Book Review: Compared (The Sweet Rom”Com” #1) by Kortney Keisel

July 12, 2022January 11, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 324 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 4th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Meg

Confession: I’m attracted to my student’s dad. Let me give you Tyler Dixon’s resume: thoughtful, manly, father of the year, widower, ridiculously attractive (basically the opposite of a dad bod).

This might sound like good news for someone like me—someone who dreams of getting married and becoming a mom—but it’s not. Getting involved with a parent is grounds for immediate removal at my school, and right now, my fragile heart can’t handle being fired. My mom just died. My boyfriend broke up with me, and to top it all off, my dad started dating again. Stable employment is the only good thing I have. Risking my job and my heart is the most foolish thing I could do.

Tyler

Being a widower isn’t like the movies. There’s not a block of women knocking on my door, bringing me casseroles every day. No, real life is work, laundry, and groceries—all while being both the mom and the dad. I’m pretty much failing at this single-parent thing. I don’t have time to date. Which is good since the only woman I’m interested in keeps pushing me away: Miss Johnson. Emphasis on the Miss—as in, my son’s teacher. It’s hard to convince a woman to go out with you when she’ll get fired. But it’s either pursuing Meg, despite her job, or the never-ending depths of loneliness—no big deal.

Compared is a witty, heartfelt rom-com with a teacher/parent romance, an irresistible single dad, and swoony chemistry that will have you rooting for a happily-ever-after while keeping the romance closed-door.

THIS WAS GOOD.

I’ve mentioned before that I didn’t love Keisel’s YA dystopian series. Didn’t get past the first book. BUT, I had heard wonderful things about her turn in contemporary romance and thought I’d give it a shot. Happily surprised that this was a hit and I will be continuing this series!

I adored Tyler. I love the single Dad trope and this one was so tender and soft. Coping with grief and loss (Tyler is a widower) was at the forefront, but the way that it was presented was touching. I felt the emotions from him, and also appreciated the lighter, make me laugh kind of moments too. I thought that Tyler and Meg had a great connection and their meet-cute hit it off just right with the banter. Meg grew on me over the book and I liked her enough by the end.

What wasn’t my favorite was the the ridiculous ex-boyfriend who kept showing up for no reason. Meg and him broke-up, lets move on and not keep bringing him back for “drama”. I also didn’t love the push/pull towards the end. It was repetitive. I liked the all out argument and conversation leading to some moments of reflection, and then coming back together. That’s where it should’ve stopped.

Anywho, this was great. I liked the story and the couple a lot. I would love more stories with the other sisters (that’s where this is going right?!). I liked the side characters and the general nature of the book itself. Looking forward to the next.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: make-outs
Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions of grief, loss of a parent and wife (not on page, recounted often)

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Book Review: The Saltwater Heir (The Blood and Water Saga #1) by Cassidy Clarke

July 5, 2022April 28, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 560 pages
Author: Cassidy Clarke
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: June 25th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Princess Soren of Nyx is no stranger to loss after a decade-long war with the neighboring kingdom of Atlas. But with her best friend slowly succumbing to a cruel Atlas poison, she hatches a reckless plan: kidnap the enemy prince from the battlefield and use his life to barter for the antidote.

But when that prince calls her by a different name…the name of his sister, whose death began the war ten years ago…everything changes.

Stolen away to Atlas, trapped behind enemy lines, Soren must navigate a kingdom she knows nothing about, surrounded by a family she doesn’t remember, and work to hunt down the antidote only Atlas possesses, all while strange memories fight to take over-memories of a different life, a different home, a different girl.

And memories aren’t the only thing awakened by Soren’s return. Dark, forbidden magics begin to stir, threatening both her new life and her old. With death stalking in every shadow, the lost princess must fight harder and sacrifice more than she ever dreamed to save what she holds most dear.

READ IT.

Uh wow, how have I not known about this book? It’s a gem. AND YOU NEED TO READ IT TOO PLEASE.

This, hands down, has the best sibling relationships I have ever read. They felt incredibly real and they were tight knit. But that didn’t stop arguments, nor did it stop apologies. I think getting a multi point of view set-up with everyone really sold this book for me. I loved seeing everyone’s sides and decisions. What they were thinking and how that played into the further plot.

The MAIN character, Soren, is just on the cusp of some major character arcs (well, everyone is for that matter). Saltwater did a great job of accomplishing a cast that needs to grow, but without making you not want to keep going. I LOVE the initial vibes for Finn, Kal, Soren, Elias and more. I think some serious moves will be made throughout the series.

There’s only a dash of romance at this time (which I am curious as to how it’ll be carried over multiple books). I would have loved a bit more, yet by the time some feelings were being expressed I realized I was very much emotionally attached to these two getting their way. The best kind of feelings towards fiction relationships.

I couldn’t get enough of this book and it is so easy to fly through. There’s not intense world-building throughout. It works well in that it’s still easy to know who’s who and what the overall plot will continue to be. I’m interested in many of the sub-plots with meddling gods and betrayals galore.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy
Language: some
Romance: kisses
Violence: medium
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, wasting sicknesses, near death experiences, weapons violence, battle scenes

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: June 2022

July 1, 2022June 30, 2022 GoodeyReads2 Comments

Another month of some great reads! Reviews will be out in the coming months. Feel free to comment if you have any questions about the books you see!

Favorites this month: The Stardust Thief, The Inadequate Heir, Daughter of No Worlds, It’s All in How You Fall, The Blood Traitor, Furysong, Empire of Storms, Fire Falling, and Children of Fallen Gods

A Lily in Disguise (Wycliffe Family #1) by Jessica Scarlet
Song of the Forever Rains (Mousai #1) by E.J. Mellow
Unlikely Match by Laura Bradbury
Rivals (American Royals #3) by Katharine McGee
See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Something Wilder by Christina Lauren
[ARC] Beasts of Ruin (Beasts of Prey #2) by Ayanna Gray
The Changeup (The Vegas Kings #1) by Emily C. Childs
West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
The Stardust Thief (The Sandsea Trilogy #1) by Chelsea Abdullah
The Serpent’s Curse (The Last Magician #3) by Lisa Maxwell
[Reread] The Inadequate Heir (The Bridge Kingdom #3) by Danielle L. Jensen
Twin Crowns (Twin Crowns #1) by Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber
The Truth about Miss Ashbourne by Joanna Barker
All Fired Up by Dylan Newton
The Sunken City (The Sunken City #1) by Emma V.R. Noyes
Winterlight (Green Rider #7) by Kristen Britain
Daughter of No Worlds (The War of Lost Hearts #1) by Carissa Broadbent
It’s All in How You Fall by Sarah Henning
The Art of Victory (The Donovans #1) by Martha Keyes
Together We Burn by Isabel Ibanez
[Novella] Maybe Not (Maybe #1.5) by Colleen Hoover
Places We’ve Never Been by Kasie West
The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer #3) by Lynette Noni
[Novella] The Sweetest Connection (Airport Novellas #3) by Denise Williams
Nightfall (Keeper of the Lost Cities #6) by Shannon Messenger
[Reread] Empire of Storms (Throne of Glass #5) by Sarah J. Maas
On Rotation by Shirlene Obuobi
[ARC] Furysong (The Aurelian Cycle #3) by Rosaria Munda
[ARC] Check Mate (Under Kansas Skies #3) by Leah Brunner
[Reread] Fire Falling (Air Awakens #2) by Elise Kova
Cover Story by Susan Rigetti
Blood Scion (Blood Scion #1) by Deborah Falaye
Children of Fallen Gods (The War of Lost Hearts #2) by Carissa Broadbent
[ARC] Stealing Infinity (Stolen Beauty #1) by Alyson Noel

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ARC Book Review: Check Mate (Under Kansas Skies #3) by Leah Brunner

July 1, 2022June 26, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 300 pages
Author: Leah Brunner
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: July 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

How did I find myself sharing a tent with my obnoxious—albeit gorgeous—neighbor, Isabella Romero?

It all started with a stupid bet.

All I had to do in order to win was something unpredictable. (Which my brother thought was impossible for the ever-boring David Windell).

Well, I showed him… by booking a trek in the Andes Mountains to see Machu Picchu.

When the brochure for the expedition mysteriously appeared on my front porch, along with Isabella’s cat who doesn’t have boundaries, it was like fate interceded: I could win the bet while simultaneously getting a vacation from my irritating neighbor.

Two birds, one stone.

Except, it turns out that was Isabella’s brochure… and she booked the same trip.

So here I am, stuck sharing a tent with the woman who drives me crazy—and makes my heart race like never before.

Check Mate is book three in the Under Kansas Skies Series, but can be read as a standalone. Check mate is a dual POV, closed-door romcom. It contains mild language and innuendo.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

THIS WAS SWEET!

Sometimes what you need is a fast paced contemporary romance and I feel like this mostly delivered in that department.

I adored the opposites attract vibes between Isabella and David. It’s not enemies in anyway. Just two people creating some laugh out loud neighborly pranks between each other before realizing how much they actually care about one another. It’s mega sweet and I loved seeing David come out of his shell. This also gave me major wanderlust as someone who is very much like David with a resistance and hesitancy towards big adventures.

Isabella was the perfect balance. I loved that she was a travel blogger and it was a career field I don’t see explored often in the contemporaries I happen to pick up. She has an amazing sense of who she wants to be and standing up to her Mom was the cherry on top.

My issue with a lot of this read was the depth. It is SO FAST that I felt like I was missing something. I wanted deeper explorations of everything. The main characters, side characters, maybe a good sub-plot or two. Anything to increase my connection with the story as whole. I kept feeling like the chapters were cutting off really quickly and moving on to complete new scenes without steady pacing.

This is another good installment to the series though. The conflict was truly natural and not overdrawn and gosh dang it do I love a sappy grand gesture ending. I was grinning hard at those closing scenes.

And I anxiously await getting my hands on the next brother’s story because I know I’m going to love it!!

Overall audience notes: