Tag: Book blog

Book Review: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch #3) by Lyla Sage

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

LOOOOOVED IT.

I am so happy I decided to pick up this series this year because it has my whole heart and soul now. I am obsessed with this whole family and can’t get enough. I loved how the enemies to lovers was executed here. You could FEEL all of the tension and the banter set the perfect edge.

The nanny x single dad trope made my heart burst. I loved all of the little tender moments and watching Teddy and Gus realize just how much love was already there. And even better, it fit into my plot > spice scale (which is totally arbitrary to my own thoughts, but if you know me this might make sense to you).

And the audiobook is top notch. I love dual POV so dang much. This entire series is worth the read.

Overall audience notes:

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

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Sword Catcher (Sword Catcher #1) by Cassandra Clare

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy
Length: 604 pages
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Del Rey
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the vibrant city-state of Castellane, the richest of nobles and the most debauched of criminals have one thing in common: the constant search for wealth, power, and the next hedonistic thrill.

Kel is an orphan, stolen from the life he knew to become the Sword Catcher—the body double of a royal heir, Prince Conor Aurelian. He has been raised alongside the prince, trained in every aspect of combat and statecraft. He and Conor are as close as brothers, but Kel knows that his destiny is to die for Conor. No other future is possible.

Lin Caster is one of the Ashkar, a small community whose members still possess magical abilities. By law, they must live behind walls within the city, but Lin, a physician, ventures out to tend to the sick and dying of Castellane. Despite her skills, she cannot heal her best friend without access to forbidden knowledge.

After a failed assassination attempt brings Lin and Kel together, they are drawn into the web of the mysterious Ragpicker King, the criminal ruler of Castellane’s underworld. He offers them each what they want most; but as they descend into his world of intrigue and shadow, they discover a conspiracy of corruption that reaches from the darkest gutters of Castellane to the highest tower of its palaces.

As long-kept secrets begin to unravel, they must ask themselves: Is knowledge worth the price of betrayal? Can forbidden love bring down a kingdom? And will their discoveries plunge their nation into war—and the world into chaos?

WHY SO LONG.

Initially upon starting this I was very interested, I loved the general plot bones and the characters were great. I didn’t have any major complaints until around 60% when I started to feel like nothing was truly happening. There were a lot of tiny things going on, but no big plot movement until the very end.

I just didn’t see it needing to be 600 pages long. And the romance lost me too. I thought it was going one way, then it went another, and then ANOTHER, and I think one more time too? Which is fine and all, but it made the whole idea feel shallow. I loved how morally gray the entire book felt with each character making some questionable decisions in the name of what they believed to be the greater good. There will be awesome fallout from that in the future books I’m sure.

There were some good twists and like I said previously, the bones of the book are good. I’m not sure this was enough for me to keep going with the series though? We’ll see.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: moderate innuendo; fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: abuse (whipping), blood/gore depiction, loss of loved ones, near death experiences

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

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

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

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

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph