"God, they were ridiculous. Why couldn't they simply admit to wanting to kiss each other? But things had gone too far to backtrack now. They were stuc"God, they were ridiculous. Why couldn't they simply admit to wanting to kiss each other? But things had gone too far to backtrack now. They were stuck in this cycle of provocative teasing..." . . I love how the fueding families, enemies to lovers trope has evolved throughout this series. It allows for really great bickering and flirting and back-and-forth between our couples, as well as refreshingly honest lines like the one above.
I think Morgan is my favorite of the men so far, I love that he knows what he wants and decides to just go after it (in a totally roundabout way, of course!). The dares and bets between him and Harriet are fun and hot, and the emotional climax is SO good and definitely the most satisfying in the series.
These books have been one of my favorite discoveries of 2022 (yay for random requests on NetGalley!). I love Kate Bateman's writing and she is one of those rare authors who calls a character clever or witty and then actually writes them that way! My appreciation for this feat knows no bounds.
As with any series, there are some repetitive elements throughout the books, which are much more noticeable if you read them all in a row like I did, but this doesn't detract from each book's individual appeal. I can't wait for Rhys' book, especially since we (including him!) haven't met his leading lady yet.
If you love clever banter and teasing, shared history, slightly scandalous bets, a feisty heroine, and a sexy and sweet hero, do not miss this book! . . . Thank you so much St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!...more
This is another absolute winner from the Ruthless Rivals series! I LOVE Tristan and Carys, I might even love them more than Gryff and Maddie?? DifficuThis is another absolute winner from the Ruthless Rivals series! I LOVE Tristan and Carys, I might even love them more than Gryff and Maddie?? Difficult to say.
Kate's writing is so good and clever, and this was chock full of so many things I love - pining and jealousy and banter and sneaking around together for sex lessons. (!) This is definitely the sexiest of the series, which I really appreciate since that was something I wanted more of from A Reckless Match. In this one it's promised and delivered!
The opposites attract trope was done incredibly well here and it was so much fun watching them spar - especially when Tristan finally loosens up. I also LOVE Carys' interest in animal rescue - the way Kate writes the women in this series is so fierce!
If you love historical romance I really can't recommend this enough! ...more
I LOVED this. I don’t know how I’ve never heard of Kate Bateman before but I’m so happy that she’s now on my radar! I recently got a review copy of thI LOVED this. I don’t know how I’ve never heard of Kate Bateman before but I’m so happy that she’s now on my radar! I recently got a review copy of the third book in this series and decided to go back and start from the beginning; this was definitely the right move because this was SO MUCH FUN.
I love the rival families setup – it makes for the perfect grounds for teasing and bickering and sexual tension, and Maddie and Gryff were wonderful. It felt fun and clever and well-written and honestly everything I want in a historical romance: swoony and sexy with great banter and a dash of adventure. This is also the second histrom that I’ve read recently with a spitfire heroine who is interested in science and I am HERE FOR IT!
A couple of small things kept this from being more than 4 stars for me. The resolution felt a little too easy and rushed, I wanted a more satisfying emotional ending and more emotional depth in general for the characters. Also, there was a scene that kept getting teased toward the end that NEVER HAPPENED. I’m discovering this is a pet peeve of mine in books.
Regardless, this was a fantastic start to the series and I would recommend it to any historical romance lover. Excuse me while I go straight to the next book!...more
Naima Simone is a go-to author for me for a quick and sexy read, and she absolutely delivered on this one. I somehow missed the first book in the seriNaima Simone is a go-to author for me for a quick and sexy read, and she absolutely delivered on this one. I somehow missed the first book in the series but this one still worked well as a standalone.
This is EXACTLY what I wanted from an angsty, yearning best-friends-to-lovers romance. The angst starts right from the beginning and the tension was SO good. Watching Miriam and Jordan fight their attraction to each other made want to yell at them and just bang their heads together, which is absolutely the feeling I want to have in this kind of story.
Naima Simone's characters always feel so real, you can completely relate to what they're going through (even when they're being idiots!), and once they finally figure it out it's SO satisfying.
If you're looking for an angsty friends-to-lovers with excellent longing and sexual tension, you definitely can't go wrong here!
Thank you so much to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!...more
Ugh this book! I am OBSESSED with literally everything about it. I love my romances angsty, with a really hard-earned HEA, and this one hurt so good, Ugh this book! I am OBSESSED with literally everything about it. I love my romances angsty, with a really hard-earned HEA, and this one hurt so good, it was just perfection. By chapter three my heart was already aching.
Kennedy Ryan's writing is absolutely beautiful, her characters are real and relatable, and this cover is just stunning! This book is such a beautifully raw portrayal of grief and healing and love and second chances and I am so so happy that I now have Kennedy's entire backlist to work through because I'm just in love with her right now.
This is 1000% one of my favorite books of 2022 and nothing I can say will truly do it justice. If you love emotional, spicy romances please please do not miss this work of art!
Before I Let Go is out now! Run, don't walk! . . Thank you SO much to Forever and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts....more
Oh my gosh, my heart is so full! I absolutely loved this! (And I don't even celebrate Christmas!) I could tell from the synopsis that it wa4.5/5 stars
Oh my gosh, my heart is so full! I absolutely loved this! (And I don't even celebrate Christmas!) I could tell from the synopsis that it was going to be goofy and I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into, but I've loved both Sarah Hogle's previous books so I decided to trust her and I'm SO GLAD I did. She's honestly one of my favorite authors, I love her writing and she comes up with the most unique and interesting stories, which is so refreshing in the romance world.
This book was such a trip from beginning to end. It was so silly and random and weird and fun and made me laugh out loud multiple times. It also got surprisingly emotional and even had me tearing up toward the end. Bettie starts out really unlikeable (which is the whole point!) but by the end I adored her. And Hall! That sweet, open, loveable man. The cinnamon role hero and grumpy/sunshine trope aren't really my thing but it totally got me here.
I will say that I don't think this is the strongest of romances, especially compared to her previous books. I didn't feel my heart fluttering for the love story, but I WAS invested, if that makes sense. The absolute joy of this book came more from the absurdity and the character development, and the romance gently happened alongside that.
Do yourself a favor and add some (completely ridiculous and chaotic) holiday magic to your life and read this book!
Thank you to GP Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
Yeah, I'm giving this five stars before I've even finished it. * * * * So I tried to start writing this review and my brain is just absolutely fried from hYeah, I'm giving this five stars before I've even finished it. * * * * So I tried to start writing this review and my brain is just absolutely fried from how crazy hot this book is. Scorching. Alec Kim. Oh good lord.
I have to tell you, friends, I do not like instalove. It's one of my least favorite tropes, give me a slow burn any day. And yet. AND YET. This is now one of my favorite romance books ever?? Ivy Owens, what is this witchcraft?
The connection between Gigi and Alec is just developed so well and feels really believable even though it's fast. Their shared history, maturity, and communication are a huge part of this and balance out their incredible chemistry in the best way. And that chemistry! Did I mention this book is hot?
If you are a romance lover DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS BOOK. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and swoony and sexy and a little angsty (messed up my own alliteration there but the angst has to be mentioned because it is *chef’s kiss*).
This book was magic, the perfect giddy burst of joy every time I thought about it (which was all the time). I kept sneaking away from all the things I was supposed to be doing to read just one more chapter. I'm already plotting my next reread, I need alllll the serotonin this book provides.
Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
My Goodreads status update for this book at 65%: “Omfg this is so freaking good, literal perfection, it's 4am and I don't want to stop reading p4.5/5⭐
My Goodreads status update for this book at 65%: “Omfg this is so freaking good, literal perfection, it's 4am and I don't want to stop reading please send help.”
So obviously, this was such a joy to read! It’s wonderfully self-aware, both employing and poking fun at a variety of romance tropes, which to me is one of the best things about this “books about books” sub-genre which has been so prevalent lately.
I loved Sewanee and her growth and self-acceptance throughout the book, as well as the focus on her familial and friend relationships. The glimpse into the audiobook world was also so much fun, and you can tell that Julia Whelan knows exactly what she’s talking about.
The chemistry between Sewanee and Brock was absolutely incredible. Epistolary romances can be really tricky to do, but when they’re done well, oh yeah baby. There’s a large middle section of the book that is mostly told through their email and text exchanges and I just ADORED it. As mentioned above, I stayed up until 4 in the morning reading and grinning like a fool because it was just so good. Seriously all the stars for the middle half of the book!
The ending did drag a teeny tiny bit for me, I just wasn’t as invested for some reason. The textual sparks that I loved so much didn’t quite translate to the in-person interactions. But that didn’t take much away from my overall enjoyment and honestly this was very nearly a 5 star read.
I also find it interesting that other than one incomplete scene, this is pretty much a closed door romance. This isn’t a bad thing, it’s just that there were several moments in the book where they specifically talked about what defines a romance novel, and one of the things is sex. I don’t actually agree with that assessment, but it really threw off my expectations for this particular book.
I highly recommend this one if you enjoy sizzling text banter, audiobooks and romance novels in general, old (and new!) Hollywood glamour, and the mistaken/mystery identity trope.
Thank you so much to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
Come for the astronaut romance, stay for the astronaut romance! This was such a sweet, heartfelt, angsty love story with a really fun premise and extrCome for the astronaut romance, stay for the astronaut romance! This was such a sweet, heartfelt, angsty love story with a really fun premise and extremely relatable characters.
I absolutely adored both Hallie and Chris, they were real and flawed and I loved how they communicated with each other and how mature their relationship felt. I identified a lot with Hallie in particular, and the growth throughout the story (for both of them!) was so satisfying. There was a great blend of romance with family and career issues; the characters are so loveable that you truly root for them in every aspect of their lives.
