Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Saved by Noel by Tracy Baack

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Holiday Romance
Length: 301 pages
Author: Tracy Baack
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Everyone says to dream big . . . but how do you turn those big dreams into reality?

From the time she was a little girl, Clara’s dream has been to write romance movie scripts for her favorite television channel. But not just any love stories—Christmas romance is her particular obsession. Unfortunately, that dream has taken a back seat to the demands of her real job as a copywriter and manager.

Clara’s big break comes when her late aunt leaves her an inheritance with one stipulation she must spend the money on something to help her achieve her writing dream. And Clara knows just what to do with it. She purchases a small cabin in the woods to serve as a writing retreat. With the perfect cozy atmosphere, Clara is finally ready to prioritize her lifelong goal.

However, she’s sidetracked when an unfortunate mishap lands her face-to-face with Clark, the town handyman. After an initial spark of attraction, Clara soon discovers that Clark is decidedly not a Christmas enthusiast. She quickly gets distracted by the broody man she can’t forget and the small town that embraces her as one of its own.

Will Clara get so sidetracked helping Clark and the town that her dream slowly dies? Or will they be just the inspiration she needs to make all her dreams come true?

Calling all Hallmark Christmas movie lovers! Saved by Noel is the perfect book for anyone who loves cozy Christmas romances. You’ll find all the heart-melting, feet-kicking swoon with zero explicit content in this closed-door, kisses only sweet romance.

MIXED THOUGHTS.

This is my first book by the author, and while not my faaavorite. I would read another and am curious what stories she’ll write next. Sometimes a holiday romance just doesn’t quite click for me and I had that issue here.

It is a charming book, very Hallmark-esque (with some meta vibes because she wants to write holiday scripts). What I struggled with was the initial Clara had about the town and it not being Christmas-y enough. Some thing bugged me with the way she approached Clark about it and I thought the plot needed another layer. After that though I think it settled better into the banter and cute moments. There’s some good small town moments and I think had a sweet ending.

Overall audience notes:

  • Holiday Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Last Night Was Fun by Holly James

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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: Never Thought I’d End Up Here by Ann Liang

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Ann Liang
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: June 3rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the author of the instant New York Times bestseller I Hope This Doesn’t Find You, Never Thought I’d End Up Here is another hilarious and romantic romcom from Ann Liang, this time following a former model determined to get revenge on the boy who ruined her life.

Leah Zhang has spent her whole life in LA – it’s all she’s ever known. But after accidentally wishing her cousin ill health and a very depressing marriage at her wedding, her parents stage an intervention. She’s forgotten most of her Mandarin, has zero regard for etiquette, and can’t hold a conversation with her own grandparents for longer than a minute. Their solution? Send her on an intensive two-week travel program across China’s most beautiful cities. To them, it’s the perfect opportunity for Leah to get back to her roots. To Leah, it’s simply a much-needed escape.

But before Leah can even begin to enjoy the luxurious hotels, stunning scenery, and mouth-watering cuisine, she finds that also on the trip is her former classmate and least favorite person cynical, sarcastic Cyrus, who’s somehow only gotten more annoyingly handsome since they last saw each other.

While Leah might be tempted to shove him off the peak of the Yellow Mountain when nobody’s looking, she can’t get rid of him just yet. After all, she might never get another chance to get revenge on the boy who ruined her life.

Yet the deeper they wander into China’s provinces, the deeper Leah finds herself falling in love – with the boy she once thought she despised, the home she never thought she’d call her own, and the parts of herself she thought were already lost.

GOOD THEMES.

I love a good young adult book I feel I can actually hand to young adults. Ann Liang continues to deliver fantastic coming of age novels that hit you in the feels and supply a sweet romance too.

I loved the traveling aspect of this one. Touring cities with beautifully written imagery brought China to life. And I loved that this immersion for Leah helped her reconnect with her roots. It wasn’t perfect and filled with fumbles and I feel that’s a resonating aspect that we all go through with big experiences. Leah was letting go of a future she thought she had to participate in and found a way to be and love herself. The growth of Leah’s confidence was one of my favorite themes.

And the romance? Oh it was the sweetest childhood friends turned enemies turned slow burn lovers. Cyrus is down bad and I am here for every moment of that. The romance isn’t the front of this story but does provide such a good dual plot line that brings a lot of growth moments for the characters too. These are the kind of travel romances I adore reading.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: bullying (recounted), body image (theme throughout)

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Book Review: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 464 pages
Author: Ali Hazelwood
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: February 4th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

OKAY I GET IT NOW.

This wasn’t really on my radar because I figured the spice would overwhelm my enjoyment of the book but a friend read it and her review convinced me that I needed to go for it and I DID AND I LIKED IT A LOT Y’ALL. The book, not the spice, I still skipped that.

BECAUSE, the story was so dang solid. It really was more than the spice. I was hooked on this plot. I LOVED getting all of the swimming/diving knowledge about competitions, practices, etc. I know very little and this is why I love unique sports romances.

And Scarlett with her mental health moments and therapy? Also in love. As an athlete in another life it was incredibly relatable and I loved seeing her move through that journey. SWEET LUCAS. Good heavens. I think the duet narration in the audiobook sold him x1000 for me. Every single moment and interaction between them was incredible.

I could have used a little less of Pen (Penn? Audiobook problems). She kept popping up and adding another dash of drama that I don’t think the book needed. Otherwise though? I’m not even a little bit mad I picked this up. It was amazing.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: y’all I stopped counting
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: death of a parent (recounted), depiction of trauma and PTSD, bullying

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