Book Review: When Gracie Met the Grump by Mariana Zapata

January 8, 2023September 22, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sci-Fi Romance
Length: 640 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 16th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Of all the things that could have landed in her yard… it had to be him.

For most people, finding a half-naked superbeing in their yard might be a dream come true.

Unfortunately for Gracie Castro, it’s the exact opposite.

Especially when he’s grouchy, rude, and shows no signs of leaving anytime soon.

But when a hero of mankind needs you, you do what you have to.

Even if it compromises everything you know.

And totally changes your life.

WHOA.

Well this was different. And I think I liked it?

First off though, I KNOW MZ writes slow books, and that has never been an issue before. This one though, draaaagged for the first 200 pages. There was very little dialogue and I was left wondering when something was truly going to happen. Get past this part and the book got infinitely better.

The sci-fi element didn’t bug me at all. Granted I’m a huge fantasy reader first and foremost so I didn’t really bat an eye towards the superhero storyline. I actually really loved it. It felt unique and fresh.

Alex and Gracie’s relationship grew on me. The deeper the connection the better things got. I loved all of the little things they did together. It was charming reading about them playing house and going to a carnival and meeting the whole big family. I love big family dynamics!! I could easily read more books about some of these siblings.

There were some dips in pacing yet I couldn’t help but be totally charmed. Alex was gruff but much softer than expected. And Gracie was the typical more sunshiney MZ heroine. It was a bunch of the hallmark things that make me pick of her books and some new stuff that was fun reading about too.

Overall audience notes:

Sci-Fi Contemporary Romance
Language: a lot & strong
Romance: one very open scene
Violence: medium
Trigger/Content Warnings: kidnapping, torture

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ARC Book Review: Exes and O’s by Amy Lea

January 5, 2023January 4, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Amy Lea
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A romance novel–obsessed social media influencer revisits her exes on her hunt for true love in this romantic comedy from the author of Set On You.

Romance-novel connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men–all of whom dumped her because of her “stage-five clinger” tendencies. Nevertheless, Tara is determined to find The One. The only problem? Classic meet-cutes are dead thanks to modern dating apps. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance.

Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn’t his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara’s journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter.

The more time they spend together, the more Tara realizes Trevor seems to be the only one who appreciates her authentic, dramatic self. To claim their happily-ever-after, can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their growing connection?

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for an eARC.

ADORE.

Ohhh how this grew on me. After loving Set On You I had to get my hands on this book and it did not disappoint.

I loooved Tara. I connected through many of her thoughts about romance, love and life and really enjoyed the journey her character went on. Her ability to be optimistic about love and the place she wanted it to hold in her life was incredibly hopeful. Tara needed someone to see and love all of her and that’s where sweet Trevor enters the picture. TREVOR. Good heavens. From a disastrous meeting to slowly peeling away all of those layers!? I was in a PUDDLE by the ending confessions. I loved his counter balancing gruff nature and how he was just always *there*. This duo truly went from roommates to friends to lovers and I was couldn’t get enough.

The forced proximity moments had me grinning like a fool. I LOVED the banter and all the times Tara dragged Trevor along (who we all know went willingly) to whatever plan she had in store that day. The entire vibe of this book was exactly what I was seeking. A light hearted (yet serious) look at finding love.

Amy Lea is easily becoming an auto-read author for me. I love the way she writes romances and the slow burn payoff is always worth it.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 2-3 open door; mild explict
Trigger/Content Warnings: a child with a heart condition, gaslighting, mentions of death of loved ones

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Amy Lea is an Asian Canadian government analyst who runs the Bookstagram account @amyleabooks, where she promotes and reviews contemporary romance novels. Set on You is her debut novel. Learn more online at www.amyleabooks.com.

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Book Review: Under Locke by Mariana Zapata

January 2, 2023March 10, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆ (3.5)
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 497 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 19th, 2014
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He was my boss, my brother’s friend, a Widower, an ex-felon, and a man I’d seen casually with a handful of women. But he was everything that gripped me, both the good and the bad. Worst case scenario if things turned awkward between us, I could go somewhere else. I’d gotten over epic heartbreak before, one more wouldn’t kill me.

After moving to Austin following six months of unemployment back home, Iris Taylor knows she should be glad to have landed a job so quickly… even if the business is owned by a member of the same motorcycle club her estranged father used to belong to. Except Dex Locke might just be the biggest jerk she’s ever met. He’s rude, impatient and doesn’t know how to tell time.

And the last thing they ever expected was each other.

But it was either the strip club or the tattoo shop.

… she should have chosen the strip club.

WELL.

I knew there might come a day when a Zapata book wasn’t my favorite. Unfortunately today is that day. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this book a lot, but it was more on and off then a consistent lover for one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. The setting and theme were some of the best aspects.

The love interest, Dex, flirting with the a-hole/grump line waayyy too often for me. Maybe this is also showing that that type of hero isn’t my jam (which is fine!), but I kept waffling back and forth with how he treated Iris. There were some truly kind moments and a few great, don’t touch her moments too. A mixed bag for him though.

Iris was a great heroine…most of the time. I think she had a lot of spunk and was trying to make the best decision she could when obstacles kept being thrown her way. There were some truly frustrating moments where I could in no way, get behind what she was thinking. I don’t love dumb decision making.

Something that I don’t generally take off star rating for (and didn’t for this book), though I do like to mention, is that this is MUUUUUUCH steamier than I expected. I skipped many long scenes that were on the super graphic side. If you love this kind of steam, then I would recommend this backlist MZ read. If not, I’d go ahead and skip this and read some of her newer books.

The audio narration as always was stellar and it felt like a quick read even at 16 hours. I’m looking forward to continuing my backlist MZ books!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: heavy and strong
Romance: multiple very explicit open door
Violence: mild
Trigger/Content Warnings: abandonment, cancer, death of a parent, gun violence, physical violence, infidelity (not with the main couple!), sexual assault

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Book Review: How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

December 30, 2022March 9, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Sophie Sullivan
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: January 18th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Interior Design School? Check. Cute house to fix up? Check.

Sexy, grumpy neighbor who is going to get in the way of your plans? Check. Unfortunately.

Grace Travis has it all figured out. In between finishing school and working a million odd jobs, she’ll get her degree and her dream job. Most importantly, she’ll have a place to belong, something her harsh mother could never make. When an opportunity to fix up—and live in—a little house on the beach comes along, Grace is all in. Until her biggest roadblock moves in next door.

Noah Jansen knows how to make a deal. As a real estate developer, he knows when he’s found something special. Something he could even call home. Provided he can expand by taking over the house next door–the house with the combative and beautiful woman living in it.

With the rules for being neighborly going out the window, Grace and Noah are in an all-out feud. But sometimes, your nemesis can show you that home is always where the heart is.

FRUSTRATING.

If you’re going to call a book enemies to lovers, you better give me some enemies. This was NOT THE CASE. The forgiveness/kiss came waayyy to soon and then I was left upset with the rest of the book.

Within the rest of the book were some sweet moments. I’ll give it that. I liked most aspects of the relationship and interactions. There’s my good thing. Oohh, I did also love the design aspects! That was a nice plot point and I loved learning about things through Grace.

The rest was a slow slog to the standard conflict and eh reconciliation. Some of the drama worked well and other parts of it seemed childish and soap opera like through the altercations. Just a lot here that I couldn’t recommend. Moving on.

Overall audience notes: