Novella Collection Book Review: The Improbable Meet Cute Series

January 26, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 101 pages
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

On February 14, an accidental email to a stranger opens the door to an unexpected relationship in a captivating short story by the New York Times bestselling authors of The Unhoneymooners.

One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?

VERY CUTE.

I adored this. For 100 pages I felt like I genuinely got a lot of story to be rooting for this couple. Plenty of emails, a dash of Valentine’s and when they finally met? SO CUTE. This was a romantic gem.

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 61 pages
Author: Abby Jimenez
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

They’re falling in love, yet they’ve never met. Maybe fate can intervene in a heartwarming “what-if” short story about new beginnings by the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly.

Holly is dealing with the impending death of her grandmother and still reeling from a bad breakup. One bright spot: a Valentine’s Day card on Holly’s windshield—even if it wasn’t meant for her. An amusing mistake soon turns into a lovely exchange of anonymous notes, little acts of kindness, and a growing affection between two strangers. What happens when one of them has to say goodbye?

CHARMED.

I have no idea how in 61 pages I felt like I got a well thought out story. I loved the characters. I thought the meet-cute was definitely clever and this made me smile a lot! Even burst out laughing too.

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 44 pages
Author: Sally Thorne
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For a hopeful and hopeless romantic, it’s love at first sight—with a little twist—in a hilarious short story about finding Mr. Right by the USA Today bestselling author of The Hating Game.

Rosie Whittaker and her sister are up for some Galentine’s pampering at a day spa. Getting locked inside a flotation tank is so Rosie. Enter a firefighter hero determined to pry this luckless pearl out of her high-tech shell. All Rosie has to go on is a dreamy voice and a flirty sense of humor. Remain calm, Rosie. This could be what you’ve been waiting for. Is this the man she’s waited for her whole life?

EH.

Not as into this one. The idea was there, but I didn’t love the execution. This would have benefited from even just a few more pages to add a better back story.

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 40 pages
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It takes nothing less than a fateful natural disaster to throw two opposites together in a ground-shakingly charming short story by the New York Times bestselling author of Drunk on Love.

This Valentine’s Day, Daisy Murray has her heart set on binge-watching rom-coms. Instead, an earthquake traps her inside a bakery with its impossibly rude and insufferably handsome owner and head baker. They already have a history: she’s always smiled, he’s always scowled. Where better to finally get to know each other than amid the disaster? Then again, they have no choice. Besides, it could have its sweet, undeniable, and unpredictable perks.

WAY TOO FAST.

This was not very good. No build up, no true conversation, just how fast can we get into bed without actually knowing each other.

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 43 pages
Author: Ashely Poston
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Every person she kisses finds their true love, and it’s never her—until now, in this funny and magically romantic short story by the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Audrey Love is cursed to be the person before you find your soulmate, the girl you dump for your true love. So when her best friend disappears hours before his Valentine’s Day wedding, Audrey fears that she did the unthinkable and kissed him at last night’s bachelor party. With help from the best man, she retraces her steps to find the missing groom and, with any luck, a true love of her own.

ZERO DEPTH.

This felt like it was missing A LOT to actually make the story work. The flashback chapters weren’t that helpful either. While I thought the couple had some chemistry, I didn’t like how this went about accomplishing that fact.

Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance Novella
Length: 71 pages
Author: Sariah Wilson
Publisher: Amazon Originals
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Valentine’s Day becomes a Roman holiday for a princess in disguise in a dizzyingly romantic short story about making wishes come true by the USA Today bestselling author of The Chemistry of Love.

Princess Ilaria has had it up to her tiara with the paparazzi, her own wild reputation, and the public eye. Trading places with her assistant, Ilaria wants just one blissfully ordinary weekend. Then a handsome photographer with a sexy Scottish burr offers to be her guide. Sparks fly, but how long can they last? Ilaria’s secret has to come out—and it could ruin a perfectly serendipitous romance.

A LOT OF LYING.

This felt way too condensed. To even add in a third act breakup in a 70 page novella? After one day? And everyone was lying?

So many things did not work for me in this one. I’d say this is my least favorite of the bunch.

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ARC Book Review: The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

January 23, 2024December 8, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A rising-star musician has a second chance at love with an old flame she remembers all too well in this swoony romance from the acclaimed authors of The Roughest Draft .

Riley Wynn went from a promising singer-songwriter to a superstar overnight, thanks to her breakup song concept album and its unforgettable lead single. When Riley’s ex-husband claims the hit song is about him, she does something she hasn’t in ten years and calls Max Harcourt, her college boyfriend and the real inspiration for the song of the summer.

Max hasn’t spoken to Riley since their relationship ended. He’s content with managing the retirement home his family owns, but it’s not the life he dreamed of filled with music. When Riley asks him to go public as her songwriting muse, he agrees on one he’ll join her in her band on tour.

As they perform across the country, Max and Riley start to realize that while they hit some wrong notes in the past, their future could hold incredible things. And their rekindled relationship will either last forever or go down in flames.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the eARC.

THERE WAS A LOT OF MUSIC.

And I totally get it, that’s the theme of the whole book. But dare I say, I felt like there were too many musically related things? I felt like every page was dedicated back to some song lyric Riley had written or how the day felt lyrical or about every little thing involving the tour. The whole vibe SCREAMED at you (and maybe that’s your thing??).

There were some solid second chance romance things though. I liked the bit of push and pull and there were tension filled moments too. I could truly feel the bond between them and that we’ll find out way back to each other-ness that I adored. Max was a lovable quiet guy who finally took the big shots he deserved.

Riley was a bit up and down for me. She frustrated me and I also saw her thought process. I think I was hoping for a turnaround about song writing in this book and not just one brief moment towards the end. The grand gesture deserves a star on its own though. I thought it was perfect, well placed and balanced for the story. Loved that so much!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 2 open door; low explicit
Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of divorce

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Book Review: The Duet (Falling for Franklin #3) by Hailey Gardiner

January 20, 2024December 6, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 350 pages
Author: Hailey Gardiner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 8th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Connor Cane is strictly off-limits.

Which is terribly unfortunate, because I’ve had a crush on him for years. What’s a girl supposed to do when her brother’s best friend also happens to be an insanely handsome country music artist?

When we cross paths again at a friend’s wedding, I jump at the chance to write a song with him. Purely for professional reasons that have nothing to do with his good looks and charisma. Getting a cut on a Connor Cane album is just the leg up I’m needing in my songwriting career.

As our song gains traction leading up to the release of his record, so does the undeniable chemistry between us. But there’s a dark side to fame, and I become a target by association.

Flirting? Fine. Singing together? Necessary.

Falling in love with Connor Cane? A very bad idea.

A laugh-out-loud, brother’s best friend, sweet romance with wild chemistry and heart-stopping kisses. Books in the Falling for Franklin series are full length stand-alone novels and can be read in any order.

THE MUTUAL PINING.

I was a smitten puddle of goo after finishing this book y’all. I feel like I am officially a Hailey Gardiner fan girl. I love the way she writes stories and conveys love in such a beautiful and positive light.

The combination of mutual pining and banter was my favorite. Oh they way they battled with wits and charm and clearly I’m so into you vibes. GAH. It was everything. It was light but with the right level of passion and concern. The song writing aspects were great and I was just really invested in this whole thing.

I wouldn’t dub this an off limits romance with how a few things panned out in the story but that’s a minor issue. The grand gesture at the end WAS EVERYTHING I NEEDED AND MORE. I love a well placed moment like this and I just can’t get enough.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses

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ARC Book Review: The Getaway List by Emma Lord

January 18, 2024October 28, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Emma Lord
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: January 23rd, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self, and pave the road to a new future.

Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young―except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom, and their newfound friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.

Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC.

WELCOME TO NEW YORK.

Every time I read an Emma Lord book I think about how much I would have loved reading these when I was the characters age (18/19). There’s so many good themes about growing up, finding your path and making those life long connections that will hold you up when things get rough.

I was very much smitten with the friends to lovers romance. It was reallllly sweet and the clear chemistry between them is there from the GET GO. While this is not full romance (more sub plotish), there’s a lot to learn from Riley and Tom. I loved the dynamic between them and also how you could see both growing up, making mistakes and learning to communicate.

And I adored the friend group. This found family of new and old friends that just accepted everyone as they were, but yet found ways to push each other into new things when the time was right. I love these kind of powerful friendships and there’s even cute side romances between them too.

Filled with all the New York things, some good Taylor Swift references and those hard but necessary conversations with your parents, I highly recommend to pick this one up.

Overall audience notes: