Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Kate Spencer
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: March 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A clever, tender, and romantic “Nora Ephron romp for the modern ages” (Christina Lauren) for readers of Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, and Sophie Cousens, this laugh-out-loud debut is a perceptive reminder that fate can have a sense of humor, and that love can happen . . . In a New York Minute.

Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can’t get away from her fast enough.

Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs.

Only Franny and Hayes couldn’t be a more disastrous match. She’s fanciful, talkative, and creative. He’s serious, shy, and all about numbers. Luckily, in a city of eight million people, they never have to meet again. Yet somehow, Hayes and Franny keep running into each other—and much to their surprise, they enjoy each other’s company. A lot. But when Franny’s whole world is turned upside down (again!), can she find the courage to trust in herself and finally have the life—and love—she’s always wanted?

NOT AMUSED.

What started out humorous with a wild disaster of a meet-cute that I was totally here for eventually felt completely flat.

I thought there needed to be a lot more interaction between Franny and Hayes. There was some of that in the second half and I was at last feeling more invested in their relationship, BUT OH MY GOSH. I threw my kindle (okay not really, but I was upset) when the conflict came around. It was completely unnecessary drama fueled to add those last 50 pages and I’m still cranky about it. That did not work for me on every level. I think I enjoyed the side characters and their relationships more than I did the main couple.

A New York setting with an interior designer were all small aspects I looked forward to reading about. There’s plenty of potential within these words, the execution was very poor for me though. Some of the other sub plots took over a lot too. And while I didn’t mind that [for the most part], I wish the focus was different.

Not one I would recommend even a little. It’s fast paced and I’m grateful I didn’t spend too much time on it.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: heart attack (off page, side character)

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Book Review: Fractured Sky (Tattered & Torn #5) by Catherine Cowles

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 334 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: Pagesmith LLC
Release Date: October 25th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Shiloh
Damaged. Broken. Destroyed. I’ve heard it all. A single moment of trusting the wrong person shattered my life into pieces, and my family has never looked at me the same. It’s impossible to convince them that I’m anything more than the broken girl they rescued all those years ago.

Until I meet him.

Ramsey’s surly demeanor and menacing scowl scare most of the world away. But not me. Not when I’ve seen his gentle hands soothe an abused colt or comfort a terrified mare.

And when I finally get up the courage to strike out on my own, Ramsey’s there. Roommates felt like such a safe proposition until Ramsey’s lingering touches and wicked smile light a fire in me I don’t think will ever be extinguished. And he feels it, too…

But just as my new life begins to take root, an evil from my past emerges from the shadows, casting a darkness on my newfound freedom. And this time, they won’t settle for pieces of me. They want everything…

LOOOOVED.

I expected this to be my favorite of the series and it delivered.

I have been waiting for Shiloh and Ramsey’s story to pull at every single piece of my heart and to leave me misty eyed. AND IT DID JUST THAT. I loved seeing Shiloh’s strength and getting her POV at last to understand all of her emotions and feelings.

And how swoony was Ramsey???? Just that beautiful calming presence who let Shiloh be without any expectations. YES. I was obsessed with these two from the start. Adding in the super sweet Aidan and Elliot brought out the feels. I loved this side plot and the healing it brought to all parties as they rallied together to give peace where it was due.

Filled with all the dramatic suspense I’ve come to expect from Cowles books I was flipping pages fast to get to the promised HEA. I looove switching it up with romantic suspense read. The dynamic is uniquely different and perfectly heated.

Overall audience notes:

  • Romantic suspense
  • Language: light
  • Romance: three brief open; low-med explicit
  • Violence: medium-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, child abuse, domestic abuse, false imprisonment, gun violence, weapons violence, near death experiences

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2023

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ALL THE BOOKS. I had a SUPER great reading month (mostly because I reread all of Mary E. Pearson’s books and they are top level). And I ALMOST made it through the month without a two star (but End of Story gets to hold that prize).

Favorite Books

  • Eloise and the Grump Next Door
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea
  • Divine Rivals
  • Dragonfire
  • Whispers of You
  • The Love Wager
  • Speechless
  • Dance of Thieves & Vow of Thieves
  • Wildheart
  • The Remnant Chronicles
  • Merritt and Her Childhood Crush
  • The Buy-In

Least Favorite

  • The Realm of Oblivion
  • End of Story
  • The Rebels of Gold (Loom Saga #3) by Elise Kova
  • The Sisters of Sea View (On Devonshire Shores #1) by Julie Klassen
  • [ALC] Eloise and the Grump Next Door (Oakley Island Romcom #1) by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • Tress of the Emerald Sea (The Cosmere) by Brandon Sanderson
  • Angels of the Resistance by Noelle Salazar
  • The Earl’s Hideaway, No Ladies Allowed (Romance of Rank #2) by Esther Hatch
  • The Mobster’s Daughter by Rachel Scott McDaniel
  • A Fire Endless (Elements of Cadence #2) by Rebecca Ross
  • Stellarlune (Keeper of the Lost Cities #9) by Shannon Messenger
  • [ARC] Divine Rivals (Iris at the Front #1) by Rebecca Ross
  • A Deal with the Devil (The Devils #1) by Elizabeth O’Roark
  • The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology #1) by Holly Black
  • Dragonfire (The Starchaser Saga #6) by Renee Dugan
  • [ARC/ALC] Whispers of You (The Lost & Found #1) by Catherine Cowles
  • [ARC] The Love Wager (Mr. Wrong Number #2) by Lynn Painter
  • The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time #5) by Robert Jordan
  • [Novella] Move It or Lose It (Love Mishaps #3) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Speechless by Lindsey Lanza
  • Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
  • [Non-Fiction] Flight of Gold by Kevin A. McGregor
  • [Reread] Dance of Thieves (Dance of Thieves #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • Wildheart (The Starchaser Saga #7) by Renee Dugan
  • [Reread] The Kiss of Deception (The Remnant Chronicles #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • [ARC] Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke #1) by Marie Lu
  • [ARC] This Dark Alliance (The Curse of the Blessed #1) by Renee Dugan
  • Unseelie by Ivelisse Housman
  • [Reread] Vow of Thieves (Dance of Thieves #2) by Mary E. Pearson
  • [Reread]The Heart of Betrayal (The Remnant Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson
  • The Chemistry of Love by Sariah Wilson
  • [ARC] The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton
  • The Realm of Oblivion by Marae Good
  • [Reread] The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3) by Mary E. Pearson
  • What I Did for a Duke (Pennyroyal Green #5) by Julie Anne Long
  • [ARC] Merritt and Her Childhood Crush (Oakley Island Romcom #2) by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor
  • [Gifted/ARC] A Match in the Making (The Matchmakers #1) by Jen Turano
  • [Reread/ALC] The Buy-In (Graham Brothers #1) by Emma St. Clair
  • [Gifted/ARC] End of Story by Kylie Scott
  • Maidens of Candlelight and Lotuses (The Zheninghai Chronicles #0) by Anastasis Blythe
  • To Catch a Suitor (Dalton Family #2) by Sarah Adams
  • [Gifted] Hearts of Steel (The Blackstone Legacy #3) by Elizabeth Camden
  • House of Pounding Hearts (The Kingdom of Crows #2) by Olivia Wildenstein
  • Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

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Book Review: The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires #1) by Lauren Asher

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Lauren Asher
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 8th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Rowan
I’m in the business of creating fairy tales.
Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.
Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.
My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.
Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.
By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.
People like me don’t get happy endings.
Not when we’re destined to ruin them.

Zahra
After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland’s most expensive ride, I should have been fired.
Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.
The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I’d ever met.
Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn’t care.
At least not until I discovered his secret.
It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn’t fix everything.
Especially not us.

THOUGHTS.

In all honesty I would probably give this book three stars, but it was compulsively readable and that to me, deserves the extra star. For a big contemporary, I flew through it. Felt invested enough and at least it had a good ending.

I thought a lot of the innuendo was poorly done. It felt randomly placed and unnecessary? That might be a me thing, but I like it all to flow and this felt like some sentences were added for “spice” and that’s a big nope from me. It’s steamier overall than I usually go for. It is easily skippable and isn’t until the second half.

The grump and sunshine trope was on point though. I loved the juxtaposition between these two and the continual collisions that brought them together. I thought Rowan exhibited a ton of growth through his thick skull as this story progressed. Wanted to shake him a few times, but it’s all part of the process. Zahra was fantastic. A heroine I could easily get behind. I liked that she always stood up for herself and had a great sense of optimism.

Plot wise, I found it fun to be whisked away into a billionaire’s world. All of the things Rowan could do at the drop of a hat that I couldn’t fathom. Oh the fun of reading! Things weren’t always realistic and I like that necessary suspension for a romance. A good read, I think I’ll try the next book and see how I feel there.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: three explicit open door + innuendo
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: suicidal ideation recounted, death of a parent recounted

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