“What happens in the supply closet stays in the supply closet.”
Genre: Romance Actual Rating: 5 stars Spicy Meter: 4.5 fire emojis Content Warnings: Bullying and harassment.
“Fake It Till You Bake It” follows Donovan Bell, a football player who’s also the owner of a (hopefully) up-and-coming bakery, and Jada Townsend-Matthews, an ex-reality-tv-show-star, as they end up in a fake relationship that benefits them both—bringing traction to Donovan’s bakery and helping shed a must-needed good-light on Jada’s reputation.
I knew I was going to love this book from the get-go. I love football (and books about football players) and I love fake-dating romance books—and that’s exactly what “Fake It Till You Bake It” delivers. Jada and Donovan are charismatic and have undeniable chemistry, both physically and emotionally, yet they’re not perfect characters nor do they try to be, they have their stories and backgrounds and simply meshed together perfectly. I just finished this book and already want to grab and reread it all over again.
Also, I don’t know what it is with St. Martin’s Press books but they’ve never been a miss to me. If it’s a romance book and it’s published by them, I know it’ll be fire emoji x 5. Something as simple as fake-posing for a romance cover in the middle of a book club meeting was made incredibly tense and spicy, that’s all I’m saying.
I would recommend this book to every single contemporary romance book reader, specially those who enjoy rocky starts and the fake-dating trope.
Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction Actual Rating: 3.5 stars Spicy Meter: 1.5 fire emojis Content Warnings: Toxic work dynamics.
“Here for the Drama” follows Winnie, as she moved across the world from the United States to the United Kingdom—straight to the heart of London’s theater world. She is the right hard of a renowned, American playwright, and she is trying to hold the play from falling apart as the director and her boss butt heads, and as she falls for the one guy she was told not to fall for. To say there’s a lot going on in this book would be an understatement.
If you’re reading a book titled “Here for the Drama” I assume you’re, well, here for the drama. Over-the-top would be an accurate way of describing this book and all Winnie goes through. I loved the dynamic banter and I loved the forbidden romance feel to it (not the spicy part, that part was entirely awkward and worded weirdly), but I think it was a bit much at times. I wasn’t completely engaged and sometimes only skimmed through, just reading the dialogue, that’s why I’ve given this book 3.5 stars.
I would recommend “Here for the Drama” to anyone who’s ever watched Mexican Novela type shows (let that be actual novelas or perhaps tv series like “Jane The Virgin”). Basically, if you like unrealistic, slice-of-life drama and the New York City-London vibe, then this book is for you.
“Everyone’s always going through something, aren’t they? That’s life, basically. It’s just more and more things to go through.”
Genre: Fiction, Coming-of-age Actual Rating: 4 stars Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji Content Warnings: Deals with cheating, affairs, big age-difference relationships, and alcoholism. Mentions miscarriages and endometriosis.
“Conversations with Friends” follows Frances and her best friend Bobbi, two college students, as they’re sucked into the lives of older friends. These two childhood friends-turned lovers-turned friends again are performing spoken-word poetry in Dublin when they’re spotted by Melissa, a writer who’s married to a somewhat recognizable actor. From there, they’re exposed to a world where expressing controversial opinions is welcomed and affairs aren’t necessarily the end of the world—or the end of a relationship.
I feel weird about writing this review, because I must say I never gave Sally Rooney’s book a fighting chance. I hated it from the start. I hate books about cheating. I hate them so so much. I actually grabbed this book without knowing what it was about, I simply grabbed it because I wanted to see the Hulu series and I am morally opposed to seeing a series or movie without reading their book first—if only to respect the author’s original intention for their story. So imagine my not-so-pleasant surprise when the affairs start unraveling. I dreaded it, pure and simple.
But I do have to give it to Rooney. Although hard to read without the conversations in “ ” quotations, this book was a masterpiece. It was exceptionally written and incredibly crude. It felt like real life, which for me is the best compliment a fiction book can get.
I can confidently say I liked the book better than the series with this one, so if you liked the series with Joe Alwyn and Alison Oliver, then grab this book as soon as you can. Also, if you’re looking for a book with vibes similar to “A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara, without it being downright depressing, then this book is for you.
Genre: Romance, Comedy Actual Rating: 2 stars Spicy meter: 2 fire emojis Content Warnings: Mentions cheating and parent death, other than that none that I can think of.
“The Temporary Roomie” is the second book in the It Happened In Nashville series, and this time we’re following Jessie, Lucy’s new bestie, and Drew, Lucy’s brother. This book is set after the first book in the series, which was titled “The Off Limits Rule” but it could almost be read as a stand-alone. Jessie is far along in her pregnancy when she is essentially left homeless due to some plumbing issues in her house. Initially, she moves in with Lucy and Cooper, but they have a noisy house with a toddler running around when all Jessie wants to do is rest up before her baby arrives. And so on she goes and moves in with Drew, Lucy’s older brother, who’s a gynecologist and a bachelor who’s used to having roommates. The only problem? Jessie has hated Drew from day one, before even knowing him– so wouldn’t this be the perfect time to bug him out of his mind? Through a series of pranks, will Jessie and Drew grow closer or further apart?
I don’t know how I could like the first book in a series so much and then hate the second… But that’s exactly what has happened here. And it’s so confusing because I loved the romance between Jessie and Drew, but I hated the “getting there” part of it all. Like when they got together it was lovely, but you could’ve added those scenes into any other context, in any other romance, and it would’ve worked. Realistically, I don’t think Jessie and Drew would’ve ended together, given the way they treated each other if this was real life. And yes, I know it’s a book, and it’s precisely fiction, but when I’m reading pure romance I like it when the setting is somewhat possible. But I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.
I don’t think I will be recommending this book to anyone personally, but if you like books where there’s a lot of rude pranking and a lot of pregnancy talk, then this book might be for you.
“It’s been years since I’ve met a woman who genuinely blushes, and here she is, yanking down the hem of her cover-up and darting secret glances at me when she thinks I’m not looking. I’m looking, though.”
Genre: Romance, Comedy Actual Rating: 4 stars Spicy meter: 2.5 fire emojis Content Warnings: Mentions a child needing a routine surgery, other than that none that I can think of.
“The Off Limits Rule” follows Lucy, a single mother and hairdresser, and Cooper, a good-looking guy who’s totally into Lucy. The only problem? Cooper is Lucy’s older brother’s best friend and she has been labeled to be completely off-limits… So he can’t be with her, right? But what if she’s the one?
I loved this book. Loved the dynamics between Lucy and her family, Lucy and her friends, Lucy and Cooper. You could perhaps even say I was the one crushing on Lucy through this book. She was so relatable as a character. And then comes in Cooper, a guy who’s completely too good to be true, which is the exact kind of guy I want to read about sometimes.
And so I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone looking for a short, comical, mild romance. Cooper was such a tease and I was there for it. Their love story was wild but sweet. Definitely grab this book if you’re looking for a story that isn’t that complicated or long.
“Everything is the same. But different. Just like Daisy said.”
Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction Actual Rating: 4 stars Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji Content Warnings: Mentions harassment and family violence.
“Same Time, Same Place” follow Daisy Dukes (yes, that’s her name) and Nate Garvey, two security guards who work at the Museum of Social History. As Nate works the day shifts and Daisy works the night shifts, their days only overlap for a few minutes during handover—that is until things start going missing at the museum, for a few days at a time, before being put back on their museum display. Delving into how our past affects our future, and told through different points of view, this is a dynamic and engaging read that goes to show that our history doesn’t define us and that love can be born from the oddest of places.
Sadly, I didn’t connect with the characters in this book as much as I thought I would. I enjoyed the story and the quirky romance, but there was something too ficticios about the characters for me. I did like how they redeemed themselves and how the mystery came to fruition. Maybe 4 stars is too high a rating for characters I didn’t love, but David M. Barnett did such an excellent job with the writing that I couldn’t give it any less.
I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy both romance and mystery books, even if the publisher hasn’t categorized it under Mysteries. There isn’t too much suspense here, but mystery is definitely in the mix.
“She was living the life she thought she should, not the life she thought she could.”
Genre: Fiction, New Adult, Romance Actual Rating: 4 stars Content Warnings: Depression and suicidal ideation.
“The Heart of the Deal” is Lindsay MacMillan’s debut novel and it follows Rae, a young Wall Street investment banker who is originally from Indiana, and whose poetic dreams make her feel stuck in her job and, at times, even stuck in New York. She is in her mid-twenties and seeing how life is flourishing for her friends and yes, she’s happy for them, but she’s also heartbroken that she isn’t getting her happily ever after… but what even is her happily ever after supposed to look like? That’s for her to find out and for us to follow along.
First things first, wow. This is a heavy one, but one that’s worth reading. Don’t let the cover fool you, this book is partly about depression and mental health struggles and how they affect the person going through them and how they shift the lives of everyone around them as well.
I’m not the biggest fan of third-person narratives, but I actually really enjoyed reading this book. Because it was in third-person it took me a bit longer to get hooked on it, but once I was, I finished the book as soon as was humanly possible with my work and school schedule.
Full-on disclaimer, I am a big swiftie (aka Taylor Swift superfan) and I can’t even begin to explain how much I loved all the Taylor Swift song references here and there. I had my suspicions that the author was a swiftie (I can usually tell) but with the lil’ Paper Rings scene (and the “fuck the patriarchy” and the “forevermore” and the “single strand of golden thread” and many more), it was all confirmed. It couldn’t be a coincidence anymore. This just made the book a little more enjoyable for me, as I was trying to find all the other imperceptible references.
I feel like there was a lot going on in this book. I’m used to romances that are more straightforward—where the whole plotline revolves around one thing or one period of time. But this book? It’ll take you across state lines and it’ll have you see Rae fall in and out of love various times, something more akin to real life and its volatileness, not just have the main characters fall in love and live their happily ever after right away. Yes, I know that that is what we all want and what a few get, but then there are more of us that have thought we’ve been fully in love with different people at different stages of our lives. Love is always different. Even love between the same two people at different stages of their lives could look radically different when compared, as was also seen in this book. But that’s what makes love so wonderful, isn’t it?
I feel like this book, that’s about a quarter-life crisis, could easily induce a quarter-life crisis on its readers. Lindsay MacMillan will have you thinking about life and what you want from it and what (you think) will make you happy. It’ll make you want to take a leap towards your dreams.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who’s single or casually dating under 30, as that seems to be this book’s target audience. Nonetheless, if you’re happily taken or above that age range, don’t hesitate to grab this book. I, myself, am taken and I enjoyed this book thoroughly even though I have never used dating apps, which was a side of the story I couldn’t directly relate to. I think this book would be a wonderful addition to the shelves or any New Adult and YA literature lover. Don’t expect this to be an all-consuming, explicit romance, because it’s not that, but the romantic bits and pieces will still succeed at warming your heart.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.
Publication Date: June 07, 2022
“But love wasn’t just the lightness in the air and sunny days with mountain views that stretched for miles. It was the clouds and the weights and the fog that blocked even your own feet sometimes. Real love required finding a way, not walking away.”
“The advantage of boarding the train at Hampton Court was that it was the end of the line, or the beginning, depending, of course, on which way you were traveling. There was a life lesson there, thought Iona. In her experience, most endings turned out to be beginnings in disguise.”
Genre: Fiction, Women’s Fiction Actual Rating: 4 stars Content Warnings: Mentions medical emergencies (choking), and deals with homophobia and bullying.
“Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” follows a set of characters that all commute on the same train—all getting on and off at different stops. After one eventful morning breaks the ice between them, one wonders: what would happen if you throw the rules of commuting away? What if you were to talk to a perfect stranger—who you see every day, through your silent commute? Told through different points of view, we get a glance at different realities, all being tied by their preferred mode of transport.
This book had so many funny, quirky, and diverse characters. Actually, I think it’s been the most diverse cast I’ve read this year. Contrary to what I expected, Iona is, in fact, not a millennial like myself—and that only made me realize that I can’t remember the last book I read where the character wasn’t a young woman. I loved Sanjay, I could relate so much to his inner narrative. I learned to love Piers, or “Smart-But-Sexist-Manapreader” as Iona would call him before meeting him formally. I feel like I am most like Emmie when commuting, always with a book in hand. I think the narrative I enjoyed the less was Martha’s, but even then I wouldn’t change a thing, because all these characters brought together a heartwarming story.
I dread human interaction with strangers but, strangely, this book kind of made me want to talk to a stranger. Connect a little. It made me realize that there are so many different lives being lived all around. It’d be a disservice to only focus on my own.
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun, easy, fast-paced read with different points of view. If you’ve enjoyed books like “Anxious People” by Fredrik Backman, then “Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting” by Clara Pooley is for you.
Genre: Fantasy, Romance Actually Rating: 5 stars Spicy meter: 5+ fire emojis Content Warning: (Very) Graphic violence and explicit sexual content.
“A Court of Silver Flames” is currently the last published book in the ACOTAR series, and it follows Nesta Archeron, Feyre’s eldest sister, as she comes to peace with all she’s had to face and all the power that flows through her veins. So in comes the great Illyrian warrior, Cassian, to help her along, in more than one way.
Oh God, I had forgotten you could love fictional characters this much. I am not ready to let this story go. I drew it on, reading this book in bits and pieces, just so I could keep going back to the comfort that were Nesta and Cassian, and Gwyn and Emerie and every single character in this world. SARAH J. MAAS NEEDS TO STOP PUBLISHING OTHER BOOKS AND COME BACK FOR ACOTAR #5 ASAP. Words can’t describe how much I need this.
And I mean, ACOTAR books have all had their fair share of spicy, romantic content…. but oh did Nesta and Cass take the cake. And all the fighting, and history, and alliances, and betrayals. This book could’ve been dragged on to a series of its own–and I kind of wish it had been.
If you like fantasy books with strong character development, then this is the book for you. Out of all the ACOTAR books, I feel like this one represented unconditional friendship the best. If you haven’t started on this fantasy series: WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
“Because it isn’t about my not wanting you, (…) I do, damn it. I do. So stay and talk to me, because if I can’t have more, then let me have less.”
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Actual Rating: 3.5 stars Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis Content Warnings: Mentions parental death, violence, and animal death.
“Together We Burn” follows Zarela Zaldivar, a known flamenco dancer who’s the daughter of a famous Dragonador (so like, a matador but with dragons instead of bulls), as she tries to keep her family business afloat after her father is injured during one of the shows. To do so, she’ll need some help, and so in comes Arturo Diaz de Montserra, a dragon hunter who immediately sets it off with the wrong foot with Zarela. But after another accident takes place, Zarela starts to think that perhaps these aren’t accidents at all, but someone looking to bring the Zaldivar family down. Will Zarela and Arturo overlook their differences and work together to save things they both hold dear? Will truths be uncovered?
You know when a book captivates you right from the first line? Well, this was it. Isabel Ibañez wrote “My mother died screaming my name,” and she had me. I read this book in one sitting.
I loved the Spanglish aspects of this novel since Spanish is my native language. I loved the characters and the love story that was woven into the adventurous parts of this fantasy novel. And it wasn’t only Zarela and Arturo, no, I loved the side characters and, well, just from the premise of the book I knew animal cruelty would be involved, so keep that in mind, but it certainly wasn’t overly gruesome or as sensationalized as it could be. Ibañez simply writes it as it is, in this world of fantasy. The only think I didn’t like about this book (other than the animal cruelty) was that it could be overdramatic at times–which I guess is to be expected of a YA novel, but oh well.
I would recommend this book if you like the enemies-to-lovers trope, if you know and appreciate Spanish culture, or if you’re looking for a relatively short but entertaining fantasy standalone book. The world-building was complex but it didn’t feel forced. This was truly a masterpiece.
ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.
“He’s all of the warm and sultry flavors of Santivilla. I hold smoke and fire and sweet wine in my mouth. We catch on fire under a million stars. Together we burn.”
andrea's galley 