Tag: indie author

Book Review: The Hardest Fall by Ella Maise

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 430 pages
Author: Ella Maise
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: April 16th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The first time you meet someone, you make eye contact. You smile, say hello. Should be simple, if you’re anyone but me. The first time I met Dylan Reed, I found myself making eye contact with a different part of his body. You see, I’m very good at being shy, not to mention extremely well-versed in rambling nonsense and, unfortunately, rather highly skilled at making a fool of myself in front of a guy I’m attracted to.

At the time, I knew nothing about him and thought none of what I said would matter since I’d never speak to him again. Turns out, I was very wrong. He was the star wide receiver of the football team, one of the few players expected to make it into the NFL, and I ended up seeing him all over campus.
I might have also propositioned him, run away from him, attacked him with a cooking utensil…and…uh, maybe I shouldn’t tell you all of it. It’s pretty normal stuff, things you’d expect…from me. Eventually, the time came when I couldn’t hide anymore—not that he’d have let me even if I tried.
Before now, he never knew I was secretly watching him. Now that we see each other every day, he knows when I have a hard time looking away. It doesn’t help that I’m not the most subtle person in the world either.

He smiles at me and tells me he finds me fascinating because of my quirks. I can’t even tell him that I think my heart beats differently whenever he’s around.

He thinks we’re going to be best friends. I think I have a big thing for him, and the more I get to know him, the more I don’t care that I’m not allowed to be his friend, let alone fall for him.
The thing is, that’s exactly what I’m doing—what we’re doing, I think.

Falling.
Hard.

EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED.

I started this one off not knowing how I would feel about it and then found myself holding my hand to my open mouth in shock watching the other shoe drop angry I had to put my audio book away for real life things because I NEEDED ANSWERS. Cleary this book wrapped me up and I was utterly smitten with Dylan and Zoe.

This turned out to be a really sweet strangers to friends to lovers scenario. I loved the forced proximity and all of the subtle moments that brought Dylan and Zoe together. I can’t help but love a good jealousy or protective moment and this had BOTH. I can also happily say this is definitely a sports romance. I loved the football aspects that were woven in well to the plot too.

I thought the Mark thing was initially off putting until fully explained and I wish that that creep factor hadn’t bee there at all. I don’t have any major issues otherwise. This was a swoony new adult romance that I could not put down.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Sports Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 3-4 open; high explicit
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: rape (occurs to a side character, aftermath depicted), physical assault

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Book Review: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion Vol. 6 (The Unselected Journals #6) by Beth Brower

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 245 pages
Author: Beth Brower
Publisher: Rhysdon Press
Release Date: November 29th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

There is bedlam, and there is delightful bedlam.
This afternoon touched on the second, much to my pleasure.

The Year is 1884 and Emma M. Lion has, at long last, gained her majority. Entering a golden age of friendship with Pierce, Islington, and Hawkes, Emma is confident she will manage whatever comes her way. It is The Season she must help Arabella secure a husband, while navigating the threat of Aunt Eugenia, the unflagging adoration of Charles Goddard, and the amusing unpredictability of St. Crispian’s. But the secrets of her trusted friends are what might very well bring about disaster.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Readers have compared The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion to Jane Austen, P.G. Wodehouse, L. M. Montgomery, and Jean Webster.

HOLY CLIFFHANGER.

Illegal cliffhanger alert, GOOD HEAVENS. I love it. I love it so much.

Another delightful read in this series that left me smiling, chuckling and shaking my kindle shouting KISS KISS KISS ALREADY. Because this is who I am as a person.

I love the more I read, the more I fall in love with these characters. The plot is a meandering of life happenings that slowly showcase how Emma is learning and growing. I love the journal style and I can’t wait to have my hands on the next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kiss

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Book Review: A Kingdom of Nomads (Outcast #2) by S.B. Nova

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 940 pages
Author: S.B. Nova
Publisher: Night Owl Publishing
Release Date: January 29th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

As the darkness grows, so must the light…

Branded as enemies of the fae kingdom, Serena and her friends are on the run from the witch queen, Morgan. They reach sanctuary, only to discover shocking secrets that separate them.

Serena’s newfound destiny takes her to a land plagued by endless war. To survive there, she is forced to bloody her sword, escape an evil king, and confront a god.

But when her brother is captured, she faces her greatest challenge yet. She must harness a deadly magic and embrace the wild witch within. Not only to free her kin, but to save her mate and protect the realm from a queen who’d murder the world just to wear a crown.

WAY TOO LONG.

I don’t think I would have gotten through this if it wasn’t for buddy reading it and listening to it on audio. I just don’t know why this needed to be nearly 1,000 pages long? It’s basically one very long-winded travel story with out a whole lot happening until the last 20%.

Not to mention, I waited WAY TOO FLIPPIN’ LONG to find out more about how the romance is working out. I won’t say details for spoiler reasons. But I’m very conflicted and was hoping for a different angle. I don’t know, maybe book three will work this issue out.

There’s some good moments throughout. The plot did eventually move forward at a glacial pace. I still needed more action and more general things happening. There’s random POV’s of some of the side characters thrown in and I also don’t think this added to the story.

I have been waiting for this sequel for years and I really wish it had worked out as a better read for me. Will I read book three? Probably so.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy + Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: 2-3 open door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: battle scenes, blood/gore depiction, sexual assault, murder, physical and weapons violence, loss of loved ones

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Once Upon a Boyband (Midnight Rush #1) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 358 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Once upon a time, she slept with his poster beside her bed. Now he’s all grown up, hiding behind a burly beard and lots of flannel … and she doesn’t have a clue.

Eight years ago, Adam Driscoll walked away from his stage name—Deke—and the boyband that turned him into an international star before his eighteenth birthday.

And he never looked back.

It didn’t even matter that everyone blamed him for the band’s breakup. He might miss making music, but he had good reasons for walking. Give him solitude over thousands of screaming fans any day of the week.

These days, the only company he’s truly interested in is that of the vet who works closely with his dog rescue—Dr. Laney Lawson. She’s brilliant, funny, beautiful, and best of all, she has no idea he used to be a pop star.

But then Adam’s bandmates reach out about a one-time reunion concert benefiting a charity that’s close to his heart, and he starts to wonder if some things are worth a little extra attention. He loves the idea of singing again, but saying yes would out him to the small mountain community that has become his refuge. Worse, it would out him to Laney.

But old hurts can’t stay buried forever. And something tells Adam that scary or not, saying yes is the decision he needs to make. He just has to hope he doesn’t lose the life—or the woman—he loves in the process.

Once Upon a Boyband is a sweet romantic comedy with all the crackling chemistry and sizzling kisses you want in a closed-door romcom. Perfect for fans of romantic comedy with a little less heat.

Thank you to Jenny Proctor for the eARC.

WHAT A CRUSH, WHAT A RUSH.

I’m running with these lyrics and can’t be stopped.

ANYWAYS.

Jenny Proctor is officially my favorite author when it comes to celebrity romance stories. I love them. She reminds me that any trope can work if done correctly, and hot dang is it done WELL in Once Upon a Boyband. I loved it. I’m obsessed with the whole Midnight Rush band I will accept nothing less than a romance about each one of them.

I loved the relationship dynamic between Adam and Laney. The trajectory was different than the standard romance check list and I could not get enough. There were multiple moments where I was like YES, THIS IS HOW YOU ROMANCE. Because it just felt truly authentic and real and sweet and tender. I loved that they truly felt adult too and had the hard conversations that led them to be able to move forward.

It’s such an easy book to fly through. It is a little bit heavier than JP’s usually books but don’t let that deter you. The themes are amazing and pull at your heart strings. I loved Adam’s journey to healing and allowing himself to not be weighed down by everything he was trying to carry alone. I loved the friendships and small town and going to my favorite fictional farm again.

I’m aware I’m rambling, TRUST ME READ IT OKAY.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: heated kisses
  • Content Warnings: loss of mother (recounted, recurrent theme; cancer)

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