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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: Summer Tease (Falling for Summer) by Martha Keyes

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 354 pages
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: July 10th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Falling for a Palmer would be the ultimate crime

Wild horses couldn’t drag me back to the small island where I grew up, but you know what can? Making sure the Palmer family–aka the worst neighbors ever–show appropriate respect to the newest resident of their retirement center: my grandma.

But as soon as Grams moves in, her shenanigans put her at risk of being kicked out. Since she’s set on staying in Sunset Harbor until her last breath and there’s no way I’m staying on this nightmare island to take care of her, that’s just not an option.

Enter Beau Palmer, the infuriatingly charming local cop who’s got the connections to keep Grams right where she needs to be and help me get out of Dodge sooner. His price? Use my PR savvy to convince the town council into making his position full-time. That way, he can help his beloved island put the Sawyer/Palmer drama in the past.

But the drama isn’t behind us. In fact, it’s right in front of me, wearing a police badge and a smirk that’s really started disturbing my peace.

Summer Tease is a small-town island romantic comedy with the perfect amount of swoon and none of the explicit scenes or language.

GREW ON ME.

I love a charming guy and Beau fit that bill to a T. I loved his demeanor and soft joy that he brought to the story. It contrasted well with Gemma and they had some great chemistry. There were a few truly standout scenes that I was hoping to get and they delivered.

The Grams plot line bugged me a little because I felt like it kept over shadowing the romantic aspects. I was tired of Gemma getting calls that Grams had caused some other kind of chaos and when the secrets came to light I was let down.

There’s good flirty banter, and like all of the other books in this series, I adore the summer vibes. I feel swept away to this island and love seeing different pieces of it in each book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Not Safe for Work (California Love #2) by Lindsey Lanza

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 354 pages
Author: Lindsey Lanza
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: June 18th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A major dilemma. An unlikely hero.
A lot of inappropriate texting.

Olivia Diamond’s life is anything but sparkling. She’s still working through the most embarrassing break-up of the century, and now the promotion she thought was a done deal is turning into an impossible dream.

If being the only person on her sales team with a uterus wasn’t hard enough, now her boys’ club boss wants Olivia to date a client in order to close a massive deal. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

Enter Gavin Scott, Olivia’s least favorite and most attractive colleague. He’s here to save the day. Well, he’s here to try. And he’s hoping to do it all without revealing that he’s been crushing on Olivia since the day they started working together.

Not Safe for Work follows a chaotic and serendipitous chain of events that will have you laughing, raging, and swooning in every chapter. It’s a story of discovering your place in a world that’s working against you–and of finding love where you least expect it.

ANOTHER GEM.

See what I did there?

BUT REALLY. I am 3 for 3 on Lindsey Lanza books being an EASY five stars. EASY. I love them so much, and NSFW was amazing.

I officially am obsessed with the micro trope of he falls first, she falls hard, and he falls HARDER. I adored Gavin Scott. He was swoony and sweet and his passion and love for providing for his sister was incredibly endearing. I also loved how he took care of Olivia while never dulling her shine too.

And I loved Olivia. She was quirky and kind and full of this resilience and strength. Especially when she was thrown in increasingly difficult situations. I loved the way this office romance played out. I loved all of the soft moments and heated too. I devoured this book. I could not put it down and I can’t wait for Lanza’s next book!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: fade to black and 3+ open door
  • Content Warnings: on page panic attack, sexism and misogyny in the workplace

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Book Review: Winning Winnie’s Hand (Men of the Isles #1) by Deborah M. Hathaway

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 430 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 21st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s no damsel, but dang…this knight in shining armor kinda makes her want to be.

Born into a driven and successful family, Winnie Knox tries—and fails—to impress her parents and siblings as she bounces from career to career, year to year. In a last-ditch effort, Winnie takes on consulting work at a stately home in England, hoping to gain a nice bit of prestige as she improves the massive British estate.

In true Knox Fashion, Winnie dives headfirst into her new position. In true Winnie Fashion, she ends up with her car headfirst…in the mud. But what does she see coming to her rescue? Nothing short of a knight in shining armor.

Literally. A knight in shining armor. On a horse. What century is this again? Well, whatever it is, Winnie doesn’t mind lingering in it if she gets to stare at a man like him all day. This job is going to be a walk in the park.

Of course, nothing is ever as easy as it should be with Winnie as she puts her foot in her mouth and straightaway offends the knight—who just so happens to be someone far more important than the simple thespian he appears to be.

But Winnie Knox is a professional. She can charm anyone.

Can’t she?

This is the first book in the clean and sweet romcom Men of the Isles series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this enemies-to-lovers, boss/employee romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order.

TRUE E2L.

One of the hardest tropes I have a hard time finding written well in contemporary romances is enemies to lovers. And this had it. I loved how Winnie and Matthew battle. It was heated and you could already feel the romantic tension between them. What’s even better is I loooved the character arcs for both leads too. The realization that both had been in the wrong and how they worked to apologize and show through their actions that they had been wrong initially.

The festival was a fun additive and I loved seeing all of those aspects too. The English countryside was so charming. I liked the adventures they went on and the little angst filled moments inbetween.

I do think this felt a little long (420 pages for a contemporary is a feat). But that was my only issue. Bless the day when Winnie stood up to her Dad and told him all of the things he had been feeling. I felt as triumphant as her when that moment happened.

This is a sweet book and I will without a doubt be reading the next one!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses

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