Ressa

I really wanted to like this more...

I was intrigued by the description but this was a little disappointing for me. It has a strong start! Stargazing on the beach discussing history and mythology made Carson seem really dreamy. Unfortunately, all the love scenes left me feeling lukewarm. The plot overall was just a little too convenient and Lynn and Carson's push and pull started to be more annoying than enjoyable. As characters, I liked them okay and they had some depth but I was somewhat disconnected from them. As much as I love mythology, the references started to veer towards the cheesy end of the spectrum towards the end of the book. That said, there were some genuinely sweet moments and a couple of interesting plot twists that I won't spoil.

I love Virginia Henley's historical romances! She transports me so completely with her vivid characters and stories. A Woman of Passion and A Year and a Day are my absolute favorites and while this one didn't surpass those two titles for me I still enjoyed it quite a bit. The ending was a little abrupt for me and I would have loved to have more resolution on the the final scandal and the rivalry between James and his brother. I also wished for more of a redemption of James' reputation but his loyalty likely would have prevented that. However, the romance between Anne and James more than made up for these quibbles.

I've been on a Penny Reid binge over the last month and I love her writing and her characters SO much. At this point I have LOVED the Hypothesis series, and am just getting started with the Knitting in the City series. I typically love Penny Reid's heroes but I really missed Quinn's point of view throughout most of this book, so it was a little more challenging to get to know him. I just really wanted to get in his head! However, I loved their chemistry!

At times, I wanted more details and more steam during sexy times but I'm thinking of it as character choice. I think it's because we are viewing things from Janie's point of view. For example, when Janie would go back to her knitting group to spill McHotpants details, they complained it was like she was reporting the news and the sex scenes are a bit like that.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! It was great to meet all the characters and hypothesize about where the series will go. I'm very excited to read the rest of the series!

I'm enjoying the New Species Series. I'm really happy I picked it back up. Wrath and Lauren were fun! I enjoyed the scrapes they had with Mercile. They added some good drama and intrigue. I also enjoyed the interaction between Lauren's cat, Tiger, and the New Species. I don't think we've seen them interact with pets and it was priceless. On to the next one!

I've slowly been working my way through this series and they are all pretty enjoyable but Tiger has been one of my favorites so far. I loved how the relationship between Tiger and Zandy evolved from beginning to end. My fingers are crossed that a story for Vengeance is still in the works. The guy is breaking my heart.

Here's the deal. I like Brawn. A lot. I just wished these two were better at communicating. In the end though, I was quite happy with how things turned out. New Species reads are always steamy and have elements of action and tension that I really enjoy. This one didn't disappoint on that front, so it's a solid 4 stars from me.

It's kismet but everything is so damn complicated.

I loved the premise! Malachy and Rory were so perfect and so hot together. These two are clearly meant for each other but so many things (ahem, and people!!!) that stand in their way. I enjoyed this because all the characters are imperfect. It's challenging and frustrating at times because you want to throttle them all at times but it made for entertaining reading. There are some things that ancillary characters do that would be unforgivable in my book but Malachy and Rory are more forgiving creatures than I am. There's so much I loved it just fizzled a bit for me at the end.

Billy and Eden got under each other's skin 10 years ago but Billy left Eden in Spearfish. When he returns, it's clear they can't keep their hands off each other. More than that, they still love each other. Then Native American rock star Jon White Feather gets back in town. He's been Eden's friend with bennies for years in Billy's absence. The menage between the tree of them is seriously hot and I didn't want it to end. I want more Jon White Feather!

Anyway, this short story has a quick but satisfying HEA for Billy and Eden. ❤️❤️

Funny, sweet, and hot...what more could you want?

Rome and Peyton's chemistry is off the charts! I love an office romance and really enjoyed how this one played out. The emails added a fun element of intrigue and I loved their banter. It was a bit of a slow burn but once Rome and Peyton got together...wow. Enjoyed it!!

It was definitely time for a primate New Species to get their happily ever after. We've known Smiley for a while now and in the other books, he comes across as sweet and softer than our typical canine or feline heroes. To the point that I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this one as much. But let me tell you I really loved getting to know Smiley better! He was this wonderful blend of dominance and attentiveness with Vanni. Perfect book boyfriend material! On to the next one!

Loved these two novellas! 140 was a unique and sweet story. Dana and Mourn finding peace and a future together was fantastic. Then 927 was a surprise! I didn't see this storyline coming and loved the connection between Hero and Candi as they grew up in captivity and reconnect years later. Lots to enjoy here!

I really enjoyed this one!

It took me a little time to get invested in Indie and Alex as characters but once the tour left Australia I was all in! After that point, I had a hard time putting this book down. L.J. Shen's stories are complex and her twists and turns actually manage to catch me by surprise. Loved it!

New Species are Back!

I was sooo excited to have a new New Species book! I love New Species but this felt like a step back for me. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it as much as some of the others. They also didn't really progress the overall narrative, so this one was just okay for me. I still desperately hope we get more New Species because I'd love to read more of their stories.

What I enjoyed was the friendship between Mel and Mary. Moon was a pretty standard canine species and Lash gave me Valiant vibes. Sexy times were good as always.

Side note: I actually kind of hoped Moon would end up with the romance writing friend of one of the previous heroines. She ended up in the Women's dorm at Homeland after their house was blown up. I'm hoping she gets her own story at some point. I also would like to see more female New Species get HEAs.

Wow. This was heavy but so beautifully written...

This isn't your typical high school romance. It was weightier and more meaningful than I expected. Ava and Knox have been through some harsh realities that ultimately make their connection deeper. There's a range of complex emotions between them. I don't know how you walk away from this book not completely in love with both of them.

Gah! My heart!

I had a really hard time putting this book down! I don't quite have the words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. You really feel for the characters as children trying to cope with difficult home lives. Their friendship shifts into something more as they grow up. They don't have an easy road together but their love is a living breathing thing. Enjoyed it!

A menage full of heart!

This was a sweet and steamy read that was a little deeper emotionally than I expected. There's a journey toward self-acceptance for Matt. Johnny faces his biggest fears. Eden finds a way to consider a future beyond her 25th birthday. Through it all their relationship grows undeniably stronger. Really enjoyed this one!

I didn't expect this to be so great!

This is erotica, for sure. 100% Certified and Steamy. But there was unexpected depth of characters and feeling and conflict that really pulled me in. I always love a good menage and this one is definitely one of my favorites. I felt that I knew Rick, Carl, and Katie inside and out. There's love, drama, and redemption. Really enjoyed this one!

These have become reliably steamy books to escape into. Ironically, a big element of these books is the whole falling in love with your step brother trope which isn't one of my favorite things about this series. Happily, this one doesn't have that step sibling element. I thought this one was deeper thematically and had conflict I was genuinely concerned about. I felt like Dom and Hannah had room to breathe as characters, which kept me more engaged.