Tag: contemporary romance

ARC/ALC Book Review: Total Dreamboat by Katelyn Doyle

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Katelyn Doyle
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Release Date: June 24th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the beloved author of Just Some Stupid Love Story, an irresistible rom-com about what happens when a cruise ship romance goes…overboard

Hope Lanover needs a vacation. Her relationship has imploded, her creative ambitions have flatlined, and she can’t seem to locate the badass girl she used to be. So when her best friend—a lifestyle influencer looking for a rich husband—invites her along a luxury cruise, Hope goes along with it…despite hating cruises, and having no interest in a fling with their elderly clientele.

Felix Segrave can’t imagine anything worse than a cruise. Sober, determinedly single and a workaholic chef, he hates leaving his restaurant and routine. But when his parents surprise him and his sisters with tickets to celebrate their anniversary, he can’t say no—he’s disappointed them too many times in his troubled past.

Hope and Felix are prepared to grin and bear it—until they lock eyes at check in. Suddenly, a ten-day fling in the Caribbean with a sexy stranger doesn’t seem so bad, despite all the ballroom dancing lessons and cheesy karaoke nights. That is, until Hope’s romantic demons catch up to her, Felix learns that the woman he’s falling for has not been entirely honest with him, and they find themselves stranded together—and at each other’s throats—in paradise. Forced to work together, not to mention share a bed, they must either navigate the stormy seas of love, or face romantic shipwreck.

Thank you Flatiron Books for the gifted ARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook.

KIND OF A MISS.

I did like the audiobook and thought the narrator’s did a good job. The story just didn’t roll out in the best way for me.

Initially interested I enjoyed the idea of a cruise ship romance. There’s some good flirty banter and other moments that I were fine. I think my favorite part was the friendship between Hope and her best friend. There relationship and communication was better than the romantic one.

BECAUSE SO HELP ME THE THIRD ACT. And there was a fourth act too?? I’ll admit the fourth one made a little more sense but the third one had me exclaiming out loud my displeasure. I’m also really tired of ex-boyfriends showing up unannounced?? Repeatedly???? GO AWAY.

I think the chemistry was lacking, the spice came on too soon, and the lack of both of those things made them both immature and inopportune moments.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Content warnings: alcohol addiction (recovery and sobriety discussions)

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Book Review: Maybe This Time by Cara Bastone

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 5h 45 min audiobook
Author: Cara Bastone
Publisher: Audible Originals
Release Date: May 2nd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Finding true love is only a matter of time in this heartfelt and hilarious romantic comedy, starring Zoë Chao (The Afterparty), Noah Reid (Schitt’s Creek), and a full cast!

Romance can be a little complicated when you get sucked into a wormhole. Just ask high school English teacher June Flint. One little solar flare happens and suddenly you find yourself 85 years in the future. Eighty-five years from your dream job. Your ailing mother whose only companion in this world is you. Your favorite stuffed-crust pizza from DeLucia’s on Sunday nights.

But when June’s cell phone inexplicably picks up a signal, she’s able to call back to the present—more specifically, four weeks before she accidentally time traveled. Problem is, the phone can only call one number: her work nemesis, gym teacher Mikey Shannon.

Now future June must help Mikey befriend present-day June to keep her from disappearing. But present-day June doesn’t even want to be in the same room as Mikey, let alone become besties. And Mikey isn’t exactly…talkie. Yet he’s spending hours a day with future June on the phone, and even more time trying to befriend present-day June. Volunteering with June at school, check. Facing his fear of roller coasters to make June smile, check. Adopting a puppy and letting her name it. Check.

But what does succeeding in the present mean for future June, and for the serious feelings she and Mikey are starting to catch for one another? Stopping time travel is one thing—but can they stop themselves from falling in love?

FUN AND QUIRKY.

I’ve come to really enjoy Cara Bastone’s audiobooks. They are fun and light and bring a smile to my face. I thought the concept of this one was unique and brought in a bunch of quirks that worked for the story being told.

I liked the dynamic between Mikey and June. Their phone calls were sweet and I loved the way they go to know each other on different levels and at different times. Things came together exactly as they should and this is a quick read if you’re needing something new to listen to.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Can’t Get Enough (Skyland #3) by Kennedy Ryan

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: May 13th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry’s rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.

She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions—always striving upward. And in the midst of everything, she’s facing her toughest challenge caring for an aging parent.

Who has time for romance? From her experience, there’s a low ROI on relationships. She hasn’t met the man who can keep up with her anyway. Until…him.

Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer’s hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.

But when Maverick gives chase—pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her—is it time to let herself have something more?

Thank you to LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

OH I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.

This was FANTASTIC. What a conclusion. Gosh I am in loooooove. I loved the audiobook too. The narrators are incredible and bring this story to life. BLESS DUAL POV ROMANCES.

I loved the loyal and loving friendships. The bond these women have is incredible. I love the way they raise each other up and show up during the hard and easy moments.

AND THE ROMANCE? Maverick was a man OBESSED and I am here for it. I loved his pursuit that was not over done. He cared and showed that time and time again. The trust and build was swoony and heated. And I loved that he was this strong support for Hendrix. Hendrix can do all the things and is fiercely independent and intimidating so the push and pull between them really brought out so many layers to their relationship.

All of the Alzheimer’s content was deeply moving and brought out all of the emotions. I wasn’t expecting this book to hit as hard as it did and I am blown away.

(My only small thing was that the spice was SPICY, I had to skip more than I like).

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 5+ open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: a parent with Alzheimer’s (strong theme throughout story)

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Book Review: Truly Medley Deeply (Sweet as Sugar Maple #5) by Kate Watson

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 374 pages
Author: Kate Watson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 3rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lucy Jane

The first rule of touring? Don’t fall for your crew.

Especially not the grumpy, emotionally caged, impossible-to-read sound guy who acts like tolerating pop-country singers is pure torture.

Patrick “Patty” O’Shannan clearly doesn’t want to be here. He does his job and barely looks at me unless it’s to scowl. But my last sound engineer quit days before the start of my first tour, and Patty? Well, he was my only option.

The deal is simple: he helps me survive the tour, I help him save his family’s bar, and then we go our separate ways. No complications. No getting attached. No wondering why a small-town bartender is so impossibly good at music.

Only, things get complicated fast.

Like when a rowdy fan gets too close, and Patty steps in before security can. Like when I struggle writing a new song, and he mumbles the perfect lyrics. Like when a booking mix-up leaves us with only one bed, and suddenly, the space between us isn’t enough. Like when I admit I’ve never been kissed, and the label wants me to kiss the famous Connor Nash—and Patty looks at me like it might just break him.

Now, every glance is charged, and every accidental touch lingers. But Patty has secrets, and the closer we grow, the riskier things get.

Can I really fight for the man who refuses to fight for himself? Or should I walk away before I lose everything—including my heart? Truly Medley Deeply is a swoony closed-door rom-com full of delicious banter and crackling chemistry but no explicit scenes or cursing. Books in the Sweet as Sugar Maple Series can be read in any order.

Thank you to the author for a gifted copy.

THIS WAS SWEET.

I’d like to note first off that I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series and didn’t have any issues. There are many moments with the characters from the other stories and I think that would have meant even more to me had I read them though.

The sweet and satisfying moments woven throughout brought some swoony moments. What really sealed the deal for me was the communication. Before things got wildly out of hand both Lucy and Patty would take a beat and actually lean on the trust they had been building throughout the book. It was sincere and well written and gosh I love when couples talk!!

I have some minor quibbles with a few plot points that didn’t quite work for me. Which is fine. I did like the little touch of mystery because hidden identity is one of my favorite tropes. The sass and banter between Patty and Lou worked well and I did feel the chemistry between them.

I don’t think I’ll go back and read the previous books from this series but I do want to continue reading Watson’s new releases.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: parental abandonment, car accident (recounted)

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