Book Review: A Lady on the Chase (Wycliffe Family #3) by Jessica Scarlett

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Jessica Scarlett
Publisher: Redwing Publishing
Release Date: October 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Her father promised her to one man.
She promised her heart to a second.
Until she meets the third.

Lady Alicia Kendall has it all: wealth, beauty, suitors–and a history of creating scandals. The only thing she doesn’t have is her best friend and man of her dreams, Henry Crawley. When Henry announces his plans to join the Regulars, her father’s adamant disapproval of him deepens and prompts a deal to be struck:

She has two weeks to secure Henry’s proposal, or she must give him up forever and marry a man of her father’s choosing.

Alicia agrees. But when one of her attempts goes awry, she gets a begrudging proposal from someone else entirely–Matthew Wycliffe. The most condescending man ever to walk the face of the earth, and her newly-discovered nemesis.

If only to avoid yet another scandal, Alicia accepts Mr. Wycliffe’s offer. After all, with the deal she struck with her father, she’ll never marry the man anyway. But as they endure dark castles, hot-tempered soldiers, and hidden secrets brought to light all in their quest for a proposal from Henry, Alicia notices something different about the insufferable, grumbling Matthew Wycliffe. And she wonders if perhaps the proposal she wants is the one she’s already received. 

ALL THE DANG STARS

OH MY GOSH I LOVED THIS BOOK SO DANG MUCH.

The tension, THE ANGST, the banter, swooning all over the place. This is proof yet again, that just because a book is “only kissing” doesn’t mean it can’t bring the heat in other romantic ways.

I absolutely adored Alicia and Matthew. Total opposites attract. A bit of grump and sunshine, and oh yeah, FAKE ENGAGEMENT. A trope combination of my dreams. I was laughing, smiling, and tearing up. I found myself feeling allllll the emotions. Every time these two tried flirting with each other had me in stitches. I love that this had some modern-esque tidbits because it became the perfect refresh in this genre.

I really liked how intricate the plot ended up being. It’s all very fast paced, and it works. Everything is given it’s due and the scenes necessary to further the plot happen. I do think Lord Hawthorne was the only one without a place but he did provide some comedic moments.

The build here was incredible. I was utterly wrapped up in this story and take full responsibility for the lack of sleep it caused. WORTH IT. I am still flailing around to anyone who’ll listen that you should read this book.

YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of Mother (by childbirth with flashback moments)

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Book Review: Kingdom of Ice and Bone (Frozen Sun Saga #2) by Jill Criswell

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 300 pages
Author: Jill Criswell
Publisher: Blackstone
Release Date: September 22nd, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lira and Reyker have lost everything. Including each other.

Lira of Stone watched her home burn and her clan fall beneath the sword of the warlord known as the Dragon. She believes the man she loves, a warrior who defected from the Dragon s army, is dead. Alongside her exiled brother and his band of refugees, she will fight the forces that conquered her island. But the greatest danger may come from Lira herself with the blood of banished gods running through her veins, she s become a weapon, and no one is safe from the power of her wrath.

Reyker Lagorsson thought he was done being a Dragonman. That was before he saw Lira leap from a cliff and vanish into the sea. Determined to honor her memory by protecting her people, Reyker must feign loyalty to the warlord, undermine him at every turn, and seek alliances with renegade soldiers without succumbing to the battle-madness that threatens to possess him once more.

When the Fallen Ones offer Lira a chance to defeat the Dragon, her quest leads her to a place she never expected Iseneld, the warlord s homeland. Her journey into the heart of the Frozen Sun will put her on a collision course with Reyker, costing both of them more than they ever imagined, and leaving her with a terrible choice: to save their countries, she must forsake everything she loves.

WHAT KIND OF ENDING WAS THAT.

Wow, that one threw me through a loop. Goodness gracious. I still can’t believe that’s what happened and now I’m very concerned as to how this will all wrap up in the last book. I need answers. I need things to go a certain way! AH.

This was a pretty good middle book. Once again, loved the audio book. There was even more action and I loved seeing more of this world and where Reyker grew up. Getting more backstory on the Dragon and seeing an oddly humane side of him really layered his character. I love a good villain that has their own history to play into the plot.

My biggest issue was unfortunately how the romance. Reyker and Lira were good and set to find each other sooner rather than later, and instead, found each other after the halfway mark and only for a few chapters?! WHY. I hate when things are dragged out like that and they can’t actually work together. That was frustrating.

I love all of the Viking aspects and the writing is great. I find myself flying through the story because I adore these characters and feel connected to what is happening and wanting to know more. I’m excited to finish the third book soon!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs to closed door
  • Violence: physical altercations, magical attacks, murder, war themes

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Book Review: I Hate You More by Lucy Gilmore

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Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 272 pages
Author: Lucy Gilmore
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: November 2nd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Discover what makes Lucy Gilmore an instant fan favorite with this unforgettably funny enemies-to-lovers romcom starring:
• a grumpy dog show judge
• a determined former beauty queen
• and a Golden Retriever more interested in stealing bacon than winning Best in Show.

Ruby Taylor gave up pageant life the day she turned eighteen and figured she’d never look back. But when an old friend begs her to show her beloved Golden Retriever at the upcoming Canine Classic, Ruby reluctantly straps on her heels and gets to work.

If only she knew exactly what the adorably lazy lump of a dog was getting her into.

If there’s one thing veterinarian Spencer Wilson knows in this world, it’s dogs. Human beings are an entirely different animal. Especially stubborn, gorgeous women clearly in way over their heads. As judge for the local dog show, Spencer advises Ruby to quit while she still can, but her old fervor for winning has returned―and she wants to show the stern, broody-eyed judge that she’s more than just a pretty face. In the end, she’ll show him who’s best in show.

MOSTLY GOOD.

The biggest thing that’s bugging me right now is that the title didn’t match the book? I wouldn’t even call this enemies to lovers. Hardly rivals to lovers. There wasn’t enough time spent in that arena to give the angst needed for that trope. I don’t remember anyone every hating anyone…so….?

Most of this was really cute. I ADORED all of the dog content. And all of the old ladies were a bit wild and a hoot. I enjoyed the dog show aspects combining with a former beauty queen. All of those things worked really well. The chemistry between Spencer and Ruby was there, and overall, it was all fine.

One of the spicy scenes was kind odd and random? I didn’t think that fit well whatsoever and then things leaned more towards a friends with benefits trope than anything else this book was trying to accomplish. That’s not my favorite, and that’s when I realized things had gone a bit downhill for me.

It was a really quick read with great narrators. I would recommend the audio book easily. And maybe this is more for you than it was for me!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: two open door + some innuendo
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mentions of unsafe dieting habits, a family member on house arrest, gambling addiction (side character), stealing drugs

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ARC Review: Nothing More to Tell by Karen M. McManus

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Thriller
Length: 368 pages
Author: Karen M. McManus
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Be sure to keep your friends close . . . and your secrets closer.

Four years ago, Brynn left Saint Ambrose School following the shocking murder of her favorite teacher—a story that made headlines after the teacher’s body was found by three Saint Ambrose students in the woods behind their school. The case was never solved. Now that Brynn is moving home and starting her dream internship at a true-crime show, she’s determined to find out what really happened.

The kids who found Mr. Larkin are her way in, and her ex–best friend, Tripp Talbot, was one of them. Without his account of events, the other two kids might have gone down for Mr. Larkin’s murder. They’ve never forgotten what Tripp did for them that day. Just like he hasn’t forgotten that everything he told the police was a lie.

Digging into the past is bound to shake up the present, and as Brynn begins to investigate what happened in the woods that day, she begins to uncover secrets that might change everything—about Saint Ambrose, about Mr. Larkin, and about her ex-best friend, Tripp Talbot.

Four years ago someone got away with murder. The most terrifying part is that they never left.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC.

IT WAS FINE.

I think I’m kind of out growing YA thrillers, or maybe thrillers in general? I picked this up on NetGalley at a weak moment so knew i had to get through it. I was never upset reading it though, I just think it’s no longer my vibe (unless I’m super in the mood).

ANYWHO. I liked these main characters!! Tripp and Brynn were a bit flawed of course, but I really enjoyed the progression of both of them. There was a sweet romance between them too that I liked. It was a cute, softer side to the murder mystery.

I do feel a bit unsatisfied by the ending? It made it seem like there might be a book two so I think that’s my issue. I struggle when any ending is too open and I don’t get the closure needed to round out the plot. And there were some characters that I didn’t love.

The murderer kept me in the dark for a long time. I thought I had pinned the right person from the get-go and was pleasantly surprised that I was wrong! It was good read in the end.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Thriller
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: murder, kidnapping, gun violence, manipulation, extortion, underage drinking, media slander

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