Tag: contemporary romance

ARC Book Review: It’s Always Us (The Abandoned Brothers #3) by Stacy Williams

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 476 pages
Author: Stacy Williams
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 7th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What if you give your whole heart away? Do you ever really get it back?

Lex has just been going through the motions for years, trying to let go of the one man she can’t seem to forget. When she finds herself getting ready to take on a life she’s never wanted, she realizes she’s stuck in the same place she was at sixteen—heart stolen and fully belonging to another. Now, Lex is determined to move forward and finally face reality—life without him.

But when the past returns, making declarations she’d never thought she’d hear again, will Lex take a chance to finally go after what she’s always wanted?

Mark has been living the high life…at least, that’s what the media believes. Reality is, he’s spent the last eight years thinking of the one who promised to love him always. For Mark, time has passed and damage was done, but he just can’t convince himself that her devotion wasn’t real. When time is running out—or so he thinks—he takes a shot to find out once and for all if her words were honest and true.

When the fun-loving, professional quarterback makes his play, will he find that the hope he’s held onto is everything he needed it to be? What if it’s so much more than he ever could have imagined?

It’s Always Us is a touching love story that reminds us when all hope is lost…love lasts.

This story is part of a series but if you don’t mind a few spoilers, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THE JOURNEY.

This book made me have to stare down some things I don’t generally like when I’m reading a romance book. But the pure chaos of this journey and the up and down roller coaster had me flipping page after page never able to guess where this story would turn next. And that had it’s own wonderful quality too.

I loved how much Mark and Lex showed that soul mate level quality of connection. How when you feel like you’re hitting the end of what you can handle, love finds a way. Love creates a path. Love finds a way to fight with you.

Both characters had a lot of walls they had to hit a few times over before they found a way around. I loved the supporting cast and how they helped Mark and Lex get through their journey’s. The ending came together so sweetly and squeezed my heart strings.

This book has been a long time coming for this series and I loved all the truths it held and the satisfying conclusion it was for the all three brothers.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: low

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: September 2024

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How did September get here???
I made it another month without having any books in the under three star (or least favorite) category and had plenty of great books to choose from!

Favorites this month:

  • Sunday Supper
  • The Key to Deceit
  • Heir
  • Words of Radiance (reread)
  • Guy’s Girl
  • Playing it Safe
  • It’s Always Us
  • The Christmas You Found Me
  • A Sky Full of Dragons
  • An Academy for Liars
  • An Improper Proposal
  • Locked in Pursuit
  • The Games Gods Play

Least favorites:

  • NONE!
  • [ARC] Sunday Supper by K. Sinko
  • The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow
  • [ARC] Phantasma (Wicked Games #1) by Kaylie Smith
  • The Key To Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2) by Ashley Weaver
  • Little Monsters by Kara Thomas
  • The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas
  • The Champions by Kara Thomas
  • [ARC] Heir (Heir Duology #1) by Sabaa Tahir
  • All out of Love (Boys of Riverside #3) by Gracie Graham
  • [ARC] The Scarlet Throne (The False Goddess #1) by Amy Leow
  • [ARC] Of Gold and Shadows by Michelle Griep
  • [Reread] Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archives #2) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [ARC] Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood
  • Guy’s Girl by Emma Noyes
  • Playing it Safe (Electra McDonnell #3) by Ashley Weaver
  • [ARC] It’s Always Us (The Abandoned Brothers #3) by Stacy Williams
  • Loyally, Luke (Skymar #3) by Pepper Basham
  • [ALC] The Christmas You Found Me (Heart of the Wilderness #1) by Sarah Morgenthaler
  • Cole and Laila are Just Friends by Bethany Turner
  • A Dawn with the Wolf Knight (Married to Magic #5) by Elise Kova
  • [ALC] A Sky Full of Dragons (The Wand Keepers #1) by Tiffany McDaniel
  • [ARC] A Queen’s Game (A Queen’s Game #1) by Katharine McGee
  • An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson
  • An Improper Proposal (Improper Agreements #4) by Audra Wells
  • The Shadow of the Gods (Bloodsworn Saga #1) by John Gwynne
  • Locked in Pursuit (Electra McDonnell #4) by Ashley Weaver
  • A Royal Promise (Royal Hearts #4) by Amanda Schimmoeller
  • Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Canas
  • On a Flight to Sydney (Love Along the Way #1) by J.A. Forde
  • The Cheerleaders (The Cheerleaders #1) by Kara Thomas
  • One Last Thing (The Seddledowne #1) by Susan Henshaw
  • The Games Gods Play (The Crucible #1) by Abigail Owen
  • Unbearably Yours (It’s Always Been You #3) by Elodie Colliard
  • [ARC/ALC] The Courting of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #1) by Mary E. Pearson
  • The Heart of the World (The Isles of the Gods #2) by Amie Kaufman
  • [ARC] Across the Star Kissed Sea by Arlem Hawks

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Book Review: One Happy Summer (Falling for Summer) by Becky Monson

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 345 pages
Author: Becky Monson
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Running away from my disastrous career to an island off the Florida coast wasn’t part of my summer plans, but life hasn’t been cooperative lately, anyway. At least here, I can hide away and figure out how to untangle the mess I’ve gotten myself into.

One thing is certain: my A-list status and title of America’s Sweetheart are long gone, and they’re probably never coming back. I’ll just remain on this island until the worst of it blows over. Until the gossip magazines move on to another juicy topic. Until the paparazzi lose interest.

The problem is, I’m feeling pretty bored and lonely. Sneaking into town and grabbing a book to keep me occupied turns out not to be my best move. Because what I absolutely don’t need is Briggs Dalton, the man who runs the shop. He’s handsome and funny, and I can’t stop thinking about him.

Briggs believes that despite the chaos that is my life, I can still have a fun summer, and he’s determined to prove it to me.

Maybe, just maybe, this summer could turn out to be a happy one after all.

NOT QUITE CLICKING.

I wish I could put a finger on what exactly wasn’t working for me here but I will do my best to explain. There was something about the writing style that wasn’t working. The inner dialogue was kind of repetitive and the celebrity aspects of this weren’t my favorite. I am hard to please on that trope and this was clear for most of the book to be troublesome.

Also, the amount of references to Notting Hill (which I haven’t seen…) were wayyy to many. It felt odd to mention how similar their relationship was to the movie? And I feel like too many of the plot aspects were not tied up, I’m still thinking about a few holes to the story that needed filled.

There were some cute scenes. And I liked Briggs and Presley well enough. I still love the summertime vibes brought out in this series and it was a sweet read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Content Warnings: loss of a step-dad (recounted)

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ARC Book Review: Bring Me Home by Ashley Weston

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 409 pages
Author: Ashley Weston
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sometimes the unexpected is just what we’re looking for…
Jasper Mason
I should have known something wasn’t right the moment I was told someone was coming to see a piece of the land. Our land.
Marlow’s Boys Ranch started as a dream, but easily became reality. That reality was as tranquil and peaceful as a sunset.
Until she got out of the car.
Mia Evans, as I live and breathe. It’s been fourteen years since I’ve seen her, and not a day has passed that I haven’t thought of her, or wished things could be different.
And now she’s here to take more than just a tiny slice of land. She’s the mom of one of our own.
The signs were there, I should have seen it. Maybe I didn’t want to. But now, I can’t have a moment of peace with her constantly around, winning over every person here.
How will I ever survive her leaving for a second time?
I can’t. I won’t. I have to keep her at arm’s length until she leaves. Then, and only then, can I go back to my peaceful life. Just the way I like it.

Mia Evans
I’m finally free of the disaster of my marriage, and ready to find the freedom for my son and myself. Question is, at what cost?
Before I dropped my boy off ten months ago, I never thought I’d be back here. It’s been since the summer before freshman year of college. The summer I fell in love. And the summer I got my heart broken for the first time.
My son is safe, and that’s all that matters to me. At least, I thought so.
When I open the car door, I know what I’ll find. I know Jasper works here and I know he’s been providing a roof over my son’s head with no explanation.
What I don’t know. . . is how I will react to being near him again after all this time. Opening up our past is the last thing I need. Though my heart is saying differently.
Bring Me Home is all about love, heartbreak, healing, and most importantly, second chances.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

GOOD BONES.

Once upon a time I DNF this author’s first book, but found myself saying yes to reading an ARC of this because I was happy to give this story a chance. I am currently in my cowboy era and was intrigued by this second chance romance. There are a lot of good bones and themes here. Of forgiveness, and the strength to carry on. Making hard choices and to let go. And even getting a chance to fall in love all over again.

I loved the ranch setting and all of the boys. Some of the dialogue choices (like “bruh” and “cap”) just didn’t feel necessary even if that’s how some teens speak today. It’s like in a book I want to disassociate from that? They were sweet guys though and I loved the idea of a boys ranch to help them find a safe space to be and grow.

There’s plenty of good swoony moments between Jasper and Mia. I loved that they got to know each other again and had the right kind of arguments and conversations to get there. It’s the kind of non-linear story I enjoy most. The touch of suspense was good and I liked how the ending brought everything together.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: kidnapping, domestic violence (recounted; physical, emotional, verbal)

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