Kendall

This book was so beautifully done! I am, by no means, a classical music enthusiast. I know about as the much as your average person does, but this book made me want to listen to classical music on repeat (particularly electric covers of pop songs). As someone who has seen an orchestra maybe once in her life, I have a fairly poor grasp as to how it all works with chair hierarchies and such. Knowing this, I was a little hesitant to start reading a romance where it was all about this tension between certain "chairs" and different sections of instruments. Turns out, my worry was completely unfounded. The author did an amazing job at explaining how the orchestra worked and the life of a musician. It's not all glitz and glam, but sometimes eating ramen in your tiny apartment so you can live your passion of music. I wasn't confused or lost for a single moment. By the end, I had a very unfounded confidence that I was a music snob...if only for a moment.

Outside of the music element, the real heart of the book for me was the characters and their connections to one another. Gwen's commentary was truly entertaining and refreshing. Some of her thoughts were ones that I have had a hundred times. One aspect that really drew me to Gwen's story was the element of confidence that this book addressed. Gwen struggled with knowing her worth, and it wasn't done in this traditional, Hollywood way. It was realistic. Its the small things that build up to make you think that you are worthy of accepting less because you think you aren't "as good"...even though you are. It isn't always a "shy" girl hiding behind her hair, but a woman trying to do her best but taking the safe route. It really resonated with me in a way that I think a lot of people would appreciate. Xander, the male lead, is also about as loveable as you can get for a guy who is as subtle as a semi-truck. He pulls no punches on his words, and I loved it. He also played his cards close to the vest most times, but when his feelings peeked out...OH MAN! It was amazing! Talk about a man obsessed. We love! I appreciate the fact that while this book was mostly from Gwen's perspective (as it should be as the FMC!), I also got a small view of Xander (or should I say Alex's) perspective. You could really feel where the misunderstandings went wrong seeing it from each character's side. I also really loved how you got both viewpoints without having to re-hash the entire scene again.

Speaking of love, I can't talk about a romance book without mentioning the romance. It was very tension-filled in the best way. There were points went I felt ready to burst from their conversations. Their showdowns (excuse me...conversations) were legendary. SO MUCH TENSION! It made the romance parts that much more explosive and, let's be honest, downright steamy. This was a perfectly executed modern "Enemies to Lovers" trope.

I cannot recommend or sing this book's praises enough. I read the other author's book (that was semi-connected), and I loved it, but this one...this one has it beat. Something about the tension and the characters in this cutthroat world of classical music really hooked me.

*Special thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I read the first one, and I am not going to lie. I wasn’t impressed. BUT I kept hearing good things about the second one, so I thought I’d give it a shot, and I will say… I really liked it. The story was cute, the characters funny, and it all was grounded in a way that seemed real. It also wasn’t just an excuse to write a ton of sex scenes like the first one was (no shade if that’s what you want, but I like a slower build). I won’t say that this book had the most groundbreaking plot (it was pretty meh), but the characters were really well done, so it made the plot interesting. Lauren and Alex were such a odd duo, but they worked so well. They had similar humor, and their banter was really cute to see. I love seeing a Grumpy X Sunshine trope where the guy is the closest thing to a golden retriever as you can get. I really liked the plus size representation that Lauren brought. She wasn’t ashamed or trying to lose weight or anything like other plus size books normally do. She also wasn’t constantly talking about it either. She just was, and I loved that. I also really appreciated I liked the representation of mental health and ADHD. I feel like it was done in an interesting way. You can really see the impulsivity and certain aspects of ADHD in this book, and it was an interesting plot device.

After reading this book, I can genuinely say that I recommend it. I’ll probably try the third installment just to see if it gets any better. I can’t say that I would recommend the series…but this one was good. (Afternote: I think this book is the only saving grace of the series. I tried to read the book after this one and DNFed it SO….take that for what it is.)

I am delighted to say that I actually enjoyed this book! It definitely felt like a Fae Hunger Games in the best way. I haven’t read a Fae fantasy novel before, so my hopes were not high, and I will say, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed it. I think this was especially the case because it was juxtaposed against the human female character. In a way, the reader can experience Fae for the first time because Lor is as well.

I think one of the parts of the book that I adored was Lor. She was unhinged! She would say the most out of pocket stuff in the best way. I feel like many times, the main character in a book will think something about someone, but they won’t say it. Lor said it! and I absolutely adored it. She was feisty and slightly feral, but in the best way. It definitely felt different than your typical “strong, independent” female lead.

The plot was entertaining. I can see the threads of inspiration from other books, but I still felt it was unique on its own. There was always something happening, so I never got bored. Especially with Lor’s colorful narrative. It went by really quick!

One thing I really didn’t like was the odd POV switch. What I mean is that Lor’s is in first person…but Nadir’s is written in third person. It felt like such an odd switch, and I’m not sure if this was intentional or not. It did break up the flow a bit, so I hope that this changes in the future.

The ending. It was definitely a cliffhanger. I won’t say what it was, but I will say… I wasn’t exactly shocked by it. I feel like there were enough clues throughout the book that you can see it coming BUT I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing in this case. I think this series has 3 more books t. o come. If that’s the case, you really need to lay a solid base and background. This is exactly what this book did. I can with 100% fact tell you, I have no idea what is gong to happen in the next one and I can’t wait to find out!

Overall, I would recommend this book! Its definitely different that your average fantasy book (a tad bit spicier than my usual if you catch my drift), but really entertaining, and is that not why we read? to be entertained? If you are like me and haven’t read a book with Fae in it, this one is definitely a good place to start (courtesy of a newb like myself ;P) I will be reading the next one!

When I picked this book up, I didn’t realize it was the third installment in my favorite series. I knew it was written by an author that I loved, and I was sold. I will say, although it is tangentially related to the Love, Lists & Fancy Ships book in terms of characters, the feel of this book felt very different to me. It really felt like it could have been a stand alone if not for the fact that a certain couple (who will remain unnamed as I don’t do spoilers) pops up. The style and the story felt different, but still great.

One thing that I really appreciated about this story was the talk about mental health. It touches specifically on OCD and ADHD. While I am pretty familiar with the latter, it was the representation of OCD in the main male lead that had me really interested. It was such a different take on mental health. I feel like there is a trend to embrace your mental health issues such as ADHD or Anxiety (this is, in no way, a judgment of this type of thinking! It isn’t something that people should hide or be afraid of. You do you (with the help of a licensed therapist, of course)), but this type of behavior is not something that you can apply to all mental health issues. OCD is one that is often misrepresented as just being a clean person, but here you can see the real impacts on someone’s life and even romance. It was something that only serious therapy, time, and an earnest want to do the work could help. I appreciated that it was ACTUALLY talked about instead of glossed over and made to out to be something you just needed to accept to be “better”.

The romance in this one felt… real. It had it’s swoon-worthy and adorably cute moments like any great romance does set in Ireland has, but it was also firmly grounded in reality. It felt like one where the characters would last past the last page of the book. They inherently knew, understood, and cared for the other person. It was touching. There are a lot of reasons that the romance gave this impression off, but one of them is the passing of time in the book. There are multiple time skips, and it allows for actual growth to be had.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t the book I was expecting, but I am so glad that this is the book that I got. I would recommend it to those who have read this series and haven’t. I don’t think there are too many spoilers in this where it is needed to read the other books, but it doesn’t hurt. I would recommend!

The perfect end to the perfect story. The prose that Rebecca Ross is able to craft is honestly unreal. It is ridiculously beautiful. Not only that, the story hooks you and stays with you for months. Literally months. I couldn’t wait to read this book after then end that was Divine Rivals. I will say that the beginning started out a bit slow. I think this is because the last book ended on such a massive cliffhanger. Anything that didn’t match that energy was going to feel slow. Once the book got going, however, it didn’t stop. The plot pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It also helps that this story has one of the best romances of all time. This couple… I legitimately think they may have ruined all romance expectations for me. It was soooooo good! No matter what they keep getting drawn to each other in a way that is so heart wrenching yet sweet. If I could have a couple that says “Goals” it would be Iris and Roman. The ending was one that I (NO SPOILERS, Of COURSE) didn’t see coming, but it was incredibly fitting. I will say… grab a tissue cause you may cry (in the best way). I will recommend this book till my dying breath. Seriously… READ THIS SERIES!

