Throne of the Fallen by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Throne of the Fallen

Author: Kerri Maniscalco

Format: ebook (own)

Pages: 627

Publication Date: 10/3/23

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult

Sinner. Villain. Wicked.

The Prince of Envy has never claimed to be a saint. But when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows it will take more than a hint of sin to win and save his falling demon court. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin like no other…

Virtuous. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows Waverly Green’s most notorious rake to blackmail her. To avoid a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Envy, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Underworld—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm and beyond—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love.

Content Warning: violence, blood drinking (vampires)

We return to the Underworld and the domain of a few familiar naughty demon princes. This is Prince Envy’s story and it’s quite a story.

+ I like being back in this world that we were introduced to in Kingdom of the Wicked. I feel we get a better feel for kingdoms outside of Hell. In this story we get to venture to Faerie and even the domain of the vampires (which was kind of my favorite part of the book). I felt like the world building was much more rich in this book which I enjoyed. It was interesting how the book sort of read like a regency romance! It mentioned the gossip papers (very Bridgerton) but I think it worked for this story.

+ I’m so glad this book is in the adult genre – which I think KOTW should have been as well, at least New Adult. But I think it sits perfectly in the adult genre because now the author can write as many sex scenes as she wants without shocking her audience.

+ Camilla is a woman with lots of secrets. What is she? That was my question throughout the whole book but I think I figured it out halfway through since it only made sense. Camilla and Envy were quite a match. She was strong when she needed to be, but you could always kind of tell her secret meant she had hidden powers. Envy was interesting but oh so stubborn. I like how he cared for his people and his interactions with his brothers are always funny. I did like how Camilla and Envy were always testing one another and trying to push the other’s buttons when it came to their attraction, it brought heightened tension between them but I really was annoyed with Envy’s one night rule. As if he could stick to that rule with Camilla. Ha! This one has the spicy scenes that the KOTW was missing but it definitely builds up to it.

+ This story was centered on a game that was being played and Envy had to win to save his people. Camilla is also pulled into the game and you don’t quite know who the other players are until something happens to reveal them. But it did keep me reading to see how everything would play out.

~ This book was long and it took me 3 or 4 days to finish which was fine. I don’t mind reading a book slowly but I think because it was a story about a high stake game, I wanted it tighter and a faster paced. But this reads more like a mystery (which isn’t my favorite genre because of the slowness) so if you like mysteries you will enjoy this one.

~ I adore Camilla and Envy together but something was missing for me. Maybe because Envy’s sin is just jealousy which is fine…but hello Price Sloth! A house full of books? He’s the prince I want! Anyway no hate towards Envy I did like how he cared for his people.

My Final Thoughts:

This is a great edition to the world of KOTW and I wonder who’s book we will get next. I think Prince Lust and Sloth are the ones that intrigue me a lot but looks like Pride’s story would be next?

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Kingdom of the Wicked | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of the Cursed by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of the Feared by. Kerri Maniscalco | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vows & Ruins by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr #2)

Author: Helen Scheuerer

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 501

Publication Date: 9/21/23

Categories: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance, Romantasy

Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr.

But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies – defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands – will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.

Content Warning: violence

This is book two in The Legends of Thezmarr series and though it’s filled with everything I usually like in a romantasy.

+ After the events in book one, Thea, has to deal with a few things. She is a lost princess and her sister has been keeping that a secret and Thea is angry with her for that. Wilder has left her after them sharing a very passionate moment so yes, she is going through it. But she has to face both of them eventually but she’s forced to be around Wilder since he is her mentor. Thea does a better job at avoiding her sister.

+ Thea is a more powerful character now because she’s training harder with Wilder and she’s learning more about her powers and her past.

+ This book is full of steam and spice! So if you think it was missing in book one, well it’s all here. Thea and Wilder are hot for one another but also have to try and stay away from each other because she’s training to be a warrior of Thezmarr. But it doesn’t work no matter how much they try, they can’t keep their hands off one another.

~ Book one was already such a slow burn, that I was kind of tired of the continuous push and pull between them in this book. It did allow them for a moment to grow as friends which I liked but it was a lot of work to get them to finally say okay, we’re going to be all in and try it out.

~ The book is a little too long and it took me a few days to push through this one. I don’t know if it’s because of my mood but I thought I would devour this and I didn’t. I think the back and forth about their relationship took too much time to figure out and I wanted the story to move forward (which it did in the end).

My Final Thoughts:

I did like that there was more spice in this one but I also wish the story didn’t take until the ending to move forward since it’s a long book. I think I liked book one more but it will be interesting to see what happens in book three after the twist in this ending.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blood & Steel by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Lair of Bones (Curse of the Cyren Queen #1) by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

With Dagger and Song by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Fabric of Chaos by. Helen Scheuerer | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Six Scorched Roses by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5)

Author: Carissa Broadbent

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 187

Publication Date: 3/21/23

Categories: Novella, Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Series

Six roses. Six vials of blood. Six visits to a vampire who could be her salvation… or her damnation.

Lilith has been dying since the day she was born. But while she long ago came to terms with her own imminent death, the deaths of everyone she loves is an entirely different matter. As her town slowly withers in the clutches of a mysterious god-cursed illness, she takes matters into her own hands.

Desperate to find a cure, Lilith strikes a bargain with the only thing the gods hate even more than her village: a vampire, Vale. She offers him six roses in exchange for six vials of vampire blood–the one hope for her town’s salvation.

But when what begins as a simple transaction gradually becomes something more, Lilith is faced with a terrifying realization: It’s dangerous to wander into the clutches of a vampire… and in a place already suffering a god’s wrath, more dangerous still to fall in love with one.

Six Scorched Roses is a standalone fantasy romance novella set in the world of the Crowns of Nyaxia series, perfect for those who love dark, romantic tales with bite and fans of Sarah J. Maas or Jennifer L. Armentrout.

Content Warning: violence, illness

I don’t read novellas because they novellas always feel they are too short and sometimes doesn’t feel complete or has me wanting more. But I was craving a book about vampires and miss the Nyaxia world so I took a chance on this one.

+ Even though this is a novella clocking in at 187 pages, this feels like a full complete story! I remember mentions of Lord Vale and Lilith in the series so I love that this is their story.

+ I love how Lilith is a scientist and she’s trying to help her people who are dying from the plague. She does this by experimenting with vampire blood but first she needs to get it. She’s a brave woman who is not afraid to go to Lord Vale’s home and ask for his blood. Vale is a grumpy vampire who is kind of a recluse but only because he is trying to stay away from the turmoil in his homeland. I like how he and Lilith share a common love of knowledge.

+ It’s a novella so the romance has to happen quick but I love how she only interacts with him once a month to get his blood. During their interactions they come together to do the research together. When there is a steamy scene between them it’s really good and heartfelt which I was not expecting. I ended up falling in love with them.

~ My only complaint was that this is a novella and I could have read a full length novel about them because the characters are so intriguing.

My Final Thoughts:

I’m glad I finally gave this one a chance! It fulfilled my craving for a vampire, romantasy and plus it’s a book from a series I love. It felt complete as a novella.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Serpent and the Wings of Night by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King by. Carissa Broadbent | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

House of War and Bone by. Leia Stone | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: House of Ash and Shadow (#1)

Author: Leia Stone

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 9/26/23

Categories: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Fae

“And what if I go dark?” I whimpered.
His face sobered. “Then I will jump into the shadows and pull you back to the Light.”

Seventeen-year-old Fallon Bane was born with a a single touch from another person will always cause her excruciating pain. Thus, she has accepted that she will die without ever being kissed, without even hugging her own father.

But when her beloved father falls ill, she breaks into the magical Gilded City to find a healer fae that can save him. When handsome healer Ariyon Madden agrees to help, everything she knows about herself and her curse changes. Because during her father’s healing, Ariyon reaches out and touches her bare skin. She waits for the agony… but it never comes.

For the first time in her life, she imagines a new future for herself. However, that fantasy is short-lived, because not only does Ariyon flee from her in disgust when he learns of her curse; he also reveals her existence to powerful fae who want to hurt her.

Fallon is then swept away to a magical academy, there she learns the terrifying truth about her family history and her dark magic. Her life and the future of fae everywhere hang in the balance, and all the while Fallon is dreaming of being touched by Ariyon Madden one more time before she dies…

Content Warning: violence

I’ve read a few Leia Stone books off and on through the years but I think the last book I read from her made me realize her books aren’t for me anymore. But I wanted to try out this one because I can’t resist the Fae but reading this has reinforced my stance on her books not being for me because I’m not the target audience.

This is a young adult romantasy and I can usually enjoy anything young adult but for some reason this just felt too young for me. It’s perfect for younger readers, but I’m too old for this one – I kept rolling my eyes and Fallon giggling and falling so easily for cute boys. The romance drama is very much something teenagers will love. It’s full of angst and there’s kind of a love triangle with two brothers but kind of not also because only one of them can touch her without activating her curse so we know who she is going to end up with.

Fallon is a cursed girl, who everyone loves but her mother was a dark magic wielder who hurt and killed people and they are afraid Fallon will be the same. But there are people on her side determined not to let her “go dark”. She goes to an academy where she’s supposed to learn about magic and how to control her powers. The story is pretty predictable and I skimmed through the halfway point to the end. My favorite character surprisingly was a bird name Yanric!

My Final Thoughts:

I’m giving it 3 stars because I would have devoured this book in my 20’s. But at my age now I want a little more depth to the characters and story. This one is good for a quick read, and if you are in the mood for some teenage romantasy. But it’s not for me and I won’t be continuing the series.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Dark Bite (Vampire Hunter Society, #1) by. Leia Scott | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Dark Bond by. Leia Stone | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Vampires of El Norte by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Vampires of El Norte

Author: Isabel Cañas

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 371

Publication Date: 8/15/23

Categories: Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Adult Fiction, Romance

Vampires and vaqueros face off on the Texas-Mexico border in this supernatural western from the author of The Hacienda.

As the daughter of a rancher in 1840s Mexico, Nena knows a thing or two about monsters—her home has long been threatened by tensions with Anglo settlers from the north. But something more sinister lurks near the ranch at night, something that drains men of their blood and leaves them for dead.

Something that once attacked Nena nine years ago.

Believing Nena dead, Néstor has been on the run from his grief ever since, moving from ranch to ranch working as a vaquero. But no amount of drink can dispel the night terrors of sharp teeth; no woman can erase his childhood sweetheart from his mind.

When the United States attacks Mexico in 1846, the two are brought abruptly together on the road to war: Nena as a curandera, a healer striving to prove her worth to her father so that he does not marry her off to a stranger, and Néstor as a member of the auxiliary cavalry of ranchers and vaqueros. But the shock of their reunion—and Nena’s rage at Néstor for seemingly abandoning her long ago—is quickly overshadowed by the appearance of a nightmare made flesh.

And unless Nena and Néstor work through their past and face the future together, neither will survive to see the dawn.

Content Warning: violence

I loved this author’s book The Hacienda so I was excited to read Vampires of El Norte and I was not disappointed. I love how this author blends historical fiction and gothic horror together. Her writing is beautiful and I just get so swept away in the story.

There are many things I love about this book. I mentioned the writing, which only makes me want to read more of her work. But I love the historical aspects of the story. This takes place in 1837 and at the border of what is Texas and Mexico. The Yanquis (yankees) are trying to take land from the Mexicans that already own land there. So there is a war between them and the yankees are also described as vampires as well. I was expecting vampires (the kind with fangs) and horror, but I can say that this wasn’t scary at all. I love the setting of the ranchero and how I never realized how creepy and isolated a ranch could be. I also love Abuela’s ghost stories that she tells the children. I could envision a dark ranch, lands for miles, and pitch dark nights as Abuela told her stories. If I was a kid living there, I’d be terrified of the night! And there are vampires but I like the different take on them, where they don’t necessarily kill but can leave a person in susto – a shock to their aura – almost like they are spiritually dead but can be revived by calling them back, calling their spirit forth. I thought that was really fascinating! They do have the fangs in this story and there were some gruesome scenes but not anything that scared me.

Another thing I loved was the romance between Nestor and Nena. They are childhood sweethearts, torn apart by an incident that left both of them broken hearted and now they have a second chance at romance. I love their story and how they have to learn to trust and fight for one another.

I would have liked a little more horror factor to the story just to get some chills and thrills but even without it, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

My Final Thoughts:

I think this author is about to be put on my must-read list! I love her writing and the historical fiction aspect of her stories which I feel makes her books so exciting to read. I do think this one was more historical romance than historical gothic horror but I was entertaining regardless and look forward to her next book!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Hacienda by. Isabel Cañas | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Jasad Heir by. Sara Hashem | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Jasad Heir (The Scorched Throne, #1)

Author: Sara Hashem

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 523

Publication Date: 7/18/23

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Political Intrigue

Ten years ago, the kingdom of Jasad burned. Its magic outlawed; its royal family murdered down to the last child. At least, that’s what Sylvia wants people to believe.

The lost Heir of Jasad, Sylvia never wants to be found. She can’t think about how Nizahl’s armies laid waste to her kingdom and continue to hunt its people—not if she wants to stay alive. But when Arin, the Nizahl Heir, tracks a group of Jasadi rebels to her village, staying one step ahead of death gets trickier.

In a moment of anger Sylvia’s magic is exposed, capturing Arin’s attention. Now, to save her life, Sylvia will have to make a deal with her greatest enemy. If she helps him lure the rebels, she’ll escape persecution.

A deadly game begins. Sylvia can’t let Arin discover her identity even as hatred shifts into something more. Soon, Sylvia will have to choose between the life she wants and the one she left behind. The scorched kingdom is rising, and it needs a queen.

In this Egyptian-inspired debut fantasy, a fugitive queen strikes a deadly bargain with her greatest enemy and finds herself embroiled in a complex game that could resurrect her scorched kingdom or leave it in ashes forever.

Content Warning: violence, trauma, death

The Jasad Heir is an adult fantasy novel with wonderful world building and the slowest slow burn enemies to lovers romance ever. Maybe not EVER…but it sure felt like it. And it will probably be even slower in book two!

Sylvia is the lost heir of a kingdom that was ruled by magic. It’s a kingdom that is no longer one because the surrounding kingdoms put an end to their magic use. Now having and using magic is a crime, so Sylvia stays undercover because if people found out she was the heir to Jasad who supposedly died in the uprising, well – that wouldn’t be good news for the kingdom of Nizahl. I really enjoyed the world building and learning about the different kingdoms. I like that there was two sides to the story of Jasad’s demise. I also love the political intrigue.

I really liked the cat and mouse game between Sylvia and Nizahl’s own heir, Arin. He is cold, doesn’t show much emotion, always steps ahead everyone else and constantly planning traps. Sylvia is his opposite in every way. It’s hard for her to hide her emotions and she is constantly in conflict about her situation. Her people are looking for her, they want someone to lead them but she wants nothing to do with it. She also has powers that are hindered by the magic cuffs her grandparent put on her when she was younger. So she’s constantly questioning her role and responsibilities, if she has any, to her people. I like that she’s not perfect, and wonders if she is truly a horribly selfish person and how being a leader is not something she wants. She’s been traumatized and comes from a scary place of hurt and fear. She can’t even stand people touching her. There is growth for her in the book though as she remembers more of her past, hears recollections of the massacre from both conflicting sides and starting to care for people in her life.

The romance between Arin and Sylvia is such a slow burn. For an adult book, I was hoping for more steam but I can see they have a few things to work between them since they are from rival kingdoms. Arin abhors magic, but Sylvia has tons of magic – so where does this leave them? We’ll see in book two but I really love the tension between them!

It is a long book, coming in at 529 pages so sometimes when a new character’s name would appear I would try to remember who that was because there is a lot of information about the different kingdoms, and many names to know. I think there is some pacing issues also because there was also a lull in the middle and that’s when I put it down to finally go to sleep and picked it up the next day again.

Quotes from the Book:

“When you choose who you are willing to fight for, you choose who you are.” ― Sara Hashem, The Jasad Heir

“You think your mind is a blank slate, where you can build your own networks of information from scratch, through pure logic and reason. You ignore that each child enters a completely unique world, founded on different truths. We build our reality on the foundation our world sets for us. You entered a world where magic is corrosive and Jasadis are inherently evil. I entered one where turning a shoe into a dove made my mother laugh. Have you considered, in that infinite mind of yours, that the truly brilliant people are the ones who understand the realities we build were already built for us?”
― Sara Hashem, The Jasad Heir

Tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn

My Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this debut book and I’m glad I picked it up. I was very much into the political intrigue, world building and characters. The enemies to lovers slow burn was full of tension and that is one thing I’m crazy about in a fantasy with romance is tension! There were some pacing issues but I was still entertained and am looking foward to book two!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Woke Up Like This by. Amy Lea | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Woke Up Like this

Author: Amy Lea

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 300

Publication Date: 9/5/23

Categories: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Rivals To Romance, Time Travel, 13 Going on 30

Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side.

Either they’ve lost their minds or they’ve been drop-kicked into adulthood, forever trapped in the thirty-year-old bodies of their future selves. With each other as their only constant, Charlotte and Renner discover all that’s changed in the time they’ve missed. Charlotte also learns there’s more to Renner than irritating-jock charm, and that reaching the next milestone isn’t as important as what happens in between.

Navigating a series of adventures and a confounding new normal, Charlotte and Renner will do whatever it takes to find a way back to seventeen. But when―and if―they do, what then?

Content Warning:

I read one book of Amy Lea, Exes & O’s, and loved it so when I saw she wrote a YA book I had to get my hands on it. If you like the movie 13 Going on 30, you will love this book. I love that movie so I was kind of scared that the time travel wouldn’t work so well in this story because time travel in some books always throw me off unless it’s done well. I think it’s done well in this one. And even though they do go into the future for a little bit and become 30 years old – this is mainly a young adult book.

Charlotte and J.T. are high school rivals. They are always competing, and Char can’t stand it. But she used to like him and he maybe he used to like her but the rivalry between them clouds everything until they are transported into the future and realize they are engaged.

I thought this story was so cute. I love the rivalry between Char and J.T. but I also like the other things going on like Char and her relationship with her estranged dad. She’s also questioning some of her friendships and I just found all of this Senior year angst about the last few weeks, prom, college, family, friends, and the future so relatable.

There was lots of sparks between Char and J.T. when she let her guard down and saw him for more than just someone she loathes. Char could be a little bit high strung and type-A but J.T. is her opposite and they made a cute couple eventually. I liked how going into the future made Char see that she had to enjoy the present instead of worrying about the future.

Quote from the Book:

“For some reason, I always thought adults made decisions with purpose. That they knew what they were doing all the time. But maybe adults are just like teens, bumbling around aimlessly, unsure if they’ve gotten it right.”

Tropes: rivals to lovers

My Final Thoughts:

This was a fun book to read and I love how it’s inspired by a sweet rom-com like 13 Going on 30. If you like that movie and books like To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, you will enjoy this one.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Exes & O’s by. Amy Lea | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Forget Me Not by. Julie Soto | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Forget Me Not

Author: Julie Soto

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 7/11/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance, Second Chance Romance

An ambitious wedding planner must work with her grumpy florist ex, whose heart she broke, on the most high-profile wedding of her career, in this spicy and emotional romance from popular fanfic author Julie Soto.

He loves me; he loves me not…

Ama Torres loves being a wedding planner. But with a mother who has been married more times than you can count on your fingers, Ama has decided that marriage is not the route for her. But weddings? Weddings are amazing. As a small business owner, she knows how to match her clients with the perfect vendor to give them the wedding of their dreams. Well, almost perfect…

Elliot hates being a florist, most of the time. When his father left him the flower shop, he considered it a burden, but he’s stuck with it. Just like how he’s stuck with the way he proposed to Ama, his main collaborator and girlfriend (or was she?) two years ago. But flowers have grown on him, just like Ama did. And flowers can’t run off and never speak to him again, like Ama did.

When Ama is hired to plan a celebrity wedding that will bring her business national exposure, there’s a catch: Elliot is already contracted to design the flowers. Things are not helped by the two brides, who see the obvious chemistry between Ama and Elliot and are determined to set them up, not knowing their complicated history. Add in a meddling ex-boss, and a reality TV film crew documenting every step of the wedding prep, and Ama and Elliot’s hearts are not only in jeopardy again, but this time, their livelihoods are too.

Content Warning: fear of commitment

I was so excited to read Forget Me Not because I was seeing it every on blogs and I was seeing good things about it! Now that I’ve read it I can see why people loved it so much.

This one is a second chance romance and I love how we are introduced to Ama and Elliot then get peeks into their past. I like how the past scenes built with the tension going on between them in the present day. Also, I love a wedding planner kind of story because it reminds me so much of the movie, The Wedding Planner, which was such a cute rom-com! This story is obviously different from that, but I love the whole wedding planner thing.

And I really love Elliot as a florist! I don’t blame Ama for falling for this guy who is so knowledgeable about flowers and so talented with installations. Yes, he is Mr. Grumpy and she’s Miss Sunshine and I love how she got past his defenses. Their past story is so cute and the heartbreak was sad but I could totally understand both their point of views. I think it makes their second chance romance story even more sweeter! The sparks are there between them and never really went away. They do have some spicy scenes which just adds to their chemistry – but I love the little awkward scenes between them too – I had some laugh out loud moments.

There are a bunch of fun side characters too – the couple who is getting married, Hazel and Jackie area cute couple. And I love how yes, Ama’s mother has had 14 marriages so she’s had a multitude of ex step-siblings, some that she employs! I especially love Mar.

Tropes: second chance romance, grumpy/sunshine

My Final Thoughts:

I love Ama and Elliott’s second chance romance. He’s grumpy, she’s sunshine and the sparks fly between them. I thought their love story was sweet and I love that there was a big wedding to plan while they tried to not bring up their past with one another. If you like wedding planner type of romance stories, you will definitely enjoy this one. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Unfortunately Yours by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess, #2)

Author: Tessa Bailey

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/6/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance

A down-on-her-luck Napa heiress suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.

After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him–and kiss him, in equal measure.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways–assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

Content Warning: PTSD, grief

If you read Secretly Yours, then you will have met these two characters, Natalie (Julian’s sister) and August, in that story. So this story starts off right away with Natalie and August already going at it with the sexual innuendos, but it’s an enemies to lovers romance so Natalie is always trying to take him down a notch and August likes the torture and tries to match her tit for tat (literally lol). He is obsessed with her breasts – and tells her every chance he gets.

I thought the two of them were so funny because both of them are hot-heads and want to get their way. August is an ex-Navy SEAL so he is a bit intense but funny too. Natalie was intense too when it came to finance – the two of them was chaos at times but fun chaos. And when they finally relieve the sexual tension between its explosive, dirty, loud, and intense as they both are. I thought it was cute how they finally admitted to feelings for one another though.

I think this was the perfect sequel to Secretly Yours and very different from Julian and Hallie. It has the same spice, and more laughs in this one. I do think if you didn’t read the first book, you’d be shocked at how Natalie and August are already off to the races with hating and wanting one another. So just be aware of that if you didn’t read the first book.

Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience

My Final Thoughts:

I think Natalie and August make a great couple because of how they can set each other down but not be too offended. It’s a turn on for them actually! This story has enough spice to keep things juicy and enough laughs to make you root for the both of them.

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Secretly Yours by. Tessa Bailey | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Hook, Line and Sinker by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It Happened One Summer by. Tessa Bailey | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Happy Place by. Emily Henry | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Happy Place

Author: Emily Henry

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 4/25/23

Categories: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Chick-Lit, Romance

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week… in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Content Warning: grief, depression

I usually love Emily Henry books and I was excited for this one but maybe I should have read more reviews about it? I didn’t feel this one at all – and I don’t know if it was because I wasn’t in the mood or I just didn’t love the second-chance romance that this story is centered on. Or I wasn’t connecting to the characters? Maybe it was a combination of all of it.

Harriet and Wyn have broken up but they didn’t tell their best friends and they all meet up at their “happy place” at a cottage in Maine for one last hurrah before the cottage gets sold.

I did like Harriet talking about “happy places” in the past – the past chapters start with the place description. I will say sometimes I was confused if I was reading past or present at first. I can relate to the good ‘ol days with my college friends. It’s such a special time when you make new friendships in college that continue after you graduate. And I did love seeing how tight everyone was, even Kimmy who is Cleo’s girlfriend and kind of the newish one to the group – but she fits in. They have lots of memories and you can feel the closeness between all of them.

I also did like how reality sets in for the friends and they acknowledge how maybe they haven’t done a good job at keeping up with one another (because of time differences, space, etc…) since they all live apart now. But this mostly happens at the end of the book. For the most part it’s about Harriet and Wyn. They were together for 8 years and something or lots of things broke them…but we only get all the information later in the book, and that frustrated me. I struggled to read this one.

Harriet and Wyn being together “one last time” maybe felt like this book was about closure, possibly? And I appreciated their truths when it was revealed but why did it take so long to actually say what they wanted or talk about the break-up and how it happened. The communication between these two was driving me crazy but I get it shows how sometimes or LOTS of times, communication is one of the hardest parts of being in a committed relationship. I also didn’t connect to Harriet and Wyn or any of the characters – maybe Chloe is who I liked the most but everyone else? Not really.

A lot of the problems between the couples and friendships were so real in this book which is great but I was maybe hoping for a more lighthearted story because it was called Happy Place! Spoiler, there is a “happy” ending but I wasn’t feeling happy by the end of this lol…just tired.

Tropes: one bed, second chance romance

My Final Thoughts:

There were some things in this book I liked: the college best friends, the realness about friendships that maybe fall apart a little after moving away from one another, and the importance of communication in any worthwhile relationships. Because we see what happens when the communication is stunted – relationships can strain, they can break. But miscommunication in a story can be so frustrating sometimes, and that’s what this book mostly made me feel. I was going to rate it a 2.5 but then bumped it to a three because there were a lot of real issues she brought up in the book that I like, but it just made me feel sad. This one is my least favorite Emily Henry book, but hopefully the next one is better for me.