Tag: Book Review

Book Review: Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: NA Contemporary romance
Length: 421 pages
Author: Casey McQuiston
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: May 14th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

First Son Alex Claremont-Diaz is the closest thing to a prince this side of the Atlantic. With his intrepid sister and the Veep’s genius granddaughter, they’re the White House Trio, a beautiful millennial marketing strategy for his mother, President Ellen Claremont. International socialite duties do have downsides—namely, when photos of a confrontation with his longtime nemesis Prince Henry at a royal wedding leak to the tabloids and threaten American/British relations. The plan for damage control: staging a fake friendship between the First Son and the Prince.

As President Claremont kicks off her reelection bid, Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret relationship with Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations. What is worth the sacrifice? How do you do all the good you can do? And, most importantly, how will history remember you?

MIXED THOUGHTS.

I know this is an unpopular opinion, buuuut it is what it is. I didn’t love this. Truly didn’t hate it either, just felt some disconnects.

What I did love was HENRY. He was one of my favorites. Him and Alex together were great. I loved anytime they got those precious soft and quiet moments where I could really feel the love between them. It was passionate and bold and had me absolutely cheering for them.

I struggled with the first half of the book because I thought it got hot and heavy too fast. Everytime Alex and Henry saw each other it was to run off to a closet and have sex. I wanted more burn and angst from them! That’s why I loved the second half more. More emotional connections and heartfelt conversations that swept me away.

Sometimes the political storyline really took me out of the book. Whenever it switched from the romance side of things I felt a detachment. Once again, this was somewhat remedied (at least on Henry’s end) in the second half of the book, but at that point it had become something majorly noticeable to me.

I absolutely LOVED the side characters (especially Alex’s Mom). They were funny, creative and so well written. I got a clear personality and intention from each of them and that really helped the entire story.

I liked how the ending wrapped up and the story at its heart was solid. I had a mixed bag of thoughts, but I’m glad I finally picked this one up.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Contemporary romance
  • Language: very strong and often
  • Romance: open and closed door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: homophobia, implied sexual assault (in the past of a side character)

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ARC Book Review: Summerhaven by Tiffany Odekirk

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 272 pages
Author: Tiffany Odekirk
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: February 14th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Hannah Kent and Oliver Jennings pledged their hearts to each other as children. Now, years later, Hannah is thrilled to receive an invitation to spend the summer at Oliver’s family’s country estate. The path to wedded bliss is clear—so long as Oliver’s highbrow older brother, Damon, has ceased his juvenile antics, Hannah’s future looks bright indeed.

But from the moment Hannah arrives at Summerhaven, nothing is as she expected. Oliver seems disinterested in renewing their acquaintance, and Damon is not the brutish boy she remembers but a man intent on avoiding marriage. Although she has loathed Damon her whole life, when he contrives a ruse designed to win them both what they desire, Hannah warily agrees. All she has to do to reclaim Oliver’s attention is pretend to be madly in love with Damon. But when Damon is surprisingly convincing in his role as a suitor, it proves difficult to discern the line between pretense and true love.

Thank you to Covenant Communications and Netgalley for an eARC.

STUNNING.

This is apparently this author’s debut in regency romance? NAILED IT.

I could not get enough of this book and soaked it all up in a day. Books like this remind me why I love this genre.

Wowwwww did I absolutely love Damon. He had many quotable and swoony moments. I loved his clear longing and love for Hannah and from the moment she came back to Summerhaven he was there. He was always there. That’s what my mind keeps drawing back to. All of these tiny nuanced moments where Damon showed his love continually and that swept me up in all the feels. That confession of love? HURT. That sweet ending? BLISS.

I adored Hannah as a main character. I thought she was a bit too oblivious at first, but luckily most of that shook out by the halfway point. Hannah showed the ability to learn and see from other points of view. I appreciated her ability to apologize and acknowledge times that she had made poor choices. It’s all there. With the perfect chemistry and angst, I was here for this romance.

Oddly enough, it had a love triangle that I could get behind. I really liked the way this was approached and handled. I didn’t feel frustrated by it ever. I knew who Hannah was ending up with. I would love a story about the other brother though!!

Anyways, I’m writing this review right after I finished the book so I AM HYPED ABOUT IT AND Y’ALL SHOULD READ IT.

Overall audience notes:

  • Regency Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent (off page, but grief discussed often)

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Book Review: Falling for Your Fake Fiance (Love Cliches #3) by Emma St. Clair

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary romance
Length: 312 pages
Author: Emma St. Clair
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: February 6th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What happens when the man I love to hate becomes the man I must pretend to love?

I can’t seem to escape Thayden Walker and his infuriating charm.

Even his mother and his Great Dane seem bent on playing matchmaker.

But I’m totally immune.

Until I’m presented with an offer that puts my ability to withstand him to the test.

If I marry Thayden, all my student debt goes poof, and he’ll take over the family firm.

There’s so much more at stake than money or a job, especially when I start to see the man beneath the mask.

Playing house with Thayden is the most dangerous game of all.

And we’re both set up to lose more than we could ever win.

Unless we’ve been on the same side all along.

BEST OF THE SERIES [SO FAR].

I loooooooved this! Especially Thayden, who was hot dang precious. I love how he took the time and effort to show Delilah what kind of life she deserved. He’s very much the best part of this book. I couldn’t get enough of him. Thayden and Delilah’s chemistry was spot on. The banter was on fire and I love the way that steam is added without being steamy. It’s fantastic and now I’m even more hyped for the last two books of this series.

And by the title you can see it had one of my favorite tropes, fake fiance! I love how it played out. I didn’t realize until the end how short the timeline was, but that’s what was magical. The romance was choreographed beautifully and by the end I was begging for the actual marriage to happen.

The conflict was luckily not over the top. From what I could see coming I was hoping it wasn’t going to lead to some big roll-my-eyes miscommunication. Aaaand it didn’t. Which is fantastic. I’m grateful all parties knew what was a lie and it made me love Delilah and Thayden all the more.

These are quick, romantic reads. I love how easy they are to follow and getting everyone’s story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses/make-outs; light innuendo
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: manipulative parents

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ARC Book Review: The Buy-In (Graham Brother Sweet Rom-Com #1) by Emma St. Clair

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 412 pages
Author: Emma St.Clair
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 24th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When a family of former pro football players buy a small Texas town, they didn’t intend to start a war with its residents … or to fall in love.

Ever since his career-ending injury, Pat has bounced from job to job, idea to idea, short-lived relationship to short-lived relationship. But when his father purchases the town of Sheet Cake, Pat suddenly sees his life with clear purpose: get his brothers on board with his dad’s wild idea and win back the one woman who got away.

Lindy was supposed to be traveling the world, not stuck in a small town, caring for her niece. But she would do anything to keep custody of Jo–even if that looks like a marriage of convenience with the man who already broke her heart once.

Now if she can only keep herself from falling back in love with her husband…

This is a small town, marriage of convenience romantic comedy with plenty of sizzle while keeping the bedroom door closed. It’s the first in a spinoff series following Harper’s brothers (from Falling for Your Best Friend). You don’t need to have read the Love Clichés series first to enjoy this book.

Thank you to the author for an ARC!

ALL THE CHARM.

I adore all things Emma St. Clair and this was another notch on that belt. I have been waiting for this series starter and now I want all things Graham related. ALL THE THINGS.

This was a different take for me on the marriage of convenience trope. Love was already flowing between them before vows were said and you could FEEEEEEL it. I actually really liked that and made this book just have all of the ooey-gooey things I love. Pat had me absolutely smitten and his dedication to wooing Lindy was top notch. Lindy learning to let others help her, also top notch. Here for the character growth y’all.

Not to mention, Texas high school football, meddling friends and brothers, wild squirrels, and a rain storm. Every time Pat and Lindy fired up a kissing scene the sparks FLEW. I love how St. Clair approaches and writes these scenes. Give me alllllll those heartfelt moments.

The ending wrapped up with some tender scenes that will melt you into a puddle. I liked that the miscommunication wasn’t over blown. Each character thought and approached from their side and had an actual conversation. My fav.

Already waiting impatiently for the next story because it’s sure to be as fire as this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, caring for a parent with dementia

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