Tag Archives: 4.5 stars

ARC — How to Get a Life in Ten Dates — Jenny L. Howe

“This was why (…) dating was off the table. She was too chaotic. He was too rigid. They were too different in ways that could break them, that already almost had (…).”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on body image prejudices, unhealthy relationship dynamics, and mental health struggles. Contains some sexual content.

“How to Get a Life in Ten Dates” follows Haleigh Berkshire, a plus-sized part time dog walker and editor, who’s worn out by dating drama and family pressure. Her sister has her engagement party soon and Haleigh should have a plus one, but all she wants is a break on dating. That’s when her best friend (and unrequited crush), Jack, suggests that she lets her family and close friends sent her up on 10 blind dates. If none of them work, then her family and friends can’t go on complaining about Haleigh’s dating sabbatical.

Haleigh’s journey is messy, charming, and deeply human. While Jack isn’t your typical perfect hero, his flaws make the romance feel genuine—you definitely catch on the been-best-friends-forever vibes with these ones right away.

If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers and second chance romances that balance humor, emotional growth, and a sprinkle of chaos, then this book belongs on your shelf.

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

Publication Date: December 10, 2024

ARC — Love, Naturally — Sophie Sullivan — Rock Bottom Love #1

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like abandonment, toxic romantic relationships, and toxic work environments. Describes an injury. Contains some romantic content.

“Love, Naturally”, being the first book in the Rock Bottom Love series, follows Presley Ayers, an aspiring hotel manager and social media personality, as she embarks on the surprise trip she had scheduled for her boyfriend’s birthday (now ex). She is not the outdoorsy type, but she is set on enjoying her getaway at Get Lost Lodge—and that’ll be easy with the help of Beckett Keller, one of the owners of said lodge. Their inexplicable pull and an unfortunate set of circumstance lead to them bunking together, but what’s the point of even thinking about being together if Presley’s visit is just temporary, right? Right?

At this point, I’m pretty sure I am biased—everything Sophie Sullivan touches, I love. I am usually not a closed-doors romance girlie, but for Sophie’s plots and flirtiness? I am. This book had me transported into the small town of Smile, it had me rooting for every single character, and it had me wishing for Presley to listen to her heart and stay.

“Love, Naturally” is for the girlies that loved The Influencer series by Amy Lea and who crave that small town vibes with all the quirkiness that small town romances and found family plot lines bring. I couldn’t recommend it enough.

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

Publication Date: January 16, 2024

ARC — A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch — Sarah Hawley — Glimmer Falls #2

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy meters: 2 fire emojis
Content Warning: Addresses toxic relationships and emotional abuse. Contains sexual content.

From the dedication line (“For all the angry girls who were told they were too much”) to the very end of this novel, “A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch” is absolutely perfect.

“A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch” follows Calladia Cunnington, a formidable witch with a penchant for bar brawls, who unexpectedly rescues Astaroth, a demon suffering from amnesia. Unbeknownst to him, Astaroth is the very demon who previously endangered Calladia’s best friend, and hence she hates him. Despite her initial animosity, Calladia agrees to help him recover his memories, leading them on a road trip filled with witty banter and undeniable chemistry.

Enemies-to-lovers with a supernatural twist? That’s a yes for me. This books works like a standalone, but it’s best if you already hold the context “A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon” provides. This sequel also expands on the lore of the demon realm, introducing political intrigue and exploring themes of prejudice and extremism that parallel real-world issues. This backdrop enriches the plot, providing a compelling setting for the protagonists’ adventures.

If you’re into fun, spicy, and addictive paranormal romance, that also hold some enemies-to-lovers appeal, then “A Demon’s Guide to Wooing a Witch” is for you.

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

Publication Date: November 28, 2023

ARC — Reasonable Adults — Robin Lefler

“Can we please talk about this like reasonable adults?”

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on cheating (not done by any main characters, just an ex significant other). Describes an attempted sexual assault. Contains sexual content.

I mean, Robin Lefler had me at Goldendoodle and artists’ retreat in the Canadian wild. “Reasonable Adults” follows Kate Rigsby, after she found her ex-fiancé cheating and is fired from her marketing job, hitting an all-time low. During said low, she applies to a job in Muskoka, in a remote artists’ retreat hotel called Treetops, expecting never to hear back from them, all to be suddenly hired. She can even take her dog with her. But little did Kate know that said retreat hotel is a bit wacky and, honestly, in a nosedive to bankruptcy. Her job is to stop that from happening, but management isn’t really cooperating. Will she give up and go back to the city or will she find her new calling close to the wild?

Although there was a romantic interest throughout and we got some fade-to-black romantic scenes towards the end, I wouldn’t really call this a romance book. Was it an amazingly entertaining fiction book, tho? Well yes, that it was. I absolutely fell in love with Muskoka, Treetops, and every single person that worked in that weird and outdated artists’ retreat hotel.

I’m a British Columbia girlie, so I know and love the Canadian wild, but now I really want to take a short trip to the other side of the country, all the way to Muskoka—that’s how beautifully and effectively Robin Lefler has portrayed the settings of this quirky, funny book.

I would highly recommend this read if you’re looking for a book that speaks to one finding ourselves, no matter our age, no matter our circumstances. “Reasonable Adults” gives us just that, a cozy setting, transporting us to a wintery wild, where we can find ourselves and hone our “output”, if you will.

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

Publication Date: October 24, 2023

“Don’t you ever feel like you’re doing things for all the wrong reasons, but it’s too much work to change the path you’re on?”

ARC — Friends Don’t Fall in Love — Erin Hahn

“I write words for a living. Words that people all over the world use to access their feelings. But right now, with her, I’m speechless.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 3 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Mentions gun violence and shootings. Contains explicit sexual content.

It seems like I’m in my music industry book era, and I’ll stand by it. “Friends Don’t Fall in Love” follows Lorelai Jones, a singer-songwriter that was ousted of Nashville and the whole Country scene after performing a protest song against gun violence, and Craig Boseman, her ex-fiancé’s ex-band member and now indie music producer. They’ve been friends on and off for a very long time, always evading the what-ifs of what their relationship might become if they let it.

Bringing us back and forth through different timelines, and giving us two different points of view, Erin Hahn definitely knows how to keep us on our toes. One thing to note, tho, is that this book has a lot for internal monologue, so if that isn’t your vibe maybe you won’t love it as much as I did. Funny, because I’m not overly enthusiastic about long internal monologues, yet I was fascinated by Lorelai’s and Craig’s minds and inner turmoil. I mean, they’re songwriters, for God’s sake, of course their minds were fascinating.

I would highly recommend this book for those good, ol’ Country music lovers. Also, if you’re looking for a friends-to-lovers slow burn that eventually turns spicy-packed, then “Friends Don’t Fall in Love” is for you.

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

Publication Date: October 17, 2023

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!

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 — 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 — Do You Remember Being Born? — Sean Michaels

“A perfect poem, (…) a perfect poem can change the world.”

Genre: Fiction, Science Fiction
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: N/A

“Do You Remember Being Born?” follows Marian Ffarmer, a 75 year old poet, as she is invited to collaborate with a new AI called Charlotte to write a new long poem. What starts as a simple premise turns out to be a deep insight on what it means to be human and up to what point can AI emulate us.

What made this book even more remarkable was finding out in the end that the actual book was written with the help of AI in real life, but I can’t say I am completely surprised—Charlotte’s parts were deeply unsettling at times. As this book is about a poet, the prose and body of this book is pretty poetic in and of itself, not necessarily only during the actual poem-writing, making it a very peaceful and contemplative read.

I empathized with this AI, Charlotte, more than I though I would. Books about AI tend to freak me out, but Charlotte didn’t. It just made me sad to think of Charlotte “living” forever and Marian never coming back to chat with it.

I would recommend this book if you’re looking for an introspective science fiction book that feels so close to non-fiction it’s uncanny. AI are now at the touch of our keyboards, and this scenario is more than possible–it actually happened through and thanks to this book.

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: September 5, 2023