Love & Lattes by. Beth Reekles | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Love & Lattes

Author: Beth Reekles

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 10/22/24

Publisher: Delacorte Romance

Categories: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Workplace Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Delacorte Romance for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

From the author of the bestselling phenomenon, the Kissing Booth, comes another sizzling story about an overachieving girl who unknowingly kisses the one guy she shouldn’t the night before her new internship begins.

One summer internship. Two complete opposites. And a connection neither expected…

Annalise Sherwood has worked herself to the bone to get a place on a prestigious internship program and nothing is going to stop her now. Work hard, play later, that’s her motto. She figures one night letting her guard down won’t hurt, though – especially when it ends with the best kiss of her life.

But to Anna’s horror, she discovers that the mystery guy she kissed that night is none other than Lloyd, the company CEO’s son. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he’s everyone’s favorite guy and a total charmer, swanning around like he owns the place. And from the moment they meet again, he rubs Anna up the wrong way.

As the summer and the internship wane on, Lloyd seems to be finding any excuse to annoy Anna, and she’s not afraid to give it right back to him. But when a lot of late night working brings them unexpectedly closer, she begins to wonder if there’s more to him than she originally thought..

Content Warning: strained parental relationships

Likes:

+ Annalise is an intern and she’s making new friends, learning the ropes and also trying to avoid a workplace romance with the guy she met before she realized with is the CEO’s son. I like how we see her journey trying to succeed on her own. Also she has some mom-issues that eventually get worked out by the end of the story

+ The romance interested me more in the second half of the book. For the first half, Annalise and Lloyd are trying to figure out how to remain being coworkers and fighting an attraction. But it really develops more in the second half when they can’t fight it anymore. But even from there it’s not easy for them.

Dislikes:

~ I didn’t really love either character. Lloyd seems like a good character in the beginning but I thought he came off as a jerk in some situations, especially when more things about Anna are revealed. As for Anna, I think there was too much back and forth, debating on her feelings about Lloyd. I can see how both of them got frustrated but I didn’t like Lloyd.

~ The romance is too slow, like I said, too much back and forth between them.

Final Thoughts:

I enjoyed this story more in the second half than the first and I didn’t quite warm up to Lloyd so overall I thought it was an okay book.

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It’s Not Me, It’s you by. Alex Light | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: It’s Not Me, It’s You

Author: Alex Light

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 11/5/24

Publisher: HarperCollins

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to HarperCollins for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

The snark and instant chemistry of Better Than the Movies meets the indulgent summer fun and family hijinks of The Summer of Broken Rules in this compulsively readable rom-com from Alex Light, author of The Upside of Falling.

Jackie Myers is a fraud. Or she might be a genius—the jury’s still out.

The thing is, she secretly runs pleasebreakmyheart, a gone-viral account aimed at breaking hearts and ending relationships…. And she just used it to break up her insufferable eternal nemesis’s picture-perfect relationship.

Wilson is the buttoned-up, type A assistant manager of her nightmares—but it turns out he’s also, apparently, a really great boyfriend.

So with her conscience (and paycheck) on the line, Jackie decides there’s only one thing to do: She’s going to help Wilson win his ex-girlfriend back. Which should be easy, considering Jackie hates him…right?

I needed a light contemporary romance book to balance out all my fantasy reads and so I read this one. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ This one is a quick read and it’s light on the romance. It’s a coming of age story about a girl named Jackie who doesn’t know what her next steps are after high school but that doesn’t mean she’s not doing anything about that. She runs a romance advice blog that has been going viral, and for her day job, she dresses up in a frog costume and deals with the kids. Not only that, her older sister got her a job at her workplace. So it’s not like Jackie is not trying, she’s definitely trying to find her way and that’s relatable.

+ There is an enemies to lovers romance between Jackie and her manager, Wilson. I thought their banter was really funny. He’s uptight and Jackie is the opposite. They would have stayed enemies is Jackie didn’t offer to help him get his ex-girlfriend back. I thought it was a cute romance.

+ Jackie’s relationship with her older twin sisters, Jillian and Julie, is a big part of this story. They are already almost set in their careers so it makes Jackie feel like she’s a person with no direction. The sisters definitely have a close bond and a lot of the conflict in the story deals with mostly that relationship. There is another relationship that is important to her, which is the one she has with her best friend who is leaving for college, so Jackie is juggling a lot of things at one time.

Dislikes:

~ I felt like Wilson came off older than Jackie – and he is – but he just seemed way older than her even though they were only like a year or two apart in age. He is set with a lot of responsibility though, so I can see that but there were times I just couldn’t picture him as a 19 year old.

Final Thoughts:

I read this book fairly quick and I think for teens and young adults, they would relate a lot with Jackie. I was looking for a light, young adult, contemporary romance and this one is pretty entertaining.

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Book Links:

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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author:

The Upside of Falling by. Alex Light | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Winter Wish by. Emily Stone | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Winter Wish

Author: Emily Stone

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 368

Publication Date: 10/15/24

Publisher: Dell

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Christmas Romance, Holiday Romance, Travel

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Dell for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When an unexpected inheritance forces two total opposites to work together, Lexie must decide if Theo is going to push her out—or pull her in for the kiss of a lifetime—in this heartwarming holiday novel from the author of Always, in December and One Last Gift

When Lexie learns of her father’s death, she doesn’t know how to feel; they’ve barely spoken in the last ten years. And she’s even more confused when she discovers he’s left her half of his holiday travel company, a successful niche business specializing in trips that explore the holiday traditions of cultures all over the world.

Meanwhile, the other half of the company has been left to her father’s handsome but bad-tempered young executive, Theo. And the will stipulates that the two of them must find a way to run the company together for a year before they decide its fate.

Lexie intends to leave once the year is over, even though, as a wanderer herself, she finds the company’s mission more compelling than she first thought. And a work trip to sizzling Spain reveals a chemistry between Lexie and Theo that is impossible to deny.

There may have been some snap judgments made about each other. But mixing business and pleasure isn’t always a good idea.

Content Warning: death of parent, strained family relationships

I felt like this story was a little more than a holiday romance. Did it have elements of Christmas in it? Yes, but what I really love about it is the travel destinations the characters take in this story and the story about mending relationships. Lexie’s dad has died all of a sudden and is leaving her his travel company but she doesn’t want it because she didn’t have the best relationship with her dad. He left their family, remarried, and she basically cut him off from her life. His death makes her revisit memories of her childhood with him, and how her love of travel actually stems from him. Lexie has a fear of commitment because of her dad but her stance is questioned when she meets Theo, who seemed to be close to her dad and worked for him.

Lexie has a lot of issues to deal with when it comes to her dad’s memory, her half-sister Rachel, and this new guy Theo. I love how the company becomes a found family for her though and maybe Lexie didn’t have a relationship with her dad, but she has a best friend in her mom. I enjoyed how the author tackled the issue of commitment and wanting to be free to move around as opposed to staying put in one place.

I thought the romance was cute and progressed nicely from rivals, to partners and to something more. I actually loved how they would travel to destinations together – I was thinking what a cool job to be working in a travel company!

Final Thoughts:

This was a fun, heart-warming, holiday romance story and I look forward to reading more from this author!

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Deja Brew by. Celestine Martin | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Deja Brew (Elemental Love, #3)

Author: Celestine Martin

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 356

Publication Date: 10/1/24

Publisher: Forever

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Cozy, Paranomal Romance, Witches

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Forever for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this spellbinding rom-com about a wish gone wrong, two opposites might just get a second chance at love, perfect for fans of New York Times bestsellers Payback’s a Witch and The Ex Hex.

Ex-celebrity chef Sirena Caraway has had the wackiest October ever. Her cooking powers are on the fritz, she failed to land a career-saving job, and she embarrassed herself at the town’s Halloween party. Just before midnight, she makes a desperate wish for a second chance to fix her life. The next morning Sirena wakes up and realizes that she’s repeating the entire pumpkin spice-flavored month. Even sweeter, she runs into Gus Dearworth, whose magic leaves her spellbound.

A former reality star, Gus moved to Freya Grove to rebuild his reputation and heal his broken heart, but his restless magic is tempting him to return to the spotlight. And his secret crush on Sirena is making him want to try something dangerous like fall in love again. When Sirena realizes he can help her fix her powers, Gus makes her a deal. If she’ll help decipher a mysterious cookbook in his collection, he’ll help get her magical groove back.

Every encounter offers a new adventure—from tasting menus, harvest mazes, and a growing attraction that’s taking on an irresistible enchantment of its own. But as the month winds down and the wish grows stronger, Sirena and Gus have a decision to make. Will their second chance be their happy-ever-after ending or a bittersweet memory?

Let me begin by saying I did not read the two other books in this series but I loved the cover so much and I wanted to read a Fall romance book. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

+ This is such a cute Fall romance book! Look at the cover and it totally represents everything about the story. It’s cozy, it has witches, a magician, food, romance, magic and pumpkins! I also like the feel of community in this book.

+ The romance is sweet. Gus and Sirena are friends first and then grow steadily into lovers. It’s a slow burn but I thought their relationship was really cute because he’s a nice guy and she’s a sweet lady and there wasn’t any huge problems between them. The spice is mild but I think it goes well with how the story is told.

+ This can be read as a standalone but it made me curious about the first two books.

Dislikes:

+ I think the romance was cute but I didn’t feel very connected to the characters.

Final Thoughts:

This story is full of FALL vibes and I think it’s definitely something you should add to your reading list if you are looking for something witchy, magical and cozy.

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When the World Tips Over by. Jandy Nelson | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: When the World Tips Over

Author: Jandy Nelson

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 528

Publication Date: 9/24/24

Publisher: Dial Books

Categories: Young Adult, Mental Health, Contemporary, Magical Realism, LGBT+, Family

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Dial Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

An explosive new novel brimming with love, secrets, and enchantment

The Fall siblings live in hot Northern California wine country, where the sun pours out of the sky, and the devil winds blow so hard they whip the sense right out of your head.

Years ago, the Fall kids’ father mysteriously disappeared, cracking the family into pieces. Now Dizzy Fall, age twelve, bakes cakes, sees spirits, and wishes she were a heroine of a romance novel. Miles Fall, seventeen, brainiac, athlete, and dog-whisperer, is a raving beauty, but also lost, and desperate to meet the kind of guy he dreams of. And Wynton Fall, nineteen, who raises the temperature of a room just by entering it, is a virtuoso violinist set on a crash course for fame . . . or self-destruction.

Then an enigmatic rainbow-haired girl shows up, tipping the Falls’ world over. She might be an angel. Or a saint. Or an ordinary girl. Somehow, she is vital to each of them. But before anyone can figure out who she is, catastrophe strikes, leaving the Falls more broken than ever. And more desperate to be whole.

With road trips, rivalries, family curses, love stories within love stories within love stories, and sorrows and joys passed from generation to generation, this is the intricate, luminous tale of a family’s complicated past and present. And only in telling their stories can they hope to rewrite their futures.

Content Warning: family trauma, family secrets, parental abandonment, parental neglect, sexual assault, profanity

The last time I read a Jandy Nelson book was 10 years ago when she published I’ll Give You the Sun and I loved it. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one but I knew it would be emotional. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

The characters are so unique! Dizzy, Miles and Wynton are siblings and dealing with their dad leaving them years ago in very different ways. Cassidy who is living the nomad life with her mother who has some mental health issues that she doesn’t quite understand. Each one of them has a different story to tell and a different journey. I like how real each one of them are.
I think the characters that stood out most to me in this book was Cassidy and Miles. Cassidy’s story is really touching, scary, but touching. Miles is the perfect son, but he’s hiding his true self, and he has a dog that he can communicate with mentally!
This story is made up of so many stories – but one emerges in the second half and it’s the story of Bernadette who is the mother of Dizzy and the two boys. It’s intense.
One thing this book does is make you feel all kinds of emotions – especially in the second half of the story when truths are exposed.

Dislikes:

It was hard for me to get into this story because there are so many characters, and also so many stories. Each character is telling their story and in their own way, then midway into the book there is the story about the Fall ancestors. It was a little too much for me and felt too long.
I struggled with the pacing. When it was Cassidy’s POV, I felt immersed and steady in the story but when it was the other POV’s I was thrown off and there are letters too. I think the whole story was choppy which kind of works because this story is a wild, emotional ride, but it was also frustrating.

Final Thoughts:

I had a hard time rating this book because I struggled in the first part of it but I pushed through and I found some of this story really raw and compelling, especially Cassidy’s. This book is emotional. It’s a book that’s hard to describe but has everything from romance, to magic, to family drama, trauma and secrets. I wish the pacing was better and it was a little long. I don’t think I loved it the way I loved I’ll Give You the Sun but it’s definitely a memorable story and I actually think this would be actually great as a tv series because the characters are so compelling. Overall, this is a compelling read.

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Other Books by This Author:

I’ll Give You the Sun by. Jandy Nelson – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nothing Like the Movies by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Nothing Like the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #2)

Author: Lynn Painter

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/24/24

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Sequel

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

In this highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestselling Better than the Movies, Wes and Liz struggle to balance their feelings for each other with the growing pains of being a college student.

For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process.

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him.

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend.

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Content Warning: death of parent, grief

I loved Better Than the Movies so when I saw that this was a sequel to it I was hesitant to read it because I loved the first one so much! Also it was so good I didn’t think it needed a sequel.

Wes and Liz left me so happy in the first book, but in this one it’s about them growing, struggling, being broken up, and trying to get back to what they were but with so many changes that have happened in to them – it’s kind of impossible to get that magic back.

I thought it was interesting to see how both Wes and Liz navigate college in a different state. Liz is doing really good for herself and embracing everything in college. But wow, I really felt for Wes. He went through so much and he did the hard work to try and get his life back on track. And it really made me sad that they weren’t together, after everything that happened in BTTM. It was too much reality for me! As for the second chance romance? I get the yearning for one another, of what it used to be, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Which makes me wish I didn’t pick up this sequel so I can keep the Wes and Liz from BTTM in my mind. I mean it’s evident Wes is always going to love Liz. But this is one where Liz has to take her time with finding her way back to him.

There is a lot of pop culture reference in this one, which I thought was fine in the previous book because it was movies. But this one used music to tie Wes and Liz together and I think it’s fun but at times maybe a little too much?

My Thoughts:

I think this one will be one of those books you either love or don’t think was necessary and I’m in definitely in the team that found this sequel unnecessary. Overall, it was interesting to see the characters grow and deal with life, but it was also sad, especially for Wes! I just miss the magic, fun and giddiness that the first book made me feel.

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Happily Never After by. Lynn Painter| Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Betting on You by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Love Wager by. Lynn Painter | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Better Than the Movies | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Can’t Help Falling in Love by. Sophie Sullivan | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Can’t Help Falling in Love

Author: Sophie Sullivan

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 304

Publication Date: 9/17/24

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Fall Romance, Holiday Romance, Fake Dating

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A struggling waitress and the heir to a major Seattle company stumble into a high-profile fake engagement while simultaneously trying to keep up with their own love lives in this flirty fall rom-com!

Lexi Danby is looking for some no-strings, fall fun. Once a college track star, she was forced to drop out when her father passed away. Now she’s trying to make ends meet while putting herself through school and caring for her grieving mother. When her comically bad waitressing lands her directly in the path of a handsome, charming stranger named Will, Lexi may just have found the distraction she’s been looking for. Their first date looks promising until a misunderstanding at a party thrusts Lexi and Will into a fake engagement they can’t talk themselves out of. And Will turns out to be a member of Seattle royalty.

Will Grand is heir to a major company, and Seattle’s most eligible bachelor. But he’s been placed in charge of an important merger with a company that values family above all else, and needs to show them that he’s settled down. While a fake engagement is advantageous from a business standpoint, it’s not so great for a budding relationship with a woman who’s wary of commitment. With a woman who Will is beginning to care about much more than he could have anticipated.

As Lexi gets a taste of Will’s glamorous world and the pair keeps up the pretense of their fake engagement for the press, they decide to see where a more casual relationship takes them out of the spotlight. And amid apple picking in comfy flannels, outdoor breweries in the crisp air, and fun Halloween preparations, Lexi starts to realize the scariest part of the season might just be taking a chance on love.

“Sophie Sullivan consistently crafts romances to root for.” -Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love and In the Case of Heartbreak

Content Warning: death of parent, grief

Lexi is in her mid-20’s and is struggling a bit through school, jobs and keeping everything together after her dad passed away. I really felt for Lexi because you can see she is trying hard and she’s patient with her mom who is in a period of grieving to the point she doesn’t want to get out of bed sometimes. When Will comes into her life accidentally and they agree to fake date, I felt like everything seemed to work out well for them like their chemistry, their attraction and there wasn’t really any conflict between them besides Lexi being fearful of falling in love and losing that love.

This was a cute, quick fluffy read and perfect for the holidays! I love how the story happens around fall but I thought even if this was a Christmas holiday romance, it would have worked because by the end I was left with happy feelings as they celebrated Thanksgiving. I really liked the insightful things about life, love and loss that we get from the story. Lexi doesn’t have it all together and she thinks everyone around her does until she finds out everyone is struggling with something. I think that was really relatable.

I do think because there isn’t much conflict between them it felt like too light a read at times in the beginning, but I think we get some depth when Lexi gets fearful as things get more serious between her and Will. Also this happens in a span of six weeks – the fake dating to falling in love, so not exactly insta-love, but kind of.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I thought this was a fun, sweet, quick, fluffy romance! This story is heart warming with family and friendship themes and I think perfect for the fall holiday season.

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Other Books by This Author:

A Guide to Being Just Friends by. Sophie Sullivan| ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Match by. Sarah Adams | Audiobook Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Match

Author: Sarah Adams

Format: audiobook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 5/30/20

Categories: Romance, Contemporary

Sometimes, love finds you when you least expect it…

Having worked for Southern Service Paws for a few years now, I like to think I’m prepared for just about any client meeting under the sun. I am dead wrong.

The day I meet with single dad, Jacob Broaden, about potentially matching his daughter with one of our service dogs, I learn a few valuable lessons.

1) Always set my alarm clock.
2) Single dads are way hotter than I previously thought.
3) It is possible to go from fantasizing about kissing someone to wishing they would be run over by a truck in a matter of two minutes.

Unfortunately, I don’t hold that opinion of him for very long. Not when he shows me a different side of himself—one that’s sweet as maple syrup and hot as apple pie fresh out of the oven. And after a few days of working closely with him and his daughter, he starts looking at me with fire in his eyes, making me dream of something I probably shouldn’t…
A family.

The Match is a feel-good, closed-door romantic comedy! Perfect for readers who enjoy sweet, sizzling chemistry with passionate kissing only.

Content Warning:

I thought this was a cute read and the narrators did a really good job with voicing the audiobook.

Evie has epilepsy, grew up rich, but is striking out on her own with her disability and service dog, Charlie. I admired her strength and bravery and her personality is very full of sunshine. She meets Jake because of his daughter Sam who has the same condition and wants a service dog. I liked the disability rep and the moments with the service dog.

Jacob is a great single dad, but he is seven years older than Evie so at times I felt like Evie was falling too fast for him even though he had some baggage to deal with. Overall though it’s a really cute, sweet romance.

My Final Thoughts:

This one has service dogs, a disability rep and a super cute romance!

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Book Links:

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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author

Practice Makes Perfect by. Sarah Adams | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Truly, Madly, Deeply by. Alexandra Bellefleur | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Truly, Madly, Deeply

Author: Alexandria Bellefleur

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 328

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, LGBT+

Sparks fly when a lovelorn romance novelist and a divorce lawyer who has sworn off relationships agree to cohost a podcast series offering dating advice to viewers, in Truly, Madly, Deeply, the next steamy queer rom-com from Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur.

As a bestselling romance novelist, everyone thinks Truly Livingston is an expert on happily-ever-afters. She’s even signed on to record a podcast sharing relationship advice. Little do they know she feels like an imposter—her parents just announced they’re separating, she caught her fiancé cheating, and her entire view on love has been shaken to the core. Truly hopes the podcast will distract her… until she meets her cohost.

Her first impression of Colin McCory is…hot. But then he opens his extremely kissable mouth. Colin’s view on love just pisses Truly off, even if he does have an annoyingly attractive face. Bickering with a cynical divorce lawyer is the last thing she needs—so she walks out, with no plans to return.

A few days later, Truly is surprised when Colin tracks her down, asking for a fresh start. Truly can’t deny the little thrill she gets from Colin begging, so she reluctantly agrees. As they go from enemies to friends to something else entirely, Truly discovers they have more in common than she ever imagined, including their shared queerness. He’s a genuinely good guy—charming, sweet, and equally as unlucky in love as herself—and there’s something about Colin that drives Truly a little wild. When their attraction reaches a fever pitch, Truly is happy for the first time in years. Yet she can’t help but wonder… is Colin truly, madly, deeply in love with her? Or is it all too good to be true?

Content Warning: toxic family

I went into this one knowing nothing about it but do you guys remember that song in 90’s Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden? Yeah…I saw, the title, thought of the song and said why not borrow this one. Here are my thoughts!

Likes:

Truly is a romance author and Colin is a family lawyer and their first interaction leaves Truly with not a good impression. He’s gorgeous yes, but he gets on her nerves. I loved their interactions and banter and the spice is spicing in this one! The romance is fun.
There is bi-sexual representation with both main characters being bi.
Truly isn’t only dealing with what she feels about Colin but her parents are having a rough patch in their marriage and she’s questioning love in general. I liked how Colin gave her space, even though this man is crazy for her, and he also tried to make her see the realistic side of love and relationships – because of his job as a family lawyer. But I liked his insights and I just like that he gave her time to think about things. There wasn’t games between them which I enjoyed.
I love Truly’s parents who are so quirky and her best friend Lulu who is such a character! They were so funny!

Dislikes:

Colin’s family sucks. And speaking of family the Parent Trap plot line Truly concocted was kind of weak. For most of the book after she think of it – there is no planning or thoughts about it until near the end. So I felt like it wasn’t necessary.
Pop culture reference – I don’t mind Taylor Swift being mentioned in books, but sometimes it can be overkill and I thought this one had too much of it.

My Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a fun read minus Colin’s horrible family and quick Parent Trap side plot. It’s quirky, funny, spicy and the romance is full of great banter. Overall, I was entertained!

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Guava and Grudges by. Alexis Castellanos | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Guava and Grudges

Author: Alexis Castellanos

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 9/4/24

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Forbidden Love, Family Rivalry, Food Romance

Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Thank you to Bloomsbury YA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ana Maria Ybarra dreams of becoming a world-famous pastry chef, but dreams have a cost. Her family can barely keep the family business running, let alone pay for culinary school. Ana Maria helps out at the family bakery, Café Y Mas, whenever she can, but they are struggling while the rival Cuban bakery across the street, Morales Bakery, is doing better than ever with their Instagram famous desserts. Ana Maria’s only hope is winning a recipe competition, which has a grand prize big enough to pay for culinary school. But then the ultimate distraction shows up in her small town: Miguel, a boy she spent one magical day with six months ago, and who she never thought she’d see again. Ana Maria thinks maybe fate has brought them together again for a reason– until she learns the horrible truth that Miguel is a Morales.

A Ybarra cannot be associated with a Morales-let alone fall for one. But when Miguel offers to help Ana Maria with the competition, she is so desperate to win she can’t turn him down. All she needs to do is keep Miguel at arm’s length and keep their deal a secret from their families. After all, teaming up with Miguel is just business, nothing more…right?

Content Warning:

Star-crossed lovers and Cuban bakery goods? I was definitely intrigued by this synopsis and here’s what I thought:

Likes:

Two teens from two different families that hate one another, meet and fall for one another. I thought their romance was sweet, but sadly so difficult because of their families. I do like how the family rivalry is resolved.
Ana Maria’s struggles are relatable to teens. She’s decided on skipping college and maybe going straight to cooking school instead – but how does she tell her parents that when her dad is always saying she will be taking over the family business? Or when her mom is pressuring her to look at different colleges? Ana Maria is secretly competing for some college money and that’s how she and Miguel bond.
I’m glad Ana Maria had help from her best friend and eventually was able to talk to her parents about her decisions.
The mentions of Cuban food made me want to try everything!

Dislikes:

The story didn’t feel unique especially with the rival bakery idea. So it felt like I had read a story like this before but it was still fun.
Would have liked more of the rivalry between families to be featured in the story.

Final Thoughts:

I think teens will relate to this one especially because Ana Maria is that girl trying to please her parents, help her family but also want to forge a new path for her future. The romance between her and Miguel is a bit star-crossed because they come from rival families but I thought they were cute together. This was a cute read with mentions of delicious Cuban foods.