Book Review: Last Night Was Fun by Holly James

November 16, 2025September 9, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Holly James
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: June 10th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

You’ve Got Mail meets The Hating Game! Vying for a promotion against a bitter rival as the only female data analyst for a professional baseball team, Emmy finds solace in the text-flirting relationship that started as a wrong number exchange—unaware that the man she’s texting is the one she’s fighting for the promotion.

Emmy Jameson lives by three no dating, no sharing personal news at work, and baseball above everything. As the only female data analyst for a professional baseball team, Emmy is constantly trying to prove herself.

Especially when she’s put up for a senior analyst position against her arrogant, infuriating coworker Gabe Olson. Sure, he’s gorgeous and smart and he was a baseball star in college who knows the sport inside and out, but so does Emmy. She is not going to lose to him again. There will be no distractions this summer. Not even her sister’s pending destination wedding in Mexico for which she needs to find a plus one.

But then she receives a text from an unknown number with a simple “Last night was fun.” When she strikes up a conversation with the mystery texter, they realize that he was given a fake phone number after a bad date that just so happened to be Emmy’s. Despite her rules, Emmy can’t deny the instant connection she feels and soon finds herself falling for the stranger on the other side of the screen…and inviting him to her sister’s wedding.

Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted copy.

IT WAS FUN.

This was a new to me author and I did like it y’all!!! Random book mail success story here.

I thought most of it was super cute. I loved the texting conversations and banter and the way that the reader knows what’s happening but the characters haven’t clued in yet. It’s got an overall sweet quality to the story line.

BUUUUUT. Y’all know I will rant about a ridiculous third act and here we are. I haaaaate the let me interrupt you ten times rather than just letting you finish one sentence so I can understand what’s happening trope. Gabe deserved ONE SENTENCE. Meh.

Anyways, I think I would read another book from this author. It was a quick read that was overall on the lighter side and hit the spot.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: mild+
Romance: 2ish open door
Content warnings: loss of a brother (recounted, addiction)

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Book Review: Every Spiral of Fate (This Woven Kingdom #4) by Tahereh Mafi

November 15, 2025October 27, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Publisher: Storytide
Release Date: September 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

At long last, the wedding day has arrived.

The Jinn queen and the enigmatic ruler of Tulan are to be married in a magical, enchanted ceremony—but Cyrus, tethered by a blood oath to his bride-to-be, can find nothing to celebrate in this union. He’s falling ever more deeply in love with the one person oathbound to kill him.

Sworn to an ancient, unbreakable magic, Alizeh can only fulfill the prophecy to free her people by ensuring Cyrus dies by her own hand. And Cyrus is forced to await his end all while Prince Kamran inches closer, ready to take his place by Alizeh’s side.

The countdown to murder coils tensions ever tighter, but the historic wedding has already drawn deadly attention. To prepare for war and protect her people, Alizeh must finally discover her magic—and outrun the enemies trying to stop her.

Alizeh and Cyrus, along with Kamran and their friends from Ardunia, must flee on dragon-back to begin the perilous journey into the legendary mountains of Arya, where a firestorm of revelations, magical discoveries, and fresh allies awaits them. Every allegiance will be tested, every darkness uncovered, and when the shattering secrets of the Tulanian king are finally revealed . . .

Nothing, and no one, will be the same.

Desperate confessions, impossible decisions, unfathomable magical power—and a love so devastating it rewrites destinies—Every Spiral of Fate is the shimmering, breathtaking fourth volume in a saga that continues to transcend expectations.

Thank you Epic Reads for the gifted copy.

I’M HERE FOR IT.

This series might have been a bit up and down for me (and I’m still firmly a Shatter Me girlie) BUT I am liking these books and look forward to the conclusion.

I liked that this hit some world building notes I was looking for and I will say the last 30% or so really grabbed my attention. I love wild and chaotic cliff hanger based endings and this delivered on all fronts.

I do think it was missing some romantic aspects. While I love and appreciate a genuine slow burn this needed just a little more heat to showcase the relationship. [Of which I’m not saying who’s with who because I think that could be a spoiler if you’re reading this review without knowing the other books.]

The set-up for what [I think] is the finale is awesome. I love these characters and all of the banter and politicking, the dragons and magic. It’s a truly solid series so far.

Overall audience notes:

NA Fantasy Romance
Languge: mild+
Romance: heated kisses
Violence: mild – moderate

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Book Review: The Blood Orchid (The Scarlet Alchemist #2) by Kylie Lee Baker

November 14, 2025November 15, 2024 GoodeyReads1 Comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 384 pages
Author: Kylie Lee Baker
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Release Date: October 22nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Since Zilan entered the world of royal alchemists, she has learned that alchemy comes at a price. She has lost loved ones in her search for broader justice against the evil Empress and all she wants now is to find some way to bring them back. Resurrection is her specialty, after all.

In search of the myth of Penglai Island, where it’s rumored life can be fully restored, Zilan starts a new adventure. But when old threats come back to haunt her and the path to Penglai Island means facing down unpredictable, sometimes dangerous, alchemists, she wonders just how high of a price she may be willing to pay.

NEW FAV.

I think this is officially my new favorite KLB book. I really enjoyed this. I also loved the audiobook. The narrator did a fantastic job of injecting the right tone and it made the story really thrive. I thought the banter was even more amplified and made me laugh out loud amidst the dark and gritty nature of the plot.

I loved the complexity of the historical and fantasy elements coming together. It’s interesting and unique and I liked the continuation of Zilan’s journey. There’s tangled sibling dynamics and a small romance that has its own interesting charm. I will definitely be continuing to pick up new books from KLB.

Overall audience notes:

YA Fantasy
Language: low – moderate
Romance: flirting
Violence: moderate – high

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ARC Book Review: A Queen’s Match (A Queen’s Game #2) by Katharine McGee

November 13, 2025November 1, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Katharine McGee
Publisher: Random House
Release Date: November 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the sequel to A Queen’s Game, broken hearts and secret loves lead three princesses to their final marriage matches, and their rightful places in the history books–from the New York Times bestselling author of the American Royals series.

As Queen Victoria tries to match her grandchildren with powerful marriages across Europe, matters of the court and matters of the heart collide for three princesses as they close in on the end of their marriage seasons.

Exiled French princess Helene d’Orleans had no choice but to break it off with Prince Eddy–but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a broken heart. And now her parents have their sights on another prince for her…but his heart is already taken.

The queen finally understands that her beloved granddaughter Alix of Hesse isn’t interestd in a match with Prince Eddy…but the Queen does not approve of Alix’s true love. So where does that leave her?

And May of Teck? She’s just looking for a crown. So with Eddy back on the marriage market, she’s biding her time, letting his heartbreak settle, before she makes her move.

Set in the last glittering decade of the monarchies, A Queen’s Match is the thrilling conclusion to the story that began in A Queen’s Game.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy and PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook.

GOOGLE IT.

That was my biggest takeaway here. I spent a few minutes googling and reading historical documents about these people and learned all that I needed to know that made the book feel superfluous. I think if you go in with little knowledge or are their for the drama then maybe it would hit better.

I don’t think this book is bad by any means, it felt more like a pitfall that historical fiction can occasionally fall into. The characters were fine, the romance was fine, and I’d still read more from this author.

Overall audience notes: