Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Taken With Trouble (Caught in Chaos #2) by Jenessa Fayeth

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 263 pages
Author: Jenessa Fayeth
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: December 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Serena Cruz

Being taken hostage by a criminal was not on my agenda for the week. The plan was to catch Liam Hawthorne, the billionaire con artist, and finally prove myself and gain the attention of my boss.

Liam caught me instead.

Forget the bounty, I’m killing him. However, it’s proving a rather difficult task–especially when he convinces me to help him.

He’s trying to con me, but I won’t be falling for it.

Unfortunately, ignoring his flirtations and kindness is getting harder. It’s possible the conman is…more than he seems.

Falling for him would be stupid, especially with bullets flying and lives in danger. So why do I melt every time he touches me?

Only one of us will make it out of this mess a free person, and it’s going to be me.

Liam Hawthorne

I’ve stolen many priceless and beautiful things, but nothing compares to FBI Agent Serena Cruz. I rather enjoy the company of the feisty woman intent on killing me…clearly I’ve been on the run for too long. Or has pulling guns on someone always been this seductive?

I digress. I took her to save her, though she doesn’t believe that. I can’t say I blame her when there’s someone trying to kill us at every turn.

It’s all my fault. I tried to be better, but instead, I dragged her into this mess and now our lives are both in danger.

I was fine when it was only my life on the line.

Serena Cruz has stolen my heart.

OKAY THIS WAS GREAT.

My first book by this author but certainly not my last. This really grew on me and by the end I was glued to my screen because I had been utterly charmed.

I WILL NOTE NOW, please read the first book in this series before this. My original understanding was that these were standalones. But the whole time I was reading Taken I thought I was missing some information and lo and behold, that shows up in book one.

Liam is such a golden retriever puppy. And I adored his energy. Apparently I really love this dynamic. The flirting and protectiveness and the history?? Stop it right now. The banter was great and I appreciated the fast paced that kept things moving. I want more spy rom-coms like this now. Fun and sweet with some hold your breath moments. Looking forward to more!

Overall audience notes:

  • Spy Rom-Com
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: physical violence, weapons violence, kidnapping, attempted murder

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Book Review: We Redeemed the Rain (Meadowbrook Ranch #1) by Ashley Dill

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 438 pages
Author: Ashley Dill
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 19th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“Everyone should find someone to share their story with.”

Exhausted and burnt-out, singer-songwriter, Bea Thompson, needs a break and some space from her once-promising career as an indie musician. Seeking refuge from the crushing pressures of the industry, she books a last minute stay at a special childhood sanctuary, the birthplace of her most treasured friendship, Meadowbrook Ranch. She only hopes the boy she found in the hayloft all those years ago still lives there.

Over the years, lone cowboy, Samuel Taggart (Tag), has built a name for himself as a stock contractor for the rodeo circuit. Shackled by the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, he’s resigned himself to a life of solitude at Meadowbrook Ranch, working around the clock for the only family he’s ever been able to count on—the horses.

But one stormy night, an unexpected visitor upends his quiet life. The girl from the hayloft—his long term pen pal—is back, covered head to toe in mud, and excited to see him.

After spending years pouring his heart out through letters to Bea, finally seeing her again face-to-face sends his heart into lockdown.

Will he trust his old friend with the painful storms of his past, or will the rain prove that some souls are too far gone for love?

We Redeemed the Rain, is a contemporary romance set in Central Texas and the first installment of Meadowbrook Ranch—an emotional series about trauma, healing, and love amid crisis.

BEAUTIFUL READ.

This was a heavy hitter and an emotional read that also brought the infused sense of hope and healing. I thought the tough conversations and themes were handled with care and were genuine to the story and creating a beautiful romance between two people who deserved each other.

I loved the Texas ranch setting. Going to rodeos, riding horses and taking care of all of the things that pop up in-between. I enjoyed seeing Bea and Tag work together and how Bea constantly met Tag where he was, yet also let him know she was a safe place to land. This was one of those reads that had me shouting for them to kiss. The near moments were tangible and I loved loved loved the way the slow burn was crafted around needed conversations and rough and tender moments.

Incredible writing, all the cowboy content, and just a book I could NOT put down. I loved everything about this story and the message it created. I could comment on so many little plot decisions that made this book sing. It’s those small moments that bring a story home for me and gosh dang, I love Tag and Bea.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: mild – moderate
  • Content Warnings: child sexual assault, child abuse, PTSD (including dissociative episodes), suicide attempt (recounted), substance abuse

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Book Review: Love Interest by Clare Gilmore

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 335 pages
Author: Clare Gilmore
Publisher: Griffin
Release Date: October 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A sparkling adversaries-to-lovers romcom set at a magazine publisher in Manhattan. When Casey and Alex are forced into proximity, they soon realize falling for each other is just as much of a risk and as it is a reward.

Casey Maitland has always preferred the reliability of numbers, despite growing up the daughter of two artistic souls. Now a twenty-four-year-old finance expert working in Manhattan, Casey wonders if the project manager opening at her company – magazine powerhouse LC Publications – is a sign from the universe to pursue a career with a little more sparkle. That is, until she’s passed over for the job in favor of the board chairman’s son.

Alex Harrison is handsome, Harvard-educated, and enigmatic. Everybody loves him – except for Casey. But when the two are thrown on the same project, they both have something to prove. For Casey, it’s getting tapped for a transfer to the London office and fulfilling her dreams of travelling. For Alex, it’s successfully launching a brand that will impress his distant father.

As work meetings turn into after hours, Casey and Alex are drawn to each other again and again, but neither can avoid the messy secrets and corporate intrigue threatening to tear them apart. What they discover about their workplace might change everything – including the dreams each of them is chasing.

LESS OFFICE, MORE ROMANCE.

That’s honestly how you can boil down this entire review. I really loved Alex and thought he was a handsome cinnamon roll. And I even enjoyed the FMC, Casey too! Both were great characters. I did like them together, I just needed more of them connecting and hanging out (without work being involved so much) to really feeeeeel this romance.

There’s A LOT of office content. Honestly some of it was even going over my head at various points because I just didn’t care. I love an office romance, but there can be too much. This was that case. I found myself skimming over those portions to get back to Alex and Casey. Casey also tended to have random inner monologue tangents that took me out of the story too.

All to say, I would read another book by this author. I know it was a debut so I’m curious to see how the growth of writing goes in another romance.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish brief, low explicit open

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ARC Book Review: Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Abby Jimenez
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: April 1st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer comes a new playful yet deeply emotional contemporary romance.

There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC from Netgalley.

YUP. I’M CRYING.

Why do Abby Jimenez books hit so hard every time????? I am an emotional wreck after this one.

As someone who did long distance for a year, I felt the roller coaster of emotions and situations that come up when you can’t be physically present. It’s tough and seeing Samantha and Xavier work through that was really something. They wanted their relationship so deeply that they almost sacrificed too much and I loved seeing them communicate the hard things and find balance and peace.

The care giving aspects (to Samantha’s mom who has dementia) hit on so many levels. The raw and often desolate waves of situations and feelings that come out you when every day feels one step closer to permanently cracking. It’s trauma heavy but I think worked well in the story (I don’t qualify this as a rom-com, there’s some humor but it is settled around heavy themes).

AND HANK??? BLESS THAT MAN.

I binged this faster than I could blink and you could catch me crying in my reading chair waiting for those final moments to come together at last.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 1-2 brief open door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: taking care of a loved one with advanced dementia, abusive parents (recounted and some on page depiction), mentions of animal abuse and neglect

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