Tag: indie author

Book Review: Class Act (The Thornback Society #1) by Aspen Hadley

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 288 pages
Author: Aspen Hadley
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 18th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It started out innocently enough . . .

Hailey Thomas is perfectly content living a quiet life as a second-grade teacher. She’s definitely not looking for a husband. But when one of her students can’t stop bragging about her single dad, she decides to do some sleuthing and what she finds turns her into a part-time internet stalker, complete with daydreams she can never admit to.

When the object of her research shows up at her school and accuses her of scheming with his eight year-old daughter, she vows to put an end to all of it and avoid him at all costs. Ford Whittaker may be a wealthy businessman and ridiculously handsome single dad, but he’s definitely not the man she’d imaged he was.

Only, avoiding Ford is becoming impossible thanks to her honorary uncle, her four best friends, and the daughter that actually is a schemer. Every week it’s something new, and the more they get thrown together, the more Hailey wonders if maybe she’d been a little bit lonelier than she realized.

And maybe Ford was too.

Class Act is a closed-door, sweet and swoony romance, with all the sizzle and no explicit content.

SWOONY.

I looooove a good swoony love interest and Ford hit all of those marks for me. I could not get enough of every single time he and Hailey were forced together (because forced proximity is one of the best tropes out there). There was fantastic relationship development. And the best part? NO THIRD ACT BREAK-UP. We’re all adult here folks.

My one eh thing is that I basically skipped over any of the (too long) scenes of Hailey talking to her friends. It was setting up for the future books and I think when that is written more subtly it comes across better. This was a bit much and made things drag out too long.

I adored Ford’s kids too. They were a nice charming touch. This book had me smiling and chuckling at some of the scenes and I always adore a book that can bring out those kind of feel good emotions. I look forward to more stories!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a spouse (off page, but recounted)

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Book Review: City of Gods and Monsters (House of Devils #1) by Kayla Edwards

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 760 pages
Author: Kayla Edwards
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: January 25th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Welcome to the city of Angelthene. We hope you survive.

Loren Calla has only ever been ordinary. As a human struggling to survive in a city that caters to the needs of vampires, werewolves, witches, and other supernatural creatures, she always assumed her life would remain simple, predictable, and as safe as her world would allow.

Until she barely escapes abduction at the hands of Darkslayers—supernatural bounty hunters that possess the Sight, a magical tracking ability that allows them to see a person’s aura—and one of her friends is taken in her place. The abductors are demanding a ransom: Loren’s life in exchange for her friend’s safe return. Loren will do whatever it takes to get her friend back—even if it means accepting help from Darien Cassel, the leader of the Seven Devils, the most feared Darkslaying circle in the city.

Darien specializes in tracking down demons and criminals that are better off dead than alive, so when he takes a job to track down Loren and finds out she is human—and couldn’t hurt a fly if her life depended on it—he decides to protect her instead of turn her in for a reward. As much as Loren doesn’t want to admit it, Darien is her best and only chance at finding her friend alive, if she can somehow manage to get along with him—and not fall head-over-heels in love with him in the process, which is far easier said than done.

When more women start disappearing, and some of them slowly turn up dead, Loren and Darien’s search for answers takes them deep into Angelthene’s corrupt underbelly, where they discover a dark secret that threatens to unravel their world. And when tragedy strikes, Loren learns that love can make an ordinary person do extraordinary things.

From the author of Dreams of Ice and Iron comes a new fantasy romance perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Ilona Andrews, and Cassandra Clare.

Please note: This book contains darker content that might be triggering for some readers, including violence, mature language, sexual content, drug abuse, death of an animal (with a HEA), sexual harassment, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and suicide. It is not intended for anyone under the age of 18.

I LIKED THE SECOND HALF.

I am in a big fantasy mood, and 700 pages? BRING IT ON.

I liked the way this one started of. It is well written and the story immediately gave me Crescent City vibes. I liked the set-up and the mystery surrounding Loren’s past.

What bugged me was the weird lust vibe throughout the first half (because it disappeared in the second for a long time??). I truly think there’s just better ways to emit emotion and connection with someone without it constantly being about what’s in their pants. I said what I said. When they weren’t walking around like horny teenagers, I actually enjoyed the romance between Loren and Darien. They had some great relationship building moments. Some good, WHO DID THIS TO YOU scenes and, my favorite, taking care of someone sick/injured. It turned out to be a super slow burn with actual spice not showing up until 90%+.

I was intrigued by the overall plot and magic system. I was kept in the dark just enough to not be annoying, but to inspire to keep reading to know what happens next. The side characters added a lot of great charm and I hope to get to know them more if I decide to pick up book two. I did find one scene to be a spot on copycat of a scene from ACOMAF. And while I don’t mind vibes and some similarities, I do kind of cringe when things to a little to exact. But that’s just my opinion!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: open door; explicit
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: graphic violence, drug abuse, suicide, torture, murder, loss of life

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Book Review: The Enemy and Miss Innes (Tales from the Highlands #2) by Martha Keyes

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Romance
Length: 311 pages
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: June 2nd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

All that stands between him and freedom? Turning her hatred to love.

Elizabeth Innes has a tongue too sharp for her own good, and she is never more ready to employ it than when faced with the MacKinnons. With just one piece of evidence connecting their clan to a near-deadly attack, she is determined to prove the laird guilty and see him brought to justice. So, when chance throws her in the company of one of the MacKinnon men, she resolves to take advantage of the opportunity to glean more information.

Malcolm MacKinnon has long lived under the thumb of his cousin and laird, Angus, who keeps a secret with the power to ruin him. With his mother and siblings entirely dependent upon Angus’s capricious generosity, he cannot afford to offend his cousin. When Angus proposes a way for him to finally be free of his shackles, Malcolm is more than ready to oblige. All he must do is help Angus seek revenge upon the rival, neighboring clan. The way to do it? Gain the trust—and love—of one of their young women.

As Malcolm and Elizabeth pursue their goals, they find their tasks much more difficult than anticipated, with challenges to their loyalties at every turn. Both must decide how far they are willing to go for revenge—and love.

A GOOD E2L.

I snagged this on audio and devoured it in a day! I love the way Martha Keyes tells stories and this was no different. I really appreciate that this felt true to the enemies to lovers trope and gave me all that angsty banter I love so well.

The storyline was good and moved at a steady pace. I liked the rebuilding aspects (which I felt was an overall illusion to more) and that we got to see the couple from the previous book too! There’s a good dose of drama that doesn’t go over the top and seeing the villain shut down is always one of my favorite parts of a book.

It’s an easy read and I love picking up books in this genre when the mood strikes.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: fires, assault, physical altercations, mentions of past domestic abuse, extortion, animal injury

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Book Review: Finding Gene Kelly by Torie Jean

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 406 pages
Author: Torie Jean
Publisher: Sunset and Camden Creative
Release Date: September 20th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

When five-year-old Evie O’Shea married her next-door neighbor in the wedding of the century, she had no idea she was swearing an oath to love the man who would grow into the bane of her existence until the end of time. Or that in ten years time, she’d start a long and winding journey to an eventual endometriosis diagnosis.

Now, aged twenty-six, Evie O’Shea lives in Paris, balancing precariously close to her Charlotte Lucas birthday. A burden to her parents, with no prospects and no money, Evie’s humdrum life needs a shake-up.

Enter Liam Kelly, the man Evie married at the age of five and promptly divorced at seven when he had the audacity to throw a muddy football at her while she was reading Eloise in Paris. Clad in a Henley and equipped with toned forearms and eye crinkles that rival Gene Kelly himself, Evie is determined to keep her ultimate temptation at a distance while she flails wildly navigating life, love, and endometriosis on the banks of the Seine.

But when a family announcement shakes up Evie’s world weeks before her brother’s wedding, Evie seeks Liam’s help to get through the wedding with some semblance of sanity intact.

Her request? Fake date.

Making a deal with the Devil always comes with a cost, though, and when Liam’s conditions which include elaborate backstories and practice dates, reignite passions her disease smothered long ago, Evie has to learn to fight for her dreams and break free from her life measured in ibuprofen pills and heating pad settings. Or else risk being alive but never truly living.

DON’T SLEEP ON THIS.

Like I almost did!? Definitely should have picked this up sooner because I enjoyed the heck out of it. This was a unique romance that had things I don’t regularly see and I felt the impact of that and all of the emotions.

I adored Evie. She is doing her best and you continually see that. I also loved seeing how good a friend she is to those close to her and her overall growth. I understood her initial gruffness with Liam and the thoughts surrounding that situation. BUT, the best part was that (before it was stretched on too long) you could see Evie have some productive thoughts about change. About seeing Liam’s side of the story and finally letting some of the past go.

Liam and Evie were gosh dang sweet and the childhood friends to lovers, second chance scenario had me clutching my chest. THE FEELS. Liam has clearly loved Evie for so long and I loooooooved him. The way he handled things, the charm her provided and how cute he was doing things for Evie. They are without a doubt a match. Even with the third act, I thought it made sense for the characters and story and, even better, not intensely drama filled. Add a little grand gesture at the end and I was smitten from start to finish.

I loved the way chronic illness and pain was discussed and approached. I loved the real way everything felt and the sentiments that hit so many of us. Such a beautiful read and I can’t wait for more now!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: a few almost scenes
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: endometriosis, toxic Mom, ableism, anxiety and panic attacks, fatphobia

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