Tag: Book Review

Book Review: The Co-Op by Tarah Dewitt

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 364 pages
Author: Tarah Dewitt
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 20th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They say love and construction don’t mix.
By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned.

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens.
Certainly nothing to build a foundation on.
But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they’re thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.
LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married.
Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds.
A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.
Thrust into a home without walls, they quickly learn that it’s easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But, with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks) they’ll also have to learn what it means to truly co-operate as a team.

The Co-op is a steamy story about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It’s about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage.

BEST [YET].

Easily calling this my favorite book by this author. It was this beautiful steady growth that just made me fall in love with the characters and story. I live for character progression and this had that in spades. LaRynn and Deacon CLEARLY have some unresolved history and I appreciated immensely that amidst the digs and teases real communication started to flow. Both sides started to look at the situation differently and were able to talk about things that had been sitting on their souls for too long.

And what happens after? A wonderful relationship filled with pure love. These two had the heat, the banter, and all of the emotions. The innuendo was a bit past my comfort zone, but the steam itself is easily moved over. I just loved this story. LaRynn was not an easy character to love and sometimes we feel like that about ourselves and so I loved watching her story unfold (and I promise I did love her by the end!). Deacon was just the sweetest. And I loved that they both didn’t let each other get away with anything that needed to be discussed. Gah, I love communication.

The setting with the house flip was great. I liked the mix of construction shenanigans and everything else happening. The romance really stood out and dang do I love no third act break up that makes me want to pull my hair out.

I can’t wait to see what Dewitt writes next. I will eagerly be anticipating her next book.

Overall Audience Notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: multiple open; high explicit + high innuendo
  • Violence: Low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment

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Book Review: Dawnstar (The Starchaser Saga #2) by Renee Dugan

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 413 pages
Author: Renee Dugan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A missing friend. A hunt for answers. A path to vengeance.

With her Warden stolen, her hopes of an easy alliance thwarted, and her trust in her own kingdom shattered, Princess Cistine Novacek faces her greatest challenge yet: using wit and steel to bring down a wicked Chancellor and prove herself to the cabal’s tentative allies in the Courts. As friendships are tested, bonds broken, and love put to the test, the princess must face the growing threats within the Northern Kingdom – and learn to rise a queen.

Locked away in a desert prison, Asheila Kovar faces the struggle of her life: surviving the ruthless Blood Hive, returning to her princess, and avenging a betrayal against the heart of her kingdom. But there are more secrets and schemes than just hers lurking in the catacombs…and the struggle between powerful forces above and below the sands will test Ashe’s loyalty in dangerous ways.

Ways that may spell death for people the cabal cannot afford to lose.

AHHHHH.

This series has taken another step in the right direction. A sequel I can get behind.

I loved the continued dynamic between this found family group. I love them. I love them SO MUCH. Everyone. All of them. I can’t wait to get more points of view because I need them all and I need them all to be happy.

The plot does a great balance of giving answers while maintaining some general mystery about the large scale story (since this is a seven book series). But don’t worry, this book takes you through ALL OF THE FEELINGS. I got misty eyed a few times towards the end, because how could you not?! The revelations and betrayals will make you hold your breath and push to finish as quickly as you can.

There’s a lot more I’d love to say, but in the effort to keep spoilers out, I shall not. JUST KNOW IT’S SO GOOD AND THIS SLOWBURN ROMANCE WILL BE THE END OF ME.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief mentions of sexual assault and rape (recounted), loss of loved ones, avalanches, torture, whipping, kidnapping, battle scenes, grave injuries, major loss of life

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Book Review: The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Elizabeth O’Roark

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 319 pages
Author: Elizabeth O’Roark
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 20th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

You don’t really know a guy until you’ve vacationed with him…

When Drew Wilson’s ex-boyfriend Joel “Six” Bailey asks her to go on his family trip to Hawaii with him just as her life is falling apart, she decides it’s the perfect time to give him another chance.

The hitch? The Bailey family includes Six’s rude older brother, Joshua—a hot-nerd doctor who has hated Drew since the moment they met and once suggested she’d steal the family silver.

Drew is determined to win the Baileys over and give this thing with Six a fair shot…but Joshua is making that difficult. Not simply because he is in her way at every turn, but because—as one tropical adventure leads to the next—she’s beginning to wonder if obnoxious, odious Joshua might be the brother she actually belongs with. 

STARTED STRONG.

This got off on a really great foot. I thought the banter was fun between Drew and Josh (though there were some really odd and distasteful jokes that I did not love). They had some chemistry from the beginning and I was fairly smitten.

Josh is the gruff, protective type and I looooved all of those moments when that side came out. Those moments were the highlight throughout. Drew was a bit all over the place. I liked her most of the time, but towards the end some of her decisions had my tilting my head.

Aaaaand then we come to the last quarter of the book where it all of a sudden got over the top dramatic. Unnecessarily dramatic. At that point my connection with the relationship had kind of dwindled and I was ready for everything to be over. It ended really quickly and luckily a small epilogue helped.

It’s a sweet romance a lot will love even if everything didn’t hit well for me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Violence: a little
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, drug use, mentions of suicide of a parent (off page, but discussed), parent with cancer

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Book Review: Do You Take This Man by Denise Williams

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Denise Williams
Publisher: Berkley Books
Release Date: September 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After butting heads, an event planner and a wedding officiant begin an enemies with benefits arrangement as wedding bells chime around them in the newest rom-com from acclaimed author Denise Williams.

Divorce attorney RJ would never describe herself as romantic. But when she ends up officiating an unplanned wedding for a newly engaged couple in a park, her life is turned upside down. The video of the ceremony goes viral, and she finds herself in the unlikely position of being a sought-after local wedding officiant. Spending her free time overseeing “I dos” isn’t her most strategic career move, but she enjoys it, except for the type A dude-bro wedding planner she’s forced to work with.

Former pro-football event manager Lear is a people person, but after his longtime girlfriend betrayed him, he isn’t looking for love. He knows how to execute events and likes being in control, so working with an opinionated and inflexible officiant who can’t stand him is not high on his list. He’s never had trouble winning people over, but RJ seems immune to his charms.

Surrounded by love at every turn, their physical attraction pulls them together despite their best efforts to stay an arm’s length apart. Lear refuses to get hurt again. RJ refuses to let herself be vulnerable to anyone. But when it comes to happily ever after, their clients might not be the only ones saying “I do.”

OVERSHADOWED.

I’m not a super spice loving gal. BUT I can overlook it whenever the plot and characters beside it are strong. Unfortunately the spice really took over here and I had a hard time looking past the friends with benefits motif.

The characters were good. I did love the dual points of view between RJ and Lear. The banter was seriously FIRE. I was cracking up and it had a very good enemy to lovers vibe. New workplace rivals that butted heads and felt the heat between them.

I’m sadly realizing while writing this that I don’t remember a lot of the plot. This goes back to the heavy physical relationship over anything emotional that came late in the game.

I loved Williams first two books and I’m bummed this one was a miss. I’m still hopeful about whatever book is coming next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door; high explicit
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: sexism, cheating recounted, death of parents mentioned

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