This was neither romance, nor women’s fiction (two literary genres that are known for having good things happen to their female protagonists). SurprisThis was neither romance, nor women’s fiction (two literary genres that are known for having good things happen to their female protagonists). Surprising because it was presented as both. The blurb doesn’t make it clear what to expect from this novel. Someone suggested a little too ambitious marketing practices but I don’t know if that’s the case.
The truth is, this is a sad book about a sad woman who goes through sad things. It also has a tragic ending that had no business worsening my already bad mood.
The writing was fine. And at the beginning it’s a really fun book but it gets darker as you continue along. This is probably related to the fact that the plot meanders a lot and the main story arc kicks off after the 60% mark. So, to pass time we have to witness the protagonist date lots of different men all of whom are absolutely disgusting people. I guess the main focus of the book is how the protagonist has to find herself before she finds love but she’s more or less an addict and she dates every man she comes into contact with. And then, she is severely punished for acting this way.
On that note, I want to add that this book flirts heavily with slutshaming and the concept of punishing sexually adventurous female characters by having them suffer extremely. Even the supposed best friend of the heroine calls her a trollop –ugh.
***
Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
When life gave her a lemon, Ellie made it a lemonade. She built herself a new life, kind of a random one but it works for her. Then the man she has a When life gave her a lemon, Ellie made it a lemonade. She built herself a new life, kind of a random one but it works for her. Then the man she has a crush on comes back into her life. There’s a dog, he kind of belongs to both of them. There are also a lot of side characters.
This book has the classic romcom plot. A heroine with a non-job, quirky side characters, a cute dog and the obligatory airport climax scene. I did have a hard time at the beginning, I thought it was a bit hard-to-follow and the book itself is too long in my opinion. I feel like there was a lot of filler and lots of things could’ve been cut short. However, it was a fun romcom and the more I read, the more I got into it.
***
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Meyer and Archie were married. Then they were divorced. But Archie forgot about the latter after an accident and now, Meyer has to take him home and pMeyer and Archie were married. Then they were divorced. But Archie forgot about the latter after an accident and now, Meyer has to take him home and pretend that they’re still married. Everything’s complicated too because Meyer can’t decide between avenging her broken heart and protecting it so that it doesn’t get broken again. Because what happens when Archie finally remembers what he forgot and leaves again ?
You know when you read a romance novel, and since they’re mostly formulaic (no shade –I’ve read 160 romance novels this year alone…), around 75% there’s always this 3rd act conflict where the heroine and the hero get into a fight or some other thing before eventually getting back together at the end ?
So this book was like a really elongated version of that part. And I LOVED it ! Never have I ever loved a second chance romcom story this much. The amnesia plot (why I’d felt drawn to it in the first place) changed everything and the whole book felt like an exciting mix between second chance and enemies-stuck-together tropes.
Lovable male lead and a very relatable female one. The author has a fun writing style : I had a lot of fun being in Meyer’s head. There was just the right amount of angst and deception. At a certain point, the story feels like an homage to the unforgettable Friends quote : “They don’t know that we know they know we know.”
Honestly, this was a special book. I liked it so much that I stalked the author on Goodreads and picked up another book of hers immediately after finishing this one. And I have a new beloved romcom author now.
***
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This was like if The Big Bang Theory (the series) was actually funny and the main characters were likable (also if it was a romance). I loved it. The This was like if The Big Bang Theory (the series) was actually funny and the main characters were likable (also if it was a romance). I loved it. The funniest and the most interesting contemporary I’ve read in a while.
***
Jackie Darling Lee not only has a cool name but also a cool job at NASA. There are still a couple things on her to-do list though, like, become an astronaut, get a social life, etc. Then, she’s blackmailed into going out and she unknowingly starts working on both of those items on her list.
Maybe I liked this book a lot because it doesn’t try so hard to have a gimmick. It just has great leads and a cute story and lets them do their magic. Jackie was a great fmc : smart, confident in her abilities and knowledge, if a bit socially awkward. Flynn was an unforgettable mmc because he wasn’t at all an alphahole even though he had the makings of one. I swooned when Flynn got Jackie to text him back by sending her annoyingly wrong informative texts like : the moon landing was a hoax.
I loved the friendship between the 3 (+1 absentee) women. Side characters were delightful. Especially Rose (I can’t wait to read her book -and honestly all the others). It means so much when Jackie was having problems with Flynn, Rose didn’t try to push them back together, giving them time to sort things out by themselves and being there for Jackie as her friend and not Flynn’s sister.
I think I’m half in love with the women of Sara L Hudson. Like I said, I’m already itching to read their novels and get inside their heads (especially Rose’s). The men are not too shabby either.
***
Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
TLDR : I would recommend this book to fans of Lucifer (2016-2021) in a heartbeat. It reminded me a lot of that show. The first half goes slow but thenTLDR : I would recommend this book to fans of Lucifer (2016-2021) in a heartbeat. It reminded me a lot of that show. The first half goes slow but then it picks up the pace and gets more and more interesting towards the end. Writing had some hiccups. There could have been more exploration of this new world the heroine is thrust into. But ultimately, I enjoyed it.
***
The ultimate throwback to my teenage years : the chosen zero plot. Oh, how I missed it. Eragon anyone ? Kung Fu Panda ? I went into such a deep nostalgic vortex while reading this, rewatching my favorites like W.I.T.C.H and Juniper Lee.
Maisy : “A man who never contacted me, not even after my parents were killed, gave no indication at any point that he knew or cared I existed, made a point of paying for the time of a lawyer to draft a will only to leave me a mystery key ?”
Not only that but the key comes with great responsibility and three gorgeous supernatural hunks. Unfortunately, this is not a reverse harem. Fortunately, Rhys is interesting enough to make up for that lapse in judgment. He’s cool as hell, albeit a tad undercooked. But he’s got the ideal book boyfriend lines like ;
“Don’t ever scare me like that again.” [...] Nothing can happen to you. Do you hear me ?”
Careful there Rhys, you just might make me swoon ! Anyways, Imperfect Angel has likable characters, lovable sidekicks and an interesting plot that starts slow. The first half is mostly spent on mcs getting to know each other. Which is fine because it gets much better after a while. The pace quickens and the plot thickens and that’s where I started to truly enjoy the book. All of it leads to an open ended HEA. So maybe we might expect a second book. Also, there were very interesting side characters (the witch and Lilith for example). It would have been amazing to read more about them instead of Rhys’s lovesick ramblings.
So yes, that’s my constructive criticism : A little subtlety is just what the doctor ordered for this book. Maisy looks a certain way and Rhys immediately goes into his thoughts explaining in great detail how that look is very distinguished from all other humans. Maisy holds a finger up and again, I’m in Rhys’s head, learning how that finger holding sets her apart. Maisy does anything and Rhys is determinedly trying to convince me why she’s bold or worthy or whatever. I’m starting to think Maisy might be the main character. I’m starting to think Rhys might be a dumbass (very much in love, but still a dumbass).
***
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Myrtle, a young woman who feels estranged from her family, is left behind in the city by accident (by her family). And at Christmas time, no less. NatMyrtle, a young woman who feels estranged from her family, is left behind in the city by accident (by her family). And at Christmas time, no less. Naturally, she tries to befriend her grumpy, loner neighbor who, at first, is less than interested. Over time and thanks to Myrtle’s determination, the two become close.
Here’s my favorite out of context quote : “Mrs. Belden is a twat.”
A very enjoyable slowburn with lots of sexual tension (and closed door sex). Grumpy & sunshine. One bed trope. The MMC was sweet and endearing with that incredible dog of his. Horace the dog was the star and I’m in love with him. All in all a fun, cute christmas story with likable characters and lots of references to Jane Austen. It has an HEA. But for those who may not like that, the MMC is a widower. Which caught me by surprise (it really should be included in the blurb) but it didn’t put me off.
I’m observing that people give this book a hard time because the plot is similar to that of Home Alone. Admittedly I never watched that film (I know I’m a monster). But even so, I feel like this could be considered a different take and isn’t that allowed ?
The negative : A bit verbose. The plot takes its time while you continuously hear about how Myrtle is NOT a child. What a way to convince someone of something : repeating it over and over. And don’t get me started on all the ‘she’s not like other girls’ vibes. I guess it’s really easy to go there in historical romance because the rules of polite society were downright brutal back then. Still, I think it’s a crutch.
*** I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
TLDR : A very entertaining read that sucked me in. I ended up listening to hours of music while reading this book –mariachi classics which led to bachTLDR : A very entertaining read that sucked me in. I ended up listening to hours of music while reading this book –mariachi classics which led to bachata, salsa and even tango. New favorites were discovered. New playlists were created. Incidentally, some Spanish was learned. Here’s my point : this is not just a novel but it’s an experience. I recommend.
***
“I messed up. But I’ll do everything and anything to make it up to you. Te quiero, Catalina Capuleta. Bésame. Bésame mucho.”
Catalina Capuleta gets the chance of a lifetime when she joins superstar heartthrob and fellow mariachi Patricio Galán on his concert tour. While Patricio may be a charming and handsome distraction, Catalina’s determined to keep her head in the game and use this opportunity to launch her career.
“Look, I know that all of this” —she motioned from her head down to her torso— “is hard to resist. And you—” She huffed out a breath as she jabbed an open palm at him. “Bueno, we both know you’ve perfected that swoony Latin-lover charm your fans adore. But it is wasted on me. Are we clear?”
I think the author did an amazing job with her characters. Catalina and Patricio were the best part of this book. She showed their hopes and desires, Catalina’s temper and need to prove herself (and her point), Particio’s loneliness and yearning for something more. I identified with some of these feelings which made them all the more compelling.
A couple warnings : While this book can be read as a standalone, considering it’s the second book in a series, I would suggest starting with West Side Love Story (the first book) to get better context. Also, this book is semi-closed-door : there are explicit scenes leading up to the main event which is closed-door.
***
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Enrique’s a small business owner who signed a contract without reading the fine print and now he’s stuck driving around the rich daddy’s girl as her pEnrique’s a small business owner who signed a contract without reading the fine print and now he’s stuck driving around the rich daddy’s girl as her personal chauffeur. But January isn’t at all what the paparazzi make her out to be. What starts as mutual hatred, slowly turns into friendship and maybe more.
I enjoyed this. It was a closed door, enemies to lovers romcom. I also thought it was funny. Enrique’s family was hilarious actually. Recommend if you don’t mind closed door romance. For me, it was a much appreciated reprieve from all the insta-love I’ve been binging.
Some things could be improved : January’s character growth is not shown very well. Both characters could’ve been developed further actually. Also (view spoiler)[January’s mother appears out of nowhere, and it feels kind of random (hide spoiler)]. Her dad wasn’t established enough as a villain and a lot of things felt like they were glossed over.
*** I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
TLDR : Spicy small town romance with likeable characters. It was too long in my opinion. But it has a great atmosphere for a light summer read. MediumTLDR : Spicy small town romance with likeable characters. It was too long in my opinion. But it has a great atmosphere for a light summer read. Medium angst. I would recommend it for people who like romcoms but also want some spice in them.
***
Three stars. I liked the main characters a lot and how they interacted with each other. I also loved how much Aiden was simping for Mia, it was swoon-worthy and heartbreaking at the same time. Also funny. But, this was just too long. It should be cut down to half I’d even say. All the shenanigans involving the cousin could’ve been put in her own book, since it seems like she’ll be getting one. The third act conflict felt forced but I appreciated how quickly it was resolved through communication.
I think I would’ve appreciated this book more if it had a bit more direction. A lot of interesting plot points occurred but they weren't really explored. For example, (view spoiler)[at the beginning, Mia seems to be soul searching, trying to find what she wants to do with her life. Then she gets promoted and it seems that her new job is something she would love and be great at. She organizes some events but that’s about it. No more exploration. Then there’s Aiden, who’s hated by the locals. Everything’s fine at the end and we do get a scene where there’s a shift and the locals start to get to know him a bit. However, we don’t really witness this shift through Aiden’s eyes which is frustrating because being hated by everyone was something that caused him a lot of insecurity throughout the book (hide spoiler)].
So that’s why I’m giving it three stars. I appreciated the chemistry and the sizzle but sometimes it’s not enough to carry the whole book, especially if the book is this long. Which takes me back to where I started : if this book was shorter, it would be a four-star read for me.
***
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
First of all the most important question I have is this : Who puts a bandaid on a paper cut ? Please answer this. I need to know if this is a thing.
TFirst of all the most important question I have is this : Who puts a bandaid on a paper cut ? Please answer this. I need to know if this is a thing.
The plot in short : Trixie finds a chicken on the road and adopts it. Bear rents her the spare room in his house. Will Chick-Chick (what an unimaginative name for a chicken) overcome her injuries ? Will Bear and Trixie rise above their issues and fall in love ?
TLDR : Romcom with a cute premise and moderate-level spice. I especially liked that they were roommates because they developed a friendship around watching Grey’s Anatomy reruns and pigging out on pancakes and mac n’ cheese. It was still insta-lust though. The chicken is sweet. Trixie gives off some heavy manic pixie dream girl vibes. She’s also not like other girls as Bear so shrewdly deduces that, ‘she wasn’t afraid to eat in front of him’. Do what you want with that information. I recommend it to angsty romcom lovers.
***
I’m feeling a huge rant coming on. One that I don’t want to unleash. So I decided to divide my review into three parts in hopes of being more concise.
The good : It has a cute premise. Forced proximity and animals are always appreciated. I liked Bear a lot. He’s the dream, right ? Handsome, gruff, good with his hands and a good cook. Also, something unrelated but worth mentioning is that, although sometimes cringey (because of Bear) and sometimes problematic (because of Trixie), this book actually does touch on issues I concern myself with. A big idea in feminism is that girls and boys are socialized very differently from each other and that creates problems when they grow up. Basically, girls might grow up to have trouble accepting and/or expressing their ‘negative’ emotions and boys may unwillingly conform to toxic masculinity rules, or even embrace them.
The bad : Not much happens for a while, except of course, I slowly start to dislike Trixie because she starts playing hot and cold with Bear. (view spoiler)[She sleeps with him after which she avoids him like the plague. Then, after a bad day at work, she runs into his arms out of nowhere and kisses him, only to ice him out again. (hide spoiler)] Fed up with all this, the chicken finally forces the plot forward.
The ugly : Chapter Thirty-Seven. Everything changes here. I’d been losing my patience with Trixie before but now I’m coming up with words like delusional and mentally unstable. When she starts throwing things, I’m convinced that she needs professional help.
One final thought : I wish I was one of those determined people who go to great lengths to prove their point. I’m not, so I won’t be able to be completely accurate about this. However, Trixie mentions one single instance of her life, (view spoiler)[her college roommate filming her crying and her college boyfriend leaving her because of that video that also made her a laughing stock (hide spoiler)] more than five (5) times. They bullied her and it sucks. But this kind of repetition is tiresome and unfortunately abundant in the book.
***
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
I recommend wholeheartedly. One of the most authentic books I’ve read recently. It’s emotionally on the heavier side. You go through the same roller cI recommend wholeheartedly. One of the most authentic books I’ve read recently. It’s emotionally on the heavier side. You go through the same roller coaster the heroine does and at one point, I felt the need to verify that it had an HEA (and does it ever! = one of my all time favorites…).
Let me state some facts about this book : It’s enemies-to-lovers, mixed with workplace romance. It has the bare minimum of spice. It was emotional and real and filled with pearls of wisdom. It acknowledged the comfort films (10 Things I Hate About You is a timeless classic) and books and will be frequently referenced by me for that simple fact alone. Thinking about the way Jules Kelly’s story came full circle will never cease to make me happy. Blood is NOT thicker than water. Culture shock is real.
And finally, it provides an incredible perspective about many things. I’m not really in the mood for going into family history but I know how hard it is to face organ failure. And I know how high the expectations usually are for the transplant. Sometimes it doesn’t work. And sometimes it does. And I never had the emotional maturity before, to question how things went with all that. The way Jules was written was, I felt like, near perfection. The guilt, the defeat, the hope, the frustration, the numbness, the ‘what now?’...
Before I finish, I want to focus on one person and one person alone. Thunder. Dias. Who is this guy ? Where do we make copies ?
“Can I be your happy ending ?”
Please do !
Consider this fictional man while I go find myself some of those pierogi things.
***
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
Here’s the laziest plot summary ever : Cassie goes on a cooking competition as an alternate (understudy if you will). When one of the competitors is mHere’s the laziest plot summary ever : Cassie goes on a cooking competition as an alternate (understudy if you will). When one of the competitors is murdered, well…
[image]
So now, Cassie has to win the competition but also clear her name because she’s the prime suspect. Evan helps her.
Unfortunately, this didn’t do it for me because, well, even the instantest insta-love didn’t insta this instantly.
However, J.D. Carothers is a new author who deserves every bit of encouragement she can get from us, so I’ll give it 3 stars ! First one should be especially difficult to put out. I also checked her website and was pleasantly surprised that she incorporated Pinot & Pie, an actual blog she writes, into her novel.
Read Thrill Ride if you like insta-love, competition atmosphere and murder mysteries. Note that spice is mostly off-page. One thing that really needs improvement is the conversation. I think it was stilted and unfluent (Thesaurus tells me unfluent IS a word and I have screenshot evidence so…).
But the mystery was intriguing and I was following that angle with raising interest -until I got spoilers from one of the reviews on Goodreads : There I was, blissfully unaware of the upcoming disaster, trying to see if people liked the book or not and BAM ! No warnings, just one paragraph that casually reveals every secret of the book. Be more considerate, people ! (edit : rereading this I think this part may come off as mean-spirited because people can't see my face when I write it. So imagine like a mock-chastising face) There, I added my PSA about the importance of spoiler alerts.
One final thing, there are 53 chapters in this book. 30 of them are narrated by Cassie, the FMC, and 8 are narrated by Evan who’s the MMC. The remaining 15 are from the POV of Sean. Evan’s bff. Why ?
***
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy....more
I never thought I’d say this about a shifter romance but I experienced an overload of cuteness while reading Wolf in the Night ! Just read this :
“He cI never thought I’d say this about a shifter romance but I experienced an overload of cuteness while reading Wolf in the Night ! Just read this :
“He closed his eyes. They popped back open then seconds later. Sleep was impossible if he was worried about her being cold. Getting up, he removed the bedspread from his bed and laid it over her.”
***
“She shivered. Giving in to the inevitable, he lay down behind her and wrapped his arm around her. This was strictly for protection purposes.”
So the plot : The sins of her father are visited upon Emma. Except, they weren’t really sins and really, it’s some creep who has a vendetta against her father. Not to worry though because Dmitri is determined to protect her or die trying. Who’s Dmitri you ask ? Why, he’s the son of the creep who’s trying to kidnap Emma of course. The following can also be found inside : Instalust, light action, family drama, found family and lots of cute moments.
As you can see, I liked this one a lot. Dmitri was a cinnamon roll but with the same energy of a very shy toddler. Emma was perfect for him because she forced him on multiple occasions (consciously or sometimes just with her reactions) to openly communicate with her. Communication is everything and I really get close to rage quitting books for stupid misunderstandings and mcs not clearly expressing themselves. But that’s neither here nor there.
I came across this novel quite randomly and decided to go for it because I've yet to try shifters. I dove in despite my hard rule about reading in order and wouldn’t you know it ? There were a lot of cameos from previous books that were less meaningful to me as a newcomer. Even so, this can be easily read as a standalone. I will definitely check out the previous books in the series. (Fyi, this series is the next generation spin-off of another series and Wolf in the Night closes out the entirety of it -at least that’s what I understood)
***
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and I thank the author and the publishing team for it....more
‘Are you sure about that ? As I recall, a firm hand is just what you like.’
THIS, is what I’m talking about. I don’t know specifically how my parents s‘Are you sure about that ? As I recall, a firm hand is just what you like.’
THIS, is what I’m talking about. I don’t know specifically how my parents screwed me up but I really, really like ‘daddy’ vibes. Even mild ones.
Cal & Grey had a one-night-stand once and they’re both still not over it. When Cal’s stalker seemingly gets more aggressive, his security team suggests a fake marriage to lure this person out into the open. Grey volunteers. The rest is history.
The thriller/romance is on the long list of my favorite subgenres and that’s why I was immediately drawn to this book. The thriller part was more of a subplot however and resolved pretty quickly. Personally I didn’t really mind. At the end of the day, it’s a contemporary romance with an emotionally mature widower and a less emotionally mature serial dater. I may have cried a bit towards the end even with the slightly cringey conversation.
FYI, I think the widower angle was handled very well. I usually don’t really like to read about widower characters but thinking about my few other experiences with the trope, I’m pretty sure that this one comes out on top.
Also, I think I have a thing for the name Cal. Is it me or is this an objectively sexy name ?
***
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and I thank the author and the publishing team for it....more
TLDR : A contemporary romantic comedy (w/o spice) that would provide a very enjoyable experience to anyone who likes Hallmark christmas movies. It’s nTLDR : A contemporary romantic comedy (w/o spice) that would provide a very enjoyable experience to anyone who likes Hallmark christmas movies. It’s not christmas themed but it has a similarly wholesome energy. The format and some of the interactions didn’t really work for me but the story was interesting. Two people who share a deep love of literature and many other interests become pen pals and start having regular conversations about anything and everything while slowly falling in love. I would consider this friends-to-lovers because even though the MCs met on a dating site, they clearly became friends first. This book wasn’t for me, but others might enjoy it. We don’t have to all like the same things and thank your romance gods for the variety they provide us !
Disclaimer : My views on religion did unfortunately have an effect on how much I enjoyed this book. And while that may have been the case, I believe I was able to stay objective in my opinions. Please note that this book does NOT have problematic or toxic elements (to the best of my knowledge and intuition). Also, if I had done my due diligence, I would have found out that Thomas Nelson was a “publisher and provider of christian content” and not requested it. Mea culpa.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thank the author and the publishing team for providing me with this review copy.
***
Let’s get into this shall we ?
Mousy book worm Izzy works at a library and her social life is non-existent. As a result of the machinations of her meddling cousin, she meets Brodie on an online dating site. They hit it off magnificently and a sweet, bookish romance blossoms between them. However, Brodie lives on a different continent and Izzy isn’t too sure if they can build a future together. A couple of plot twists occur throughout the story giving the plot some ups and downs.
What I liked about this book was the connection between Brodie and Izzy. They did cool things together like video chatting in costume and reading to each other. It just hits different when the characters actually make memories and just have a grand ol’ time together. And this is a slow burn so they do a lot of sharing. I was thrown off track countless times by all the mentions of god and such (see disclaimer above), but I appreciated the innocence and sincerity. I would like to point out that even though her faith is mentioned quite a few times, Izzy is presented as much more than that. And I appreciate the author giving her depth and dimensions. And not making her religion her sole personality trait. Maybe it’s PTSD from Christian Mingle (the 2014 film) but whenever I encounter any type of entertainment-mixed-with-religion situation, I’m cautious.
The format is unusual : up until the 60% mark, there’s only emails and the occasional text exchange between characters. Then, there’s narration with emails sprinkled in fairly frequently. I don’t consider myself an expert on the subject or anything but I don’t think this was a badly written book. Even still, there were a couple eye-roll moments for me. I won’t go into details because it would be nitpicky. It’s simply a style that’s very hard to pull off because it’s just too inconvenient.
The supporting characters grated on my nerves (except for Luke, he was the best). Because I know all too well the Josephines of this world and let me assure you that they don’t make concessions. On the contrary, they double down and become even more obnoxious. Also, how big of a rock do you have to live under to not only have absolutely zero idea about anything relating to Lord of The Rings except that it’s a book series but also think the movies are “strange” and not “culturally eye-catching” enough ? (I’m looking at you Penelope)
And that brings me to my final point : this book kind of felt… out of touch. People exchange emails all the time even though they see each other regularly ? I live 3000 kilometers away from my whole family and some of my closest friends and still, never have I ever sent one email to them. People in this world see a person with Eowyn and her sword (from Lord of the Rings films) on Izzy’s profile picture and go;
"I like your bio but am concerned about your profile photo. Do you support the use of weapons to solve conflicts ?" -Paul
Calm your tits Paul. It’s a profile picture....more
TLDR : An un-put-downable book. Five pages in and I was irreversibly hooked. Fantasy mixed with romance. But the Damn it, Primrose ! I cried so much.
TLDR : An un-put-downable book. Five pages in and I was irreversibly hooked. Fantasy mixed with romance. But the romance, while playing a huge part in the story, is overshadowed by the family all these quirky characters find in each other. An extremely wholesome book that I wholeheartedly recommend.
***
WITCH WANTED. Live-in tutor wanted for three young witches. Must have nerves of steel. Previous teaching experience not necessary. Witchiness essential.
Mika, a witch, posing as a witch on the internet, doesn’t even know why she even responds to the message. She eventually settles in with the cast of delightful characters like a retired actor, a housekeeper, a librarian, a gardener and the three young witches to be tutored.
I don’t deny that I had high expectations and I’m glad to say that they were met. This was a magical book. Literally and figuratively. I loved every character. I loved their interactions that were well and truly english and so much fun to read. I admit that I guessed some plot twists but that’s ok because I had a great experience anyway.
I loved Mika who was so passionate about magic and her potions. I loved Jamie, a grumpy pessimist constantly annoyed by the incorrigible Ian (whom I couldn’t help but imagine as Ian McKellen) and his well-intentioned meddling and scheming. Ken and his inability to keep Ian in check. The girls who were the embodiment of whimsy and wonder. And even Primrose (Damn it, Primrose !) (view spoiler)[who turned out to hide a kind person under her nice exterior (iykyk) (hide spoiler)].
“It’s not always enough to go looking for the place we belong. Sometimes we need to make that place.”
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Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishing team for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Second read in december '23 : Unfortunately, it doesn't give the same cozy, happy feelings the second time around. I skipped the sex scene because it doesn't fit in this story. Ian and Terracotta should have had more lines and generally more of a presence I think. ...more
Darby is a relationship advice writer with a husband and two stepkids she loves and an upcoming book tour. Then, her perfect life crumbles into dust aDarby is a relationship advice writer with a husband and two stepkids she loves and an upcoming book tour. Then, her perfect life crumbles into dust and she has to pick up the pieces and start over. The book takes us through the aftermath and we follow her journey of trying to put things back together, make sense of what’s happened and find new paths in both her career and love life.
This book gave me whiplash, I think. It was as if two novellas, one women’s fiction and one contemporary romance, were slapped together. The first half is strictly women’s fiction and just as you start wondering where the romance aspect has gone, you find yourself witnessing the hot n’ heavy affair between Darby and Holt. The suddenness of the romance between these two made my head spin. And it was romance, romance -with spice and everything. See ? Whiplash !
With that said, I want to focus on the good : this was a cute and optimistic novel about a woman who, despite all her anxiety and nervousness about what her future holds, can get her head together and make clear headed decisions. Darby rolls with the punches and when she falls, she gets up. She also deeply cares about her stepchildren which was most unexpected, leaving a pleasant feeling in my mind. So I liked Darby a lot, even if she turned very annoying at the very end. And I don’t regret following her journey. It was also very satisfying to see the ex-husband who’s shown to have a mean streak (or, as it is revealed afterwards, a pathetic streak) grovel at the end.
I’m not too sure about recommending this novel to others though. This is definitely a mood read. On the other hand, that may well be the best aspect of the book : It’s a complete throwback ! It was first published in 2008 and it really shows. At first I thought it just felt outdated, I mean, didn’t we move on from the Carrie Bradshaw type ?
As it turns out, the concept of crowdsourcing our problems among strangers will never completely disappear. Reading them is a guilty pleasure (not unlike reality TV), feeding our curiosities about other people’s lives. Plus, they help us feel more connected to others. And even if nowadays we mostly get our ‘relationship disaster’ fix on platforms like Reddit and its ‘Am I The Asshole’, there are still advice columnists on a variety of subjects.
So dating advice columnists aren't as deeply buried in the pages of pop culture history books as I thought they were. Darby gives solid advice about knowing your self-worth and loving yourself and those ideas really align with the current state of things. 15 minutes of Shame hasn’t aged badly like some media from that time has. Darby is wholesome and the romance and women’s fiction community appreciate wholesomeness.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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“The more advice I’ve given, the deeper appreciation I have for what advice columns can do — there’s a real hunger out there for nuanced advice for all the weird situations life throws at us.” - Alison Green, www.askamanager.org
Further Reading about dating advice columns and agony aunts for those as intrigued as I was :
Years ago, Wyatt ran away from his hometown and his family’s expectations. Now he’s back for his brother’s wedding. But the townsfolk aren’t doing verYears ago, Wyatt ran away from his hometown and his family’s expectations. Now he’s back for his brother’s wedding. But the townsfolk aren’t doing very well and he suspects his uncle’s shady business dealings might have a hand in it. Sharing an attraction with the woman who’s supposed to hate him and not really doing his best to fight it, will he be able to clear his head enough to put a stop to his uncle’s machinations ?
A sweet and low-angst small town romance with some of the best food names I’ve ever read about. Seriously I want to try every food item I’ve read about in this book, but especially the buttery nipple cupcake and the pussy burger. Hazel is our kick-ass heroine, hardworking, loyal and the best pool player in town. Wyatt is a mature, down-to-earth hero who’s so lovable and chill that from the moment I was in his head (which was the first chapter), I liked him and kept liking him. I was also very protective of him, the way I get sometimes with romance heroes but that’s ok, Hazel was good to him.
The Wrong Bridesmaid has everything I like : small town antics and quirky characters, prejudiced hero/ine, the cook-together scene, family drama, kinda sad hero (mmmhh)... And it was a fun and engaging read with a decent amount of spice. I would recommend this to any contemporary romance reader.
But there’s a fly in the ointment, a scene at the beginning of the book that really irked me. Wyatt is being measured for a suit and a group of women barge in and everyone has a comment about his ‘package’ and there’s touching and leering and more than one person told Wyatt to basically suck it up because they’re grown-ups bla bla bla (even though they’re the ones who keep making comments?). The heroine was amongst them at first but then left so I’ll give her points for that. The writing style only made it worse though :
“I shake off the shivers that run down my spine at Cara’s declaration, feeling dirty and grossed out by a woman old enough to be my mother making that kind of comment.”
So, there you go. You decide.
I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and I thank the author and the publishing team for it !...more
A fun, light summer read, Big Wild Love Adventure is a novel that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction and romantic comedies. It hasA fun, light summer read, Big Wild Love Adventure is a novel that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction and romantic comedies. It has all the ingredients : lovable characters, funny conversation and an intriguing premise (that lead to some great shenanigans) so it’s the exact opposite of, say, all those boring rom coms Netflix keeps putting out. That alone, in my opinion, is already a great selling point.
Emmy has problems. Of course she does, she’s a struggling Philadelphia Baker and a woman scorned. After a series of disastrous events, she decides to go on a reality TV show with the hopes of avoiding her problems and resolving them at the same time. She never imagines that it will be anything more than an awkward experience where she’ll roll her eyes at everything while trying to make some money. Handsome and a closed-book, Wes is unexpected. In fact, her entire experience is positively unexpected. And her escape from reality may turn out to be just what she needs to find herself.
An instant classic for me ! It reminded me of Sophie Kinsella novels which pull me to themselves with their plots that are equally divided between a journey to self-discovery/actualization and a slow-burn romance.
For starters, I really liked Emmy. She was down to earth with a great sense of humor and she was in general a nice person, without being the martyr. Also, she’s the heroine who has hit rock bottom, for whom I admittedly have a weak spot. But then she gets some room to breathe and get her head together. And then there’s Wes, who is simply biding his time while enjoying the sizzling chemistry between them (the kitchen scene, anyone?). Wes wormed his way into my heart with the fact that while he may be a serious man, he still can make fun of himself and go toe to toe with Emmy. I couldn’t get enough of these two and that was my biggest problem with this novel. I didn’t get enough of these two. I need a bonus epilogue stat ! Like maybe a marriage scene so that we finally see Emmy get what she deserves on that front ?
Finally, I mean… reality TV. What. A. Concept. Also a great loophole for the ‘coincidentally meet my ex’ trope. Just a quote to show how cooky everything was :
“‘Tonight, our gentlemen adventurers are hoping to get a ticket on the Love Cruise, but uh-oh –they don’t have any money! If they want to board the ship, they’re going to have to let their lips do the talking, if you know what I mean.’ We do know what he means, so we cheer again.”
Stray Observations :
- Spice is closed-door, or off-page or fade-to-black… Whatever you want to call it. - Shoutout to Tad, who slowly completed his transformation into a butterfly. I really hope he gets his own book where we are pleasantly surprised by cameos from Big Wild Love Adventure. - I loved that there’s a scene referencing the math lady meme. I’m pretty confident in saying that it was my favorite scene in the whole book.
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I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and I thank the author and the publishing team for it !...more
Someone tried to kill Anna. Unbeknownst to the culprit, she survived. After luck strikes again and she’s saved from suffocating in her coffin, Anna neSomeone tried to kill Anna. Unbeknownst to the culprit, she survived. After luck strikes again and she’s saved from suffocating in her coffin, Anna needs to find her would-be killer before they try to finish the job.
A very interesting mystery read. Truly, a whodunit with a smaller-than-usual cast. Maybe also a whydunit because of the small cast of characters. I was admittedly deceived by red herrings and I went where the author took me in general. It’s also a great read for history lovers. This book is obviously a work of fiction but it has real historical components in it. I, for one, really enjoyed this macabre aspect of the history. Witches, resurrectionists, doctors who pay for stolen dead bodies to use as teaching tools and all the oddities all came together and created a world which I was delighted to discover. Knowingly or not, The Cursed Witch also had some poignant social commentary because no one except for the thoroughly depraved or the thoroughly desperate for money would resort to illegally digging up graves at the witching hour of the night.
I do think that the characters could’ve been more developed. I found Lachlan to be a very interesting character but we never got to learn much about him or why he acts the way he does. This was, I think, a general problem with all the characters in the book. They only existed in the present and that made them two dimensional and harder to identify with. Weirdly, the two characters I really ended up caring about were the two resurrectionists. However, the potential is there, the characters just need to be explored a bit more (for example, the backstory that Haggadah hinted at, involving the witches in her book of shadows). Some plot points were abandoned prematurely. I expected Anna’s apprenticeship under her godmother to have a bigger effect on the resolution or maybe the ending of the book.
I was provided an ARC of this book and I thank the author and the publishing team for it !...more
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