Author Archives: Andrea Valcarcel

ARC — Let’s Get Quizzical — Kelly Ohlert

“That’s it. Talk nerdy to me.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Mentions illegal activities, blackmailing, and reality show corruption. Contains explicit sexual content.

Oh, this was one spicy read, alright? “Let’s Get Quizzical” follows Charlotte (Charlie) and Eli, two estranged high school best friends and lovers, as they reconnect in a trivia game show, in live TV. It was a shock to start for sure, but after they’re paired up as a team, they’re set on advancing in this game show competition, they both can’t afford to lose. They’ll have to look away from their past and into their future—may that be together or as far apart as possible.

Being told through two points of view, this quirky book filled with fun facts and competitiveness is binge-worthy. Kelly Ohlert’s sophomore romantic publishing absolutely exceeded my expectations. Her debut novel, although entertaining, leaned a bit too much into the childish and nonsensical side of fiction for my liking—this was not the case with “Let’s Get Quizzical.” This upcoming novel lets us see more character depth and complexity, while still holding true to its romantic comedy nature. I really can’t wait to see what else Kelly Ohlert has to offer.

Fair warning, this book was a bit more spicy than I had anticipated. And I mean, I was there for it, but just keep that in mind when grabbing this read. Overall, if you’re a sucker for second chance romances, trivia, and nerdy characters, then “Let’s Get Quizzical” has been personally tailored for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: October 17, 2023

Stars Collide — Rachel Lacey

“(…) It came down to the age-old dilemma: Do I want to be her or be with her? In this case, it was a little of both but mostly the latter.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses dysfunctional families, divorce, emotional abuse, and bad past relationships. Contains explicit sexual content.

Super pop stars meet sexual identity crisis in “Stars Collide”. This novel follows Eden Sands, a recently divorced superstar with more than 20 years thriving in the industry, and Anna Moss, an up-and-coming pop star that hasn’t been able to shake off the childish persona the media wants her to be. In the hopes to boost the sales for Eden’s upcoming world tour, Eden and her management invite Anna to perform in the Grammys with her and they just about perfectly fit. Perhaps even more perfectly than they had originally anticipated.

Told in the third person, we get to experience both Eden’s and Anna’s points of view, really giving a fresh and wonderful dive into the lives of pop stars and artists in the limelight. It was also a beautiful ode to finding yourself in your later years—there’s nothing wrong with exploring and discovering your sexuality after 30.

This sapphic romance is both unique and entertaining. Eden’s and Anna’s slow burn will have you wondering when one of them will finally confess or make a move. I would highly recommend this read if you’re looking for a sweet, queer, celebrity romance.

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“Star Collide” by Rachel Lacey is also available through Kindle Unlimited!

Out on a Limb — Hannah Bonam-Young

“Years and years spent still getting to know one another, unlearning and relearning each other as the decades go by. (…) The mess and the chaos and the beauty of a life well lived—a life shared.
I’d like it very much.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Revolves around an unexpected pregnancy. Describes living with limb differences, both since birth and due to illness/cancer. Discusses postpartum depression and touches on suicide and suicidal thoughts. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Out on a Limb” has broke all my predispositions about the unexpected pregnancy trope. This book follows Winnifred (Win) McNulty after she has a one night stand with an intriguing stranger called Bo during her best friend’s annual Halloween party. They both joke about having limb differences, Win since birth and Bo not so much. A month later, when Win finds out she’s pregnant, she reaches out to Bo, although they had agreed that that one encounter would be nothing more than something casual. But here’s the thing: Bo assumed he was sterile after undergoing chemo and so he more than definitely wanted to be involved in his child’s life. And so their story begins.

It had been months, not to say years, since I had cried this much over a book. Is this book particularly sad? Absolutely not. But it was just so sweet and lovely and heartwarming that I just couldn’t help it. I fell for both Bo and Win and I wanted their happiness above all. This book showed us the perfect example of what unconditional love is, what caring for someone is. It reminded me so much of me and my husband although we’re nothing like Bo and Win, yet our love feels the same.

I cannot physically recommend this book enough. Even if you’re not a fan of the unexpected pregnancy trope, like myself, I would still highly recommend you grab this masterpiece.

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“Out on a Limb” by Hannah Bonam-Young is also available through Kindle Unlimited!

“Win, sometimes good things are just good things. (…) Let’s celebrate that.”

ARC — Time to Shine — Rach Reid

“It’s just hockey. (…) And we’re good at hockey. If they wanted us to go out there and do, like, opera, I’d be fucked. But hockey? Pfft. No problem.”

Genre: Sports Romance, LGBTQIA+
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on heavy subjects like death, drug use, and mental illness. Describes a car crash. Contains explicit sexual content.

Good ol’ queer and winter-y hockey romances are few and far between, so I was extremely excited when I saw this book come up in my feed. “Time To Shine” follows Landon Stackhouse, a hockey goalie that’s just been called in to a Calgary professional team, and Casey Hicks, the team’s superstar young winger. Landon is a bit shy and reserved, and everyone seems to catch up on that except Casey. He treats Landon like an old friend, and when Landon is looking for a place to stay and Casey has just bought a huge house with a bunch of extra room, it only made sense they’d be housemates, right?

This book was the literal representation of the “and they were roommates” meme about queer people in the 1800s.

Even if you’re not a fan of hockey or perhaps don’t even know how hockey works, you can still quite enjoy “Time to Shine”. Take it from me, as I’ve only seen hockey because of the vibes and know absolutely nothing about the rules that go into it, yet this book had me hooked.

If you’re looking for a queer hockey romance with some close proximity trope sprinkled in, then look no further—“Time to Shine” is just for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Carina Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

ARC — Maybe Once, Maybe Twice — Alison Rose Greenberg

“Maggie, you have to at least look like you care. It’s your thirty-fifth birthday, not your funeral.”

“Feels a little like my funeral.”

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on heavy subjects like sexual assault, death, infertility, and suicide. Contains some sexual content.

What are the chances that you’d be promised true love not once, but twice? “Maybe Once, Maybe Twice” follows Maggie Vine, an aspiring singer, as she reconnects with two very important men in her life—men that, at different points of her story, she promised to marry if she turned 35 and they were both still unwed.

Told through shifting timelines, we get to see life through Maggie’s eyes at different stages of her adulthood—and even childhood. Alison Rose Greenberg’s writing is engaging and entertaining while not getting the timelines so tangled up you get confused; the back and forth just feeds your curiosity to see how it will all turn out in the end.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much, actually, that I read it in less than 24 hours, I just couldn’t put it down wondering who Maggie would end up with. I would highly recommend this book if you’re a reader that enjoys your romantic fiction with heavy subjects, lots of flashbacks, and alternating timelines.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: October 3, 2023

“I was thirty-five, and the road less traveled was officially a dead end.”

ARC — Trading Places — Emily Duvall

“I thought not kissing you would be easier. Turns out, it’s harder.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Contains some sexual content.

“Trading Places” follows Lexi North, a spoiled millionaire’s daughter, after she agrees to swap places with the blue collar mechanic she rear-ended, Evan Bailey. Evan is just a hard working man who’s looking to support his niece and not let his mechanic business fail—but give as much power as Lexi used to hold can change anyone. In a similar manner, learning the worth of putting your hands to work can humble even the meanest of heiresses.

This was the most fan fiction-ish book I’ve read in a while, because, let’s be honest, in what universe would this ever even happen—yet it was still quite entertaining. Told through two points of view, this book really gives off that Lady and the Tramp vibes, wrapped up with some tension-filled enemies to lovers.

If you’re looking for a life-swap situation in a slow burn romance novel, then look no further, “Trading Places” is most definitely for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

ARC — Ghosted — Sarah Ready — Ghosted #1

“(…) the reason Daniel hadn’t moved on was because of unfinished business. (…) Is love unfinished business? Or can you just keep loving someone even if you’re not together and they don’t know that you do. Is that the end of it? Is that finished business?”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on death. Contains some sexual content.

“Ghosted” follows Jillian Nejat, a socially awkward Trekkie that hasn’t been able to speak coherently to men in the past 10 years—that is, until she moves into a sketchy apartment in NYC that isn’t as vacant as was originally advertised. But, I mean, how can you advertise an apartment with a very physical haunting? Daniel is a man-ghost of sorts who isn’t sure about his past or his future, but he’s pretty sure he’s stuck in the in between in order to help Jillian find true love. But what if true love is between the impossible and improbable? What if Daniel is lingering on for reasons bigger than either of them can fathom?

This novel, full of twists and turns, is Sarah Ready’s newest murder attempt against me and my fragile emotions. “Ghosted” absolutely devastated me. I’ve read quite a few of lovable characters brought to life by this author, but none as lovable as Jillian and Daniel. I was rooting for their happiness and peace from the start.

Do not grab this book if you’re not willing to cry in public, because, trust me, you will. I cannot recommend this book enough, specially if you’re looking for a book with really palpable sexual tension but not so much of the in-page spice. “Ghosted” will be amongst my favorite reads for 2023, I can feel it.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 26, 2023

ARC — Every Wish Way — Shannon Bright

“Relationships aren’t made of two people who never have problems. (…) It’s about two flawed people choosing and promising to be the best versions of themselves they can be for each other.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Talks about parental death and a curse. Discusses cheating and an attempted sexual assault. Contains sexual content.

This book is for the “Pride and Prejudice” girlies, the ones who’ve watched the 2005 movie starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen over and over through the years. This book is for the people-pleasing girlies with dysfunctional families and overbearing mothers. This book is for the helpless romantics. This book literally altered my brain chemistry.

“Every Wish Way” follows Iza, an architect that isn’t quite happy with how her life is turning out, as she summons a wish-granting genie of sorts? I mean, not really. He’s just Beckett, a man who wished for unlimited wishes and ended up cursed to be the genie on other people’s stories—as soon as they get their 3 wishes, he’s off to a new vessel for however much time it takes to be summoned again, let that be months or years. Iza wishes nothing more than her happily ever after with the only man her mom has ever admired: Mr. Darcy, from “Pride and Prejudice”. But Mr. Darcy isn’t the Mr. Perfect she had envisioned now, is he? What if she’s gotten Mr. Right wrong all along?

It had been months since I had read banter as witty as Beckett’s and Iza’s. This book made me cry, this book made me laugh. I legit can’t comprehend how this is Shannon Bright’s debut novel. I cannot recommend this book enough. For real.

If you like your romance books with huge character development, second chances, and improbable fates, then “Every Wish Way” is for you.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 19, 2023

“So forgive and forget?”

“Not forget. Learn.”

ARC — Cleat Cute — Meryl Wilsner

“Oh yeah, you were absolutely one of those formative celebrities, you know? Like, I didn’t know if I wanted to kiss you or be you. (…) Both, it turned out.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on toxic relationships and friendships. Discusses injuries and bullying. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Cleat Cute” follows Phoebe Matthews, a rookie soccer player who’s just been called in to potentially be part of the national team, and who serendipitously (and flirtatiously) becomes friends with benefits with her biggest rival, but also her biggest role model growing up, her team captain, Grace Henderson. But here’s the thing, Grace wants nothing to do with relationships, and least of all with a team member.

Although it went with a slower start, I absolutely loved this read once the pace picked up. Both Grace and Phoebe were such complex characters, packed with raw emotion and that drive that only competitive sport players have—it was truly inspiring (and oh-so spicy).

I would highly highly recommend this read if you’re looking for a sapphic sports romance with some very well-executed enemies with benefits. 10/10, would not change a single thing about this novel.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 19, 2023

ARC — Thank You for Sharing — Rachel Runya Katz

“House Rules:

1. Meet: Friday nights (…) at Prohibition

2. Anything said here stays here

3. No toxic masculinity

(…) And thus, the Speakeasy Survival Club is born.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Mentions death of a parent, cancer, and discusses sexual assault. Contains sexual content.

“Thank You for Sharing” is comically full of mishaps and screw ups, and I was there for it. Told in the third person, we get to see various points of view, making this novel even more engaging. “Thank You for Sharing” follows Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg, two childhood frenemies that run into each other in their late twenties and are forced to collaborate in a project that is very important for both of them, for different reasons.

Liyah’s and Daniel’s text flirting was the absolute sweetest—I just loved how Liyah teases him, their chemistry was so palpable throughout the whole novel. The different ways they live and celebrate their religious believes, the way they found their chosen family through their friend; I simply wouldn’t change a thing about this novel.

I would highly recommend this novel if you’re looking for a sweet childhood friends to strangers to enemies to lovers romance read.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 12, 2023