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ARC Book Review: Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows #1) by Devney Perry

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 528 pages
Author: Devney Perry
Publisher: Red Tower
Release Date: May 6th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fear the monsters we make.

A swoon-worthy, spicy romantic fantasy filled with legends and monsters. The Witcher meets “Cinderella.” A princess is chosen to fulfill the terms of an ancient treaty and finds herself traveling with an infamous monster slayer.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Red Tower for the gifted copy.

WHO KNEW?

First off, I had no idea this book would show up on my doorstep but DANG I am happy that I got to read this early. The first physical book I’ve read in a hot minute and I enjoyed it. I’ve read a few DP contemporaries but dare I say fantasy might be her calling??

This was a SLOW BURN. OH HOW I HAVE MISSED SLOW BURNS. Gosh bring them back, I’m begging. Give me all the little moments, the actual get to know you moments, the moments without awkward lust. I was in love with how this was handled. There was actual time for connection and it has made me even more excited for book two.

The plot and world building was crafted well. It didn’t feel super info-dumpy and it was easy to get a handle on and understand. I like the magic system and the way it kept expanding as the book went on.

I had a few minor pacing quips but those last 50 pages or so the anxiety KICKED in. I love the chaos of those last moments in a fantasy book. I could flip a page and not guess who was going to make it out and who was going to land where by the end. This was beautifully written and GIMME BOOK TWOOOOOO.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantasy
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content warnings: blood/gore depiction, loss of life and loved ones

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Book Review: If I Never Remember by Meagan Williamson

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 317 pages
Author: Meagan Williamson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They’re back for the summer… and changing everything

Teddy’s life isn’t her own anymore. It’s been nine months since the accident, and she still can’t remember anything from before it. When all hope rests on the heart-shaped sketch from the six summers she spent in Bear Lake, she memorizes it. A last resort in the laundry list of failed attempts at restoring her memory. When it becomes just another reminder that she’s disappointing the people she loves, she vows to leave the small town at the end of the summer. Until her path collides with the two handsome faces from that sketch.

Reed is her new coworker at her summer job. He’s confident, eager to spend time with her, and hard to ignore. If it weren’t for their alluded history, she could use a friend. Miles is quiet, reluctant to open up, and pretending not to know her. Avoiding him is impossible while he’s living next door. But he’s the only one who seems to understand what she’s going through.

The more time she spends with them, the more Teddy begins to live her own life again. She’s starting over in the one place she thought she’d need to leave behind. Until a pivotal moment tests just how much she is willing to give up before she defines her future for good.

A coming-of-age romance with nostalgic heart, summer love, and second chances.

THE FEELS.

I kind of waffled with my thoughts on this one but for someone who doesn’t like flashback chapters all that much, the fact that this one had me glued to my kindle deserves the praise. I was hooked on needing to know what would happen.

And I think I’m turning over a new leaf on love triangles. I enjoyed the way this one was crafted and the emotions that went into the push and pull between Reed and Miles. There’s secrets to uncover and truths to be known as Teddy navigates recovery and her past.

It’s fast paced and now that I’ve read two Meagan Williamson books I’m officially a fan and can’t wait for her new series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: 1 brief open door (emotion > physical) based
  • Violence: mild
  • Content Warnings: TBI, car accident

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Book Review: Any Trope but You by Victoria Lavine

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Victoria Lavine
Publisher: Atria Books
Release Date: April 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A bestselling romance author flees to Alaska to reinvent herself and write her first murder mystery, but the rugged resort proprietor soon has her fearing she’s living in a rom-com plot instead in this earnestly spectacular debut by a stunning new voice.

Beloved romance author Margot Bradley has a dark secret: she doesn’t believe in Happily Ever Afters. Not for herself, not for her readers, and not even for her characters, for whom she secretly writes alternate endings that swap weddings and babies for divorce papers and the occasional slashed tire. When her Happily Never After document is hacked and released to the public, she finds herself canceled by her readers and dropped by her publisher.

Desperate to find a way to continue supporting her chronically ill sister, Savannah, Margot decides to trade meet-cutes for murder. The fictional kind. Probably. But when Savannah books Margot a six-week stay in a remote Alaskan resort to pen her first murder mystery, Margot finds herself running from a moose and leaping into the arms of the handsome proprietor, making her fear she’s just landed in a romance novel instead.

The last thing Dr. Forrest Wakefield ever expected was to leave his dream job as a cancer researcher to become a glorified bellhop. What he’s really doing at his family’s resort is caring for his stubborn, ailing father, and his puzzle-loving mind is slowly freezing over—until Margot shows up. But Forrest doesn’t have any room in his life for another person he could lose, especially one with a checkout date.

As long snowy nights and one unlikely trope after another draw Margot and Forrest together, they’ll each have to learn to overcome their fears and set their aside assumptions before Margot leaves—or risk becoming a Happily Never After story themselves.

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

WELL I ENJOYED THE HECK OUT OF THIS.

Rather ridiculous to start (and fearing for my star rating) I persevered through the beginning chapters and found a book that had some resemblance to The Simple Wild (not a copycat, promise, just some vibes), and that I was charmed by. The resistance to the romance tropes only brought Margot and Forrest closer together and I am here for it all.

I will say having TWO 20-30 minute chapters that were solely spice was not my favorite (and that wasn’t the only spice here). I could have used less of that but I can’t deny how much of a connection I felt between these two resistant love birds. They were charming, fought hard, and loved harder.

All of that caretaker moments were felt. I loved seeing both Forest and Margot learn to live their OWN lives and still help and care for those most important to them. The side characters truly added to this book and I loved loved loved Margot and her sister’s relationship. There was a lot of goodness woven into this book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 4+ open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: loss of a family member (recounted)

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Book Review: This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Soledad Barnes has her life all planned out. Because, of course, she does. She plans everything. She designs everything. She fixes everything. She’s a domestic goddess who’s never met a party she couldn’t host or a charge she couldn’t lead. The one with all the answers and the perfect vinaigrette for that summer salad. But none of her varied talents can save her when catastrophe strikes, and the life she built with the man who was supposed to be her forever, goes poof in a cloud of betrayal and disillusion.

But there is no time to pout or sulk, or even grieve the life she lost. She’s too busy keeping a roof over her daughters’ heads and food on the table. And in the process of saving them all, Soledad rediscovers herself. From the ashes of a life burned to the ground, something bold and new can rise.

But then an unlikely man enters the picture—the forbidden one, the one she shouldn’t want but can’t seem to resist. She’s lost it all before and refuses to repeat her mistakes. Can she trust him? Can she trust herself?

After all she’s lost . . .and found . . .can she be brave enough to make room for what could be?

BEAUTIFUL.

I loved this book y’all. It brought me close to tears multiple times and I loved so many themes throughout. How deeply motherhood has been woven into Soledad’s soul touched my soul too. I love how fiercely she loved her daughters and valued who they are and her place as a Mom. It was empowering and encouraging. Kennedy Ryan writes some of the best children characters I’ve ever read. They all are attached to my heart and are the sweetest souls.

The romance was beautiful too. I didn’t love the benefits angle that it had for most of the relationship but I adored the chemistry between Soledad and Judah. I loved how patient and endearing Judah was. How he allowed Soledad to find herself and was okay with waiting. I think the time jumps worked well in the beginning too because I was concerned at what the timeline was going to look like from the initial drama of the beginning.

Kennedy Ryan is an incredible writer and I lover her storytelling powers. I look forward to her future books!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Langugage: moderate
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, cheating spouse, imprisonment

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