Opinion Breakdown The Good: The banter and chemistry.
The Not-So-Good: How the h allowed others to treat her at the beginning (she does come arou3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The banter and chemistry.
The Not-So-Good: How the h allowed others to treat her at the beginning (she does come around though)
The Bad: The H's attitude at first (he does give good grovel at the end)
Overall: This definitely was more morose than I had expected. It has a big trigger of a parent with cancer, so if you are like me and had that experience yourself, consider yourself warned! I enjoyed parts of it, but others not so much. I didn't necessarily love the H's POV at first since he was so deep in his denial that he even thought like a douche and not only acted like it. I'm honestly kind of torn on how to rate this one, so I'm going with middle of the road 3 "just okay" stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Maddie and Chase's story. Maddie is trying to move on with her date when she comes home to find her ex on her doorstep. Chase's dad is sick and he needs Maddie to pretend to still be with him because his family (and he) needs her, so he uses her sweet nature to ask her to pretend for a while. Maddie reluctantly agrees because she still cares for him and his family even though things ended bad between them. There are some sad moments, some funny scenes, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between (mainly) Maddie and Chase's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: I did find the beginning a little slow, but otherwise it was good. I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, but residual feelings were there from when they were together before the book.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Chase. He was pretty damaged from his past relationship (see trigger spoiler tag below), but I really wanted to shake him because he was in such strong denial for most of the book.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Maddie. I liked her and I appreciated her growth as a character, but I wanted her to be stronger in the beginning.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed some tears but it was mainly because I had lost my mom to cancer and this brought up some feels.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both push away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the h is casually dating OM when the H approaches her for help, but she was open in communicating what the situation with the H was with the OM (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not technically (view spoiler)[ see trigger spoiler tag below and the h was kind of dating OM that she kissed but was open with him about her situation with the H (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes, they are separated before the story begins (view spoiler)[They are separated (off page). The h dated OM (but only kissed him and was forcing it) and the h's coworker that's also the H's neighbor told her that there were different OW coming and going from his home during this time (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of a parent/parent with cancer (on page), the h thinks he H cheated on her (view spoiler)[she was waiting in his apartment for him and he knew it and allowed her to believe he was with another woman that he brought with him because he was having cold feet about the relationship they had when he realized how deep they were getting (hide spoiler)], and the H was cheated on by his ex fiancé that married his cousin that was raised like his brother (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married with a baby (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating (see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H off page before the story starts - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, the emotions, and the paper rings.
The Not-So-Good: The vague details of their dat4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the side characters, the emotions, and the paper rings.
The Not-So-Good: The vague details of their dating lives while separated and I wanted the H's POV.
The Bad: The length of their separation and horrible communication.
Overall: This was a fun surprise! I'll fully admit that I do judge a book by its cover! While this illustration is perfectly cute and nothing aesthetically wrong with it per se, I've come to be cautious with these types of covers. I've found that the cutesy illustrated covers are usually over hyped and often disappointing reads. Don't hate me ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The overall premise, the side characters (the h's friends from the previous book and the H's sister mainly), and 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The overall premise, the side characters (the h's friends from the previous book and the H's sister mainly), and the steamy scenes.
The Not-So-Good: There was something about the first part of the story (not the prequel) and characters that felt extremely familiar. I even double checked at one point to see if I had read it before, but I hadn't. It was the bully being a bully because of his Dad forcing him to work for him by blackmailing him about the h when all he wants to do is work on cars (that's a secret), and he has a emotionally checked-out mom and a younger sister that he fiercely protects. If anyone knows what book that was, please let me know ~ it's driving me crazy!!
The Bad: The pacing towards the end and overall amount of conflicts.
Overall: This was enjoyable and had a lot going on that I didn't expect. I think the author did mostly well with it all, but at about the 2/3 mark, I felt like I was done. I'm not even sure why! I guess I just felt like it was too much thrown in at that point and while I understand the need to give closure for (view spoiler)[the Dad stuff (hide spoiler)], I wasn't feeling it. I also understand that Reed needed to (view spoiler)[realize he loved Callie (hide spoiler)], but that made it feel a little too stretched out for me. I didn't get as emotional as I hoped, but that seems to be par for the course lately with this funk I'm in. I liked it, but because of the last 1/3ish, I am going to rate it just a little better than just okay 3 stars.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Callie and Reed's story. Reed and Callie's older brother are enemies, so her crush on him isn't anything she feels she do anything about it until she meets Reed's younger sister and gets taken to his party. At the party, she talks to Reed for the first time and his pursuit of her begins. Reed is damaged and dysfunctional and Callie is sweet, innocent, and overprotected by her 4 older brothers. There are some conflicts, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between (mostly) Callie and Reed's POV. I wanted more of Reed's tbh.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the last 1/3ish where it seemed to get super slow (for me at least). I struggled not to skim but I didn't.
Instalove: No, this is more like a bully/forbidden romance that takes a while.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Reed. I liked him but then I didn't sometimes. He was damaged and an ass but also redeemable. OTT protective/possessive for those reader that like that!
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Callie. I liked her and I appreciated her growth through the story, but I wanted her to sometimes push a little more.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed (sadly)
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[They both push away (H emotionally more so) and I'd say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and some scenes -- but not so many (only towards the end) and not so much it takes away from the story. (view spoiler)[definitely some breeding/pregnancy kink goin' on and dirty talk (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for about 2 years, and there was mention of one OM that the h kissed and the H says he tried to get over the h but couldn't get past kissing OW either (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Blackmail/bully/assault (on page), the h was a virgin (on page), and unexpected pregnancy (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place and what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married with their baby (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a ~2 year separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse (though can probably be considered borderline emotional abuse) - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: I'm not going to write my full review for this one. I liked it more than the first and I think it's because the characters seeme3 Stars
Quick Opinion: I'm not going to write my full review for this one. I liked it more than the first and I think it's because the characters seemed better ((view spoiler)[we got to focus on Phil's 3rd person accounts and mainly that his relationship with his new son made him more human; and I felt like Lina was stronger in this book and I liked how she stood up for herself more (hide spoiler)]). I still don't think I liked it all that much, but I wouldn't say I hated it either -- I just needed to see what happened.
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and Holden's (side character) relationship with the h
The Not-So-Good: The lack of connection I felt tow3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and Holden's (side character) relationship with the h
The Not-So-Good: The lack of connection I felt towards the characters.
The Bad: The ending was very much focused on setting up the next book, which is a pet peeve of mine (and I ended up skimming tbh)
Overall: This was alright. It took me a while to read and I think that alone says a lot. I wasn't all that eager to get back to it when I would get distracted. I guessed pretty much right away who the bad guy was and his motives, so that took away from it for me too. I felt indifferent towards the characters, and that became a struggle when being motivated to finish this. It seems like I'm in the minority yet again, so it very well could be the book funk I find myself in where I'm not feeling all that inspired...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Evangeline and Phoenix's story. Phoenix surprises Evangeline by showing up at her parents' party for her birthday after being in prison for years. They have a past together that makes her all of a sudden having to marry him complicated. Phoenix is out for revenge after Evangeline put him in prison and forcing her to marry him is one of the first steps. They also have a mysterious stalker that is very much contributing to their relationship. Some major secrets get revealed, some old feelings come rushing back, and there are some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Evangeline and Phoenix's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I did end up skimming here and there because I wasn't really engaged.
Instalove: No, but residual feelings are there from before.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Phoenix. I liked him more than the h, but barely.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Evangeline. She was alright. I think I didn't really feel one way or the other about her.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both push away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not between the mcs on page
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Blackmail/Assault/Kidnapping/Drugging/Attempted Murder (on page), murder/loss of a loved one/imprisonment (off page), and the H was going to marry the h's sister (view spoiler)[more of a help a friend out thing and not romantic/intimate (hide spoiler)](hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have an on-page separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: This was disappointing. So disappointing that I don't even feel like writing my typical review. It was anticlimactic. They fin2.5 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was disappointing. So disappointing that I don't even feel like writing my typical review. It was anticlimactic. They finally get together and it's over. I hate that! I didn't even cry and I was expecting to, so that in itself was disappointing. It's definitely Not Safe for my safety gang gals, since there is cheating.
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The potential for angst with the premise
The Not-So-Good: The h and her communication skills
The Bad: The H and his w2 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The potential for angst with the premise
The Not-So-Good: The h and her communication skills
The Bad: The H and his words/actions and especially how the crazy OTT OW's behavior took away some of his accountability for them
Overall: This was rough for me. I didn't necessarily like either character. I didn't get emotional like I hoped to with the angsty potential of this premise. While I'm not fully opposed to the cheating storyline every once in a while, mainly for the potential angst, but this H was infuriating. I don't think what he did, or mostly said, was forgivable for me. The h put up a good fight for a bit, but didn't communicate enough for him to know what her issues were. The OW was OTT manipulative and vindictive to the point I was rolling my eyes. A good bit of my GR friends enjoyed this, so it very well could've been a me thing since I seem to be in a rut rn...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Isla and Cillian's story. They are each others first love and when Cillian moves away to start his professional hockey career, they both feel as though they will be just fine with long distance. Only there is another woman that always seems to be around and the phone calls and promises seems to be falling short after a while. When Isla finds out he cheated one her, she blocks him out of her life, and it isn't until ~4 years later that he's now of the professional hockey team that her dad coaches and she works for that she has to reveal some big secrets herself. There are a good bit of secrets revealed, some fighting, some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Isla and Cillian's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Okay. I skimmed a good bit after about the 70ish% mark because I was bored and irritated at that point.
Instalove: No, they still have feelings from before
H (Hero) rating: 2 stars. Cillian. I struggled with him. I didn't think he had any room to be so mad at the h after his words/actions
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Isla. She was alright, I wanted her to be stronger and communicate better though.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[they both push away (h more so) and I'd say they both pursue the relationship (H more so) at times (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alight. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. I honestly skimmed most of these scenes because I was irritated.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[ see spoiler below and there are other nude pictures of the H with this OW the h gets sent from OW (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes (view spoiler)[the H cheats on the h, unknowingly confesses to some of it when she overhears, and FaceTimes the h while OW is giving him a hand job (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~4 years, and both mcs had other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Cheating - emotional and physical (on page), bullying by OW (mostly off page), drugging/assault with a weapon/stalking (mostly off page), and unexpected pregnancy/secret child (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had a decent ending with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married with children (hide spoiler)], but tbh I was skimming a lot by that point so I really just fully read the (view spoiler)[daughter's pov (hide spoiler)]epilogue
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the H and OW - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a ~4 year separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The potential for an angsty read.
The Not-So-Good: The closure, it felt lacking.
The Bad: The sexy times and golden2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The potential for an angsty read.
The Not-So-Good: The closure, it felt lacking.
The Bad: The sexy times and golden dick syndrome going on.
Overall: This was a little bit less than just alright for me. I wanted an angsty unrequited love type story and I hardly got emotional tbh. I went in knowing that the OW drama would be OTT, and it was, but I also thought it felt disjointed at times especially when they would be so obsessed with their sex. Sex does not always equal love, and I kept on thinking this with the constant reminders of how hard she made him and how wet she got ...more
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favori3 Stars
Quick Opinion: This was the end of the duet and I felt like it was just alright. It was full of miscommunication (which already isn't my favorite) and then when they finally communicated, it was the end of the book. And then! I needed to sign up for a newsletter to get an extended epilogue! While I was greatly tempted because I had invested in these characters by reading two books for this, I didn't because I had already invested by reading two books! Nowhere near enough closure. Their conflict was resolved at the very end and there were so many unanswered questions. I also wanted to shake both mcs to just talk to one another! I would call this a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and she moved back from Paris (hide spoiler)]. I didn't hate it, but I'm definitely in the minority because I didn't love it. I might read the 3rd book because it's about side characters, but only if I know I get a HEA for them...
Safety: I would call this Safe with exception depending on your personal preferences. **BIG SPOILERS**(view spoiler)[Drug use/abuse/addiction (mostly off page), cutting (on page), unexpected pregnancy/miscarriage (off page), parent with health issues (on page), the H got injured in the military (off page), the mcs are step-siblings, and the h was with many other men (off page) while the H was celibate during their ~4 year separation (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the MCs, the side characters, and the setting
The Not-So-Good: The amount of closure for this greedy re4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the MCs, the side characters, and the setting
The Not-So-Good: The amount of closure for this greedy reader
The Bad: Not necessarily bad, but I would've liked more groveling by the sister
Overall: This was cute and better than expected! When I read the blurb, I automatically thought of the movies, Wedding Date and Anyone But You. While this definitely had those vibes, it was also unique in its own way. I would've liked to have the farther glimpse into their future without having to sign up to get an extended epilogue, but that's me being greedy. Overall, I liked it.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Paisley and Klein's story. Paisley has to be maid of honor to her younger sister who is marrying her ex at a weeklong island wedding. She bumps into Klein, who unknowingly kinda broke her heart in college, and they realize that they can help each other out. Klein agrees to be her fake date and she agrees to use her marketing firm's resources to help him find a publisher for his book. They realize that the instant connection they felt one drunken night in college wasn't a fluke and those feelings start coming back. There is family drama, some funny moments, some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Paisley and Klein's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they knew each other in college.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Klein. I liked him. I thought he might've been a little too perfect, but that might have also been because he seemed to fall first (and that's not my favorite)
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Paisley. I liked her. I appreciated her loyalty and her personal growth in the story.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[the h pushes away a little but not too much and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h's ex is marrying her younger sister and he causes some drama by being jealous and not over her (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h's sister is marrying her ex (on page), cheating (side character off page), and the H has dyslexia (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they get married (hide spoiler)], but he author offers an extended epilogue if you sign up (I'm not going to)
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Quick Opinion: This was...boring. I couldn't really get into it and I kept on thinking I should watch a movie or play games on my iPad insteaDNF @ 37%
Quick Opinion: This was...boring. I couldn't really get into it and I kept on thinking I should watch a movie or play games on my iPad instead, which rarely happens. It did tap into my emotions but it was so slow and nothing seemed to be happening, so I just called it. I might come back to this series, but I might not ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the disastrous trip.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of reasoning for their divorce that I'm still confu2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the disastrous trip.
The Not-So-Good: The lack of reasoning for their divorce that I'm still confused by (view spoiler)[was it her intense focus on getting a promotion? Was it her cell phone? (hide spoiler)]
The Bad: The last 1/5ish. The romantic connection.
Overall: This was disappointing. The humorous adventure and premise was good! The execution, not so much. I didn't feel any romantic connection (felt like maybe bickering siblings instead) between the mcs. I was very frustrated with the ending. The "ILYs" even felt out of nowhere even though they'd been on page together pretty much the whole book. I think that says something! I felt like the ending was way too easy and vague. They didn't really work anything out except that (view spoiler)[the h admitting she was hurt (hide spoiler)], and this was 4 years later?! Ended up being one of the most frustrating cases of miscommunication!!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Katherine and Tom's story. Katherine finds herself alone for Christmas, just the way she likes it. Tom is headed home to Chicago to propose to his girlfriend in a family honored tradition on Christmas Eve. Only Tom gets a call that his ex wife has been in an accident and he is her emergency contact. To remain on good conscience, he cannot leave Katherine because he knows she doesn't have anyone else. Planes, trains, automobiles, busses, and semis help them get to Chicago after many disasters. There is some cute banter, some past baggage unpacked, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Katherine and Tom's in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not the best. At least in the romance department. I never skimmed though.
Instalove: No, but there are some residual feelings when they reunite...kind of?
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Tom. He was alright.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Katherine. She was just alright too.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: N/a. (view spoiler)[They don't even kiss until the chapter right before the epilogue (hide spoiler)]
Descriptive sex: No
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, kind of (view spoiler)[the H is about to propose to his girlfriend and this causes mild jealousy (more hurt) (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Not IMO (view spoiler)[the H is with OW, so I might call his emotional cheating, but it didn't feel like it. They didn't kiss or anything inappropriate while he was with the OW. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes, technically (view spoiler)[They are separated via divorce for ~4 years. The H is with OW that he is planning on proposing to and there was suggestion of other partners during this time for the h (but no specifics). (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Loss of a parent to cancer (off page) and the h and H are divorced (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends abruptly and not nearly enough closure for me. I was very frustrated with the ending if I'm being completely honest! I would call it a HEA, begrudgingly (view spoiler)[they're married again and she's pregnant (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating IMO (maybe emotional?) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does Not have the h or H pushing away - Does (technically) have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall: This has been on my tbr list for a long time. I've almost run out of the older KA books that I haven't read yet. I thought it was just okay. Both of the characters were likable but I also struggled with them at times. I felt like the H needed to grovel much more and the h was too dazzled by him to make him work for it. I wouldn't say she was a doormat, but she definitely toed that line a few times IMO. I'm glad I read it, but I don't think it'll be one of my faves or a re-read like so many of KA's books are for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lily and Nate's story. Lily inherited a genie and two wishes from her mother and grandmother who got from her husband before he died. When she was younger she wished for her perfect man, and years later she meets Nate and knows instantly that he is the answer to her wish. Only she said they'd have to go through trials and tribulations during her wish, and her genie Fazire doesn't skimp on the specifics. There are some cute scenes, some sad moments, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between mainly focusing on Lily and Nate in 3rd person narrative, but it does follow some side characters too.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Yes.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Nate. I liked him, but he let his damage mess up their relationship more than a few times.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Lily. I liked her, but there were times where I wanted her to hold a little more firm with the H.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed some tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ they both push away and also pursue the relationship at times (H more so in both instances) (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[see cheating spoiler tag below and there is some mild jealousy from other men pursuing the h (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No (view spoiler)[the H is out to dinner with his ex's family and the h hears her voice on the phone thinking he's cheating on her (because this is while he is pushing her away), but he is not (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~8 years, and the H was with an undisclosed amount of OW and the h was not with anyone else during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Loss of spouse (side character on page), loss of parents (on page), murder of parent (off page), domestic violence/neglect/drug use and abuse of parent (off page), criminal activity (off page), unexpected pregnancy (on page), and the h was a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place with what I would call a HEA ending (view spoiler)[they're married, the h is an author, and they have adopted a son (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mc - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the very beginning, and the steam.
The Not-So-Good: The end. The connection to the characters.
The Bad2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the very beginning, and the steam.
The Not-So-Good: The end. The connection to the characters.
The Bad: The attempt of having the H be a bully type character when they meet again at school. Also the mushiness and mom drama towards the end.
Overall: The first part of this book? I mostly enjoyed it. While I did find the author's attempt at making the H a bully type character confusing and a little cringey at times, I did enjoy the silly high school peer and relationship drama. The rest of the book is where I really struggled. They are separated and then reunited again and this is where it took a sharp turn downhill for me. The fact that it was a 2 year separation was pretty ridiculous when we get the reasoning for it. Then it was super mushy and even repetitive in the inner thoughts. Then the crazy h's mom drama was frankly weird and it felt disconnected from the rest of the story. I guess if I was asked for one word to describe how I felt at the end of reading this, it would be confused ...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the starting 3/4ish, the beginning angst, the H's daughter!
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I know I sa3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise, the starting 3/4ish, the beginning angst, the H's daughter!
The Not-So-Good: The closure. I know I say below in the "bad" about the end, but I think there were too many other unanswered questions not necessarily about the mcs' romance that I felt I wanted closure with.
The Bad: The last 1/4ish. It started getting to be OTT drama and then it ended abruptly with not nearly enough closure! After ~448 pages on my kindle app, I invested a lot of time and attention for such a lackluster ending!
Overall: I was totally digging and excited about this book for the first probably 3/4ths! Then it took a turn to not turn out the way I was hoping. This author offers an extended epilogue if you sign up, but if you follow me you know I just don't do that. I am bummed that this turned into such fast-forward super drama! It was angsty enough with the bad timing they already had -- it didn't need the OTT soap opera stuff! I honestly don't know how to rate this one...
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Savannah and Levi's story. Savannah would seek out her friend, Levi, to escape her home growing up. When she runs away from home after they share their first kiss at 15, they think that goodbye is forever. Only they meet again at 18 and the feelings for each other flood back in. But their timing is bad again. Fast forward and Savannah is a famous rockstar and Levi is a single dad trying to get by with his architectural company. There are some secrets revealed, some hot sexy times and some sad and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Savannah and Levi's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they've known each other most of their lives.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Levi. I liked him. He was a good combo of sweet, protective, loyal, and sexy.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Savannah. I liked her too. I appreciated her spunk and how she was loyal. I also loved her relationship with the H's daughter and her fans.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h pushes away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h's friend/band mate/ex causes some drama and their label demands that the h pretends to be engaged to him even though she told him no when he had proposed (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~3 years and then ~8 years, and both of them had other partners during at least the 2nd time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Domestic violence/drug abuse and addiction by parent/assault/drug abuse and addiction by h (on page), date rape (side character), loss of a spouse to cancer (off page), the H has a daughter with his dead spouse (on page),the h is a stripper when they reunite at 18 (on page), and the h was a virgin (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I felt like it was way too abrupt and not nearly enough. I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they've shared "ILYs" and are living together (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does have a few separations between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
The Not-So-Good: The end. It was good for the suspense but not for the relationship. Also the POVs we2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise.
The Not-So-Good: The end. It was good for the suspense but not for the relationship. Also the POVs were a little too much.
The Bad: The romance. I needed more explanation as to why they did what they did in the past and why they felt so strongly for one another.
Overall: This was underwhelming. I was intrigued enough to finish the 473 pages in my kindle app, so that says something I guess! I just had figured out the mystery pretty early on and I didn't really like either main character all that much. I think it might have been because there were also too many of the side characters' perspectives that the story focused on to connect with them. I guess I'm just staying in my reading rut because this was a little less that "just okay" 3 stars for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Paris and Dean's story. Paris is a late night radio host and she gets an odd call from a fan that concerns her enough to alert the police about a potential crime against an unknown victim. Dean is the new psychologist for the department and he gets brought in to profile the caller. They have a messy history that gets messier as they interact more while trying to find out if the call was a prank or a real threat on a short deadline. There are some suspenseful scenes, a mystery that is solved, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on many characters (including the mcs) in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I didn't like how quickly it ended after the mystery was solved (especially considering how long it was), but I never skimmed.
Instalove:No, but feelings were still there when they are reunited.
H (Hero) rating: 2 stars. Dean. I struggled with him. First, (view spoiler)[he backhanded his son on page (hide spoiler)]. Then , he (view spoiler)[went along with what the woman he was with was saying (about marriage, kids, and being in love) even though he wasn't feeling it even before reuniting with the h (hide spoiler)]. Just didn't have the morals I like in a H, I guess.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Paris. She was okay. I didn't quite understand why every single man wanted her and the eye issue though...
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The h pushes away and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the H was with OW for 2 years before reunited with the h (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[scenes with side characters on page and a not very descriptive scene with the H and OW at the beginning before reunion with h (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes (view spoiler)[the H is with OM when reunited with the h and kisses the h and the h was engaged to the H's college best friend and they cheated on him with each other (in the past, but memories on page) (hide spoiler)]
Separation: No, because they weren't considered together
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Sexual assault/Rape/Kidnapping/Sex with a minor/child pornography/sex addiction/murder/assault/drunk driving/drug use (side characters mostly off page), the h was engaged to the H's best friend and they cheated on the OM (memories on page), loss of a fiancé (off page), and the H is divorced with a ~16 year old son (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends right after finding closure for the mystery but with not as much closure for the relationship that I would've liked (view spoiler)[they briefly talk about getting married but I'm not sure if it was an actual proposal (hide spoiler)]. I would call this a HFN ending.
Safety: This one is probably Not Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating - Does have a (not very) descriptive sex scene with the H and OW - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The mystery, the premise, the main characters.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I wanted a farther glimpse into their 3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The mystery, the premise, the main characters.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. I wanted a farther glimpse into their future (view spoiler)[maybe married with their own children at the community event (hide spoiler)]
The Bad: The amount of POVs. It worked at times, but otherwise it was just a little too much.
Overall: This was a fun surprise! I've kinda been digging the romantic suspense sub-genre lately! So, if anyone has some recommendations-- please send them my way!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Meg and Blake's story. Famous true-crime author Meg gets challenged on live tv to write the story of her sister's murder. Her fiancé breaks up with her and says that she might need to write it for closure so she can fully commit to someone. So she heads back home after a really long time to write the story. There's only a few people happy to see her and she finds resistance everywhere with the idea of bringing up the worst moment in the town's history. There are some secrets revealed, some suspenseful moments, and some sweet and sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between many characters (mainly the mcs) in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. It did take me a little bit to get into this, but once I did it mostly flowed well (with some slow parts with side characters that I skimmed a little).
Instalove: No, but some old feelings rush back when they are reunited.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Blake. I really liked him. I appreciated how he was patient for the h and was protective of her, his brother, and his son.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Meg. I liked her. I appreciated how strong and calm she was in the face of danger.
Sadness level: Low/moderate. I shed a few tears but never needed any tissues.
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ the h pushes away a good bit and I'd say the H is the main pursuer of the relationship (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[the h thinks she wants to win back her ex fiancé when she reunites with the H and this causes some jealousy (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No, just side character
Cheating: Not mcs (view spoiler)[ The h's ex cheated on her (off page but one scene with OW) and she is separated when she gets with/restarts feelings with the H (hide spoiler)]
Separation:Not on page (view spoiler)[They are separated for ~18 years (I think), but this is when the story begins and their previous relationship was off page (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[murder/rape (on page through memories), assault/kidnapping/violence (on page), the H has a son with his dead ex (on page), and loss of a spouse to cancer (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a good place but I wanted much more for the couple. I would call this a HFN ending even though the mystery is all solved.
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences (view spoiler)[ - Does Not technically have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with (side character and) OW - Does have the h pushing the H away - Does have a separation between the h and H (off page) - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
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