Book Review: Crazy Hearts (Poplar Falls #5) by Amber Kelly

March 28, 2022June 3, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 234 pages
Author: Amber Kelly
Publisher: Amber Kelly, LLC
Release Date: March 26th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“Who says you can’t wear boots with pearls?”

I’ve always loved my life and career. That was until my boss, best friend, and partner in crime, fell in love during a trip to her hometown and made me become a bougie cowgirl. It only took a few visits to the sleepy town of Poplar Falls for me to understand the draw.

So here I am, fighting the two girls that live inside of me. One who loves the glitz and glamour of NYC and thrives in the fast-paced world of the Upper East Side. Then the other who longs to be wild and free in the laid back mountains of Colorado with the people who have become like family. One in particular.

Payne Henderson was only supposed to be a fun fling, a hot man to scratch my cowboy itch. I didn’t realize I was falling so hard for him until it was too late to stop the ride and get off unscathed.

Now I have a decision to make. Do I confess my love and reveal the stripped-down version of me, scars and all? Or do I let him go and head back to the comfort of my big city life?

SO SWEET.

This was one of the stories I’ve been waiting for. I straight binge read this series in 4 days and I have NO REGRETS. I have loved it so dang much.

Charlotte is an incredibly fun and light person. I’m so glad to have finally gotten her story and everything she holds dear to her. Payne is a sweet-heart and I had so many heart eyes for every interaction he had with Charlotte. I love that their relationship started as a fling, but grew to so much more.

I was surprised by the conflict, and not sure if it totally fit in (because it felt random and used just to create the conflict), BUT I did like how it was resolved. The conversation they had together was compassionate and melted my soul with the love clearly felt between them. Payne was so dang cinnamon roll sweet I couldn’t handle it. That ending was *chef’s kiss* and once again I am smitten with all things Poplar Falls. This was definitely one of my favorite stories (I feel like I keep saying that….another sign you should read them!!).

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: some
Romance: kisses to open door scenes
Trigger/Content Warnings: infertility

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Book Review: Fragile Hearts (Poplar Falls #4) by Amber Kelly

March 25, 2022June 3, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 246 pages
Author: Amber Kelly
Publisher: Amber Kelly, LLC
Release Date: September 8th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Who says you can’t have the best of both worlds?

I had my life and career all planned out. That was until I was betrayed by someone I trusted and my perfect opportunity was stolen from underneath my nose.

So here I am, back on Stoneyridge Ranch in Poplar Falls licking my wounds. I love being home with my family and friends, but I am determined to move past my anger and build my career. I have goals and plans too big for my hometown.

When Brandt Haralson, the new Vet in town, offered me a job, it was the perfect opportunity for me to plan my next move and get some experience. He’s brilliant, driven and sexy as sin, but he is also not interested in getting involved with anyone. I can learn a lot from him and I don’t have to worry about any romantic engagement.

You know what they say about the best laid plans. When an attraction builds to the point of boiling and walls start to come tumbling down, can I stick to my plan or will I discover that everything I ever wanted was right here after all?

ANOTHER FAV.

This is probably sitting in spot No.2 for my favorite book in this standalone series. I loved Brandt and Bellamy so much!!!

Brandt had to work through a lot in this book. I LOVE that the town of Poplar Falls really took him (and his Mom) under their wings. He needed an extra push or two to move forward after something traumatic and the love that was shown to him made my heart melt.

Bellamy was such a force and I loved her feisty nature. She’s incredibly kind and I couldn’t get enough of her taking charge of situations and really showing Brandt just how incredible Brandt it. Put them together and once again, I adored this match. All of these pairings have worked so well together.

The story here was great. I loved seeing the vet clinic, remodeling (someone get me a sledgehammer), and even a few tense moments. Add in that essential sugary sweet ending and this became another fantastic romance.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: some
Romance: kisses to open door scenes
Violence: fire, physical altercations
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a spouse by violent theft, [side character] recounting a drunk driving accident where they lost their parents, survivor guilt

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ARC Book Review: Always Jane by Jenn Bennett

March 24, 2022December 29, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: NA Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Release Date: March, 29th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A chauffer’s daughter finds herself in the middle of a love triangle with the sons of her boss’s wealthy next-door neighbors in this delightfully romantic story from the author of Alex, Approximately, Jenn Bennett.

Love—and Fen Sarafian—do not care about your summer plans.

Eighteen-year-old chauffeur’s daughter Jane Marlow grew up among the domestic staff of a wealthy LA rock producer, within reach of bands she idolizes, but never a VIP. Every summer, Jane and her father head to the Sierras to work at the producer’s luxury lodge at Lake Condor—a resort town and the site of a major musical festival.

The legendary family who runs the festival are the Sarafians, and Jane’s had a longtime crush on their oldest son, Eddie—doltish but sweet. So when a long-distance romance finally sparks between them, she doesn’t hesitate to cross class lines.

But Jane’s feelings about Eddie are thrown into question after she returns to the lake and reconnects with his alluringly intense brother, the dark horse of her placid summer plans. A fellow lover of music—and hater of the game—Fen Sarafian has been ousted from the family and is slumming it at a vinyl record shop. He burns for Jane like a house on fire and will do anything to sabotage his older brother, even if it means taking a wrecking ball to a multi-million-dollar music festival. Or Jane’s heart.

I won this advanced copy in a giveaway!

TANGLED THOUGHTS.

I have had a hard time deciding where I lie on this read. I felt it was a true page turner and within 50 pages I was rather curious how this was going to unfold. Buuuuut there’s some aspects I didn’t love and had a hard time looking past.

The setting was one of my favorites. I love a good lake side story and this small town filled with wealthy people causing all sorts of drama was a good side piece. I didn’t feel like this drama overwhelmed the love story or make me want to roll my eyes repeatedly.

What I mostly struggled with were the cheating aspects. This is a love triangle between two brothers. The love triangle honestly wasn’t what bugged me, it was everything else. I don’t like cheating even when it “makes sense”. I wish a more official break-up had happened prior.

I liked how dark and brooding Fen was. Also how dang passionate this man was about Jane. Wow did he care for her with an intensity that’s been unmatched in my recent reads. I really liked this aspect of his personality and thought it fueled the desire and chemistry.

While it might have been a mixed bag of a read I can’t deny I’m always entertained by Bennett’s books. I was so excited when I won this giveaway and can’t wait for her next enthralling book!

Overall audience notes:

NA Contemporary Romance
Language: strong
Romance: closed door
Trigger/Content Warnings: substance abuse, near drowning, extreme family dysfunction, side character going to rehab, loss of a parent (prior, but discussed), being kicked out of home, aphasia

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Book Review: Rootbound by Tarah Dewitt

March 22, 2022February 13, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 410 pages
Author: Tarah Dewitt
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: December 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

You really can’t go home again.

Tait Logan is proud of the life she’s built for herself. Despite her world-shattering divorce, the absence of a pet, not having any genuine connections with other humans (apart from her sister Ava), and the fact that the remainder of her family is estranged from her life, she’s happy…Happy-adjacent, at least. She’s rebuilt herself through her photography; her dream career, the one thing she does still have.

So, when that career contracts her to do an assignment on her estranged family’s home, Logan Range – a now famous ranch functioning as the setting for a popular show – she’s left with no choice but to agree.

Thus, Tait is bound, on a reluctant course back to her roots, and to the family she feels abandoned by… to the family that, seemingly, has had no interest in a relationship with her since her parents’ divorce, when she was seven.

Henry Marcum has dedicated his life to the Logan family and to their ranch. He owes them for raising him, rescuing him, and for his life’s purpose and opportunities… He also owes them for every hardship he’s inadvertently brought their way. So, when Tait Logan shows up after 20 years of near total silence, he takes it upon himself to protect the people he knows and loves.

It’s a rocky start when Tait and Henry first collide; he is naturally wary of her intentions, and she is more than perturbed by their literal collision – which results in her broken camera, during her first night on location, no less.

There’s no shortage of shaky ground here in the mountains and valleys of Idaho. They’re thrown off balance time and time again by their growing feelings for one another, and by the story of the Logan family as it becomes increasingly less clear from their perspectives. As they confront the past, theirs naturally get brought to the foray. They’ll have to weigh their feelings against their experiences of heartbreak, and decide if the potential for disaster is worth the risk that accompanies love.

NOT TOO SHABBY.

I finished this book and didn’t know quite what to rate it. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars, but I leaned towards 4 and here we are.

What I did like were a lot of the conversations surrounding the main character, Tait, and moving past divorce and opening herself up for true love again. I still remember some of those conversations from this book and liked the passion and heartfelt emotions that come along with moving past something personally devstating.

Some of things that irked me were the complete lack of editor. I hope further books are looked over a bit more. It got better as the book went on, but an immense amount of grammatical and punctuation becomes very noticeable. I didn’t always love Henry’s POV either. It was occasionally cringy and I just didn’t love him as much as I wanted too. The spice is a bit past my comfort zone (but I know others love a bit more! I’d say a 3/5 flames).

I did like Tait and Henry together. I thought things got off pretty fast between them, but slowed down just enough that I was able to get on board with their relationship. At times, the family drama leaned a bit too much to the ridiculous side. I did like that Tait got to meet some of her estranged family and find healing through those decisions.

It was a good read and I look forward to the author’s next book.

Overall audience notes: