Book Review: Under Locke by Mariana Zapata

January 2, 2023March 10, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 497 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 19th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He was my boss, my brother’s friend, a Widower, an ex-felon, and a man I’d seen casually with a handful of women. But he was everything that gripped me, both the good and the bad. Worst case scenario if things turned awkward between us, I could go somewhere else. I’d gotten over epic heartbreak before, one more wouldn’t kill me.

After moving to Austin following six months of unemployment back home, Iris Taylor knows she should be glad to have landed a job so quickly… even if the business is owned by a member of the same motorcycle club her estranged father used to belong to. Except Dex Locke might just be the biggest jerk she’s ever met. He’s rude, impatient and doesn’t know how to tell time.

And the last thing they ever expected was each other.

But it was either the strip club or the tattoo shop.

… she should have chosen the strip club.

WELL.

I knew there might come a day when a Zapata book wasn’t my favorite. Unfortunately today is that day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book a lot, but it was more on and off then a consistent lover for one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. The setting and theme were some of the best aspects.

The love interest, Dex, flirting with the a-hole/grump line waayyy too often for me. Maybe this is also showing that that type of hero isn’t my jam (which is fine!), but I kept waffling back and forth with how he treated Iris. There were some truly kind moments and a few great, don’t touch her moments too. A mixed bag for him though.

Iris was a great heroine…most of the time. I think she had a lot of spunk and was trying to make the best decision she could when obstacles kept being thrown her way. There were some truly frustrating moments where I could in no way, get behind what she was thinking. I don’t love dumb decision making.

Something that I don’t generally take off star rating for (and didn’t for this book), though I do like to mention, is that this is MUUUUUUCH steamier than I expected. I skipped many long scenes that were on the super graphic side. If you love this kind of steam, then I would recommend this backlist MZ read. If not, I’d go ahead and skip this and read some of her newer books.

The audio narration as always was stellar and it felt like a quick read even at 16 hours. I’m looking forward to continuing my backlist MZ books!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: heavy and strong
Romance: multiple very explicit open door
Violence: mild
Trigger/Content Warnings: abandonment, cancer, death of a parent, gun violence, physical violence, infidelity (not with the main couple!), sexual assault

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Book Review: Bloodsinger (The Starchaser Saga #5) by Renee Dugan

January 1, 2023December 27, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 431 pages
Author: Renee Dugan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 7th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

And so it comes to war.

For months, Princess Cistine Novacek of Talheim has contended with the threat looming over her home and secured an alliance that brought peace to the Middle Kingdom at last. But calamity has caught up with her nonetheless – not in her own land, but in the treacherous North. With Talheim spared from a horrific fate, Cistine faces the choice between peace in her homeland or war alongside her new allies.

The princess chooses war.

Now with a ruthless enemy hunting them for the blood they shed and the weapons they carry, Cistine and her allies will fight harder, risk greater, and journey farther than they ever have before, seeking to save everything they love. Even if salvation means paying a cost beyond their darkest dreams.

For on bloody battlefields, in dark mountain halls, in the ancient bones of the world and deep in their own spirits, the battle for Valgard – and all the kingdoms of the world – will be waged.

THE PAIN.

Oh my gosh this book was so good. There’s your review.

I am absolutely in love and wholly invested in every single one of these characters and I swear if we lose someone or there is not a happy ending I will RIOT. Though I have faith things will be fine. I hope. There’s copious amounts of intense, page turning action. Injured love ones, grief, coping with loss, and all the emotions. Balanced beautifully with moments of quiet kisses, communication over past grievances, and pushing forward as best as possible.

This series doesn’t cease to impress me. I loved the pacing on this one and it might be my new favorite of the series. I liked the reveals, the connections and seriously everything about it.

I’m trying to maintain vagueness because this far into a series I don’t want to spoil for everyone. So just know, I LOVE IT AND WANT YOU TO READ IT TOO.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy + Romance
Language: very little
Romance: closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: battle themes, loss of loved ones, physical and magical altercations, near death experiences

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: December 2022

December 31, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

It’s the end of 2022! And there were plenty of amazing reads this month. I loved my rereads and the many new books I came across too.

