Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Whew, the emotional journey Old Flames & New Fortunes took me on! You never know what you’re gonna get with a Sarah Hogle book & I love it. It’s hard to compare any of her books to any of her others bc they’re all so different—but I’d say the overall vibes of this one are more like Twice Shy, but with magic, second chances, & a strong bond between sisters & friends added in & some other things taken out . Romina Tempest—who makes magical floral arrangements—runs a magic business with her sisters & their friend. Everything is as it should be when an old love, Alex, returns to town just after Romina & her friend have lied & said they are dating. This romance doesn’t rest on its laurels—it produced so many different feelings in me, from laughter to sadness to swoons to nervousness. I was all over the place. That’s something I really love about Sarah Hogle’s books, how they go for it & you basically have to lean into the experience. The aforementioned swoons in this book are real & serious & I will follow a devoted, lay-all-his-cards-on-the-table hero to the ends of the Earth. Though I didn’t love all of the details surrounding their first relationship imploding, I also found much of it relatable. Sometimes people do dumb, hasty things…& if they’re lucky, they get a second chance. So I ultimately really liked this book & love Sarah Hogle’s imagination. I’m truly so excited to see what she writes next! 4.5⭐️. Out 04/02.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
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quick thoughts reviews! Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban. The idea of a Parent Trap-esque romance between two women trying to avoid their own matrimonial expectations & pressures is fantastic to me & I love how we get a bonus romance with their parents. The connection between leads is sweet & hot but the overall plot feels unnecessarily angsty IMO & I didn’t always understand why things were happening like they did. But I definitely enjoyed this book & see a lot of potential for future reads—a good thing, since I have book 2 on my shelves! 4 ⭐️, out now. (Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) Love You, Mean It by Jilly Gagnon. I stan a heroine with a passionate hobby & I found myself most invested in this book when it talks about what Ellie Greco is into: fashion, family, & her family’s deli. I was less invested in the romance, which started to grow on me before kinda blowing up in my face somewhat. In the end, this title feels misleading & I would characterize it as HFN. I wanted to like this one more, & in moments I did, but overall the relationship between leads feels tenuous & the third act breakup is pretty brutal. 3⭐️️, out 04/30. (Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) Have you read either of these? Are either on your TBR? If not, what’s your current read? [ID: a gray cat sits on a bed in front of a white bookcase & a yellow wall.]Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Get you a fictional hottie who can fix your computer & tow your car. Or a fictional hottie who takes charge of her life, kicking butts & taking names & sometimes getting herself into little awkward dilemmas as she does it. Those are both leads of Danica Nava’s The Truth According to Ember, a sexy workplace contemporary that features these two standout Native MCs, their families (& sometimes the complications that come along with them), and the secondary leads—good, bad, & icky—who populate their Oklahoma City workplace. In moments this book had me swooning hard & in others, getting frustrated with FMC Ember Lee who frequently resorts to lying (see title ) when it comes to her job & love interest Danuwoa. But the book offers motivations behind many of the lies—at least in the beginning, before things start ramping up & Danica’s actions—though still somewhat understandable—had me stressing . Setting aside the lying, this book delivers on the romance front. Though lying can be iffy for me in terms of romance development, there’s a real connection between Ember & Danuwoa, forged on their attraction, their shared culture & experiences as Native Americans, & just what they want out of life. Friends, I thought this book was great. There are some stellar scenes in it & lots of moments where I rooted for both of them, especially as Ember celebrates the milestones she’s making happen. 4.5⭐️. Out 08/06.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Last: Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann: you know that ghost stories make me weak in the knees, so I was really excited by this title. What worked for me is a self-assured heroine who shines on the page, some really thoughtful conversations between the hero and heroine about the heroine’s asexuality, and the overall interesting premise. But unfortunately, the book seemed to lag in spots and just felt a bit convoluted. I missed a sense of joy. In the end, I wanted to love this one but sadly I just didn’t. 3 ⭐️️. Out 05/21. (Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.)
Now:The Prospects by KT Hoffman. I am absolutely loving this queer baseball romance. I kid you not, at 5% I was already messaging someone telling them they needed to read this book. I am about 75% in now and I know this is going to be a five-star read. Out 04/09. (Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) Next:Maybe Emma R. Alban’s Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend, maybe Kate Clayborn’s The Other Side of Disappearing. I’m honestly not sure. Have you read any of these books or any on your TBR? Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Lavash at First Sight by Taleen Voskuni made me have such a big heart-smile. I loved so much about it, especially: 🧡 how both Nazeli & Vanya are Armenian-American & this is something really important to them & to their families in general. I love how they are able to bond over that shared history & culture—their mutual respect for each others’ parents really got to me! 🧡FMC Nazeli’s passion & drive to give everything her all. The tension between her demanding 9-5 (more like 24/7, as hard as she works) & the toll she grows to understand it’s taking on her feels relatable! 🧡 so much family love! I know I mentioned this earlier but I just love how the family is represented here. There are some hiccups along the way but also so much love & understanding & acceptance. 🧡 Romeo & Juliet vibes but make it queer & add a food competition 🧡 honesty & transparency & a willingness to admit mistakes. Nazeli doesn’t take the easy insult road earlier in the book but later, when she does make a mistake, she’s very self-aware & takes responsibility. 🧡 humor! For my romance peeps, I wanna let you know this is closed door. But I also want to shout to the world that this book is so sweet & lovely and I loved it! 4.5⭐️. Out 05/07.CWs: Toxic work environment & Nazeli’s boss makes negative & harmful comments about her body. Reference to Armenian Genocide.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.The pure excitement of reading a steamy & heartwarming romance that features leads that are in their fifties! As someone who is about to bid her 30s hasta la vista, I love seeing older leads having fun & falling in love. Booksta Loves, Lips Like Sugar by Jess K Hardy has it all: Aforementioned steam, including a sizzling FaceTime moment A charmer hero who’s a famous drummer & also marvels over his granddaughter. A lovely, strong “baker goddess” heroine who’s got a lot on her mind. She is so cool. References to hot flashes and other references to hot bodies that are also aging. This book is so heartfelt & delightful—it’s so cute to watch them fall in love—& it also wrestles with tough topics like addiction & parental memory loss. I definitely, absolutely rec this contemporary if you’re looking for something that will satisfy your sweet tooth *drum roll* (sorry it just came to me). 5⭐️. Out 03/28.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Imagine having to film an intimacy scene for a romcom with the person you’ve disliked with fervor since you were teens—when he publicly stomped your heart. The former is actually my fave part of Right on Cue by Falon Ballard, when the two leads—who have had less than stellar interactions throughout the book—suddenly have to film an intimate scene. Before they even begin, the jerk-ish Grayson makes a speech promising to respect screenwriter-turned-actor Emmy, & what follows is respectful & also unexpectedly hot, for the leads & this reader. That middle section of the book is where it really shines for me, after a beginning where both leads come across as a bit immature & before the 3rd-act conflict, which had me agitated. There are aspects of this contemporary that I really, really like: the steam totally works for me, the Nora-Ephron-like heroine, the aforementioned middle, where everything makes sense & gels for me…but unfortunately, the totality of the story—from beginning to end—isn’t there for me. 3.5⭐️. Out 02/27. CWs: previous loss of beloved dad; parental estrangement.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary hardcopy. All opinions provided are my own.Ahhh this book. I am swimming in feelings about READY OR NOT by Cara Bastone. My heart is mush; MUSH I TELL YOU. I am such a fan of best friend’s sibling romance & this book delivers in a major way. At the beginning of the book, Eve Hatch learns that a one night stand she had weeks ago has resulted in pregnancy. She wants to keep the baby & as her best friend Willa initially struggles with the pain of her own fertility struggles & how that relates to Eve’s surprise pregnancy, their other bestie, Shep, Willa’s brother, becomes even closer to Eve. Bastone deals with emotions so beautifully here, showing the various ways people can act to surprising events & how those behaviors & feelings can change over time. The friendships are wonderfully explored, including Eve & Shep’s, which gave me all the freaking feelings. I mean, this man. He has broad shoulders & a “bony sternum,” & he’s sweetly clumsy, & so smart, & so kind. I love him. The things he does for Eve & her baby in this book! I can’t say more bc of spoilers but oh my goodness. Eve is such a fantastic heroine, blazing a path while dealing with surprise, & her thoughtfulness & assertiveness (& struggles sometimes to decide things) feel so real & also cheer-worthy. Not only is this book romantic & , it’s also poignant. FYI, this book includes a labor scene, & it exacerbated those heart feelings. This book is so wonderful & I will be dreaming about Shep forevermore. 5⭐️. Out 02/13.CWs: Friend is struggling with fertility. Previous loss of parents & bff’s mom. Labor. The man that Eve conceived with doesn’t commit to everything at first, because he’s dealing with relationship struggles of his own.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the author and the publisher for the complimentary hardcopy. All opinions provided are my own.Jen Comfort’s books take you on a ride in the best way. My experience with What is Love? felt a bit like what the hero Teddy feels in heroine Maxine’s presence: dazzled, awed, entertained, ed… This contemporary has-- 🐍two super hot nerds battling it out in trivia. They’re both very smart, curious, & determined but have totally different styles when it comes to studying & making decisions. 🐍 fantastic steam. Whew! 🐍so many funny moments, seriously, & some of them are in your face, can’t miss it, & others are more subtle. The way I must have been smiling reading this book! 🐍 no third-act break up! 🐍 an uptight & the chaotic one dynamic that’s a bit true, a bit of a mask, & throughout the book these leads see what’s deeper in themselves & in the other. 🐍 queer rep! 🐍 the hero falls first! 🐍 really great portrayal of ADHD & how that affects learning & experiences in education. I love how it becomes part of their trivia journey & their relationship. 🐍 romantic moments that had me swooning & laughing at the end. If you like your romance to feel free, wild, fresh, & very romantic in a bold kind of way, check out Jen Comfort’s books! I’m *such* a fan & have the feeling I will love everything she writes. 5⭐️. Out 04/01. Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Wowie, I have a lot of thoughts about this one. What I love about At First Spite by Olivia Dade: 🤍Body positivity. I love the way Dade describes bodies. I feel like I could maybe say it more eloquently but it comes down to that fact. They’re beautiful & sexy & appreciated etc. & all of that means a lot to me as a reader & a person with a body. 🤍Sex positivity. Those scenes seem to be lingered on in a very effective way once we get to them. The window! 🤍Leads who cry & eventually get in touch with all of their emotions. 🤍A pining hero. 🤍A heroine who, by the end, knows her worth. Athena’s thoughts & insecurities feel very relatable & the realizations she comes to are striking. That journey she goes on helped remind me of something too! 🤍A developing friendship group & sense of community in a new place! We’ve all been there. With that being said, the conflict in this book gives me some of the dreaded ick. In the prologue, Athena is engaged to Matthew’s brother, Johnny. When the book opens, Athena & Johnny are no longer together & he is on their honeymoon, solo. There isn’t a lot of time between Athena & Johnny & Athena & Matthew & things get unnecessarily messy & in a way that I think weakens the book. I wish some elements of the plot had been written differently. But At First Spite is a good book with some shining aspects that I think will resonate with many readers. 3⭐️. Out 02/13.CWs: Depression. What I would say is passive suicide ideation. Past death of sibling. Estranged parents.
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