Book Review: The Cupid Chronicles (Only Magic in the Building) by Courtney Walsh

March 18, 2025March 16, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Courtney Walsh
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 12th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Some love stories are written . . . this one is magically delivered.

Iris Ellington isn’t looking for love. Not even a little bit. With a long list of failed relationships behind her, she’s decided to reinvent herself as a person who doesn’t fall head over heels on the first date.

New town, new job, new Iris.

But someone—or something—has other plans.

When her neighbor’s newspaper lands in front of her door, Iris has no choice but to return it. And when she does, she comes face to face with a ridiculously handsome but very grumpy chef who all but slams the door in her face.

Matteo Morgan just wants to be left alone. He’s loved and lost and has zero interest in ever doing that again. Which is why it makes no sense that The Serendipity’s magical newspaper has decided to turn him into an unwilling Cupid. Matchmaking is hardly in his wheelhouse.

And yet, for the last three years, that’s exactly what he’s done. And he’s always done it alone.

Until now.

When the newspaper pulls his bubbly neighbor into its matchmaking schemes, Matteo has no choice but to go along with it, hoping that maybe—finally—he can pass Cupid’s bow and arrow on to her.

Thrown together by fate, they must navigate the newspaper’s increasingly absurd demands while trying to resist the undeniable spark between them.

Will Iris melt the ice around Matteo’s heart and embrace the magic? Or will Matteo scare her off with his grumpy demeanor and ruin any chance of happiness? In a building where anything is possible, Iris and Matteo might just find that the greatest magic of all is finding love when they least expect it.

HELLO TEARS.

I am not someone who generally cries while reading. But this one brought tears to my eyes because your girl has an anxious soft spot for plots with a widow. Some of those closing scenes made me a mess of feelings. HOW DARE YOU COURTNEY.

Not to mention the others themes throughout of finding joy again, connecting with those around you and helping others are magnetic. This leans slightly more fiction than full blown romance and I hardly noticed because of how beautifully crafted this story was. It grew on me and as the pages went on I was attached to every single character.

I adored Matteo. I adored Iris. I loved the slow burn strangers to friends to lovers. It was everything they both needed to realize that they are in the long haul together. Covering grief and pain and feeling like you’re just too much. I just loved it so much. Endearing characters, raw emotions and a gentle romance.

Overall audience notes:

Magical realism + contemporary romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Content Warnings: loss of a spouse (recounted), grief depiction

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ARC/ALC Book Review: Beautiful Exile (Sparrow Falls #4) by Catherine Cowles

March 18, 2025March 6, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 466 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: The PageSmith LLC
Release Date: March 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I should’ve known Lincoln Pierce was trouble from the moment I held my knife to his throat.

I’ve been running for most of my life, hiding away in a small town and hoping no one discovers who I truly am. The only problem is that I can never let anyone know the real me. Or at least that was true until my brother moved his best friend onto our shared property.

Now, I’m stuck trying to avoid the nosy billionaire’s probing questions and piercing stares. And it doesn’t help that I almost killed him the first time we met.

Oops.

But when all my carefully crafted lies come crashing down around me, it’s Linc stepping in to shield me. And when it looks like the person hunting me for all those years is back, Linc will do anything to keep me safe.

Only it’s not just my safety at risk. It’s my heart. Because when Linc touches me, I lose all sense. And when I truly get to know the broken billionaire, he’s so much more than a ruthless business tycoon. He’s the man showing me that it’s time to really live.

But I’m not the only one with secrets. Linc has them, too. And when the forces from our pasts emerge from the shadows, it’s with only one goal: to end the new life we’re building together. For good.

Thank you to the author for the gifted audiobook and eARC.

THIS BOOK.

How does Catherine Cowles come up with new suspense plot lines so well?? Every dang time I’m thinking it’s one person, it’s another and then there’s MOREEEEE. Flipped my lid and shouted in my car. I love this series.

I also love Linc and Arden. The violent vibes from the beginning were pure fun. I loved the banter and the connection between them. Being that soft and quiet space to be together was everything. I am obsessed with all of the care taking scenes and the epilogue turned me into a puddle. Linc was DOWN BAD. And we love a man down bad.

As always, CC writes found family like no other. I love this crew and getting to see everyone again. The text messages, tender moments and strong bonds between this family makes my heart squeeze.

There is something purely magical about picking up a book from your favorite author. I love the comfort these books bring (even with all of the stress haha).

Overall audience notes:

Romantic suspense
Language: moderate
Romance: 3-4 open door
Violence: moderate – high
Content Warnings: gun violence, attempted murder, weapons violence, assault, murder

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ARC Book Review: One More Wish (Sugar Valley #2) by Lindsey Lanza

March 16, 2025February 12, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 357 pages
Author: Lindsey Lanza
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: March 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Always be careful what you wish for.

Maya Bloom has a secret.
For as long as she can remember, all her wishes have come true. One quick plea to the universe, and whatever she wants is hers. The they always backfire.
Which is why Maya is done wishing. Well, until her wedding day when she’s in desperate need of the truth.
And when it feels like her whole life is imploding, she makes the split-second decision to run to Vermont and be with her best friend, Ellie.

Liam Harley has a problem.
He’s been living his best single dad life in small town Vermont, but he can’t seem to forget the past. Not his last job as a Michelin star chef, not his night owl lifestyle, and especially not that night two years ago when he met Maya Bloom.
When Maya shows up in his new haven of Sugar Valley, he wonders if he’ll get a second chance with the woman who’s been haunting his dreams.
Unfortunately for him, she has no idea who he is.

One More Wish is a small-town romance about the power of found families, the magic of finding your soulmate, and believing in the impossible.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

SWEET & SPICY.

I love the way Lindsey Lanza writes romances y’all. And even though they are spicy, I love the way that is approached too. It feels genuine to the romance and progression of the story and I love how close it brings the characters together. I adored this tender romance. It doesn’t have a big complicated plot, it’s just two people who found each other…again.

The magical realism aspects were just right. I’m hit or miss on them and I liked the little dash Maya’s ability gave this story. And I appreciated how it connected with life and all of its ups and downs. The chronic illness representation is, as always, amazing. It’s eye opening and raw. Combining that with a beautiful and strong support system really squeezes my heart.

I looooved Liam. He’s a walking green flag. I loved seeing his growth, as well as Maya’s. I loved how they approached hard conversations, worked together, and did their best to communicate big emotions. I clearly am in love with every character in this series and it was great being back in Sugar Valley.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: mild – moderate
Romance: 3-4 open door
Violence: low
Content warnings: chronic illness (lupus, type 1 diabetes), pregnancy complications (side character)

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Book Review: I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang

March 12, 2025February 15, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Ann Liang
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: February 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Snarky and romantic, I Hope This Doesn’t Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a “pleasure to have in class.” It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She’d never send them of course — she’d rather die than hurt anyone’s feelings — but it’s a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie’s work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. “You’re attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain . . . I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you’ve been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft…”

Sadie doesn’t have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them… that is, until they’re accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It’s her worst nightmare — now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they’re not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there’s one person growing to appreciate the “real” Sadie — Julius, the only boy she’s sworn to hate…

THIS IS ACADEMIC RIVALS.

You know when a trope is mentioned and when you read it, you feel like that trope was not actually there? NOT the case for this book. This was an intense and passion filled academic rivals and I loved that. Sadie and Julius were at each other constantly but you could also clearly see the chemistry between them.

I liked seeing Sadie grow over the book. Bless her heart, being so consumed by people pleasing and trying to make things right was eating her up. And I liked watching her understand that you just can’t please everyone, and that those who love you will stick with you.

This was pretty solid for YA in regards to content. I didn’t love the underage drinking house party, but language and romantic content wise it would be okay for teens. Which is always a plus for young adult books.

I have enjoyed this author’s previous books and will definitely continue to pick them up.

Overall audience notes: