Book Review: The Rom Con by Devon Daniels

February 21, 2025February 2, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Devon Daniels
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her industry adversary, from the author of Meet You in the Middle.

After a particularly brutal breakup, Cassidy Sutton has had it with dating. So when her grandmother gives her a 1950’s dating guide entitled 125 Tips to Hook a Husband, she decides to turn the retro advice into an ironic “What not to do” article for Siren, the popular online women’s publication she writes for. And who better to secretly test the old-fashioned tips on than Jack Bradford, chauvinistic creator of rival men’s site Brawler? She’ll write an article that will entertain female readers everywhere and embarrass their sexist nemesis at the same time. Two birds, one stone.

But her perfect plan soon proves to be anything but. Those vintage courtship tips Cassidy was so quick to poke fun at? They actually seem to work, calling her most closely-held beliefs into question. Even worse? Jack isn’t falling for any of her tricks—and it’s not long before their ‘fake’ relationship starts to feel like the realest one of her life. As her cat and mouse game starts to spiral out of control, Cassidy has to decide if she’s playing to win, or if she’s willing to lose it all for love.

INCREDIBLY CHARMING.

I was swept away by this book y’all! It was my first by this author and will not be my last. I loved how swoony this was and the 50’s lifestyle nonsense that came into play. I thought it was done in good humor and not overly in your face. It made the whole plot clever and sweet.

Jack was the best. Goodness gracious, he’s one of the those fantastic love interests that you can’t get enough of. He was kind hearted and loveable and really looked out for Cassidy and WANTED to be with her, and that’s my favorite kind of vibe. This also had my favorite level of heat with low, slow burn spice.

There was one small issue I had with the third act conflict that made me cranky. I just couldn’t follow the thought process. But I will say the reunion and communication (at last) that came later was wonderful.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: low-moderate
Romance: 1-2 open; low explicit

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ALC Book Review: Upon a Starlit Tide by Kell Woods

February 18, 2025February 11, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Kell Woods
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: February 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Saint-Malo, Brittany, 1758.
For Lucinde Leon, the youngest daughter of one of Saint-Malo’s wealthiest ship-owners, the high walls of the city are more hindrance than haven. While her sisters are interested in securing advantageous marriages, Luce dreams of escaping her elegant but stifling home and joining a ship’s crew. Only Samuel—Luce’s best friend and an English smuggler—understands her longing for the sea, secretly teaching her to sail whenever she can sneak away. For Luce, the stolen time on the water with Samuel is precious.

One stormy morning, Luce’s plans are blown off course when she rescues Morgan de Chatelaine, the youngest son of the most powerful ship-owner in Saint-Malo, from the sea. Immediately drawn to his charm and sense of adventure, she longs to attend the glittering ball held in honor of his safe return and begins to contemplate a different kind of future for herself.

But it is not only Luce’s hopes at stake—the local fae are leaving Brittany and taking their magic with them, while the long-standing war with the English means Saint-Malo is always at risk of attack. As Luce is plunged into a world of magic, brutality, and seduction, secrets that have long been lost in the shadowy depths of the ocean begin to rise to the surface. The truth of her own power is growing brighter and brighter, shining like a sea-glass slipper.

Or the scales of a sea-maid’s tail.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

SQUEAKED OUT A FOUR STAR.

I kind of felt all over about this one. What I did love was the unique mash-up of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. I could easily see the nods to the story but adding in the historical fiction elements really set the plot apart and it did feel fresh rather than a regurgitated attempt at a new story.

I enjoyed Luce’s character and her growth. Somewhat naive and under her father’s thumb she slowly moves away as she understands her history, falls in love, and finds out where she truly belongs. The love story was different than I was expecting but the more I sit with it, the more that I think it makes sense for the novel and the more I like it.

The middle dragged for me and I think I was hoping for something more. Everyone got their dues and I loved seeing all of the different faerie folk woven throughout. The ending had me almost throwing my phone across the room BUT LUCKILY the epilogue saved it and I feel good about how things went down. It’s a sturdy, well planned standalone.

Overall audience notes:

Historical fantasy romance
Language: low
Romance: brief open door
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: torture, loss of life

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Book Review: The Huntress by Kate Quinn

February 12, 2025January 23, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 550 pages
Author: Kate Quinn
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: February 26th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling novel, THE ALICE NETWORK, comes another fascinating historical novel about a battle-haunted English journalist and a Russian female bomber pilot who join forces to track the Huntress, a Nazi war criminal gone to ground in America.

In the aftermath of war, the hunter becomes the hunted…

Bold and fearless, Nina Markova always dreamed of flying. When the Nazis attack the Soviet Union, she risks everything to join the legendary Night Witches, an all-female night bomber regiment wreaking havoc on the invading Germans. When she is stranded behind enemy lines, Nina becomes the prey of a lethal Nazi murderess known as the Huntress, and only Nina’s bravery and cunning will keep her alive.

Transformed by the horrors he witnessed from Omaha Beach to the Nuremberg Trials, British war correspondent Ian Graham has become a Nazi hunter. Yet one target eludes him: a vicious predator known as the Huntress. To find her, the fierce, disciplined investigator joins forces with the only witness to escape the Huntress alive: the brazen, cocksure Nina. But a shared secret could derail their mission unless Ian and Nina force themselves to confront it.

Growing up in post-war Boston, seventeen-year-old Jordan McBride is determined to become a photographer. When her long-widowed father unexpectedly comes homes with a new fiancée, Jordan is thrilled. But there is something disconcerting about the soft-spoken German widow. Certain that danger is lurking, Jordan begins to delve into her new stepmother’s past—only to discover that there are mysteries buried deep in her family . . . secrets that may threaten all Jordan holds dear.

In this immersive, heart-wrenching story, Kate Quinn illuminates the consequences of war on individual lives, and the price we pay to seek justice and truth.

BEST ON AUDIO.

This was a hefty book y’all. And one I think is best read on audio because I feel like it helped the pacing a lot more. Some of the middle gets bogged down in sub plots that took awhile to come back around to where this story was always heading towards.

As a surprise to me, this had a great diverse cast! I loved seeing the development of all the relationships and the heartache and trials that come with a wartime romance. I felt all the things and yet was satisfied where the conclusions led to.

I thought the overall intrigue and premise was interesting and I liked much of the buildup and mystery surrounding the Huntress. It had this aura of danger and awareness and those reveals towards the end were fantastic.

Overall audience notes:

Historical Fiction + Romance
Language: moderate
Romance: fade to black/closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: antisemitism, racism, threats of sexual assault, murder, bombings, war themes

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Book Review: The Library of Shadows by Rachel Moore

February 10, 2025January 19, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: YA Paranormal Romance
Length: 366 pages
Author: Rachel Moore
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 5th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Radcliffe Prep. The third most haunted school in the country, where a student disappearance isn’t uncommon and no one dares stay in the library after dark. And Este Logano enrolls with the hopes of finding her dead father.

Not literally, of course. She doesn’t believe in ghosts. Going to her dad’s school just seems like her best hope at figuring out who he was.

But then Este meets Mateo, who is maybe—probably—definitely—a real ghost. And an annoying one at that.

When Mateo frames Este for the theft of a rare book from the library’s secret spire and then vanishes, Este will have to track him down or risk being expelled and leaving Radcliffe early just like her father did.

Except following her father’s footsteps might be more dangerous than Este ever anticipated. As she investigates the library with its secret passageways, hidden tunnels, and haunted halls, she learns that the student disappearances aren’t just myth. And if she isn’t careful, she’ll be next.

UNBALANCED.

I couldn’t decide where this book was trying to go or trying to be. It young adult, and written in a younger YA style, yet the language and make-out content would be considered somewhere in the older side of the spectrum. This constantly pulled me out of the book because I could never find the right vibe.

Mostly I thought the idea was intriguing. A haunted school, and a mysterious book, etc. I never felt like all of the pieces clicked together though. It was gratefully a quick audio listen and I never hit a hate reading status, just a this isn’t working mode.

Can’t even tell you if this is one to give a try regardless of my rating. If you’re looking for a paranormal (not fantasy) young adult read, hey, maybe this one?

Overall audience notes: