Tag Archives: 3 fire emojis

ARC — Daisy Haites — Jessa Hastings — Magnolia Parks Universe #2

“You made me fall in love without you.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Dives deep into criminal activity and emotional manipulation. Contains very explicit sexual content.

If “Magnolia Parks” had my attention, then “Daisy Haites” absolutely captivated it. Where “Magnolia Parks” felt like stepping into an overly dramatic CW series drenched in luxury, “Daisy Haites” takes a grittier turn. Daisy, with her quiet strength and vulnerability, offers a fresh perspective. Her life isn’t just about complicated love—it’s laced with crime, family loyalty, and the weight of being tied to the wrong people in the right ways.

Jessa Hastings does it again and again. She has this way of making every scene feel cinematic, and “Daisy Haites” is no exception. The fashion is sharp, the London setting is moody and alive, and the dialogue is equal parts biting and tender. Daisy’s relationship with her brother, Jonah, is particularly moving—a reminder that the bonds of family can be just as complicated as romantic love. And while the book is undeniably dramatic (hello, heartbreak on every other page), it never feels overwrought. Daisy’s grounded, pragmatic voice balances out the wild lives of the people around her.

“Daisy Haites”, in all its emotional glory, is less a sequel and more a companion piece to “Magnolia Parks”—a story about family, sacrifice, and what it means to choose love even when it’s messy. If you loved “Magnolia Parks”, or the TV show Gossip Girl, then “Daisy Haites” and this series in general is a must-read. And if you’re here for more emotionally charged drama with morally complex characters, Jessa Hastings is still delivering.

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

Publication Date: August 8, 2023

ARC — The Witch is Back — Sophie H. Morgan

“A man begging her to marry him. But not because he chose her. Because she was the other name on the contract. And what a contract it had proven to be.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like child abuse, physical and emotional abuse, and abandonment. Revolves around sickness and death of a parent. Contains sexual content.

“The Witch is Back” follows Emmaline (Emma) Bluewater and Bastian Truenote as they reunite after years of no contact—after Bastian called off their engagement by legit running away and never speaking to her again. That was until Bastian walks back into Emma’s life, asking to be married, preferably as soon as possible, because Bastian’s mother was literally dying because they didn’t fulfill their marriage contract—a contract that not even one of the most powerful magical families, the Truenotes, can out-hex. How romantic.

Told in third person and through two points of view, “The Witch is Back” is an entertaining, witchy book that’ll have you hooked right from the start. The history between the two main characters is palpable and I was honestly dying to know what exactly drove them apart to begin with.

This book is for you if you’re looking for a magical childhood friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance with some marriage of convenience and forced proximity sprinkled in. I would highly recommend this book for any readers that enjoy witchy romance book, “The Witch is Back” does not disappoint.

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

Publication Date: August 15, 2023

ARC — One Tough Cookie — Delise Torres

Author: Delise Torres
Narrator: Stacy Gonzalez

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses abortion and cheating. Touches on abandonment and childhood trauma. Contains explicit sexual content.

“One Tough Cookie” follows Karina Cortés, an employee at a cookie company who is set on being single forever and not needed no man ever, as she meets and falls for—reluctantly—for Ian Feliciano, one of the new mechanics at said cookie company.

First off let’s start with the narration of this audiobook: it was absolutely immaculate. I had high expectations because Stacy Gonzalez narrated one of my favorite audiobooks in 2021 and oh did she not disappoint. However, some actual subject matters throughout the book weren’t it for me, hence the star rating.

Expect spoilers in this review. I’m going to be a tough cookie about this but gosh was the main character, Karina, annoying and unreasonable. She was the definition of what not going to therapy and a ton of abandonment issues will do to you, multiplied by 100. Packed with a surprise pregnancy which I hate, and then followed by an abortion which I don’t love reading about—this was a hard one.

Letting that shitshow slide, I actually really liked the writing style and the spicy scenes. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for what Delise Torres publishes next, it was just “One Tough Cookie” wasn’t entirely my vibe. It left me more mad than it left me happy, if that makes sense.

Grab this book if you’re looking for a steamy work place romance packed with a female main character that is afraid of commitment and treats a perfectly decent man like he is worth nothing.

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

Publication Date: July 18, 2023

ARC — The Summer Girl — Elle Kennedy — Avalon Bay #3

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses cheating and an almost forced abortion. Deals with a narcissistic parent. Contains explicit sexual content.

“The Summer Girl” follows Cassie Soul, an almost senior university student living it up in her last summer before college is over. She hasn’t been to Avalon Bay in ages but is back for one last summer with her grandmother, who is selling the hotel that has been in the family for decades. All Cassie is looking for is a summer fling, she just wants some fun and a great summer. And so in comes Tate Bartlett, a sailing instructor and perfect fling material—except he feels the chemistry he has with Cassie is too precious and so pushes for it to stay platonic… but with feelings this strong, will they be able to not cave into the attraction? And beyond that, if they do, will it even stay as a summer fling?

It is not secret I’m a huge fan of the Avalon Bay series, and Cassie’s story definitely didn’t disappoint. Elle Kennedy comes back to this coastal town as spicy as ever and I was there for it—the only caveat was Cassie’s mother, whose narcissistic tendencies really seemed outlandish and straight-on annoying. I was mad half the time but I was also giddy and giggling half the time, so take that as it is.

I honestly cannot recommend the Avalon Bay series enough. “Good Girl Complex”, “Bad Girl Reputation”, and “The Summer Girl” bring in the perfect summer-y series. With mostly likable characters and worthy heroes and heroines, this romance trilogy with captivate your heart, no questions asked.

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

Publication Date: July 18, 2023

ARC — Play to Win — Jodie Slaughter

“ “Six.”
The age she was when she met Leo Vaughn.
“Thirty-one.”
Like the day in July she’d kissed him for the first time.
“Fourteen.”
The number of wildflowers he always brought her, two more than a dozen to make up for the fact that he couldn’t get her store-bought ones.
“Twenty-one.”
The most times he’s told her he loved her in one day.
“Fifty-eight.”
The number of days it had taken her to leave the house again after he’d left.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Revolves around abandonment. Touches on infidelity and death of parent. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Play to Win” follows Miriam Butler as she reunites with her estranged husband, Leo Vaughn, in hopes of getting a fast divorce after winning more than 200 million dollars in the lottery.

I was lucky enough to get ARCs for both the book and the audiobook, and I absolutely loved it. Lacy Laurel was the perfect voice for Miriam and for this novel, I can’t believe I hadn’t heard her narrate any other books before.

Jodie Slaughter’s “Bet on It” was amongst one of my favorite books last year. It was charming and spicy and so well-written. “Play to Win” brings exactly that to the table. I just couldn’t give it a 5-star rating because of the nature of this second chance romance—I’ll blame it on my abandonment issues, but leaving your spouse for 8 years just isn’t right under any circumstance and with no explanation, there is no redemption after that. And getting reunited after she won the lottery? I don’t know… was he aiming for her or the money? If I were Miriam, I wouldn’t know—and that’s all I could think about throughout.

Don’t hesitate to grab “Play to Win” if you’re looking for a fast-paced, spicy romance novel. The characters are likable and almost relatable if you can imagine yourself winning literally hundreds of millions of dollars in the lottery.

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

Publication Date: July 11, 2023

ARC — Miss Matched — Wendy Million

“Thank you.” (…)
(…) “For what?”
“For giving me another chance, for letting me back in, for showing me that fear of the unknown can be beautiful instead of scary. What an adventure we’re going to have.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships. Contains sexual content.

“Miss Matched” by Wendy Million is “The Soulmate Equation” by Christina Lauren meets second chance romance—Tayla Murphy, a vet doctor in search of her soulmate, falls for what she now thinks is a ridiculous scheme. There’s a super expensive dating algorithm that pairs you with your soulmate, but Tayla was inexplicably matched with her absolute worst ex, Simon Buchannan. He can most definitely not be her soulmate. There must be something very wrong with said algorithm, although it has worked for many others. But after putting up all that money and facing their no-return policy, Tayla has one of two options: either she absolutely ignores this ever happened, or she gives who she thought was the love of her life a second chance.

This was a fast, quirky read. It was entertaining, but not life-changing, and I’m not 100% sure I will still remember things about this book a few weeks from now, but it was still a fun time. Did it sort of feel like other books I’ve read before? Yes. Was I still there for it? Also, yes.

If you’re looking for an uncomplicated, short read, then “Miss Matched” is your book.

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

Publication Date: June 13, 2023

The Co-op — Tarah Dewitt

“When you have a bad day ma fille, think about it from beginning to end. Walk your way through it. Was it really a bad day, or was it a few bad moments? What part of your day would you like to hold onto before you close your eyes? Find that good bit, and let it be the thing you go to sleep to.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses unsupportive parents, death of family members, cheating, and abandonment. Contains explicit sexual content.

“The Co-op” follows LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds, two ex-summer lovers as they reunite years later when they’re left with their grandmothers’ inheritance: a broken-down Santa Cruz building, which they now co-own, that once held a ton of love—including their short-lived fling. But they don’t have the money to renovate and sell said building… Well, they kind of do, but LaRynn doesn’t have access to her trust funds until she’s married, and that she is not. Until she is? LaRynn agrees to marry Deacon for the sole convenience that they’ll be able to remodel the place and sell it for a profit, and then definitely part ways. Sounds simple enough, right?

This was such a cute read. I didn’t resonate as much with the characters as I did with “Funny Feelings” but that didn’t keep me from sniffling at some parts and giggling at others. Home renovation books aren’t my favorite, but these two made it bearable—you could clearly see LaRynn’s and Deacon’s chemistry from a mile away.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy that good, ol’ marriage of convenience trope and who are looking for a fast read that’ll end in a truly spectacle happily ever after.

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In The Weeds — B.K. Borison — Lovelight #2

“I know you came back here because you were looking for your happy. But Evie, you gave me mine while you were looking for yours and I think it’s only fair if I try to return the favor.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses burnout, panic attacks, and racism. Contains explicit sexual content.

We’re back at Inglewild, but this time looking at another duo—“In The Weeds” follows Evelyn St. James, a super famous travel influencer, as she visits Inglewild again, now in looks for a break and her happy, because this was the last place she felt at peace and happy at. But there is one downfall to this idyllic small town—and that’s Beckett Porter, her ex-one-weekend-stand and the now co-owner of Lovelight Farms. The tension between them is tangible, but they’re powering through it because their worlds couldn’t be further apart. Unless, perhaps, their home was meant to be each other all along.

I liked this book a lot more than I thought it would—and I know that sounds horrible, but hear me out. I came looking for a fluff romance and I left with a highly introspective, kinda depressing at times, very deep (and yes, romantic) read. I mean, “In The Weeds” literally had me crying at the gym. I would give my life for Evie and Beckett.

I would highly highly highly recommend this series, but specially I would recommend this book. “In The Wild” brings us that second-chance, small-town romance perfectly, and although it’s part of a series, it could easily be a standalone read. You are rooting for the characters all along, you hurt with them and fall for them. I wish I could move to Inglewood, to be honest.

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“I’m starting to think I made a mistake. When I taugh you how to love.
If you think love means having to sacrifice bits of yourself to make someone else happy. If you are afraid to ask after what you want. Maybe I did something wrong.”

Lovelight Farms — B.K. Borison — Lovelight #1

“Weird that it wasn’t weird.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, grief, cancer, and cheating. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Lovelight Farms” is the first book in the Lovelight series and it follows Stella Bloom, the owner of Lovelight Farms, a Christmas tree farm in the idyllic small town of Inglewild, as she fake dates her best friend after being caught in a lie. Lovelight Farms isn’t doing as good as Stella originally planned, so when travel influencer Evelyn St. James launches a contest with a $100,000 cash prize, Stella constructs an idea of a happily-ever-after couple building up a small Christmas tree farm and she sends in her application. What she did not expect was to be chosen as one of the finalists and having to conjure that significant other out of thin air. That’s where Luka Peters comes in. They’ve been best friends forever so they can just as easily act as lovers, right? Especially if they’ve been mutually pining for each other for years…

I loved everything about this book. Starting with the town and all its unique residents, then with Stella’s and Luka’s sweet sweet romance, and then ending with the fact that things don’t simply fall into perfect place by the end of this book, but the characters have to work for it and come up with real solutions. It was the perfect refresher after one-too-many nonsensical but perfect happily ever afters. We see the characters grown together and take responsibility for their actions and feelings, it was truly a magical story, can’t wait to see what more B.K. Borison has in store for this small town.

I would highly recommend this book if you’ve enjoyes small town romances like “Beach Read” by Emily Henry or “It Happened One Summer” by Tessa Bailey, or if you like that good old friends to lovers tope. “Lovelight Farms” is a heartwarming story of love and growth and I would give everything to read it for the first time all over again.

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Behind the Scenes — Karelia Stetz-Waters

“Yes, I’m passionate about you.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, a car accident, scars, toxic relationships, panic disorders, and mental illness. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Behind the Scenes” follows Rose Josten, a business consultant, and Ash Stewart, a movie director, as they try to pitch a movie and not act on their instant attraction for each other. But the more time they spend together, the more said attraction becomes less of a concept and more of a reality. With a bunch of whimsical characters, this novel will capture your heart before the director can say “Cut!”

This was a wild read, to say the least. It describes ASMR videos to a point that made me uncomfortable and Ash and her aversion to human touch was a bit off-putting to me, but in the end I learned to love every single character and pup in this novel. Rose’s sisters were one of the absolute highlights of this story. I loved how every character was complex yet flawed, making it as realistic as this could get.

I would highly recommend this read if you like sapphic romances. This could actually be a really good introductory romance for new sapphic romance readers. This book left you with so much lessons beyond just who you love and get intimate with. It was a fun and unique read with a ton of character growth and I can’t wait to read more from Karelia Stetz-Waters.

I read this book for the Chick Lit Is The Shit (CLITS) Book Club (@clitsbookclub on instagram) February Buddy Read event!

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