Book Review: Acting Up (Wayfair Witches #8) by A.A. Albright

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Length: 292 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: August 9th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Wanda Wayfair does not believe in prophecies…

There’s a murderer on the set of Be My Witch, and Wanda is afraid that all the wrong people are being killed. Because in the vision she saw, Mandy Parker was the one who died.

With the help of the victims’ familiars, Wanda races to solve the case. But can she find the killer before Mandy becomes the next victim?

Wanda really hopes so – because if not, she might have to admit that prophecies can come true, after all …

LOVED THIS.

This is my favorite installment yet. Namely because of one scene that I needed to happen, DID. And don’t you love it when you get what you asked for?

The mystery for this was also interesting. I keep wondering if I’ll eventually get bored of the murder mystery aspect and I still haven’t. Each one has it’s own tone and plays back into the true over-arching plot of the entire series. I’m easily wrapped back in each time wondering who is actually the murderer and for that matter, WHY.

I love all of these side characters. Max, Finn, Melissa and more. They are just the epitome of friends with Wanda. I would definitely read spin-off books about them (HINT HINT).

Now that all of these instances have occurred I am even more into this. I want to know how it ends and I can’t wait to finish this series too. I’m even planning on reading the Melissa side stories too!

Overall audience notes:

  • Paranormal cozy mystery
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: murder, physical altercations

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Book Review: The Temporary Roomie (It Happened in Nashville #2) by Sarah Adams

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 286 pages
Author: Sarah Adams
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: April 1st, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What happens when you have to play nice with your greatest enemy? Revenge.

Drew Marshall may have let me move into his spare bedroom while my house is being renovated, but don’t think for one second his kindness comes without strings. Big, ugly, fake relationship strings.

That’s okay, though, Dr. Andrew. I’ll agree to your terms, move into your house, and act like
your girlfriend when the big day comes; but I also plan to make your life miserable—make you pay for what you did to me.

I may not be good at forgiving or forgetting, but I’m excellent at getting even.

Get ready to laugh until you cry with this sizzling, hilarious, closed-door romantic comedy!

NO SURPRISE, I LOVED IT.

Sarah Adams has officially become an auto-read author for me. I want all of her books all of the time. Adams books just make you feel GOOD. They’re not high drama, high intensity. They’re full of things to make you laugh (of which I did), swoon a bit (of which also happened) and have a fantastic time reading.

I’ve never read a pregancy trope contemporary romance. As my first one I can say I really loved the way it all played out. I didn’t know quite how the storyline would work but the journey Jessie and Drew went on was perfect. I love that this doesn’t have some huge conflict that causes a break-up. There’s honest conversations, raw emotions and genuine desire.

There’s even some more tropes you might love!! Enemies to lovers, only one bed, and fake dating. You can clearly see how easy it was for me to love it. The chemistry was FIRE. I cheered for them the entire time.

And that ENDING. I teared up. It was BEAUTIFUL. Not exactly how I imagined it and I didn’t care one lick. It was even better. I loved it. Adorable, memberable, and so very tender and sweet. I love Drew. I love Jessie. I love that this had the cutest happily ever after.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Langauge: none
  • Romance: kisses to implied closed door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: partner abandonment, loss of parent

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ARC Book Review: It’s Just Business (The Wedding Business #2) by Summer Dowell

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Contemporary romance
Length: TBD
Author: Summer Dowell
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: March 25th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I despise him. I despise everything about this business-stealing man who has eyes the color of hot chocolate and a perfectly sun-kissed tan I can’t stop thinking about…Like I said, despise.

Having grown up with a mom who had more boyfriends than a flower has petals, I have zero fairy tale aspirations of true love. It doesn’t exist. But when a dreamy man with the perfect smile and a propensity for volunteering keeps running into me, I start to think maybe I was wrong all along.

That is until I realize he’s the scumbag that stole my flower shop right out from under me.

I know I should be the bigger person. Move on. But somehow, revenge seems the only answer. Pity, revenge seems to be showing me that Austin might actually be a good person instead of the villain I painted him to be.

In the end, it’s all just business though, isn’t it?”

A laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers romance that is full of all the sarcasm and swoons!

Thank you to the author for an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own!

CUTE AND LIGHT.

This was a nice, light, fluffy read. I liked the fast pace and am legitimately considering a future career in floral design. I want to work with flowers all day like Haley.

Haley had me laughing often with how much junk food she eats. Wow I wish I could eat like her all the time. She’s a quirky character with a lot of charm. I loved her style and charm. Austin was a good love interest. He seemed to be a good match for Haley. I liked a lot of their banter, but had a hard time with some of their meet-ups. They didn’t seem organic. Some of the places they went seemed to be forcing an idea rather than letting things happen naturally.

This was an enemies to lovers book, but really light on the enemies. There wasn’t a huge amount of animosity over the workplace situation. I was hoping for a bit more angst, yet I guess that this could also be a plus. It’s a light-hearted read which also can hit really well at the right time. I wish some of the sabotaging didn’t continue on so long. Gratefully the ending seemed to satisfy that resolution with how both characters felt about what happened.

I thought this was sweet and definitely a pick-me-up type of read. And what I always love about this author’s books are the epilogues. Totally cheesy and I’m not even sorry about how much I love them.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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Book Review: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 487 pages
Author: Elena Armas
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: February 23rd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A wedding. A trip to Spain. The most infuriating man. And three days of pretending. Or in other words, a plan that will never work.

Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year.

That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call.

Four weeks wasn’t a lot of time to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic–from NYC and all the way to Spain–for a wedding. Let alone, someone eager to play along my charade. But that didn’t mean I was desperate enough to bring the 6’4 blue eyed pain in my ass standing before me.

Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. Right after inserting his nose in my business, calling me delusional, and calling himself my best option. See? Outrageous. Aggravating. Blood boiling. And much to my total despair, also right. Which left me with a surly and extra large dilemma in my hands. Was it worth the suffering to bring my colleague and bane of my existence as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding? Or was I better off coming clean and facing the consequences of my panic induced lie?

Like my abuela would say, que dios nos pille confesados.

The Spanish Love Deception is an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating romantic comedy. Perfect for those looking for a steamy slow-burn romance with the sweetest Happily Ever After.

AN ABSOLUTE NEW FAVORITE.

This is one of those reviews I want to WRITE IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

I didn’t even notice it was 500 pages (which is usually on the longer side for a contemporary romance) because it didn’t matter. This book was amazing. I am completely smitten with AARON BLACKFORD. Oh gosh. Swoon-worthy, romantic, stoic, loyal, an absolute cinnamon roll.

“Because when I finally take those lips in mine, it will be the furthest thing from pretending. I will not be showing you what it would be like if you were mine. I’ll show you what it is.”

Add together some of my FAVORITE tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace, only one bed, fake dating. Oh my gosh, how can you go wrong?!

Answer: YOU CAN’T.

I knew from 50 pages in I was going to love it. That’s how well this hooked me. Sunk its teeth into my soul and took me a long for some a perfect ride. Going to Spain, meeting the family, little confessions of love, ahhhh. I’m writing this review right after finishing so I am sporadic because I HAVE NO CHILL.

Watching walls crash down, and the most beautiful slowwww burn occur over this trip left me breathless. They discuss important topics with care and handled them so wel. My heart would flip every time Lina and Aaron got close. I couldn’t get enough.

“You feel complete in my arms. You feel like my home.”

Another great thing I loved was that the conflict was placed in the exact spot it needed to be. AAAAND it wasn’t overdone. No drag out, unnecessary issues. Pure, raw, revealing truths that made both characters shine brighter. Hot dang, I love Aaron and Lina so much.

A fantastic book. Had everything I want when I read a romance.

TL;DR: READ THIS BOOK.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: kisses to a few open door scenes
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, sexism in the workplace, grief, unsafe dieting (restriction of food)

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