Tag: indie author

Book Review: Off the Beaten Path (The Mountains are Calling #1) by Madison Wright

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Madison Wright
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 26th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Wren Daniels is in over her head.

Between organizing a charity auction and trying to renovate a cabin she can’t afford, she’s barely keeping her head above water. The only bright spot is her new friend she met on an anonymous dating app four months ago. That is, until she discovers he’s the last person she would have expected—her grumpy neighbor who she’s never gotten along with.

Holden Blankenship likes his life just the way it is.

After his wife left him, he spent years putting his life back together. Now he’s got his daughter who is the light of his world, his family, and surprisingly, an anonymous friend. But when his anonymous friend turns out to be his neighbor who drives him crazy, he’s not sure what to make of it. Especially when her contractor backs out of her cabin renovation project and he finds himself offering to help her. Now Wren is getting under his skin in a completely different way and turning all his carefully laid plans upside down.

As Wren continues to show up for Holden and Holden keeps proving to Wren that he’s not really as standoffish as he seems, the lines between friendship and more start to blur.

Their relationship may have gotten off to an unusual start, but some of the best things in life are just a little off the beaten path.

ALL THE STARS.

Good heavens I could not put this book down, I LOVED IT SO MUCH. It’s that perfect level of sexy without being spicy. That reallll good sweet spot where gosh dang those kissing scenes were fire. FIRE. And I absolutely adored that this was dual POV. I loved both Holden and Wren. They were this beautiful blend of messy and heartfelt and human. And June??? Are you kidding me. Loved her too. The new little family they built MELTED MY COLD HEART.

And I loved the setting. I’m really into the mountain and woods and all things rainy and foresty. I must go cozy up in my own cabin now. This had the best small town vibes. No overwhelming drama, just some quirky side characters and antics but also how they all came together?! I can’t. Like I said, this book got me in the feels good.

Loved it all. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. This is an incredible gem of a read I’ll be begging others to pick up.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: An Empress of Air & Chaos (An Empress #1) by Noelle Rayne

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 532 pages
Author: Noelle Rayne
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 10th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Under the light of the approaching Blood Moon, Emara Clearwater finds herself thrust into a world of supernatural magic. When her village is torn apart and everything she has ever known is shattered, she must navigate through a new world alongside her best friend, Cally. Meeting Witches with elemental magic, Shapeshifters and strikingly handsome Demon Hunters, it’s like she was always meant to find this world.
The Blacksteel brothers, members of a ferocious Clan of Demon Hunters, are bound by both blood and ancient oath to protect the kingdom from an army of demons. As the brothers grow closer to Emara, they will stop at nothing to protect her.
On her path of self-discovery, Emara finds herself questioning everything she has ever believed and must come to terms with some dark truths about her family’s past. Not only is she torn between what world she belongs to, but she also finds herself questioning matters regarding her heart. There is something about the Blacksteel brothers that unlock a part of Emara, that she kept suppressed for so long and she is finally beginning to feel it stir.
But there is a rising darkness…
A darkness that threatens to consume the Kingdom of Caledorna. An Army of Demons are on their way from the Underworld, instructed by their ruthless dark God, to find ancient relics that are the key to unlocking him from his cage.
And no one is safe.
Especially not Emara.
Emara must step into the light of the magic world or be swallowed by darkness forever.

NOT FOR ME.

I tried. I tried to enjoy this book but there were some issues that I just didn’t click with. I’ll be brief.

The writing itself was perfectly fine, BUT it came across as making the main characters seem much more juvenile and modern. The way some phrasing and style choices were used that I didn’t love.

And the love triangle romance seemed to be between the main character and two brothers. That’s got to be my least favorite iteration of this trope.

I will not be continuing this series.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: assault, murder, loss of loved ones

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Best Thing by Mariana Zapata

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Mariana Zapata
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 7th, 2019
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lenny DeMaio made herself a promise: she was done.

Done thinking about him.

Done worrying about him.

Done reaching out to a man who clearly didn’t want to be found.

Too bad no one gave Jonah Collins the memo.

BETTER OVER TIME.

I was worried for a bit that this might become my new least favorite MZ book. Luckily I do think the second half saved the day and I was pretty smitten with this story.

Jonah was something else. Oh my goodness I adored him. I looooove how he came in, tried his best, apologized for his transgressions and made an honest effort to love and support Lena and the situation before him. And those small jealousy and protection moments? MY FAV. I did like Lena a lot too. While I wish she didn’t cuss so much in the first half (it really felt out of control), I liked seeing her character progression too. A loyal and loving woman who was impressively open to what would be best for her circumstances.

I felt like there was a bit less romance than I was expecting or hoped for? It didn’t give me as many swoony moments as my heart wanted. And the first 50% of this book was SLOW.

The ending was absolutely heart squeezing good and even made my tear up. ALL THE FEELS.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: very strong
  • Romance: 2 open; high explicit
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: parental abandonment, loss of a loved one

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: Rebel Summer (Falling for Summer) by Cindy Steel

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 364 pages
Author: Cindy Steel
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 31st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Every good summer has a little bad…

I wasn’t supposed to be in Sunset Harbor for more than a weekend. But thanks to, let’s just call it—an unforeseen act of stupidity on my part—I’m here for the whole summer. And for the first time in my life, I’m in a whole lot of trouble.

The sentence? Community service paid toward the person I accidentally wronged.

The problem? That person happens to be Dax Miller. The guy who always spent more time fighting the law than obeying it. He’s also the guy I once told to have a nice life amounting to nothing.

So…it’s been fun being court-ordered to serve him now.

Except the more time I spend with Dax fighting and fixing what was broken, the more I remember that sizzling…something…that’s always been between us. Or that smile of his that can get me to do just about anything. Let me be clear, with a politician for a father, I don’t do trouble. But what happens when the temptation to embrace that inner rebel becomes too strong to resist?

And what do I do when the guy who has only dated trouble his entire life, has his sights set on me?

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

*INCOHERENT SCREECHING*

I wish y’all could have seen me read this book. I truly had a giddy little grin on my face the entire time (sorry to those who watched me reading at the gym). BUT IT WAS TOO GOOD NOT TO ENJOY WITH MY WHOLE HEART. Cindy Steel is one of my favorites and she delivered another swoony romance again.

There were many key moments in here that will make you squeal. I loved the immediate banter and chemistry between Dax and Ivy. They are EVERYTHING. The tension filled push and pull will bring you to your KNEES. Every single interaction felt tangible. I melted at each kissing scene and I loved how they brought out another side in each other. You can see the growth from their separation Dax and Ivy have had a for a few years and I loved the slow dismantling of their walls and seeing all the love that was between them.

This was the perfect adult summer romance book. I can’t beg y’all enough to pick it up. It is swoony and heated (kisses only!), has this perfectly tuned nostalgic quality and gosh dang DAX Y’ALL. I am not over this man. I’m just not over this book. The soft and tender moments combined with the fun and joy of falling in love squeezed my heart. A new all time favorite.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph