Book Review: If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 510 pages
Author: Julie Olivia
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 19th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My new next-door neighbor seems to have everything figured out. Small town golden boy? Check. Single dad extraordinaire? Check. Hot baker forearms? I didn’t notice them, I swear.

I, on the other hand, don’t–at all–have anything figured out.

Trust me, I didn’t think taking over my mom’s dream bed and breakfast in Copper Run Vermont was going to be easy. It should be a good place to heal after my divorce. But apparently my scones belong in the garbage with my small talk skills. As pointed out by none other than Cliff.

Cliff is inescapable. He knows exactly what people need–always. His charm, the way he wears flannel, and even his pastries, make not wanting to be friends with Cliff and his daughters pretty hard.

Friends? I can make friends. That’s safe.

Except I’m leaving in three months to pass the inn off to my little sister and get the promotion in Seattle I’ve been working towards.

So ask me why I’m thinking about kissing my hot neighbor.

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE GEM.

YOU SHOULD GO READ IT TOO. This book blew up on my feed, and for good reason. I was obsessed with this from the beginning. The 90’s nostalgia was in full force and I could not get enough of the fall vibes too. I adored the small town and all of the local shenanigans but also how everyone took care of each other too.

The romance is the best kind of slow burn. I forgot how much I LOVE an amazing slow burn (please bring those back). The mounting tension, almost kisses, brief touches, gosh it all had me BEGGING for more. And while this is an open door book, plot > spice reigned and it became my favorite type of romance.

I loved the characters. The black cat x golden retriever was crafted with the perfect banter and shade between Cliff and Michelle. I loved the family aspects and the reconnections and growing pains that came with it all. The characters really showed the best of be yourself and how someone out there is your match and things will fall into place. Love love love love. Catch me reading all of Julie Olivia’s books now.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Lindsey Kelk
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: November 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Newly single lawyer Gwen Baker is hoping that a family Christmas—countryside, a mountain of food and festive films—will salve the sting of her career hanging by a thread and her heart being trampled on. Because everyone else has their life sorted: even Dev, her boy-next-door crush, is now a tall, dark and handsome stranger with a fiancée. She can’t help wishing her future was clearer.

Then Gwen wakes up to discover it’s Christmas day all over again. Like Groundhog Day but with eggnog. And family arguments. On repeat.

As she figures out how to escape her own particular Christmas hell, Dev is the one bright spot. He might be all grown-up but underneath he’s just as kind and funny as she remembers.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart can be mended after all.

But how do you fall in love with someone who can’t remember you from one day to the next?

UHM.

This one might be all on me. I’m not usually a groundhog day trope reader. And I went into this one not knowing that information and got bogged down by the repetitive nature of day after day after day of Christmas drama.

I did find this book truly funny though. The wry humor and jokes landed and I found myself laughing multiple times. I ADORED Manny and loved their cousin relationship. There were some cute moments with the love interest too (it just took too long to get there). And I did like seeing Gwen reconnect with her family. Everyone was basically awful to each other for a good portion of this book and I was happy to see that dissipate.

While not my personal favorite, I know others have enjoyed it much more than me!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 1-2 fade to black; light innuendo
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating boyfriend (recounted), death of a loved one

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Book Review: The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Dystopian Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Jill Tew
Publisher: Joy Revolution
Release Date: October 8th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Serpent & Dove meets Arcane in this dystopian romance debut that follows a cunning memory merchant who deals a little extra happiness on the side and the handsome rookie officer on her tail!

In 2460, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman dreams of a future beyond her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she uses the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to wealthy clients. Maybe a few illegally, but money equals freedom. So when a customer offers her a ludicrous sum to go on an assignment in no-man’s-land, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive.

Rookie Forceman Adrian Rao believes in order over all. After discovering that a renegade Proxy’s shady dealings are messing with citizens’ brain chemistry, he vows to extinguish the threat. But when he tracks Liv down, there’s one problem: her memories are gone. Can Adrian bring himself to condemn her for crimes she doesn’t remember?

As Liv and Adrian navigate the world beyond the Metro and their growing feelings for one another, they grapple with who they are, who they could be, and whether another way of living is possible.

Thank you GetUnderlined for the gifted copy.

UNDERRATED.

Alright y’all. I have seen no one in my book circles pick this one up (yet) and I gotta say, this needs to change!! I really liked this book and (while I can’t figure out if it was a standalone or a sequel is coming) it reminded me of why I used to read a lot of dystopian books circa the earlier 2000’s — now I feel old.

ANYWAYS. I thought the ideas and world building in this book were cool. I loved the division throughout and how each one worked inside this mega city corporation. It had this haunting edge of something that could actually happen and an intriguing look at how things would function.

The romance is a bit fast paced but it was charming. I thought it was sweet and loved that it stayed to true YA. There were a few romantic tropes I loved and there was good chemistry between Liv and Adrian. I’m very impressed with this debut and definitely will be reading this author’s next book!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Dystopian Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Beyond the Filigree Wall (Rivenwilde #1) by Melissa Wright

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 205 pages
Author: Melissa Wright
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A dark curse. A deadly secret. The ill-fated girl at the heart of both.

Antonetta Ostwind is about to get everything she’s ever wanted. If all goes to plan, she’ll end the fae, steal back what was stolen, and win the post she’s dreamed of since she was a girl.

There’s just one problem. His name is Gideon Alexander.

Gideon holds the key to her coveted post. He’s fantastic with a sword, looks amazing in uniform, and commands even the adoration of his great, beastly dog. He’s living the life Etta needs.

Gideon doesn’t believe Etta should have any of it. In fact, he’s planning to make sure she never does. And that’s a real problem, because if Etta can’t take her post as marshal, how can she have her vengeance and save the kingdom from the prince of the fae?

Slip into clean, slow-burn romance with a properly stabby heroine and the low commitment of a standalone series in this light regency fantasy romp for fans of Enchantment of Ravens and Little Thieves.

SOLID STANDALONE.

I needed something quick, fantasy and enjoyable and this hit all of those marks for me. It’s a 6-hour audiobook that brought some swoon, is in the sweet category and had some naughty fae causing chaos.

The main characters were great and I loved that it was dual POV. There’s not an over complicated plot and just enough happening that it works well within a short book. Definitely recommend for those wanted to mix things up and need a good slow burn.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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