Tag: indie author

Book Review: Tell Me You Love Me (Boys of Riverside #4) by Gracie Graham

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 385 pages
Author: Gracie Graham
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 28th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Brynn Nichols is an enigma wrapped up in a riddle I can’t decipher.

She’s my best friend’s twin sister, the only girl immune to my charms. Far too wholesome for a player like me. Getting under her skin is my favorite pastime. And it’s not hard to do considering how much she hates me. But when football and summer classes take us to the same college, her brother makes me promise to watch over her. Keep an eye on her since he can’t.

I try to resist her, I really do.
She’s off-limits.
Too good for me.

There are a million reasons acting on my attraction toward her is wrong. But her biting remarks and constant scowls aren’t enough to keep me at bay.
Especially when her psycho roommate leaves her in need of a place to stay. Inviting her to bunk with me for the summer is the worst possible idea.

But I never said I was smart.
Several kisses and one heated encounter later, I’m in over my head.
If her brother finds out about us, he’ll kill me.
So, we agree to keep it quiet.

But there are demons lurking behind her smooth skin, soft lips, and long blonde hair. Reasons for her ire I don’t know about. And when I discover the truth, the lines between loyalty, love, and friendship are drawn. Now I’m so far away from the line, I can’t even see it anymore. And with the way I’m feeling, I’m not sure I want to.

LOVE THE CHEMISTRY.

This book about lit my kindle on fire. I love this series and loved that this one had a college setting. Two people clearly destined for each other kept butting heads until they realized it?? Yes, I love that vibe. Brynn and Jace were the best kind of opposites attract and I loved the brother’s best friend trope here too. The edge of forbidden-ness was fantastic.

I didn’t love the way some of the third act was handled. It didn’t make sense with the character and story progression at that time. I felt frustrated more than anything but I am grateful that the ending fully came together in a really sweet manner. I loved seeing previous characters and all of those romance book moments that make you swoon. I’m excited to finish this series soon!

Overall audience notes:

  • New adult sports romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: moderate innuendo; fade to black
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content Warnings: sexual assault and attempted r@pe, absent parents

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Rookie Season (The Boys of Loft 3B #1) by Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★.75
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 330 pages
Author: Katie Bailey and Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

He’s starting his rookie season in the NHL…

Noah Downsby has always had one goal: play professional hockey. Now that he’s finally made it, he’s determined to prove himself. And if he’s going to have the best rookie season in NHL history, he needs zero distractions.

But Noah didn’t plan for Allegra—Ally—Callahan moving in with him.

With her sassy smile, smart mouth, and bad habit of ‘borrowing’ his jerseys—nevermind her stupid cat who won’t stop sleeping in his bed—one thing’s for

Ally is officially a distraction.

…She’s moving across the country to start over.

The rumors say she’s a bad girl, but they’re all lies. Lies that have ruined her reputation.

So when Ally’s offered a fresh start in San Francisco, she packs up her life and brings her baggage out west—emotional and otherwise.

Living in a swanky loft with three NHL players is a world away from college dorms, but at least two of her new roommates treat her like one of the guys.

And then there’s Noah.The grump whose broody glances turn her blood hot. Who makes her feel both safe and sexy…when he’s not icing her out.

As things between Noah and Ally heat up, their walls come down. And suddenly, there’s a whole lot more than his rookie season on the line…

I’M HERE FOR IT.

I gotta say, I like this sexier writing style of LB & KB. It is that delicious level of heat without being open door and I can’t tell y’all how deeply I will BEG to have more authors in this category. It once again goes to show, you do not have to have spice to have a heated romance and I will die on this hill.

ANYWAYS.

I really did love the New Girl loft dynamics here. The boys were such gems and I adored the way they played off of each other and took care of each other. I love strong male friendship groups and that Allegra found her own close girlfriends too.

It did take me just a touch to get into (and I don’t know if that’s because I was getting used to the new setting or that the flow of writing was off for a few chapters). BUT, I thought things only got better and better and I binge read the second half of this book. I could not put it down and LOOOOVED it all. I loved the character growth for both Ally and Noah. I loved seeing old characters. I loved the protectiveness and all of the hockey content. Just so many good things stood out to me.

I’m very excited to read more books from this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Sports Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: heated make-outs with light touching
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: mentions of loss of parents (recounted), brief physical violence, recounting of sexual assault

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Trial of Bronze and Blood (Bronze and Blood Saga #1) by M.K. Deoradhan

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 434 pages
Author: M.K. Deoradhan
Publisher: Aethon Books
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Gladiator meets Heartless Hunter meets Bloodguard in this new adult fantasy romance.

Four deadly trials will reunite them. One secret will tear them apart.

When a mission goes wrong and ends with her best friend dead, Drusilla Valerius is rescued by someone she never expected to see again: Marcus Scaevola. The only man she’s ever cared for—the man who spurned her feelings six years ago.

Marcus should’ve known Dru wouldn’t be the same woman he left all those years ago, and he’s unprepared for her distrust of him – and her uncanny ability to kill. But he has a purpose for seeking her out.

Bound by loyalty, he convinces her to train King Cato of Anziano, one of the last countries yet to fall to the tyrannical Imperium, in the Valorem Blood Trials.

Unlike years’ past, the Imperium has a heavy hand in it, hiding beneath the guise of peace and unity between their two countries. When both Dru and Marcus find themselves joining the competition – Dru to take the place of an innocent and Marcus to protect the king – they’re forced to trust one another with their lives.

Now inescapably entrenched in the gory, duplicitous world of the blood trials, feelings long-buried surface, blurring the lines between duty and honor, love and loyalty. But Marcus carries a devastating secret–one that could destroy the foundations of Dru’s world…

Don’t miss this adult romantasy debut combining the second-chance romance of Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli with the deadly trials of Gladiator.

I THINK I’LL READ BOOK TWO.

I thought overall this was a good debut. It covered a lot of ground in the world building and while the magic system is still elusive and needs better rules, I can see the potential in future books.

The same goes for the romance. This is a second chance romantasy (which I feel is very uncommon for me to come across) so I don’t know that it worked super well. And while I appreciate that it wasn’t spice forward and that there was a slow burn I wanted more from the romance in regards to the emotional build and conversations.

There’s enough here though that I think for a debut there’s a chance for upward trajectory in future books. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the leads and the king. There were a few things throughout that felt fresh and different for this genre which gives me hope for book two!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: 2ish open door
  • Violence: moderate +

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: One Last Thing (The Seddledowne #1) by Susan Henshaw

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 367 pages
Author: Susan Henshaw
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One shattered farm girl. The cowboy who’s always loved her. Ninety days under one roof.

After high school, Silas Dupree couldn’t put his hometown in the rearview mirror fast enough.

His hopes? That two thousand miles would be enough distance to make his stupid heart forget Clementine Shepherd, his sister’s best friend.

But a decade later, when his twin, Sophie, dies, Silas is forced to return home.

In true Sophie fashion, she couldn’t leave well enough alone, even dead. And when the will is read Silas and Clementine are shocked to find that Sophie left her teenage daughter to both of them.

With one stipulation.

The three must reside together, as a family, for ninety days before deciding on permanent custody. If they fail, a judge will decide Anna’s fate.

Can Clementine endure an entire summer with the quiet, closed-off man who ghosted her the minute they got their diplomas?

And can Silas keep his word to his new fiancé back in Wyoming while sleeping across the hall from the only woman he’s ever truly loved?

Perfect for readers who enjoy a sweet, slow burn. There will be hilarity and heartbreak, tears and tire-slashing. But always a hard-earned happily ever after.

WELL THAT TOOK A TURN.

This book left me a bit befuddled. I was really into it for the first half, even was able to roll with it until the last 30%ish. Then I thought that the drama went off the rails a bit and just didn’t seem all that necessary to get to the conclusion that was imminent.

I loved that Silas was a fall first, I have been in love with your forever, kind of man. I loved how he took care of Clementine and gave into the need and want that he had been holding back for years.

Clementine, I liked her. She had a few up and down moments for me but I did feel like she was truly trying her best with a handful of crappy situations. I’m not sure how I feel about one of the plot points used in this book and am just going to sit on the fence about it.

I can’t decide if I am going to read book two or not (I might just skip to three??) because of a few scenes in this book too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: miscarriage, cheating

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph