Uncategorized – Page 15 – andrea's galley

ARC — Exes and O’s — Amy Lea

“A die-hard, emotional romantic and a guy who only believes in one kind of happy ending? That’s a recipe for disaster if I ever saw one.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings (as given by the author): Emotionally abusive ex, on-page gaslighting, portrayal of child with illness, mentions of deaths of loved ones, and deliberate use of the word crazy throughout. —I’ll add that it contains sexual content.

“Exes and O’s” is a heartwarming story that follows Tara Chen, a NICU nurse and bookstagrammer, as she tries to find her own second chance romance by contacting her exes with the help of her forever-single-but-never-alone firefighter roommate, Trevor Metcalfe. Little did they know that looking for secondhand love, they’d find it in each other.

The duo Christina Lauren portrayed it just right in their cover art endorsement: you’ll be laughing out loud with this one. I rarely find rom-com books funny, but Amy Lea really did it with “Exes and O’s.”

The main characters were so likable yet realistically imperfect. Tara was just the right amount of annoying and clingy to get the point across, but she wasn’t obnoxiously undesirable to the point that you wanted to skip her dialogue. The contrary was true, actually, I loved Tara and Trevor’s banter and Tara’s inner monologue in general.

The chemistry between the main characters slowly builds and it literally killed me in the process—I’m not the biggest fan of slow burn romances, but Tara and Trevor were worth the wait. In my opinion, they both deserve the world, we must protect them at all costs.

Mark my words: “Exes and O’s” will be between the best romance books of 2023.

If you enjoy books with grumpy-sunshine character pairing, then you’ll love Tara and Trevor, and if you’re a fan of the close proximity trope, then “Exes and O’s” is the perfect romance book for you.

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Review posted as part of a blog tour.

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

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

“I don’t need another man who makes elaborate promises he can’t commit to, Trevor. I need someone who’s going to be open and honest with me. I want someone who is willing to try.”

(…) “If there’s anyone in this world I want to try for, it’s you.”

ARC — The Rom-Com Agenda — Jayne Denker

“Do I belong here?”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses death of parent/foster parent, grieving, breakups, struggling to make ends meet, potential homelessness, and an honest addiction to an ex.

“The Rom-Com Agenda” starts with a rejection. Eli is proposing to Victoria, is utterly turned down, and Leah is there to witness it all. Talk about secondhand embarrassment. Now, months later, Eli and his friends are trying to have Eli go through an extreme makeover in order to win Victoria back when she comes back to the States, all with the help of Leah, who volunteers to help him after befriending Eli’s sisters. Little did they know, they were lowkey made for each other. Through rom-com movies and mishaps, Eli and Leah get to really know each other, and question all about the future they envisioned apart—and how that might look if they were together.

I have to be honest, throughout this book I defaulted at times to just reading the dialogue. Eli’s back and forth was driving me insane. His sisters’ and friends’ obsession with meddling with his life felt so forced and unrealistic. Take this book as a true fiction romance—this could never happen in real-life.

I was so hyped for this book and I just simply didn’t vibe with it. The jokes weren’t funny, the dialogue was iffy, and the romance was alright. Leah and Eli seem like a good match, I just hated how they got there.

I would recommend this book, perhaps, as a palette cleanser between tough books. It’s lighthearted mostly and is an easy read. The pop culture and rom-com movie references were awesome—it just wasn’t as life-changing and heartwarming as I was expecting it to be.

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

Publication Date: January 10, 2023

“When we said we are family, we meant it.”

Books Wrapped 2022

—Spotify Wrapped, but make it about books.

Books read: 148 books
Pages read: 51,737 pages
Average book length: 349 pages
Average book rating: 3.9 stars

I read mostly:
—Romance and fiction
—Medium-paced books
—Emotional, lighthearted, and reflective books
—That are 300-499 pages long

23 Books I Would Recommend for 2023:

In no particular order—

The Witches of Thistle Grove series by Lana Harper
The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) series by Sarah J. Maas
Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker
Kiss Her Once For Me by Alison Cochrub
Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
For Butter or Worse by Erin La Rosa
The Make-Up Test by Jenny L. Howe
Built to Last by Erin Hahn
Mistakes Were Made by Meryl Wilsner
Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover
To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Ten Rules for Faking It by Sophie Sullivan
The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders
Bad Girl Reputation by Elle Kennedy
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
Vanessa Jared’s Got a Man by LaQuette
The Heart of the Deal by Lindsay MacMillan

ARC — Back In A Spell — Lana Harper

“I don’t think I’m as amazing as you think I am. (…) But thank you anyway, for thinking it.”
“You’re right. (…) What you are is even better than that.”

Genre: Romance (advertised as LGBTQIA+ as well, but I did not see it tbh)
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 5 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discussed unhealthy relationships, abandonment, chronic illness in a parent, and child neglect. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Back in a Spell” is the third installment in the The Witches of Thistle Grove series, and it follows Nina Blackmoore, of the Blackmoores that used to essentially own Thistle Grove and all its magic for decades, as she goes for a one night stand after being pretty much left at the altar by her ex. What she did not expect was that she’d end up being magically bonded to said one night stand, Morty Gutierrez, a normie who lowkeyloki hates the Blackmoores because they keep trying to buy off his family’s business.

Well, this was the first Lana Harper book that’s made me cry, I’ll give it that. Like literally sob. That’s how much and how deeply I connected with the main characters, Nina and Morty.

But there is one thing I need to disclose pretty early on—Morty is described on the summary of the book as nonbinary, but it isn’t really addressed much throughout the advanced reader copy of the book. Perhaps that changed in the final copy, but I still felt like it was something that I had to bring up. Tho, the fact that his nonbinary expression was overlooked didn’t quite stop me from loving this book.

“Back in a Spell” has been my favorite The Witches of Thistle Grove book so far and that really caught me by surprise because I hated no founding family more than I hated the Blackmoores, I swear. Yet Nina truly stole my heart. And then bring in Morty, a normie we already learned to love in the other books, and I fell in love with his humor and true admiration for all things magic. I think their match was meant to be, beyond them being bonded by a goddess.

I would highly recommend this series as a whole, but I would like to remind everyone that these books, although part of a series, still work pretty well as standalones. Lana Harper makes sure to give you the context and background in every single story she’s told, and it’s been truly awe-inspiring. I really wish I could live in Thistle Grove, even if I fell under the glamour that makes all magic seem normal for us normies.

If you’re a fan of close proximity romance, aren’t afraid of things getting too explicit, and you enjoy books with monumental personal growth and character development, then “Back in a Spell” is for you.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

Or you could click here, and be redirected to Amazon, so you can order the book.

Review posted as part of a blog tour.

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

Publication Date: January 3, 2023

And finally, Lana Harper isn’t a new found love for me—she’s been one of my favorite authors ever since I grabbed her books for the first time. So, here are some excerpts from my reviews of the books in this series, just so you can get a sense about how wonderful The Witches of Thistle Grove series is:

About “Payback’s a Witch”
“I was essentially in a reading slump and this book is entirely responsible for me getting out of it.”
“I would recommend this book to any readers who enjoy LGBTQIA+ romances, witchy books, and who like series like Riverdale and the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This book is fast-paced and dynamic, you’ll definitely finish it in one sitting if you have the time.”

About “From Bad to Cursed”
“Thistle Grove is such a cozy, warm setting. I personally wouldn’t mind living there—or reading 10 more stories set in it either.”
“Sadly, “From Bad to Cursed” does not have the LGBTQIA+ aspect that the previous book had going for it, but I must say the romance aspect of this second installment is still heartwarming and fun.”
“I would recommend this book to fans of the close-proximity troupe and for all who enjoyed the character dynamics and setting of the first book in this series: “Payback’s a Witch”.”

ARC — The Wrong Kind of Weird — James Ramos

Genre: Young Adult
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Has some bullying and miscommunication.

“The Wrong Kind of Weird” follows Cameron Carson, a self-proclaimed geek, as he travels through the ins and outs of love in high school. Cameron is secretly hooking up with Karla Ortega, who’s by all definitions popular, but she isn’t the best at showing him appreciation when they’re around people. So it’s really weird for Cameron when Mackenzie Briggs, a nice and funny girl, becomes his friend and isn’t afraid of other people knowing.

I think my enjoyment—or lack thereof—when it came to this book was completely my fault. I just never really connected with the main character. I don’t think it’s because he’s male, because I’ve loved narrators of all genders, but there was definitely something that was keeping me from connecting. Maybe I’m not as ‘Young Adult’ as I think I am.

One thing I did like, though, was how, slowly, Cameron began understanding his worth—and Mackenzie’s worth as well. “The Wrong Kind of Weird” is definitely a coming-of-age story and, although I expected more romance sprinkled in it, I truly loved all the characters as a concept. What I didn’t enjoy as much were the dialogues and the way Cameron narrated. I’m not sure how to explain it, it’s like I was rooting for the characters but just didn’t want to listen to them speak or think.

Anyways, I would definitely recommend this book to a younger audience. This would be a phenomenal gift for any young reader that’s just now learning how to fit into their crowd by being themselves. I’m just not sure if I would recommend it to anyone 25+.

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

Publication Date: January 3, 2023

Enjoy the View — Sarah Morgenthaler — Moose Springs, Alaska #3

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
Narrator: Elise Arsenault

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis (pretty closed-doors, I wasn’t made for these kinds of books, I’m exhausted)
Content Warnings: Describes animal cruelty and death, violence, and bullying. Mentions car accidents. Contains some sexual content.

“Enjoy the View ” follows River Lane, a Hollywood actress who’s now trying to make it as a director, as she films her first documentary—funded by the Alaskan government and aimed at the small town of Moose Springs. Little did she know that Moose Springs most definitely did not want to be filmed or showcased as a destination. With none of the permits she thought she’d have, she seta out to climb one of the mountains that surround the quaint town. This is where Easton Lockett comes in. As a mountaineer and search-and-rescue specialist, Easton is tasked with guiding them up the mountain. But one thing he did not expect was to fall for the director on the climb up.

Elise Arsenault comes back in to save the day. The only reason this book has a 4-star rating instead of a 3- or 3.5-star rating was because of Elise. I have loved how her voice seems different for every book, yet she keeps me paying attention. I wouldn’t change a thing about this narration.

Well, there’s definitely a theme here: a scruffy, local man falls in love with, unintentionally, with a beautiful outsider—betraying their locals-only rules that are being upheld by the townspeople in Moose Springs. Does anyone care if they date outsiders? No. But do they act like the world will absolutely fall apart if they do? Indeed.

“Enjoy the View”, as compared to the second book in this series, brings us back into the beautiful Alaskan wild. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if you’re a fan of outdoorsy activities, wildlife, and remote locations, then you’ll adore Moose Springs.

This series as a whole reminds me of a milder, PG-13 version of the Wild series (I was really holing it’d get spicier with every book, but it didn’t). So, in other words, I loved it. I would highly recommend the Moose Springs, Alaska series.

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Mistletoe and Mr. Right — Sarah Morgenthaler — Moose Springs, Alaska #2

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
Narrator: Elise Arsenault

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis (this one was also pretty closed-doors, if you ask me)
Content Warnings: Mentions car accidents and death of parents. Discusses sexual harassment. Contains some sexual content.

“Mistletoe and Mr. Right” follows Lana Montgomery, a socialite that comes from a working multimillionaire family, as she tries to win over the town of Moose Springs, Alaska. She’s been coming to this quaint, little town for ages, but now that she has some pull in her family’s company, she’s looking to change things for the better for Moose Springs—the only downfall is that Moose Springs doesn’t want change; it doesn’t even want tourists, really. So when some angry men attack Lana after she announces a new condo development, and Rick Harding, the owner of a local pool hall, steps in to her aid, he immediately catches her eye anew.

Elise Arsenault is an amazing audiobook narrator. I think I partially enjoyed this book as much as I did because of her narration.

I have mixed feelings about this book, because the Lana we see in “Mistletoe and Mr. Right” is definitely not the same Lana we met in “The Tourist Attraction”. And I loved this new Lana, but really disliked the inconsistency. She wasn’t as selfish or shallow this time around—she did not seem like the type of person that would leave their best friend alone, in a bar, in an Alaskan town her friend has never been to. You know, just saying.

I’ll leave a similar endorsement as I did for the first book in this series: If you’re a fan of outdoorsy activities, wildlife, and remote locations, then you’ll adore Moose Springs. And if you’re a sucker for mutual pining, then you’ll adore Lana’s and Rick’s love story.

This book kind if reminded me to a milder, PG-13 version of the Wild series. So, in other words, I loved it. I would highly recommend the Moose Springs, Alaska series.

If you click here, you’ll be redirected to Goodreads, so you can add the book to your TBR list.

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The Tourist Attraction — Sarah Morgenthaler — Moose Springs, Alaska #1

Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
Narrator: Elise Arsenault

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emojis (pretty closed-doors, if you ask me)
Content Warnings: Describes animal cruelty and death, violence, and bullying. Mentions car accidents. Contains some sexual content.

“The Tourist Attraction” follows Zoey Caldwell, a middle-class hard worker who’s best friends with a multimillionaire who lowkey owns a small town in Alaska called Moose Springs. This leads to Zoey taking a vacation in said town and meeting Graham Barnett, the owner of the unintentionally touristy diner called The Tourist Trap—they immediately hit it off. But it makes no sense. Graham hates tourists, and although he is friends with Zoey’s bestie, Zoey is definitely a tourist… So why does he keep wanting to hang out with her?

This is the first book I’ve listened to that’s been narrated by Elise Arsenault, but it won’t be the last—first, because the other books in this series are also narrated by her, and second, because I absolutely loved her voice.

This is your classical Grump-Meets-Sunshine trope love story, but now in an Alaskan setting. I don’t know who I loved the most, if Graham or Zoey, but what I do know is that they were destined to meet (and I would date them both).

If you’re a fan of outdoorsy activities, wildlife, and remote locations, then you’ll adore Moose Springs. And if you’re a sucker for grumpy guys who’ll take care of you when you’re drunk or defend you when assholes are around, then you’ll adore Graham Barnett.

This book kind if reminded me to a milder, PG-13 version of the Wild series. So, in other words, I loved it. I would highly recommend the Moose Springs, Alaska series.

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So This Is Christmas — Jenny Holiday — Christmas in Eldovia #3

Author: Jenny Holiday
Narrator: Cynthia Farrell

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Narration: 4 mikes
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis (it was all so awkward)
Content Warnings: Discusses homophobia, physical and emotional abuse, gambling addictions, chronic illness disabilities, and parental abandonment. Contains explicit sexual content.

“So This Is Christmas” follows Cara Delaney, a management consultant that is sent to Eldovia to fix the financial crises the country is currently facing due to their declining watch business, and Matteo Benz, the royal consultant of the King of Eldovia. Mr. Benz is set on making life as uncomfortable as possible for the visiting American, but little did he know that his stubbornness could lead to admiration, and perhaps even love.

The audiobook I listened to for this read was alright at best. I enjoyed the story more than the narration, and I didn’t even enjoy the story that much.

Apparently this is the last book in the series, which sucks because this definitely was not the conclusion I was looking for. It can’t really be called a royalty romance anymore, if you ask me—which would’ve been okay, had the two main characters had any true chemistry at all.

This book was more holiday-centric than “Duke, Actually”, which was nice, but I just could not get myself to like this pairing. I think Matteo and Cara were just chaste and in close proximity, and that’s what led to their hook ups. Also, their first kiss happened literally out of nowhere, it was plain out weird (and I know they felt weird about it too, but it still doesn’t justify it. Out in the wild that would be called assault, for real).

And finally, what kind of conclusion was that? This book felt like it didn’t have a real ending. I finished listening to this audiobook and was left wondering what the hell had just happened.

I think maybe just stick to the first two books in this series. “So This Is Christmas”, in my opinion, isn’t worth your time.

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Duke, Actually — Jenny Holiday — Christmas in Eldovia #2

Author: Jenny Holiday
Narrator: Stacy Gonzalez

Genre: Royalty Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis (because it made me wait too long)
Content Warnings: Discusses homophobia, physical and emotional abuse, and parental death. Mentions cheating. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Duke, Actually” follows Max von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and future Duke of Aquilla, as he acquaintances himself with Dani Martinez, a professor and recent divorcée who’s best friends with the soon-to-be husband of the Princess of Eldovia. As they strike up an unlikely friendship, you get to see them both grow into the individuals they’re meant to be—only to be brought back together.

I, once again, have absolutely no complaints about the audiobook recording. As compared to Charlotte North, who narrated the first book and who I’ve listened to various times before, Stacy Gonzalez is a new audiobook actor for me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for that name in future audiobooks, as I found her voice versatile and entertaining.

In this royalty romance you’ll get to fall in love with a player (or rake, if you will) that’s only so because he fears his position and future dukedom, and you’ll get to feel for the recent divorcée who, honestly, just wants it to be over with. I absolutely loved them both. Perhaps even more than I loved Leo and Princess Marie.

I feel like this was a tad bit less Christmas-centric as compared to the first book in this series, but perhaps its due to the fact that a whole year passed throughout the course of this book—so, even if we get glimpses at the holidays, it isn’t the only thing we see.

I think if I would recommend starting somewhere in this series, it would be “Duke, Actually”. It’ll definitely get you in a mood for other royalty romances, which is just what Jenny Holiday has to offer with her Christmas in Eldovia series.

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