The Rom-Commers, an ode to the very genre its title pays homage to, is the antithesis of anything romantic an‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ one very unfunny star ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
The Rom-Commers, an ode to the very genre its title pays homage to, is the antithesis of anything romantic and comedic.
I’ve got so many thoughts and I fear none of them are good. There was no aspect to this story other than its originality that I enjoyed, or at the very least, did not completely and utterly detest.
˚₊ · »-♡→ trigger warnings
Beyond my feelings as a reader, as a person, there is only so much I can tolerate before I need to stand my ground and say enough is enough. Despite authors being the primary contributors to a story’s conception, it takes a village and it’s time this one got some tough love. Not every person is going to love every book and that’s okay. Not okay is the lack of consideration when it comes to the delicacy of certain topics and the lasting impact they can have on readers. Life doesn’t have trigger warnings, but isn’t that why we read? To escape the unexpected in everyday life? To escape into a world with choice? There are many luxuries in life, and content warnings shouldn’t be one of them. So to all authors, publishers, and individuals alike, you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. Be mindful of your audience!
˚₊ · »-♡→ characters
Emma Wheeler conforms to the very stereotypes generations of women have spent decades battling. No respectable woman would allow herself to bear claim to the feet of a man who she’s witnessed, on multiple occasions mind you, slander her name. Not just behind her back, but directly to her. I will genuinely never be able to comprehend the pure desperation this girl was radiating. Perhaps the only instance I will ever advocate for bringing back shame! You cannot change a man that does not desire change.
Let’s also dissect her lack of accountability. At her grown age, there is no excuse for the abundance of vitriol toward her sister after the climax of the story. Her lack of a life was due to her lack of communication. She wasn’t resigned to being the sole caretaker of her father, she just subconsciously basked in the savior complex it gave her. She lacks personality because she’s comfortable in her trauma and chooses to bend to its will instead of going to therapy. There comes to be a point where the ‘woe is me’ tone begins to sound more like a way to defend your inability to reflect and grow as an individual.
All in all, while I respect and completely agree with the decision for there to be no smut, I’ve never met anyone who could benefit from getting laid more than Emma Wheeler and I stand by that.
As for Charlie Yates, he was the catalyst for the feminist movement and you will not convince me otherwise. Should that man escape the confines of fiction, he would actively vote to take away my rights. He must be stopped at any and all costs! Living, breathing proof that all men do is lie, steal, and cheat. He was dragging her by the leash, goodness gracious. Not to mention, the man eats meat by the forkful and I mean that in the most literal sense. That in and of itself is a crime against humanity. If that didn’t deter you, he also eats his cereal with water. It’s 2024 for crying out loud! Why are we still endorsing men who embrace their toxic masculinity and incompetence like it’s a lifestyle to be proud of?
Perhaps it was the structure of the story, but without a dual POV to redeem Charlie, he will always be the antagonist in my book.
I think we should all go no-contact because between Emma and Charlie, no one is coming out unscathed. There was a lot about their dynamic that just did not sit well with me and it all boiled down to the lack of boundaries. Emma struggled beyond words with consent. While Charlie is by no means a flirtatious person, Emma can’t seem to comprehend his lack of attraction toward her without his lingering gazes and occasional intimate innuendo, much less with them. Initially, I tried to justify it as a difference in preference on my end; but once it became clear that this was going to be an ongoing affair, I became a lot less empathetic in voicing my concerns.
˚₊ · »-♡→ writing
As for the writing, breaking the fourth wall made the story lose any potential magic it could’ve had. Reading a book isn’t as enticing when you feel as though you are reading a book. It’s supposed to be an escape, a way to fill you with life, not drain you of it, yet alas.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title....more
With a lyrically poetic debut, author Liliana Hastings embraces the most broken parts of our beings before mending them t‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 3.5 stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
With a lyrically poetic debut, author Liliana Hastings embraces the most broken parts of our beings before mending them together again with her beautiful prose.
“They’re two souls wandering, searching for a place to call home, and somewhere along the way they had found it among each other.”
Before I begin, I want to express that I truly am in awe of the caliber of writing. To write a book itself, let alone one that captures the mere essence of being alive is an accomplishment to be proud of. Considering this is her debut novel, it’s clear that Liliana’s storytelling will only grow stronger with age.
