Book Review: Love in Bloom (Some Kind of Love #4) by Jenny Proctor

August 27, 2022May 24, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 305 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: February 22nd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Hating Cameron Hunter shouldn’t be this easy.

I’m basically a golden retriever puppy. I love everyone and want everyone to love me.

Cameron is the singular exception to my love-everyone rule, and the hatred goes both ways.

First of all, he’s one of those guys, the kind that looks like he belongs on the cover of Yacht Club Weekly. Second of all, he’s way too good at his job. The man is a walking Wikipedia; his walking tours of historic downtown Charleston stay booked weeks in advance.

Did I mention I run tours along the same route?

When we’re both up for a magazine feature that could kick our respective careers to the next level, our rivalry turns into a heated competition.

Then we unexpectedly kiss (it’s a loooong story), and things get really complicated. Now, my blood is boiling over Cameron for an entirely different reason.

Only one of us can win. Can I trust a man who used to be my enemy, or is everything—even our relationship—just part of his plan to take me down?

Love In Bloom is a full-length enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy with characters you’ll love and the sizzling chemistry you want in a closed-door romance.

SO DANG SWEET.

I adored this story. Favorite of the series for me. I would first say that this isn’t classic enemies to lovers, it’s more of a soft workplace rivals to lovers. Fortunately for me, that didn’t sway my overall thoughts, but it’s worth noting since that trope is broad in definition.

I LOVE when the guy falls first and Cameron is obviously smitten from nearly the beginning. I thought he was precious and even with all of his walls, made an effort to be in Darcy’s life. I loved Darcy as the FMC. I liked her spunk and drive. And finally going after what kind of career she wanted really resonated with me and all the flower talk made me wish I had my own greenhouse. Both of these lovebirds together were the sweetest. I couldn’t get enough of the relationship development and how the slow burn of rivals to friends to lovers came about.

The third act conflict was [hallelujah] relevant and not drawn out. Even more so, both parties handled it like actual adults without blown out drama. Cameron truly did have some things he needed to work on and I love that Darcy took the time to put him in his place, AND listen to him. They both worked for their relationship with compassion and I felt all the warm fuzzies reading this book y’all.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: make-outs
Trigger/Content Warnings: MMC Dad has cancer (in remission by end)

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Book Review: The Art of Victory (The Donovans #1) by Martha Keyes

August 18, 2022June 18, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 290 pages
Author: Martha Keyes
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: June 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Diana Donovan was raised aboard a naval ship on a steady diet of war strategy, so when her orphaned friend, Lucy, is denied a perfectly respectable love match by her controlling guardian, Diana sees an opportunity to put her battle knowledge to use in service of a deserving friend.

But Marmaduke Russell is not the middle-aged curmudgeon Diana is expecting. He is a maddeningly cool, unmarried gentleman who seems uniquely able to parry her tactics—and infuse her with even more determination to win. As battle ensues, though, it becomes clear that there may be more hearts in the balance than just Lucy’s.

DUKE.

Oh, Duke, he might be my newest love interest fav.

I LOVE that he fell first (always a winner) and was so open about it?? What is that?! THE BEST THAT’S WHAT. He pushed Diana to open her eyes and heart to things she thought weren’t ever going to be apart of her life. I loved their chemistry from the get-go. That banter was fire and it was the perfect sentiment of rivals and angst without being true enemies or anything.

What I realize I do struggle with is when a romance book seems to center on a different characters life than the main couple. A lot of this book was turned to Diana’s friend Lucy and her love story. I wish that would have been much more minimalized because it took me out a few times when I just wanted Duke and Diana to have their moments.

All in all, this was a great start to a new series. I love this family and all of the different siblings. I can’t wait for more stories from them. Regency/Historical romances are such a nice break from other genres I read and I found them incredibly enjoyable. Martha Keyes is a reliable author in this category to bring the swoon and heart to any story.

Overall audience note:

Regency Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses

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Book Review: In the Waves of Tristwick (Cornish Romance #4) by Deborah M. Hathaway

August 13, 2022June 26, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Regency Romance
Length: 420 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 19th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What is a fisherman to do when he catches a mermaid in his net? Let her go—or fall in love?

A Regency Romance
Cornwall, 1815

As a well-respected fisherman in the Cornish seas, Trevik Honeysett provides a living for many poor families in the southwest of Cornwall. Despite the most powerful fishing companies attempting to cut off his own ability to fish, Trevik refuses to give up. However, when he discovers a mysterious, injured woman entangled in his net, things become much more complicated—especially when suspicions arise that she is, in fact, a mermaid. Knowing he might very well lose his workers to their superstitious beliefs, Trevik decides to uncover just who the woman is. The only problem is…she can’t remember.

In truth, Morvoren Hollow knows exactly who she is. She merely needs to keep her identity a secret long enough to accomplish what she’d set off to do. Fortunately, pretending to be a mermaid will keep Society away long enough to do just that. Her lie becomes harder to manage, however, as her injury takes longer to heal—and as the nosy but handsome fisherman reels closer to the truth.

The two clash head-to-head as Trevik refuses to believe Morvoren is actually a siren from the sea. But such a thing would be easier to imagine than what he finally discovers about her past. Fearful of what might happen next, Morvoren must decide her next step. She can either learn to trust again—or end up truly alone.

This is the fourth book in the clean Regency Cornish Romance series by Deborah M. Hathaway.

Although this romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order.

Don’t miss the other novels in this series!
A Prequel Novella: On the Shores of Tregalwen (A Swoony Award Winner)
Book 1: Behind the Light of Golowduyn
Book 2: For the Lady of Lowena
Book 3: Near the Ruins of Penharrow
Book 4: In the Waves of Tristwick
Book 5: Coming Soon

ROMANTIC.

This had allllll of the romance y’all. Super swoony. Can’t believe I haven’t read any of the other books in this series. I must go remedy after enjoying this one.

It’s long for a regency (400 pages) and I would say I only noticed that a tiny bit. This is filled with plenty to keep the pages flipping. I liked the mixed of small quiet moments, and the bigger all out kind of scenes. A fun twist was the addition of mermaid lore. I loooove all things mermaid so this felt unique and fresh to the genre.

I adored Morvoren and Trevik. They had chemistry from the get go and the development was solid. Learning to build the trust between them as things piled against their favor. No ridiculous conflict to be found, but one that fit the actual premise of the entire story. I love a good reveal at the end, and Trevik showing Morvoren just how free she was, was absolutely precious.

Hathaway is one of my favorite regency authors and I love the way she tells stories!

Overall audience notes:

Regency romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Trigger/Content Warnings: near drowning, loss of parents (off page, but discussed), manipulative caregiver

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Book Review: A Dance with the Fae Prince (Married to Magic #2) by Elise Kova

August 7, 2022July 24, 2022 GoodeyReads2 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 374 pages
Author: Elise Kova
Publisher: Silver Wing Press
Release Date: August 19th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She knew her hand in marriage would be sold. She had no idea a fae prince was the buyer.

Katria swore she’d never fall in love. She’s seen what “love” means through the cruelty of her family. So when she’s married off to the mysterious Lord Fenwood for a handsome price, all Katria wants is a better life than the one she’s leaving. Feelings are off the table.

But her new husband makes not falling in love difficult.

As their attraction begins to grow, so too do the oddities within her new life: strange rules, screams in the night, and attacks by fae that Katria never thought were real. When she witnesses a ritual not meant for human eyes, Katria finds herself spirited away to the land of Midscape.

Surviving the fae wilds as a human is hard enough. Katria must survive as a human who accidently pilfered the magic of ancient kings – magic a bloodthirsty king is ready to kill her for in order to keep his stolen throne – and her new husband is the rightful heir in hiding.

The power to save the fae is in her hands. But who will save her from a love she vowed never to feel?

THIS COVER IS EVERYTHING.

I can’t help my obsession with this cover. It’s just gorgeous. Every time I pulled up this book to read I stared at it some more because I couldn’t have enough. It is what it is.

ANYWAYS, I guess I’ll discuss the book now.

The first half was realllll slow. Really slow. The romantic slow build up was working for me, but the plot slow build with the Fae lands was not. They kept clashing and I didn’t know how I was going to enjoy it by the end.

Cue the second half. Much appreciated that this got a lot of momentum and was actually interesting. Once the blindfolds were removed, hot dang the chemistry between Katria and Davien was finally able to take off. THANK HEAVENS.

After that it did become fairly predictable (it’s a Cinderella retelling). Which can be bad and good. I really did end up loving the romance between Katira and Davien and felt that passion and tension. They were pretty enigmatic and I felt caught up in Davien’s vivid green eyes myself (see, cover obsession acknowledgement prior). Katria also got a much needed character arc before my frustrations grew anymore. I’m really handing this star ranking over to the second half of this book. It’s whimsical, it’s romantic, and I do like the set-up for book three.

Overall audience notes: