The Girl with No Reflection by. Keshe Chow | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Girl with No Reflection

Author: Keshe Chow

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 496

Publication Date: 8/6/24

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Chinese Mythology

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!

Princess Ying Yue believed in love … once upon a time.

Yet when she’s chosen to wed the crown prince, Ying’s dreams of a fairy tale marriage quickly fall apart. Her husband-to-be is cold and indifferent, confining Ying to her room for reasons he won’t explain. Worse still are the rumors that swirl around the imperial palace: whispers of seven other royal brides who, after their own weddings, mysteriously disappeared.

Left alone with only her own reflection for company, Ying begins to see things. Strange things. Movements in the corners of her mirror. Colorful lights upon its surface. And when, on the eve of her wedding, she unwittingly tears open a gateway, she is pulled into a mirror world.

This realm is full of sentient reflections, including the enigmatic Mirror Prince. Unlike his real-world counterpart, the Mirror Prince is kind and compassionate, and before long Ying falls in love—the kind of love she always dreamed of.

But there is darkness in this new world, too.

It turns out the two worlds have a long and blood-soaked history, and Ying has a part to play in the future of them both. And the brides who came before Ying? By the time they discovered what their role was, it was already too late.

Content Warning: violence, death, profanity

When I first started reading this I was surprised and thought I was maybe reading a horror story but it isn’t! I honestly wouldn’t have minded if it was. Ying is about the marry a prince but she’s not feeling like he cares about her and keeps her trapped in a room except for the times she is allowed to be out. A way to escape this marriage is in front of her – literally. In the mirror!

I thought this was such an interesting story and one that is a little bit creepy because what do you mean there is a whole world inside a mirror and your clone is basically living there? Ying finds out though that not everything is so great on the other side of the mirror. There are monsters, there are untrustworthy mirror-people, and now she has to find a way to close the portal in the mirror or else these monsters will take over the real world. And why does it have to be her? Because there is a prophecy and she is the chosen one.

The romance was enemies to lovers but there is a love triangle, which I thought was messy but very entertaining. I felt like Ying was falling too fast for a guy in the mirror!

Speaking of Ying, there were times I found my eyes rolling because of her behavior and actions. She’s falling fast for a Mirror-Prince yet on the other side of the mirror she hated the real Prince and fought with him every chance she got even when it wasn’t called for. And then the prophecy said Ying is the fish who will close the mirror portal, but I didn’t know why a fish? Maybe because water is reflective? Anyway there’s even dragons in this book. Yeah it gets wild by the end, but I just went with it.

My Thoughts:

In summary…

Reflections are not so nice, Ying is the Fish-the one in the prophecy to close the mirror portal, there is a war, and fights with mythical monsters. There are even dragons in this story! The romance is a love triangle between Ying, a Mirror-Prince and the real Prince. Ying did get on my nerves at some points, but overall the story was still pretty entertaining. I look forward to reading more books from this author!

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The Seventh Veil of Salome by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Seventh Veil of Salome

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 8/6/24

Publisher: Del Rey

Categories: Historical Fiction, Adult, 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 Del Rey for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine — but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the author of Mexican Gothic.

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.

Content Warning: sexism, racism, violence, sexual assault, murder

I am always intrigued by what this author’s work and so I had to read this one. Hollywood in the 1950’s? The story of Salome? Mind you I grew up watching the story of John the Baptist in that big budget sword-and-sandal Hollywood movie called King of Kings and I will say the only thing I really remember from that movie is Salome’s dance for King Herod.

The Seventh Veil of Salome, is told in a documentary style. Various people who were around for the making of this movie, The Seventh Veil of Salome, are giving their accounts about what was going on on/off set. The actress playing Salome in the film is a Mexican woman named Vera. The story alternates actually from the documentary style interviews, narration from the main characters, Vera, Nancy and Salome. I did enjoy the story of Salome and the political happenings and how it compared to Vera’s experiences as a new Hollywood star in a big budget film where there are lots of politics and drama happening behind the scenes. I love all the historical context of this story – the Hollywood era, what happens on and off set, the mentions of sexism and racism that occurred in Los Angeles at that time period.

I found Vera to be a compelling character and one who embodied what a female actress was during that time. She’s a good girl, raised to follow authority and not make big waves and start a scandal, and being in Hollywood makes her come out of her shell because she is exposed to many people. She experiences the sexism and racism in the industry but she stays strong and stays a professional. There is a romance for her but it comes with some challenges.

Nancy was a fascinating character too though she is a hateful woman. She was obsessed about the role of Salome being hers and was totally racist towards Vera. Nancy had lots of issues and spiraled out of control and even though I really didn’t like her, I did enjoy her parts of the story. She was Vera’s opposite.

As much as I was enjoying the story, I felt like when the story ended something was missing and I’m not sure what it is. Maybe the alternating documentary style and Salome’s story didn’t flow easily enough for me or the climax didn’t hit hard like I was expecting. Or maybe because it’s not a happy ending for any of the women in the story.

My Thoughts:

As a historical fiction novel, this was an engrossing read because I could picture that time period and the making of this movie. I could actually see this story made into a movie. If you like this author I think you will enjoy this one!

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Mexican Gothic by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by. Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Beautiful Ones | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Birding with Benefits by. Sarah T. Dubb | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Birding with Benefits

Author: Sarah T. Dubb

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 6/4/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Birding, Fake Dating

A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood.

Newly divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple.

Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds.

Content Warning:

Ok I was so curious about this book because it’s about birding but with romance? I wanted to learn about birding and I totally did while reading this book. But the fake dating was a wonderful part of this book also.

Celeste is 42, and a divorcee and her daughter will be going off to college so she’s trying to live a life of “yes”. Being married young made her feel trapped and now she’s trying anything and everything to find her joy again. She gets into a situation where she thought she would be helping a guy and be his fake-girlfriend but instead he needed help in a birding competition – but they decide to do both! Celeste is social, loud, and a go-getter whereas John is quiet, and more of an introvert so these two are polar opposites but it works.

I liked Celeste’s journey of trying new things after her divorce, I found her relatable when it came to feeling stifled in her marriage and trying to find herself. I like that her best friend Maria is a new mom and we get to see two women navigating parenthood and relationships at different phases of their lives. John has an interesting back story and where Celeste feels like everyone thinks she’s “too much”, with John he went through life with people expecting more from him which again, I felt was totally relatable. He’s a very quiet guy, but just because he’s quiet doesn’t mean he wasn’t feeling a lot of things for Celeste.

I thought their birding romance was pretty fun and unexpectedly steamy! I liked that Celeste was in her 40’s, I hardly read books with MC’s in their 40’s. She did at times come off younger but maybe if I was a new divrocee I might act younger too? Who knows! I did wish we had more scenes with her daughter because she’s a big part of her world and a main conflict near the end of the book.

My Final Thoughts:

I got to learn a little bit about birding and the fake dating romance between the two opposites was fun! I was surprised to see how steamy this book was – who knew birding could be so sexy? Overall, I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more books from this author.

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The Paradise Problem by. Christina Lauren | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Paradise Problem

Author: Christina Lauren

Format: ebook (borrowed)

Pages: 352

Publication Date: 5/14/24

Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Marriage of Convenience

Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

Content Warning: family conflict, parent with illness

I thought this was entertaining and cute especially if you like rich people problems! Anna Green is not rich and just the first chapter alone painted who she was and the struggle she was going through in her life. Liam is rich and needs to attend his younger sister’s wedding but his family thinks he has a wife. Anna Green is that wife since they had a marriage of convenience a few years ago just to get some decent student housing on campus. Now they have to put on a show and convince Liam’s family that they are into each other.

Anna and Liam are total opposites. Anna’s a free spirit and Liam is a buttoned up professor. She makes him laugh and Liam is helping her financially which is a win-win. Plus the attraction between them is undeniable. I thought Anna and Liam made a cute couple and they had so many fun interactions and banter.

Speaking of banter though, I thought Anna and Viv (bestie) were fun and Blaire (sister-in-law) is such a character! Liam’s family or I should say dad, was something else. What a narcissistic, awful father. The way he treated people and his family was unbearable. There is a lot of tension between family members and I don’t know that Anna and Liam sold their act of being married but it was entertaining.

My Final Thoughts:

This is a fun summer read that has the perfect tropical setting, rich people drama, marriage of convenience, great chemistry and steamy scenes. I thought the romance was sweet without too much break up drama – since Anna is such a messy, free spirit, I liked how she went with the flow of the chaos and still stood up for herself and principles when it got to be too much. Liam’s dad is really such an awful human being, so I liked how things ended with the family. Overall, this was an entertaining read and perfect as a beach or pool read.

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Other Books by this Author:

The True Love Experiment by. Christina Lauren | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Something Wilder by. Christina Lauren | Audiobook Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Soulmate Equation | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In A Holidaze | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Book Review | The Unhoneymooners ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC Review | The Honey-Don’t List ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Mist Thief by. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Mist Thief (The Ever Seas, #3)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 454

Publication Date: 6/30/24

Categories: Romance, Fantasy, Series, Elves

She tried to kill him, so he made her his wife.

Skadi first met her husband-to-be with blades in hand on the opposite side of a battle. She lost, and he claimed his prize.

To her horror, the king of the shadow elven agrees to marry her off to Jonas, a prince in the fae realms, as a way to unite their kingdoms against a shared enemy—the light elves. Skadi knows the marriage is nothing but a political game. Feelings won’t come into play.

Except her new husband makes not falling in love . . . challenging.

When new threats arise, Skadi must decide to either love her enemy, or keep him alive by betraying him to another.

Welcome to another installment in the Ever Seas world where pirates, fae, and elves collide with Vikings in a dark fantasy romance between a morally gray cinnamon roll and the broken princess who steals his heart.

*This book is a standalone with a guaranteed HEA, and can be read before The Ever King/Queen, but to see the full impact of their story, it’s recommended to read that duet first. This series is set in the same world as the bestselling Broken Kingdoms series, but can be read independently, and readers are encouraged to read the list of triggers inside.*

Content Warning: violence

This story is Jonas and Skadi’s story. We meet Skadi in book two and she’s very mysterious and very reserved because of how she was raised in her Elven culture. Jonas is a charmer, a playboy but a very lovable one. I liked how Jonas got under Skadi’s defenses and I love how Jonas family and people really embraces her. The romance is a slow burn because Skadi has a lot of defenses up and Jonas is insistent love doesn’t need to be part of their marriage but eventually they admit their attraction to one another and they fall for one another, plus we get some steamy scenes.

Skadi was really taught to fear her own powers by her own people but Jonas and his friends and family teach her how to not be afraid. I really love how Jonas’ people are a kingdom of thieves! It’s so different and fun and I love how they do want they want in their kingdom.

I think the book was a little long at 452 pages – I really do wish these books were under 400 at least because I found myself skimming the ending only because I knew how it would turn out!

My Final Thoughts:

I thought this was a good edition to the series though most of the story was predictable. I’m glad Jonas and Skadi found their happily ever afters, they both deserved to be in love and happy. What I really can’t wait for though is Mari and Tait’s story, which I believe is the next book.

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Other Books by this Author:

The Ever King By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: All Roads Lead to Rome

Author: Sabrina Fedel

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 336

Publication Date: 6/18/24

Categories: Young Adult, Romance, Fake Dating, Social Media, Italy, Contemporary

When the daughter of a diplomat fake dates a Scottish celebrity in Italy, she soon finds herself living her own Roman Holiday until the feelings get real and the paparazzi’s knives come out.

Introverted, slightly anxious Astoria “Story” Herriot knows everything about Rome—her mom’s an attorney here and the two of them are living la dolce vita… at least until Story’s off to college in the fall.

But when Story is in the wrong gelato shop at the right time, she’s swept up in a fake dating scheme with Scottish heartthrob, Luca Kinnaird, to protect his relationship with a pop princess. There’s something in it for her, too—Luca promises to help fund a scholarship in her dad’s memory. Soon she’s showing Luca the best cafés, sightseeing at the Mouth of Truth, and picnicking at the ruins of the Abbey of Santa Maria del Piano. Story’s travel guide skills are 10/10, but what she knows about being a celebrity—or having feelings for one? Zero.

Pretending to be Luca’s guide—then his girlfriend—gets the paparazzi’s attention . . . and what’s true and what’s fake gets blurry as their different worlds crash together. Sophisticated, hot, rich, and with the most charming accent ever, Luca is full of surprises. And maybe, too, is Story’s perfectly planned future.

It’s a fairy-tale romance in the Eternal City…will it have a fairy tale ending?

Content Warning: bullying, mentions of drug abuse, drug use

I borrowed this book because of the book cover! It’s so summery and vibrant and I was in the mood for a summer read since we are in the season for it. This did not disappoint!

Astoria “Story”, is a diplomat kid – meaning she has lived in many different cities around the world with her mom. She’s not the popular kid at her very small school. She has only two friends in the current city that they live in, Rome, Italy. But Story is fairly independent and keeps busy with volunteering and exploring this wonderful city. One day she gets caught in a situation and agrees to become a fake girlfriend for a famous person – but it’s a challenge to navigate the online world as she gets put into the spotlight. She’s hiding from paparazzi, or making opportunities with Luca to let them get the perfect shot and all because she wants to help him out and get something out of it for herself.

My favorite thing about this story was the setting of Rome, Italy and all the places and food we get introduced to. Story is fairly good at learning and speaking Italian so it was nice to have that in the book as well. The romance is a fake dating romance, kind of a slow burner, but I found it super sweet and it was cute seeing them become friends and then in the end into something more. I loved seeing Story make friends with Luca’s best friend and opening up her world more because for a good part of the beginning she is closed off to socializing. Personality wise, she keeps to herself, and isn’t into the party scene but I thought she did really good faking it and hanging out with Luca and his friends. There is a lot of growth for her throughout the book.

The only things that threw me off sometimes is Luca because he is Scottish and I am so unfamiliar with Scottish words. So the first few Scottish words the character says made me confused. But I loved when they visited Scotland and we get a chance to learn more about Luca because for most of the story he is just a very famous ladies man it seems. But there is much more to him!

My Final Thoughts:

This was such a fun and cute romance. I loved everything about this story from the fake dating, seeing Story and Luca grow from strangers, to friends to lovers. And having it set in Rome, Italy just makes it even better! If you are looking for a summer pool/beach read, definitely try this one out. I look forward to reading more from this author.

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The Mirror of Beasts by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Mirror of Beasts (Silver in the Bone, #2)

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 576

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: Hachette Children’s Group

Categories: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series, King Arthur, 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 Hachette Children’s Group for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

With the dream of Avalon in ruins, Tamsin and her friends are all that stands in the way of Lord Death’s plans to unleash the horrors of Anwnn on the world of the living. As the Wild Hunt carves a bloody path across continents, Tamsin is mustering allies, tracking down powerful artifacts, and traversing into new otherlands in search of a way to stop him.

Legend tells of a “Mirror of Beasts,” powerful enough to trap even Lord Death in its accursed glass, but the mirror is not all that it seems. Tamsin must confront her own darkest secrets if she hopes to tap the mirror’s strength to defeat her enemies.

Arthurian legend bleeds into contemporary action, and scars of the past are torn open anew by a starcrossed love that refuses to go quietly. This riveting conclusion to the Silver in the Bone duology will hold you in its thrall until the very last page.

Content Warning: violence, death

This story throws you right in after the events that happened in Silver in the Bone. It is action filled and for the most part moves at a quick pace. There are quests and the found family trope really brings these characters together. I enjoyed everything that was going on between Tamsin and her friends, Tamsin and Emrys, Tamsin and Cabell her brother who has had a hell of a journey being on the opposite sides of things. They all had stuff to work out and they do so with all this chaos going on.

The story about King Arthur and Excalibur being the basis for this adventure is really cool too. I like that there were some surprises I wasn’t expecting. I loved the romance storyline with Tamsin and Emrys, who have a ways to come back to trusting one another again but they work through it eventually!

I do think this book was long but it makes sense since it’s a duology and there were some things to wrap up. I wonder if it would have been better as a trilogy though? Not sure but I was losing some steam to read it at 75% into the book. There might have been too many characters for me to follow, not the main ones but the sorceresses that are new. I also thought Lord Death was a funny name for a villain, but he was not a funny guy at all – I hated that Cabell was working for him.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I was entertained with this conclusion to the duology! I think it’s a great end to the series that centers on found family. The action and quests really move this story along and the romance is resolved for Emrys and Tamsin which I’m happy about. If you liked Silver in the Bone, I think you’ll also enjoy this one!

