ARC Book Review: Falling Hard for the Royal Guard by Megan Clawson

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Megan Clawson
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: April 27th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Love is in the heir in this royally good rom com debut releasing in Spring 2023 – perfect for anyone who likes relatable heroines (with great hair), hot and aloof book boyfriends (with great hats), near misses, almost kisses and a corgi or two.

Despite living in an actual castle, happily ever after is evading Margaret ‘Maggie’ Moore.

From her bedroom in the Tower of London, twenty-six-year-old Maggie has always dreamed of her own fairy-tale ending.

Yet this is twenty-first century London, so instead of knights on white horses, she has catfish on Tinder. And with her last relationship ending in spectacular fashion, she swears off men for good.

And then a chance encounter with Royal Guard Freddie forces Maggie to admit that she isn’t ready to give up on love just yet… But how do you catch the attention of someone who is trained to ignore all distractions?

Can she snare that true love’s first kiss… or is she royally screwed?

A right royal rom com, perfect for fans of Red, White and Royal Blue and The Royal We.

Thank you to Avon for the ARC.

NOT FOR ME.

I don’t even much feel like writing this review because this book and I did not get along. I was expecting a cute romance set in London, learning a little about the guard life, sweet dates, some good kissing, etc.

What did I get?:

  • A big history lesson that did not further the ROMANTIC plot of a ROMANCE book whatsoever. Took up too many pages.
  • The love interest is hardly actually in the book. HE LITERALLY RUNS AWAY MULTIPLE TIMES.
  • Multiple bad Tinder dates that beg the question, WHY.
  • Third act wildness that caused me to laugh, because if not, I might throw my book.
  • Everything was over the top and not in a good way (clearly, HA).

I just…this let me down so much. And I’m going to end it here because I would not recommend it.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a mother (off-page), a manipulative gaslighting ex boyfriend

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1) by E.J. Mellow

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 423 pages
Author: E.J. Mellow
Publisher: Montlake
Release Date: July 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the award-winning author of the Dreamland series comes a new dark romantic fantasy about a young woman finding hope in her powers of destruction.

The Thief Kingdom is a place hidden within the world of Aadlior. Many whisper of its existence, but few have found this place, where magic and pleasure abound. There, the mysterious Thief King reigns supreme with the help of the Mousai, a trio of revered and feared sorceresses.

Larkyra Bassette may be the youngest of the Mousai, but when she sings her voice has the power to slay monsters. When it’s discovered the Duke of Lachlan is siphoning a poisonous drug from the Thief Kingdom and using it to abuse his tenants, Larkyra is offered her first solo mission to stop the duke. Eager to prove herself, Larkyra accepts by posing as the duke’s potential bride. But her plans grow complicated when she finds herself drawn to Lord Darius Mekenna, Lachlan’s rightful heir. Soon she suspects Darius has his own motivations for ridding Lachlan of the corrupt duke. Larkyra and Darius must learn to trust each other if there is to be any hope of saving the people of Lachlan—and themselves.

Welcome to the world of Aadilor, where lords and ladies can be murderers and thieves, and the most alluring notes are often the deadliest. Dare to listen?

NOT TOO SHABBY.

Eek. It’s a standalone fantasy series. This is my struggle bus. I like more full blown epics and not a fantasy love story shoved into one book. They’re hit or miss and this one landed somewhere in between.

I enjoyed the general world building and magic system. The dynamics were good and easy to follow, even in audiobook format. I especially loved the sister bonds here!! The support and caring between all three of them was incredible. I liked that the Dad was evil-ish but not to his girls? There’s great aspects in those points.

The main character didn’t do much for me. She spent most of the book ALMOST doing things, but then talking herself out of them. At the end she finally picked up her magic and did something with it (which led to a lackluster villain expiration but that’s another story).

Romance wise, it was sweet. I thought there was a pretty good burn. It’s got some banter and a little bit of misplaced opinions about each other that unravel when they finally get a chance to talk to one another. I liked that they worked together. I don’t know, I just needed more from this in many places.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: domestic abuse, magical possession resulting in self harm

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 448 pages
Author: Jojo Moyes
Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books
Release Date: February 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A story of mix-ups, mess-ups and making the most of second chances, this is the new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jojo Moyes, author of Me Before You and The Giver of Stars.

Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else’s shoes?

Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope–she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in.

That’s because Sam Kemp – in the bleakest point of her life – has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag–she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence that makes her realize something must change—and that thing is herself.

Full of Jojo Moyes’ signature humor, brilliant storytelling, and warmth, Someone Else’s Shoes is a story about how just one little thing can suddenly change everything.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook.

THOUGHTFUL.

Audiobook review: Daisy Ridley narrates this y’all. Enough said. I thought it was fantastically well done.

I’m not one to go out of my to pick up a contemporary fiction, BUT for Moyes? Yes, yes I will give that a go. And I really liked this one y’all. It’s full of complicated, and unlikeable characters. Many I wanted to shake, and give a hug too all over the course of reading. I like layered and dynamic personalities that showcase the full scope of what it means to be human and to be trying desperately to get by when life throws everything at you.

I liked the inter-mixing of mental health too. The effects it can have on so many levels of your life and those around you. It’s tough, it’s gritty and good and bad choices are made. I did NOT love every decision and action, but I think that was the point. It became a thoughtful examination of many themes.

The supporting cast held this book together too. I adored them all. Both Sam and Nisha had some rocky roads and I was grateful that ultimately they found their own feet to stand on for themselves and take the next step forward. Nisha’s closing scene actually made me tear up a little and hit me right in the heart. This was a solidly good book. Moyes did it again.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Fiction
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, cheating, break-ins, emotional manipulation, a friend with cancer, bad work environment

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 304 pages
Author: Neely Tubati Alexander
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: May 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A chance romantic encounter during a wild night at a Mardi Gras bachelorette party sends strait-laced Serena Khan’s carefully constructed life into chaos.

A wretched maid of honor. A hangover from hell. Raucous Mardi Gras crowds. There isn’t much Serena Khan is enjoying about this four-day New Orleans destination bachelorette party for her semi-estranged cousin, the bride-to-be—until sparks fly with a handsome stranger, who, like her, is also from Seattle. After their conversation is cut short, Serena is overwhelmed by the desire to find the charming man with the brooding eyebrows, but her list of clues is pretty short:

His name is Julian.
He lives on Chamber Hill.
He works at a tech company.
He loves Lil Wayne and Nirvana.

The need to find him is, for Serena, both irresistible and totally irrational. In a few short weeks, her college alumni magazine is featuring her in a “Life at Thirty” feature, cementing her as a success story. She will have officially achieved the safe, stable life her late mother insisted upon. Julian is not part of the plan.

As she combs Seattle for her New Orleans flame, stripping away the perfectly curated life that would have made her mother proud, Serena must decide if the pursuit of real passion is worth it—and fast, before she destroys the life she always thought she wanted.

Thank you SparkPoint Studio for the ARC.

GREAT DEBUT.

I really did enjoy this read. I will say first off, it is NOT a romance. There’s a romantic super sub plot, but overall this is much more fiction. I loved watching Serena figure life out. I could easily relate and connect with her on finding what makes you passionate. What makes you want to get out of bed each day and who you want to spend those days with. It’s complex handling all of that and grief and I thought this was a beautiful debut within those themes.

I had two little things that niggled at me. One being, the only love scene in here was a dream?? I didn’t love that and it felt really misplaced. And secondly, I do wish there was a bit more romance!! It started off strong and I wish Julian was a bit more woven into the entire story.

Honestly though, great read. I finished it in a day and would easily recommend it to others. I loved the setting and the characters. They all helped Serena reach a place in life where she felt more at peace. And I love that.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Fiction
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: one open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: alcohol consumption, loss of a mother, grief depiction

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph