ARC Book Review: Wish You Weren’t Here by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

February 13, 2024January 31, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Magical Realism Romance
Length: 348 pages
Author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 13th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Clementine has accidentally freed a British genie from his ancient British teapot, and she’s not thrilled about it.

However, appalled by his living conditions—and grudgingly impressed by his jawline—she vows to set him free. But before he can join the human world, the genie must prove he can live like a human—and he must do it in one month, or he’ll fade away for good. As Clementine and the genie embark on a series of How to be Human lessons, and as they pretend to date in order to discourage the men trying to woo her thanks to a wish gone wrong, the two of them discover that being human is more complex than they expected—and that love can be found between the unlikeliest of pairs.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

SO CLEVER.

I absolutely loved this whole entire concept. It was insanely clever and I was busting up laughing within the first few chapters. The dry wit and humor was played well.

I really adored Clementine. The anxiety rep was great and I felt connected to the ups and downs and feeling “boring” and finding where you want to be. Wow did that hit home on many levels of my soul.

The romance with Alaric was sweet. It’s the best kind of slow burn. I was looking for a little bit *more* in the first half, but I adored the way things progressed in the second half. And I found the ending to have a lot of great themes and endearing moments to both characters and what they wanted out of life and how they found a way to do that together.

There’s some cute small town antics and I loved the little oceanside area. This was another wonderful book by Mitchell and I am just easily charmed by the sweetness with a touch of magic her books provide.

Overall audience notes:

Magical Realism Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses

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ARC Book Review: The Catch (The Influencer #3) by Amy Lea

February 13, 2024February 13, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: Amy Lea
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: February 13th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC.

NEW FAV.

Officially my new favorite book by Amy Lea. What a gem.

I was iffy initially on Mel being a fashion/lifestyle influencer. But I really liked how this was approached and it wasn’t heavy handed. Nor did she act ridiculous about getting content and such. I loved watching Mel realize disconnecting from her phone was doing her soul a lot of good.

And Evan was hella swoony. I adored him. That grumpy fisherman has all of my attention. I loved the opposites attract and the slow burn that ignited between them. I was smitten with all of the little smiles and looks and cute things Evan would do to show he cared and how Melanie learned to being open to and reciprocating those feelings and intentions.

The third act could be a little anger inducing but the longer I sat on it the longer I felt it fit the story. It wasn’t an overblown miscommunication. It was an honest to goodness adjustment that needed some thought before big changes. And I liked that both Evan and Mel had the time to process those ideas.

There were major The Proposal and While You Were Sleeping vibes. I also think if you enjoyed The Simple Wild this would be a winner too. A great fish out of water, broken down inn, rediscovering yourself, spicy read.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 3-4 open door
Violence: low
Trigger/Content Warnings: recounting loss of loved ones, near drowning

AUTHOR BIO:

Amy Lea is the international bestselling author of romantic comedies for adults and teens, including Mindy Kaling’s Book Studio selection Woke Up Like This. Her acclaimed works have been featured in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Elle Magazine and has been long listed as a CBC Canada Reads finalist. They have also been optioned for film and sold to over a dozen foreign territories.

When Amy is not writing, she can be found fan-girling over other romance books on Instagram (@amyleabooks), eating potato chips with reckless abandon, and snuggling with her husband and two goldendoodles in Ottawa, Canada.

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ALC Book Review: Ashes of You (Lost & Found #5) by Catherine Cowles

February 6, 2024January 25, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 401 pages
Author: Catherine Cowles
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 8th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Five years ago, I nearly lost everything. But there was a glimmer of hope on that darkest night. There was him—a stranger I could never forget.

Now, I’m finally getting the fresh start I’ve longed for. But when I show up to interview for a nanny position in the small mountain town, the single dad has startlingly familiar blue eyes.

Eyes that have haunted my dreams for the past five years.

Lawson Hartley is everything I know I can’t have. Older, handsome, and my boss. Not to mention the shadows in his eyes that tell me he has demons, too.

Still, he seems to understand me better than anyone I’ve ever met. So gentle and careful of my scars, yet somehow making me believe I’m stronger than I ever thought possible.

And when his lips touch mine, I’m lost.

We find what we’ve been missing in each other. But the terrors of my past aren’t done with me yet, and this time, Lawson might not be able to save me..

Thank you to Catherine Cowles for the ALC.

WORTH THE WAIT.

Ohhhh I have been anxiously waiting for this final book for the Lost & Found series and I loved it, PER USUAL. It had all of my favorite hallmark Catherine Cowles moments and had me in a chokehold all day (yes, I listened to this in one day, I can’t be stopped — second note: these books are FABULOUS on audio). My favorite part of these books is the gasp, or I KNEW IT, that flies out of my mouth every time we get to that big reveal.

I loved the slow burn progression of Lawson and Hallie. Watching that soul mate type of bond cement between them was everrrrrrything. Gosh I loved it. And I am such a sucker for any and all protective hero types. And I got MULTIPLE scenes in that vein which made me a very happy reader.

The sub plots were touching and heartfelt and I loved how those wove back in to the main romance. I am in love with this entire family, all of these characters and I loved seeing everyone again.

Overall audience notes:

Romantic Suspense
Language: moderate strong
Romance: 2-3 brief open door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: active serial killer, torture, near death experiences, weapons and gun violence, physical altercations

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Book Review: Date the Alphabet (Love Tucson #2) by Laura Langa

February 4, 2024November 11, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 315 pages
Author: Laura Langa
Publisher: West East Publishing
Release Date: July 24th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fake date to win four thousand dollars for charity? You bet.

Going on twenty-six first dates—one for each letter of the alphabet—is a ludicrous proposition. Especially since Ann Powell doesn’t date. AT ALL. But if Ann takes her sister’s bet, she’ll win four thousand dollars to donate to a cause close to her heart—underfunded classrooms.

Audiobook narrator Zane West has been struggling to hide his crush on his daughter’s third grade teacher for months. So when Ann asks him—in a moment of dating-app misery—to be her fake date to her sister’s wedding, the only answer is yes.

Pretending to be the cheerful, handsome, single father’s girlfriend isn’t only fun, it’s feeling dangerously real. And as much as they need to sell their fake relationship to her family, no one else can know. Dating the parent of one of your students is definitely off-limits.

Zane only falls harder for Ann through each piano karaoke session, sabotaged hike, and unexpected javelina encounter. Just as she begins to let him in, reality pulverizes their blissful bubble. An honest relationship with Ann is all Zane wants, but now he might be forced to let her go.

OH SO SWEET.

This book owned me for an evening and I adored it so much. I love how much Zane was gone for Ann from the moment he saw her. And that it didn’t feel like instant love either!! Langa wrote a beautiful soul mate vibe that I was here for.

I loved the subtle side pieces like Zane being on good terms with his ex-wife and co-parenting. I feel we often see the bad sides in books and I loved getting a positive take on a relationship that was no longer beneficial to either party but were both still their to take care of their child.

Ann and Zane had all the chemistry and the closed door steam? YES PLEASE. This is my favorite zone to be in and I really appreciated how well written this was. It’s a quick audiobook and this is a closed door author you shouldn’t be sleeping on!

Overall audience notes: