Book Review: If It’s Perfect (The Wedding Business #1) by Summer Dowell

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 192 pages
Author: Summer Dowell
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: October 22nd, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One thing I learned this week: DO NOT flirt while at a client’s wedding. (especially with anyone in a tux)

Success-driven Hope Fletcher has some lofty goals for her life. But is it really too much to want a thriving cake design business by age 29? Marry a perfect (emphasis on the perfect) man by age 30? Then have the kids, dog, and house in suburbia by age 34? If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Dean. Wonderful, dreamy Dean who loves kids (and will eventually grow to love dogs) steps into Hope’s world. He’s the exact type of man she’s been looking for and she starts falling. Hard.

But will Hope’s perfect image of Dean crumble when she finds out about his past?

A clean, loud-out-loud romantic comedy that’s full of sarcasm and swoons! 

SUPER SWEET.

And laugh out loud.

This was a charming and quick contemporary romance. I’ve really enjoyed Summer Dowell’s books and this is no exception. I’m excited to get more romances from this cast because I adored Hope and Dean.

I saw a lot of growth with Hope. Learning to handle her need for perfection in a more realistic way really resonated with me. I thought she had a great dynamic and I absolutely love her cake decorator career.

Combine Hope with Dean and I thought they were just precious. It was kind of fun to have this “perfect” relationship happen for most of the book, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I actually burst out laughing (and in shock) when the reveal was announced. I like the way it was handled and that the drama didn’t drag out.

This was a delightful read that will put a smile on your face. Can’t wait to read more!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 625 pages
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Publisher: Blue Box Press
Release Date: April 20th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s been the victim and the survivor…

Poppy never dreamed she would find the love she’s found with Prince Casteel. She wants to revel in her happiness but first they must free his brother and find hers. It’s a dangerous mission and one with far-reaching consequences neither dreamed of. Because Poppy is the Chosen, the Blessed. The true ruler of Atlantia. She carries the blood of the King of Gods within her. By right the crown and the kingdom are hers.

The enemy and the warrior…

Poppy has only ever wanted to control her own life, not the lives of others, but now she must choose to either forsake her birthright or seize the gilded crown and become the Queen of Flesh and Fire. But as the kingdoms’ dark sins and blood-drenched secrets finally unravel, a long-forgotten power rises to pose a genuine threat. And they will stop at nothing to ensure that the crown never sits upon Poppy’s head.

A lover and heartmate…

But the greatest threat to them and to Atlantia is what awaits in the far west, where the Queen of Blood and Ash has her own plans, ones she has waited hundreds of years to carry out. Poppy and Casteel must consider the impossible—travel to the Lands of the Gods and wake the King himself. And as shocking secrets and the harshest betrayals come to light, and enemies emerge to threaten everything Poppy and Casteel have fought for, they will discover just how far they are willing to go for their people—and each other.

And now she will become Queen.

UH OH.

First two books I could have easily handed out more than 5 stars.

This one? 3 stars. An it was fine, kinda read.

I am still really into Poppy and Cas. They’re a great team, they do have chemistry and seem to work together well. I love Kieran and the rest of the wolven crew. All good things.

Nowwwww, where my issues lie.

I started noticing the flaws my friends who have read (and didn’t love) these books have mentioned. One of them being the repetitive nature of literally everything. Poppy’s inner monologue goes on and on and on and one point until I’m exhausted by her thoughts. And if you thought ACOSF had too many random sex scenes, then definitely don’t read this because I thought all of the sex was so RANDOM. Like run off in a corner, do it, then come back and keep going. I don’t know. It felt really forced and really didn’t love that.

My last big issue was that I felt like NOTHIGN HAPPENED. There was high action right from the start then high action right at the end. Between there wasn’t a lot of anything.

Okay okay, one more: WHY WERE NORMAL MONTHS USED? Poppy and Cas’s birthdays are apparently in April in December…in a made up fantasy world. That took me out of the book so fast, I’m clearly still bothered by this ridiculous notion.

Maybe if these books were a lot shorter they would seem like they were holding more substance. I’m still planning on reading the next one. I’m invested enough to continue, but I have some expectations for how it goes down. The ending was pretty predictable and left me wanting more. I’m curious how this is supposed to go on for 3/4 more books?

I’m hopeful. Some middle books are on the lower end of a rating for me. I loooove Cas the most. And as long as things work out there I think there’s an upward trend in sight.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: kisses to multiple open door scenes
  • Violence: murder, physical altercations, pretty gory/bloody

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Book Review: Forget Me Knot (Wayfair Witches #10) by A.A. Albright

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Length: 269 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: February 19th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

All is well in Riddler’s Cove. There’s no crime, no illness, and Wanda Wayfair is engaged to Will Berry, the greatest Minister for Magical Law that the world has ever known.

Hey, wait a minute … that doesn’t sound quite right, does it? Maybe things aren’t going so well in Riddler’s Cove, after all. And if something strange is afoot, well, Wanda sure can’t be the one to solve it, because she doesn’t have an ounce of magic to her name.

When some healers are murdered, and their familiars ask Wanda for help, she begins to wonder: is she really the unempowered witch she believes herself to be? Or is someone changing the world to suit themselves?

The dead healers aren’t the only ones who need help. Two busloads of weredogs have gone missing, on their way to the holiday of a lifetime.

With her coven by her side, can Wanda regain her power? And when she does, will this strange new world finally begin to make sense?

THAT WAS DIFFERENT.

I don’t read synopsis when I’m immersed in a series. I’m always way too nervous that something will be spoiled. Even though this was unique to the entire series, you could still tell something was off. And figuring out what exactly happened was part of the fun.

The events did sadden me a bit because I thought things were going in a different direction, but yet I feel like things really fit too. If you think about Wanda’s entire story, it was only going to lead here. That’s what made sense. I wish the first section of this book didn’t last as long so maybe there would have been more to the second part, but it was a unique mystery regardless.

I am so curious on how the LAST (yes I am almost to the last book) will go. Like I mentioned just previously, I think this ending was fitting so now I’m all for the last happy ever after conclusion. At least, that’s what I hope I’m getting.

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal Cozy Mystery
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: murder, kidnapping

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Book Review: Age of Death (The Legends of the First Empire #5) by Michael J. Sullivan

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Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Publisher: Grim Oak Press
Release Date: February 4th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

DO GODS TRULY EXIST? CAN YOU KNOW THE FUTURE? AND WHAT LIES BEYOND THE VEIL OF DEATH?

Winter blankets the land, and more than hope has died. Barred by the tower of Avempartha, the western army cannot invade the Fhrey homeland. So it must seek a way across the Nidwalden River before the fane obtains the secret of dragons. As time runs out for both humanity and the mystic Suri, the only chance for the living rests with the dead. Having made their fateful choice, can a handful of misfits do the impossible, or are they forever lost to an inescapable grave? As in Virgil’s Aeneid, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, the most epic tales transcend the world of the living. It’s time to see what lies in Elan’s Age of Death.

From Michael J. Sullivan, New York Times, USA Today, and Washington Post bestselling author comes the second-to-last installment in the epic fantasy series The Legends of the First Empire. These novels chronicle a pivotal point in Elan’s history, when humans rise against the Fhrey, whom they once saw as gods. Set three thousand years before the Riyria tales, Legends is a standalone fantasy series independent of all other Elan stories. But if you have read the other books, Legends will reveal lies and unmask truths about historical figures.

INTERESTING.

Since this series was originally three books and was expanded to six books, you can definitely see where this second half takes off in a whole new direction. It’s taken me a bit to get into it because of the switch, but they’re still enjoyable nonetheless.

I love the writing style for these. The point-of-view changes often giving me lots of insight to the large cast of characters. I appreciate this because of how many they’re. It always takes me a chapter or two to remember exactly who’s who again.

The title is in no way misleading. I’m frankly not sure who’s actually dead or alive at this point. This crew went on a serious adventure and I loved exploring the new worlds and layouts. The growth and development of this cast was also superb. I like seeing them in contrasting elements. This is obviously a very character driven story. The plot still moves well and plenty happens, but it’s about them and where this story will eventually lead.

It’s a satisfying and quick read. I’m excited to read the last book in this series soon.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: very little, light
  • Romance: kiss
  • Violence: battles/war, physical altercations, swords/arrows, magic, dragons, murder

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