˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ pre-read review ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ this second chance romance manga sounds really cute and what i need at this moment in time. thank you netgalley˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ pre-read review ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ this second chance romance manga sounds really cute and what i need at this moment in time. thank you netgalley for the arc.
i’ve never read or watched sleeping beauty, i’m ashamed to admit, so my thoughts on whether this is an accurate re-telling (or not) don’t come into efi’ve never read or watched sleeping beauty, i’m ashamed to admit, so my thoughts on whether this is an accurate re-telling (or not) don’t come into effect in this review.
putting aside my three-star rating, crown of slumber was such a delight to read! it has its positive and negative aspects, but the negatives didn’t detract from my overall reading experience. it was cute and full of fluff with some action and adventure, but for me this book lacked sensory engagement and deep emotions to make this feel anything more than. i will always mention this—nothing grates on my nerves more than a “tell not show” narrative.
“i loathe you more intensely than a thousand burning suns.”
the enemies to lovers element made me feel underwhelmed! it was kind of there, but brief and didn't contain that true enemies to lovers feeling that leaves you blissfully sighing from all of the heated banter and exchanges of hatred. it was one-sided (from aurelia's side) for most of the story. there’s nothing better sounding than two fae nobles from feuding kingdoms becoming engaged under false pretences, however the execution was lacklustre.
“gods, do you ever stop? you are utterly incorrigible.” “incorrigible? or irresistible?”
aurelia was argumentative and for no real reason withheld information. all. the. time. i’m sure her characterisation was used to create conflict and tension but dear lord she frustrated me sometimes. she’s supposed to be this strong and fierce character, though aurelia came across as childish and irrationally illogical more often than not. her past sexual assault and following trauma felt mishandled (and lacked trigger warnings for the reader).
fennick isn't your standard dark, brooding and haunted mess of a love interest. he’s softer, kinder and more wholesome. i don't mind this kind of male character sometimes, but in what is supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance between two feuding kingdoms, i wanted some villainous moments from fennick.
i wasn’t invested in aurelia and fennick’s budding romance. it wasn’t exciting. i do, however, appreciate the minimal spiciness but there was one ill-timed encounter that made me go cross-eyed from how far-fetched the entire moment was. it lacked realism, leaving me feeling uninvested and the burning passion was not burning or making me want to kick my feet in excitement.
dragons made much better company than fae nobles.
we have magic and curses, witches and dragons, fake courtship and warring kingdoms to name a couple of classic romance elements. however, each one felt like it was touched upon in small doses and the overall deliverance on detail was flat. it was nice to read a standalone, but when introducing an extensive non-human world, having the inability to really delve into those details makes everything feel less engaging.
this book suffered from a lack of character development and detailed world-building and the writing was awfully repetitive. if fennick was described as smelling of pine and mint and waterfalls one more time, i was going to scream.
in short: i wasn’t bored, nor excited reading this.
˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ pre-read review ˖⁺‧₊˚♡˚₊‧⁺˖ i’ve been staring at this on my kindle with hearts in my eyes. a fairytale retelling with dragons and enemies to lovers, fake courtship and feuding kingdoms is such a mood.
“i’ll show you a life that’s way more interesting than gaming and napping all day!”
after the first season of blue lock i became obsessed.
“i’ll show you a life that’s way more interesting than gaming and napping all day!”
after the first season of blue lock i became obsessed.
it’s dramatic, full of humour and has one of my favourite tropes: a found family. i love and appreciate that blue lock doesn’t fixate on the teamwork aspect of football as the only method to winning, but rather the ego and individualism of each player. it’s harsh and bloodthirsty.
it was so easy to fall in love with seishirou nagi.
a classic anime character—a lazy genius who finds everything tiresome and would rather video game and nap all day, if he could. my true spirit animal!!
it was refreshing seeing everyone’s entrance into blue lock from reo and nagi’s perspectives, but witnessing reo and nagi’s budding friendship and the formation of the ‘dream team’ in more detail is an absolute and wholesome experience. this volume is fast-paced however manages to remain entertaining despite it.
♡ pre-read review ♡ re-entering my manga/light novel era.
i love seishirou nagi so much!!! he's such a mood.
is this fun to read? kind of. will this be my first and maybe last sophie lark read? yes.
i saw the ratings and skimmed some reviews before reading grimis this fun to read? kind of. will this be my first and maybe last sophie lark read? yes.
i saw the ratings and skimmed some reviews before reading grimstone, so my expectations were very low heading into this. i’d rather come to terms with preconceived thoughts and feelings (and surprise myself, in the end, with an enjoyable book), than to be greeted with extreme unhappiness due to my astronomically high expectations being unmet, resulting in an abysmal reading experience.
i actually believed grimstone could’ve delivered a fantastic halloween story, full of decent amounts of spookiness and spiciness. a perfect addition to anyone’s october reads.
we have a female main character who’s devoted a significant amount of time into raising her younger brother, following the death of their parents. who’s inherited, from a deceased great uncle, a rundown haunted mansion in dire need of renovations, sharing a long stretch of road with its next door neighbour owned by an older, potentially murderous handsome doctor.
i realised earlier on in my reading that this book isn’t for me. i wanted to know who/what was behind the mansion’s haunting; the truth about the doctor’s son and wife, hence my decision to not lie down in defeat. i would’ve dnf’d this otherwise.
the writing was tragic. i’m not mad. i’m just disappointed.
the overuse of similes almost ended me. you know there’s an overabundance when you can see and remember how much it’s been used. it was criminally insane!! it left me feeling overwhelmed and frustrated and painfully bored. they were used too much and in the worst ways imaginable to describe anything and everything.
as an example—and fair warning, your eyes will bleed and you will be seeking compensation for your therapy bills.
...shows me the exact moment the cold water hits her face and her nipples harden like pencil points.
what i want to do is string her up in my basement and whip those tiny tits until they’re rosy as apples, and then i want to turn her around and do the same to her ample ass.
her slippery wetness is outrageous; it’s like a rainforest.
brother, you want to know what’s fucking outrageous?? THIS. i’m so fucking gobsmacked, i fear my remaining brain cells have perished: when she closes the door, she doesn’t bother to run the water or the fan, so i hear the distinct sound of her hot piss hitting the bowl.
a few more core examples of simile overuse to hammer home my unfortunate experiences with reading this tragedy.
his cock springs out like a white cobra, thick with veins.
the heat and weight of his load splashes down like a bucket of lava poured right on my clit.
i’m like a sock with a foot in it, stretched to his shape.
i—
this is supposed to be the love interest, dane covett, by the way. who said romance died? there’s nothing sweeter than your boyfriend thinking you’re ugly. he may as well have called her outright hideous.
her smile changes everything about her looks. without it, she’s barely pretty, but her grin throws the switch at the amusement park and her whole face lights up, neon bright.
besides starting off thinking remi is ugly before switching opinions, dane would’ve been better if this book didn’t have smut (or insta-lust, my 13th reason) in it. he doesn’t bother learning remi’s sexual desires, or understanding what her soft and hard limits are. the lack of care or desire to know frustrated me. the fact that dane refers to remi’s tits as “tiny tits” literally twice in one paragraph should be considered a crime against humanity.
the “haunted mansion” and spookiness was really inconvenient. it was obvious who was “haunting” blackleaf mansion; it was written like a budget horror film. imagine tommy wiseau’s the room but if it was horror themed. suffice to say, i was not spooked but rather bored and tired albeit somewhat entertained due to how terrible the execution was.
♡ pre-read review ♡ a hot doctor next door who’s maybe a murderer. a haunted mansion. i’m in the mood for some spiciness and some spookiness ...more
oath of betrayal is teeming with epic high fantasy elements, detailed and engaging world-building and an interesting magic system that feels distinctioath of betrayal is teeming with epic high fantasy elements, detailed and engaging world-building and an interesting magic system that feels distinctive. with an engaging introduction of slavic mythology (that left me reading about it until midnight), a mature-aged female main character and a “why choose” romance, i was enamoured!
the world-building is fantastic.
as mentioned, it’s details are charming as we’re introduced to an immersive, rich world where dragons soar with bonded riders, where magic floats and dark forces are threatening to destroy the kingdom. i loved the unique and interesting connection between conduit mages and their bonded anchors. the way dragons bonded to certain bloodlines. the looming, threatening presence of the lich king and his undead minions.
whilst initially engaging, the anticipation to know more wore off. i wanted (and awaited) a deep and fast-action narrative filled with rich character development, an intense and titillating romantic entanglement, and amazing emotional depth. instead, everything unfolded in slow-motion and started to become repetitive—the action was decent but filtered; the romance between ani, orm and ari was a real slow burn built on lack of communication and baseless assumptions. i had to skim the last 27%!!
i do have to make an honourable mention to some side characters. vahin (orm’s dragon) is essentially a fantasy version of an indoor cat, with wings and scales. he purrs and demands head scratches!! bryna is an absolute delight—a promiscuous half-orc who runs the local blacksmith and katja, the no-nonsense herbalist who was such a good friend to annika.
annika “ani” diavellar for the last decade, ani has been living in isolation and seclusion. acting as the town mage who protects the village’s inhabitants from demons. she’s been mourning the losses of her anchors whose deaths have defined her existence. the world has known annika diaveller to have died from a wlok with her two anchors, arno and talmund. her tragic backstory left me excited to see how she comes to terms with their deaths and eventually overcomes her feelings as she learns to love (and trust) the new men in her life.
i feel that ani’s character development was hindered by the forced use of the geas. i understand the reasons for its need at the time, but the geas was too convenient in absolving the threatening presence of her rejecting an anchor bond, of diminishing her unresolved feelings towards arno and tal’s deaths. once ani’s long-term sadness for her anchors returned, she was too calm in forgiving orm and alaric. she basically shrugged her shoulders and said “okay”.
a “why choose” romance i don’t usually read “why choose” and reverse harem romances. there’s usually one man who stands out and sometimes the interactions from others feel forced. i always wind up rooting for one man and it’s just too difficult to settle on who’s the most suitable!
i was keen to see how ani’s love for both men would unfold. the way ani was drawn towards orm and alaric was not equally handled, and her budding relationships with both men felt imbalanced albeit authentic. ani and alaric’s connection felt more like friends with some flirting, built on magic synergy whereas the true romance seemed to be centred on orm. the dialogue was monotonous towards the end, as it had transitioned from humorous, budding exchanges to lacking emotion and any meaningfulness.
orm and alaric are soul brothers having known each other for such a long time. as soon as orm and alaric started to express the briefest mention of romantic feelings, i almost dropped my kindle in defeat. the sudden attraction between orm and alaric was so outta pocket and not on my bingo sheet! the supposed connection they shared with annika (and each other) was unconvincing and unsupported by earlier chapters.
i have no intentions to continue this series. the fact that this threw me into a book slump even further says everything.
the only way to survive atakan the heartless was to play this game of hunter versus prey—even if it drew blood.
it has been one hot minute
the only way to survive atakan the heartless was to play this game of hunter versus prey—even if it drew blood.
it has been one hot minute since my last ella fields romance.
amid clouds and bones was such a cute delight to devour! featuring toxic romance between enemies turned lovers; an arranged marriage for a fae prince and half-fae princess to alleviate tensions and strengthen two kingdoms; numerous villainous characters with self-serving agendas and delicious smut that renders you a hot mess—it ticked all of the boxes. this heated enemies to lovers romantasy did not let me down whatsoever.
“what isn’t fair is your existence,” atakan seethed, his mouth leaving my forehead and moving closer to mine. “the way you make me crave and loathe you in equal measure.”
atakan ethermore is such an exasperating asshole, but he was unapologetically himself. a heartless and ruthless male fae, he was full of sheer arrogance and alluring cunningness. sometimes his motivations were unclear, or his emotions (or lack thereof) oftentimes uncertain, however if there's something i appreciate, it's a character who has reasons behind his decisions. i've always been that reader who thirsts for the mean, villainous character who has “touch her and die” vibes and atakan, my sweet tortured villain delivered ...more
in hellos and goodbyes, to condolences and congratulations. we are one.
a vast majority of this book follows acker and brynn’s adventures a
in hellos and goodbyes, to condolences and congratulations. we are one.
a vast majority of this book follows acker and brynn’s adventures at sea or in the forest. it felt like it anyway.
before we embark on the wild adventure with mother nature, we’re introduced to brynn, a guard of alaha in training. she attends the annual market event held by kenta, a nation that exiled alaha to the sea centuries ago and who the alaha lean towards for survival via trade negotiations. brynn meets a kenta soldier who calls her “thief” before an unexpected explosion in the market forces the alaha guards to escape. the mysterious kenta soldier resurfaces, arriving at alaha, with every intention of leaving but not without brynn.
brynn frustrated me. she lacked emotion and reacted in odd ways to certain situations, or after having life changing information revealed to her. at one point, acker calls her jovie inside the prison and she did not flinch. she did not correct acker and tell him her name is brynn. it’s like those moments when someone is talking to you, but you’re not really listening so you can only nod your head and smile in acknowledgement. that’s brynn. (view spoiler)[it’s later revealed that brynn/jovie infiltrated the mainland to further the rebellion and was aware of her history, but we’re not aware as readers until the second last chapter. at least act shocked, brynn/jovie! (hide spoiler)]
the world building felt kind of lacking, but not at the same time. it was weird. the sea and boat scenes were so freaking long, i would’ve jumped overboard and drowned myself to end the misery of eating countless raw fish and the endless nightmare of being surrounded by fathomless ocean. it’s insane that acker and brynn lasted as long as they did on the boat with what little food and water they consumed. how acker did not die from his wound infection, i have no idea, i’m fucking shocked and baffled!
given the alaha and kenta long-term tension, this had the chance to be a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance and the forced proximity would’ve had me eat it up. jokes on me, we got none of that. acker and brynn had this weird friends to lovers situationship happening. it went from zero to “we’re bonded/matched” with nothing in between. some lingering glances maybe, but nothing that made me kick my feet in excitement. they were in that damn boat for what felt like forever, but the romance did not blossom like i wanted! where’s the slow burn and the tension? they had some conversations, fished like they were playing animal crossing and wallowed.
you can’t tell me acker actually loves brynn. when acker brings brynn to his kingdom, all of the lights are turned off because they oppose light-wielders. someone throws a rotten tomato at brynn and acker does nothing. my brother in christ, brynn’s supposed to be your bonded/matched! and you don’t do anything?! count your days, acker.
i didn’t love this, but didn’t hate this either. i’m indifferent. i found the start of metal slinger to be slow. the introduction to the characters and the world-building didn’t have me reeling with anticipation. the action and the adventure doesn’t really start until about 30%. it’s the execution that bothers me—things just happened with no real, or clear direction. the ending was somewhat shocking, but expected at the same time. it was not heart racing, or mind numbing and nothing that we haven’t already read in fantasy books before.
I don’t know what happened when reading this. Cavalier sounded promising with an enticing blurb that offered salacious deviance, an exclusive c[image]
I don’t know what happened when reading this. Cavalier sounded promising with an enticing blurb that offered salacious deviance, an exclusive club setting, a dismissive hero, a feisty heroine and one explosive relationship. However, reading this made me so frustrated with everything that happened between Creed and Elicea.
I couldn’t connect with either character nor their relationship. It disappoints me because I loved Kandiland! Majority of this narrative is revolved around Creed and Elicea’s instant attraction towards each other in between some intimate scenes. I couldn’t step inside these characters’ heads, to feel that same attraction; to understand the inexplicable draw towards each other.
Creed doesn’t care, doesn’t have any feelings. He’s completely cavalier about everything, or so he says.
Creed is described as being quite aloof; the quintessential tall, dark and handsome brooding type. While this is an appealing characterisation, it didn’t work with Creed as these attributes were mentioned far too often they lost all lustre. I found Creed neither compelling nor enigmatic, because it felt as if an insignificant amount of information was disclosed about his personality. When we eventually learned more about this complicated character, it was repetitive detail.
On one hand, I appreciated Elicea—she’s a strong-willed woman with thriving independence and rooted pride. She realised her limits and understood them, believing that hard work is more fulfilling than accepting easy options and handouts, no matter how charming and spellbinding Creed is. However, on the other, she’s stubborn beyond anything else.
He's like heaven and hell wrapped in a package that was made purely for me.
‘Complicated’ isn’t an accurate word to describe this couple’s relationship. Sexual tension between Creed and Elicea created a desirable build up, otherwise they played a constant game of push and pull, or they’d keep running away from each other rather than have a mature conversation. Creed's friends—Echo, Darby and Falcon—are, too, immature asshats. One second they're vilifying Elicea, the next they want Elicea back with Creed.
I despised the ending trope. Without giving much information away, it felt easy. Cheap, a convenient excuse to bring the couple together. It added virtually nothing, sad to say.
I don’t know what happened when reading this. Cavalier sounded promising with an enticing blurb that offered salacious deviance, an exclusive club setting, a dismissive hero, a feisty heroine and one explosive relationship. However, reading this made me so frustrated with everything that happened between Creed and Elicea.
I couldn’t connect with either character nor their relationship. It disappoints me because I loved Kandiland! Majority of this narrative is revolved around Creed and Elicea’s instant attraction towards each other in between some intimate scenes. I couldn’t step inside these characters’ heads, to feel that same attraction; to understand the inexplicable draw towards each other.
Creed doesn’t care, doesn’t have any feelings. He’s completely cavalier about everything, or so he says.
Creed is described as being quite aloof; the quintessential tall, dark and handsome brooding type. While this is an appealing characterisation, it didn’t work with Creed as these attributes were mentioned far too often they lost all lustre. I found Creed neither compelling nor enigmatic, because it felt as if an insignificant amount of information was disclosed about his personality. When we eventually learned more about this complicated character, it was repetitive detail.
On one hand, I appreciated Elicea—she’s a strong-willed woman with thriving independence and rooted pride. She realised her limits and understood them, believing that hard work is more fulfilling than accepting easy options and handouts, no matter how charming and spellbinding Creed is. However, on the other, she’s stubborn beyond anything else.
He's like heaven and hell wrapped in a package that was made purely for me.
‘Complicated’ isn’t an accurate word to describe this couple’s relationship. Sexual tension between Creed and Elicea created a desirable build up, otherwise they played a constant game of push and pull, or they’d keep running away from each other rather than have a mature conversation. Creed's friends—Echo, Darby and Falcon—are, too, immature asshats. One second they're vilifying Elicea, the next they want Elicea back with Creed.
I despised the ending trope. Without giving much information away, it felt easy. Cheap, a convenient excuse to bring the couple together. It added virtually nothing, sad to say.
I wanted to fall in love with this romance so much, as it contained a perfect amount of features of an angst-ridden narrative full of heated mo[image]
I wanted to fall in love with this romance so much, as it contained a perfect amount of features of an angst-ridden narrative full of heated moments, intense chemistry and deceitful secrets. Initially the execution was flawless and illustrated the characters’ dishonest intentions and vindictive actions in perfect fashion. However, the conclusion was lacklustre and transitioned downhill for numerous reasons—including the heroine’s terrible personality change.
She’s exquisite when she smiles like this. Like a goddess come down to earth.
Fierce, confident and self-reliant, Addison Price isn’t to be underestimated. She’s relentless, with a keen eye for business, but she’s erected and fortified difficult to crumble barriers to protect her brittle heart. Addison’s characterisation is commendable, however, her admirable qualities became overshadowed by an unbridled stubbornness when difficult situations unfurl. I understand her hesitance to find love in life, as well as her wariness to believe another’s intentions because of past relationships, but her immature attitude to pretend her issues don’t exist is frustrating.
A man like him could convince a girl to lose herself—for at least one night.
Oliver Blackthorn, conceited but somehow a sweetheart, is full of so much irresistible charm, you can't avoid falling in love with this hero. I don't condone his attitude whatsoever—a combination of secretive lies and devious deceit—but towards the end he tried to redeem himself. I can't condemn Oliver for his rectification; he harbours some serious levels of restraint and patience, considering Addison's unfortunate immature choices and decisions. It makes it difficult to dislike this hero within any capacity to be honest!
“This doesn’t have to be goodbye,” he finally says. “Then what should it be?” I whisper. “Until we meet again?” he responds.
Deceit had all the features and characteristics to turn into an unforgettable angst-ridden, enemies to lovers kind of romance, but Addison's indifference when it came to Oliver was too difficult to bear. Before the unneeded time jump, or the undesired separation, Addison and Oliver did have some serious chemistry that electrified through the chapters. It's unfortunate the way the drama was created and the sudden disjointedness in the way the situation was rectified.
callie hart, my queen, my favourite author who birthed zeth mayfair, thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of requiem. it's been a hocallie hart, my queen, my favourite author who birthed zeth mayfair, thank you for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of requiem. it's been a hot minute ...more
like all rina kent novels, it’s hit or miss, there’s no inbetween. red thorns falls into the “miss” category and comes across as nothing more than harlike all rina kent novels, it’s hit or miss, there’s no inbetween. red thorns falls into the “miss” category and comes across as nothing more than hardcore porn in writing. i could’ve saved myself a headache and a few hours by watching rather than reading porn.
you can expect this mess to be full of common high school/college romance cliches that made me want to scream: - fuck-bet for the fmc’s virginity with more dumb bets that made no sense thrown in between - detached, blonde queen bee reina and her cohort of evil minions and devil worshippers who are mean to the fmc - footballers who clearly watched too much hentai and hardcore japanese porn - a sarcastic, self-deprecating fmc who suffers from “not like other girls” vibes because she listens to rock/metal music, obsesses over true crime, reads manga and watches anime - said fmc has one friend that she’s described as being aesthetically average, chooses “dicks before chicks” and licks the asses of rich kids so she can fit in - an obsessive mmc who nicknames the sexually submissive fmc “tsundere” like she’s an anime character because she’s japanese (which is an issue of itself)
tsundere is a japanese term for a character development process that depicts a character with an initially harsh personality who gradually reveals a warmer, friendlier side over time.
i’d rather live my twenty-one-year-old life listening to hard rock and having as little contact with humans as physically possible, thank you very much.
naomi chester naomi is really unlikeable and her inner monologue made me want to punch something (or someone). there’s only so much one can hear about the forest, or the rock in the forest, before they feel inclined to ignite said forest on fire. with her in it. naomi otherwise tunnel visioned on the beast and monster lurking inside sebastian, or focused on how massive and throbbing his cock was.
in short, naomi doesn’t have a personality (neither does sebastian). she is one of those characters that believes they’re better than everyone else because she’s not like other girls and doesn’t talk down to others, but she was as much an asshole as the asshole characters. i assume it’s justification for her shit attitude and equally shit actions, but either way naomi’s an awful friend who throws around back-handed comments and deserves to be alone. all of reina’s other subjects are either as beautiful or accomplished—or damn rich—as she is. lucy is average on all of the above. though, in my eyes, she’s the prettiest.
she wailed about cheerleading (she only did it for her mum) and lamented that she's alone and can’t trust anyone. stfu naomi!!! you brought this upon yourself. if this was 2005 and msn still existed she'd set her status to cryptic emo lyrics. too bad the football didn't knock her ass out forever in the first chapter.
naomi + sebastian weaver naomi and sebastian shared nothing in common besides similar fantasies (and anime), but we’re supposed to believe there’s a deeper, more meaningful connection between them. it was baseless and the lack of conversation, the time getting to know each other, made me feel that they weren’t serious and had nothing more than a physical relationship. i’m certain all they ever did was fuck, at least for 90% of this travesty called a “dark romance”.
sebastian is so romantic, i almost swooned into a pool of water, with no interest in saving myself.
“my dick misses your lips. i think it was love at first sight.”
“i can feel your blood coating my dick. the best lube i've ever had.”
it was the fact that rk spent more time focusing on the fantasies and decided against developing naomi and sebastian’s relationship that made feel nothing towards this couple. we were told, rather than shown, in small increments that they shared common ground and interests on certain things. when? where?? if there’s something that grates my nerves it’s the “show not tell” route authors follow, especially in dark romance. stop withholding precious moments from me!!! i want to feel more than irritation and frustration.
“You should know better than to talk to someone like me. You should be afraid of me. And most of all, you shouldn’t trust me.”
For a short
“You should know better than to talk to someone like me. You should be afraid of me. And most of all, you shouldn’t trust me.”
For a short novella, Hidden Gem contained a mixture of innocence and sultriness that rendered me riveted and enchanted. I'm thrilled to head into Diamond in the Rough, to witness the undeniable intense and fervent nature of Holly and Elijah's connection unfold further and for the inevitable tumultuous hurdles they will have to navigate.
Hard Pass kind of shocked me—adorable and heartwarming, this romance is filled with belly-aching humour, fantastic chemistry and characters outside noHard Pass kind of shocked me—adorable and heartwarming, this romance is filled with belly-aching humour, fantastic chemistry and characters outside normative romance characterisation. Sara Ney delivered a memorable collection of characters with interesting quirks and plausible adorableness; the overall cuteness and uncommon nature of this romance is an irresistible combination that will entice readers for certain.
Noah Harding embodies the atypical romance hero we’re unaccustomed to receiving. Kind and shy, Noah isn’t just humble, but sensitive and realistic and filled with self-doubt that isn’t common in heroes. Sometimes the inserted naturalism of self-esteem worries resonates with readers because we’ve all been there; because it’s uncommon to read about heroes who are not affluent, rife with success and described as classically or traditionally handsome. Who wouldn’t become enamoured?
“There’s nothing wrong with being a nice guy! Why do guys hate that so much?” “Because, Miranda, nice guys usually only finish first in the movies. They are not the trophy boyfriends every girl wants.”
However, my issues with Hard Pass stemmed from Noah. Part of my heart aches for him because the criticism and mistreatment he receives is horrible; no one has the authority to make judgements on another’s appearance and no one should feel less because of said unwarranted comments. It doesn’t excuse his decisions that he allowed to be dictated by disheartened emotions, or be overrun by dejected thoughts though, because what he does is frankly shit behaviour no matter what excuse is used.
One, Noah catfished Miranda, using his friend Wallace to collect baseball cards Miranda advertised to kickstart a business we don’t know a thing about (something we’ll never know about at this rate truthfully). Wallace is cute, I’m sure, but his abilities to converse with others is so lacking, it made me wonder if he actually knew how real life conversations work. What baffled me is when Miranda eventually discovers Noah’s identity, she doesn’t appear to give a fuck whatsoever; instead she’s interested in dating Noah (what?). More on this later.
Two, Noah bailed when shit became too difficult to deal with. Someone photographed Noah on some cute date with Miranda and the next day the tabloids - surprise, surprise - write an insensitive, scathing article. Rather than understand that some human beings are garbage and that you have to ignore them; or contact Miranda to ensure she’s fine with everything happening, Noah ghosts. I understand that criticism isn’t easy to deal with, but if your first response is to bail when shit hits the fan, then don’t have a girlfriend.
I believe, in my honest opinion, Miranda’s lax reactions are because the reading length of Hard Pass is so damn short, there’s no allowance for her emotions to be explored or expanded on. Miranda would’ve been furious, or at least miffed, because let’s be honest here: no one enjoys being catfished or ghosted whatsoever. From my view, it made this romance unbelievable because everything felt rushed and despite the chemistry being fantastic, it didn’t reach its entire potentiality.
Should Hard Pass have been less focused on Noah and his rooted self-esteem issues, but instead showcased a transformation of some kind, this would have been better. Putting aside my issues though, Hard Pass is an overall decent romance worth reading if wanting something with short, swift entertainment, leaning towards cute, fluffy encounters that don’t guarantee much seriousness. Noah and Miranda have an adorable connection; it’s too bad this wasn’t developed further.
I’ve suffered from a long-term book slump since December. Reading ceased to interest me, writing reviews became a dreaded chore and the prospect of orI’ve suffered from a long-term book slump since December. Reading ceased to interest me, writing reviews became a dreaded chore and the prospect of organising Instagram photos made me stressed. Romances that managed to capture my attention were devoured within days, but the cycle repeats. Skye Warren reinstated my love of getting lost in romances with this dark narrative somewhat reminiscent of her Captives & Criminals series with Annika Martin.
That pretty much defines my feelings for her. Being near her is heaven and hell.
Elijah North is my newest obsession—complex, brilliantly so, dangerous and devastating—I couldn’t seem to stay away from this enigmatic, troubled boy who transformed into an irresistible, hardened antihero. We receive numerous glimpses into various features of his persona; from cold ruthlessness and conceited offhandedness, to this charming albeit rare fondness and protectiveness of the ones he cares about.
“It’s something deeper than affection. Darker than love. She’s mine.”
Wholesome and innocent, Holland Frank’s characterisation soothes the harshness of Elijah’s. Despite Holly’s naive nature and her sheltered childhood, she’s full of bold fearlessness, irrevocable love and unmatched stubbornness that assist in overcoming extreme situations she’s subjected to. She’s a character with fierce fire, determination and tenderness to make her not just likeable but also memorable.
He’s already hurt me more than I would have thought possible. It seems like my heart would know better than to love a man who’s a thief and a liar.
Diamond in the Rough is rife with noticeable chemistry that crackles in steam-filled, erotic encounters. Holly and Elijah have a bond that is intense, but the visceral rawness is intensified when they reconnect in the future—the intimate scenes between them are full of true desire and incredible hotness. It isn’t without haunted darkness and roughened aspects though that make it more heated and heartfelt.
Featuring an enthralling hostage romance that is dark, intricate and filled with mysteriousness, with a hint of forbiddenness to make it more enticing, a near flawless combination of themes to retain your attention, Diamond in the Rough doesn’t lack excitement. Skye Warren delivered a wicked and deviant beginning to what will be a riveting series.
Modern trends become intertwined with tradition to deliver a contemporary narrative different from what we’re accustomed to in this genre. With[image]
Modern trends become intertwined with tradition to deliver a contemporary narrative different from what we’re accustomed to in this genre. With current flairs and somewhat distinct qualities, Claire Contreras delivered a modern royal romance lighthearted in nature. However, with little to no emotion it became difficult to love or connect with both characters, as well as have a fondness for The Sinful King.
“You don’t curtsy to me,” he said into my ear. “Are you not my King?” “Are you not my world?”
King Elias is an allurement no one’s able to resist. But given the title and the way he’s described, I thought we’d have a more open manwhore hero with some asshole tendencies. Rather than be seen as devilish or wicked, King Elias is more soft, mellow and romantic, the absolute opposite of what we assume this hero to be. Adeline Bouchard has created a success for herself, but it’s unfortunate she’s kind of timid and naive instead of someone with tenacious grit.
“You have me now.” “I want you always.”
Adeline and Elias' first encounter felt stunted and rushed and awkward. It wasn't allowed to flourish or create intense chemistry. Even when they reconnected five years later, Adeline and Elias' romance didn't contain that flicker and twinkle of earnestness and enthusiasm. Serious disillusionment! However, what irritated me most is its unbelievable, almost instant-love nature and the way the scenario unfolded.
I've come to love Claire Contreras' romances—Half-Truths is my absolute favourite!—so I feel disheartened to rate this lower than expected. It's cute and sweet and contains some saccharine moments to make this an enjoyable read, but the overall romance isn't a thrilling or awfully exciting standout.
Rochelle ♡
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