Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Alicia Thompson
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for.

Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but watching “America’s Snoozefest” certainly beats sitting at home in the days after she signs her divorce papers. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.

Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM from “Duckie” catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Duckie is sweet, funny, and seems to understand him in a way no one else does.

Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?

WELL.

I’m on a quest to find some good baseball romances and this one came up a few times so here we are.

Why in the world is this whole book based off of a catfishing miscommunication? I think if this plot point had been resolved sooner the book would have sat better with me. I hate seeing MULTIPLE opportunities to come clean about everything and being dismissed.

The rest of the book is good though. I liked the chemistry between Chris and Daphne. It’s kind of a benefits situation but the feelings are so clearly there that a lot of sweet moments are included too. Plenty of baseball content too! Definitely a sports romance, just had some resolution issues.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary sports romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Content warnings: loss of a loved one (suicide), divorce

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: February 2026

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The month of looooove.

I always love seeing all of the book covers together because the fluctuation of contemporary to fantasy to historicals is always cool to see. Reviews for these books are either out now or coming soon!

  • His & Hers by Alice Feeney
  • A Heart so Green (Fair Folk #3) by Lyra Selene
  • [ARC] The Cowboy’s Game (Pride and Pranks #3) by Cindy Steel
  • [Novella] Lonely Hearts Day by Kasie West
  • A Fortunate Miscalculation (The Gentlemen’s Gamble) by Karen Thornell
  • [ARC] Mail-Order Baroness (Lords of the Rockies #2) by Misty M. Beller
  • [ARC/ALC] The Trident and the Pearl (The Fisher King #1) by Sarah K.L. Wilson
  • Worth Fighting For (Meant to Be #5) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
  • A Fate so Dark and Delicate (Compelling Fates Saga #4) by Sophia St. Germain
  • [Reread] From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
  • [ARC] A Love Most Daring (Bow Street #3) by Joanna Barker
  • The Poet Empress by Shen Tao
  • Here Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma Simmerman
  • [ARC] Bridge of Betrayal (Falcon Point Historical #3) by A.L. Sowards
  • Your Knife, My Heart (Dark Forces #1) by K.M. Moronova
  • Jane Stays Dreaming by Britnee Meiser
  • Pride and Prejudice Audible Original by Jane Austen
  • Sunk in Love by Heather McBreen
  • Savage Lands (Savage Lands #1) by Stacey Marie Brown
  • Invictus (Esperance Trilogy #2) by Heather Frost
  • The Silent Canary by Angela Bricker
  • The Darkest Gift by Nikki Welton
  • [ARC/ALC] Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove #1) by Catherine Cowles
  • A Vow in Vengeance (Immortal Desires #1) by Jaclyn Rodriguez
  • Racing Hearts by Ann Adams
  • A Stage Set for Villains by Shannon J. Spann
  • [ARC/ALC] The Dragon and the Sun Lotus (The Three Realms #2) by Amelie Wen Zhao
  • [ARC] To All the Guys I Loathed Before (Lucky in Love #3) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Half City (Harker Academy #3) by Kate Golden

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ARC Book Review: To All the Guys I Loathed Before (Lucky in Love #3) by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

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Rating: ★★★★
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 270 pages
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: February 27th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The man I met in the holding cell is my new boss.
Holding cell.
New boss.
Nightmare.
Roman Drake is younger than me, inconveniently gorgeous, and way too good at pushing my buttons. I don’t need a playboy like him in my life, especially because I’m already plagued by my poor taste in men.
Case in point? I’m currently working with my ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend…at a matchmaking company. To make matters worse, my first love has just dumped a pile of debt in my lap, leaving me scrambling for an extra job. Good thing I can take care of myself; I’ll shoulder this burden on my own. But when my problems keep piling up, it’s none other than Roman freaking Drake who rides to my rescue, offering a solution too tempting to resist.
So I’ll work with him for a while—just long enough to rejuvenate my bank account—and then I’ll move on, leaving him and his laughing eyes in the rearview mirror.
Except the more time I spend with Roman, the more I realize I was wrong about him. It’s not his flirting I need to watch out for; it’s the way he looks at me. Somehow he sees what I’m trying to hide. He’s delighted by the things that have scared other men away.
I’ve sworn off love, and I refuse to soften now. I’ve had too many bad experiences in the past to go down that road again. If only the man from that stupid holding cell didn’t make it so difficult to stay away…

Thank you to the author for the eARC.

LIGHT AND SWEET.

Oh I needed a book like this. Something quick, on the lighter side and filled with sweetness. I love the sibling relationship between Aurora and her sisters. I long for those kind of bonds and the way they take care of each other is just my favorite. This also included Roman and Denice’s relationship too!! Give me all the good family vibes pleeeease.

And I LOVED that she was older than Roman??? The dynamic between them was perfect. I loved how Roman played with Aurora and the slow but sure way he showed Aurora how to let her walls down a bit. The slow burn was just right and I couldn’t get enough of them in each other’s orbit. Both characters with flaws they were working through showed wonderful growth and willingness (even if stubborn willingness) to change and adapt for the better.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Heather McBreen
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 28th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After a case of mistaken identity and an almost one-night stand, two stranded wedding guests have to find their way to their final destination together, in this riotously fun debut romance.

Ada’s little sister is getting married. Which should be a happy thought, right? But the once close sisters have been in a year long fight, the wedding is all the way in Ireland, and Ada is so broke that she just barely managed to get a ticket on a budget airline. And as if things couldn’t get worse, said airline just cancelled her connection. Which means Ada is stuck in London with no way to make it to the wedding.

Surely she’s hit rock bottom?

So, there’s no reason for her not to spill her heart out about the over-the-top wedding, her sister’s worryingly quick engagement, and the womanizing best man she’s dreading meeting to a handsome also-stranded stranger at the bar. Until she realizes the stranger is headed to the same wedding. Oh, and he’s the infamous best man.

Now, Jack and Ada must put their simmering attraction behind them to make it to Belfast before they miss the nuptials. But between flat tires, missed trains, and suspect hostels, Jack and Ada start to question whether their feelings are worth going the distance, or just a distracting detour along the way.

THE BANTER.

The way I was obsessed with every single dynamic between Jack and Ada. I know some of the humor won’t work for others and honestly I’m surprised at how well it worked for me. It’s innuendo without being heavy on the phrasing I don’t like and more of cheeky sass with some heat. I was enthralled and laughing out loud.

I loved the traveling chaos (though it brings me so much anxiety). All of these moments allowed for connection and proximity that made the shorter timeline make sense. It felt like they spent way more time than they actually did together and I love when the writing accomplishes feats like this.

Ada’s constant recounting of her history with her ex was the only small thing. I just thought that it went on a little long and I was tired of hearing about him. I’m grateful she had the self growth necessary to finally move on and pursue her own goals.

The third act truly made sense and I could get behind the need for separation based off of their histories. I loved the space and improvement it allowed for both Jack and Ada. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: divorce, emotionally abusive relationship (off page), death of a parent mentioned

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