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 reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.
Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego’s newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.
When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada’s image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.
Fake it Till You Bake It is a sweet confection of a novel, the perfect story to curl up with and enjoy with a cupcake on the side.
Content Warning: cyber-bullying
I thought this was a cute foodie romance involving cupcakes. Of course it was the cover that drew me to the story and it perfectly suits the story.
Donovan is a football player with a sweet tooth! He is the owner of a cupcake bakery. I could just imagine a big man with this delicate, frosted cupcakes and I’d smile. The moment he meets Jada, they get off on the wrong foot but once they start spending more time together we see that Jada isn’t the snobbish girl he first met. She’s very sweet and personable actually, compared to Donovans sometimes gruff and stern personality.
The building romance between Donovan and Jada is pretty steady. The do notice one another, then get into a fake-dating situation until they decide to give in to the undeniable attraction between them. There was good banter between them, and they did make a good couple. I did wish there was more chemistry between them because at times it felt a bit forced. I wanted more of a build up since they did come off irritated with one another at first meeting and hinted at an enemies to lover romance. But I’d say this is a more light-hearted romance than anything too intense.
Why you should read it:
quick, light-hearted romance
diverse cast of characters
a football player who sells cupcakes
Why you might not want to read it:
chemistry felt forced at times
My Thoughts:
I thought this was enjoyable but sometimes the chemistry between Don and Jada felt forced. I did like the characters though! If you want a light-hearted romance that has football, cupcakes, dating show and fake dating, then this is the book for you!
Categories: Contemporary, Romance, Fake Dating, Childhood Best Friends to Enemies to Lovers, Rom-Com
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to MIRA for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” but make it Latinx when a Puerto Rican chef and an Irish American whiskey distiller are blackmailed into a fake relationship by their scheming octogenarian grandfathers.
Ain’t nobody got time for octogenarian blackmail, especially Kamilah Vega. Convincing her parents to update the family’s Puerto Rican restaurant and enter it into The Fall Foodie Tour is quite enough on her plate, muchas gracias. And with the gentrification of their Chicago neighborhood, the tour looks like the only way to save the place. Too bad her abuelo made himself very clear; if she wants to change anything in his restaurant, she must marry the one man she can’t stand: his best friend’s grandson.
Liam Kane spent a decade working his ass off to turn his family’s distillery into a contender. Now he and his grandfather are on the verge of winning a national competition. Then Granda hits him with a one-two punch: he has cancer and has his heart set on seeing Liam married before it’s too late. And his Granda knows just the girl… yup, you guessed it, Kamilah Vega.
If they refuse, their grandfathers will sell the building that houses their businesses, ruining all their well-laid plans. With their legacies and futures on the line, Kamilah and Liam plan to outfox the devious duo, faking an engagement until they both get what they want. But the more time they spend together, the more they realize how much there is to love. Soon, they find themselves tangled up in more than either of them bargained for.
Content Warning: Death, Illness
Kamilah and Liam were childhood best friends when a traumatic incident happened in Liam’s life and he started pushing her away. As adults they can’t stand to be around one another but everyone around them, especially their grandfathers, thinks they belong together. The scheming grandpas come up with a proposal – Kamilah and Liam have to get married or both grandpas will sell their family businesses, leaving the two with nothing. Kind of cutthroat of the grandpas if you ask me!
Kamilah is miss sunshine to Liam’s dark cloud. He’s the handsome, broody, anti-social grumpy one. Together the sparks fly and I couldn’t help root for them to have a happily ever after. Now there are other things going on in their lives. Kamilah is trying to figure out her life. She works hard at her family’s restaurant, a restaurant it seems her parents resent, but she wants to keep in the family. In fact she tries to save the restaurant all on her own and I thought it showed her love for her family but as the story continues we get to understand all the feelings the family has about the restaurant. As for Liam, he has PTSD from an incident that made him lose his father and Nana, and just trying to move on from that has been difficult. He pushes people away so he doesn’t have to feel that hurt again. Clearly these two have issues to work on and I love that the happily ever after included therapy and waiting to be better for the other person!
There were a few side characters I enjoyed a lot in this book. Kamilah’s brothers, Leo and Saint, who I hope get books of their own – Leo needs someone to take him down a peg or two haha. Kamilah’s best friend and cousins and Liam and his friends were fun. I loved that this whole cast felt like family, friends and a community. I love the puerto rican food that was mentioned and the whiskey distillery even though I don’t drink whiskey. It was lovely when they started being fused together. I also loved learning Irish American culture as well.
Honestly, I felt bad for Kamilah. Her family gave her such a hard time for her ideas. She did love her family, but they accused her of only loving herself. I just think they didn’t know how to communicate with one another. I thought it wasn’t fair that she got everyone’s anger, even if she was manipulated by her own grandpa. I know it’s supposed to be a funny story but there were some heavy moments and uncomfortable feelings when I was reading it. Like why are they pressuring her to get married and have kids? (Okay this definitely triggered me haha, I could relate big time.) I know some families believe in tough love (another trigger) but did she really deserve all of them abandoning her? It’s why I loved her brother Saint, he stayed by her side – I hope he gets a good love story.
Other than that, I thought Kamilah and Liam were cute together because they had their history. They get a happy ending, but also acknowledged they need to work on some things before saying “I Do.” I liked that.
Why you should read it:
childhood friends to enemies to lovers, fake engagement
the sense of community and family closeness, fun story
there is food and Puerto Rican culture, and Irish American culture reps
Why you might not want to read it:
maybe some triggering family moments
My Thoughts:
This lively story has a melting of cultures: Puerto Rican and Irish American. There is an abundance of family, friends, food and good times. But there are also some tough moments in this story especially when it comes to Liam’s past and the way with Kamilah tries to deal with her personal problems . The love story was cute though. Kamilah is the sunshine and Liam is the grumpy guy and I was rooting for their happy ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.
📚 ~ Yolanda
Natalie Caña writes contemporary romances that allow her to incorporate her witty sense of humor and her love for her culture (Puertominican whoop whoop!) for heroines and heroes like her. A PROPOSAL THEY CAN’T REFUSE is her debut novel.
Categories: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Enemies to Lovers
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Berkeley Books for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Alex Turner is never The One–but always the last one an ex dates before finding love–and now she’s determined to find out why in this hilarious new rom-com.
Single divorce attorney Alex Turner is watching reality TV when she sees her latest ex’s new fiancé picking out her wedding dress. Yet again, the guy she dumped went on to marry (or at least seriously commit to) the next person he dates after her. Fed up with being the precursor to happily ever after, she decides to interview all her exes to find out why.
Up-and-coming chef Will Harkness mixes with Alex like oil and vinegar, but forced proximity growing up means their lives are forever entwined. When Will learns Alex and her friends are going on a wild romp through Los Angeles to reconnect with her ex-boyfriends, he decides to tag along. If he can discover what her exes did wrong, he can make sure he doesn’t make the same mistake with Alex.
On this nonstop journey through the streets of LA, Alex realizes the answer to her question might be the man riding shotgun…
Content Warning: Parental Neglect
This has so much potential but it fell short for me.
One thing I loved about the story was Alex is a very successful young woman. She knows what she wants in every aspect of her life but even though she’s successful in most aspects of her life, the one place she keeps failing at are relationships. It’s totally understandable though because she never had the best childhood and her parents were hardly there for her emotionally and physically. So Alex has some things to work through. She tries to contact a few of her ex’s to ask them what was it about her that made them find someone so soon (and settle down) after dating her.
Will is Alex’s grandmother’s, step-son…yeah so it kind of weirdly makes him her step-uncle but they are NOT related by blood at all. For me, that’s still family and I wouldn’t even think about it haha, but in this story Will and Alex are pretty much the same age and very attracted to one another. They’ve kept their hands off one another for awhile – Will got married and divorced, and Alex has been dating. Will has now sworn off marrying again and concentrating on opening his own restaurant.
I love the diversity in this book. Alex is African American, her best friend Jane is pansexual, Charlee – who is Will’s friend is transgendered. I loved the scenes when Alex was with her friends, they are a fun group. I like the sparks between Will and Alex.
My issues with the story came with the writing but I had to remind myself this is an arc. There were lots of technical mistakes, like names changing: Lexi and Alex were interchanged which was awkward because Lexi is Alex’s grandmother, and Lana’s husband name changed as well. Hopefully those are fixed. Also we are in Alex and Will’s head a lot, mostly Alex’s and sometimes it slowed down the story. The story felt clunky at times, it didn’t have an easy flow to it.
Why you should read it:
great diversity of characters, fun friend group
enemies to lovers
Alex character growth
Why you might not want to read it:
lots of typos that hopefully will be corrected before publication
story didn’t flow easily, slow in the middle of the story
My Thoughts:
Overall I thought this one has so much potential. I like that Alex is a very successful female but she’s having problems in her love life. It’s an eye-opening journey for her and she has to find some of her relationship attachment issues. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope and thought she and Will had lots of sparks. I mostly enjoyed Alex’s friends who were a fun group when they were together. There were a bunch of typos that need to be fixed and the middle of the story dragged a bit but I still was rooting for an Alex and Will happy ending. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Categories: Young Adult, Mystery, Romance, Coming of Age
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 for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Seventeen-year-old Lexi has always wanted to know more about the mother who passed away when she was only a child. But her dad will barely talk about her. He says he’d rather live in the present with Lexi, her stepmom, and her half-brother. Lexi loves her family, too, but is it so wrong to want to learn about the mom she never got to know?
When Lexi’s grandma dies and secretly leaves her a worn blue chest that belonged to Lexi’s mother, Lexi is ecstatic to find a treasure trove of keepsakes. Her mom held onto letters, pamphlets, flyers, and news articles all from the same beautiful summertime getaway: Mackinac Island—plus a cryptic postcard that hints at a forbidden romance. If Lexi wants answers, this island is where she needs to go.
Without telling her dad, Lexi goes to the gorgeous Mackinac Island in Lake Superior, reachable only by ferry. Cars are forbidden and bikes are the number one mode of transportation along the quaint cobblestone streets, and the bright white hotel that looms like a high castle over charming cafés and bookshops. While following her mother’s footsteps, Lexi befriends an elderly former Broadway star and a charming young hotel worker while quickly falling in love with her surroundings.
But though the island may be beautiful, it’s hiding unfortunate secrets—some with her mother at the center. Could some questions be best left buried beneath the blue waters?
Content Warning: Death of Parent
I really love the cover of this book and that’s the main reason I requested it.
Lexi doesn’t know much about her mom but when her estranged grandmother dies and leaves her a box of her mom’s things she wants to find out more. With encouragement from her step-sister Chloe, they concoct a plan for her to find out more about her mom and visiting Mackinac Island in Michigan. It requires lying to her dad and step-mom, but Lexi feels like she has no choice.
The story starts off fine and we have two timelines going on – Emma (Lexi’s mom), is telling her story in the past, and Lexi continues in the present. Emma is a sunshine girl, who’s life has been easy so far. Her parents own a lovely hotel resort on Mackinac Island. She’s friendly with the employees, especially one guy named JR who she’s known from when they were little kids. But this summer is different – Emma has befriended brother and sisters, Linda and Ryan. They become a foursome all summer long until things start to change.
Emma is a sweet girl who loves art, she’s always late to things, she loves her summer dresses and being carefree. Her parents want her to learn more responsibility though because they hope she will take over the hotel business but Emma doesn’t want the hotel to be her future. She’s not sure what she wants. Even when it comes to guys. JR is her best friend, and he’s known her forever but Ryan has an amazing smile and a charming personality like her.
I was invested in finding out Emma’s history for Lexi’s sake. Lexi just needs to know more about her mom, and I sympathized with her. But I had a few issues with the story. Lexi’s character wasn’t someone I could connect to. I felt like a lot of the characters weren’t very developed outside of Emma, JR, Ryan and Linda. Lexi is a very indecisive character and needs encouragement from her step-sister Chloe who we only get to know over the phone. Chloe is there in the beginning of the story but barely there, anywhere else in the story. For someone who is investigating her mother’s history, Lexi was strangely reluctant to follow the plan she has, even ignoring advice from people on the island – which was so strange to me. Instead she tries to force some random worker to help her and clearly he doesn’t want to. It was bizarre.
I was drawn to Emma’s upbringing in the beginning, mostly because the setting of Mackinac Island sounded wonderful, but she is as indecisive as Lexi. She gets herself into a love triangle and it’s super frustrating. I usually don’t mind love triangles but Emma comes off as innocent yet has two guys in love with her and she can’t seem to choose which one she wants to be with. It ruins the friendship between all of them, including Linda. It was just sad. Everything revolved around Emma even beyond her death.
Another thing that wasn’t vibing with me was the whole mystery of Emma’s life and Lexi’s investigation of it. It was slow, add the love triangle to it and I felt unsatisfied with the story. I guess I thought from the cover this would be a more light-hearted story.
Why you should read it:
Mackinac Island setting
summer of friendship
Why you might not want to read it:
love triangle with a girl who couldn’t really make a choice and stick with it (until it had ruined relationships)
slow developing story, Lexi’s investigation went nowhere at times
indecisive characters: Emma and Lexi
My Thoughts:
I love the cover and the concept of the story. The setting was wonderful and I even had to Google it to see if it was real! It is. The setting was my favorite part. The execution of the story fell short for me. I didn’t connect to Emma or Lexi, they were both way too indecisive for me. The story moved a bit too slowly and I didn’t enjoy the love triangle. Unfortunately this story wasn’t for me.
Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.
Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.
And Sam picks up the phone.
In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.
Content Warning: Grief, Death of Loved One
First off, I love this book cover, it’s so pretty and perfectly reflects the story. Julie and Sam had future plans but the future changes when Sam dies in a car accident.
Julie is grieving and grieving has many stages – we see Julie go through lot of them in this story about love, death and letting go. As a character Julie comes off as unlikable but what do we really know about her outside of grieving Sam? I’ve experienced grief but not in high school, when you are young and think life is so long. Some people see Julie as selfish for not attending any of Sam’s memorials or even the funeral, others know to give her space and maybe a break. Everyone grieves differently. I did find it kind of wild that she was trying to get rid of some of Sam’s things a week after he died. Like…I know we all grieve differently but wow, I couldn’t part with my late husband’s things after just a week, even if it was hard to look at it.
I thought talking with Sam through the phone was interesting. It definitely helped her get through some of the beginning stages of losing Sam but other than that, I didn’t see the point except when we hear Sam’s explanation. That part almost made the tears come – almost! I thought it would be super emotional for me but surprisingly, it wasn’t as heartbreaking as I thought it would be. I think it’s because there really wasn’t any conflict between Sam and Julie until the night of the accident, which sucks bad, but everyone can see how it was an accident and that they were crazy about one another. Strangely, I felt it was more meaningful when Sam got to talk to Mika and his brother, because they were having a hard time with his death.
As for Julie moving on – I didn’t feel like she really did have a life outside of Sam. Her connection to her friends wasn’t a strong one, the one she did seem close to, Mika (Sam’s cousin) – was someone she pushed away the moment Sam dies. I thought that sucked for Mika who clearly needed a friend and someone who knew Sam like she did. But the great thing about her is that she does try her best to move on with the help of Sam and her friends.
Why you should read it:
takes a look at grieving and the different ways people grieve
Sam and Julie’s sweet love story
see how Julie learns to move on
Why you might not want to read it:
didn’t really connect to the characters
at some points Julie comes off as unlikable but she’s grieving, she’s in high school on the verge of graduating and lost her first love in a tragic accident but she does come off as immature as times
My Thoughts:
For me this book was okay – I was expecting to be bawling my eyes out but I didn’t. In a way I’m relieved I didn’t cry my eyes out but I wanted to feel more than I did. This is a story that takes a look at grieving and moving on. Julie does move on, with a little help from Sam.
📚 ~ Yolanda
Quote from the Book:
Letting go isn’t about forgetting. It’s balancing moving forward with life, and looking back from time to time, remembering the people in it.”
Categories: Fantasy, Politcal Intrigue, Young Adult, Romance, LGBT+, Spinoff of Series, Series
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!
When ancient magic tests a newfound love, a dark fate beckons . . .
Magic has been banished in the land of Syhl Shallow for as long as best friends Jax and Callyn can remember. They once loved the stories of the powerful magesmiths and mythical scravers who could conjure fire or control ice, but now they’ve learned that magic only leads to danger: magic is what killed Callyn’s parents, leaving her alone to raise her younger sister. Magic never helped Jax, whose leg was crushed in an accident that his father has been punishing him for ever since. Magic won’t save either of them when the tax collector comes calling, threatening to take their homes if they can’t pay what they owe.
Meanwhile, Jax and Callyn are astonished to learn magic has returned to Syhl Shallow — in the form of a magesmith who’s now married to their queen. Now, the people of Syhl Shallow are expected to allow dangerous magic in their midst, and no one is happy about it.
When a stranger rides into town offering Jax and Callyn silver in exchange for holding secret messages for an anti-magic faction, the choice is obvious — even if it means they may be aiding in a plot to destroy their new king. It’s a risk they’re both willing to take. That is, until another visitor arrives: handsome Lord Tycho, the King’s Courier, the man who’s been tasked with discovering who’s conspiring against the throne.
Suddenly, Jax and Callyn find themselves embroiled in a world of shifting alliances, dangerous flirtations, and ancient magic . . . where even the deepest loyalties will be tested.
Content Warning: Violence, Kidnapping, Abuse, Mention of Rape
I requested this book because it was written by Brigid Kemmerer but I didn’t realize it was a spinoff of The Cursebreakers series until I started reading it. I felt myself rebelling against this book because I didn’t love the ending of that first series. It was okay, I just didn’t think I’d return to that world again – yet here I was with Grey, Lia Mara and of course Tycho (who I vaguely remember).
This new series is set in Shyl Shallow and is told by three perspectives: Tycho, Jax – a blacksmith in Shyl Shallow, and Callyn, a baker and Jax’s best friend. It took me awhile to get into this book because I didn’t know what we were doing back here…is there a story to tell? Well – it seems like there is no happy ever after still and there is a growing faction of people who are opposed to King Grey and magic. The plan is to eliminate him and save the queen (but she doesn’t need saving). But things don’t go as planned.
I did like that this was Tycho’s story. He’s traveling between Grey’s court and Rhen’s Emberfall a lot and those two always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I just never liked how the previous series ended, I guess. But I did my best to concentrate on Tycho’s side of things. I love that he meets Jax – they have an attraction that gets kind of steamy. I felt bad for Jax because his dad abuses him and he is just trying his best to survive it. As for Callyn -I liked meeting her but then she lands in the morally grey area, especially when Lord Alek comes around and I’m not sure what will happen to her in the sequel. In this story no one is perfect.
Grey and Rhen are back for a little bit but like I said I don’t have happy feelings for either of them. The beginning of this story took awhile to get into but I did find myself caring about Tycho and Jax by the middle of it all. As for Cal and Alek? Ugh – all I feel are red flag alerts. I think it’s supposed to be an enemies to lovers romance building but I think I hate Alek…so, can he redeem himself in my eyes? I don’t know! In relation to the story…do we need to be back in this world? It just feels like an unending cycle and no one will come out totally happy, with magic or not. I am intrigued about the scravers though! But enough for me to want to read book two? I’m still not sure. I did enjoy the second half of this book though so we shall see.
Why you should read it:
you loved The Cursebreakers series, want to revisit old characters and the same world (you should read The Cursebreakers series if you haven’t)
M/M romance
political intrigue and some good action at the end
Why you might not want to read it:
wasn’t happy with the previous series
relationships are constantly tested in this series
My Thoughts:
I went into this book kind of wary of returning to Shyl Shallow and Emberfall and yes I struggled to get into the story in the beginning because I wondered – was there really a story to tell about this world again? But I found myself invested midway to the end of the book. I liked Tycho and Jax’s romance and am sort of intrigued by Callyn and Lord Alek – but also warning bells are going off on those two also. I wasn’t as interested in being around Grey and Rhen again, I have bittersweet or maybe just bitter feelings about how that relationship turned out. I think Nakiis’s story would be enough to pull me back into the next book. For fans of The Cursebreaker series, you will love this spinoff because all the old characters are there, and it’s a familiar world. For the not so big fans of the series, you may want to skip this one…unless you are as curious as I was, then you should read it.
One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn’t see coming….
Nora Stephens’ life is books – she’s read them all – and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.
Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters’ trip away – with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.
If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again – in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow – what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.
Content Warning: Grief, Family Pressure, Death of Family Member
Nora and Charlie both work in the book publishing industry. She’s an agent and he’s an editor – their first meeting doesn’t go very well but when they run into each other in a small town, they get to spend time together. These two work so well together! I love their dialogue and banter, there was a delicious slow burn building and I like that they got to see each other around their own families. Because family means a LOT to them. I like that Charlie gets to know the Nora that no one else knows about – not even her sister, because she really needed someone in her corner.
So the romance between Nora and Charlie is a given because yes, this is clearly a romance story but on the other hand Nora feeling the pressures of taking care of her sister and dealing with all the trauma and grief she’s held onto since their mom passed away really is half the book. Nora is ridden with guilt, and hasn’t let go of the responsibility of taking care of her sister, Libby, even though her sister is a mom of 2, soon to be 3 kids. Nora is a pressure cooker ready to explode. I related to her in the grief though. I loved all her thoughts about her fears, her love for her sister and mother, her love of books and her thoughts about not being the type of woman who wants to have children, or wants to settle down in a small quiet town. I love that Nora is supposedly the one in a book without a happy ending. Thing is Nora knows herself so much that she doesn’t want the kind of happy ending that you normally see in books. Married with children. But I felt for Nora having all the fears and vulnerabilities that she has been carrying since her mom passed.
For me this was an uneven reading experience. I was in the groove, vibing with Nora and Charlie because they are falling for one another. Their banter is wonderful, the attraction is there and then the mood would dissipate because Nora would get into her head about her rules and goals and into the role of saving her sister – who didn’t actually need saving. It’s definitely more women’s fiction than a full-on romance novel. The person Nora loves the most in this book is her sister, and that was the relationship she was working on saving. Charlie was just an added bonus to her life. Speaking of Libby – why was it such a mystery where she was half of the day and why couldn’t Nora just ask her? Nora gave her lots of space and wouldn’t ever confront Libby but that was so frustrating especially because they are super close…or was. I also felt like we didn’t know much about Libby except through Nora’s eyes and she got some things wrong about her sister. Lots of miscommunication there.
Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the book making process. Between Charlie, who’s an editor and Nora who is an agent – we get a little bit of an inside glimpse of how they interact with authors and I loved seeing all this behind the scenes action! Also – the book tropes just had me smiling. I love that Nora and Libby love books and tropes – because we all have our own favorites right?
Why you should read it:
Two bookish people falling for one another in a delicious slow burn, with great dialogue and banter
it’s emotional – Nora and Charlie have separate issues but it both deals with family
Nora and Libby’s sisterly love and bond
an homage to book lovers and the tropes we’ve come to love or dislike
Why you might not want to read it:
like I mentioned above, it gets emotional. Nora is trapped inside some mental anxieties that she has to push through, but it gets heavy. So if you want something light-hearted? This is not it.
My Thoughts:
I was expecting a light-hearted romance novel between two bookish people but ended up getting a somewhat heavy story about two bookish people falling in love and dealing with family issues. But I loved it! I felt for Nora. I loved her relationship with Libby and watching her fall in love with Charlie was beautiful. Nora thoughts are funny especially when she starts thinking in tropes! As a book lover myself, this one felt like an homage to book lovers. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to HQN for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
How do you start over when the biggest mistake of your life has more than one million views?
Forget diamonds—the internet is forever. Social media consultant Isla Thompson learned that lesson the hard way when she went viral for all the wrong reasons. A month later, Isla is still having nightmares about the moment she ruined a young starlet’s career and made herself the most unemployable influencer in Manhattan. But she doesn’t have the luxury of hiding until she’s no longer Instagram poison. Not when her fourteen-year-old sister, Dani, needs Isla to keep a roof over their heads. So, she takes the first job she can get: caring for Camilla, a glossy-maned, foul-tempered hellhound.
After a week of ferrying Camilla from playdates to pet psychics, Isla starts to suspect that the dachshund’s bark is worse than her bite—just like her owner, Theo Garrison. Isla has spent her career working to make people likable and here’s Theo—happy to hide behind his reputation as a brutish recluse. But Theo isn’t a brute—he’s sweet and funny, and Isla should not see him as anything but the man who signs her paychecks. Because loving Theo would mean retreating to his world of secluded luxury, and Isla needs to show Dani that no matter the risk, dreams are always worth chasing.
Content Warning: Parental Neglect
I absolutely loved this book because it’s got romance and a dog with an attitude!
Isla is trying to recover from a shattered career as a social media consultant because she messed up really bad with her last client. Theo is one of the richest men in New York City, who’s beloved grandmother has passed and left him with her very challenging dog, Camilla, who is a dachshund that thinks she runs the world. He’s gone through many pet-sitters only to run out of luck until he meets Isla.
Isla is miss sunshine. She holds her head up even after the most disastrous career mistake ever, but she moves on because she has no choice. Isla is in her 20’s but is an older sister/mom to her younger sister – their mom deserted her so it fell to her to be Dani’s caretaker and guardian. I love their sisterly bond and you can just feel in the book that Isla is a good person. Theo on the other-hand is anti-social. He has his reasons and abhors social media. He has had to deal with losing his parents at a young age, and now his grandmother ,who took him in when he was an orphan. He has lost everyone he’s loved so naturally he is protective of himself. Theo is known as a hermit because know one really knows him or has seen him around.
When Isla and Theo meet and interact, the attraction grows quickly. I like how her friendly nature got him to come out of his shell. They are perfect for one another. They go through some challenges in the end but nothing major. I thought their romance was very sweet and spicy.
Camilla the dachshund is something else! But we learn she has a history too and all she was reacting to was missing the person who showed her love. Her antics were hilarious though and I thought Isla’s instagram account of her was clever. Who doesn’t love pets on social media?
I love that they become this small little family in the end.
Why you should read it:
sunshine girl and anti-social rich guy falling for one another
there is a dog with an attitude who just made me laugh a lot – and I love dogs
cute love story, lots of laughs but also heartwarming moments between family and friends
Why you might not want to read it:
the relationship might seem like it happens fast but I think because it’s a quick read I had no problem with it – but other readers might want more of a buildup
My Thoughts:
I love this story – it has everything I could want in a romance: humor, heartwarming moments between family and friends, a little spice between Isla and Theo, a dog with trust issues and a Vogue cover shoot, and a happily ever after. If you want a light hearted, romantic comedy that features romance and a sassy little dachshund then you will enjoy this book!
📚 ~ Yolanda
About the Author:
Stefanie London is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing praised as “elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT Magazine. Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges her passions for lipstick, good coffee, books and anything zombie related.
Categories: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Coming of Age, K-Pop, Friends to Lovers
Disclaimer: **I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Thank you to Disney for giving me a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review!
What would you do if the world’s biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.
Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing – she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that’s always made her feel like she belonged.
So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.
Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants – even if she can’t stop thinking about Robbie’s smile…right?
Content Warning: Bullying
When I first picked this up and read the first chapter, I thought this was going to be a drag to read because I wasn’t in the mood to read a high school prom story at the moment. Few weeks later, I picked it up again and never put it back down!
Elena’s childhood best friend, Robbie Choi is back in town and he’s a big K-Pop star now. He comes around asking her to go to prom because they made a promise as kids but Elena isn’t a kid anymore and prom is the least of her concerns. She’s trying to bring awareness to kids at school that the money they are spending for prom could go to a good cause like the community center she volunteers at. But Robbie is persistent, so when he keeps popping up in her life, they start to renew their bond and this time their relationship is on another level, one that Elena isn’t sure about.
This story is so cute! There is something about these “falling for a K-Pop star” books that is so addictive, even if at first I didn’t think I would be into this one – it got me in the end! I loved seeing Elena and Robbie rekindle their friendship and seeing it turn into something more, despite the drama that comes a long with it. It seriously played out like a K-drama show and I hope someone (Netflix) makes this one into a movie. But it has that recipe or formula that K-drama’s have, a relationship that has it’s problems and funny starts, then the feelings start catching and the betrayal or drama and then a super sweet ending that pulls at your heart strings. This story has all of that.
WDB is the K-pop group that Robbie is a part of and we get to meet the members. They are so sweet, except the leader of the group Jongdae but the only K-pop group I know is BTS so it’s who I compared to in my mind when reading. I am always fascinated when reading these K-pop romance stories when the business side of K-pop groups are revealed. There is a lot of sacrifice that goes into becoming a superstar, sometimes at the expense of who these stars really are inside as people and I think it’s a good reminder to us who just see them as celebrities that it’s not all glitz and glamour. It’s a controlling industry and we get a glimpse into how Robbie’s life is restricted as well as Sooyeon, the girl pop star they are friends with.
As for the characters, Elena isn’t the most likable but I think she is relatable. Sure, she’s the girl who thinks prom is a waste of time, and she’s a planner, a bit controlling and when things don’t go her way, she freaks out or pushes people away. She doesn’t know what she’s good at, or what her passion is (besides the community center) and always feels invisible compared to her siblings. But I think that’s where Robbie balances her out – he is sweet and laid back.
Why you should read it:
childhood friends to lovers, sweet love story, falling for a K-pop star
if you love K-drama and K-pop, this one is for you
loved all the Korean rep plus K-pop industry info
Why you might not want to read it:
not into K-pop
My Thoughts:
Honestly these K-pop romance stories have a good formula and it works. I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this one and yet in the end it was pulling on my heartstrings and making me wish a K-pop star asked me to prom! I need this one as a movie on Netflix, it would be so cute.
Title: The Fabric of Chaos (Curse of the Cyren, #3)
Author: Helen Scheuerer
Format: ebooks (kindle unlimited)
Pages: 432
Publication Date: 4/1/22
Categories: Fantasy, Romance, Series,Adventure
An almighty power. A deadly choice. Will she come undone when chaos reigns?
After facing heart-breaking betrayals and jaw-dropping revelations in Akoris, Roh must steel herself once more and continue her quest to win the cyren throne.
But with poison lingering in her body and a new, unpredictable companion at her side, the trek to the mysterious territory of Csilla becomes all the more perilous. Dangerous schemes are afoot – ones that threaten not only the homeland Roh intends to rule, but all of cyrenkind.
As her journey stretches across the realm, Roh must navigate the dark web of her own ambition and master her newfound magic.
Will she triumph against the trials ahead – or sow the seeds of her own destruction?
More action-packed than ever, brimming with new secrets and a touch of romance, The Fabric of Chaos is the breathtaking third installment of Helen Scheuerer’s Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet.
Content Warning: Violence, Grief
I liked this one so much better than book two and almost gave it 5 stars but the slow burn is way too slow haha.
Roh and her group of friends travel to the next location to find the next gem for her crown. They take a harrowing journey to Csilla and encounter so much challenges and danger. When they get to Csilla we learn more about the past between Roh’s mother and the current queen. More secrets are revealed and this time we also get some backstory about the Water Warlocks and what atrocities their people were subjected to.
Roh has more character growth especially when it comes to finding her confidence, making the right decisions, and knowing who to trust. I love that the friendship between all of them has grown tighter.
As for the romance, finally something happens and my wait has come to an end at least. I do think the slow burn was way too slow and I had to wait for book three to get more action between Finn and Roh but I guess it was worth the wait. Of course then a twist in events once more makes Roh doubt herself. The torture for Roh is never-ending, she goes through a lot of turmoil in this book! I hope she gets a really good ending in the next and final book. But what I love about her is that she grows in each book in the series.
I do wish this series was a trilogy but I get with these kinds of series on Amazon that the release dates are a shorter wait than books from bigger publishers. I love that I don’t have to wait too long but also wish the story wouldn’t go on forever.
Why you should read it:
to continue the series – great story-telling
slow burn romance, finally we get some action between Roh and Finn
Roh’s character growth, lovable characters
Why you might not want to read it:
not into a long series…seems like it’s going to be a 4 books series – you might want to wait for the last book to be out and binge it
My Thoughts:
I love this installment to the series! It really had everything: action, danger, friendship, romance, plot twists, back story and it even ends really good! It setts up for an exciting conclusion in the next book I hope. I’ve come to love the characters and am rooting for Roh (queen or not) to make the best decisions and trust the small circle of found family around her. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and more from this author.
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