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Book Review: Love Redesigned (Lakefront Billionaires #1) by Lauren Asher

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 530 pages
Author: Lauren Asher
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Julian
If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.
So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.
At least until my meddling mother exploits my savior complex.
The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.
But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.
What happens if I want her to stay?

Dahlia
People say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.
Julian Lopez—my childhood rival and family frenemy.
I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.
Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.
Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years’ worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.
Giving into our desire is inevitable…but falling in love?
That isn’t part of the plan.

Love Redesigned is a steamy, small town romance about two family friends-turned-childhood rivals. It is the first book in the standalone Lakefront Billionaires series and has a happy ending.

LACKED PASSION.

I don’t know y’all, this one felt…formulaic? As if a trope was chosen, a scene was written, repeat and smashed together to be called one book. While I totally love some of those tropes and the scenes were pretty good with them, I feel like I never FELT for these two like I wanted to.

There’s some enemies-ish banter and I loved the small home town setting. I liked the cast of characters and goodness, I really did love Julian. For a 500+ page book this was easy to fly through.

I’m also not a fan of any kind of benefits situation. It feels like a device used just to add more spice when the relationship hasn’t been fully built quite yet. Nor do I feel like some aspects were dived deep enough into. Bleh, a mixed bag all around.

While this wasn’t a winner, I’m hopeful for book two.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 4+ open
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent (recounted), grief and depression depiction

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Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: January 2025

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We made it through 3438753 days of January. Here’s what I read!

  • [Reread] A Court of Mist and Fury (A Court of Thorns and Roses #2) by Sarah J. Maas
  • [ARC] Beyond the Crescent Sky (The Balkan Legends #2) by A.L. Sowards
  • [ALC] The Favorites by Layne Fargo
  • Our Deadly Designs (This Dark Descent #2) by Kalyn Josephson
  • [ARC/ALC] Gate to Kagoshima (Ancestor Memories #1) by Poppy Kuroki
  • [ARC] Of Flames and Fallacies (The Arterian Series #1) by Courtney Whims
  • Let You Love Me (Boys of Riverside #5) by Gracie Graham
  • Morbidly Yours (Love in Galway #1) by Ivy Fairbanks
  • Familiar Stranger by Caitlin Moss
  • [ARC/ALC] The Rival by Emma Lord
  • All to Pieces (The Seddledowne #3) by Susan Henshaw
  • [ARC/ALC] The Beasts We Bury (The Broken Citadel #1) by D.L. Taylor
  • A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson
  • A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young
  • Where the Black Line Ends by Meagan Williamson
  • [ARC] A Heart Devoted (The Penn-Leiths of Thistle Muir #5) by Nichole Van
  • [Reread] Iron Flame (The Empyrean #1) by Rebecca Yarros
  • [ARC/ALC] Rebel Witch (The Crimson Moth #2) by Kristen Ciccarelli
  • Seeing Miss Heartstone by Nichole Van
  • Know Your Newlywed by Elena Armas
  • Metal Slinger (Fire & Metal #1) by Rachel Schneider
  • The Heart of the Rebellion by Sian Ann Bessey
  • Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
  • A Tribute of Fire (The Eye of the Goddess #1) by Sariah Wilson
  • When Alec Met Evie (The Appies #6) by Jenny Proctor
  • Onyx Storm (The Empyrean #3) by Rebecca Yarros
  • Class Clown (The Thornback Society #4) by Aspen Hadley
  • The Legend of Meneka (The Divine Dancers Duology #1) by Kritika H. Rao
  • Better Than Revenge by Kasie West
  • [ARC] Guarding the Mountain Man’s Secret (Brothers of Sapphire Ranch #7) by Misty M. Beller
  • [Short Story] The Situationship by Abby Jimenez
  • [ARC] Book Boyfriend by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
  • Unromance by Erin Connor
  • A Forbidden Fate (A Forbidden Fate #1) by Kaven Hirning
  • [Novella] Spirit of the Wood (Green Rider #7.5) by Kristen Britain
  • Smoke and Mirrors (Silver and Bone #2) by Claudia Cain
  • [Reread] The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
  • The Check Down (Lacey Bros #1) by Brandy Pelletier

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Book Review: This Cruel Dawn (The Curse of the Blessed #3) by Renee Dugan

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy
Length: 272 pages
Author: Renee Dugan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 5th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A Blessed. A Hunter. A Fight for their Kingdom.
Shaken by ceaseless revelations reshaping everything they thought they knew of their world and themselves, Elynor, Sharek, and Sylvester take the political battleground of distant Orleth. Their to halt a war. Their Rowan Varodan, now a trusted member of the Orlethian royalty. But confronting him proves a far different venture than any of them foresaw. In order to thwart the cunning killing Blessed and his unpredictable schemes, the trio must search the depths of themselves, face their veiled secrets, and prepare to risk-and lose-all they hold dear in the fight for Erala’s future.
Including their own lives.
Devastated by the deaths of his beloved siblings and his most trusted friend, Prince Jamyson throws caution to the wind in the struggle against sinister Gavannon al-Morral and his own father’s declining health. Yet as circumstances grow darker for Erala and war looms ever nearer on the horizon, Jamyson learns he still has more to lose…and that, to prevent his kingdom from falling to ruin, he may have to let go of the things he loves most and confront truths about his own past that will alter the very fate of Erala.
Two kingdoms teeter on the brink. And only the outcast and despised among them have any hope of sparing their beloved home from destruction.

GOOD CONCLUSION.

I’ve been meaning to finish this series up and I’m glad that I did! They are short quick burst fantasies with plenty of action and intrigue. I enjoyed the multiple POV the most. I love seeing all sorts of sides to a story and this was no different.

There’s a lot of good character growth (as expected and loved from Renee Dugan). I liked where everyone ended up and thought overall it wrapped up the story lines well. The fast pace makes the pages fly and there’s many good surprises and reveals. Some totally blindsided me and I am always here for those moments.

It’s a journey, and a great one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, executions, near death experiences

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Book Review: The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 4 (The Unselected Journals #4) by Beth Brower

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 208 pages
Author: Beth Brower
Publisher: Rhysdon Press
Release Date: January 3rd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“It all began very innocently. Truly.”

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

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

WHAT A DELIGHT.

Geez, I love these books. They are so fun!! I love Emma’s voice and I found myself laughing so many times at the dry wit and comical antics that she found herself involved in. Not to mention all of the swoony men in her life?? This is the slowest of slow burn, sub plot romances and I was attached to them all.

I love Emma’s strength of character and ability to make the best of whatever situation has found her. This was another fantastic installment in the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Overall audience notes:

  • HIstorical Fiction
  • Language: none
  • Romance: maybe some subtle flirting?
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: grief depiction

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