I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t fulfill any of the hopes I had. I picked this up because it was a romance with Native American representation. I had never read one before, and I thought it was really intriguing. What I liked about the book were all the Native American parts. I loved seeing a different culture and also reading a more personal view of American history and how different it can be for those who were abused by colonialism instead of those who profited from it. The parts I didn’t like about this book… were all related to the romance.

The premise honestly… gave me the ick. He meets her as a 24 year old while she is 17… UM… Why? It could have been such a quick adjustment by even a year. I know what you are thinking… What does a year really do? Maybe not much, but the amount of times it’s brought up about how he is lusting after a girl who “isn’t legal”… it just hit me wrong. It wasn’t just that she was young… it was that she wasn’t legal. -____- You can’t tell me that doesn’t give you the creeps. On top of that, there is a whole “virginity” plot line that also made me uncomfortable in the way it played out. Once again… not an inherently bad trope or subject to explore in a romance book, but the execution just had me feeling uncomfortable. There was also the fact that you couldn’t get two characters who were not made for each other. Their political views, backgrounds, and even morals were different. Their differences are spun to be the grounds for their “explosive” chemistry, but these characters are incredibly headstrong. To the point where it is toxic the way that they do not go together, yet they continue to pursue each other. In fact… I actually liked the main female lead. It was her WITH him that I didn’t like. If there had been a different person with her (one who wasn’t so full of red-flags), I would have liked this book so much more.

This book ends on a massive cliffhanger. One that you couldn’t see coming from a mile away. After reading an entire romance book and to have it end the way it did…. I know that I will be reading the sequel. But make no mistake. This is begrudging sequel read. I want to know what happens because I have already invested so much time already, but I honestly… don’t love this couple. I think they are both in massive need of therapy (and it’s not like they don’t have the money to afford one).

Overall… I wouldn’t recommend it, but I may not steer you away depending on the books you like. This definitely has spicy parts to it (which I wasn’t really a fan of because of multiple reasons but largely context and how it was written). It also deals with politics in a very heavy handed way (which can be good.. once again… it depends on your interests). I liked the political parts of the book and the Native American representation (its the only reason that I am rating it 2 stars if I am honest)… but that is it. The taste of disappointment is strong with this one.

It’s rare for a YA romance book to live up to the hype, and let me tell you… this one does. I think it is in part due to the fact that although this is a book that is obviously set in high school, it didn’t feel childish. It felt just like a classic, sweet, and funny romance story. I could easily see this book being made into a movie that I watch multiple times on repeat.

As a rom-com lover, this book was the perfect mix. I loved all the references to my favorite movies and seeing the tropes play out in a way that broke the fourth wall but also was serious in playing them out. Not only that, but it is clear that Wes… ELITE male romance lead. He was funny, sweet, and clearly madly in love with the girl even if she didn’t see it. (Also… is it just me who pictured a Dylan O'Brian in his Teen Wolf era as Wes while reading this book?). I was practically swooning at certain parts.

This book is also hilarious in a way that I wasn’t expecting. There are multiple events where it seems like fate is trying to tell our brilliant female lead to maybe look for romance elsewhere, but goodness… it was gold. I truly found myself laughing at the absurdity while also thinking about how that could totally happen to me (misfortune is my bestie…what can I say?)

As with any good romance book, it touched on more topics than just romance and “getting the guy”. It dealt with grief and what it’s like to NOT move on while everyone else does. It was such as interesting and yet relevant subject that was written in a really relatable way.

Overall, I loved this book. It was a perfect weekend read, and I can see myself re-reading it in the future. It gives you hope… and if you are a hopeless romantic already, this book will just add to the proof that it exists. I would highly recommend!

This is the last book of the series, and in my opinion, it may be the best one of them all. This book had all my favorite tropes: Grumpy X Sunshine, Fake Marriage, small town romance where he falls first and HARD. This book was such a unexpected surprise. The romance was sweet, and swoon-worthy. There was also a lot of action / plot points. I feel like a lot of romances just have a lot of internal wrestling of feelings (which don’t get me wrong…that’s great), but this book had a lot of actual things happening that helped the feelings part occur. I really devoured this book in a day.

The characters were also all so likeable. Evan was truly grumpy fisherman and Melanie was your average insta influencer, but it really worked. I don’t like to slam other author’s books (really…. you like what you like. I just may not be a fan), but I feel like this book did what Tessa Bailey was trying to do in It Happened One Summer without the poorly done spicy to cover up the massive plot holes. They had chemistry and a short timeline that they were falling love with each other, but it felt…realistic? if that is even possible. I mean he learns to take selfies for her, shows her how delicious poutine is, and bought her fake eyelashes cause she ran out even though he had no idea what he was doing. If that doesn’t have you swooning, I don’t know what will.

The ending is also not one to be scoffed at. Overall, the book was all about taking a chance on love. I really enjoyed how the ending played out. It felt realistic for the couple. It wasn’t rushed, but an actual compromise which is kind of rare to see. I didn’t feel like strangling either of them over miscommunication issues, and that is saying a lot.

If you have ever liked Sandra Bullock romantic comedy movies, you will love this book. It truly is a mix of the Proposal and While You Were Sleeping. I can’t recommend this book enough. Even if you didn’t like the others, I really recommend this one. It felt different in such a good way.

Get your tissues and buckle up! This one is not for the weak. The book starts with gut punch: Ember’s military father who is away on leave…dies. His death sends everyone reeling, each in a different way. For the main character, Ember, it means she is making all the decisions that her mother normally would if she wasn’t so grief-stricken. Trying to keep afloat, Ember runs into Josh Walker who was a hot, flirty guy she went to high school with only now… he grew up. And he is willing to be there for whatever she needs.

Military romances are not usually my thing, so I was a little surprised that I ended up liking this one. I will say there were a lot of elements that had me rolling my eyes (the miscommunication trope is STRONG in this one), but I did enjoy it despite that. I think the romance, while a little angsty, did have some swoon worthy moments. I mean, if a cute guy who plays hockey, hung out with my younger brother, and said he would be “whatever” she needed… I’d be sold.

Somethings that I liked about this book:

- The twist. I don’t know how Rebecca Yarros does it, but she can turn the smallest little information into this big twist that leaves you rethinking all the past conversations. I won’t say what the twist is (NO SPOILERS HERE, YA’LL!), but I did go, “Wait a dang minute…!” Even though it is a twist, it is really believable in the realism elements. It isn’t shock for the sake of shock.

- The romance - I will say it again, the “whatever” nickname and storyline had me swooning. It was kind of dreamy, let’s be real. I found myself yelling at Ember to just get with the man already.

Somethings that I did NOT like about this book:

- This book needed way more of a plot. Outside of the initial shock of her father dying, I feel like the book is a lot of the same. She goes to class, runs into Josh, tries to fight her feelings for him, and has an emotional overthinking session about her feelings. I felt like it could have had a bit more in terms of events and still had the emotional element.

- The Angst and miscommunication. It was kind of CONSTANT. She was always pulling away and it got old after a while. I would have liked if I could have seen them happy for a good part of the book.

- The ending. I won’t put any spoilers, but it felt…. like a cop out. I didn’t feel like any other their issues necessarily got solved. I will say, I saw that there is a later book in the series where we return to these characters again. I assume that is when things will be solved, but it just felt a bit… unresolved and I didn’t appreciate that.

The book did deal with a lot of tough subjects like grief and what it means to be in a military family / relationship. If those subjects are sensitive to you, I may advise caution. There were several moments where I was a bit taken back, and I don’t have those ties.

This is the first of the series, and while it isn’t my highest rated book ever, I did enjoy it. I will be reading the next one to see how it ranks. If you enjoyed any of Yarros’ other contemporary romances, you will probably like this one. If you miss the Nicholas Sparks movies from the 2010’s, this book is also for you.

This book is one that I know I will be talking about this book for many years to come. It felt special. It was dark, suspenseful, beautiful, and sweet. There are some books that you read in your life where you know that you are going to think about the first time you read it. This is one of them for me.

The plot was something that was unique. I really loved the world building. It felt old, yet familiar. It didn’t take a lot to get into it, but it was complex enough where it was memorable. A lot of the magic is concentrated in these playing cards, each with a power that gives and takes if you take too much. At first, I will be honest… I thought the cards were lame. All I could think of was some sort of nerdy solitaire game, and I struggled to take it seriously. However, as the story unfolded, I got more into it. By the end, I wished I could have the chance to hold one of the cards. The way it is written is truly masterful and addictive.

The characters in this book are probably one of the biggest selling points. They all have their flaws and that is what makes them so magnetic. You end up rooting for them despite it all. You also get multiple points of view, and that always makes my heart happy. The romance is also one that starts slow but by the end has you rooting for them like no other. I ate it up!

Overall, I will DEFINITELY be recommending this book to everyone, and buying several copies for myself to drool over. I cannot wait for the second book!

SIDE NOTE: I will say, this book was recommended to me via Booktok as a follow up to Fourth Wing. Having now read both… I will say that is an INSANE connection to make. These books are in no way alike other than the fact they are good books (just in very different ways). This book has gothic magic, creepy monsters, and a story that grips your stomach and won’t let you go. Other than it is a “fantasy” book and it has a hundreds year-old character that telepathically talks to the main character in their mind, the books are NOT similar at all. I guess this is all to say… not all the recommendations you get online make sense so be aware.

I wasn’t expecting to like this one as much as I did. One thing that I loved about this book was the length. It is a LONG romance, but it fits the plot. Maggie moves to the town for a big house renovation that will take months. It makes sense that the book is long and full of different events that reflect it. It also made the romance *that* much more believable. Maggie is scared of change, and Silas is trying to change her view on that and of him. Changing one’s view on the world isn’t going to change in a week or two.

Of course, I also loved all the characters in this book. It starts out small, and as the story progresses, you become introduced to more and more characters that you love. It really ends up being a found family (but I would have never guessed it would end up that way from the first couple of chapters). This book was honestly full of great surprises in that way.

Finally, this book was really funny. I enjoyed the dialogue and the absurd happens that are (unfortunately) totally normal for a house renovation. Maybe times, I found myself chuckling and highlighting passages.

I would highly recommend this book. It was cute, funny, and heart-warming.

There aren’t enough words to describe how magical this book is. It poignantly tells a story of a girl who yearned to travel and be wanted by her parents on their exciting Egyptian expeditions. Suddenly, her parents are presumed dead… missing. This devastating event sparks the opportunity for her to finally go to Egypt and try and find out what happened. At every turn, she is thwarted: by her Uncle and his attractive assistant, Whit, under the guise of keeping her safe. By the rough Egyptian elements. By the corrupt underbelly of British exploration. This book tackled so many topics: female independence, colonization, exploitation, familial obligation… and so much more. Not only that, it did it in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat and wanting more.

I couldn’t write a review of this book without touching on the element of Magic Realism that this book had. It was so beautifully done! There was magic buried deep in objects and only certain people can unlock it? not only that, but each object has a unique and quirky advantage?? SIGN ME UP! Despite the story being obviously grounded in the history of British colonization, the magic was so utterly believable. I also loved how the magic was used to foreshadow the many twists and turns this book had.

Speaking of twists and turns… the plot was gorgeous. It wasn’t all adventure and fun. There was a really good balance of shocking events, brooding tension between characters, and quiet reflection from the narrator. *This* is how you are supposed to write historical fiction.

Finally… the characters. They are TOP TIER! They are endearing, funny, and full of flaws and mistakes. Inez is beautifully confident and wildly loyal. I don’t know how many times her stubborn nature had me laughing and cheering her on. She is definitely everything I want in a female lead of a fantasy book. Vulnerable but not taking anyone’s shit. On the other hand, Whit legitimately had me swooning every scene. He was charming and yet effortlessly aloof and mysterious. Also, I absolutely loved the fact that we occasionally got to see Whit’s inner narrative. It wasn’t every other chapter (as that probably would have been too much for a character that is supposed to be mysterious ;p), but it was spread out every so often. It kept you wanting to come back for more. It added a whole other layer of suspense as we got to see answers before Inez did. It is worth noting that this book is by no means spicy, but the way the romance was written… OOO! It was so tense and full of sparks. I couldn’t wait for another Inez/Whit interaction to come across the page. I wish every romance had the kind of chemistry and banter these two had.

This book felt like “Tangled” set in an 1890’s Egyptian expedition. What more can a reader ask for than an independent female character whose magical powers reveal long-kept secrets all while being followed (and protected) by a handsome rogue? I will say…. this book ends on the most shocking cliffhanger after the wildest ride that was the last 60 pages. My jaw was on.the.floor! Despite it giving me the worst book hangover I have had in a while, I loved this book. I cannot wait to read the second book, and I recommend you read this as fast as you can too. You won’t regret it.

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be “cute”. A grand holiday with her sister turns into Phoebe playing cupid between a new friend and her sister’s cute neighbor. The only issue is that Phoebe starts falling for him too. I love this whole Cyrano trope, and the underlying story of appreciating what is around you. It is a good book to get you in the book for the summer. I don’t necessarily have any negative points other than it did drag at at times. I wanted a bit more action / events. It was definitely more of an introspective rom-com. I fear in a couple months that I may forget it altogether as bad as that sounds. I would recommend it, but it isn’t in my top favorites by a long shot either.

*I will say, I still am not sure why this book is titled “Love me do”. I assume it’s cause I must have missed something, but I feel a bit annoyed that I couldn’t tell you why the book is named this. It feels like it should be more obvious?

This book was just okay. The book is definitely on the spicy side which is why I can see how it is popular on Booktok. I liked the premise and the style of writing (which is why I am probably going to read the second book to give the series a chance). I wasn’t the biggest fan of the main characters. Joss is CLEARLY emotionally stunted. Most of the book she is pretty stand-off-ish and and borderline aggressive. I will say, I appreciate the whole therapy arc that she had. Towards the end, she got better which I appreciated, but she certainly was not my favorite character. Braden was also… toxic. He was kind of pushy. I think he matched well with Joss but… it just wasn’t super healthy. They both needed therapy honestly (not just her). I will say I liked the side characters, so it is possible for the author to write more than just assholes.

If you like spicy romances set in Scotland about with the best friend/roommate’s brother trope between those who need therapy, this is for you. If you don’t like any of that except maybe the Scotland part… this book is probs not for you.

I cannot put into words how much I loved this book!! The premise was very unique. It’s very rare for me to read a romance where the couple are together from the very start yet hate each other and want to end it. Normally, its either a second chance romance (where they have broken up) or they are enemies and later get together. Safe to say, I was hooked from the very start.

The characters are also really well-written. You both love and hate them at the same time. Its also really cool in that you get this view of the characters when they are at their absolute worst. It’s so much harder to like them, but you DO end up loving them so much at the end. You love them despite their flaws. Plus, the growth that both of them go through is really sweet and encouraging.

The comedy and banter in this book is also elite! It is very rare that I find a book that has me laughing the whole way through. I literally couldn’t wait to find out what prank that they were going to do to each other next. I was also surprised (and delighted let’s be real). The way that it is all written makes it feel more like I am watching a rom-com than reading one. It felt very immersive.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough! It’s so funny and cute! I will definitely be buying this the first chance I have.

This book is easily a new favorite of mine. I will say, the first couple of chapters start slow, but if you hang on, it soon becomes a magical adventure about family, love, grief, secrets, failure, and passion (the career kind). It has a little bit of everything. It all starts with a great premise: Going through the belongings of her grandmother who recently passed, Noelle finds photos of her grandmother with a guy who was clearly not her grandfather. Intrigued but unsure of where to start, she calls on social media to help her out and, lo and behold, the grandson of the mystery man contacts her! Excited to learn more about her grandmother, she rushes to meet them both…only to find out that the grandson is her nemesis from high school who is now uber successful while she moved back with her parents. What ensues from there is essentially “Letters from Juliet” but WAY better.

While it may start out as the perfect romance book of enemies to lovers (which more on that later ;P), this book goes in deep on the hard topics. It covers grief and how to deal with a loved one even after everyone else seems to have moved on. It deals with feeling like a failure when you used to be on top of the world. It deals with finding your passion in life and learning to be be brave enough to follow it. It deals with the importance of relationships to help you through the hard times as well as the good. This book was so touching, and I don’t think I’ll be able to forget it anytime soon.

While it is hard to pick the best part, I truly believe that the characters are the star of the show. Noelle is so relatable as the main character. She’s open but feisty. Paul is also such a sweetheart that you instantly love. I mean who doesn’t like the old man who was willing to go on a 2-week hiking trip just to bring Noelle some closure?? And then you have Theo, who knows just how to push Noelle’s buttons while also being endlessly charming. Its the perfect mix of characters.

The romance was also really well done. It wasn’t overshadowed by the story of Noelle learning more about her grandmother. Noelle and Theo had such good banter and chemistry that I was instantly rooting for them. They also were really mature in how they handled things. I won’t give any spoilers, but I never felt like I wanted to shove my head through a wall which is a huge plus.

I could talk about this book for ages, but it would all boil down to the same thing: This book is awesome. GO READ IT!! Seriously. You won’t regret it.

Yet another (non-cheating!) second chance book that hooked me. I liked how the book flipped back and forth between the present and the past. It allowed me as the reader to fall in love with Will for the first time at the same time that Fern does for the second time. So much of the plot was about plans made and whether you should stick to them or be allowed to change. Being able to see the past and all of Fern’s wants and wishes for the future made the present more easily understandable. I really liked Fern and Will’s story and their chemistry. It was cute, and I feel like they deserve a sequel of just being happy. I will say that one thing that I did not like (and why my rating isn’t higher) is how wishy-washy Will was. He was so secretive for literally NO REASON. He hid his sister and niece like some sort of secret mistress. He was also really reactive if anyone mentioned them for again…no reason. I’m not sure if red flag is the right word…but it was definitely an ick at minimum. Outside of that though, I don’t have any complaints which is pretty good all things considered. I’d recommend it for sure, especially as a beach/ summer read.

I’m not going to lie….that was ROUGH. I have read other books by this author and absolutely loved them, but this one was not it for me. I would like to say that it was largely because of the premise, but it is also execution of said premise that made this painful. I’ll be the first to say that I didn’t read the synopsis too closely, so that is on me. I saw the author’s name and got excited. So imagine my surprise when the book was largely just a bunch of spicy scenes where she teaches him how to pleasure women. Not my jam to say the least.

That aside, there has to be some good plot points, right? EH…. sorta…sorta not. Its mostly chapter after chapter of her following him like a hopeless puppy to yet another indistinct convention or “con” as the fans say. It all blended together after a while. They would get on a good roll of talking about deep topics such as his OCD or her anxiety about her career and taking chances, but then it was undercut by yet another “lesson” in bed. The book was just trying so hard to be sex-positive by hitting the reader on the head with it, but it went way too far and now my brain is bleeding. I mean, they literally have conversations (yes… MULTIPLE conversations) about how she was a gender studies major so that’s why she knows so much about sex. Just yikes. I’m not even a gender studies major, but I got insulted that the entire field got generalized as just “being good in bed”.

I know the author can write, but the book just felt… disjointed and weird. If you said that the plot points were created largely through a spinning board and some darts thrown at it, I’d believe you. I’ll still try reading more from this author in the future, but I will definitely be paying more attention to what exactly it’s about.

I read the first book of this interconnected “world/series” of books (”You’d Be Mine”) forever ago. I had NO idea that this author wrote more in this universe. When I started reading, some of the names sounded really familiar, so I did a deep dive and lo and behold! This book is connected! I feel like it needs to be advertised more because I would have read it way sooner!

That surprise aside, I really liked this book. I enjoyed the dual POV and how you could see how much each character liked the other. I also liked the occasional flashback chapter as it just helped round out the picture of how long they have known each other.

In terms of plot, there isn’t much. A lot of the events are more small scale and largely internal conflicts in their thoughts. I didn’t mind though because I liked the characters and the world of country music. I would definitely read more books by this author and suggest that others read this and her others ones too!

This book was the definition of grumpy X sunshine trope, and I loved every minute. My favorite part was how the author wrote their respective POV’s. All of Elliot’s perspective was from the past while all of the present was written from Ama’s point of view. It added so much more depth to the characters and their interactions. I could truly feel how awkward and how laden with meaning every interaction was because I got to see his side first (and all his feelings he had). While I wish I could have known what present day Elliot thought, I think it wouldn’t have been as effective. I honestly wish more books (especially second chance romances) were written like this. I also loved the insane plot points that happened along the way. It was a perfect mix to show how hectic wedding planning is. The big event (and last few chapters) were full of surprises that had me gasping and laughing.

Finally, the chemistry… ooo these two definitely had chemistry. They had tension, good banter, and, most importantly, history. It was the perfect mix honestly. Normally, second chance romances are not my favorite, but this one is the exception. (also probably because there was no cheating involved here. … WHY do the second chance romances always seem to be because someone cheated?!).

I highly recommend this book. It took me by surprise in the best way. And get you a box of donuts before you read. Just trust me.

If I had one word for this book, it would be cute. The banter between Celine and Bradley was top-tier. There were many lines that made me laugh out loud. In fact, it was probably my favorite part of the book. I also liked the premise that they were both competing for the same scholarship. It really raised the stakes and added to the tension between them that was already there. I also liked the main characters, but the others fell flat. It is probably because many of the side characters weren’t in it for long enough for me to really like them. Celine’s supposed closest friend is really only in it for a couple chapters when Celine needs a warm body to talk to. I also wish that more of the competition had been shown. There was only one real challenge that I got to experience alongside the characters. For a competition that is the BASIS of the novel and which lasted a week (more if you count the second part of the competition), it was barely shown. It was more of a “fade to black” type of event which made no sense to me. As a result the book was a little too much inner narrative for me. I felt like the main characters worked things out in their head more than they talked to any one character. It felt hard for me to really see any personal growth that way. Overall, it was a cute book, but not my favorite. I wouldn’t steer anyone away from it.

This book was so cute! I really enjoyed how it was written with the interspersed articles of both characters. It let me see a bit into the mind of the MMC who didn’t have a POV. Normally, I am not one to really like second chance romance’s, but this one was really well done. They had just enough tension as well as actual problems that it made it believable that they weren’t still together / couldn’t just quickly get over it all. It also made for really good Friends to enemies to lovers that I am a sucker for. Their banter was funny and adorable. I also liked the underlying plot of bettering yourself outside a relationship. Its kind of rare to see a romance book advocating to be single (even as a comedic devise), but I really liked it.

Overall, I would definitely recommend! I will also never look at a sunflower the same way again (if you know, you know).

This was such a wonderful sequel to the Lovelight Farms series. I absolutely loved Beckett in the first book, but being able to actually learn more about him and how he thinks was so great. I fell more in love with his character because of it. I also appreciated that this book was Dual POV. Often, romance books in a series stick with a similar POV throughout, and since the first one was from only from the woman’s POV, I was worried about losing out on Beckett’s thoughts. I was very happy that was NOT the case. I also fell in love with Evelyn. She was very relatable. Her search for happy in a world that is inundated by social media and the internet is something I think everyone can connect to. This book even made me want to take stock of my life and look for “my happy”. It’s rare that a romance book does that for me. While, of course, this book had more than just romance, ooooh man, was the romance good. They both were so sweet with each other and had such good chemistry, it was hard not to shout “just get together already!!”. There is something really addictive about the way this author writes. I’m not sure what it is but it just screams comfort and wholesome. I really can’t recommend this book (and series) enough. I will 100% being reading the next installment.

This book was interesting to say the least. I will say that I found it to be really … heavy. The world and the magic system are pretty complex and odd in this book, so it makes sense that so much time is spent of describing how it all works. But there is SOOOO much detail. It isn’t just the first couple chapters and then sprinkled in as needed. Nope, its constant and consistent the entire way through. For that reason alone, I wouldn’t necessarily categorize it as a “fun” read. It was dark, moldy, and uncomfortable at times. So why did I still kind of like it? The characters. I loved the fact that the main character El is destined to be a villain, yet still tries to be good. I loved how sarcastic and rude she was to everyone even if she was saving them. I also loved Orion, the embodiment of a cinnamon roll, who has such a one-track mind of being a hero that he’ll save the one girl who doesn’t want him to multiple times. Their relationship (odd as it was) along with all the other cool side characters is the reason that I kept reading and why I will probably read the next one. While I wish the author understood that sometimes we as the reader don’t need to know every micro detail all the time, I do want to know what happens to everyone and if they graduate this deadly school.

This book was sooooooo good. It felt like getting wrapped up in a warm blanket on a chilly day. It had all the perfect elements: a main character who learns more about herself, good food, a swoonworthy love interest, and and eccentric, magical apartment. While I could go on about how the plot is well written with jumps back in time and how even the side characters are interesting, it is really the way that the author wrote that sells this book. It is so poetic in its prose that nearly every page, I found another quote that I loved. It beautifully intertwined the aftermaths of grief and how easily it can be to lose yourself in the habituality of life. Not to mention, it wonderfully showed a love story that spanned 7 years in such a way that I wasn’t frustrated with either of the characters for not getting together sooner.

I can’t accurately put into words how good it was. I will be reading this book again!