Tag: contemporary romance

ARC Book Review: Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother (Betting on Love #2) by Melanie Jacobson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Melanie Jacobson
Publisher: Four Petal Press
Release Date: June 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I don’t want a dating coach. Especially not one I’ve been in love with since junior high.

My roommates say I’m a workaholic. But when my boss temporarily suspends my extra lab time, my best friend and bossiest roommate makes fixing my love life her summer project.

My love life is non-existent, but makeover schemes and blind dates with her weird library patrons are not the answer. When she takes drastic measures and calls in her brother, Joey—one of Austin’s hottest heartthrobs—to consult, it’s my worst nightmare.

I fell for Joey when I was fourteen, and no other guy has ever measured up.

I’ll do anything to keep Joey from finding out—including putting up with a bombshell transformation—if it hides my true feelings when he looks at me. He rejected me once, and it nearly broke me. I’ll never give him that chance again.

Opposites attract in this swoony romcom. A brilliant geneticist versus a hotshot trendsetter she’s secretly loved more than half her life. Dive in for meddling roommates, quirky neighbors, Ahab the cursing parrot, found family, a sneaky matchmaker, and makeover shenanigans.

Betting on the Best Friend’s Brother follows characters introduced in Book 1 of the Betting on Love series but is written as a standalone.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THIS WAS GOOD.

I love when a book feels easy to finish in a day because you’re enjoying it that much. I’ve been liking this new series and happy that book two was a great read (the first is currently my favorite!).

Sweet Ava and Joey were the definition of opposites attract and it played well into their chemistry. I wanted even more of them and wish it didn’t take until about halfway to some more proximity moments. The dating coach aspects were fun and I love that Joey kept crashing everything Ava was attending. JUST CAN’T RESIST.

I loved Ava. I loved that she stayed true to herself and also looked at how her currently work/life balance was affecting her. Working through the past and adding some fun back into her life. Joey was such a sweetheart too!

I do wish there was less Ruby. I know she’s the instigator of the bet and Joey’s sister, but I daresay it felt like she was in the book more than Ava.

Also, I have to mention that kissing scene was FIRE. AND MY FAVORITE. Everything I love about a sweet rom-com. Bring on the steamy kisses.

Realllllly excited to see who’s story is next!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a father (recounted), parental abandonment (recounted)

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ARC Book Review: American Gauntlet by Allie Lewis

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 452 pages
Author: Allie Lewis
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two sisters. Seven teams. One grueling competition. One life-changing cash prize.


American Gauntlet is the number one reality TV competition in the nation, and when Dani Di Laurentis gets the call that she and her sister, Lana, have been selected as contestants, she knows this is her one opportunity to change her family’s life for the better. After months of intense training, she and Lana embark on the adventure of a lifetime as they attempt to take on the Gauntlet.
Dani soon finds out, though, that the American Gauntlet experience will be more than just excruciating physical challenges. Not only is she tackling grueling trials, fending off teams that are gunning for her, and dealing with the psychological warfare of the month-long competition, she also finds herself battling growing feelings for her biggest competitor, Joss.
But what none of the contestants know is American Gauntlet has game twists they never could’ve seen coming.
American Gauntlet is an action-packed love story, featuring a fast-paced plot and a sizzling romance without explicit sexual content.

Thank you to the author for an ARC.

NEW OBESSION.

I wish y’all could see how many tabs I put in this book. I LOVED IT SO DANG MUCH. It was the most unique sports romance I’ve read and was incredibly well balanced between the reality game show aspects + romantic moments.

I would like to start a petition for all love interests to be tall sunshine-filled Australians. Talk about some of the best fiery banter. OFF THE CHARTS. The chemistry could not be contained. I was obsessed with Joss and Dani. OBSESSED. Every moment was absolutely stunning.

“The only thing I’m wondering is what it would be like to be loved with that kind of fervor…what it would be like to be loved by you.”

And the competition was INTENSE. Think Survivor + Fear Factor. I loved the set-up and how each competition played out. There was just the right amount of time spent wondering WHO WAS GOING TO WIN and time spent getting to know the side characters and having a storyline outside of the Gauntlet.

I loved Dani’s growth. She grew so much over the book. Learning to value herself and that it’s okay to put yourself first sometimes. Reconnecting with her sister, being open to love, and showing off the sportsmanship that I love seeing.

“You’re the rain in the desert, Dani — and I’ll beg for you.”

I can’t get enough of this book and I NEED Y’ALL TO READ IT OKAY. If you’re looking for a unique sports romance with great characters, fierce events, self-discovery and the sweetest ending. TRUST ME YOU NEED THIS BOOK.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, a mother with past alcohol abuse, near drowning, allergic reactions, depictions of anxiety, mentions of cancer

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Book Review: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Jamie Wesley
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: June 21st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego’s newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada’s image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

Fake it Till You Bake It is a sweet confection of a novel, the perfect story to curl up with and enjoy with a cupcake on the side.

SECOND HALF MELTDOWN.

I thought this book started off pretty strong. I liked the initial banter between characters. There’s a cupcake shop for goodness sake’s and the author threw in fake dating. Who wouldn’t be charmed?! Things were sweet and good and I thought I had a good read on my hands.

And then.

The second half of the book started. What.

There were some sub-plot lines that I wasn’t wholly a fan of, but luckily weren’t drawn out more than necessary. BUT what was truly the last straw was a BREAK UP at 94%. WHY THO. I already hate conflict break-ups in their usual placement, this was obscene. Of course they get back together pages later, I was too soured to care. It made no sense and I’m still sitting here trying to figure it out.

The love scene had some cringy moments too. Some of the commentary had me giving this a hard nope.

Meh, I thought I would say I recommend this, but instead I’m going to tell you to bake your own cupcakes and read a different book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: one open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cyber harassment, gambling addiction mentioned

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Book Review: Love Songs Suck by Becky Monson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 317 pages
Author: Becky Monson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 2nd, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A reluctant woman, a determined popstar, and the song that started it all.

After growing up in Nashville with two musician parents, I promised myself one thing—I would never, ever fall in love with anyone who had anything to do with the music scene. I will take my stable, albeit boring, accountant boyfriend, thank you very much, and live securely ever after. At least that was the plan. Who knew one ridiculous party where boy band sensation Finn Thatcher showed up would turn my life completely upside down.

How dare he write a song about me. A song that went straight to number one. A song that messes everything up with his band. And who gets the blame for that? That’s right, me. I’m the new Yoko Ono. The only way to fix it is to, well . . . give the world what it wants—a love story. We are talking the whole freaking fairy tale. Nothing says true love like a fake relationship. But what if it’s not so fake? What if I want the happily ever after? Or am I just another love song to Finn?

Thank you to the author for a gifted audiobook!

GREAT AUDIO.

I love a good audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job. I felt fully immersed in the story and I think that also really helped my thoughts overall.

I tend to struggle with rock star romances. I don’t know why, but I keep trying because I know I’ll find some good ones out there. And I consider this a good one (and a sweet one for my sweet romance fans!). I liked the soulful connection between Louella and Finn. The instant chemistry was played off really well and I liked the slow burn strangers to friends to lovers that occurred over months together. I didn’t LOVE that Louella was dating someone for 75% of the book (but I know that’s a preference thing and I just prefer the break-up to happen much sooner).

Finn fell first and HARD and he was just so dang sweet. I liked his personality and how hard he worked to be a good friend, musician and someone you actually wanted to be friends with. I loved all of the late night texts and phone calls and the smooth lyrics that were clearly showing all of Finn’s feelings.

This was my first Becky Monson book and it convinced me that I would love to read another. I liked her writing style and story telling. This was a good read and I think fantastic for summertime!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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