 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I’m on the decidedly wimpy side of the angst-meter but when my book bestie Kim @bookbruin said the magic words about Abby Jimenez’s upcoming release, Yours Truly—EPISTOLARY ELEMENTS—I decided to snap it up. What did I think? Per my usual experience reading this author, I thought the book was exceptionally written & funny but the angst goes a *smidge* too far. There’s pretty much always a moment with this author’s work where I think: this additional bit of angst isn’t necessary . But with that being said, this story is adorable & sweet & I so enjoyed watching too lonely ER doctors who have been burned by love & start off with big dislike on the heroine’s part turn to friendship via letters & emails & calls & then to a fake dating sitch & then to love. The overall story is lovely, not to mention how funny some of the lines are. One of them in particular really cracked me up. I also love the anxiety rep, the care they take with each other, how hero Jacob consistently puts himself out there for Briana & how much she tries to protect his peace of mind & comfort. Jacob running to the cafe toward the beginning of his relationship with Briana just so he’ll have phone service for her call is stunning & Briana is a powerhouse of a lead. So in the end, this is quite a book. I think there could have easily been less angst & that would have been preferred by me personally. But this is a wonderful story of two people falling in love & choosing to be together. 4.5⭐️. Out 04/11.CWs: Cheating ex. Brother & ex. Brother on dialysis. Kidney failure. Anxiety. Former miscarriage. Reference to postpartum depression.
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 Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own Is it possible to fall in love with someone in one magical day, Alison Cochrun’s Kiss Her Once For Me poses. I don’t know about IRL but this book made me feel it, you all. From the beauty of the writing, to the romantic story that swept me off my feet, to the humor of this magical family & couple together, & just overall the evocativeness of the settings & the emotions. Bam. Total heart engagement. Last Christmas Eve artist & animator Ellie gave aspiring bakery owner Jack her heart after meeting on a day of random snow when most of the city was shut down. The very next day Jack gave it away. One year later Ellie has the chance to ask Jack about it all when she inadvertently poses as Jack’s brother’s fiancée at a family Christmas get together. So Ellie is fake engaged to Jack’s brother & the stakes for all of them are big. Especially since she feels like she can’t tell Jack that the engagement is fake. There’s demisexual rep, anxiety rep, a big whopping second chance, some deception & a grovel, & a lovely lovely story about two people finding their person. There’s only one thing/s that bothered me *dun dun dun*. That would be the conflict. I felt like one of the leads was a bit hypocritical—or maybe just not as understanding I thought they could be—but I was the only person who thought this . All of the characters are firmly on the side of one person so YMMV . But three cheers for beautiful romances that make me feel the love & the wonder of love & snow days. 4.5⭐️. Out 11/01.CWs: emotionally manipulative mom; absent dads & in one case, infidelity. Jack is married when they first hook up & she doesn’t tell Ellie this.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.I’m always here for a thief/con artist romance rec & if it’s paired with an uptight lead: SOLD. Like with every other Beverly Jenkins book I’ve read To Catch A Raven has a standout, resourceful, & irrepressible heroine, an intriguing amount of historical detail & info, & a hero who goes “what just happened?!” when the heroine blazes into his life. This book has an interesting premise: Raven Moreau & Braxton Steele must pretend to be husband & wife—& servants—to a South Carolinian Senator & his wife. Meanwhile they’re actually there to search for a stolen copy of the Declaration of Independence. They’re not there by choice, either. Instead, they’ve been forced to engage in this dangerous plan by the Pinkertons, who are aware of the activities Raven & her family, & once-upon-a-time, Braxton’s father, are/were up to. Fascinating layers abound in this book. Braxton is a wealthy, law-abiding tailor from Boston; Raven, an ex-convict who’s fiercely devoted to her family, frequently runs cons with the rest of the on-the-edge-of-a-respectable-life Moreaus in Jim Crow New Orleans. Braxton doesn’t take to the con/heist life right away & that nicely builds up some tensions between the two leads. As they travel throughout the South & then make their way North & Jenkins explores what their expectations are of each place—like, for example, how safe it’s expected to be for the Black leads—& the complicated people inhabiting each locale. These “older” leads are fun to watch & there are many poignant moments too, like when Braxton—who isn’t accustomed to manual labor—takes on extra tasks like washing because he knows it will help Raven. He has a real tender, loving side, & so does Raven for him. Really the only quibble I have is how Braxton’s almost engagement is incorporated into the story. But overall, To Catch a Raven is lovely historical romance! 4⭐️. Out 08/23. CWs: Jim Crow trains. Reference to human trafficking. Reference to attacks against Black people, especially in South Carolina. White supremacist parade. Miss Helen wants them to “pretend as if you weren’t” free before the war. Miss Helen’s husband, Aubrey, trashes the house they’re living in & their things. Reference to some of Braxton’s war experiences. Reference to death, including from yellow fever. Helen murders her husband.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Sophie Jordan’s The Scoundrel Falls Hard was such a fun read that ticks major boxes for me: 🔨 An unconventional pairing. Gwen Cully’s a blacksmith & Kellan Fox’s a conman whose con has been discovered & who takes refuge in her smithy. 🔨 She saves him. 🔨 Sizzling 🔥. Honestly Sophie Jordan writes such great 🔥 scenes. The build-up between the ever-resourceful, determined not to fall Gwen & Kellan, the charming rogue finding redemption in a quieter life, is superb & then when they finally fall 👀, let’s just say they aren’t the only ones to see 🥵 🔥 . 🔨 A standout heroine. She’s 28, nearly 6 feet tall, often wears pants, & is solely responsible for her home & livelihood until she gets some help from the friendly conman next door (he doesn’t actually live next door). I flew through the pages of this one. Sophie Jordan brings it on the emotional front too & by the ending my little heart was going pitter patter at how settled the couple is & how Kellan has found a home with his Viking love that’s far more satisfying than the rootless life he had before. This was a good time! 4.5 ⭐️. Release date: 08/23.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. Ava Wilder’s How to Fake It in Hollywood has some pretty big problems for me from a romance-reading perspective but the chemistry & connection between leads & the author’s writing style kept me reading even as I was feeling unsettled by the state of their relationship itself. The biggest issue for me is that lead Ethan Atkins is an alcoholic who doesn’t seek professional help until 90+% of the book. Of course his alcoholism has had a big effect on his relationship with fellow actor Grey Brooks, who has her own issues & behaviors to work through (& in my opinion, also could have benefited from therapy). So much of their relationship is complicated/damaged/threatened by alcoholism & their own unique issues associated with it & I would have loved to have seen the characters do the necessary work earlier in the book, & on page. When the reconciliation comes I’m supposed to take on faith that things will be different & better without seeing them do the work. I have doubts about the couple moving forward, particularly because Grey’s own heavy drinking isn’t addressed & how that might affect Ethan’s own sobriety. But in terms of what I liked, the writing style is easy, the convos between leads (when Ethan feels up to it) are flirty & also sweet, & the portrayal of friendship feels sincere & real. This could have been a great romance for me, I think—there’s potential there—but it doesn’t work for me to have such a crippling issue not handled until the closing pages & without having the benefit of “seeing” it for myself. 3.5 ⭐️. Release date: 06/14.
 Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. There are some books that just feel effortless & that’s Mia Sosa’s The Wedding Crasher. You all, this book is funny, sharp, FUN, family-centered & as sexy as forearms. Featuring a hot but semi-awkward hero, a heroine who isn’t afraid to tell the truth even when the truth puts her between a rock & a hard place, & a fake dating situation that turns into something that could change their lives forever. Solange is Lina’s—from The Worst Best Man—cousin. Dean is Max’s—from the same aforementioned book—BFF. They’re brought together when Solange helps encourage Dean’s fiancée to be honest about her heart after Solange catches said fiancée in an intimate moment with someone else before the ceremony. The chemistry between these two is played up beautifully—these two CARE—as is their conflict, which is thoughtful and well done. Their sex scenes had me internally clapping, including moments like him sliding down the wall bc he’s so overwhelmed by the hotness of it all. Me too, Dean, me too. This is such a good book & a stellar example of a fantastic rom com that activates emotions on *all* levels. 5 ⭐️. Out tomorrow!
 Q: do you think the personality traits associated w/ your astrological sign are accurate? You have to read this book! (I added an exclamation point to make the sentence seem less demanding 🤣.) But seriously, I love this book from the first page to the last. Alexandria Bellefleur’s Written in the Stars has everything I want: steam, laughs, & just enough emotion to make me feel alive (; ) ) AND it has the uptight/reserved + charmer dynamic between leads that I love so hard. Elle Jones & her BFF have made names for themselves as astrologers & they’re in the process of integrating their services into a popular dating app. The guy behind the dating app—now a friend to Elle—sets her up on a blind date with his sister Darcy. Darcy Lowell is a beautiful actuary. She’s also sophisticated & reserved & doesn’t appreciate Elle’s job or when Elle spills wine on her dress. But after the date, after Darcy has complained to someone about how it went (& after Elle overhears her ), Darcy finds herself telling her brother that she & Elle are dating so he’ll stop with the date suggestions. & then Elle goes along with Darcy’s lie for reasons, & soon Elle & Darcy are spending more time together because this has to be convincing dammit! & feelings start happening. What a delightful ride this book is. The back stories are developed well; each character has her own emotional baggage & it’s convincingly & thoughtfully related to their present. There are bursts of humor throughout—this is a funny one!—& there’s also a scene where one of the leads stands up for the other with family (which I know is catnip for some of us). The female friendships are authentic & the pacing is 100—I just couldn’t wait to read more of this opposites attract, fake dating romance that is by turns hilarious & tender. It gave me a million warm fuzzies to see how both leads feel free to be themselves with each other. I wanted an epilogue . But over & over again this book is wonderful & happiness-inducing & I am a B I G fan. 5⭐️. Written in the Stars releases on 11/10. Thanks to Avon Books & Edelweiss for the complimentary ARC; all opinions provided are my own. Bethany Bennett’s Any Rogue Will Do has so much catnip: A fantastic opening scene where the heroine gets to live out many of our fantasies by lobbing insults at the man (the hero) who wronged her years earlier. Who’s the Paper Doll Princess now, hero?!!! It 👏🏻 is 👏🏻 so 👏🏻 good 👏🏻. Unforgettable 🔥 scenes. I’ll just leave this here: balcony 🤭🥵. A “managing” heroine with a strong IDGAF energy tempered by recognition that she has to play the game some to get what she wants. A huge, brawny hero who was supposed to be a shepherd but unexpectedly became lord. He made bad decisions when he first became titled—see first point—but now he works hard for his people & is prepared to help the heroine out however he can 😉. In short, this is such a great debut & I was impressed time & time again. If I haven’t convinced you yet, I’ll say: it’s Tessa Dare-ish; the conflict is thoroughly built up & I love love love how the book explores standards for “ladyhood” & how women are judged for not acting like a Lady & in this heroine’s case—as the hero reveals—for acting like a Lady 🙄. There’s a fake dating situation & frank, open discussions between characters, including about sex. Oh, and a curvy heroine who has such confidence in how the hero responds to her body. Pick this one up! Any Rogue Will Do is available on 10/13. I think this is a tiny bit below 5⭐️ for me but I’m rounding up to 5! Thanks to Forever Pub, Grand Central Pub, & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.(Image note re: the paper doll: I printed the “A Regency Lady of Quality Dolls by Helen Page” & then watercolor painted over one bc my color printer ink is gone 🥴.)
 5⭐️. Q: who is your fave uptight hero? All the praise hands to books that make us happy during this time and Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material is one of them for me. I love this book so and it’s going on my shelves as soon as I can get my grabby hands on it. Luc is the son of two 80s rockers, one of whom abandoned him when he was 3. As a minor celebrity he garners his fair share of paparazzi coverage & it’s always negative. But one particular article puts his job at a charity in jeopardy & to save it he asks an uptight barrister with a good reputation to be his fake boyfriend. Oliver is said barrister. And *be still my heart* because I am a fiend for an uptight hero. You know the type: they’re so proper and often seen as stiff, condescending, & judgmental (and sometimes they are!) but they’re also—at least in Oliver’s case—protective & loving & find it difficult to express their feelings. Ahhhhh! I’d also like to take this opportunity to say that Luc is *not* uptight but he is so yearning & he loves his mother; he’s often snarky & not always the nicest, even to his friends, but he has a big heart & does some hard emotional work & deserves a million Oliver snuggles, okay?! Boyfriend Material is so so so funny and Alexis Hall’s portrayal of friendship is divine. I love when friends are loving & supportive and also not 100% perfect. Even the loveliest of friends don’t always say or do the right things (and can sometimes push on our bruises unintentionally). But they can also read your heart & accompany you on road trips so you can chase your heart’s desire. As funny as this book is it’s also not afraid to explore hurt and insecurity, but in a way that didn’t leave me feeling emotionally devastated. In closing I’d like to say again: I love this book so much. I do wish there had been a (totally) on the page love scene and an Epilogue because as a previous review established, my soul is thirsty, but this book is also so wonderful as is & I would like to hug Luc and Oliver forever. Boyfriend Material is out on 07/07. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own. |
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