Tag Archives: 4 fire emojis

Out on a Limb — Hannah Bonam-Young

“Years and years spent still getting to know one another, unlearning and relearning each other as the decades go by. (…) The mess and the chaos and the beauty of a life well lived—a life shared.
I’d like it very much.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Revolves around an unexpected pregnancy. Describes living with limb differences, both since birth and due to illness/cancer. Discusses postpartum depression and touches on suicide and suicidal thoughts. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Out on a Limb” has broke all my predispositions about the unexpected pregnancy trope. This book follows Winnifred (Win) McNulty after she has a one night stand with an intriguing stranger called Bo during her best friend’s annual Halloween party. They both joke about having limb differences, Win since birth and Bo not so much. A month later, when Win finds out she’s pregnant, she reaches out to Bo, although they had agreed that that one encounter would be nothing more than something casual. But here’s the thing: Bo assumed he was sterile after undergoing chemo and so he more than definitely wanted to be involved in his child’s life. And so their story begins.

It had been months, not to say years, since I had cried this much over a book. Is this book particularly sad? Absolutely not. But it was just so sweet and lovely and heartwarming that I just couldn’t help it. I fell for both Bo and Win and I wanted their happiness above all. This book showed us the perfect example of what unconditional love is, what caring for someone is. It reminded me so much of me and my husband although we’re nothing like Bo and Win, yet our love feels the same.

I cannot physically recommend this book enough. Even if you’re not a fan of the unexpected pregnancy trope, like myself, I would still highly recommend you grab this masterpiece.

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“Out on a Limb” by Hannah Bonam-Young is also available through Kindle Unlimited!

“Win, sometimes good things are just good things. (…) Let’s celebrate that.”

ARC — First Impressions of You — Gabriela Graciosa Guedes

“As long as you’re joking, that means you probably don’t hate me that much anymore.”

“I don’t think I could hate you if I wanted to.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Deals with discrimination against race and weight, and living as an immigrant. Contains explicit sexual content.

“First Impressions of You” follows Luiza Bento, an aspiring actress working in a theme park on a temporary work visa, and Winter Davis, a child star that’ll be working in said theme parks next big theater production. Here’s the thing: Winter doesn’t even want to be there, and least of all with an inexperienced actress that just works in a theme park—and oh, does Luiza overhears that.

I mean, this book had me at “Pride and Prejudice retelling”, but what really made me stay was Luiza’s wit and stubbornness and Winter’s, well, everything.

Told through Luiza’s point of view, we get a glimpse at what it is like to start paving your way through the acting scene in LA, with none other than a well-established child star that doesn’t seem to be too keen on newcomers as a costar.

Sometimes in romance novels I don’t seem to understand where connections and chemistry come from, but oh was this not the case in “First Impressions of You.” Through this debut novel, we feel the tension building and that slow burn giving out slowly as the characters let go of their past frustrations and let themselves feel. I am absolutely in love with this super unique retelling, I will literally never shut up about it.

Are you a sucker for enemies to lovers and hold a little love for “Pride and Prejudice”? Well, this book is literally for you.

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ARC provided by the author, Gabriela Graciosa Guedes, in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: August 25, 2023

“You’re the sunshine I’ll always want in my winter.”

Blog Tour ARC — What The Hex — Jessica Clare — Hex #2

“You’re obscene.”
“You love it.”
“Jupiter help me, I really do.”

Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Describes toxic relationships and mentions animal death. Contains explicit sexual content.

“What The Hex” follows Penny Roundtree, a hopeful familiar without a warlock or witch, and Willem Sauer, a 270-year-old warlock, as they participate in a downright illegal arrangement—she’ll be his familiar while he’ll teach her the magic he isn’t even supposed to partake in. But when doubts begin to rise, they have to act as a couple to justify the amount of time they’re spending together, even though they’re as different as opposites can get.

This book had all the cards stacked against it and it still won my heart over. Because, although I was looking forward to this series as a whole, I came into this sequel a bit biased and disappointed when I read it would be following Penny—I found Penny to be extremely annoying and a bit naïve in “Go Hex Yourself.” So now, tell me, why did I love this second installment so much?

Warlocks are meant to teach their familiars, and oh, did Penny have a lot to learn and Willem a lot to teach. I absolutely loved how the characters in the first installment were present in “What The Hex”. Nowadays, series tend to be more standalone-ish, and you’ll get a small crossover here and there and that’s it, but this was not the case with Jessica Clare’s Hex series. Here, Reggie from “Go Hex Yourself” was ever present in Penny’s life, be that through texting or through actual in-page time together. It was definitely different to other series I’ve experienced lately.

In general, this was a fluffy but spicy piece that’ll have you finishing up the whole 336 pages in one sitting, running for that HEA. If you like witchy and magical romances, then don’t hesitate on grabbing the Hex series—its magic system is complex enough to entertain but simple enough to understand and leave enough space for romance and some plot development.

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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: April 4, 2023

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake — Mazey Eddings — A Brush With Love #2

“You don’t understand what a privilege it is to know you. (…) You don’t understand how it changes a person to hear you laugh.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Revolves around an unplanned pregnancy. Describes and discusses panic attacks, living with ADHD, and very emotionally abusive and gaslighting parents. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake” follows, well, Lizzie Blake, a baker with ADHD, after a one-night stand ends with her being pregnant. But one-night stands are her thing and they definitely used a condom… an expired condom, that is—hence the baby that’s now growing inside of her. And so in comes Rake, the one-night-stand-turned-baby-daddy, who is an Australian businessman that is offered the opportunity to move to the States. Rake decides to move across the globe and is eager to take on the responsibility of being the father—but Lizzie doesn’t do relationships, and least of all under these conditions. So they’ll be friends and coparents and ignore the definite spark that keeps growing between them.

This book broke me. It absolutely shattered me. Seeing how people treated Lizzie because of her ADHD and life decisions tore me apart. Rake was literally the perfect bundle of Australian sunshine that Lizzie needed to bring structure and, most of all, understanding to her life. I am not the biggest fan of unplanned pregnancies in books but holy did I love this read. This trope was carried perfectly, I don’t see how Mazey Eddings could’ve made this book any better.

I would highly highly highly recommend this series in general, but if you were to read only one book by Mazey Eddings, then definitely let that be “Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake.”

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Go Hex Yourself — Jessica Clare — Hex #1

“I can’t change the past, but it’s no wonder that I can’t keep a familiar.
No one wants to serve a monster.
Certainly no one wants to kiss one.”

Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, child abuse, and emotional abuse. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Go Hex Yourself”, the first installment in the Hex series, follows Reggie Johnson, a pretty average young adult, as she finds the perfect job in a newspaper ad: being an assistant for her absolute favorite card game, Spellcraft: The Magicking. But she might’ve been a bit wrong on what the position entailed, since they’re actually spell-crafting—Reggie is being recruited to be an actual witch’s familiar (aka an apprentice, of sorts). That’s okay. The pay is great, the old witch is quirky but nice, it includes room and board… the only problem is her boss’s nephew. Ben Magnus is insufferable and selfish and just plain out always in the way. But when Reggie finally comes to realize magic is real and this isn’t some LARPing thing, Ben is the only person she can trust, especially after people around them, including her witch boss, start getting cursed left and right.

I will be completely honest here. The only reason I read this book was because I was contacted to read an advanced copy of the second book in this series, but oh, did I not know what I was missing. How did “Go Hex Yourself” go under my radar? I have no clue, but this series could easily become one of my favorite, right up there with Lana Harper’s The Witches of Thistle Grove series. We’ll see where the second installment goes, but the potential is clearly there.

I love witchy romance as much as the next gal, but I am here to scream at the top of my lungs that “Go Hex Yourself” is more than just spice. With complex characters that have just as complex back stories and being told through different points of view, this book did not fall flat on just lust and sexiness. I related to Reggie at a ridiculous level and I was right there along for the ride, being as surprised and horrified as she was at all things magic—and being just as undeniable attracted to a not-so-evil evil warlock.

I feel like “Go Hex Yourself” caters to every reader, not just fantasy and witchy romance readers—so, if you’re looking to explore genres (or if you already know you love witchy stories, either way) this book is perfect for you.

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ARC — Not Your Valentine — Jackie Lau

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses parental abandonment and going viral over something embarrassing. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Not Your Valentine” follows Helen Tsang, a chemistry lab instructor, as she decides that the best way to get people to stop asking her about her relationship status after having a very public break up was to start fake-dating her high school best friend.

This book is your perfect fake-dating, friends to lovers novella. It’s also described as a grumpy/sunshine situation—I honestly didn’t see it that way, but that doesn’t mean I loved it any less. Set around Valentine’s Day, this is a perfect seasonal read for February. The cover doesn’t have much to do with the actual story and I hate misleading covers, but it’s cute so I’ll let it pass.

I would highly recommend this novella if you’re looking for a short romance that’ll give you all the spice and all the aw’s you’ll need for days.

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

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

ARC — Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around — Sarah Ready — Josh and Gemma #2

“I loved you yesterday. (…) I love you today. (…) I’ll love you tomorrow.”

Author: Sarah Ready
Narrators: Erin Mallon

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Describes eclampsia and memory loss after being in a coma. Contains explicit sexual content.

What happens after the happily ever after? That’s what we’re set to find out in this sequel. “Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around” follows Gemma as she readjusts to the reality that love sometimes isn’t what you think. It isn’t fireworks all the time. It isn’t a fairytale. It is hard, and it changes over time. After a critical event, Gemma is left feeling… nothing? Not even for Josh, the man (and baby daddy) who has always made her feel too much. Josh is willing to give it another go—but is Gemma?

Erin Mallon is something else. She’s slowly becoming my favorite female narrator, that’s all I’m saying. Her voice really took us through this heart-wrenching journey.

But, ultimately, this book is as heartbreaking as it is heartwarming. I am so mad at Sarah Ready for doing this to us, I legit could not handle it. But at the same time I am so grateful that she gave us more Josh and Gemma.

Throughout this book, we get to see more of the characters we loved and hated the first time around. In the first book we got to explore heavy topics like infertility, IVF, and miscarriages. In this second book we get to see what happens when life doesn’t go as expected. How “in sickness and in health” can be applied even before you’re officially married. We see Gemma land in a coma after suffering from pre-eclampsia. We see her lose her feelings. We see her come back.

I cannot recommend this series enough. Yes, it has nice tropes, like dating your brother’s best friend, etc., but it’s so much more than that. These books bring true human emotions, they explore narcissism, they describe trauma—Sarah Ready really exceeded my expectations with “Josh and Gemma the Second Time Around.”

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ARC provided by NetGalley and Swift & Lewis Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: January 26, 2023

ARC — Georgie, All Along — Kate Clayborn

“This will be so good for you, Georgie. (…) You’ll finally be able to do all the things you want to do.”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discussed unhealthy relationships with parents, vandalism and crime, and being fired. Mentions drug use and fire arms. Contains explicit sexual content.

“Georgie, All Along” follows Georgie Mulcahy, a former Hollywood personal assistant, as she moves back to her small hometown to help her pregnant best friend on her last trimester and to figure out what she wants to do with her life moving forward. Whilst cleaning her besties storage room, they find a notebook they wrote right before starting high school, where they documented all the things they wanted to do back then—and then ended up not doing any of them. Georgie takes this as her sign. This notebook-bucketlist-thingy will help her find herself—and with the aid of her best friend and Levi Fanning, the older brother of her biggest teenage crush who’s crashing at Georgie’s parents’ place, she might accomplish just that.

Okay, so, thanks to this book, Kate Clayborn has become an instant-buy author for me. Like, “Georgie, All Along” was the last book I read in 2022 and yet I still know it will end up in my 2023 wrapped, right among my favorite reads of this year. It wasn’t just the spicy aspect to it, even though it was great—this book had so much character growth and development. The miscommunications are infuriating but justified. The love is not a slow-burn but it takes its time to settle in.

If you’re looking for a book that’ll make you feel things, then look no further. “Georgie, All Along”, in all its small town glory, will make you sniffle quite a bit. I don’t remember ever rooting for two characters as strongly as I rooted for Georgie and Levi. I’m all for a supportive significant other. I would legit date them both.

As Levi is a former bad boy, do expect to read about some triggering events. They don’t go into explicit details with drug use and such, but these things are mentioned, so if that isn’t your speed, maybe be careful about this one—although it, overall, isn’t the most prominent matter.

I would highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy close proximity tropes and former-bad-guy vibes, and who aren’t afraid of some spiciness in their reads. The chemistry between Georgie and Levi is undeniably, and they’re making it everyone’s business (and I’m here for it).

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

Publication Date: January 24, 2023

“It’s a bucket list, (…) except you’re doing it to start something, not to end it. What’s the opposite of a bucket?”

p.s. I would give so much for a friendship like Bel and Georgie’s.

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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A Princess for Christmas — Jenny Holiday — Christmas in Eldovia #1

“He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it.
Because why not? A cabdriver from the Bronx didn’t have that many opportunities to spend the evening with a princess, and when he did—especially if she was a sad princess—he should probably seize the chance to kiss her hand.”

Author: Jenny Holiday
Narrator: Charlotte North

Genre: Royalty Romance
Actual Rating: 5 stars
Narration: 5 mikes
Spicy Meter: 4 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Discusses parental death, grieving, and economic hardships. Mentions the refugee crisis. Has explicit sexual content.

“A Princess for Christmas” is the first book in the Christmas in Eldovia series, and it follows Princess Marie of Eldovia and Leo Ricci of…the Bronx? Leo is a cab driver that’s just doing his best. After his parents die, he is forced to drop out of college, become a taxi driver, and raise his little sister—while barely making ends meet. Then one day his sister spots a “princess” in distress outside of the UN building and they decide to help, even though he’s technically off duty. That’s when these two unlikely lovers meet, but that’s not how their story ends. “A Princess for Christmas” will take you on a Hallmark movie adventure to the European nation of Eldovia, where everyone can fall in love…with the beauty of nature, amongst other things.

This book was literally the definition of “don’t judge a book by its cover”, because, oh, did I hate this cover (but loved this book). I, honest-to-God, have the biggest crush on Leo. He was the perfect man. Someone who sees their own imperfections and seeks to be better, do better. Marie was also so relatable although she was a literal princess? Its kind of hard to explain.

I adored this audiobook. I will literally listen to anything Charlotte North narrates. I have listened to a few of her recording before. This time around, her voice was soothing but captivating. I legit wouldn’t change a thing, hence the 5 mike review.

So, by the time I’m writing this review, I have already read the others in the series, and I can’t really tell which one I liked best. But to hell with it, it’s the holidays season, grab all the books and enjoy these wintery love stories. You won’t regret it.

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