Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I’ll be honest & admit off the bat that I was leery of beginning this one bc I was nervous I would encounter a behemoth. But to my surprise, once I read a couple of chapters The Christmas Fix activated my “dislike to lovers” pleasure receptors & I was off. Cat King and Noah Yates dislike each other immediately. She’s a reno expert & reality tv star & he is a starchy city manager who doesn’t want her to orchestrate and film any reno to his storm-ravaged town. But somewhere along the way he realizes that there is much much more to her & also that he has embraced a locked-down life & the fun begins. The Christmas Fix starts off a bit bumpy for me because both leads come across as abrasive. Cat is not willing to take no for an answer & Noah is very judgmental about her profession & interests & lifestyle & in a way that doesn’t feel potentially sexy. But the steam keeps steamin’ & there are some majorly cute moments as Cat introduces him to grocery store & snow adventures. Noah’s unexpected vulnerability is heartwarming, even more so how Cat responds to it. I wanted a bit more from his evolution but overall, it’s nicely done. Some of Lucy Score’s books haven’t worked for me in the past but The Christmas Fix is an adorable & hot & sweet holiday read that actually ties in nicely to the new year despite the title. 4.25⭐️. Out now! CWs: some comments about how clothes fit; past parental negligence/emotional scarring.
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Have you read any of these? Are any on your TBR? Starling House by Alix E. Harrow. Harrow’s writing is layered & piercing & divine. This fantasy with romantic elements has some great creep factor & ask me how much I love that neither lead is conventionally attractive & both are quite feral. Harrow writes the fantasy you hope for and I’m really loving reading more of her work! 4.5⭐️. Love, Lies, & Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau. (Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) I’ve really liked some other books by the author but the narration of this one—it feels a bit rambling in moments—just doesn’t totally work for me. But I love how the heroine shares what her writing journey is like & how that—and other aspects of her personality—relate to the expectations she feels from her immigrant mother. Starchy hero alert but I wish there had been more interaction between the leads from the beginning. 3.5 ⭐️ ️. Out 05/07. The Magpie Lord & A Case For Possession by KJ Charles. I’ve been having fun reading these backlist fantasy romance titles by KJC. A tattooed historical lead; height difference; class difference; both are powerful in unique ways. I wish the narration didn’t refer to Stephen so much as a “little man”—it gets a bit weird for me the way it’s used sometimes—but a great series overall. Now on to book 3! 4 ⭐️️. Heartless by H.G. Parry. (Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) I haven’t read Peter Pan or watched the movie recently but this dark & haunting retelling still got to me in the best of ways. Peter & James Hook meet in a workhouse & we gradually learn how James becomes Pirate Hook & how they all reach Neverland. I didn’t “love & adore” this book but I’m still thinking about it which means something too. This is my second book by H.G. Parry & I definitely want to read more. Fantasy fans, check out The Magician’s Daughter! 4 ⭐️ ️. Out now. [ID: Jess’s white hand holds an ebook of Love, Lies…in an autumnal forest. To the right are the book covers for the other books discussed in the post.] |
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