“But you, Nova Hawkins, have somehow managed to exemplify the heavens. If there is a God, which there must be, then I think he lives so deep within you that his love shines from you and out into the world.”
Nova Hawkins, our angelic female protagonist, still reeling from the loss of her mother, exudes the radiance of the sun. Bearing the motions of grief, she exemplifies the true meaning of perseverance.
“Atlas Hale reminds Nova of Pluto - misunderstood, a bit cold, sort of icy, but even in his insignificance, he stands out among others.”
With sidelong glances and one-word phrases, our male protagonist Atlas Hale is as broody as they come. With a muddied past, Archer uses distance as a way to garner the control he’s yearned for his entire life. He is the moon in its earliest stages. I will admit, our impression of him between the two introductory chapters gave me whiplash. He came across as a troubled soul with a longing to be seen before then turning into a pompous stranger with a mindset rooted only in doom and gloom. I couldn’t understand why he went from conversing politely with Nova under the cover of night to suddenly perceiving her as an enemy with her rose-colored glasses.
“There was no before him. There would be no after him. There was oblivion-a moment between before and after-a moment between what she believed to be serenity and damnation.”
While I could see the length of this story luring lots of readers in, it doesn’t allot much time for Nova and Atlas to experience both triumphs and trials in their relationship. Much like others, I feel as though the bond between both characters seemed rushed therefore leading to it becoming disingenuous. I wanted to root for the pair, but it was made impossible by their lack of conflict. They didn’t ascend anything outside of themselves. I most definitely don’t want to discount the grief they both endured, but there was no turmoil between them. It made me ponder whether they will last past this moment in time.
As for the setting, lurking in the shadows of Washington, Sailor Ridge is a town as whimsical as they come. All of the places we encounter seemed to be named after people, both past and present. While I’m impartial to this particular quirk, I truly believe it could’ve been used to a greater extent to achieve that endearing quality we long for in quaint, small-towns.
Despite the setting, I was missing a lot of those community connections. Our supporting characters, even despite them being just that, were sparse, making me question their importance.
As for the plot, it seemed to be lacking in exchange for character knowledge. I say this instead of development because there seemed to be extensive gaps between both Nova and Atlas’ personal and relational growth. It seemed as though they occurred overnight, away from the eye of the reader.
Between Nova’s bucket list, supporting character Rowan’s interest in her, and both her and Atlas’ individual family histories, there didn’t seem to be a sole conflict. In the next novel, I’d love to see author commit to at least one storyline with as much depth as our characters.
Thank you to Liliana for trusting me with Atlas and Nova’s story. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title....more
Living up to its predecessor, Fangirl Down was a tall order, but one I believed Tallulah and Burgess could live up to. As I’ve coI give you…✨one star✨
Living up to its predecessor, Fangirl Down was a tall order, but one I believed Tallulah and Burgess could live up to. As I’ve come to understand, we are all wrong at some point in our life and it appears as though after years of waiting, now is my time to shine.
˚₊ · »-♡→ characters
Tessa Bailey has always catered to the crowd that was looking for a good time. The caliber of writing was up to par with those who were craving a fun and dare I say, steamy read. That being said, the tone of this particular novel did not ring true to that statement. On the contrary, we, as readers, were introduced to a more serious plot through our female protagonist, Tallulah, that weighed with the remnants of a traumatic past. While I believe authors should be encouraged to explore outside the confines they’ve been built within, as with almost anything in life, there is a sensitivity to it that should be considered. Tallulah’s young adulthood, riddled with nightmares most of us only fear over, was permeated with grief over a life that could’ve been lived, but that she is now forced to merely exist in. Up until Tallulah’s interest in Burgess became romantic, her experiences were presented mindfully. Then, lust became the solution to years of pent up suffering. For some, intimacy becomes a coping mechanism, but in this instance, it was insinuated, whether consciously or not, that it was the last step in the bridge between her debilitating past and adventurous future. In no way do I want to invalidate Tallulah’s journey to recovery. All I’m saying is that perhaps we shouldn’t address more intense topics if we aren’t going to give them the nuance they deserve.
Burgess. I couldn’t put it more blatantly. Burgess was the bane of my existence. Truly, I’ve pondered through a million different ways of putting it, but it comes down all the same to his overbearing masculine nature. As a man, it came to no surprise to me that he was the common denominator in all my complaints. There is a difference between protectiveness and possessiveness, and Burgess completely overstepped into the latter with his ‘who did this to you’ persona. There’s a time and place and he missed them both. Needless to say, given the actions of Tallulah’s ex, it left a sour taste in my mouth and I’m surprised it didn’t do the same to her.
˚₊ · »-♡→ writing style + POV
As for the writing, it was very millennial core, and with all due respect, while I’ve come to expect that in Bailey’s novels, it was just too much. The second Burgess was crowned Sir Savage, I was out. I never claimed to be God’s strongest soldier, yet alas.
Despite being written in the third-person, we are still getting a dual POV and while I’m always an advocate for this kind of storytelling, the timeline seems to drift so drastically in the sense that the author was grazing over some of the most important scenes, allowing us to only see their aftermath, that it took away the magic.
Given that Josephine and Wells, our previous couple, were such an influence in Burgess and Tallulah’s arrangement, I expected to see them more. If not throughout the story, than at least at the end when the group is in Costa Rica for the Whitaker-Doyle wedding. Such a missed opportunity with the epilogue in that regard…
˚₊ · »-♡→ tropes
Talking tropes, as a single-dad + nanny connoisseur, I was gravely disappointed. I’ve made my peace with tropes being falsely acquainted with books purely to appeal to a wider audience, particularly in the romance space. Yet I was still taken aback when our nanny wasn’t nannying, nor was our single dad fathering. Poor Lissa basically raised herself at this point. What’s the fun in that?!
Third act breakups, you say? Basically a given when committing to a Tessa Bailey book. But this one was very overdramatized and yet, the MMC still didn’t do enough groveling. Surprise surprise.
All in all, my advice to anyone going into this is to expect everything except the synopsis.
˚₊ · »-♡→ ending thoughts
Given the glimpses we got into Sig and Chloe’s relationship, the protagonists of our upcoming Big Shots novel, I’m still unsure whether I’ll partake. It’s giving forbidden romance with their pending step-sibling status and that’s a little too taboo for me. But shoutout to everyone that’s brave enough to endure that!
Thank you to Avon and Tessa Bailey for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title....more
In my world of mediocre, end-of-the-year reads, Unsteady was the breath of fresh air that saved me. A breathtaking debut from author Peyton Corinne, RIn my world of mediocre, end-of-the-year reads, Unsteady was the breath of fresh air that saved me. A breathtaking debut from author Peyton Corinne, Rhys and Sadie’s story was a magnetic pull that left me desperately yearning for more.
“But Rhys Koteskiy could never be confined to just one song - he’s a symphony, a never-ending playlist that I want to repeat forever.”
Let me tell you, Peyton nailed it with Rhys, our male protagonist. His sentimental nature was genuine and it’s been a long time since I’ve seen authenticity shine through the pages the way he did. Despite coming from a wealthy family with a former NHL star for a father, to his core Rhys was humble.
“And then, after that…I just felt numb. Like there was this dark shadow where everything good was and I couldn’t reach it anymore.”
I will always be an advocate of mental health representation in books, if, and only if, done properly. Rhys’ experiences with panic attacks and depression were portrayed in a way that made me say, “I feel that too. Maybe I’m not alone.” and “Someone gets it. Gets me.” It makes me teary-eyed just thinking about it. It’s what we all long for when we use reading to escape, isn’t it? Someone to see the parts of our souls we wouldn’t dare bear to anyone else. The most vulnerable aspects of our being.
Moving on (before I get too sappy)...the nickname hotshot?! Why aren’t we normalizing that?! We need to normalize that. So hot and for what?! I melted when Sadie slipped with this one.
As for Sadie, while she isn’t a character that I vibed with too much, her abrasive nature being too much for me at this point in my life, there’s no way I couldn’t respect her.
“You don’t need to say anything right now, okay? I can love you enough for the both of us.”
I just…can’t. It’s too much. Rhys’ character existed within a fine line that could’ve swayed my perception of him either way, but I’m proud to say, he lived up to (most of) my expectations. His love for Sadie was unfiltered and showed through his actions, not just his words, a trait I consider near and dear. Don’t even get me started on their joint playlist. I do think the constant name-dropping of songs was double-edged. It gave the scene another layer but also created an awkward tone of writing. But overall the meaning behind it ultimately dominated any discomfort.
Okay now to the juice because I’ve been waiting to bring this up…
I need a Paloma and Bennett book like…yesterday. I don’t think you understand how much of me they’ve consumed. Bennett is my man, my man, my man. Claiming him now because we are destined to be together. He’s just so…UGH! I can’t even explain it. I’m speechless and that’s saying something. I’m getting a sneaky suspicion that their story is going to be a secret romance perhaps? Very much giving opposites attract with lots of angst to fill the void. Someone sedate me because GOOD LORD. I fear I may not be able to sleep until their book is in my possession.
Aurora and Freddy are also an adorable match made in heaven. Rora is me, I am Rora. She is secretly all of us. Smutty little rom-com reader…we see you.
All of that being said, there are still some alternate approaches to certain elements of the story I wish the author would’ve explored more.
I usually enjoy the end of a series as opposed to the beginning, and I’ve got an inkling I won’t deter from my ways with this series either. While I sought comfort in the brokenness of Sadie and Rhys’ unconventional lives, there wasn’t an emotional connection that made their story an unforgettable one to me. When I initially picked up the novel, it almost seemed as though I was beginning in the middle. It wasn’t confusing, just…odd. The attraction between Rhys and Sadie wasn’t instant, but it did seem to come out of nowhere. Sadie’s lack of knowledge about Rhys’ injury just wasn’t within the realm of believability to me purely because of the severity of the incident and their circles intertwining due to sharing a rink.
It also seemed as though there wasn’t too much going on, everything just got lost in a sea of what-ifs. The story would’ve come across with more clarity and purpose if it mainly orbited around Sadie’s home life and the upbringing of her brothers alongside Rhys’ PTSD. They both lead drastically different lives and it wasn’t pointed out until what I considered to be too late into the process. There were some side plots that took the attention away from those distinguishing moments, leaving them with less impact.
Even the sub-plot of Sadie's relationship with her coach could've still been included while also contributing to the moral of the story. I wish with everything in me that we got to see more of her ice skating journey since it seemed fundamental to her as a character. It came across as though the author wasn't sure whether to include it or not, so it ultimately did nothing to move the story in a particular direction.
That being said, I am so beyond excited to see this author grow and garner the attention her caliber of writing deserves. She’s got so much potential building up, just bursting at the seams. It makes me giddy thinking about all of the stories she’s yet to tell, some that I just know are going to become my favorites.
Thank you to Peyton Corrine for so kindly providing me with an ARC of Unsteady. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title....more
It seems as though almost every review I’ve written the past couple of months has started this way, but nonetheless…
I wanted to love this book. Truly,It seems as though almost every review I’ve written the past couple of months has started this way, but nonetheless…
I wanted to love this book. Truly, I was surprised I didn’t. The premise was everything I’ve been craving and then some. Ever since the letdown that was the Dirty Air series by Lauren Asher, another F1 quartet, I’ve been desperate to find a replacement.
But there’s no use sugarcoating it. The MMC, Riggs, was as unbearable as they come. I already have zero tolerance for men, but you add in his inability to take proper accountability for his wrongdoings, and girl…let me at him. There is a clear line in the bad boy facade and he most definitely crossed it. I couldn’t root for him and the FMC as a couple or quite literally anything else. There was a gap of space between their hatred and lust for one another. There’s no inciting incident that clarifies where or why the boundaries became irrelevant.
Cami was considerably more bearable but lacked any nuance. She didn’t seem to bear any interests outside of her relationship with Riggs and her father. There were no distinguishable personality traits to connect with.
There were a couple of plot points that were unnecessary, purely because they weren’t given enough page time to truly matter. The double family business, Moretti Olive Oil, seemed out-of-place and as though it didn’t influence the weight of the story in any direction. On the contrary, I would’ve loved to have seen the family involvement in Moretti Motorsports. I understand that each author has their niche, so this could just be the inner found family connoisseur in me vying for its place to shine.
The ending was incredibly rushed and much to my dismay, the race at Suzuko, which was foreshadowed throughout the entire book, lacked any build-up during the event itself.
I will say, I do plan on reading the rest of the series as the books come out. I don’t want to diminish this author to my particular feelings toward one story. Everyone’s got their preferences and while this wasn’t mine, it isn’t to say that it won’t be someone else’s!
“The most annoying thing about men is they always assume that you actually give a damn what they’re talking about.”
Ladies and gentlemen, Pippa “I do “The most annoying thing about men is they always assume that you actually give a damn what they’re talking about.”
Ladies and gentlemen, Pippa “I don’t remember her last name, but she’s still iconic.” When I tell you, there was no better way to start out a book than this, I mean it wholeheartedly. I was prepared to make this my entire personality. The introduction was promising….until it wasn’t.
I slept through more of this book than I didn’t. As a resident smut lover, there was way too much of it. I couldn’t tell you anything about the plot except them getting down and dirty with it. Even then, it was awkward and snooze-worthy. There were some moments that had me absolutely gagged in the best way possible, don’t get me wrong. But more times than not, I was thinking, even if a fictional man ever said these words to me, I would laugh.
I love a good nickname, but these are starting to get ridiculous. While shortcake isn’t the most insane pet name I’ve ever seen, we need to start normalizing the classics. Call her babe, baby for all I care, just leave the food out of it. Please. I am begging you.
There was so much personality for the author to dive into. Don’t worry, I’ve come with receipts.
what the people needed to see: - The death of Pippa’s mom and the impact it left on her. It was touched on a little, but the author never took it all the way. I respect that it may’ve been a line the author didn’t feel comfortable crossing, but it shouldn’t have been brought up and then placed on the back burner. - Camden’s childhood. I will live on this hill until my last, waking breath. Once again, another plot point that was hung out to dry. - Camden’s relationship with art. - Pippa’s dad just casually calling Camden 'son' when she introduces him?! Ugh, this could’ve created so much more nuance.
what the people didn’t need to see: - Cade and Mare. Say what you want to say, but it added absolutely nothing to this story. I was confused trying to remember if it all lined up correctly. - Beck and Margo. Once again, they contributed literally nothing. - Winnie and what’s-his-name? See a trend yet?
The writing style, as I mentioned, was uncomfortable, to say the least.
“I’ll take the same thing as this morning, and then I’d like to add a specialty drink that helps with sickness.”
Perhaps it’s just me, but it’s the little details that create a story. In this instance, it’s the menu. No effort was put into that aspect of world-building, despite its dominating presence in the story. Pippa’s bakery is supposedly the air she breathes, yet anytime it’s mentioned, the audience is only told that she sells pastries and coffee. What kind of pastries? Does she sell any other drinks than coffee? What was this “specialty drink”? It would’ve taken all but two seconds to call this beverage a chamomile tea. She could’ve copied a recipe from Starbucks for all I care. For someone who supposedly consumes herself with work, she does almost none of it this entire story. We aren’t even aware of what sickness Pippa has come down with. It was a ploy to once again tick all the boxes in an attempt to make a seemingly marketable romance.
Now let’s talk tropes…yikes.
Enemies-to-lovers, except you only understand why they’re enemies if you read the previous book, and even then, you’re still unsure because it’s almost never delved into.
Billionaire romance except his financial status isn’t brought up much and even when it is, you’re probably questioning if he’s part of some underground circle of crime because you don’t know how he has that much money until almost the end of the book.
Opposites attract, except I’ve never read two characters more alike than them, and by alike, I mean stubborn, petty, and unable to communicate like adults.
Forced proximity, except they only have neighboring storefronts which they can willingly leave at any time…? And they do because he lives in New York…? The man wasn’t even in Sutten Mountain for a good portion of the book.
I would say there was a third-act breakup, but they didn’t put a label on it so…
The point I’m trying to make is that this book was mismarketed and instead of trying to check off a list of tropes that readers are raving for at the moment, it would be more beneficial to explore the true nature of the characters and establish the story based on that.
A lot of the time, the banter just missed. It was embarrassing to sit through. I felt like I was scrolling through Pinterest circa 2015 when those “baddie comebacks” infographics were still a thing.
words + phrases I can’t believe and wish I didn’t read: - townie - pound town - talking about anyone putting their seed in anyone
But the ending! I wish the author would’ve brought the same energy from the conclusion of the book and applied it everywhere else. There was more depth in the epilogue than there was in the entire novel.
Unfortunately, my time in Sutten Mountain is over. Even though Rewrite Our Story wasn’t my cup of tea either, it spurred excitement in me for Pippa and Camden’s book. Much to my dismay, it didn’t live up to my expectations and there isn’t a pairing or even individual character that intrigues me enough to keep going.
I so badly wanted to love this book the way everyone else did because it’s clear by the acknowledgments that the author truly does care about her readers and she poured every ounce of her being into this book. So while it may not be my cup of tea, I’m manifesting it’s yours.
I’m still debating on my rating, but my instincts are telling me not to rate this more than three stars....more
Umm…did I just discover a new favorite author to fill the void that is my lack of a romantic life?
Let me tell you, I was SO beyond excited to read thUmm…did I just discover a new favorite author to fill the void that is my lack of a romantic life?
Let me tell you, I was SO beyond excited to read this one after seeing the one and only Emily Henry endorsed it. Not only did I fall head over heels in love with Ren and Phoebe, but everyone in between. Needless to say, Love Me Do exceeded my every expectation.
Myrna, people, Myrna. Probably my favorite character outside of our female protagonist, Phoebe. Usually the old wise one trope is hit or miss for me, but this one absolutely served. Not only is our dear Ms. Moore a former actress, but she’s got the witty commentary and sarcastic nature I long for. She knows her self worth and she’s going to make sure you know yours too. I also just love rich people.
Don’t even get me started on my girl Bel. I didn’t think she was going to play an active role in the story, but boy was I wrong and I’ve never been more proud to be. She brings so much light and playfulness to the story.
I am also surprised at how much I didn’t mind Ren’s lack of page time. It seemed to be a story that revolved more around self-discovery and womanhood than romance.
For all of my girlies that prefer a closed-door romance though, this one is for you. The only steamy scene took place toward the very end of the book and truthfully, you could blink and miss it. Now, as an avid smut lover, I was pleased with the book’s pacing. There was just enough of everything to keep a critic like me thoroughly satisfied.
While there are a couple of cliches that may make some roll their eyes, pointing out their lack of believability, I think it also goes to serve the point that sometimes, life isn’t as complicated as we make it.
Lindsey Kelk’s writing is perfect for all of my girlies looking to cure their Emily Henry hangover. May I also add, she’s a Swiftie and there are references to prove it!
Thank you to HarperCollins and Lindsey Kelk for providing me with this ARC. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by early access to this title. ...more
With all the comfort of a warm cup of cocoa on a rainy day, Business Casual is a read so cozy, you’ll want to‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 4 not-so-casual stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
With all the comfort of a warm cup of cocoa on a rainy day, Business Casual is a read so cozy, you’ll want to nestle between the pages just to get a taste of life at Lovelight.
While I was very conflicted when it came to this book’s predecessor, The Sister Between Us, there is no doubt about it, Sophia and Elijah’s story is mWhile I was very conflicted when it came to this book’s predecessor, The Sister Between Us, there is no doubt about it, Sophia and Elijah’s story is my favorite of this author’s thus far. While Return Policy can be read as a stand-alone, I most definitely recommend reading the author’s previous book before taking on this one.
I also want to preface this by saying, there are a lot of more mature themes talked about in this book, including…
- talk of drug addiction - graphic depiction of death - death of a sibling + parent - sexual assault + harassment
Please put your emotional well-being before that of a book.
“Pain doesn’t go away all at once. It dulls until it no longer controls you.”
I said it with the last book and I’m saying it with this one as well, the author describes grief so painfully accurately. It’s oddly comforting, in a way.
I do think the plot was a little intense, especially given the outcome of the last book. I was expecting a lot of Sophia’s character arc to revolve around the loss of her sister and truthfully, I think the plot would’ve been a lot easier to digest if it did solely on that. I can't say too much for fear of spoiling, but it’s clear Sophia’s gone through some very traumatic experiences in her life, and the aftermath of that got brushed aside more times than not.
There were also some questionable moments when it came to the…intimacy. I, personally, cringed a little at the mention of Icebreaker and Elsie Silver, not because I don’t love them, but because it brings me back into the present day and I’m reading to escape. I think it’s a little too soon to be namedropping those books and authors.
That being said, I absolutely loved Elijah and Sophia both as individuals and even more as a couple. Elijah is now one of my absolute favorite book boyfriends EVER. I can’t even begin to put it into words. But when he entered his cowboy era…had me on my KNEES. In contrast to the previous book, I appreciate that we got to see the two of them develop a friendship before rushing into a relationship.
The smut was hot, but not very long and I’m going to be completely transparent, the timing of it throughout most of the book was awkward. I’m not sure about you, but I’m not gonna go banging someone after I’ve just trauma dumped to them not even moments earlier. But moving on…
I am so antsy just waiting to see who the upcoming book is about. I’m thinking it’s most likely going to be Charlie and I truly am manifesting that because it seems angsty as all get out. Either way, the growth between the last book and this one is very clear and I can’t wait to see Hailey grow more into her writing style and explore all of her capabilities.
Thank you to Hailey Dickert for providing me with this ARC. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by early access to this title. ...more
My expectations may’ve been slightly ambitious. I just want to preface this by saying that, while this may not beWow. I’ve just got so many thoughts.
My expectations may’ve been slightly ambitious. I just want to preface this by saying that, while this may not be my cup of tea, I respect the amount of time and effort that goes into writing and editing a book. Just because I don’t like a book, doesn’t mean others are “wrong” for liking it and vice versa.
Now, that being said…
With all of my favorite tropes- single dad + nanny, grumpy + sunshine, forbidden romance, and an age gap- I thought Forbidden Hearts was going to be at least a four star read. Maybe even one of my favorite reads of the year! I couldn’t have been more wrong...
It’s 2023. We need to stop with the copaganda. It’s beyond tone deaf at this point. There are so many choices career wise, yet you choose the most problematic one. He couldn’t have been a firefighter? A paramedic? Literally anything else! I couldn’t even look past it if I wanted to because the author is oddly defensive over them…
“Especially a cop. I know. You are aware that you’re a cop and a really good man, right?”
In this scene, our female protagonist’s father, also the love interest’s boss, is telling her that he doesn’t think she should date anyone because, and I quote, “no one is good enough for you.” Now being as he is the police Chief, he doesn’t want his daughter dating any of his employees.
Some people may be able to look past it. That’s their prerogative, not mine.
˚₊ · »-♡→ writing
The writing style just wasn’t for me either. The author uses elongated versions of words as opposed to contractions (i.e. cannot instead of can’t) that makes the writing a lot more professional than it needed to be. It made me feel out of touch with the characters. I just kept thinking, no one talks like that.
˚₊ · »-♡→ plot
Also, that third act conflict? Absolutely unnecessary. It felt so cheap. Somehow, it made me root for the characters to be together even less. Asher was so pushy after it was revealed. He kept trying to push Phoebe into taking their relationship further than she was prepared for.
Don’t even get me started on the town name being Sugarloaf. Be so serious with me right now…
˚₊ · »-♡→ characters
There were a lot of names similar to one another being thrown around and as someone that’s never read any of the author’s previous books, it became difficult to follow.
I will say, the aspect I enjoyed most was the healthy co-parenting dynamic between Asher and Sara. I almost wish we saw more of her.
Phoebe’s passion for audiology was a very unique plot line that I actually enjoyed amidst the chaos that was, well…everything else. I very much appreciated the deaf representation and the awareness it brought to the barriers it can create in everyday life.
The smut was hit or miss for me, although I’m very much a person that can’t enjoy reading about it if I’m not emotionally connected to the characters. I didn’t get any butterflies. It got to be very monotonous and was used as a way to drive the story as a substitute for proper character development.
˚₊ · »-♡→ ending notes
I’m still undecided as to whether or not I want to continue this series. I was manifesting Rowan’s book next, but since it isn’t, I may just say goodbye to Sugarloaf.
Thank you to Corinne Michaels for providing me with this ARC. As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced by early access to this title....more
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