Tag Archives: 1 fire emoji

ARC — Skip To The End — Molly James

“I’m welcoming a man’s attention one minute and rejecting him in the harshest manner the next. They already think I’m half psycho. When the truth is, I’m half psychic. Well, not even half. And not exactly psychic. It’s complicated.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes dementia. Contains some romantic content.

“Skip to the End” follows Amy Daniels as she travels through life having inherited her mother’s gift: being able to see the future when and only when she kisses a person–she sees how their relationship will transpire, and most importantly, how it’ll end. That is until one very drunken night where she kisses someone and a fairytale ending is finally on the table. The one problem? She kissed three people that night and can’t quite remember who it was. Will she be able to find her one, true, happily ever after?

The premise of this book seemed like something I would really enjoy and I was honestly even scared to grab it and have it disappoint me, but I am joyous to report this wasn’t the case. I couldn’t get enough of this book. Was Amy annoying at times? Yes. Was I still rooting for her at all times? Also yes.

But the real question is: Would you still date someone even if you knew how it would end? What a harsh way to walk through life, buy that’s ultimately what “Skip to the End” is all about.

Grab this book if you’re looking for a relatively mild romance, that’ll give you all the giddy feelings of going on a first date.

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

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

ARC — Sideline Confidential — Brooke Bentley

“There sure are a lot of egos around here.” (…)
“The biggest ones aren’t even on the field.”

Genre: Sports Fiction, General Fiction
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like workplace inequality, double standards, and misogyny. Describes workplace harassment and discrimination.

“Sideline Confidential” follows Blake Kirk, a recent journalism masters graduate, as she starts on her dream job: being a reporter for her hometown professional football team. She expected some resistance from this male-dominated field, but not as much as she ultimately received—as a whole set of rules have been made just for her, with her superiors always second guessing her reliability and professionalism. Because why would a woman want to work on the sports field other than to get with a football player, right?

This was such an eyeopening read—but as a huge football fan, I can’t say I’m completely surprised. I, too, work in a male-dominated field (yay for all my STEM girlies, we’ve got this) but what I’ve experienced is nothing to the extent to what Blake had to face working for her hometown’s football team. It wasn’t just that she wasn’t allowed around the players in private, it was how fraternizing was encouraged for male employees but condemned for female employees. It was how the author of this book was a female sports reporter as well, and how the things depicted in this book, although fiction, hold a thread of truth.

PSA: You don’t need to know much about football to enjoy this book. What you do need to know is that it touches on hard topics, focused on workplace inequality and discrimination based on gender. If you’re looking for quick read that tackles heavy subjects for women, then “Sideline Confidential” is exactly what you’re looking for.

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ARC provided by PR by the Book and Green Leaf Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

ARC — Tilly in Technicolor — Mazey Eddings

“I just want to write something that makes people feel seen.”

Genre: Romance, Young Adult
Actual Rating: 5+ stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Displays gaslighting, miscommunications, and explosive fights.

“Tilly in Technicolor” follows Tilly Twomley and Oliver Clark, two neurodivergent teens that are summer interns at Ruhe, a new eco-friendly nail polish company. They are off to the summer of their lifetimes, traveling through Europe and learning more about themselves—and each other.

I think I had never liked a clean, YA novel as much as I loved this one. Both Tilly and Ollie and every single side character won my heart over. Tilly’s coming of age is moving and the way she stands up for her dreams despite her fears and her parent’s disapproval really moved me.

I cannot recommend this read enough. Grab “Tilly in Technicolor” if you’re looking for a sweet, clean romance with neurodivergent characters. Also, anyone up for a trip around Europe? Because that’s what this book is serving, it is most literally the perfect summer read.

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

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

ARC — The Space Between — Sarah Ready

“Okay, I’m ready. (…) Tell me what happened in the space between when I was gone and when I was there.”

Author: Sarah Ready
Narrator: Rachel F. Hirsch, James Fouhey

Genre: Romance, New Adult
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Narration: 4 mikes
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, robbery, and substance abuse and addiction. Details someone dying of cancer, cheating, and a motorcycle crash. Contains sexual content.

“The Space Between” follows two new yorkers that simply couldn’t be more different. Jace Morgan is an aspiring musician from the Bronx while Andrea Leighton-Hughes is a wealthy Upper East Sider that was immediately drawn to this musician playing at a park. Their connection is instant and their love is palpable, so why do people keep getting in the way? Following them through 13 years of miscommunication and a lot of time apart, this book will have you rooting for true love through and through.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT be bamboozled by a pretty cover. This book deals with pretty heavy subjects, in true Sarah Ready fashion as it seems.

Now the question is: have I been devastated yet again by another Sarah Ready book? Well yes, yes I have. This shouldn’t even surprise me at this point but holy did this book break me. Between miscommunications and downright bad luck and bad timing and bad things happening to good people—I was beyond broken. This book will be sticking with me for a while.

I would highly recommend this read if you’re a sucker for first loves and aren’t too afraid of sad things happening in romance novels.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and W. W. Crown in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 25, 2023

ARC — Just Friends — Madison Wright — Nashville is Calling #3

“I didn’t get to make a wish.”
“That’s a shame, because I hear butterfly wishes are even more powerful than shooting stars or birthday candles.”
“Is that so?”
“Oh yeah. It’s quantifiable. Scientific.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions cheating and describes an injury. Contains some romantic content.

This book is the textbook definition of butterflies in your stomach. I absolutely fell in love with Best Friend Alex and Hazel. Told through two points of view, “Just Friends” is an adorable romcom about exactly that—two friends that decide to set each other up on blind dates when all they really want is to date each other. This slow burn almost killed me.

“Just Friends” is the third book of a series but it works just as well as a standalone—take it from me, I legit haven’t read the previous installments (yet) but still thoroughly enjoyed and understood the story it was setting out to tell.

I would highly recommend this sweet novel to all readers that enjoy that good, ol’ friends-to-lovers trope, and who are looking for a relatively clean and closed doors romance.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 14, 2023

ARC — Unorthodox Love — Heidi Shertok

Genre: Fiction, Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Deals heavily with infertility and parental sickness. Mentions cancer.

“Unorthodox Love” follows Penina, an Orthodox Jewish 29-year-old that at this point has lost all hopes on getting married—she’s infertile and no proper Orthodox Jew will be okay with not having children of their own. But then in comes an indecent proposal—she is to marry a wealthy (secretly gay) Orthodox Jew in exchange for solving all her family’s monetary problems. It’s a perfect arrangement… so why can’t she stop thinking about Sam, the perfectly secular, objectively attractive, son of her boss, who’ll now be her interim boss as his father is receiving cancer treatment. It makes no sense, he is all she can’t have, so why even give it a second thought, right? Well, wrong.

I loved Heidi Shertok’s writing, it was both engaging and entertaining. I am usually not the biggest fan of clean romance but I must say “Unorthodox Love” left me completely content with this love story. It is truly astonishing this is a debut novel, I honestly can’t wait and see where Heidi’ll take us next.

I don’t think I’d ever heard Caitlin Thorburn as an audiobook narrator but oh, will I be keeping an eye out for her as well. Her voice was absolutely perfect for this novel, she truly found a way to portray Penina in all her anxiously-correct glory, with all her doubts and her inner battles.

I hate when a main character or heroine in a romance novel has to leave aside her beliefs (let that be religious or otherwise) to find a happily ever after. I am so so happy this was not the case for Penina.

Don’t hesitate to grab “Unorthodox Love” if you’re looking for a clean workplace romance where opposites attract and religion is a prominent subject (and where an adorably awkward meet-cute was in play).

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

Publication Date: July 11, 2023

ARC — How (Not) to Date a Pop Star — Jada Trainor

Genre: Young Adult
Actual Rating: 3 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Mentions violence. Contains some sexual content.

“How (Not) to Date a Pop Star” follows Tyler Moore, an extremely famous pop star, and his childhood best friend, Aaliyah Preston, to whom dancing and the arts is more than a pastime, as they reconnect after fame and busy schedules got in the way.

Look, if you’re grabbing a book titled “How (Not) to Date a Pop Star”, you absolutely know what’s coming. Not only is it being published by Wattpad, but it reads 100% like a Wattpad story, and that’s what I loved about it.

If you’re coming in to find an insightful, deep romance, don’t. Do not grab this book, you’ll be disappointed. Now, you’re looking for a silly book that’ll go right over you and just give you the good vibes of a friends-to-lovers quirky story involving a mega pop star? Then go ahead and grab this.

This one is for the fanfic readers and StarStruck (2010 Disney TV movie) lovers. I don’t regret grabbing this advanced reader copy because it was exactly what I needed to get out of this reading slump I’ve been in.

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

ARC provided by NetGalley and Wattpad Books in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: July 11, 2023

ARC — Going Bicoastal — Dahlia Adler

Genre: YA, Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like scars and self-harm. Describes the aftermath of the divorce of parents.

“Going Bicoastal” is pretty much about what its title implies—a bisexual teenager having to choose between spending the summer on the East or the West Coast of the United States, both options bringing on their own adventures and challenges. Yes, you’ve heard that right. Natalya Fox is a 17-year-old that could either stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad and pursue the girl she’s been crushing on or spend the summer with her estranged mother in LA. Finding it hard to decide, both summers play out in alternating timelines, with LA bringing an unexpected boy into the picture.

I am absolutely on my knees for this book. It is not often I find books that portray bisexuality the way I’ve felt it and lived it and I was so happy to find Dahlia Adler’s portrayal of bisexuality through Natalya really spoke to me. told through alternating timelines, this book is perfect to read in one sitting (trust me, you’ll want to). I mean, you’re getting two romance stories for the price of one, literally nothing could go wrong.

I would highly recommend “Going Bicoastal”, especially if you’re not afraid of reading about young women who aren’t scared or ashamed of their sexuality and religious beliefs. These were some beautiful coming-of-age stories, and how I would love to read it all again for the first time.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

ARC — The Dos and Donuts of Love — Adiba Jaigirdar

Author: Adiba Jaigirdar
Narrator: Priya Ayyar

Genre: Young Adult, LGBTQIA, Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses fatphobia, racism, xenophobia, and homophobia. Displays toxic relationships, toxic friendships, and gaslighting.

“The Dos and Donuts of Love” follows Shireen Malik, a Bangladeshi-Irish girl, as she competes in the very first Junior Irish Baking Show and is paired up against no other than her recent ex girlfriend, Chris. Facing both racist and fatphobic criticism, Shireen will try to succeed and thrive against every single contestant and come out more confident of her skill than ever.

I got to listen to an audiobook of this novel, and I was completely mesmerized and caught from the very beginning. I was right at the start of a reading slump but Priya Ayyar and her narration immediately swep me off it.

I’m not gonna lie, this book is not as predictable as you might think. Starting off, I could’ve sworn I was going to know every single twist and turn, but I am happy to say that I was thoroughly surprised more than once by this story Adiba Jaigirdar has constructed. Her characters were so well thought out and her pace quick enough that you wouldn’t get bored but also slow enough that we were left with some sneaky cliffhangers for a bit.

I would highly recommend this read for someone who’s looking for a young adult book with queer and diverse characters and who doesn’t want it to be too spicy (or spicy at all). Obviously it’s a plus if you like cooking and baking shows, but I personally don’t most of the time and I still thoroughly enjoyed “The Dos and Donuts of Love.”

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

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023

ARC — Ciao For Now — Kate Bromley

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships and mentions death of a parent. Contains some sexual content.

“Ciao for Now” follows Violet Luciano as she and a few of her colleagues embark to Rome for a fashion internship. Little did she know that as soon as she got there she would stumble into her mentor’s son, ruining his computer, and effectively laying on the worst first impression ever—an introduction that leaves them as, essentially, enemies… But if they’re enemies, then why do they feel this pull towards each other? Better look away, I guess.

I have read other books by Kate Bromley, so I can’t say I’m completely surprised I adored this book—her writing style has captivated me before and her quirky characters always capture my heart. Now, sprinkle in some more forbidden romance, in true Kate Bromley fashion, and you had me hooked.

“Ciao for Now” is the perfect summer-y read. Set in Rome, this read will have you wanderlust and wishing you, too, will follow your dreams wherever they might go. Sitting just over 300 pages, this was a short, quick read, perfect for some airport hopping, so don’t hesitate to grab this book if you’re looking for a lighthearted, heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance.

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

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ARC provided by Graydon House and Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: June 6, 2023