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Book Links:

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Other Books By This Author:

Silver in the Bone by. Alexandra Bracken | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Lore by. Alexandra Bracken | Book Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

That Prince is Mine by. Jayci Lee | ARC Review

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: That Prince is Mine

Author: Jayci Lee

Format: eBook (NetGalley)

Pages: 400

Publication Date: 7/30/24

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin

Categories: Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Interracial Romance, Foodie Romance, Royal 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 St. Martin’s Griffin for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A love-averse Korean royal court cuisine instructor in search of a perfect-on-paper husband is waylaid from her practical, heartbreak-proof plan when she meets a gorgeous professor—and prince in disguise—who will do anything to prove to her that love and happily ever after can be theirs.

Emma Yoon runs a small business as a culinary instructor in Los Angeles teaching Korean royal court cuisine to young ladies striving to marry into the exclusive upper crust Korean families. She has built her business alongside her renowned Korean matchmaker godmother, which brings her one step closer to her dream of opening up a culinary school on her own. But when her godmother’s fellow matchmakers decide to meddle in Emma’s love life in a bid to sabotage her godmother, and indirectly push Emma’s dream out of her reach, she must go on a series of arranged first dates and find herself the perfect-on-paper husband to help save both, her godmother’s reputation and her dream–even if she’s not ready for love. But when she meets Michel Aubert, a professor at USC, after a series of disastrous first dates, she wonders if she might reevaluate her position on love.

Prince Michel Aubert is bound by duty and responsibility to his country, but an arranged marriage is the last thing he wants. If he is going to spend the rest of his life in service of his people, then he at least wants someone he loves and trusts by his side while doing it. He needs to find a woman who loves him for who he is before his engagement to his handpicked bride is announced. Emma Yoon might be just the woman he is looking for.

Content Warning:

This one was a cute, fluffy romance. Emma is a culinary instructor who’s matchmaking godmother is trying to find her a husband. Michel is a Prince disguising himself as a professor at USC. For the most part the romance is straight-forward and kind of reminds me of the movie The Prince & Me, except with older characters. I thought their romance was very sweet with some spicy scenes here and there, but for the most part I thought this story was wholesome.

I did like the family themes in this book. Emma is Korean-American and she has a great support system in her dad, brother and godmother. I loved the Korean foods mentioned in the story. On the other side, I loved Michel’s relationship with his cousin, Gabriel. Both characters valued family and I thought they made a good match.

There isn’t much conflict between Michel and Emma except for the part of him being a prince and what that means for her when he tells her about it.

My Thoughts:

This one is an easy read. It’s a fluffy romance without much conflict. I thought the family, different cultures, and food themes were nice. Emma and Michel’s romance is very sweet so if you are into sweet, easy romances, you will enjoy this one.

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BLOG TOUR | Secret Crush Seduction by. Jayci Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BLOG TOUR} Temporary Wife Temptation by. Jayci Lee ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Dating Dare | ARC Review ⭐️⭐️💫

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The Ever Queen By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Ever Queen (The Ever Seas, #2)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 452

Publication Date: 1/26/24

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Pirates, Fae, Elves

The Songbird:
Captive. Challenger. Queen.

Enemies took her from the man who holds her heart. They might see her as weak, as a pawn in wicked games, but they’re no match for the first Ever Queen.

Let them think they’ve won. Her heart belongs to a beautiful monster, and she will never stop fighting until she’s back in his arms.

The Serpent:
Captor. Villain. King.

His enemies stole the woman who claimed his soul. They betrayed him out of greed and desire for the crown, but they won’t die for that betrayal. No.

They’ll die for touching her.

His heart belongs to a stunning little bird. He will never stop searching for her light across the skies. Not until the blood of his enemies spills at her feet, and his queen wears their bones around her neck.

Welcome back to the world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates collide with Vikings in passionate romance, brutal battles, and an unforgettable dark fantasy world. This book concludes the love story between Erik and Livia, but new, standalone romances with other favorite characters will continue to build the world. Readers are encouraged to check the TW inside the book for their reading comfort.

Content Warning: death, torture, violence, kidnapping, sexual assault

I started book two of the Ever Seas series since book one ended in a cliffhanger. But it picks up right away from book one and this time Erik has beg help from Livia’s family if he wants to find her fast. I enjoyed getting more backstory about Erik’s past with the Earth fae and seeing how they would mend their rift to save Livia. I thought it was fun to see both sides finally put aside their differences and get along.

Interestingly enough, Livia’s capture has opened the story up to include elves! She is trapped on an elvish island but the woman she meets, Skadi, is very mysterious and kind of vague which was a little frustrating at times. We do learn more about her and the elves near the end of the book.

Like book one, there is a lot of action – these pirates have to travel the seas to find Livia and Erik is as violent as ever to the people who are his enemies. But he is going to find Livia even if it kills him. Since this is called The Ever Queen, Livia does get a moment to shine, she is separated by Erik who is her constant protector and she goes through some scary situations alone. But she digs deep and uses her power to help herself get free.

There is more steamy scenes between Livia and Erik, lots of love expressed between them which is always so fun and sweet but also repetition with them always saying how they will follow each other through the skies and seas. A few times is okay but all the time can get kind of too much but it definitely fits the romantasy genre and I’d rather have that than them calling one another “mate” all the time.

I love all the secondary characters, all the family themes which I feel adds a heartwarming aspect to this whole series. Livia has such a great support system and I love that they have welcomed Erik into their fold even with their past.

My Final Thoughts:

I think it took a little longer for me to read this one but it is a tad bit longer than book one. I also had to take a break from binging because some things became a little repetitive. But I did love Livia and Erik and all the family themes. I’ve already started on book three which is Jonas’ story and will post a review when I am done with it.

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The Ever King by. L.J. Andrews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Ever King By. L.J. Andrews | Book Review

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Title: The Ever King (The Ever Seas, #1)

Author: L.J. Andrews

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Pages: 408

Publication Date: 9/16/23

Categories: Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Series, Pirates, Fae

They stole his crown, so he stole their daughter…

For years Erik, the scarred king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and trapped him beneath the waves, making him a prisoner in his own realm.

Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains on the Ever, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge.

She’s innocent. He’s vicious. But he will take back what he lost, no matter the price.

Unless she steals his heart first.

Welcome to the passionate world of the Ever Kingdom where pirates, sirens, and fae collide with Vikings in a dark fantasy romance between a villain and the innocent princess who holds his heart.

*Please note: This series is set in the same world as the bestselling Broken Kingdoms series, but can be read independently, and readers are encouraged to read the list of triggers inside*

Content Warning: death, torture, violence, kidnapping

I tried to read a book by this author I think maybe sometime last year but I never finished the book and I can’t remember why. I think I just wasn’t feeling the writing. But I’ve been seeing The Ever King all over BookTok and I always see it when I’m scrolling through Kindle Unlimited books so I decided to give it a try.

I don’t know what it was about the writing this time but it worked! I was addicted right away because of the Ever King, Erik Bloodsinger, who is a villainous rascal, and out for vengeance against the Earth Fae King who killed his father. He is ruthless but inside his black heart was something only Livia could see. Speaking of Livia she is the daughter of his enemy and the sunshine of everyone’s life. She was raised in a loving home with loyal friends and just the opposite upbringing from the violence Erik endured. So their love story is one I really, really rooted for because I loved their banter! Livia might have been soft, but I like that when she knew she wanted him, she wasn’t afraid to tell him! The two of them had so much chemistry, I love that they both maybe hated one another but they were so drawn to one another they are inevitable.

This one is a series and I’m already addicted to it and the characters! I can’t wait to see more of Livia’s friends as the series unfolds because I got attached to them in the beginning of the story but the moment she gets kidnapped, we don’t see them at all. Another thing, there are a list of content warnings in the beginning of the story and the way Erik kills some of his enemies are so brutal. But I think that captured the “pirate” character so perfectly! He was rough, tough, ready to defend his people and cull anyone who stopped him.

My Final Thoughts:

I can’t wait to read the next two books that are out! I’m hoping each of her close friends gets a story because I’d love to see a story for Celine, Mira, Jonas, and even Aleksi. I’d also like one for Tait even though he’s a mystery. I think this book had everything I wanted in a romantasy – there is adventure, revenge, romance, family, friends, politics, and we’ll see what happens next.

Quotes From This Book:

“I didn’t want a match because that was expected. I wanted passion, the burn that if my love didn’t touch me soon, I’d burst. I wanted heat, and mess, and obsession.”
The Ever King by. L.J. Andrew