Tag: desire or defense

Cait’s Greats 2023: Contemporary Romance

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I’m actually surprised by how many I loved this year from this genre. I’m notoriously cranky about reading them. BUT HEY. That means that these truly are top notch. I hope you find a book for your TBR next year.

Scroll down to see which books are open, closed or sweet romances!

Note: I didn’t count any rereads on this list.

adult Romance

Open Door:

  • Whispers of You
  • The Love Wager
  • Final Offer
  • Wing and a Miss
  • Echoes of You
  • Finding Gene Kelly
  • If Only You
  • Pier Pressure
  • The Seven Year Slip
  • A Little Magic
  • Things We Left Behind
  • Shadows of You
  • The Right Move
  • A World Without You
  • The Takedown
  • Last Call at the Local
  • The Catch

Closed Door

/Fade to Black:

  • Speechless
  • Desire or Defense
  • Practice Makes Perfect
  • The Blonde Identity
  • Flirtation or Faceoff
  • I Got You
  • The Last Love Note

Sweet:

  • Eloise and the Grump Next Door
  • Merritt and Her Childhood Crush
  • First to Fall
  • Royal Gone Rogue
  • Betting on the Boy Next Door
  • Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder
  • Kissing for Keeps
  • A Class of Her Own
  • How to Kiss Your Enemy
  • Hello Stranger
  • One Last Play
  • American Gauntlet
  • The Pocket Pair
  • The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley
  • Upping the Ante
  • How to Kiss a Movie Star
  • Just Don’t Fall
  • But He’s My Grumpy Neighbor
  • Can’t Help Falling
  • Heidi Lucy Loses Her Mind
  • Absolutely Not in Love
  • Cabin Crush
  • Emergency Contact
  • The One with the Kiss Cam
  • The Christmas Letters
  • The Duet
  • The Golden Goal

young adult/new adult Romance

Open Door:

  • The Deal

Closed Door/Fade to Black:

  • Tilly in Technicolor
  • Check & Mate
  • Even if it Breaks Your Heart

Sweet:

  • Running Barefoot
  • Safe Harbor
  • All Alone With You
  • The Getaway List

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ARC Book Review: Desire or Defense (Hooked on a Feeling #1) by Leah Brunner

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Sports Romance
Length: 275 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: April 18th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I’m not the hero in this story.

I’m the villain…

The notoriously angry, grouchy, D.C. Eagles defenseman that just can’t keep his temper in check. The temper that leads to a fifteen game suspension from the NHL.

As if that’s not bad enough, I’m forced into a short term youth-hockey coaching gig. Which my manager swears will “rebuild my image.”

But what I didn’t expect was for a gorgeous, spunky blonde to stomp onto the ice on day one and lecture me about being rude to her little brother.

Something about this spitfire of a woman, and the boy she’s so protective of, has my defenses melting.

And if I’m not careful, I’ll burst into flames, forever melting the ice I’ve carefully kept around my heart.

Thank you to the author for an eARC!

ABSOLUTELY LOVED.

This book has my whole heart and is Leah Brunner’s best book yet.

I LOVED Mitch. I loved his grumpy nature and his cinnamon roll center. The positive mental health conversations and therapy discussions were amazing and one of my favorite aspects. I also loved Andie. She was a wonderful FMC who did her best to look for things to be grateful for and was just someone I really wanted to be friends with.

All of the hockey dynamics were woven just right and I couldn’t get enough. Alongside the games was the best cast of side characters and teammates. I love them all and I loved every time they popped up. I’m already excited for the next book.

Noah was one of the sweetest kids I’ve read. I loved him too (see a theme?). He added so much to the story and I loved his placed between Andie and Mitch.

I need to address the third act too!!! It was PERFECT. Instead of a breakup that wouldn’t make sense it was more of a *take a breath* moment. I could rave all day just about this scene and the follow through. GAH THIS WHOLE BOOK WAS MAGNIFICENT.

Read and love it with me!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of parents, scenes involving therapy, parental abandonment, an incarcerated parent, brief physical altercations, bullying

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