Tag: one bed

Betting on You by. Lynn Painter | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Betting on You

Author: Lynn Painter

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 432

Publication Date: 11/28/23

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary

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!

From the New York Times bestselling author of Better than the Movies, this swoon-worthy rom-com in the vein of She’s All That and 10 Things I Hate About You follows a teen girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of a bet while working at a waterpark.

When seventeen-year-old Bailey starts a new job at a hotel waterpark, she is less than thrilled to see an old acquaintance is one of her coworkers. Bailey met Charlie a year ago on the long flight to Omaha, where she moved after her parents’ divorce. Charlie’s cynicism didn’t mix well with Bailey’s carefully well-behaved temperament, and his endless commentary was the irritating cherry on top of an already emotionally fraught trip.

Now, Bailey and Charlie are still polar opposites, but instead of everything about him rubbing Bailey the wrong way, she starts to look forward to hanging out and gossiping about the waterpark guests and their coworkers—particularly two who keep flirting with each other. Bailey and Charlie make a bet on whether or not the cozy pair will actually get together. Charlie insists that members of the opposite sex can’t just be friends, and Bailey is determined to prove him wrong.

Bailey and Charlie keep close track of the romantic progress of others while Charlie works to deflect the growing feelings he’s developed for Bailey. Terrified to lose her if his crush becomes known, what doesn’t help his agenda is Bailey and Charlie “fake dating” in order to disrupt the annoying pleasantries between Bailey’s mom and her mom’s new boyfriend. Soon, what Charlie was hoping to avoid becomes a reality as Bailey starts to see him as not only a friend she can rely on in the midst of family drama—but someone who makes her hands shake and heart race. But Charlie has a secret—a secret that involves Bailey and another bet Charlie may have made. Can the two make a real go of things…or has Charlie’s secret doomed them before they could start?

Content Warning: profanity

I thought this one was cute! Bailey and Charlie actually meet first at the airport and they don’t exactly hit it off. Charlie is charming but not to Bailey who thinks he’s just arrogant. Charlie thinks Bailey is a bit stuck-up and high maintenance, but she’s just got certain quirks. They run into one another years later and they become unlikely friends and partners in crime. The crime? Trying to cause havoc in her mom’s new relationship.

I really liked that Bailey and Charlie ultimately become friends because they are both children of divorce and know what the other is going through. Yes, Charlie is a cynic about love, and Bailey has her quirks but they are opposites that attract. My favorite parts are their banter and growing friendship. There is even some fake-dating going on which just blurs the lines between their friendship and also some betting on love that causes the conflict but I was rooting for them the whole way through.

Now I love Taylor Swift but I will say this is the 3rd book I’ve read this year referencing her songs and I know she is a cultural phenomenon but I don’t know that I want her mentioned in every young adult contemporary book I read. This book does have lots of pop cultural references, if that isn’t your thing.

Tropes: one bed, fake dating, opposites attract, betting, meeting at the airport

Why you should read it:

  • the banter between Bailey and Charlie
  • it’s a fun story full of teenage antics, and a cute love story

Why you might not want to read it:

  • might be too many pop cultural references

My Thoughts:

I’m a fan of Lynn Painter’s adult and young adult books. I always feel like her characters are strong and her romances are fun, including this one. Bailey and Charlie become friends after their first unfortunate meeting but I loved watching their friendship and attraction grow. This was a fun book to read!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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

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

Plot Twist by. Erin La Rosa | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Plot Twist

Author: Erin La Rosa

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 11/14/23

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, LGBT+

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

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

She’s written off more than she can chew…

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went she’s never been in love—and it’s ruining her reputation. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s reunite with her exes (including her last girlfriend Carla, the one person she could have loved) to learn why she’s never fallen in love, and document it all for her millions of new online followers.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and is willing to help. What he doesn’t mention is that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol, and with a family that’s Hollywood royalty, Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a strictly casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Content Warning: alcoholism, rehab/relapse, dysfunctional family, stalking

+ An author with writer’s block, Sophie, is trying to get writing inspiration by talking to all of her ex’s. Dash is her landlord and he’s a famous actor, and also her best friend’s brother. He’s also working on his sobriety which he’s kept a secret from his family. I thought Sophie and Dash had good chemistry and they didn’t hook up right away, it was nice to see their attraction grow. They have a few spicy scenes together which made this story a little sweet and spicy.

+ I do like that the two characters were working on themselves a lot before committing to anything with one another. They definitely tried to give each other space enough to do that – but their attraction kept getting in the way. Dash doesn’t have the best relationship with his mom – he comes from a famous family full of actors and his mom always makes him feel like he doesn’t live up to her expectations. So he’s going through a lot.

~ The TikTok storyline with Dash’s stalker didn’t quite work for me. I thought it was interesting he was a crafter on the side to help with his sobriety though.

~ I didn’t totally click with Sophie. She’s trying to figure out why her past relationships ended but then tries to get back with an ex or explore the feelings there while she’s having a physical relationship with Dash. I thought she was a bit messy in that department but she did seem like a very supportive friend to Dash.

Tropes: one bed, best friend’s brother, forced proximity

My Thoughts:

I thought this one was okay and wish I liked Sophie better but at least I did like Dash’s story a lot. I did enjoy how both characters were working on themselves as they navigated their attraction and feelings for one another. There’s some spice to this one!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Wedding Crasher by. Mia Sosa | Book Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Wedding Crasher

Author: Mia Sosa

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 385

Publication Date: 4/5/22

Publisher: Avon

Categories: Romance, Fake Dating, One Bed

Just weeks away from ditching DC for greener pastures, Solange Pereira is roped into helping her wedding planner cousin on a random couple’s big day. It’s an easy gig… until she stumbles upon a situation that convinces her the pair isn’t meant to be. What’s a true-blue romantic to do? Crash the wedding, of course. And ensure the unsuspecting groom doesn’t make the biggest mistake of his life.

Dean Chapman had his future all mapped out. He was about to check off “start a family” and on track to “make partner” when his modern day marriage of convenience went up in smoke. Then he learns he might not land an assignment that could be his ticket to a promotion unless he has a significant other and, in a moment of panic, Dean claims to be in love with the woman who crashed his wedding. Oops.

Now Dean has a whole new item on his to-do list: beg Solange to be his pretend girlfriend. Solange feels a tiny bit bad about ruining Dean’s wedding, so she agrees to play along. Yet as they fake-date their way around town, what started as a performance for Dean’s colleagues turns into a connection that neither he nor Solange can deny. Their entire romance is a sham… there’s no way these polar opposites could fall in love for real, right?

Content Warning: left at the altar

I’ve seen this book all over Amazon but never picked it up until now. Here’s what I liked and didn’t like:

+ I love that pretty pink cover and how this story starts off at a wedding…except things go wrong. The humor for this book is present throughout but you can tell from the first chapter that it was gonna be funny because of Solange.

+ Solange is Brazilian-American and she comes with a big Brazilian family which I love. Her personality is fun and easy-going. She’s smart, and very confident in herself. She’s always telling jokes and I’m glad because Dean is the opposite (unless he is drunk lol). We were treated to Brazilian foods and Portuguese words and I love it!

+ A lot actually happens in this book while Solange and Dean are fake dating. Some very surprising events but again, it made the story very entertaining because it was unexpected! I like how the story keeps moving whether it’s Solange and Dean going on fake dates, or hanging out with Solange and all her family members.

+ I thought the romance was cute. Right away there is physical attraction and it builds up nicely. They both have relationship issues so it was about being on the same page for them and how to get there. But it’s a steamy book, lot of spice! Also, there was a side F/F couple in the story.

~ Dean is handsome and smart, he’s a lawyer and ambitious but he didn’t quite cut it for me. He was a little too stiff for me, until that karaoke bar scene lol (which made me laugh!). I mean he danced to Pony! Of course Solange loosens him up a bit but still I guess I wanted a bit more from him in the beginning.

+~ I read that there is a first book in this series called Worst Best Man where Dean makes his debut. So I don’t know if you need to read that book. I didn’t read it and still was engaged in the story.

~ A little bit of a lull after their fake-dating agreement comes to an end, but it’s also when they finally act on their attraction (so that keeps in interesting)…but their interactions aren’t as funny as when they were fake-dating.

Tropes: fake dating, one bed, opposites attract

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

Why you should read it:

  • it’s got some fun tropes like fake dating and one bed
  • Solange is fun and her family is amazing
  • funny and steamy

Why you might not want to read it:

  • you didn’t read Worst Best Man, but you don’t have to…I didn’t get lost in this one
  • too steamy?

My Thoughts:

This one was cute and fun, the spice and steam just added to it. I love Solange and her vibrant Brazilian family – we were treated to some of the culture and that was lovely. I think Dean was a little too stiff for me, but that was the point since Solange is who loosens him up. Overall, I liked this one a lot!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

One thing’s clear: Not being in a relationship is better than being in a bad one. Because one bad relationship can change your life forever.”

Mia Sosa, The Wedding Crasher

“Here’s the thing about detours, though: Sometimes they become the destination.”

Mia Sosa, The Wedding Crasher