Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romantic
Length: 336 pages
Author: Lauren Kung Jessen
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: January 10th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

This sweet, enemies-to-lovers debut rom-com filled with Chinese astrology will undoubtedly prove to be a perfect match with readers of Helen Hoang, Jasmine Guillory, and Helena Hunting.

Always a matchmaker, never a match…

Olivia Huang Christenson is excited-slash-terrified to be taking over her grandmother’s matchmaking business. But when she learns that a new dating app has made her Pó Po’s traditional Chinese zodiac approach all about “animal attraction,” her emotions skew more toward furious-slash-outraged. Especially when L.A.’s most-eligible bachelor Bennett O’Brien is behind the app that could destroy her family’s legacy . . .

            Liv knows better than to fall for any guy, let alone an infuriatingly handsome one who believes that traditions are meant to be broken. As the two businesses go head to head, Bennett and Liv make a deal: they’ll find a match for each other—and whoever falls in love loses. But Liv is dealing with someone who’s already adept at stealing business ideas . . . so what’s stopping him from stealing her heart too?

ALMOST WORKED.

I was up and down on this one. And then I found myself truly interested for a bit there. Until the third act made me want to put my head through a wall. With this set-up I think there could have been so many others way to create conflict without sacrificing the way the main character behaved. Liv bugged me for most of this book. She was over the top stubborn about every single step of the plot.

The premise and idea of this book is super intriguing and probably the best aspect. I loved learning about matchmaking and the intricacies of the Chinese zodiac approach to love and all of the in-between. Liv’s relationship with her Pó Po was one of my favorite parts too. Such a sweet relationship that helped Liv FINALLY open her eyes to the world around her.

For the romance I think there needed to be more too. It took me a long time to feel like this had a true romantic component to the story. With the focus on everyone dating and matchmaking, I figured there would be more of that. I just never felt invested overall into this story.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: infidelity mentioned (side character), grief and loss depiction, death of a mother recounted, death of a grandparent

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ARC Book Review: Always Choosing You (Scoops Series #2) by K. Sinko

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: K. Sinko
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 9th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Nothing has felt normal for Rory Michaels since that big fight last summer…and when certain big secrets were revealed.

Now the ice cream shop where she works is closed for the season, yet things are still icy with her coworker—and boy next door—Tyler Chapman. Sure, she may now know that her childhood bestie has been harboring a crush on her for years, but she just misses having Ty in her life. So they agree to move on and let things go back to normal…until a cheerleading stunt goes horribly wrong at Haverport High’s Homecoming football game, and Tyler catches the captain’s fall. The entire town swoons, and soon, Tyler is dating the Homecoming queen.

Rory told Tyler she wanted to move on and go back to the way things were, yet why, when it seems Ty has finally moved on, is she feeling bitter? And why, after years of pining for him, is Jay Sanchez finally hitting up her phone and admitting he misses her?

ALWAYS CHOOSING YOU is a young adult romance featuring a girl on a journey to find herself during her senior year of high school, and all the choices she’ll have to face. Between choosing what to do after graduation, which boy she’s meant to be with, and finally learning the true identity of her father, Rory finds herself at a crossroads in life. Should she choose the path she always thought she wanted, or should she choose to follow her heart?

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

SUCH GROWTH.

I had the chance to beta read this book and seeing it in its final glory was something special. I love the way K. Sinko writes the complexities of growing up and how messy things can be in high school. I loved that Rory is kind of an unlikeable FMC but you get to see how she makes those mistakes, learns to apologize and find where her passion for the future lies. It’s a beautiful story of hope in the future and the road ahead.

The love triangle will bring the angst and tension. I love kind of knowing where things are leading (or I often get frustrated) and seeing who we all know Rory was going to end up with melted my heart. I loved their relationship and the push and pull. Not to mention the fiery kissing scenes.

And I adored getting to see the whole Scoops family again. I loved the side characters as always and especially seeing more of Calvin and Melanie. They have a special place in my heart and wove into Rory’s story well too.

I liked seeing Rory struggle with her Mom in realistic and honest ways. And how much Rory didn’t know what she wanted to do after high school (because I still feel that way). The pressures of life can feel especially heavy and chaotic at this coming of age time and I loved the way K. Sinko approached it all.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low-moderate
  • Romance: Steamy kisses
  • Violence: low

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ARC Book Review: But He’s My Fake Fiancé (But He’s a Carter Brother #3) by Annah Conwell

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 275 pages
Author: Annah Conwell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 4th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

My ex-boyfriend is engaged to my stepsister.

Yeah, it shocked me too. So much so, that when my ex tells me, I grab the first guy I see and pretend he’s my fiancé.

Somehow it only gets wilder from there, because the guy I grab happens to be Grayson Carter, notorious flirt and extrovert to the max. Also, the guy I turned down a month before while dating said ex-boyfriend.

Grayson surprisingly goes along with my plan, throwing pet names and flirty lines at me all while putting on this protective facade in front of my ex that makes my knees weak.

But when our little scene turns into a full-on scheme, I find myself questioning what’s real and what’s not.

The problem is, if it is real, I don’t know if I can risk loving someone like Grayson. I have a feeling if I gave him my heart, I’d never get it back.

But He’s My Fake Fiancé is a cozy fake dating romcom for fans of sweet summer love stories. It has all the sizzling chemistry you love, without any explicit scenes. Check out the third book of the But He’s A Carter Brother Series, a series based around four strong, protective brothers finding love.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

GRAYSON.

I love charming golden retriever men. Especially when the anxiety rep squeezes my heart. That hit on a few personal life levels and I love when a book can bring that kind of connection out in me.

Sloane and Grayson were the best of opposites attract. I loved the banter between them and oooooh those kissing scenes were on fire. Booking a trip to Hawaii specifically to go hiking to a waterfall ASAP. There were so many sweet moments interspersed throughout and I absolutely loved getting to see the whole Carter family again.

This is a quick read with a cozy summertime vibe. There’s not a third act break-up or too wild of drama (but that one scene SENT ME, IYKYK). It’s heavily focused on the forced proximity and romance between Sloane and Grayson. It’s my favorite kind of romance to enjoy.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions of anxiety and panic attacks, brief physical altercation

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Reading Wrap-Up: March 2024

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Spring is here! And apparently that meant READ ALL THE THINGS. A good list of books to add to your TBR below!

Favorite books this month:

  • The Rule Book
  • The House on Biscayne Bay
  • A Drop of Venom
  • When the Moon Hatched
  • Walking on Hidden Wings
  • But He’s My Fake Fiancé
  • Off the Beaten Path
  • The Simple Wild
  • The Blooms that Broke Us
  • Radiance of the Moon
  • The Foxglove King
  • This Could Be Us
  • The Roads We Follow
  • Always Choosing You
  • Betrothal or Breakaway
  • The Rom-Commers

Least favorites this month:

  • A Promise Kept
  • Heart of the Valkyrie
  • On Thin Ice
  • In the Orbit of You
Version 1.0.0
  • [ARC] A Promise Kept by A.N. Horton
  • [ALC] The Rule Book by Sarah Adams
  • [ARC] The Good, the Bad, and the Aunties (Aunties #3) by Jesse Q. Sutanto
  • Reign of Darkness (The Fallen Kingdoms #2) by K.B. Benson
  • With a Little Luck (Fortuna Beach #2) by Marissa Meyer
  • [ARC] Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus
  • [ARC] The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton
  • The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester
  • An Improper Gentleman (Improper Agreements #2) by Audra Wells
  • Heart of the Valkyrie (The Vinland to Valhalla Saga #1) by Melanie Karsak
  • [ARC] A Feather So Black (Fair Folk #1) by Lyra Selene
  • [ARC] On Thin Ice by Anna Augustine
  • A Drop of Venom by Sajni Patel
  • [ARC] A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9) by Deanna Raybourn
  • Lore of the Wilds (Lore of the Wilds #1) by Analeigh Sbrana
  • The Blood Vier (Blood Vier #1) by Christy R. Harrill
  • When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall #1) by Sarah A. Parker
  • [ALC/ARC] Funny Story by Emily Henry
  • [ARC] Walking on Hidden Wings by Rachel Scott McDaniel
  • All This Twisted Glory (This Woven Kingdom #3) by Tahereh Mafi
  • [ARC] But He’s My Fake Fiancé (But He’s a Carter Brother #3) by Annah Conwell
  • Off the Beaten Path (The Mountains are Calling #1) by Madison Wright
  • Stay with My Heart by Tashie Bhuiyan
  • In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher
  • [Reread] The Simple Wild (The Simple Wild #1) by K.A. Tucker
  • Queen of Shifting Sands (Instanolde Chronicles #1) by Kaitlyn Carter Brown
  • [ARC] The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson
  • The Words We Lost (Fog Harbor #1) by Nicole Deese
  • The Blooms That Broke Us by Ashley Dill
  • Radiance of the Moon by Ashley Worrell
  • The Foxglove King (The Nightshade Crown #1) by Hannah F. Whitten
  • This Could Be Us (Skyland #2) by Kennedy Ryan
  • The Ladies Rewrite the Rules by Suzanne Allen
  • [ARC] If the Tide Turns by Rachel Rueckert
  • See Me As I Am by Cheryl Wanner
  • Fall of the Horizon (Dusk and Dawn #1) by Jessica J. Ayala
  • [ARC] The Hemlock Queen (The Nightshade Crown #2) by Hannah F. Whitten
  • [ARC] The Roads We Follow (Fog Harbor #2) by Nicole Deese
  • Inheritance (The Inheritance Cycle #4) by Christopher Paolini
  • Winds of Change (The Descended Trilogy #1) by Bailey Estep
  • [ARC] Always Choosing You (Scoops Series #2) by K. SInko
  • The Tainted Cup (Shadows of the Leviathan #1) by Robert Jackson Bennett
  • [ARC] Betrothal or Breakaway (D.C. Eagles Hockey #3) by Leah Brunner
  • Divine (House of Oak #2) by Nichole Van
  • [ARC] The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center

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