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.
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Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.It’s no secret that I love an operative/heist/let’s take down a baddie/steal something book. The Spy & I by Tiana Smith provides those thrills, in addition to some humor & some clutch neck-kissing . Dove is a hacker who stays on the legal side of things. She’s totally devoted to her sister, Madison, a supposed photographer that Dove soon realizes is *actually* a CIA agent that the CIA believes has turned bad. Mendez, another CIA agent, reveals all of this to Dove, AFTER he stops lying to her & maybe before or during? (the details have gotten fuzzy since reading ) around the time they start the neck kissing. The chemistry between leads in moments like the neck kissing is strong but fyi, that’s about as much as it progresses on page. Other pluses for me about this book beyond the humor & neck-kissing are the brave heroine & her devotion to her sister—her faith in her even when the signs point to something else. But weighing down my enjoyment of this one a bit is that the plot doesn’t seem believable to me in a distracting kind of way (I wondered why things were happening like they are) & I wanted more from the relationship, emotionally. I tried to consider this book on its own but at the same time I couldn’t help comparing it to The Blonde Identity by Ally Carter, which has a similar premise & which I gave 5 ⭐️️. Ultimately this is an enjoyable read with promise but it left me somewhat unsatisfied. 4⭐️. Out 02/13.CWs: abandonment of dad; parental loss; murder; reference to torture; violence.
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.Hannah Tate, Beyond Repair by Laura Piper Lee started off a bit wobbly for me—the voice is too much IMO at first—but by the end l was cheering for this heartfelt book that’s a bit women’s fiction, a bit romance, with some quality steam & a definite HEA. At the beginning of the book Hannah is a mom to baby Bowie & in a long-term relationship with his dad, who routinely calls her a “mess” (supposedly affectionately). But they soon break up & she takes Bowie to her mom & step-dad’s mountain cabin, despite her reservations about taking on the stress they inevitably cause her. Newly fired & single, Hannah Tate has plenty of motivation to decide what she wants to do with her life. Helping her renovate her mom’s horror AirB&B is River, a relaxed, kind, & very attractive contractor who prefers to live outside of society’s dictates. This book delves into some big topics—inadequate parenting, technology reliance, not respecting FMLA in the workplace, & more are covered in this book—& on the whole it’s skillfully done. I ended up leaning into the quirky, adorable, & imperfect characters, the theme of renewal & finding joy, & the love & acceptance that permeates the book. There are things in this one that I wouldn’t enjoy as much written by another author in a different style, but I think Laura Piper Lee writes it successfully & with obvious heart & good intentions. If you can get past the beginning chapters, which come across a bit too aggressively IMO, I think you’ll find a shining story about a woman who drops the shitty things in her life & chooses happiness. 4.25⭐️. Out 02/13.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Today I’m coming at you with three quick thought reviews-- The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. Alix’s writing is stunning & marvelous, this story had me thinking me about doors in a completely new way, the twists & turns keep you on your feet, & the last chapters offer solace for the previous hurts. My fave book of hers I’ve read yet. 5⭐️. (Qualifies for my “read a book about books fiction or nonfiction” spot on the BookRiot Read Harder Challenge.) King & the Dragon Flies by Kacen Callender. This book! I hadn’t realized how very limited my previous middle grade reading experiences have been. Tackling the topics of grief, racism, abuse, Black masculinity, homophobia, and Queerness, this book has such a way with emotion and imagination & the language will grab you and not let go. 4.5⭐️️. (Qualifies for my “read a middle grade book with an LGBTQIA main character” spot on the BookRiot Read Harder Challenge.) Faebound by Saara El-Arifi. The premise of this one—two sisters are taken hostage in Faerie, a place where they are viewed as enemies—is so interesting & I love the Queer rep (more of this in fantasy, please!). But I didn’t feel totally invested in the characters or the story (YMMV). 3.5 ⭐️. Out 01/23. (Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.) Are any of these on your TBR or have you read any? [ID: the three book covers are on a When Harry Met Sally backdrop—Sally & Harry are squatting over a wood floor & looking at the viewer.]Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.The chemistry in The Love Remedy by Elizabeth Everett totally worked for me, from the second moment our hero sees our heroine—her body is stuck half in & half out of a building she’s attempting to break into—to the scenes throughout the book. Woohoooo. How these characters are portrayed is part of the magic. Lucy’s a beautiful apothecary who creates some of her own antidotes & champions all of her patients, particularly the female ones who have to bear the weight of so much & oftentimes are denied autonomy over their own bodies. Thorne is not conventionally unattractive, a former prizefighter with brawn whose voice is raspy & who rarely smiles & who needs to remember how to have (responsible) fun. He’s also a single dad. In so many ways this is a verdant delight of a book, but the thing that keeps me from going into raptures is that I just wanted more external displays of romance for our heroine. The hero does a lot of internally lusting & feeling & there is a gesture at the end, but I felt like she deserved more throughout the book. That’s partly because she’s characterized so beautifully & I came to like her *so* much. This is a good one though & I give all the yays for working-class leads! 4⭐️. Out 03/19.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.
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.
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.]Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own. To Woo & To Wed is the third Martha Waters book I’ve read & I really love the humor, heart, & mild absurdity of them. The last one—where the heroine tries to stage a haunted house—is particularly inventive. This one is a bit more conventional, hinging around a fake engagement between two people who were close to being engaged seven years earlier. Sophie & West have had quite the journey to a HEA. First derailed by his tyrannical duke father & a horrible curricle accident, Sophie and West are additionally hindered by Sophie’s feelings regarding the obstacles they face. But the attraction between them holds steady, as does West himself, who has pined hard for our girl Sophie. You know how I am about second chance & the execution of this one doesn’t quite win me over. The flashbacks feel kind of inserted into the narrative without the glue to bring it all together for me seamlessly. I felt like I was missing some of the emotional nuance necessary to really fall for the second chance arc. But the characters are entertaining, & I love Martha Waters’ writing style, which is shiny & bright & witty. To Woo & To Wed isn’t my fave of this series but I rec this author in general & really look forward to reading more of her books. They’re adorable. 3.5⭐️. Out 02/06.Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Hi and welcome to my blog tour stop for Patience Griffin's Happily Ever Alaska! This cover is so precious--I love how cozy the image is. You can pick up your copy of this contemporary today. Summary.Lolly Crocker keeps a warm bakery in her chilly Alaskan town, but can she handle the rekindling of an old flame? Whenever things get too serious, baker Lolly Crocker knows it’s time to break it off with a guy. Without fail, her gut will tell her that the man she's dating is not Mr. Right. The one exception was Shaun Montana, her high school sweetheart. With Shaun, life felt complete; but her mother convinced her she was too young to be tied down, and Lolly broke up with him the night before she left for college. While Lolly keeps every relationship light, Shaun is never less than fully committed—and still somehow his romances have all ended badly. When he comes back to Sweet Home, his attraction to Lolly is as fiery as ever, but he's determined to keep things casual for once...just when Lolly is finally ready to risk her heart on a second chance. Excerpt.Lolly Crocker stepped outside to get her mail, glad for the warmer days of July and to be free of a jacket. A group of her home ec students would arrive any minute at her humble abode on the cheap side of Sweet Home, Alaska, population 573. Over summer break, Lolly was giving baking lessons based on The Great British Baking Show, a favorite binge for both her and the girls, who were in her class at Sweet Home High. Today's bake was macarons, a treat that Lolly loved. Which was perfect-it was her thirty-fourth birthday. She'd returned to her hometown around this time last year to take a position teaching family and consumer science, but since the end of school, she'd basically been holding her breath. Rumor had it that noncore subjects like hers might be cut from the curriculum in the fall. But as each day passed and the new school year drew nearer, she felt more confident. No teachers had been laid off, according to the grapevine, which was more accurate than the Nightly News. And yet, Lolly couldn't breathe easy until the district sent her a new contract. Hers must've fallen through the cracks. On Monday, she planned to call and find out what the holdup was. The first day of school was in one month and four days. Surely her missing contract was just an oversight. As she reached for the mailbox handle, a blue Ford pickup pulled in beside her. Newlyweds Jesse and Tori Montana grinned at her as they disembarked. "Hey, Lolly." Tori gave her a hug with a gift bag in hand. "How is your staycay-honeymoon going?" But Lolly needn't have asked. They both seemed to be floating on air. "We've made progress on our new home," Jesse said, "and when Shaun gets back, it'll go much quicker." But as soon as he said it, he seemed to regret bringing up his brother. Probably because he'd seen Lolly blanch. Shaun Montana was Lolly's one regret in a long line of breakups. She had quite the record of dating good guys and then cutting them loose. A couple of times-okay, three-she'd even been engaged: Howard from Missouri, whom she'd met her senior year of college; Ted the history teacher, who taught at the same high school in Oregon as she had; and Frank, who owned three dry cleaners, all three men whom she'd met when she lived outside of Alaska. Each time, after she got engaged, when her stomach started hurting, she knew without a doubt that Mr. Right This Time hadn't really been right after all, and she broke it off. Her only consolation was that all three of her ex-fiancés had married soon afterward, started families, and had their happily-ever-afters, in spite of her. But the story of Shaun had gone differently. They'd never been engaged, but Lolly had been convinced that they'd had a love for the ages. Lolly looked up into Jesse's face and realized the air surrounding them was fraught with awkwardness. "Sorry? What did you say?" Looking embarrassed, Tori held out the gift bag. "No worries. I brought you a present." Lolly accepted the bag, though she wasn't sure what was going on. "Present?" What she really wanted to ask was When is Shaun going to be back in town? Lolly had seen him at their wedding but only from a distance, as if he was trying to stay away from her on purpose. And then suddenly, he'd been gone. No one had said when he was coming back. Excerpted from Happily Ever Alaska by Patience Griffin Copyright © 2023 by Patience Griffin. Excerpted by permission of Berkley. All rights reserved. About the author.Patience Griffin is the award-winning author of the Kilts and Quilts series of contemporary romances. She grew up in a small town along the Mississippi River, enjoying life in a close-knit community. She loves to quilt and has gained national recognition with her September 11 Story Quilt, which has toured the country as the property of the Pentagon, and her extensive collection of commercially available quilting fabrics. Have you ever read a romance set in Alaska? Are you planning on checking this one out? Let me know what you think!
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