Tag: contemporary romance

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: October 2022

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Happy Halloween! Hope y’all have had an enjoyable reading month. I got to 42 books and some new favorites.

Favorites
– A Game of Hearts
– Foul Lady Fortune
– Nightwing
– Thank You for Listening
– Yours Truly
– It Starts With Us
– Faking Christmas
– How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss

Least Favorites
– Dark Night Golden Dawn
– Kingdom of the Feared
– Wishtress
– So This is Christmas

  • [ARC] The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford
  • [Novella] Second Chance for Christmas by Anne Kemp
  • The Kiss Curse (Ex Hex #2) by Erin Sterling
  • A Crime of Passion Fruit (A Bakeshop Mystery #6) by Ellie Alexander
  • [ARC] Five Survive by Holly Jackson
  • From the Fields of Porthlenn (Cornish Romance #5) by Deborah M. Hathaway
  • Dark Night Golden Dawn (The Immortal Orders #1) by Allison Carr Waechter
  • Lux (Texas Reckoners #1) by Brandon Sanderson and Steven Michael Bohls
  • [ARC] A Game of Hearts by Joanna Barker
  • [ARC] The Empress of Time (The Keeper of the Night #2) by Kylie Lee Baker
  • House of Beating Wings (The Kingdom of Crows #1) by Olivia Wildenstein
  • Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune #1) by Chloe Gong
  • Smoke Show (Deadlights Cove #1) by B. Perkins and Aimee Vance
  • Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked #3) by Kerri Maniscalco
  • Nightwing (The Starchaser Saga #3) by Renee Dugan
  • Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young
  • Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
  • [Novella] Mr. October by Bethany Weaver
  • Where Oceans Burn (Where Oceans Burn #1) by Casey L. Bond
  • Sky Without Stars (System Divine #1) by Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell
  • [ARC] Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
  • Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
  • Shattered Sea (Tattered & Torn #4) by Catherine Cowles
  • Wild About Denali (Wild About Alaska #1) by Sara Blackard
  • It Starts With Us (It Ends With Us #2) by Colleen Hoover
  • An Heir Comes to Rise (An Heir Comes to Rise #1) by C.C. Penaranda
  • The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
  • Court of Blood and Bindings (Fae Isles #1) by Lisette Marshall
  • [ARC] Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh
  • Christmas Baggage (Christmas Escapes #1) by Deborah M. Hathaway
  • Wishtress by Nadine Brandes
  • The Make-Up (Falling for Franklin #2) by Hailey Gardiner
  • [ARC] The Call of the Sea by Sian Bessey
  • So This is Christmas (A Princess for Christmas #3) by Jenny Holiday
  • Legacy (Keeper of the Lost Cities #8) by Shannon Messenger
  • Host for the Holidays (Christmas Escapes #2) by Martha Keyes
  • [ARC] A Very Merry Bromance (Bromance Book Club #5) by Lyssa Kay Adams
  • Deja Brew (Deadlights Cove #2) by Aimee Vance and B. Perkins
  • A Queen Comes to Power (An Heir Comes to Rise #2) by C.C. Penaranda
  • [ARC] Faking Christmas (Christmas Escape #3) by Cindy Steel
  • [ARC] How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss by Jenny Proctor
  • One Dark Window (The Shepherd King #1) by Rachel Gillig

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Book Review: Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Lynn Painter
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: September 6th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

IT STARTED WITH A CUP…

Isabella Shay is usually a very honest person.

But when she’s running late for her first day at a dream job and the barista yells for “Amy” 3x with no answer, she does the unthinkable.

Izzy takes that PSL.

It’s the exact drink she ordered and paid for, only waaaay further ahead in the line, so she mutters “I’m Amy” and grabs the cup.

But when she turns around and runs directly into the most attractive man she’s ever seen, spilling the drink all over his GQ shirt and tie, she ends up having the ultimate meet-cute. Sparks fly and things feel beyond promising until he says the words, “See you tomorrow, Amy.”

Uh, oh – she’ll definitely have to straighten him out the following day.

Only when she gets to her new office and meets the VP of her department, it is none other than Blake Phillips – the hottie from Starbucks. And the man might’ve been charming to “Amy,” but he is an arrogant grump to Izzy, an arrogant grump who dos not find her explanation funny at all.

MEET CUTE + GRUMPY/SUNSHINE + FRIENDS-TO-LOVERS = ACCIDENTALLY AMY

NO PLOT, ALL FUN.

This is a book to go into with low expectations of a major plot or storyline or anything like that. It is a cathartic palate cleanser read that brought some joy to my life for a day.

I got many laughs out of this. Izzy and Blake are a hoot. All of the random games and get-to-know you activities were inventive. The meet-cute office romance was adorable and I loooved the dual POV. This book is pure fun in those regards. Painter somehow made me enjoy an insta-love romance and I am here for this change in pace to one of my lowest favorite tropes.

There’s some cringe with the spice and whatnot, it’s fine. I skipped a bit and cheered this wild couple on. If you’re looking for something to mix it up with, this would be a great read for the fall!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance Novella
  • Language: high
  • Romance: multiple open door

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Book Review: Lake Mistletoe: A Holly, Jolly, and Steamy Christmas Tale by Amber Kelly

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Rating: ☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 224 pages
Author: Amber Kelly
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: November 29th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Life in the fast lane is what I’ve been working toward for the last six years. My career was all planned out running one of the hottest hotels in Miami’s South Beach. That was until our playboy owner broke a few rules, and my perfect opportunity crumbled underneath my feet.

So here I am, headed to Lake Mistletoe, a quaint little valley town in Idaho of all places. My grandmother, and namesake, left her Inn to me, and I am now sentenced to the task of getting it prepared to sell at the end of this year’s holiday season. My memories of this Christmas oasis have long since faded, but I’m determined to use this experience to further my career and get back into the hospitality game.

When Keller Harris, Lake Mistletoe’s resident craftsman, and unofficial handyman, offers to help me with the neverending list of repairs and upgrades, it’s the perfect opportunity for me to get hands-on experience. He’s talented, driven, and sexy as sin, but he’s also a know-it-all and completely unimpressed by my business sense. I can learn a lot from him but his stubborn self can also learn a lot from me.

As walls start to fall, literally and figuratively, I begin to realize that success comes in many forms and passion can be found in unexpected places. Will I be able to turn this season into a stepping stone to an exciting new career in Belize?

Or will I discover that everything I ever wanted was tucked away in the Rocky Mountains?

IT WAS OKAY.

This didn’t really do anything for me. I struggle with holiday reads having a balance between steamy and hallmark. Why can’t I have something in the middle, ya know? This felt like it was trying to push more steam than the actual romance itself and left a lot to be desired for me.

There was too much focus on very random details of Willa’s day to day. Really small details that I was tired of reading about. I didn’t need to know such breakdowns that caused me to start skimming faster and faster to get to actual dialogue and momentum. Steam was thrown in without much lead-up and that felt off/random to me. I wasn’t connected to either of them by the time things started happening.

Christmas/Holiday-wise, this is alive and well in that department. I do love a small town romance and this provided well in that regard. I loved the names for the town’s hotels and all the fun things that were part of the spirit there.

I wish this was a better balance of the two sides. Oh well, another holiday romance that leaves me wanting.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a loved one

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ARC Book Review: Merry Ex-Mas by Courtney Walsh

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 322 pages
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: October 25th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I haven’t been home for Christmas in eight years.

But that’s about to change. This year, I’m traveling to my small hometown to convince my producer to make me the permanent host of Good Day Denver.

The plan: Charm viewers by sharing my favorite family Christmas traditions, and in turn, get the likes, clicks and shares to land the job.

Not the plan: Running into my ex-boyfriend.

In my house.

For Christmas.

But here he is, a guest of my mother, who apparently had more trouble letting go of Max Weber than I did.

Unfortunately, he is as handsome and charming and talented and annoying and frustrating and flirty as ever.

Even more unfortunately, he seems to have a plan of his own—to convince me to give him a second chance.

Which is not happening.

There’s just one problem—my viewers love him. More than that, they love us. Me and Max. My ex.

The boy who broke my heart.

The boy I now have to fake flirt with to win over the hearts of my viewers.

But it’s not their hearts I’m worried about. . . it’s mine.

Merry Ex-Mas is a sweet, small town, second chance romance with a dash of not-so-fake flirting, a tiny bit of enemies to lovers and just enough forced proximity to make things sizzle.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

FINDING JOY.

I love Christmas books, and I love that I can easily add this to my recommendations list for the season.

We’ve got a really great set-up of lovers to enemies to lovers and I enjoyed the banter and rehashing of all the things that occurred then and what was happening in the present. And talk about Christmas CHEER. I LOVED the baking, decorating, picking out trees, walking the town, craft shows, alllllll the things that truly brought the entire spirit into this book. I feel so in the mood for everything holiday based, ’tis the season!

There’s plenty of family drama (but the good kind) and a lot of laugh out loud worthy awkwardness as Marin and Max clash a few times before realizing they love they once shared is still clearly there. I do think the change of heart came a bit late for me because Marin really held on to being stubborn about a tough situation. The resolutions afterwards led to some beautiful conversations that warmed my soul and made me love these characters.

Perfect for the season. Great swoony moments, hilarious banter and just a truly good time of a read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of parents (from a car wreck, off page), grief and loss depiction, depression

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