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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Other Books I’ve Read By This Author

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

The Thirteenth Child by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Thirteenth Child

Author: Erin A. Craig

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 512

Publication Date: 9/24/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Horror, Gothic, Fairy Tale Retelling, Fantasy

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

This is the story of Hazel, a young healer navigating a ruthless court to save the life of the king, grappling with a pantheon of gods with questionable agendas as she fights for agency and true love in her own life as the goddaughter of none other than Death himself.

All gifts come with a price.

Hazel Trépas has always known she wasn’t like the rest of her siblings. A thirteenth child, promised away to one of the gods, she spends her childhood waiting for her godfather—Merrick, the Dreaded End—to arrive.

When he does, he lays out exactly how he’s planned Hazel’s future. She will become a great healer, known throughout the kingdom for her precision and skill. To aid her endeavors, Merrick blesses Hazel with a gift, the ability to instantly deduce the exact cure needed to treat the sick.

But all gifts come with a price. Hazel can see when Death has claimed a patient—when all hope is gone—and is tasked to end their suffering, permanently. Haunted by the ghosts of those she’s killed, Hazel longs to run. But destiny brings her to the royal court, where she meets Leo, a rakish prince with a disdain for everything and everyone. And it’s where Hazel faces her biggest dilemma yet—to save the life of a king marked to die. Hazel knows what she is meant to do and knows what her heart is urging her toward, but what will happen if she goes against the will of Death?

From the astonishing mind of Erin A. Craig comes the breathtaking fairy tale retelling readers have been waiting for— what does a life well-lived mean, and how do we justify the impossible choices we make for the ones we love?

Content Warning: body horror, death, violence, illness, neglectful parents, poison, grief

I didn’t know what to expect from this book but I love this author’s work and this did not disappoint at all. It surprised me and made me fall in love with Hazel and Merrick. This might be my favorite book of 2024.

I had to look up what this book was a retelling of and found that it’s a retelling of The Brother’s Grimm story called Godfather Death. I had never heard of it so I was invested in Hazel’s story right away. She’s the thirteenth child in a family who was too poor to take care of her. Three different gods come to offer to take care of her, but it’s Merrick, God of Death who has the honor of being her godfather. Their story is so complicated, yet morbidly sweet. He takes care of her the only way how an immortal god knows how and it’s endearing and strange because everyone is afraid of death. But not Hazel.

He gives her the life he promised her bio parents but it’s not an easy life. She is needed in the community for her healing talents and power, but because death is inevitable in a mortal’s life, she also has to make hard decisions like helping her patients seek peace by ending their lives. Hazel experiences love, friendship and even a found family but betrayal and making mistakes of her own to the detriment of her already fragile and strange relationship with Merrick. She also learns about the consequences of her actions.

The romance is sweet, the secondary characters all provided something to the story and I just enjoyed how the story made me think about and question things about life like love, death, parenting, power, religion, grief, making decisions and facing consequences. This book really has everything – it has paranormal elements, fantasy, romance, and even body horror (it’s gross but I think tolerable). And it made me cry at the end because there is just something about Merrick and Hazel that touched my heart. Him yearning to fill a void in him (as her godfather) and her needed a void to be filled because her birth parents neglected her.

My Thoughts:

I love this book so much and I’ll have to buy a hardcopy to have on my shelf so I can reread it again. It’s beautifully written and moved me to tears by the end. It’s my favorite book of 2024 so far!

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House of Roots and Ruin by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Small Favors by. Erin A. Craig | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | House of Salt and Sorrows ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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.

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The Hunted Heir by. Holly Renee | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Hunted Heir (The Veiled Kingdom, #2)

Author: Ashley Poston

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 242

Publication Date: 8/20/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series

From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, comes the second book in the scorching romantasy series with enthralling secrets, impassioned enemies, and luring tension.

Verena was the lost princess of Marmoris, the very thing we had spent our entire lives looking for, and I had let her go.

The lingering taste of her mixed with the deep ache in my chest over her betrayal haunted my days and nights. I knew she was hiding something, but her secrets were far more treacherous than I could have imagined.

Though I wished my own betrayal hadn’t been so bitter on my tongue.

Now my dreams are haunted with the way her deep blue eyes looked up at me in shock when I revealed I knew her truth.

The way I crave for her to look at me now as I hunt for her.

Me, along with half of the rebellion.

If my father finds her before me, there is no telling what he will do to her.

And even though she’s the little traitor I’d always thought she was, I couldn’t allow him to find her.

But his orders were clear. The princess is to be taken by the rebellion or she would be taken by the gods. I don’t know which is worse.

She is the heir to our kingdom, the daughter of the cruel king who was responsible for my mother’s death, and the key to winning our rebellion.

I vowed to my father that I would find her, the one person I wish I didn’t have to.

Verena is the hunted heir. But more than anything, she is mine.

Content Warning: violence

This was one of my most anticipated reads but it left me slightly disappointed because this is clearly a filler second book. Here are my thoughts:

Likes:

There is a lot more spice in this one compared to book one where the enemies to lovers vibe was strong. In this book they are still enemies but Dacre especially has to figure out who’s side he is on – his dad’s rebellion or Verena’s side.
Because of how book one ended, there is some trust that Verena has to build again with Dacre.

Dislikes:

This was too short! I always find books being too long these days but this was under 300 pages so it felt like a novella to me and the ending is abrupt. I was like…that’s it?! I did not like how it ended, and didn’t like how it is rushed and short.
I think this was a typical filler book. Verena is on the run because of Dacre, and now he wants to find her and apologize? I actually wish Verena and Dacre got more time apart just so she could become stronger on her own before she met up with him again. Not a lot happens except for Verena hiding. Everything happens at the end of the book and then it’s a big cliffhanger.

My Final Thoughts:

I expected more from this sequel and the spice is spicy but the story was too short. There is a lot of traveling, then the spicy scenes and then the ending which leads to a cliffhanger. This is definitely filler and just wanted more from it because it’s such a bingeable series. I’ll still read book three but I hope it’s more developed and not rushed.

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Other Books by This Author:

The Veiled Kingdom by. Holly Renee | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Monstrous Kind by. Lydia Gregovic | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Monstrous Kind

Author: Lydia Gregovic

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Gothic, Paranormal, 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 Press for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

An atmospheric, haunting, romantasy inspired by Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, set in a Regency England about two sisters fighting to hold on to their manor while deadly monsters prowl along its perimeters—perfect for fans of House of Salt and Sorrows and Anatomy: A Love Story.

Merrick Darling’s life as daughter of the Manor Lord of Sussex is better than most. Unlike the commoners, she is immune to the toxic fog that encroached on England generations earlier. She will never become a Phantom—one of the monstrous creatures that stalk her province’s borders—and as long as the fires burn to hold them back, her safety is ensured. She wants for nothing, yet she will never inherit her family’s Manor. She must marry smartly or live at the kindness of her elder sister, Essie.

Everything is turned on its head, though, when Merrick’s father dies suddenly. Torn from her New London society life of ball gowns and parties, Merrick must travel back to her childhood home, the Darling estate of Norland House, and what she finds there is bewildering. Once strong and capable, Essie is withdrawn and frightened—and with good cause. A recent string of attacks along the province’s borders has turned their formerly bucolic countryside into a terrifying and unpredictable landscape. The fog is closing in and the fires aren’t holding, which makes Merrick and Essie vulnerable in more ways than one. Because the Phantoms are far from the only monsters in Merrick’s world, and the other eleven Manor Lords are always watching for weakness.

Revealing her and her sister’s current state to the rest of the Manors is out of the question, but when Essie goes missing, it’s clear that Merrick needs help. Only, who can she trust when everyone seems to be scheming, and when all she holds true feels like it’s slipping right out of her grasp?

Content Warning: violence, death, loss of a parent

I went into this one not knowing it was inspired by Sense and Sensibility until after I read it. With that said, I loved how it is written because I felt like it was regency era inspired so I think the author did a great job capturing that era and the gothic vibes.

As for it being inspired by Sense and Sensibility, I can definitely see that with a few twists here and there. The world building and history is interesting with this encroaching fog that kills people, so over generations it has pushed territories to defend and protect their borders. Merrick’s family has had a change in head of household with her father’s death and her sister is the named the next lord of their manor. What I found fascinating in the stories was the relationship between the sisters and how complicated it is. Bottom line is both girls are trying to survive and keep their house in order but one is head of household and the other has to marry. It’s not so easy to do either though when their borders are being breached, and they seem weak.

I did enjoy how the story unfolded though it can feel slow at some parts because a lot of it is a mystery until all is revealed. I loved the gothic atmosphere. I mean the fog has Phantoms (zombies?) that kill people! It took me only two days to read but I can’t say I loved Merrick. She is pitted as the most vulnerable of the sisters because she has no power, and has to marry to survive but she seems willing to fall for any guy who pays her attention. Is that survival or is she just too trusting? Especially when she has a cousin-in-law, Cressida who is trying to teach her to be more aware of the games the people in power play? I just wanted Merrick to be a little more smarter about some situations. But as a comparison to Marianne from Sense and Sensibility then I can totally see that she stacks up well to her. I did want more from Essie also.

My Thoughts:

Regency era mystery, gothic vibes, zombies in the mist, and inspired by Sense and Sensibility – I think the author pulled it off. I do wish I loved the characters more though and the romance had a chance to take off, but is there a book two because the ending did feel like it was left open? Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

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Powerful by. Lauren Roberts | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: Powerful (The Powerless Trilogy, #1.5)

Author: Lauren Roberts

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 192

Publication Date: 4/30/24

Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Novella, Series

Set during the time of the New York Times bestseller Powerless, fan favorite Adena gets a story all her own as she attempts to survive on the streets of Loot…and falls for a mysterious—and dangerous—Elite.

Adena and Paedyn have always been inseparable. Fate brought them together when they were young, but friendship ensured they would always protect each other and the home they built in the slums of Loot. But now Paedyn—an Ordinary—has been selected for the Purging Trials, which means almost certain death.

Now alone in Loot, Adena must fend for herself. After attempting to steal, she’s rescued by a mysterious man from the market. Mak’s shadowy past and secretive power set him apart from the other low-level Elites of Loot. And as the pair team up to see their loved ones before the Trials, the quest tests their loyalty, their love, and their lives.

Content Warning: grief, violence

This is a novella that sits between Powerless and Reckless. I read Powerless and I have to admit, I didn’t remember much of it when I picked up Powerful, but I did get to remembering Adena – just not Mak for some strange reason? Anyway, here are my thoughts:

Likes:

Love that this is Adena and Mak’s perspectives. We get such an insight into their personalities.
Adena is such a sweet character, I like that we get to know her more and how she’s sunshine to Mak’s grumpy.

Dislikes:

I hate what happened to Adena.

My Final Thoughts:

Since this is a novella, and I don’t usually read them, I think this one fits good into the series because it gives Adena and Mak a voice and their romance is so sweet. It breaks my heart to see what happens to Adena. I didn’t totally love the first book in the series, but I figured I’d read Powerful because it was a short novella. And why is this novella the price of a hardcopy?! I think I’ll definitely read Reckless but I’m waiting for it from my library, so it might be awhile before I get a copy.

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Other Books by This Author:

Powerless by. Lauren Roberts | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Shadow of Perl by. J. Elle | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Shadows of Perl (House of Marionne, #2)

Author: J. Elle

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 448

Publication Date: 9/3/24

Publisher: Razorbill

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Magic

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

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

The dazzling romantic fantasy world of House of Marionne continues in this dark and deadly sequel full of forbidden magic, devastating lies, and broken hearts.

A must read for fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, and Alex Aster.

Unleash the darkness. Claim your power.

Quell Marionne’s explosive final Rite of Induction to House Marionne sent shockwaves through the magical world, unearthing long buried secrets and her own deadly power. But she paid a steep price: her family and her love. Fleeing Chateau Soleil for House of Perl, for once Quell is celebrated instead of shunned. She has finally found somewhere to belong. But secrets lurk in every House, and Quell’s quest to find her mom threatens to lead her deeper into the shadows.

Assassin Jordan Wexton, second-in command of the Dragun brotherhood, must protect the source of all magic, the Sphere. Yet the biggest threat to the Sphere is Quell Marionne—the girl he loved, until she claimed the deadly, outlawed toushana. As the Sphere cracks and war brews among the Houses, can the only way to save the world be to kill his own heart?

Now, these two lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties. Or die. The future of magic hangs on their decision.

Content Warning: violence, loss of a parent

This is the second book in the House of Marionne series and with the way it ended in book one, I was excited to see how this sequel would turn out.

Likes:

I liked when Yagrin was in the story because the first book ended with him and it got me excited to see what would happen to his character.
The troubled romance between Quell and Jordan goes through more turmoil here. They hate one another, but underneath it all, they still feel strongly for one another. So I did like when they finally had scenes together – it was my favorite parts because I love romance in my fantasy books.
There is a lot of movement in the book since Quell is on the run and there is a lot of action at the end. I liked the political drama and Jordan coming to realize what the order demands of him.

Dislikes:

This was too slow for me and it was hard for me to get into it because it starts off with Nore and I was clueless as to who she was. So I was a bit lost in the beginning of this book and was trying to get my bearings and remember things from book one.
I couldn’t connect to the characters.

My Thoughts:

I think this book does move the series forward but it took me awhile to get into. My favorite parts were when Quell and Jordan finally confront each other but I did also like all the political drama happening with the houses. I think if you liked book one, you will enjoy this one.

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Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books By This Author:

House of Marionne by. J. Elle | ARC Review (House of Marionne, #1) – 3.5 stars

Wings of Ebony | ARC Review (Wings of Ebony, #1) – 4 stars

A Novel Love Story by. Ashley Poston | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: A Novel Love Story

Author: Ashley Poston

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 384

Publication Date: 6/25/24

Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Magical Realism

A professor of literature finds herself caught up in a work of fiction… literally.

Eileen Merriweather loves to get lost in a good happily-ever-after. The fictional kind, anyway. Because at least imaginary men don’t leave you at the altar. She feels safe in a book. At home. Which might be why she’s so set on going to her annual book club retreat this year—she needs good friends, cheap wine, and grand romantic gestures—no matter what.

But when her car unexpectedly breaks down on the way, she finds herself stranded in a quaint town that feels like it’s right out of a novel…

Because it is.

This place can’t be real, and yet… she’s here, in Eloraton, the town of her favorite romance series, where the candy store’s honey taffy is always sweet, the local bar’s burgers are always a little burnt, and rain always comes in the afternoon. It feels like home. It’s perfect—and perfectly frozen, trapped in the late author’s last unfinished story.

Elsy is sure that’s why she must be here: to help bring the town to its storybook ending.

Except there is a character in Eloraton that she can’t place—a grumpy bookstore owner with mint-green eyes, an irritatingly sexy mouth and impeccable taste in novels. And he does not want her finishing this book.

Which is a problem because Elsy is beginning to think the town’s happily-ever-after might just be intertwined with her own.

Content Warning: grief, being cheated on

Imagine getting lost in a book – literally? The only other book I’ve read from this author was The Dead Romantics and I loved it. This was a bit different and here are my thoughts:

Likes:

I thought the concept of literally “getting lost in a book” was clever and wanted to see how it would play out. I did have some questions, but I had to suspend my reality a bit, to make my brain understand what was happening. I did love all the characters Elsy got to meet in Eloraton.
Elsy puts on a front, but she’s hurting inside from some life events that left her unmoored. I really love her relationship with her best-friend Pru, even if Elsy wasn’t in a good place yet, you could tell their love for one another was special.
I liked the second half of the book more than the first half. I felt more connected to Elsy when she started facing her emotions and that’s when I also felt her connection to Anders come more alive. There were so many parts at the ending that hit me in the feels because of Elsy’s journey and Anders’ one too.

Dislikes:

This was kind of hard for me to get into and I think it’s because of Elsy, who didn’t really stand out to me, personality wise. Also I was trying to figure out the magical town she stumbled into. I thought it was cool that it was from her favorite author but I had questions!
I also thought Elsy and Anders didn’t have much chemistry until later into the book.
Certain descriptions about characters don’t usually bother me unless it’s repeated over and over and apparently Anders tastes and smells like black tea.

My Final Thoughts:

When I got to half way of the book, I can’t say I was loving it. I thought it was just okay but then something happens when Elsy is faced with leaving Anders and Eloraton behind. She has to make some hard choices to face her fears about moving on from the past and also watching people around her moving on in their lives. And that’s when I connected to the book, because that’s relatable. Overall, I did enjoy it for what it was and adore the concept of literally getting lost inside a book!

Quotes from the Book:

“Because even after the people were gone, there were still stories. There were always stories.”
– A Novel Love Story by. Ashley Poston

“It wasn’t the end that mattered, but every word leading up to it.”
– A Novel Love Story by. Ashley Poston

“So who could blame me for singing into books, where I knew the people weren’t real, but they also never disappointed me? I knew everything would work out in the end. I knew happy endings were destined, ever afters fated, and no matter what trials and tribulations and, well, surprise fuckups happened, things would end up okay.”
– A Novel Love Story by. Ashley Poston