Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 364 pages
Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Release Date: July 28th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The Hating Game meets Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.

Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow … maybe she’s already fallen for him.

BETTER THAN EXPECTED.

I honestly didn’t know what to think about a book that takes place in roughly 36-48 hours. That’s short, ya know? But I looooved the way this was developed and how it all unfolded.

I adored Rowan and Neil. They are a classic high school rivals to lovers and the forced proximity of the last day of school helped them realize all of those connections. I think some of the drama was a bit dragged out and I could have done with a little less of that in the end.

There’s a lot of great discussions throughout on multiple important topics. And mixed in with a really neat scavenger hunt idea this was a hard book to put down. I enjoyed the audio version and had no issues with the narrator. This is fast paced, coming of age, taking those steps into adulthood kind of YA read. Add a dash of a sweet romance and it’s a good book.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: anti-semitism, misogyny, domestic abuse mentioned, car accident mentioned, bullying

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Book Review: Kit McBride Gets a Wife (The McBrides of Montana #1) by Amy Barry

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Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: Western Romance 
Length: 352 pages
Author: Amy Barry
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 23rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The four McBride brothers have their worlds turned upside down when their precocious younger sister secretly places an advertisement for a mail-order bride.

Kit McBride knows that Buck’s Creek, Montana, is no place to find a wife. Between him and his three brothers–plus little Junebug–they manage all right on their own, thank you very much. But unbeknownst to Kit, his sister is sick to death of cleaning, cooking, and mending for her big brothers, so she places an ad in The Matrimonial News to get them hitched.

After Maddy Mooney emigrated from Ireland, she found employment with an eccentric but poor widow. When her mistress decides to answer an ad for a mail-order bride, Madd​y is dragged along for the ride to Montana. But en route to the West, Maddy is suddenly abandoned and left to assume the widow’s name, position, and matrimonial prospects….

With no other recourse in the wilderness, Maddy must convince Kit not only is she who she says she is, but she’s the wife he never knew he needed. 

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook!

HOW DANG SWEET.

I’m pretty sure I had no less than five people mention how good this book was and I caved. AND I’M SO HAPPY I DID.

This was DELIGHTFUL. Exactly what I needed after some terrible ARCs I had to get through. Full of heart and love and a family just trying to make it through the winter in the West. I loved that is was multiple POV with the love interests and family members. It added such charm and whit to every scene.

I ADORED June Bug. The amount of times she made me laugh and smile could be counted on more than one hand. She was absolutely tenacious and I loved her snark and commitment to her story.

The romance aspects had me melting. I loooove a smitten man from the get-go and Kit was that man for me. I love how he and Maddy came together and it had everything I could hope for between them.

I can’t wait for the next book because I know it’ll be just as charming.

Overall audience notes:

  • Western Historical Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: light innuendo; closed door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of loved ones

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Book Review: Love Off-Limits (Some Kind of Love #3) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 293 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Four Petal Press
Release Date: October 21st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tyler is hard enough to resist. Put a baby goat in his arms? Oh, I’m a goner.

Romance is the last thing on my mind when I meet Tyler at a wedding.

Yes, he’s gorgeous. Yes, we have instant chemistry.

But I can’t go there with him. I’m too busy convincing my skeptical parents I’m ready to run our family farm to give Tyler’s smoldering smile a passing glance.

Fine. I glanced. And possibly . . . kissed.

But then I went home all the way in a different state. See? Crisis averted.

Until Tyler shows up in North Carolina looking for a job. Of course, I give him one. We’ve already established I’m terrible at resisting his charm.

It’s a disaster waiting to happen, really. Tyler doing manual labor within easy sight of my office window. Me trying NOT to randomly tumble into his arms. But no matter how cute he looks holding a baby goat (or how much I wish I was that baby goat), he’s off-limits until I earn my dad’s trust.

The trouble is, there’s always a risk when you push away something good. If you push too hard, you just might lose it forever.

Love Off-Limits is a stand-alone novel in a connected series. Enjoy the charming small-town appeal of a mountain farm, characters with closed-door but still sizzling chemistry, and of course, a baby goat named Penelope to tug on all your heartstrings. 

GREAT READ.

I was in the midst of trying to find a sweet romance to read in-between some fantasies and this one delivered!! Adored and read it in a day.

It was incredible that I found myself enjoying an insta-connection. That’s generally not my favorite trope, but the writing had me drawn in from the get-go. I really liked Tyler and Olivia. Fantastic chemistry and swoony kisses.

The setting was fun. I love a good farm background and this place sounded absolutely gorgeous. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the antics like chasing chickens and falling into manure. The comedic humor was on point and the ADORABLE GOAT? Oh my goodness, heart eyes.

I didn’t necessarily see this as a forbidden romance? It didn’t have the sense that they actually couldn’t be together. Besides that, no complaints. It was everything I was looking for and made me want to continue the series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parent who had a stroke

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Book Review: Charting Stars (The Nine Realms Tales #1) by Micheline Ryckman

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 325 pages
Author: Micheline Ryckman
Publisher: Whimsical Publishing
Release Date: May 21st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Talia Benson would consider herself fairly ordinary. Anyone would. Diligent student, only child to a single mother, protector of three cats—nothing crazy has ever happened to her. And Talia wants it to stay that way: stable. Her knack for making friends, along with her obsession with the stars and her love for skirt pockets, coffee, and art, is more than enough to keep Talia happy for the rest of her days—that is, until a single evening in front of a blank canvas becomes the adventure she never dreamed she wanted.

Now, Talia finds herself lost in a world completely unlike her own, a land where monsters roam and magic thrives, where wars are born then die at the wave of a hand, and where strange entities decide the fate of those who live among the Nine Realms. The guardians of these foreign lands have seen a great shift in the heavens. Something has changed, a prophecy has been spoken—a darkness is coming. But maybe, just maybe, an ordinary girl thrown between worlds could be the key to saving it all.

Charting Stars is the first book in a spirited, heartfelt young adult fantasy series by Micheline Ryckman that will appeal to the minds of those who’ve always felt, well, ordinary. Talia’s adventures prove that even an average everyday girl can have skills enough to be a hero. And she’s joined on her journey by a lovable cast of characters—some human, some furry, some covered in ivy vines—who will steal your heart away.

ADORED.

This was such a good read!! It’s a super short fantasy (under 300 pages) and I felt wrapped up in it and loving all of the characters. It’s wholesome and whimsical. All the things I could have hoped for when I picked it up.

It’s a pretty classic YA fantasy (but the characters felt older, so probably closer to NA). Our heroine lands in an unknown land and finds herself on an adventure with a rag-tag group of people while she learns about everything around her. I adored the sweetly paced romance that for fast-paced didn’t bother me for a moment. Jarrett and Talia were just precious.

I liked the plot line and outer story of the magic system and world building. It could have been even further expanded, but I didn’t feel that was the nature of this book which led me to just want to devour it and anxiously await the next installment. I love the way Ryckman writes her stories and I’ve enjoyed everyone I’ve read!

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: physical and magical altercations, near death experiences

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