Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The sweetness of Bo. The overall message of the story (love is worth more than money).
The Not-So-Goo2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The sweetness of Bo. The overall message of the story (love is worth more than money).
The Not-So-Good: The dialogue, especially during steamy scenes.
The Bad: The lack of chemistry and the last 1/3ish.
Overall: I'm not quite sure why I kept on with this one tbh. I think it was the premise. I always like marooned type romances, so that could be it too. I felt an overall lack of chemistry. Romantic and sexual. I thought the love was way too insta for my liking too. I really am shocked that I finished it because the last 1/3ish had me struggling. I'm going with a little less than "just okay" 3 star rating.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Bo and Hayes's story. Bo lives in his inherited fishing shack when a man gets washed up on his shore after a bad storm. When the man finally wakes up, they soon realize that he has no idea who he is or how he got there. As they spend more time together, feelings start to develop, and they fall in love. Only the real world comes crashing in along with Hayes's memories and they have to try to navigate their new lives together...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Bo and Hayes's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part.
Instalove: Yes, and I think it was because I didn't feel like there was much romantic chemistry.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Bo. I liked him. He was sweet, loving, and just an overall good guy.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 3 stars. Hayes. I liked him but I wanted him to do much better for Bo.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[they both push away and I'd say that the H1 pursued the relationship more (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. The "dirty" talk seemed repetitive and even a little cringey at times. I didn't feel like the chemistry was that great tbh (but it might've been because of my reaction to the things that were being said)
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[both of their exes try to get back with them (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[the H2 has a scene where he gives his soon to be ex a bj (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Not between mcs
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly a few times (~2 weeks and then ~3 weeks?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[the H2 was cheated on by long-term bf (realization on page), cheating (side characters), loss of loved ones (off page), amnesia from head injury (on page), mental health hospitalization against will (on page), and the H2 is ~6? Years older than the H1 (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an alright place but with what I call a HFN ending (view spoiler)[ they get engaged (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating with mcs - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the H2 and OM - Does have both the H1 and H2 pushing away - Does have a few separations between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The POV. I would've loved to have some of the H's POV! I think it3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise and the characters.
The Not-So-Good: The POV. I would've loved to have some of the H's POV! I think it would've contributed so much!!
The Bad: I wanted more development and I think that could only come with more length.
Overall: This was enjoyable and the pacing was better than I expected for a short book. It did, however, feel underdeveloped in some aspects and I think that was because it was so short. I do like this author's voice and her world building as Last Light is one of my favorites, so I think I was also expecting a little too much here. But oh well ~ I still enjoyed it! Thanks Jess for the recommendation ...more
The Not-So-Good: The conflict. Too fluffy and easy for me.
The Bad: The lack of connections. My connec2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise.
The Not-So-Good: The conflict. Too fluffy and easy for me.
The Bad: The lack of connections. My connections to the characters. The connection between them. And my overall connections to the book. Didn't feel any of it.
Overall: I'm honestly surprised I finished this one tbh. It was so fluffy and actually pretty boring. The characters were meh, their tension was meh, the sexy times were meh, and the conflict was meh. Overall, I'm rating this below "just okay" because I really probably should've just called it quits and found a better book for me. This might be great for those of you that like the H falls for the h hard and expresses it easily, full of fluff, no angst type reads!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Ellie and Zach's story. Ellie gets a temp job as a new private practice doctor's assistant that she desperately need to save up money to go to Le Cordon Bleu. Zach is having some issues because he is enjoying this new time away from medicine to focus on writing the mystery novel he's been writing for a while but never had the time to commit to, so he keeps putting off Ellie and her attempts at helping him set up his practice to start seeing patients. They end up snowed in together and that is when their relationship changes and they start to develop feelings for one another. There are some sweet moments and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Ellie and Zach's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good, I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of because it didn't feel all that developed.
H (Hero) rating: 2.5 stars. Zach. He was so...bland.
h (heroine) rating: 2.5 stars. Ellie. She was okay, I guess but her constant references to her previous relationship got really old.
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: 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: Not really (view spoiler)[ the h carries a good bit of baggage from her ex and this causes some issues for the couple, but not the ex specifically (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (week/s?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[Verbal/emotionally abusive ex (h off page) and h was cheated on by ex (off page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an okay place but I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they're living together and get engaged (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 the h pushing the H away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Short, intriguing, and some sexy = a pretty good prequel to get me invested. Not anything to get too excited about either. Let's see if the book is anShort, intriguing, and some sexy = a pretty good prequel to get me invested. Not anything to get too excited about either. Let's see if the book is any good......more
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I liked the premise, but everything else just fell a little flat for me. I borderline didn’t li3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just alright for me. I liked the premise, but everything else just fell a little flat for me. I borderline didn’t like the h a lot of the times even though I think I was supposed to appreciate her sass and take it as strength. I did like the H, but that could only go so far because his character didn’t have a lot of depth (literally). I thought it was wrapped up a little too easily and quickly in the end, and I was left with too many questions about their future to be satisfied. It was alright ...more
Overall Opinion: This was a fun surprise! I liked it! I like marooned romances and I like the gay-for-you theme too — so this was a double sc3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a fun surprise! I liked it! I like marooned romances and I like the gay-for-you theme too — so this was a double score for me! I liked both characters and I liked their connection. My only gripe is that I feel like I didn’t get enough of them navigating their new identities and creating a life together. I did like the epilogue, but it just wasn’t enough for this greedy reader.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Troy and Brian’s story. Troy has finally had enough and leaves his brother and his band in hopes of his brother stopping his spiral into drug addiction. He charters a private plane where Brian is the co-pilot to go get his mother and do an intervention. What they don’t expect is a cyclone to unexpectedly hit and for them to crash on a deserted island. It’s just the two of them and they work together to survive their new reality and become close friends. After more time together that friendship turns into more and they fall in love. There are some suspenseful scenes, some baggage they both work through, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Troy and Brian in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they are friends to lovers.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 4 stars. Troy. I liked him. I appreciated his struggles with his family and I liked how caring he was.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 4 stars. Brian. I liked him too. I appreciated how he was protective of Troy.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H2 pushes the H1 after they are rescued and I’d say they both pursue 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 (view spoiler)[Both of them kiss (different) OW after being separated but don’t let it get farther than that (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly (weeks?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Drug abuse/addiction (side character on page) and loss of a loved one (off page through memories) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This was cute with what I would call a HFN ending but I’m sure others would be fine calling it a HEA (view spoiler)[they’re living together (hide spoiler)]. I just didn’t get enough closure.
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 H2 pushing the H1 away - Does have a separation between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I seem to enjoy the survival type romance stories so this was right up my alley. I liked both characte 3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable. I seem to enjoy the survival type romance stories so this was right up my alley. I liked both characters and the overall premise. I just felt the connection between them was a little lacking. I definitely got the fact that Keegan loved August, but I wanted August to express his feelings a little more freely for Keegan. The ending was alright but I wanted to know more about what their future looked like. Overall, it was enjoyable but isn’t enough to be put on my favorites shelf.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is August and Keegan’s story. August is a famous model and his chartered plane crashes on the way to a photo shoot in Alaska. Keegan finds the wreckage and the sole survivor, August. Keegan is off the grid because of a dangerous past but he cannot help but feel that helping August might be a path for some redemption. Keegan works tirelessly to keep August alive and they end up developing feelings for one another. There are some suspenseful scenes, some past baggage that comes to haunt them, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on August and Keegan in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H1 (Hero #1) rating: 3.5 stars. August. I mostly liked him. I liked how he tried to be strong but needed him to be a little more vulnerable with Keegan. I also liked his relationship with Daisy.
H2 (Hero #2) rating: 4 stars. Keegan. I liked him. I appreciated how protective and caring he was towards August.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ The H2 pushes the H1 away a good bit because of his circumstances and I’d say that the H1 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: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes (view spoiler)[ There are a few flashback/memory scenes with the H1 and OM (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated (month/s?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place with what I would call a HFN ending. I still felt as though I had unanswered questions and I wanted to know more about what their future would look like. Some readers might be fine in classifying this as a HEA (view spoiler)[they’re engaged and living together (hide spoiler)].
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the H1 with OM - Does have the H2 pushing the H1 away - Does have a separation between the H1 and H2 - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was cute! I really liked both characters. I enjoyed their adventures and how they didn’t let poverty and bad situatio 3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was cute! I really liked both characters. I enjoyed their adventures and how they didn’t let poverty and bad situations get them down, but just rolled with the punches together. I liked their connection to each other. However! The ending was really disappointing! This had the build up for a grand, adventurous ending for the couple that I felt like they both deserved…but nope. It was a jump ahead, abrupt ending instead. I had in my head all these options for how they would go traveling, or back on their journey to revisit all the characters that helped them when they were down, or even just an actual explanation about his great aunt would’ve been nice! Super bummed.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Winn and Asher’s story. Winn is about to marry a man she doesn’t love but needs her rather large dowry. Her friends arrange for her to run away from her wedding and she doesn’t realize that Asher is not her friend’s cousin, but the man that her friends previously kidnapped to research for their book on scoundrels. Asher is always down on his luck due to his ruthless father that gambles away every asset and coin he has, so when he has an opportunity to sail away to find a treasure he wants to take it. When some debutants kidnap him and he loses his money for the voyage, he plans to get it back by kidnapping the one with a big dowry. They have some adventures, some sweet moments, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Winn and Asher in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the ending. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Asher. I really liked him! He was a genuinely good man that had been dealt a horrible hand with his father. I appreciated how smart and able he was and how he cared for the h.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Winn. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she went along with whatever was thrown at her.
Heat level: Good. They have some tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild (view spoiler)[ The h is betrothed to OM but doesn’t even like him (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated shortly, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Verbal abuse/neglect (h’s parents on and off page), emotional borderline abuse/criminal activity (H’s dad on and off page), and the h was a virgin (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This ends in an abrupt but good place for the couple with what I would call a HEA ending (but while grumbling because it wasn’t nearly enough considering the buildup for a potentially awesome, adventurous ending) (view spoiler)[they’re married and she’s just found out she’s pregnant (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 separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was kind of meh. I love marooned romances and was super stoked to have a new one! It just wasn’t really what I come to e 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was kind of meh. I love marooned romances and was super stoked to have a new one! It just wasn’t really what I come to expect from those that I consider “marooned romances”. There weren’t struggles or much danger to bring them closer. There were some heavy themes going on, but I felt like we never really got that deep into them and it all just seemed too easy (if that makes sense ...more
I decided to stop when I was skimming more than reading. It became too slow. I was intrigued by the setting and situation that these two wereDNF @ 68%
I decided to stop when I was skimming more than reading. It became too slow. I was intrigued by the setting and situation that these two were in but was bored with the suspense. Their love for one another seemed to come out of nowhere too. This definitely could be attributed to my book funk — so please don’t just take my word for it since others seemed to like it!...more
Overall Opinion: This was good for a freebie! I've decided that I like the survival type romances and this was just that. It also had some sc3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was good for a freebie! I've decided that I like the survival type romances and this was just that. It also had some sci-fi aspects to it too that was fun to step out my box during (what's felt like) a book funk I've been in lately. I'm still not entirely sold on the sci-fi sub genre of romance, but I think this worked because the h was an alien but was extremely humanoid and didn't have much different about her other than a "gift" she gives her mate and her eye color. If it's still free, I'd definitely recommend you get it!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Prudence and Griffin's story. Prudence's husband has had the UN take over the world and sent unwanted people to another planet to create a utopian Earth. Griffin knows he needs to get to his brother on the other planet and he's going to kill two birds with one stone with killing Prudence's husband and getting himself exiled. What they don't know is that they will meet on the spacecraft on the way to the planet where Prudence is running away and he might be able to use him to further his cause. There are some suspenseful moments, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Prudence and Griffin in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I did skim some at the end but otherwise I thought it did flow well otherwise.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings (but in consideration of actual time, I think it did move quickly)
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Griffin. I liked him, but his martyr behavior sometimes got a little old.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Prudence. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and strong moral compass.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Rape (off and on page), violence/captivity/torture/murder (on page), and unexpected pregnancy (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had a cute ending but I would call it a HFN ending (view spoiler)[they're going to get married (hide spoiler)]
Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does Not have cheating - Does have a descriptive sex scene with the h and OM - Does have the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse by mcs (see triggers above) - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I liked the mystery (even though I did figure out who it was pretty early on) and I liked the survival scenes. It was like a 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I liked the mystery (even though I did figure out who it was pretty early on) and I liked the survival scenes. It was like a marooned romance in the sense that they were stuck together, but I guess I just wanted more romance. There was a lot of side stories going on that I could've done without. I figure it was all to keep the intrigue and mystery going though. One of my issues with romantic suspense is that I often feel like between the romance and suspense there is an imbalance -- and sadly that was the case here. So! If you don't mind these books that lean more heavily on the suspense side with just a dash of romance -- this could be the book for you!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lilly and Tierney's story. Lilly gets stuck in the cabin that she just sold after finalizing her divorce. When she tries to get down the mountain in a snow storm, she ends up accidentally hitting Tierney, who was on foot. Tierney and Lilly met the summer before and had connected over a day of kayaking, so they are both shocked to find that they are stranded in a cabin together under some dire conditions in the horrible winter storm. Meanwhile, there has been 5 women kidnapped from the town and Lilly’s police chief ex, as well as the FBI, are on the hunt for answers. There are some suspenseful scenes, some sexy times, the mystery is solved....and Lilly and Tierney get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Lilly and Tierney as well as many other side characters in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. There were a few times where I skimmed because it felt a little too long. I also think this was because of all the side stories going on.
Instalove: Kind of. They are in a traumatic situation together, so I understand that it can speed up feelings -- but it felt a little underdeveloped. I'm pretty sure "ILYs" aren't even exchanged or mentioned, other than briefly in the h's inner dialogue.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Tierney. I liked him, but I feel as though the author wanted to keep the mystery about him going so we didn't get into too much depth with his character...at least not as much as I'd have liked.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Lilly. I also felt like we could've gotten a little deeper into her character, but I didn't dislike her.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes (view spoiler)[ Both the h and H push away and also pursue the relationship at times. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story (see below comment).
Descriptive sex: Yes, but a little awkward feeling because I think this is an older book.
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes (view spoiler)[The h's ex husband is the chief of police and he is very jealous of her being with Tierney. (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No, but another scene (view spoiler)[There is a graphic scene with two side characters. (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes, but not between mcs (view spoiler)[The h was cheated on repeatedly by her ex and the H's ex fell in love with another man while he was away for work. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated at the end, but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[Kidnapping/violence/murder (off and on page), loss of a child (off page), both h and H are divorced, and cheating by side characters. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had an epilogue, but I was bummed out by it tbh. I wanted more of a glimpse into their future! Once the mystery was solved, it felt like a book getting slapped shut. I would call this a HFN ending.
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 between mcs - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene between side characters (not with mc) - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I liked the mystery/suspense aspects to this book, but I feel like the romance and relationships were lacking. I didn't fully 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I liked the mystery/suspense aspects to this book, but I feel like the romance and relationships were lacking. I didn't fully connect with the characters and I didn't feel their connection to each other either. It was a page turner in how I kept on going because I was invested in what was going to happen, but I felt the loss of not having those connections. While I was pleasantly surprised about how it all went down, I also was incredibly disappointed in the ending. I can see this book working for many readers that enjoy books that are heavy on the mystery/suspense side with a hint at romance...I just like a little more balance between the two.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Emory's story. Emory and her husband are having problems and she leaves town to help train for an upcoming marathon that she is organizing. What she doesn't expect after starting her run is to wake up with a concussion in a stranger's home and not really knowing how she got there. The situation has Emory held captive in the stranger's cabin and he is extremely secretive to where Emory is not sure what to think of him. There are some suspenseful scenes, some big secrets revealed, and a few sexy times....and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing on Emory and the H in 3rd person narrative. It also focused on side characters as well.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.
Instalove: Kind of. I didn't really understand the progression into deeper feelings. Lust and extreme circumstances, yes I got -- but love? No.
H rating: 3 stars. He was alright. I feel like he was a huge mystery throughout the book and not only when he was hiding his identity. It felt kind of surface level in his characterization tbh.
h rating: 3.5 stars. Emory. I liked her for the most part. I appreciated her strength and courage, but I also didn't feel like we got that deep into her character either.
Sex scene with OW or OM: No (view spoiler)[There is a scene with the h's husband and the OW he's cheating on the h with. (hide spoiler)]
Cheating: Yes (view spoiler)[The h is cheated on by her husband (pretty descriptive scene with them on page) and the h is married to OM when she falls in love with and is intimate with the H. (hide spoiler)]
Separation: No. I don't feel like they were ever really "together" for it to be considered a separation.
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[ Assault/kidnapping/criminal activity/murder (on page). statutory rape/incest/miscarriage (side characters - off page), and the h is married to OM when she meets the H. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This didn't have nearly enough closure for me. I would call it a HFN ending, but it was barely even that IMO. I would've loved to have a glimpse into their future and them navigating their new lives together!
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with mcs and OW/OM - Does have both the h and H pushing away - Does Not have a separation between the h and H (see above) - Does Not have abuse by mcs - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The angst. The characters. The H!
The Not-So-Good: I felt like there could've been a little more of th4 Stars
Opinion Breakdown The Good: The premise. The angst. The characters. The H!
The Not-So-Good: I felt like there could've been a little more of their past. As mentioned below, I do think that Ms. Sheridan did the flashbacks well and didn't overload the whole story with them. I just like that on page development of feelings and since this is a second chance, we don't really get that since they're already/still in love even when reunited.
The Bad: The ending is my biggest gripe. While I enjoyed the epilogue and their HEA, I needed much more actual closure! See below closure section for more ranty comments...
Overall: I think I put this one off because they were already married before and the books I've read with this type of dynamic simply hasn't worked for me in the past. I typically enjoy the books where we get to see the mcs meeting and then progressing into their deeper feelings more. I'm shaking myself for that now! It is Mia Sheridan, so I should have known to trust her with it. I enjoyed this one. Now, is it up to par with some on my favorites shelf like Archer's Voice, Stinger, or Kyland? Not quite. But I still liked it!
*I'd love any recommendations for married but in trouble or second chance after divorce type books to further prove me wrong!*
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Audra and Dane's story. They fell in love hard and married young only to end in a tragic divorce. ~7 years later, Audra finds out the building Dane gifted her as a wedding gift is going to be taken away from her and she has to see him again to try to stop it from happening. Dane is shocked to see Audra after all the years and all of their feelings, good and bad, rush back once they spend some time together. When he is flying her back to Colorado to help her out, they end up crashing and only having each other to rely on to survive. There is some heavy baggage they have to work through, some secrets revealed, and some sweet and sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Audra and Dane's POV. With some flashbacks in 3rd person narrative. I thought she did well in giving us the history without overloading the current story with it.
Overall Pace of Story: Good (except the end -- see below). I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
H (Hero) rating: 4.5 stars. Dane. I know this will be controversial (especially after reading some reviews), but I really liked him! I liked how protective and loving he was. I also felt that while he handled things wrong during their trauma, that made him human! Otherwise he might have just been too good to be true in an annoying way ...more
Re-Read Update: I'm not going to add much to this review after my re-read, because I still feel mostly the same about the book. I did enjoy it more (hence my increase in stars) and didn't have as many issues with the h as I did before. That could very well be because I remembered how everything works out and wasn't experiencing it for the first time. Still loved the H (and pictured him as Jason Momoa ...more
Overall Opinion: I struggled at times with this one tbh. I love the time travel idea of it, but it just fell a little flat for me. I felt like 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I struggled at times with this one tbh. I love the time travel idea of it, but it just fell a little flat for me. I felt like there was way too much inner dialogue going on (especially in the first half) and not enough actual interactions. The connection between the h and H felt mostly sexual, and I didn't get the progression of feelings to love. The ending also was a huge bummer. We get all this struggle for them and then an ending that didn't even feel complete! Oh well. I did enjoy the characters themselves, and I also enjoyed their banter and the side characters. I'm going to go with a middle of the road 3 Stars, because while I didn't love it I didn't hate it either.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Gwen and Drustan's story. Gwen is tired of her life and is on a vacation in Scotland when she finds herself falling in a hole and landing on top of a half naked, hot man. After being in what seems to be a coma or deep sleep, Gwen somehow awakens him. Drustan is instantly confused by his surroundings and shocks Gwen when he declares that he is from the 16th century and somehow had been enchanted. Gwen tries to help him because she thinks he's mentally ill, but with their strong attraction and some undeniable magic she can no longer deny that he is speaking the truth. Gwen somehow ends up catapulted back into Drustan's time, and she must warn the past Drustan and his family of the upcoming danger. There are some funny moments, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Gwen and Drustan in 3rd person narrative. It did have some parts that focused on side characters as well.
Overall Pace of Story: Not the best. It felt slow at times. I skimmed some of the decor descriptions, (seemingly) repetitive inner dialogue, and sex scenes. I don't think I missed much by doing so either.
Instalove: Kind of. They don't have much basis to their relationship (other than lust) when they start confessing (at least in their inner dialogue) stronger feelings IMO.
H rating: 4 stars. Drustan. I liked him. He was sweet, alpha, and loyal.
h rating: 4 stars. Gwen. I liked her. She was smart, sassy, and brave.
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes. I skimmed some scenes tbh because they did feel like a little bit too much at times.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: Yes (view spoiler)[ When they are reunited, the H is engaged and about to marry OW and this causes some drama for the couple (he's never met this OW). (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes (view spoiler)[They are separated a few different times (at least physically), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time. (hide spoiler)]
Possible Triggers: Yes (view spoiler)[The h is a virgin, it is implied the H has had many other partners before h (off page), loss of parents (off page), and unexpected pregnancy (on page) (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had an abrupt ending with not nearly enough closure for me! I wanted to know how they fared and how they created their future! It seems as though we'll see them in later books, but I am frustrated I didn't even get a glimpse into their HEA. I would call this a HFN ending just because of my so many unanswered questions, but others might be fine in calling it a HEA (view spoiler)[They're magically bound/married (no ceremony) and she is pregnant (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 few physical separations between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (see above) (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was cute, and I do think it was nice to get away from the characters from the previous books some. But, I do think that 3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was cute, and I do think it was nice to get away from the characters from the previous books some. But, I do think that it fell a little flat for me. There was a lot of other stuff going on that I felt like the romance was a side topic. That was disappointing, but I get it. I think maybe the other books in this spinoff series will be better, and it was also fun to get away from my usual genre and break up my usual reads. I didn't hate it -- but I just didn't really love it either.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Lo and K'Thar's story. Lo finds herself waken up on a new planet with a whole new reality. She somehow gets separated from the other humans and finds herself on an island and her new parasite that helps her live on the planet has made her "resonate" with her true mate K'Thar. K'Thar's clan is only made up of a few after a disaster took out most of the habitants of the island, so he is eager to start rebuilding his clan with Lo. There is a communication barrier they have to work through, some sexy times, and some suspenseful moments...and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Lo and K'Thar's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well. The ending did feel a little abrupt though.
Instalove: No, but they "resonate" pretty quickly.
H rating: 4 stars. K'thar. I liked him. His family history was sad, but I liked the way he cared for others.
h rating: 4.5 stars. Lo. I liked her a lot. She's probably one of my favorite hs from this author actually! She was smart, sweet, and kept her head on straight in times of crisis.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Not really
Heat level: Okay. They have some okay tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story (not as hot as some of the other books I've read in this series either).
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Not really...except being abducted my aliens 👽 😳 😂
Closure: This didn't have that much closure tbh. I get that it is the start of a new spinoff series, but I wanted more closure for the couple! I would call this a HFN ending.
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 Not have the h or H pushing away - Does have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I'm a sucker for marooned romances, and this fit the bill. I was afraid for a time when I was balling (and my husband was sn 4 Stars
Overall Opinion: I'm a sucker for marooned romances, and this fit the bill. I was afraid for a time when I was balling (and my husband was snickering at me) that it wasn't going to end the way I wanted it to. The author, Pepper Winters, isn't known for fluffy sweet romances (she tends to go on the darker side)...so I started making my own horrible predictions. But rest assured -- she gives us an HEA and I would even say it was sweet! I liked it. My biggest complaint would be that I think it could've been edited down to be shorter, because it felt long (and it was!) at times.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Estelle and Galloway's story. They see each other for the first time when boarding a plane to Fiji. After some unfortunate circumstances, they end up on another flight that crashes on a remote Fijian island. They soon find out that they are the only survivors along with 2 kids. They learn to survive together through many challenging experiences, and their relationship changes from hateful bickering to friends to being in love.
POV: This alternated between Estelle and Galloway's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Ok. This was on the longer side for me at 852 pages on my scribed app. I think it could've been edited down to not be so long, because even though I barreled through it -- there were times that it felt slow. BUT I never skimmed at any point.
Instalove: I'd say no. They didn't act on their feelings for a good while because of their circumstances, and the H seemed to only care about sex especially at the beginning...they did develop strong feelings rather quickly, but it didn't feel like instalove to me.
H rating: 4 stars. Galloway. What a name, right?!? It taken me a while to like him because he was a damaged and grouchy man that thought a lot with his d¡ck, but he won me over and I was team "G" at the end.
h rating: 4 stars. Estelle. I had some big issues with her pushing the H away towards the beginning, but once I understood her reasoning I got over it. She was a tough cookie, and I loved how she stepped up to whatever challenged they faced.
Sadness level: High. Man, I ugly cried! I was not expecting to either. So beware readers -- you need some tissues for this one!
Heat level: Moderate. They took a while since the h was petrified of getting pregnant and pushed him away, but they did have some hot scenes once they did get together.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: No. They had no way to practice safe sex.
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Possible Triggers: Yes(view spoiler)[Death of loved ones, death of side character with major part in the book, unexpected pregnancy, and H had a criminal past. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had good closure with a cute epilogue and a HEA.
How I got it: It was part of my scribed subscription.
Safety: Safe with exception (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 OTT sad parts IMO since I ugly cried ;) - Does have a HEA ending. (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: This was still an enjoyable read, and one that will remain on my favor 5 Stars (Originally Read 2/4/2015)
4 Stars (Re-Read 3/16/2017)
Overall Opinion: This was still an enjoyable read, and one that will remain on my favorites shelf. I will, however, drop it from a 5 star rating to a 4 star rating though. My biggest issue was that we don't really have any time with them as a couple in the real world after they're rescued. To me, that is such a missed opportunity! I love that they go into different career fields, but I wanted more! I felt like the confrontation with Chris was resolved way too neatly, and we didn't experience any fallout from that whole situation. (view spoiler)[I mean, what did Tristan do for a job? Did the h live with her fiancé and have to move out? What happened with that mother figure, Maggie, that came up in conversation a few times? Etc. (hide spoiler)] I'm definitely tougher in my ratings now that I feel the need to justify them with words than I was when I just left a star rating before, and it might also be that I'm getting more grumpy as time goes on ;)
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Aimee and Tristan's story. Aimee is on her way to the location for her upcoming wedding in her fiancé's private jet. The pilot, Tristan, ends up crash landing them somewhere in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. They are stranded with no way to communicate or travel, so they have to adjust to their new realities. Both of them also carry some baggage from their past, but after spending more and more time with each other they break through the barriers and fall in love...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between Aimee (mostly) and Tristan's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the end. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well throughout. I did have a big issue with the fact that we get them being rescued and then it practically jumps right into an epilogue! I felt like we could've spent some more time in between.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H rating: 4.5 stars. Tristan. I really liked him. I felt bad for his past, and I liked the way he was so protective of the h.
h rating: 4 stars. Aimee. I liked her. She was pretty tough considering she was totally out of her element.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed this time -- but I do remember crying some the first time I read it.
Push/Pull:Mild (view spoiler)[ The h pushes away a little after their first kiss because of her guilt over her fiancé. They both pursue the relationship after that. (hide spoiler)]
Heat level: Decent. They have some decent tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: No (view spoiler)[ They don't practice safe sex because they don't have the necessary tools. No mention of std statuses or previous practices (that I remember) either. (hide spoiler)]
OW/OM drama: Mild (view spoiler)[ The h is engaged to OM, but the confrontation with him is really mild considering the circumstances. (hide spoiler)]
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes, but not between mcs (view spoiler)[The h is engaged to OM when they are stranded, so she cheats on this OM with the H. (hide spoiler)]
Closure: This had good closure with a HEA ending and great epilogues. (see above overall opinion and pacing section)
How I got it: I read it the first time as part of my scribed subscription, but then I bought it for $0.99 when it went on sale on Amazon in 4/2016.
Safety: This one should be either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. (view spoiler)[ - Does have cheating (not between mcs - see above) - Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM - Does have the h pushing the H away (minimal) - Does Not have a separation between the h and H - Does Not have abuse - Does Not have OTT sad parts - Does have a HEA ending (hide spoiler)]...more
Overall Opinion: I'm bummed. This was another re-read for me for a book that I needed 4 Stars (Originally Read 10/9/2014)
2.5 Stars (Re-Read 2/6/2019)
Overall Opinion: I'm bummed. This was another re-read for me for a book that I needed to write a review for, and I'm sad to say my rating is going down. The H was simply too much (see below). I like the idea of just having the H's POV, but in this case I feel it didn't work because I didn't find him all that likable. It was also kinda out there in coincidences and the H's back story. I obviously liked this the first time I read it, but it didn't work for me this time around-- and I'm also not itching to read the next book, Bastian's Storm, to finish the story.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Raine and Bastian's story. Bastian has a messed up past and lives on his ship as an open alcoholic that charters trips for the wealthy. One night when he is asleep the ship is going under and he manages to find a raft and one last passenger, Raine. Raine learns quickly that the grumpy captain is an alcoholic that has to go through detox on their small raft, and she learns a lot about him while he is incoherent. They survive together through lots of ups and downs and eventually fall in love. There are some suspenseful moments, a lot of sexy times, and some big reveals...and they get a HFN ending.
POV: This was told in Bastian's POV. I prefer dual POV, so I would've liked to have some of Raine's -- but then again I didn't like her much more than the H, so I'm not sure it would've been any better ...more
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