Favorites

Least Favorites

Morning Star (Reread)
Lightfall
ACOTAR Series (Reread)
A Holly Jilly Christmas
Sisters of Sword and Song
Before I Let Go
Fractured Sky
The Co-Op
Bloodsinger
Dear Emmie Blue
A Heart Worth Stealing

You Wouldn’t Dare
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride
A Wilderness of Stars
Beauty Reborn
The Syren’s Mutiny
Just My Type

Cotswolds Holiday (Christmas Escapes #1) by Kasey Stockton
[Reread] Morning Star (Red Rising Saga #3) by Pierce Brown
[ARC] You Wouldn’t Dare by Samantha Markum
Keeper of Enchanted Rooms (Whimbrel House #1) by Charlie N. Holmberg
Lightfall (The Starchaser Saga #4) by Renee Dugan
[Reread] A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR #1) by Sarah J. Maas
[ARC/Novella] A Holly Jilly Christmas (Sheet Cake Love Stories) by Emma St. Clair
The Key to My Heart by Lia Louis
Sisters of Sword and Song by Rebecca Ross
Fates Illuminated (Call of the Norns #1) by Aimee Vance
Before I Let Go (Skyland #1) by Kennedy Ryan
[Novella] Visions of You (Lost & Found #0.5) by Catherine Cowles
[Novella] Snowbound (Tattered & Torn #2.5) by Catherine Cowles
A Vision in Smoke (Until the Stars Are Dead #2) by Allyson S. Barkley
Fractured Sky (Tattered & Torn #5) by Catherine Cowles
[ARC] Never Vacation With Your Ex by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
[Reread] A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR #2) by Sarah J. Maas
To Bleed A Crystal Bloom (Crystal Bloom #1) by Sarah A. Parker
[ARC] The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi
Let it Snow by Michelle Stimpson
[Novella] A Very Merry Christmoose (Deadlights Cove #2.5) by B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
Esperance (Esperance Trilogy #1) by Heather Frost
[Reread] A Court of Wings and Ruin (ACOTAR #3) by Sarah J. Maas
A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
The Co-Op by Tarah Dewitt
Children of Ragnarok (The Runestone Saga #1) by Cinda Williams Chima
Two Wrongs Make a Right (The Wilmot Sisters #1) by Chloe Liese
Lord of Gold and Glory (Fae Isles #2) by Lisette Marshall
The Holly Dates by Brittainy Cherry
[Reread/Novella] A Court of Frost and Starlight (ACOTAR #3.5) by Sarah J. Maas
[Novella] Christmas Presents by Tarah Dewitt
50 Ways to Win Back Your Lover (Bower Boys #1) by Kelly Siskind
Let Love In (Canyon Cove Love Stories #3) by Marie Soleil
Bloodsinger (The Starchaser Saga #5) by Renee Dugan
[ARC] Beauty Reborn by Elizabeth Lowham
[ARC] Off the Map (Beck Sisters #3) by Trish Doller
[Reread] A Court of Silver Flames (ACOTAR #4) by Sarah J. Maas
[ARC] Just My Type by Falon Ballard
[ARC] The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim
The Syren’s Mutiny by Jessica S. Taylor
Dear Emmie Blue by Lia Louis
[Novella] Falling in Somerset (Lost Story Bookshop) by Jenny B. Jones
[ARC] A Heart Worth Stealing by Joanna Barker

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Book Review: How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

December 30, 2022March 9, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Sophie Sullivan
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: January 18th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Interior Design School? Check. Cute house to fix up? Check.

Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of your plans? Check. Unfortunately.

Grace Travis has it all figured out. In between finishing school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree and her dream job. Most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her harsh mother could never make. When an opportunity to fix up—and live in—a little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door.

Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. As a real estate developer, he knows when he’s found something special. Something he could even call home. Provided he can expand by taking over the house next door–the house with the combative and beautiful woman living in it.

With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can show you that home is always where the heart is.

FRUSTRATING.

If you’re going to call a book enemies to lovers, you better give me some enemies. This was NOT THE CASE. The forgiveness/kiss came waayyy to soon and then I was left upset with the rest of the book.

Within the rest of the book were some sweet moments. I’ll give it that. I liked most aspects of the relationship and interactions. There’s my good thing. Oohh, I did also love the design aspects! That was a nice plot point and I loved learning about things through Grace.

The rest was a slow slog to the standard conflict and eh reconciliation. Some of the drama worked well and other parts of it seemed childish and soap opera like through the altercations. Just a lot here that I couldn’t recommend. Moving on.

Overall audience notes: