Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Love’s Racing Line by Hope Snyder

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 482 pages
Author: Hope Snyder
Publisher: Sunny Laurel Books
Release Date: September 12th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Can their love find a racing line or will it crash into the barriers?

Formula One—the high-octane world of fast cars, globetrotting races, and wildly handsome drivers—is Jacqueline Martin’s favorite escape. As a waitress in Monaco, the best weekend of the year is when the Grand Prix takes over the very streets she walks to work and she’s immersed in a world blissfully removed from her everyday life.

But worlds come crashing together when Formula One driver Antonio Avari takes a seat at her table, looks her in the eye, and tells her she’s the most beautiful woman in the world. He’s earnest and engaging, igniting instant chemistry. But her dad has made her swear to never date an athlete and her mother’s sky-high anxiety surrounding cars and racing after a horrific car accident means a man like Antonio could never be an option.

A year later, Jacqueline gets deja-vu and fresh butterflies when Antonio returns to take a seat at her table, this time with a plan to win her over. He offers her a bet—one date if he qualifies well for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Intrigued, Jacqueline can’t say no. Her only condition? Complete secrecy.

But as one private date turns into more, with a growing realization of something unique and promising between them, can their love find a racing line or will it crash into the barriers?

Love’s Racing Line is a closed-door Formula One romance with a dramatic love story ending in happily-ever-after and a swirl of suspense.

OH WHERE DO I BEGIN.

I am convinced I must have read a different book than the other reviews I’ve seen for this one y’all. Big yikes. Poor intro into the F1 world and something should absolutely recommend a different racing romance for me.

Anyways, my main issue stems around the fact that the entire plot centers on the FMC lying to everyone in her life about one thing or another. She won’t tell her parents everything, or the love interest, or her friends, or those she works with. It’s relentless and went on for way too long. I’m not convinced of the FMC’s character arc whatsoever.

She also treated Antonio pretty poorly. Ghosting him? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I hate stupid miscommunication.

The “suspense”? Did not fit the plot, get rid of it.

Antonio was kind of a punk too? The communication did not feel natural. Heavy on the insta-love too.

All of the breaks for F1 story time? Not needed either. Why was this book almost 500 pages?

The dress maker x restaurant plot points? Once again, could have done with a better organization of these. The Bill thing just made me roll my eyes.

Those were the big red flags for me. The hate reader in me came out about 35% in and I had to see what nonsense this was going to throw out on me.

Will I read another by this author? I don’t know.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: brief gun violence, a parent with severe anxiety

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ALC Book Review: Autumn On My Mind (Falling for Autumn) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 378 pages
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: August 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What happens when two exes find out their parents are dating?

When Reese and Dominic secretly dated and then broke up years ago, they knew they’d have to see each other again. They were from the same small town of Autumn Ridge, Vermont. Their families still lived there. It was inevitable.

What Reese didn’t expect was to see Dominic across the table from her, being introduced as the son of her mother’s latest boyfriend.

Dom and Reese can be exes. They can be neighbors. They could even maybe someday be friends. What they cannot be is siblings.

But Reese’s mother has her eyes on the prize, and she’s not walking away without a ring on her finger. So even though part of Reese’s heart still hurts from the past they share, she and Dominic agree to team up and separate their parents.

Spying? A necessity. Sneaking around? Obviously. And sabotage? Well…never say never.

But the further apart they attempt to push their parents, the closer Reese and Dom get—until the lines between past and present begin to blur, and they find themselves with the stickiest conundrum of owning the truth of what really happened between them…and deciding if their love deserves a second chance.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

PRETTY CUTE.

The second book I have happened to read in this series and it was a sweet read too! I am seriously in love with the setting. Maybe I’m desperately craving all things fall and small town right now (as I’m sitting here in 100+ degree weather with a massive highway under construction nearby BUT ANYWAYS).

I adored the audiobook! You can’t go wrong with it. It’s only about nine hours and flies by. She did a fantastic job with the narration for Reese.

I’m not sure I ever fell in love with the larger plot of Dominic and Reese trying to break up their parents dating. It wasn’t a bad concept perse, it just didn’t work for me? I think the focus kept tilting to what the parents were doing and I wanted more of the focus back on the Dom & Reese. They did have some great moments together and I loved the tender touches and glances and realizing that they both weren’t quite over each other. I did enjoy having the flashback chapters because that gave needed context to the present storyline.

There’s some shenanigans and quirky humor I have come to love from Gracie Ruth Mitchell. I do think these two were a match and I liked seeing them fall in love [again and again].

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: none
  • Content warnings: loss of a parent (recounted)

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Kate Golden
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 5th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s the duet of a lifetime when a rock star and his backup singer find a new kind of harmony off stage in this sensational contemporary romance.

Clementine Clark isn’t looking for love. Growing up with a single mom who weeps over a new guy each week tends to have that effect on a girl. But Clementine doesn’t mind being the rational one—she’s even buried her musical dreams so deeply within herself that she hardly notices the hole it’s left in her life.

That is until her best friend calls her with a life-changing opportunity: to join Irish megastar Halloran on his first US tour as a backing vocalist. Clementine wants to reject the offer, but the pay is enough to change her and her mom’s life. Overnight, Clementine goes from serving enchiladas at the Happy Tortilla to belting high notes before a cheering crowd.

But the whiplash of trading small-town Texas for sold-out stadiums is nothing compared to the rush of performing with the enigmatic Thomas Patrick Halloran. Poet, introvert, and lyrical genius, Halloran quickly gets under Clementine’s skin. The two couldn’t see the world more differently. And yet, over the course of the next eight weeks on tour, the romantic rockstar might just strike an unforgettable chord in Clementine. But will it be enough for an encore?

WELL LOOKIE HERE.

I liked this one y’all!!! I can bet you that the duet narration worked wonders on me and I highly recommend the audiobook path for this one. It is SUPREME.

And reading another celebrity romance?? WHO AM I. They are hitting so well lately and I think I’ve read five+ in the last month alone. I loved all of the touring and friendships and singing and passion. Thomas and Clementine had such a lovely dynamic and I loved seeing them together. I do think the spice jumped in a bit too early but it wasn’t the end of the world.

Because what really made me mad was the third act (and the FMC honestly frustrated me throughout). Past that nonsense is a strong romance that will have you feeling all the things.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: loss of a loved one (recounted), a mother with fibromyalgia, sexual harassment, mentions of drug/alcohol addiction

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Spies, Lies, and Alibis by Natalie Walters

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★.5
Audience: Mystery + Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Natalie Walters
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Release Date: May 19th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They were each other’s first love. Now they might be each other’s last hope.

Cybil Langford has spent years hiding behind her polished, professional facade as the executive assistant to a powerful real estate mogul, where she’s perfectly positioned to collect intel on her boss’s criminal network. But when her mission leads her into the path of Lorenzo Ramirez–a ruthless crime boss with deadly plans–she’ll need every ounce of cunning and charm to stay one step ahead.

Then he walks back into her life.

Ben Bradley is deep undercover for the FBI, living under an alias, as a financial advisor with a reputation for helping the wealthy and corrupt launder their money. His target? Lorenzo Ramirez, a dangerous crime boss with his hands in everything from smuggling to murder. But when a familiar face from his past suddenly reappears, things get . . . complicated.

The last time Cybil saw Ben, he was an annoying prankster–and her first crush. The last time Ben saw Cybil, she stole a piece of his heart. Neither expected to run into each other at a high-stakes fundraising gala where crime, corruption, and undercover agendas collide. Now, they’re both keeping dangerous secrets–and working dangerously close to blowing each other’s cover.

Forced to work together to stop a catastrophic deal that could arm America’s enemies, Cybil and Ben must face ruthless criminals, hidden agendas, and the ghosts of their past. Trust is a luxury they can’t afford–but love? That just might be their undoing.

The intel is classified. The trust is fragile. And their covers are one lie away from blowing wide open.

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

WELL I HAD FUN.

I had many people let me know that this was not a ROMANCE in the traditional rom-com sense and I think having that expectation manage really helped my enjoyment level because I flew through this one in a morning. And before you get concerned I thought this had plenty of romance for the plot at hand and honestly had no issues on that front. I loved the banter between Cybil and Ben and I’m a sucker for a man who’s down bad.

The undercover story was fun. It’s not dark which is what I think was the right balance for the book. It’s a lighter tone overall and makes it feel perfect for the summer. I thought the pacing was great and like I said, I had no problem wanting to binge read this one. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for Natalie Walters next book.

There were a few small plot quirks that stood out to me, but otherwise, this is an easy recommendation!

Overall audience notes:

  • Mystery + Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: brief gun violence, kidnapping

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph