Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Winning Winnie’s Hand (Men of the Isles #1) by Deborah M. Hathaway

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 430 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 21st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s no damsel, but dang…this knight in shining armor kinda makes her want to be.

Born into a driven and successful family, Winnie Knox tries—and fails—to impress her parents and siblings as she bounces from career to career, year to year. In a last-ditch effort, Winnie takes on consulting work at a stately home in England, hoping to gain a nice bit of prestige as she improves the massive British estate.

In true Knox Fashion, Winnie dives headfirst into her new position. In true Winnie Fashion, she ends up with her car headfirst…in the mud. But what does she see coming to her rescue? Nothing short of a knight in shining armor.

Literally. A knight in shining armor. On a horse. What century is this again? Well, whatever it is, Winnie doesn’t mind lingering in it if she gets to stare at a man like him all day. This job is going to be a walk in the park.

Of course, nothing is ever as easy as it should be with Winnie as she puts her foot in her mouth and straightaway offends the knight—who just so happens to be someone far more important than the simple thespian he appears to be.

But Winnie Knox is a professional. She can charm anyone.

Can’t she?

This is the first book in the clean and sweet romcom Men of the Isles series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this enemies-to-lovers, boss/employee romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order.

TRUE E2L.

One of the hardest tropes I have a hard time finding written well in contemporary romances is enemies to lovers. And this had it. I loved how Winnie and Matthew battle. It was heated and you could already feel the romantic tension between them. What’s even better is I loooved the character arcs for both leads too. The realization that both had been in the wrong and how they worked to apologize and show through their actions that they had been wrong initially.

The festival was a fun additive and I loved seeing all of those aspects too. The English countryside was so charming. I liked the adventures they went on and the little angst filled moments inbetween.

I do think this felt a little long (420 pages for a contemporary is a feat). But that was my only issue. Bless the day when Winnie stood up to her Dad and told him all of the things he had been feeling. I felt as triumphant as her when that moment happened.

This is a sweet book and I will without a doubt be reading the next one!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Plotting Summer (Falling for Summer) by Jess Heileman

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 354 pages
Author: Jess Heileman
Publisher: Vagabond Publishing
Release Date: June 26th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The book is always better than the movie. But occasionally, life is better than the book.

Ten years ago I made a mortifying, life-altering mistake. Now, this once seemingly insignificant choice is threatening to wreck my entire existence. And possibly throw Tristan Palmer—my next-door-neighbor and the guy I’ve had a secret crush on for the entirety of my life—into the fray unaware.

The mistake?

I am Sunny Palmer. As in the anonymous, best-selling author of over a dozen beloved romances and renowned thief of Tristan’s last name. Okay, not renowned yet, thank the high heavens! But that news will spread like wildfire if people discover that this introverted book nerd is the woman behind the pen name. And the fact that my first book, Secret Crush, is Tristan’s and my fictionalized love story leaves zero room for calling it anything but what it is—a travesty of greatest proportions.

That’s why NO ONE can know! Ever!

So it’s wretched luck that when I finally visit Sunset Harbor, the small-town island where I grew up, I run into the still heart-stopping, book-boyfriend-worthy man himself. And shockingly, Tristan seems intent on reminding me what the island has to offer. Because that’s what friends do.

Logic demands I resist his charm and guard my secret at all costs, which is why it’s vastly unfortunate that Tristan Palmer was and always will be … my greatest weakness.

IT WAS OKAY.

I’ll start off by saying this wasn’t bad by any means, just a book that ended up not being for me.

I loved being back in this setting and fictional island off the coast of Florida. This is the fourth book in this series that I’ve read and the atmosphere of summer is very present in each. It makes me want to run away to the ocean ASAP.

My issue kind of stems from the tone of the writing? It felt as if the characters were younger than they were supposed to be. And something about it wasn’t clicking for me. The major romantic trope was friends to lovers, and unfortunately this had some of the issues that I don’t love about this trope (like the absolute REFUSAL that they could ever be into you).

The author thing was kind of odd too. It was built up to be this THING and then really wasn’t a thing at all.

There was some sweet swoon and I did like Tristan as the love interest. I enjoyed some key moment throughout at least.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Off the Beaten Path (The Mountains are Calling #1) by Madison Wright

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Madison Wright
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 26th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Wren Daniels is in over her head.

Between organizing a charity auction and trying to renovate a cabin she can’t afford, she’s barely keeping her head above water. The only bright spot is her new friend she met on an anonymous dating app four months ago. That is, until she discovers he’s the last person she would have expected—her grumpy neighbor who she’s never gotten along with.

Holden Blankenship likes his life just the way it is.

After his wife left him, he spent years putting his life back together. Now he’s got his daughter who is the light of his world, his family, and surprisingly, an anonymous friend. But when his anonymous friend turns out to be his neighbor who drives him crazy, he’s not sure what to make of it. Especially when her contractor backs out of her cabin renovation project and he finds himself offering to help her. Now Wren is getting under his skin in a completely different way and turning all his carefully laid plans upside down.

As Wren continues to show up for Holden and Holden keeps proving to Wren that he’s not really as standoffish as he seems, the lines between friendship and more start to blur.

Their relationship may have gotten off to an unusual start, but some of the best things in life are just a little off the beaten path.

ALL THE STARS.

Good heavens I could not put this book down, I LOVED IT SO MUCH. It’s that perfect level of sexy without being spicy. That reallll good sweet spot where gosh dang those kissing scenes were fire. FIRE. And I absolutely adored that this was dual POV. I loved both Holden and Wren. They were this beautiful blend of messy and heartfelt and human. And June??? Are you kidding me. Loved her too. The new little family they built MELTED MY COLD HEART.

And I loved the setting. I’m really into the mountain and woods and all things rainy and foresty. I must go cozy up in my own cabin now. This had the best small town vibes. No overwhelming drama, just some quirky side characters and antics but also how they all came together?! I can’t. Like I said, this book got me in the feels good.

Loved it all. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. This is an incredible gem of a read I’ll be begging others to pick up.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses

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ARC Book Review: The Truth According to Ember by Danica Nava

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 382 pages
Author: Danica Nava
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 6th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A Chickasaw woman who can’t catch a break serves up a little white lie that snowballs into much more in this witty and irresistible rom-com by debut author Danica Nava.

Ember Lee Cardinal has not always been a liar—well, not for anything that counted at least. But her job search is not going well and when her resumé is rejected for the thirty-seventh time, she takes matters into her own hands. She gets “creative” listing her qualifications and answers the ethnicity question on applications with a lie—a half-lie, technically. No one wanted Native American Ember, but white Ember has just landed her dream accounting job on Park Avenue (Oklahoma City, that is). Accountant Ember thrives in corporate life—and her love life seems to be looking up Danuwoa Colson, the IT guy and fellow Native who caught her eye on her first day, seems to actually be interested in her too. Despite her unease over the no-dating policy at work, they start to see each other secretly, which somehow makes it even hotter? But when they’re caught in a compromising position on a work trip, a scheming colleague blackmails Ember, threatening to expose their relationship. As the manipulation continues to grow, so do Ember’s lies. She must make the hard decision to either stay silent or finally tell the truth, which could cost her everything.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the audiobook and Berkley for the gifted book.

SO MANY LIES.

I desperately wanted to love this book, but I could not get past all of the lying. It was rampant, it was over done and I felt like Ember deserved what was coming to her because of it, some I understood, and then it just spiraled. I do think there were a lot of important topics and discussions throughout and I felt like I learned a lot.

I had kind of the same thoughts about the romance. I liked some pieces of it, I thought Danuwoa was sweet and endearing and easily my favorite person in this book. I loved his honest demeanor and the way he cared for Ember.

The audiobook is well done and if you’re interested in trying this book I would easily recommend that format. While everything didn’t come together for me, I would like to read another book by this author. I think the potential is there for future books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Content Warnings: racism, racial slurs, cultural appropriation, abandonment, classism

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