Review: The Words by Ashley Jade

January 20, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE WORDS
Author: Ashley Jade
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 20, 2022

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ashley Jade comes an edgy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance about mistakes, forgiveness, and second chances.

He was the talented bad boy everyone wanted.
I was the irrelevant geek everyone hated.

He was the sun…drawing all of us in.
I was a black hole…taking up space.

He was destined to be a star.
I was destined to remain an insignificant no one.

Until he made me believe I was special…

And then he destroyed me.

I never thought I’d see Phoenix Walker again after he broke my heart, but fate had other plans.

One tour. Eight weeks. Forty shows.

Countless opportunities to make him pay.

The world thought he was a God…
But I knew the truth.

AMAZON

Once upon a time, Phoenix Walker made me believe I was special. Then he destroyed me.

Lennon Michael is my biggest craving and my biggest regret.

For the blur of hours it took me to devour this book, it owned every part of me. This is by far, hands down, my favorite Ashley Jade book to date. I am absolutely ruined. RUINED.

When I tell you I binge read this in one sitting, I mean I stayed up until 4 am reading it. And as I write this review bleary eyed and coffee high the next day, I have zero regrets. Because this book was simply EPIC.

As a reader, I love broken, tortured and imperfect characters, and this story delivered this in spades. My heart bled for these characters and their pain.

When Lennon and Phoenix first meet, they’re in high school. Phoenix is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and Lennon is the girl with the seemingly perfect life…but who’s constantly bullied for her weight. Theirs is an unlikely friendship that forms when Lennon agrees to tutor Phoenix, that grows into something so much more as they get to know each other. Until the day when he completely shatters her heart.

Four years later, Phoenix is a famous rockstar who’s quickly spiraling out of control in drugs, women, and partying. Desperate to keep him out of the tabloids and on the straight and narrow, his manager reaches out to the one woman that’s not going to fall for his charm. She’s also the one woman that wants nothing to do with him.

Phoenix took everything, and her heart from her. Now given the chance at a huge pay day to play babysitter and to get revenge, Lennon agrees to go on tour with him and his band for 8 weeks.

When I tell you that both of these characters are damaged, I really mean it. There were times where I wanted to scream to the ceiling and shake both of them. They’re as far from perfect as they come, and their decisions show it. I wanted to hate both of them for some of the stupid things that they did. But they’re also authentic, multilayered, and so well developed, that you simply can’t help but fall further under their spell. Phoenix and his tortured soul, and Lennon and her hidden insecurities and broken heart.

Their road to a HEA is full of pain, heart ache, betrayal, mistakes, and angst. And when I say angst, I mean ANGST. If you want faultless characters who don’t make their share of stupid mistakes, this book isn’t for you. I love how the author wasn’t afraid to go there with this story and her characters. Yes, they’re damaged, but I loved them and their imperfections. I loved the tension with Phoenix and Lennon almost as much as I loved the incendiary chemistry when they finally give into the inevitable. And the grovel and grand gesture at the end? OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD.

I also fell incredibly hard for all of the secondary characters, and already salivating for both Memphis and Storm’s books. This was honestly one of my favorite rockstar romances I’ve read in a long, long while, and I cannot recommend it enough. Just be prepared for a book full of messy emotions, unforgivable betrayals, and a once in a lifetime love. I’m absolutely obsessed!!

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Review: The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart

January 17, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE PLIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Author: Kate Stewart
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 19, 2021

Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown. And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.

Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.

Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.

I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.

I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.

I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.

I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.

I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.

Fa la la la la, la FML.

AMAZON

What are you missing? I think it’s me, and I think I’m missing you, and I think we’ve been missing each other for a long fucking time.” .

Oh.
My.
WORDS.

This book. Is Kate Stewart even capable of writing a book that doesn’t completely own your world as you’re reading it? This was the second chance romance to beat all second chance romance. And it came with a hilarious family, banter, and forced proximity goodness. If you’re looking for THE holiday romance, this is it. THIS IS IT.

You can pretend all you want that I haven’t been inside you, but I refuse to.” .

After losing the promotion that she rightfully deserved to a man, Whitney finds herself in her feels. She recently broke up with her boyfriend because she wasn’t feeling it, much like she hasn’t felt most of her relationships. And her car barely makes it to her parent’s house for Christmas. What else can possibly go wrong? Well, how about her college ex boyfriend showing up as her brother’s plus one? The same college boyfriend who was the love of her life and shattered her heart, and she’s never quite moved on from. The same college boyfriend who never stopped thinking about her either.

Throat burning, I unravel before her. She’s mine. She has to be because my heart is hers and always has been. It’s never been so clear. I loved her then, soul-deep. I love her now, perpetually..

I loved the way that this story combines a slow burn second chance romance with the quirky family antics and dynamics. I fell so hard for this family and their individual plights. I was equally rooting for Whitney’s siblings as I was for Whitney. The banter, the laughs, their love for each other was simply heart warming and laugh till you pee yourself inducing.

The romance was very much a slow burn, and I mean slooooooow burn. And rightfully so considering the history these two had. But man, I loved watching Eli fight for her. I loved him prove to her the man that he is now. And when all the details come out, it’s heart wrenching. But if ever there was a man with a reason, this man is it. I loved him so hard.

Have you lost your mind?” I toss over my shoulder.
“Yes. And it’s your pussy’s fault. Now go.” “I am not dusting, Eli.” “Please, don’t argue with me right now,” he whimpers. “I don’t want your Dad to know that while he was worshiping his lord and savior, I was defiling his daughter. Please just…dust.”.

And for those who have read other books of Kate (and I won’t spoil and say which ones), you will SERIOUSLY appreciate a certain cameo in this book. I think I may have screamed out loud when they were revealed. GAH. SO good.

This book was pure perfection. It brought everything; the feels, the laughs, the holiday spirit, and the once in a life time romance. I simply adored it.

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Review: The Grump Who Stole Summer by Ella Fields

January 16, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

THE GRUMP WHO STOLE SUMMER
Author: Ella Fields
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 7, 2022

USA Today bestselling author, Ella Fields, returns to contemporary romance with an all-new angsty enemies to lovers standalone.

I never meant to hurt her.
Okay, so that might be a lie. The truth is, I just… panicked.

My soul died when I was fourteen, and there was no reviving it. But when the one person who’d tried made headlines, got dumped by her Ivy League college, and was forced to work in my bookstore, I began to wonder if I needed it when my heart beat faster at just the sight of her.

I began to wonder if I’d been wrong to push her away three years ago, and if she was as I’d hoped and feared—different. If maybe, she could truly accept a guy like me.
All of me. Every vile, cruel, tattered piece.

First, I had to find out a few things.
Would she still smile and laugh when I said something acidic?
Would she still melt beneath the pads of my inexperienced fingers?
Did she still want me as much as I wanted her?
And finally, could she ever forgive an undeserving prick like me?
Something told me I’d regret not finding out.

Told in dual POV, The Grump Who Stole Summer is a full-length standalone, enemies to lovers second chance romance. It contains some sensitive subject matter.

AMAZON

Did I hurt you?”
“No, but you have ruined me.” He kissed under my jaw. “The score is finally even.”

When I think of angst, Ella Fields immediately comes to mind. The woman has ruined me when it comes to her particular brand of angst. And like the masochist that I am when it comes to her books, I eagerly scream “hurt me” every time she releases a book. I have no shame in my game. She writes an asshole like no other. *dreamy sigh*

Now this one was a bit different and not quite what I expected. It was an enemies to lovers with a twist, but not as rip your hair out angsty as Ella’s usual. The story itself took me a bit to get into. The characters, while unique, didn’t click with me right away. Though they certainly did grow on me.

Smith is a not just a grump, he’s a recluse. He hates everything and everyone, and barely manages to keep his book store afloat because he can’t be bothered to smile or be polite to a customer.

Alice is a bit of spoiled princess, though not all is at it seems with her. After going a bit too wild in college and getting caught with her boobs out on display in a paparazzi shot, well, suffice it to say her business mogul mother is non too pleased. Her punishment? A volunteering gig at a local book store. What Alice doesn’t realize until she gets there, is that the reclusive grumpy owner and her have a history, and it’s not the kind she wants to think about again. Once upon a time, he broke her heart.

These characters, though they come off a bit…strange at first, are incredibly multi layered. Not all is at it seems, and with each new chapter, I found myself growing deeper under their spell. Though the pacing of the book was a bit slower for me, I can’t complain too much, because the end more than made up for it. I loved the flashbacks of Smith and Alice interwoven into their present. Smith is still the broken, tortured, and grumpy asshole he was when Alice first met him. But still waters definitely run deep with this man, and when the truth finally gets revealed? DAMN.

I loved that Alice’s parents weren’t the stereotypical rich a-holes. They loved her and I loved seeing her mother’s conniving sweet side come out at the end. The twisty ending definitely made the book for me, though. Right out of a soap opera drama, but damn was it delicious.

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Review: Kiss And Tell by Maya Hughes

January 6, 2022 by · Leave a Comment

KISS AND TELL
Series: STFU #1
Author: Maya Hughes
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 6, 2022

“Wouldn’t most guys love a no strings attached hook up?

“Maybe, but most guys don’t deserve you. I want to be one who does. And I want to be all tangled up in your strings.”

Newly arrived on campus, I knew two things. 1) No one could know my dad was the president of the university and 2) football players were bad news.My run in, the literal kind with my neighbor cranked up the heat and sparks flew.

A new college campus. A secret bound to explode in my face. And a football player neighbor who is bad news in the best of ways.

Reid Riddick was hotness personified, so of course I literally ran into with him–well, more like he plowed into me.

I didn’t know he was a football player when I started falling and now I can’t stop. A stolen kiss later and my heart races whenever he looks at me from across the quad.

But my secret would spell disaster for him.

I’m the daughter of the college president. The college president who’s been feuding with his football coach for years. Their bitter campus war leaves us teetering on the edges of a divide we can’t see a way across.

Resisting him is more than I can handle. He’s risking it all for me. His team standing. His football season. His pro future.

Throw in a campus gossip site. My out of control new friends. His way too hot roommates. College traditions. A secret campus bar and the only guy who’s ever made me feel like he can’t live without me. And I have one last secret.

Our star-crossed love is my first and I want him to be mine.

Kiss and Tell is the first book in the new St Francis University sports romance series.

AMAZON

COMING SOON IN STFU SERIES

ADD BOOK 2  – THE KISS LIST – COMING SOON

GOODREADS https://bit.ly/thekisslist

My feelings weren’t unrequited, they weren’t being driven deep down because he had his eyes set on my best friend or a spot at the vineyard or me being his new tutor to pass biology or chemistry. Working beside him was like a beautifully wrapped present that had been shoved in my Christmas stocking, but I didn’t get to open it.

Kiss and Tell launches the brand new Fulton U spin-off, and I am so here for it. Generally, I’m the sort of reader that likes her New Adult romance with plenty of drama, and manwhore/alphahole/badboy. What? As Christina Grey once said, my tastes are very…singular.
So imagine my pleasant surprise when I ended up falling for the cinnamon role that was Reid. How deliciously unexpected.

Reid has lived, breathed, and bled football since he was 14. All he wants is to hit the pros. But it has nothing to do with fame and women. The more you get to learn about him and his father, the more you fall for him. He trains hard and doesn’t let any distractions, like women deter him. Besides, his coach is dang near certifiable and kicked off one of his teammates for not breaking up with his girlfriend. Simply because the girlfriend was the daughter of someone who the coach didn’t like. So yeah, suffice it to say it’s enough to put some fear into you. So what happens when you fall for the girl of the university president and a man his coach hates with a passion? Well, definitely some complications.

Leona is a recent transfer. After some recent life events, she made the decision to leave her mom’s home in Australia to come be with her dad. She’s also not entirely keen on anyone knowing who her dad is because she doesn’t want any attention. She wants to be treated like everyone else, and so she moves in on campus.

Leona and Reid have an adorable meet cute when they bump into each other and her legos spill out of her moving box. There’s immediate sparks, but they’re both insecure for various reasons. Leona, because she’s not used to being the girl being noticed. And Reid, well because he’s told himself he can’t be distracted by a relationship.

This was definitely a slow burn, with plenty of character development. There’s a heavy undercurrent of chemistry that makes it almost painful until that first kiss. I loved how sweet Reid was with Leona. He’s not a player and he doesn’t play any mind games. When he makes a decision, that’s it. And he doesn’t bother trying to deny his feelings, which was incredibly refreshing. Leona was incredibly relatable and I absolutely loved her friendship with her roommates.

The new characters that are introduced, particularly Kennedy and Cole, immediately hooked me too. I loved getting to know this new gang of friends. Can’t wait for the next book!

 

Maya Hughes, that’s me!, can often be found sneaking in another chapter while hiding in the bathroom from her kids! 🙂 I’m a romance writer who loves taking inspiration from everyday life, namely my husband and biggest fan. Inspiration also strikes when I hear a song, meet someone new or daydream while at soccer practice.

I love writing stories that capture the possibilities of the paths less travelled and enjoy experiencing life through my characters’ eyes.

I’m the mom of three little ones, the wife to an amazing husband and also work full time. Some of my favorite things are cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, white wine, laughing until I can’t breathe, traveling with my family and Jeff Goldblum. 

AUTHOR LINKS 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/mayahughes

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayahugheswrites

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayahugheswrites

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maya-hughes

 



 

 

#STFU #mayahughes #reidandleona #STFUseries #kissandtell #secretlovers

 

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Review: Hooked by Emily McIntire

December 28, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

HOOKED
Series: Never After #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: Emily McIntire
Release Date: September 7, 2021

 

He wants revenge, but he wants her more.

Once Upon A Time, there was a little boy.
His belly full of laughter, his life full of joy.
Until one day, something changed; stripped his innocence away.
The hole inside making space for the devil to come and play.
His dreams gone forever, he grew up way too fast.
An endless night of crocodiles, and watches made of glass.
He grew into a villain, the taste of vengeance on his tongue.
Craving to make his enemies pay for the misdeeds they had done.
Instead he found a darling girl, and refused to let her go.
For what better way to make the man pay, than to steal his little shadow.

*Hooked is a full-length, complete standalone and the first in The Never After Series: A collection of fractured fairy tales where the villains get the happy ever after. This is a DARK Contemporary romance (not fantasy) featuring mature themes and content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Reader discretion is advised.*

 

AMAZON

 

Some men are born into this world with purpose; other men are mutilated into it.

I love a good fairy tale retelling with a twist, and this one definitely delivered. I love the direction the author took this one with a twist on the classic and read this in one sitting.

You want to watch the world burn?”
“Let me guess, you’ll set it on fire?” I ask.
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me and settling into my bones. “No, darling. I’ll hand you the match, and stand at your back, watching you become queen of the ashes.”

Hook was a character I knew I’d love straight off the bat. The perfect tortured anti-hero that you love to hate and hate to love. This is a man who has waited years to exact revenge on the man who took everything from him. And the sweet and innocent daughter of said enemy who walks herself right into his hands is the perfect way to do it. Though he doesn’t expect the chemistry between them.

Wendy is the daughter of the infamous business man Peter Michaels. She’s also completely naive to the man her father really is. When her friend invites her to the Jolly Roger for the chance to spot the gorgeous and enigmatic Hook, the last thing she expects is to snag his attention.

Now being an avid dark romance reader, I have to say this book missed a few opportunities to really delve into the true dark elements where it just grazed the surface…like Hook’s past. But there were still plenty of dark elements to satisfy. What I wished we did have is a bit more of a backbone for Wendy. As much as I love the praise kink, Wendy was just too much of a pushover at times. The things she lets Hook get away with, along with her “friends” was frustrating. But the chemistry between them was satisfying enough for me not to dwell too much on that part. The twist and reveal at the end was one I saw coming really early on as well. But again, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

Ultimately, I seriously enjoyed this book. I’m definitely hooked on this author now (see what I did there?) and can’t wait for the next installment in this world.

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Review: Protect Me Not by Natasha Anders

December 27, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

PROTECT ME NOT
Series: (Un) Professionally Yours #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Natasha Anders
Release Date: October 6, 2021

Some temptations are just not worth the complication.

Victoria Hollingsworth does not need a surly, uncommunicative bodyguard cramping her style, following her everywhere, and intimidating any would-be male callers. She’s a florist for goodness sake, not a princess or a pop star. Having a massive, mysterious bodyguard always hovering is an inconvenience. And yet… there he is, Tyler Chambers, her unwanted protector, ultra-serious, no-nonsense, and off-the-charts hot. Vicki doesn’t want, or need, him as a bodyguard. Yet, disturbingly, he may be everything she wants, and needs, in a man.

Ty hates his current long-term assignment. It’s mind-numbingly tedious. Vicki Hollingsworth is a pain in the butt who talks too much, laughs a lot, and frequently tests his patience. And her life isn’t exactly filled with intrigue and action. Ty is ready for this job to be over. He has a couple of months left before reassignment. So close to being out of here he can taste it. The last thing he needs is to suddenly find his cute-as-a-button charge irresistibly attractive. She’s not his type. Wholesome, adorable, and sweet, Vicki is the kind of woman who needs long-term commitment. And all Ty has to offer is a few short weeks of far-from-wholesome pleasure.

How much chaos can one little florist introduce into his regimented life? Ty is about to find out.

 

AMAZON

 

Some temptations were just not worth the complication.


I love me a good bodyguard romance, and while this one took me a minute to really get into, once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

Now usually, I love my bodyguard romance with a touch more suspense. Ty had been assigned to Vicki by her overprotective brother after one break in in her flower shop. Being a top notch professional in the field, Ty isn’t exactly thrilled at what he considers babysitting duty. And Vicki is just as thrilled at having a constant baby sitter. Suffice it to say they have a bit of a rough start when Vicki purposely antagonizes Ty in the beginning. You’d think that Ty’s sudden waking up 15 months into his charge to realize that he’s attracted to Vicki would be somewhat hard to believe, but it just fit.

Natasha Anders writes very character driven stories, and this one was no different. Admittedly it took me about 20% to really get into this story, but once I did, I couldn’t put it down. I loved Vicki’s sweetness and pure heart in comparison’s to Ty’s brokenness. After heartbreaking losses, Ty has put up walls around his heart. PTSD and loss will do that to a man. And he feels the only thing he has to offer is a short lived physical relationship with Vicki until his job is officially over and they both move on. He struggles with his attraction to her, but when this slow urn finally explodes, YOWZA! As much as Ty hot and cold, I want you but can’t give you anything back and forth drove me nuts, I still loved him. There are so many layers to this man, that you can’t help but fall for him with each layer you peel back. Vicki’s sweet nature was the perfect balance, and I loved that she wasn’t too much of a push over.

Ty goes from cold to hot to back to cold, and I couldn’t get enough. It was a slow burn romance full of heart and emotion, and a well deserved HEA that put a huge smile on my face.

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Review: Savage Hearts by J.T. Geissinger

December 26, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

SAVAGE HEARTS
Series: Queens & Monsters #3
Genre: Mafia Romance
Author: J.T. Geissinger
Release Date: November 19, 2021

Savage (adjective):
1) Not domesticated; wild and untamed
2) A brutal or vicious person
3) Malek Antonov

He’s a myth. A ghost. A legend.

A Bratva assassin so feared, some won’t even dare to speak his name.

He comes in search of vengeance for the death of his brother, but what he finds instead is me.

A girl he thinks is someone else.

Someone unrelated to the man who killed his brother.

Except I am.

And when he finds out my true identity, he decides to take me as repayment for what he lost.

Now, I’m a little bird trapped in a cage, and the only way to survive is to make friends with the monster who captured me.

Except friendship isn’t what the monster has in mind.

 

AMAZON

 

Please be quiet. My inner demons are demanding that I kill you, and I want to hear what they have to say.”

No one, and I mean no one writes banter quite like J.T. Geissinger. And this girl? Lives for every sexual chemistry loaded barb.

Are you on drugs?” “Not at the moment, no. Why, do you have any?” “There’s something wrong with you. Mentally. Right?”

This series has quickly become one of my favorite mafia romance series. It has everything; intense alpha males, feisty heroines, steam, banter, and sizzling romance. And it just seems to get better with each book. I loved Sloane and Declan, and after that ending, I was practically foaming at the mouth for this book. And meeting Sloane’s polar opposite sister and the brutal mafia Brava assassin? DELICIOUS.

My little bird has claws.”
“Call me a bird one more time, and I’ll—”
“What?” I demand, pressing my chest to hers so I feel her heart pounding right through my shirt. “You’ll do what? Shoot me? Stab me? Drown me in a sea of words?”
“Fuck you.”
“Is that an invitation?”
“You wish, you arrogant prick!”
She’s so mad, she’s almost spitting. I like this side of her. This feisty, angry side. It’s so rare that someone challenges me.
“Careful,” I whisper, brushing my lips against hers. “Combat makes my dick hard.”

Riley is everything Sloane isn’t. She’s the sister that always got overshadowed by Sloane’s beauty and personality. When her commitment phobe sister gets engaged, Riley can hardly believe it. Their relationship has always been strained, but Sloane is trying, and Riley agrees to fly in to meet her new fiancé. One thing these two sisters definitely have in common is their wicked humor and sharp wit.

I wonder if my sister will mind when I start calling her fiancé Daddy?

Malek is there for vengeance. Declan killed his brother, and he wants revenge. When he first sees Riley, he thinks that she’s prostituting herself to Declan in need of money. Meh, first impressions. But in a bid to rescue her, he learns that Riley is actually his enemy’s future sister in law. So what’s a man to do? Kidnap her, obviously. Ah, romance.

I loved the banter and chemistry between these two. I loved Malek’s intensity and unwilling attraction to Riley. And I absolutely loved Riley’s fierceness. This book delivered on all the things I’ve come to love from this author. And then there’s the set up for Spider’s book and I AM IN NEED. Can’t wait for the next installment.

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Review: Chained Hands by T.L. Smith

December 26, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

CHAINED HANDS
Series: Chained Hearts Duet #1
Genre: Dark Romance
Author: TL Smith
Release Date: October 5, 2021

 

Sailor

My husband sold me.
Not only did he sell me, but he told me he loved me while doing the deal.
What lies he tells.
Only fools believe him.
Unfortunately, one of those fools was…
.. me.

Keir

Not in the habit of buying women.
I didn’t need to.
I was a king of my realm, the devil you whispered about in your sleep.
So when his debt fell due, he sold me his wife.
And I was happy because I wanted to play with her like any fool would.
And play with her, I did.
Pity, in the end, I would have to kill her.

 

AMAZON

 

Truth be told, I struggled with my rating on this one. On the one hand, this book is a hot mess. On the other hand, I read it in one sitting. I’m seriously bummed, because that blurb and cover were utterly delicious.

Let’s start with the good. I loved the plot. Our heroine is a previous bad girl who married and lost herself. She became a bit of a doormat to her philandering husband and struggles with this new Sailor. Her douche of a husband takes her to a party, only to sell her as a debt to a ruthless mafia leader who shoots first and asks questions later. Suddenly Sailor finds her lady balls and becomes the sassy, fiery, bad girl that she was.

This is also where the book goes wrong for me. First, there was the writing style. There was no character development and it was extremely repetitive. If I had to read about how Keir plans to kill Sailor and everyone else one more time… Descriptions were reused frequently. Aside from repeating ad nauseam how ruthless and trigger happy Keir is, there’s little to no development for him. The “romance” comes out of no where, much like Sailor’s sudden personality change. And the dialogue was incredibly juvenile. These were grown adults who spoke like teenagers.

There were also Gossip Girl-like choppy bits of gossip/blog articles on Keir, which were weird AF and felt so incredibly out of place in a dark romance of this nature. I also felt there was really no need for this to have been a duet, because there were chapters that did nothing for the story that felt like filler.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to love this, I didn’t. But clearly I’m in the minority, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I’m a picky ass, clearly. *shrugs* But this now being the third book I’ve tried for this author, I think I can safely say her writing style just doesn’t work for me. Bummer, but it is what it is.

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Review: The Wrong Heart by Jennifer Hartmann

December 24, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

THE WRONG HEART
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Jennifer Hartmann
Release Date: August 10, 2021

When my husband died, he left my broken heart behind.

He left another heart behind, too—his.

I know it’s wrong. I shouldn’t be contacting the recipient of my husband’s heart. I don’t even expect him to reply…

But there’s a desperate, twisted part of me that hopes he will.

No names.

No personal details.

Just a conversation.

The only thing I have left of my husband is inside him.

***

‘The Wrong Heart’ is an angst-filled contemporary romance standalone. This book deals with heavy themes, such as loss of a loved one and self-harm/suicide.

 

AMAZON

You said I look at you like I’m trying to fix you,” she says softly, her eyes scanning my face, searching for a crack. A hole. A way in. “You look at me like you’re trying to break me.”

I love a romance that can make me feel. A story that can break me and put me back together again while forever engraving itself on my heart and memory. And boy did this book do that and more.

We are not responsible for the choices that others make. It’s human condition to latch onto the whys and what ifs because that gives us power when we feel like we have none. But we’re looking for power in the wrong place,” she explains. “The power is not in the past—it’s in the present. It’s in how we choose to move forward, and how we can mold our grief into something useful. Something beautiful.”

I have one major pet peeve when it comes to books with a dead spouse, and it’s when that spouse is made to be something…less. You know what I’m talking about. Either they’re villanized, or the love is less intense, anything to justify the new love being…more. Why is that? Because it’s not easy to pull off having one great love that passes, while also making the new love be just as real. So kudos to you Jennifer Harmann, for not just doing this, but doing it beautifully. I tip my hat off to you madam.
Melody is desperately in love with her husband. He’s her everything and he loves her with the same selfless intensity. Until one day where she loses him in the most tragic way, irrevocably changing the course of her life.

What I loved most about Melody’s character, is no matter how hard and dark her road is in the wake of her husband’s passing, she’s not bitter. She doesn’t let this tragedy define her. Her heat and soul shines through this story, and I simply adored her quiet and unobtrusive strength. That doesn’t mean she’s not broken. She’s devastated at the loss, and barely sees through her grieving. Until one day, she does something that really forces her to wake up. Joining a group for other broken souls (I’ll keep this vague for spoiler reasons), she meets Parker. The broody, grumpy man who has demons he doesn’t believe he’ll ever be able to fight. He’s a man that’s irrevocably broken by the darkness of his past and childhood. He wants nothing to do with anyone, and the sweet and sunny woman determined to get past his defenses is among those things. Yet she still manages to make it past the cracks.

This book was beautiful, in the most tragic of ways. These characters are so vivid and multilayered. My heart broke for both of them, but especially my poor broken Parker. This is a man with some serious demons who allows the ghosts of the past to color his present. The angst, the emotion, the gut wrenching emotion was EVERYTHING. Their budding romance was full of pain and hurdles. And I loved watching them fight through it to get their HEA. And wow was it beautiful. I cried, I sobbed, and I fell head over heels in love with this incredible story. And that epilogue?! MY GOD. What have you done to me, Jennifer?!

If you’re looking for a romance that will be a straight punch to the feels and that will stay with you for a long while, do yourself a favor and pick this one up.

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Review: Western Waves by Brittainy Cherry

December 23, 2021 by · Leave a Comment

WESTERN WAVES
Series: Compass #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Brittainy Cherry
Release Date: December 9, 2021

 

I always believed in fairy tales, but he preferred horrors.

Damian Blackstone didn’t care about my existence. He came into my world for one reason only. He came to find answers about his past.

He moved like the villain in my favorite fairy tales. He wasn’t the one who received the happily ever afters; he was the one who destroyed them.

Which was why I couldn’t understand why the man who raised me set it up in his will for Damian and me to be married. I wasn’t certain I’d be able to live with a man like Damian. We were as opposite as any two people could be. I loved to bathe in the sunlight while he prospered in the shadows.

I didn’t think I’d develop feelings for the one who looked at me as if I were nothing more than a means to an end. Yet in his darkness, sometimes I’d see sparks of light. I’d see gentleness. I’d see his soul.

We became entangled with one another as we fell into mistakes and called them fate. I was his Cinderella, and he was my Beast.

I wasn’t certain that twisted fairy tales ended with happily ever afters.
Still, I was determined to find out.

 

AMAZON


The second I saw the blurb to this book, I knew this would be my first Brittainy Cherry book. Unfortunately, as excited as I was to read it, the further I got into the story, the less I liked it. In all fairness, it was looking to be a solid 3 star read for me…until a certain plot device towards the end. As Christian Grey once said, I have very singular tastes. And that particular plot device? HATE it. I absolutely loath it actually. It truly ruined the entire story for me. But more about that in a minute.

I love a modern twist on a fairy tale. This one was definitely the perfect set up with an enemies to lovers twist. Unfortunately, the enemies to lovers thing barely lasted a few chapters into the story. But that’s fine. Stella and Damian have a unique meet cute when Damian is the grumpy stranger that takes the last scone at a bakery and they have it out. Stella never expects to see the man again, but has quite the surprise when not only is he at the reading of the will to the man who was like a father to her. But his final wish is for them to get married in order to collect on a hefty inheritance left for both of them. The twist? Stella has a boyfriend of ten years who fully encourages her to do this. I mean, why not? It’s in name only.

While I liked the story for the most part, what I disliked is that the characters became more about their particular issues than anything else. Stella and her insecurities through years of belittling by the wicked step mothers. Damian and his abandonment issues. The romance was entirely lackluster due to the fact Stella and her horrid boyfriend are together for the majority of the story. And when they finally do get together? The particular twist completely ruined any warm and fuzzies I would have had from it. When I tell you I hated it, I seriously couldn’t be more disappointed by the direction that this story took. It felt so unfair to the characters and their plight, and just ruined any and all romance in it for me. Sadly, that thing plummet my rating to a two. While I can’t say I loved the book, if it hadn’t been for that, it would have been a solid three star. I’d love to try this author again, but sadly, this book did absolutely nothing for me. This is a personal taste thing obviously, and as you can see, plenty of readers loved this one. So read it and judge for yourself.

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