no show. We never really went into detail in any conversation or situation: we literally glanced over everything.
Also, Rhys was the most bland hero ever and Bridget had no personality either. All of their interactions honestly bored me to tears or simply just pissed me off. They had no chemistry at all.
Part of me wanted to push her away from me, and another part wanted to drag her into my arms and keep her as mine. Except I couldn’t. Bridget was too young, too innocent and too off-limits, and I’d damn well better not forget that.
So all in all, there simply wasn’t any depth to be found here, and neither did I see any actual love between them. Once they actually got together all they ever did was have sex. They had no emotional intimacy whatsoever.
“Remember. In public, you’re my princess, but in private, you’re my whore.” His other hand reached down and pinched my swollen clit until I squealed, and the beginning tremors of an orgasm rocked through me. “You’ll do what I say, when I say it, and you’ll take my cock however I want. Won’t you?” “Yes,” I breathed.
And don’t even get me started on the dirty talk or the weird power dynamics between these two during sex… Every time they were together in an intimate way I just had to cringe.
“Keep your underwear, gloves and heels on, and crawl to me.” My breath gusted out in shock even as my core spasmed at the order. I’d never crawled for anyone in my life—while I was all but naked, no less. Even if I wasn’t the future queen, it would be degrading. Humiliating. Depraved. And I’d never been more turned on. I sank to my hands and knees, and I began to crawl.
Lastly, the plot in this book was seriously as uninteresting and boring as humanly possible. I genuinely couldn’t care any less.
This book was the literal definition of the “he falls first, and he falls harder” trope, and damnnn if I don’t love the hell out of tha|| 4.0 stars ||
This book was the literal definition of the “he falls first, and he falls harder” trope, and damnnn if I don’t love the hell out of that!
She was so goddamn beautiful I couldn’t even stand to look at her some days.
Christian was usually cold, controlled and heartless in all aspects of life, but he literally made himself go to therapy because of his out of control obsession with Gianna. He also casually wore her hairband around his wrist for years before they even got together, even when they weren’t even talking or living in the same state. This man was whipped from the minute he saw her and couldn’t stop thinking about her for years and years. She consumed his every thought, dictated his every action, and basically just made his world spin.
His jaw tightened. “You left.” “Of course, I left. I knew this wouldn’t work out from the beginning, and tonight just confirmed it.” “This?” My throat felt tight. “Us.” Tension gripped him tight. Rain collected on his eyelashes. Something torturous flickered through his gaze. “What are you saying?” The words were accented, and somehow, it tore my chest down the middle. “You know what I’m saying.” I swallowed. “We knew this would come to an end eventually.” His teeth clenched. “This might come to an end for you, but it will never be over for me.”
Meanwhile, Gianna was so unbothered, she literally forgot this man’s name after already knowing him for three years. At the same time that he was going to therapy because of his obsession with her, she couldn’t even remember something as easy as his name. I swear, I cackled so hard when they just had sex for the first time and Christian probably felt over the moon about that, only for her to casually reveal she didn’t know his damn name. I mean, it was definitely brutal, but I loved it.
“Allister,” I begged. “I just had my tongue inside you,” he said, annoyed. “You can start by calling me by my first name.” I opened my mouth. Closed it. His eyes darkened as he took in my expression. “You forgot my name.”
I really liked that Gianna was strong-willed and fiery, and never backed down. She always stood her ground and gave everything back as hard as she got. Nonetheless, she wasn't jaded or bitter or rude; no, she was bubbly and sweet and charming. She also wasn't afraid to be vulnerable from time to time. She was the complete opposite of Christian in every way, whose emotions were locked up tighter than the best-secured vault in the world, and who could only be described as the grumpiest, coldest, most stoic and most uptight man alive. He did have a soft side hidden somewhere very very deep, but it only came out once in a blue moon, and only for Gianna.
“What are you afraid of?” “Everything,” I whispered, trailing my finger across the starched collar of his dress shirt. “You’re not afraid of me.” We were so close his cheek brushed my tear-streaked one when he rasped, “And, baby, I’m worse than the dark.”
My one big complaint with this book is that they were both just too freaking horny all the time. I really wish more of their interactions could have resulted in emotional intimacy rather than only sexual tension. Don’t get me wrong, I felt all hot and bothered about the latter, but I would have truly loved to get more of the emotional intimacy too.
Although this was pretty entertaining and addictive to read (for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on), I won’t deny that it was tech|| 2.5 stars ||
Although this was pretty entertaining and addictive to read (for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on), I won’t deny that it was technically bad. The plot was okay-ish (for this type of book at least), but the romance definitely lacked any kind of depth or emotion. The entire relationship was lust-based and all they did was have hate-sex. It wasn’t until the book was almost over that I finally started to see some semblance of a connection between these two (which was honestly still shallow at best). Before that point they only felt animosity and an inexplicable attraction towards each other, and no hint of gentleness or affection was in sight. It would certainly be a fair description to call their relationship toxic and unhealthy, which wouldn’t be the end of the world if it weren’t for the fact that their obsession with each other was only based on lust and hate.
'Calluvia’s Royalty' series: 1. That Alien Feeling - 2.5 stars 2. That Irresistible Poison - 2.5 stars...more
I’m truly obsessed with my boy Oliver!! His sass kills me every time, and I just love how steadfast he can be despite him being technic|| 3.5 stars ||
I’m truly obsessed with my boy Oliver!! His sass kills me every time, and I just love how steadfast he can be despite him being technically “weak” or “soft”. I fully understand why Erik is completely obsessed with him, because he has totally charmed me as well.
My favourite part of their relationship was how dedicated they both were to each other. I genuinely believed they would have given up everything for the other, and that nothing could be more important to them than their love.
Love. That was what he felt, he knew; the sort of slow-built, sustainable, devastating love he’d never hoped to have.
To see Erik be so scared of losing Oliver had me feeling flutters in my belly, and I wish we could have seen him completely fall apart over it. Don’t get me wrong, I adore how well they talked everything out and communicated openly, but I am a sucker for drama, so I would have appreciated a more severe blow-out between them when everything went down. There was still some angst between them, definitely, but I personally would have liked to see it be dragged out a bit more.
“I want to keep you safe. I don’t want to have dragged you through the wilderness, at the mercy of the clans, just to prove a political point. I don’t—I don’t want you to be cold, or sick, or miserable, or in danger of being eaten.” He shook his head, and his voice cracked. “I am afraid, every second, that you will decide none of this is worth it.” “You’re afraid that I’ll decide none of this is worth what?” he asked, softly. In the smallest voice that Oliver had ever heard from him, he whispered, “Me.”
That said, I do not feel a similar fondness towards either of his cousins, Tessa and Amelia, and I therefore dreaded their chapters. I was so much more interested in Oliver and Erik’s storyline, whether it was political or romantic, and I wish the whole book could have focused solely on them as the main characters.
Bjorn and Revna were, other than Erik and Ollie, the ones I felt most intrigued by. The way that man is completely whipped and constantly pining after her was making me swoon quite a bit. Especially since he has loved her for decades; unrequitedly, I might add! I definitely wouldn’t mind it if the next book will give them more page-time.
Bjorn’s love—and it could only be called that; deny it all she liked, she knew that was the emotion burning in his gaze—was a savage, nearly-violent thing. A starving, hungry, desperate love, one he kept in check, kept tamped down low, from sheer force of will.
Lastly, I just want to talk about how much I love the dragons!! It’s a particular weakness of mine when fantasy series have dragons that behave like loyal pets to their riders, and that’s exactly the vibe these dragons are giving to the Drakes from the get-go. I can’t wait to see how their dynamics will unfold.
'The Drake Chronicles': 1. Heart of Winter - 3.5 stars 2. Edge of the Wild - 3.5 stars...more
Disclaimer: This is honestly going to be more of a rant than an actual review, because I was just really in the mood for some unedited || 2.0 stars ||
Disclaimer: This is honestly going to be more of a rant than an actual review, because I was just really in the mood for some unedited venting. Also, more importantly, I will be hating on one of the main characters, so I’m sorry if I’ll offend anyone with that.
Okay, so first of all, this really wasn’t much of a romance and mostly just felt like a big trauma dump. It kinda seemed like the main characters were in constant competition about who had it the hardest in life, which I found… unsettling. Especially since that was all they seemed to be doing. Literally. Nothing else happens in this book other than brooding, misery and trauma. So it’s clearly not much of a romance, even though it’s packaged as such.
The idea of this book is that we have two guys, Jonah and Dylan, who cannot stand each other at all, but they’re in the same friend group so they have to hang out more often than they would like. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers trope. However, the issue for me was that one of them was the clear problem in their relationship. I’ll explain. Okay, so Jonah is an extravert teenager who has to take care of his younger sisters because his mother is dead and his father is an absent drunk. His life pretty much sucks. He has to play at parent even though he’s a kid himself, he has to work more hours than is legally allowed, he hardly ever eats because he has no money for it, and he can never let himself be sad because he has to be strong for his sisters. As you can probably guess, this guy is under a lot of stress and suffers from a lot of pain, and he never takes time for himself. Okay, so then now imagine that during the few moments where Jonah does finally get to hang out with his friends and be himself, there is this judgemental, rich, arrogant arsehole who is constantly berating him for being “too loud” and shaming him for wanting “too much attention”. Like fucking excuse me!? And take in mind: Jonah never really did anything to Dylan to deserve this treatment. Jonah just existed, and tried to do the best he could with the shitty cards he’d been dealt, and yet, he still had to suffer through this constant judgement from Dylan FOR NO REASON. Trust me when I tell you I would have done far worse than tease Dylan for being uptight like Jonah did. I would have freaked out on that prick. So yea. Dylan was 100% the problem for me, which is never a good start for an enemies-to-lovers trope, since I’d prefer for both of them to be equally at fault. And preferably, for neither of them to be this unreasonably insufferable.
Anyway, there’s like this elaborate scheme going on in this book where Dylan and Jonah decide to fake-date to get their friends off their backs about saying they should be together. Why Jonah’s friends ever thought Dylan would be perfect for him is beyond me, but whatever. That’s not the point, I guess. So yes, they start fake-dating. Which should be a fun trope, but was the absolute exact opposite. Their fake-dating felt extremely mechanical, and really lacked any kind of passion or tension. The only time they let themselves get real with each other was when Jonah was functioning as Dylan’s semi-therapist, and there’s not much to their interactions besides that. They truly had no chemistry whatsoever and everything about their dynamic was just bland.
As I think I have made pretty clear already: I really disliked Dylan. He was grumpy in an energy-draining kind of way, and I really struggled to find anything about him I could find charming. It also didn’t help that he lacked the usual protectiveness that goes with grumpy characters. He was actually painfully selfish and self-absorbed. He got pissy about EVERYTHING, and he had the nerve to get offended over every single little thing, even though he was the biggest judgemental arsehole on the planet. Also, Dylan’s thoughts about Jonah always made me a bit sad. He never appreciated him, and he never stopped judging him. Not when they started getting to know each other better, and not even when they got together. Dylan seemed to have minimal amounts of sympathy and understanding for Jonah, and his thoughts about him were always so dismissive and diminishing. It was just sad, and Jonah deserved so much more than that.
I mean, even the third-act break-up just made me so ANGRY. Dylan never even considered helping Jonah with his home-life during all the years he’s known him (because he was always too far up his own arse), but when he finally does, he decides to do it in the most invasive and deceitful way possible. He does it in a way that makes Jonah feel betrayed and extremely scared he is going to loose his sisters. And so when Jonah gets (rightfully) angry about that, Dylan stomps on him a bit harder and completely crushes his feelings. And what do you think Dylan does after that? Grovel? Feel guilty? Try to make sure Jonah is alright? No, of course not. He decides to leave for the week and spend time solving his OWN issues. Because this is the perfect time for that, obviously. And he feels just perfectly fine and happy during this time. Just peachy. And when he finally reaches out to Jonah again, it’s because he wants to talk about his OWN issues AGAIN… Seriously, Dylan might have possibly been the most self-absorbed character I’ve read about in quite some time.
The only highlight in this book was Jonah and especially his relationship with his little sisters. I really liked Jonah, and my heart broke for his situation. I felt so much warmth for the way he was always there for them in every way. But not only that; he was very perceptive of every other person around him, and he was actually very kind and helpful. The fact that he was able to do this while he was under so much stress himself was super admirable. I mean, he was always there for Dylan, and he always noticed when Dylan needed comfort or help (which was pretty much the opposite of what this guy gave him in return, but whatever… I went on a rant about that long enough).
All in all, this book brought out a lot of annoyance for me, and it’s mostly due to Dylan being absolutely insufferable and mind-bogglingly self-absorbed....more
Yea, I’m not feeling this whatsoever anymore. The characters have become very ridiculous, annoying and bland, and the romance is also s|| 1.5 stars ||
Yea, I’m not feeling this whatsoever anymore. The characters have become very ridiculous, annoying and bland, and the romance is also starting to feel a little weird to me. Their interactions have lost all traces of chemistry, and it just feels forced and superficial now. Their first kiss was literally so random and wasn’t cute at all. I’m also starting to feel a little uncomfortable with how naive and childish Persephone is; her romance with Hades is honestly starting to seem more like he’s just babysitting her.
Also, I truly don’t like how the rape plotline is just not being dealt with properly. Apollo has been completely getting away with it, and Persephone just doesn’t do anything about it. Why is she just going about her days, not dealing with what happened to her? She should really tell someone. I don’t like that her trauma is being milked like this for drama, and that it’s now already four volumes later and there’s still no change in that situation whatsoever.
Honestly, this whole series just drags on and on and on. I’m truly done with it at this point.
Pfft okay, I think I’m really over this now. The pacing is horrendous, and there’s literally no progression at all. Nothing seems to be|| 2.0 stars ||
Pfft okay, I think I’m really over this now. The pacing is horrendous, and there’s literally no progression at all. Nothing seems to be moving forward.
I’m so sick and tired of Persephone’s “I need to stay a virgin” shtick, and I’m even more done with Hades’s “I’m gonna bottle up my feelings and just continue to be in a relationship with someone else” thing. This was all already pretty annoying at first, but the fact that it’s still happening? Yea, I’m bored.
I love Hecate, Hera, Artemis and Eros so much! They’re the kind of support squad everyone deserves. Opposingly, I literally want to kill|| 3.0 stars ||
I love Hecate, Hera, Artemis and Eros so much! They’re the kind of support squad everyone deserves. Opposingly, I literally want to kill Zeus and Apollo. They are the worst pieces of garbage.
Anyway, I feel like the romance is starting to lack a little bit and it needs to pick up the pacing. We hardly got any interactions between Hades and Persephone, which is kind of disappointing, since that’s the most interesting part of this whole series.
And what’s up with the fact that Hades just continues to be in a relationship with Minthe, and that he’s actually trying to make it work?? It’s really annoying, and kind of makes me lose respect for the guy. Like, dude, you either love Persephone or you don’t; you can’t have it both ways. Urgh.
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