My OG genre. My favorite genre. MY OBESSION. Here y’all go.
I think what’s most fascinating here is that Fantasy was my most read genre, and yet has a smaller amount of five stars. I’m apparently rather prickly about my fantasy five stars.
Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Sarah Adams
Publisher: Dell Romance
Release Date: January 7th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads
BOOK SUMMARY:
Two feuding second-grade teachers (and neighbors) find themselves teaming up in this rivals-to-lovers romance by the New York Times bestselling author of The Rule Book and Practice Makes Perfect.
Emily Walker hates having her carefully crafted world disrupted by anyone, most of all her legendary nemesis, Jack Bennett. He’s the opposite of the wonderful heroes she dreams up in her double life as a romance writer, which is why Emily was perfectly happy when Jack left Rome, Kentucky, mid-school year, with his fiancée. The last thing Emily saw coming was Jack’s return at the start of the summer after calling off the wedding and ending his relationship, but he’s here to stay—as her colleague and her neighbor.
Jackson Bennett is glad to be back, eager to renovate his house and work on the next mystery novel under his bestselling pen name. But when he realizes he’s now neighbors with the one woman who has always pushed his buttons, he discovers something he’s even more excited for—thwarting Emily and her petty plans to sabotage his return.
With their chemistry-fueled animosity at an all-time high, Emily accidentally sends an email to their school’s principal that could reveal her secret literary side hustle. She needs to steal back her manuscript, and Jack—she hates to admit—is just the man to help her. Surprisingly, Jack agrees. Will their unlikely alliance put an end to their rivalry? Or could it lead to a steamy plot twist they never saw coming?
Thank you Dell Romance for my gifted ARC!
LOVE LOVE LOVE.
I sat down with the attention of reading a few chapters and then proceeded to stay up until 1 AM and found myself 220 pages in. That’s the kind of hold Sarah Adams and Jack and Emily’s story had on me. Oldest daughters unite because this spoke to my battle weary soul.
I loved the chemistry between Jack and Emily. Good heavens it leapt off the page. I could not get enough of the banter. It’s the level of snark and I hate you but I really don’t that plays so beautifully off of each other. The slow burn and heated moments and those walls come crumbling down. I thought this was utterly romantic and filled with swoon.
BUT ALSO, the growth and love between Emily and her siblings was beautiful. Some hard conversations were had, but ALWAYS such love and support. I adore this family dynamic and the way they all lean on each other in the good and the bad. Seeing all of these characters and the shenanigans of Rome, Kentucky again were worth the wait.
(and let it be known I am begging for details about book four….)
Overall audience notes:
So many good books! Romance books are consistently my second most read genre and there were an abundance of amazing reads this year.
If I was going to choose some stand-outs…okay I tried to do this and I can’t. I WON’T.
31/62 were indie books though and I’m happy with that statistic.
Take screenshots, share with others, and find some great books for 2025.
How is it the end of the year again? I wrapped it up with a few less books (reading Rhythm of War and Wind and Truth will do that to you). But a good month to end 2024.
GoodeyReads 