Tag Archives: 4 stars

ARC — Snowed In — Catherine Walsh

Genre: Romance, Holidays
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Showcases unhealthy and controlling relationships. Has some sexual content.

“Snowed In” follows Megan, a reluctant returnee to her quaint Irish village, five years after leaving her ex-fiancé at the altar. Cue the arrival of Christian Fitzpatrick—an old classmate with an easy grin and a not-so-easy charm—who proposes a fake relationship to dodge their respective family dramas. Let me tell you: the sparks in this book? Absolutely electric. The banter? Chef’s kiss.

This book had me hooked right away, starting with that short prologue and carrying on into meeting such lovely (and comical) characters—“Snowed In” will be my holiday book of choice from here on out. I mean, a fake dating, dual POV romance packed with some good, ol’ close proximity? Um, yeah, count me in.

Between the setting of the story and the storytelling itself, I’m not sure what I loved more. I would highly recommend this read if you’re looking for a light, funny, holiday-centric read.

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

Publication Date: November 01, 2023

ARC — 10 Things That Never Happened — Alexis Hall — Material World #1

Genre: General Fiction, LGBTQIA+, Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Revolves around a fake amnesia. Describes a head injury and discusses grief, death of parents, and toxic relationships. Contains some sexual content.

Obviously, faking amnesia is never good, yet it made this book truly hilarious. “10 Things That Never Happened” follows Samwise (Sam) Becker, the manager of a bed-and-bath retailer branch, and Jonathan Forest, the owner of said bed-and-bath retailer stores. Sam’s branch is underperforming and that’s got to change—until, well, Sam has a tiny, little accident, bumps his head, and forgets any of their troubles existed? I mean, he didn’t, but he’ll say he did.

This audiobook had me giggling, alright? First off, the narrator, Will Watt, was absolutely amazing. His voice really held my attention and I couldn’t help but binge this audio. All the lying made me anxious, not gonna lie (no pun intended), but watching Sam and Jonathan get to know and accept each other was truly heartwarming.

This book is perfect if you’re looking for a queer romance book for the Holidays! Get it as a stocking stuffer or a full-blown gift (to others or to yourself), you won’t regret it.

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

Publication Date: October 17, 2023

ARC — What the River Knows — Isabel Ibañez — The Secrets of the Nile #1

Genre: Young Adult, General Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Discusses death of parent, kidnapping, murder, colonization, cultural appropriation, and violence in general. Contains some romantic content.

What do you get when you mix a murder mystery of sorts with Egyptology? Well, you get “What the River Knows.” This historial fantasy book is set in the 1800s and it follows Inez Olivera, a Bolivian-Argentinian that sails to Egypt in search for answers after getting word that her parents had died a tragic death in that side of the world.

I am officially a goner for Isabel Ibañez’s storytelling. I loved her novel “Together We Burn” and I thought it would be hard to top, but Ibañez has done just that with “What the River Knows”. I love how she incorporates latin-ness into her novels without it feeling forced or just a diversity token, she engrains this characters with true purpose and identity.

Left with a cliffhanger, I’m a bit anxious about what this duology will bring—like, really, why did that Epilogue have to come along a tear my heart out? Either way this was a very entertaining and captivating read that I would particularly recommend if you’re a fan of Agatha Christie books and Egyptian lore.

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

Publication Date: October 31, 2023

If Only They Knew — Megan Foster

“I may be safe from the paparazzi but I’m far from safe, if there’s anything worse than tabloid news it’s high school gossip.”

Genre: Young Adult
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like alcoholism and stalking. Mentions cheating, divorce, and parental abandonment. Contains some romantic content.

“If Only They Knew” follows Lorri Johnson, an aspiring artist, and her group of friends as they become acquaintances to the newest American teenage heartthrob, Jackson Peters, during his UK concert leg. After a very public confrontation, paparazzi take the story for a ride and link Lorri and Jackson in a way that couldn’t be further from the truth. Shining a light on what it’s like to become famous at a young age but also what it is to be a teenager trying to find yourself, this debut novel is as sweet as they come.

Don’t let yourself be bamboozled by a simple cover, because yes, this was a cute, superstar romance, but it also touched on some heavy subjects, like underage drinking, alcoholism, and feeling like you can’t be yourself. I loved how Lorri and Jackson connected, I would give anything to peak more into their story and how the long distance, busy schedules, and fame in general treated these gentle souls.

Are you looking for a short and clean superstar romance read that’s readily available through Kindle Unlimited? Then “If Only They Knew” is for you.

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ARC — The Search for Us — Susan Azim Boyer

“Thank you.” (…)
“What did I do?” (…)
“You’re the one who jumped in my truck and said, ‘Drive.’” (…)
“You’re the one who drove.” (…)
“We make a great team,”

Genre: Young Adult, General Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 1 fire emoji
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like parental abandonment and alcoholism leading to DUIs and casualties.

This is a story of what means to be a family—is it blood or is it something more abstract? “The Search for Us” follows Samira Murphy and Henry Owen, two half siblings that knew nothing about each other’s existence. They both, separately, take DNA tests in an attempt to find their father, but end up finding each other instead.

Told through two points of view, this book was both sweet and infuriating. I even thought about DNFing at one point because I was so mad at Samira. So so mad. She is the picture perfect representation of codependence—she is willing to put her future in jeopardy in order to save others. That’s how moving Susan Azim Boyer’s writing was, really. I wanted to drop everything because I was so infuriated.

If you’re looking for a general fiction YA novel that touches deeply on heavy subjects like adoption, parental abandonment, and alcoholism, written by someone who not only did their research but actually know people in similar situations (and consulted them), then “The Search for Us” is exactly what you need.

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

Publication Date: October 24, 2023

ARC — Maybe Once, Maybe Twice — Alison Rose Greenberg

“Maggie, you have to at least look like you care. It’s your thirty-fifth birthday, not your funeral.”

“Feels a little like my funeral.”

Genre: Women’s Fiction
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on heavy subjects like sexual assault, death, infertility, and suicide. Contains some sexual content.

What are the chances that you’d be promised true love not once, but twice? “Maybe Once, Maybe Twice” follows Maggie Vine, an aspiring singer, as she reconnects with two very important men in her life—men that, at different points of her story, she promised to marry if she turned 35 and they were both still unwed.

Told through shifting timelines, we get to see life through Maggie’s eyes at different stages of her adulthood—and even childhood. Alison Rose Greenberg’s writing is engaging and entertaining while not getting the timelines so tangled up you get confused; the back and forth just feeds your curiosity to see how it will all turn out in the end.

I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed it so much, actually, that I read it in less than 24 hours, I just couldn’t put it down wondering who Maggie would end up with. I would highly recommend this book if you’re a reader that enjoys your romantic fiction with heavy subjects, lots of flashbacks, and alternating timelines.

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

Publication Date: October 3, 2023

“I was thirty-five, and the road less traveled was officially a dead end.”

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 — Magnolia Parks — Jessa Hastings — Magnolia Parks Universe #1

“How many loves do you get in a lifetime?”

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Describes drug use, abuse, and overdose. Touches on child death, emotional abuse, and panic attacks. Contains some sexual content.

“Magnolia Parks” is the first book in the Magnolia Parks Universe series and, well, it follows Magnolia Parks, to no one’s surprise. These books are being re-published with new covers through Dutton, but I bet you’ve heard all about them, I know I had. This book follows Magnolia Parks and her childhood sweetheart, BJ Ballentine, as they continuously shatter their own hearts over and over again. Through rebounds and way too much back and forth, they’ll take you on a wild ride in London’s luxurious scene.

Look, I hate cheating. I hate books about cheating, I hate songs about cheating, it’s my big no no for tropes. So tell me, why did I love Magnolia Parks? But well, I did. This book is for the Gossip Girl girlies that love that toxic Blaire and Chuck romance arc. It wasn’t as explicit as I thought it would be, but that tension really brought me through.

If you’re looking for a book that’ll give you a glimpse on the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s London’s elite, then “Magnolia Parks” is it. As part of a series, I’m glad to find out this isn’t the last we’ll see of Magnolia, as the third installment is back on with her point of view, I legit can’t wait to see where this mess will lead her to.

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

Publication Date: August 8, 2023

ARC — Text Appeal — Amber Roberts

Genre: Romance
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Touches on subjects like workplace sexism and having anxiety about job security. Contains explicit sexual content.

As soon as I saw this book marketed as one for Olivia Dade fans, I knew I had to get my hands on it—and I must say, Amber Roberts did not disappoint. “Text Appeal” follows Lark, the only woman programmer at a firm, in the aftermath after she accidentally projects an unsolicited, scandalous picture in front of her coworkers during a presentation. Now unemployed and needing that cashflow, she starts sexting for pay, at the suggestion of a friend. But how is she supposed to come clean to her best friend (and unrequited crush) Toby? That’s a problem for future Lark, perhaps.

I know some say this book was a bit of a slowburn, but I absolutely loved the pacing of this romance. And so, while the story’s pacing was engaging and quite funny at times, a few plot points felt predictable. The inevitable third-act conflict (you’ll see it coming a mile away) leans a little too hard into the classic miscommunication trope, which isn’t it for me. Still, the chemistry between these characters is just so intoxicating. I was giggling, kicking my feet, that’s all I’ll say.

“Text appeal” is for anyone who’s ever overanalyzed a text (or twenty-two), secretly fallen for someone online, or just needs a feel-good escape filled with laughs and swoony moments.

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

Publication Date: August 08, 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