Samantha Young delivers swoon and steam, with the perfect amount of heartachey feels. This is my first book by her but it definitely won't be my last!
Thank you so much Berkley and Valentine PR for the advanced reader copy!...more
Ok, I loved this so much. The characters and plot were ridiculously fun, the romance was adorable, the fake dating was done SO well, I’m honestly justOk, I loved this so much. The characters and plot were ridiculously fun, the romance was adorable, the fake dating was done SO well, I’m honestly just obsessed.
This book has it all – rival boarding schools, prank wars, the aforementioned BRILLIANT fake dating (is it ok that I’m still falling for fictional high school characters??), a hilarious and wonderful friend group, as well as touching on some more serious topics.
A fun ride from start to finish, this is such a great example of why I still read YA as an adult. I highly recommend it!
Thank you so much Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
I LOVED this! It was my first book by Ashley Winstead but it definitely won't be my last. I loved her writing style, it4.5/5 stars (honestly almost 5)
I LOVED this! It was my first book by Ashley Winstead but it definitely won't be my last. I loved her writing style, it was so fun and quick, and I laughed out loud several times. There is definitely a political aspect to this story, which isn't normally my thing, but it was written in a very accessible way and I don't think it should deter anyone.
Our main character Lee (aka Stoner) is quite honestly a bit of a mess, and other than her passion for the environment I really couldn't relate to her at all, but that almost made her more fun to read about. Ben on the other hand was an absolute sweetheart, and I really enjoyed all the secondary characters.
My favorite thing was definitely the chemistry between Lee and Ben: there was so much excellent tension, hurt, and longing! If you love a slow burn second chance romance packed with angst and emotional heartfelt speeches, this is the book for you!
Minus half a star for the large role cheating plays in the story and what felt like a lack of responsibility taken for the seriousness of it, but overall this was very nearly a full 5 stars. It was so much fun and very hard to put down, and I can't wait for more from Ashley Winstead!
Thank you to Graydon House and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
Y'all I am FULLY obsessed with this book. It is SO GOOD. I’m always nervous starting a new YA fantasy because often they can feel immature and pretty Y'all I am FULLY obsessed with this book. It is SO GOOD. I’m always nervous starting a new YA fantasy because often they can feel immature and pretty generic to me, but even though this has many familiar elements, it still feels so fresh and enjoyable and I LOVE the writing.
The atmosphere Emily Thiede has created within these pages is just so magical and lush. The world building is perfect - we're given enough information to understand what's going on without it feeling like an info dump, a tricky thing with high fantasy. I absolutely love Alessa and her inner monologue, she is such a fun character to be inside as a narrator. Dante is perfection - the banter and relationship that grows between them is incredible. I was honestly vibrating with anticipation whenever they were together. I bookmarked so many passages as I read (something I NEVER normally do) and I went back and reread them several times before I'd even finished the book.
I read this while on vacation in Australia and even the stunning views and wonderful company of my cousins wasn’t distracting enough to stop me from constantly thinking about this gorgeous story. It is absolutely one of my top reads of the year and I can’t recommend it highly enough!
Thank you so much to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more
This book!! I’ll keep this review short because this book has been everywhere lately (for good reason) and honestly, what is there to say that hasn’t This book!! I’ll keep this review short because this book has been everywhere lately (for good reason) and honestly, what is there to say that hasn’t already been said? Emily Henry is amazing and I love her. This was a delight.
I always relate so much to her characters, even when we don’t actually have that much in common, and the relationships she creates between them are so believable and nuanced and fun to read about. I loved the setting, the side characters, and the slow burn, tension-filled romance between Nora and Charlie. A++ for the chemistry and banter, as always. I especially love that they acknowledged their attraction very early on; it made the slow burn of their relationship even more satisfying.
Once again, Emily Henry has knocked it out of the park and I’m left eagerly awaiting her next novel!...more
Reading this book was like if someone reached into my heart and pulled out enough of me to create a dramatic, flawed, musical theater obses4.5/5 stars
Reading this book was like if someone reached into my heart and pulled out enough of me to create a dramatic, flawed, musical theater obsessed teenage main character, then reached in AGAIN and pulled out the rest to create her nerdy, awkward, late millennial single father. Is Emma Lord inside my brain?? Truly, I feel like we could be best friends. Her writing is just ridiculously fun and relatable and I saw myself in it SO much. The references, the humor, the emotion, the romance, the family dynamics… they were all just so excellent. I’ll be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve read YA because I kind of felt like I’d grown out of it, but this book has both reminded me how much I love it and made me realize I can enjoy it on an entirely different level. (And I’m very very excited about Emma’s adult debut!)
This is a sweet, silly, and wonderfully heartfelt story and I can’t recommend it enough. There is so much more I could rave about but I need to go read all the rest of Emma Lord’s books now!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review....more