ARC Book Review: It’s Just Business (The Wedding Business #2) by Summer Dowell

March 25, 2021March 10, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Contemporary romance
Length: TBD
Author: Summer Dowell
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: March 25th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

I despise him. I despise everything about this business-stealing man who has eyes the color of hot chocolate and a perfectly sun-kissed tan I can’t stop thinking about…Like I said, despise.

Having grown up with a mom who had more boyfriends than a flower has petals, I have zero fairy tale aspirations of true love. It doesn’t exist. But when a dreamy man with the perfect smile and a propensity for volunteering keeps running into me, I start to think maybe I was wrong all along.

That is until I realize he’s the scumbag that stole my flower shop right out from under me.

I know I should be the bigger person. Move on. But somehow, revenge seems the only answer. Pity, revenge seems to be showing me that Austin might actually be a good person instead of the villain I painted him to be.

In the end, it’s all just business though, isn’t it?”

A laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers romance that is full of all the sarcasm and swoons!

Thank you to the author for an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own!

CUTE AND LIGHT.

This was a nice, light, fluffy read. I liked the fast pace and am legitimately considering a future career in floral design. I want to work with flowers all day like Haley.

Haley had me laughing often with how much junk food she eats. Wow I wish I could eat like her all the time. She’s a quirky character with a lot of charm. I loved her style and charm. Austin was a good love interest. He seemed to be a good match for Haley. I liked a lot of their banter, but had a hard time with some of their meet-ups. They didn’t seem organic. Some of the places they went seemed to be forcing an idea rather than letting things happen naturally.

This was an enemies to lovers book, but really light on the enemies. There wasn’t a huge amount of animosity over the workplace situation. I was hoping for a bit more angst, yet I guess that this could also be a plus. It’s a light-hearted read which also can hit really well at the right time. I wish some of the sabotaging didn’t continue on so long. Gratefully the ending seemed to satisfy that resolution with how both characters felt about what happened.

I thought this was sweet and definitely a pick-me-up type of read. And what I always love about this author’s books are the epilogues. Totally cheesy and I’m not even sorry about how much I love them.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses

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Book Review: Winging It (Wayfair Witches #4) by A.A. Albright

March 19, 2021September 27, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Length: 298 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: December 1st, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A witch, a weredog and a wizard walk into a bar …

When three unlikely friends kill themselves in a popular weredog bar, Wanda Wayfair is convinced that there’s more to the story. With the coven’s work now in the hands of the Minister’s Peacemakers, an investigation would be ill-advised.

But since when do witches listen to advice?

All of the deaths have something in common – every one of the deceased worked in Plimpton’s Brooms. With the Everest Climb – the biggest broom race in the witching world – about to take place, Wanda hopes to find the answers there. Especially since Everest is also the place where an annoying young witch was last seen in public.

Wanda needs to solve the murders, track down Candace Plimpton and return her to her cute-as-a-button kitten …

And while she’s at it, she might finally find out what her broom has to do with it all.

CAN’T STOP. WON’T STOP.

But really. I can’t stop reading this series.

Not a problem at all.

There’s something compelling about the simplicity of a cozy mystery that has really drawn me in. I love following Wanda on her adventures. Her tenacity to solve the murder mystery, while also supporting those around her just works together beautifully.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to ship Wanda with though! I have somehow caught myself up in a love triangle, that when reading, doesn’t even read as one. BUT I KNOW IT IS. I’ve convinced myself it is at least, because I know where I’m still leaning. It’s at least not annoying me, so yay for a love triangle [maybe] that’s working for me.

I appreciate that this mystery did actually shake up location and story line. Got to take care of a few malicious witches, solve some family troubles, and a whole lot more. There’s plenty packed in to a small amount of pages and I love it. On to the next!

Overall audience notes:

Paranormal cozy mystery
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: murder (believed to be a suicide, but is found out to be a murder)

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Book Review: The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

March 14, 2021March 13, 2021 GoodeyReads2 Comments

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 487 pages
Author: Elena Armas
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: February 23rd, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A wedding. A trip to Spain. The most infuriating man. And three days of pretending. Or in other words, a plan that will never work.

Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year.

That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call.

Four weeks wasn’t a lot of time to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic–from NYC and all the way to Spain–for a wedding. Let alone, someone eager to play along my charade. But that didn’t mean I was desperate enough to bring the 6’4 blue eyed pain in my ass standing before me.

Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. Right after inserting his nose in my business, calling me delusional, and calling himself my best option. See? Outrageous. Aggravating. Blood boiling. And much to my total despair, also right. Which left me with a surly and extra large dilemma in my hands. Was it worth the suffering to bring my colleague and bane of my existence as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding? Or was I better off coming clean and facing the consequences of my panic induced lie?

Like my abuela would say, que dios nos pille confesados.

The Spanish Love Deception is an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating romantic comedy. Perfect for those looking for a steamy slow-burn romance with the sweetest Happily Ever After.

AN ABSOLUTE NEW FAVORITE.

This is one of those reviews I want to WRITE IN ALL CAPS BECAUSE I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

I didn’t even notice it was 500 pages (which is usually on the longer side for a contemporary romance) because it didn’t matter. This book was amazing. I am completely smitten with AARON BLACKFORD. Oh gosh. Swoon-worthy, romantic, stoic, loyal, an absolute cinnamon roll.

“Because when I finally take those lips in mine, it will be the furthest thing from pretending. I will not be showing you what it would be like if you were mine. I’ll show you what it is.”

Add together some of my FAVORITE tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace, only one bed, fake dating. Oh my gosh, how can you go wrong?!

Answer: YOU CAN’T.

I knew from 50 pages in I was going to love it. That’s how well this hooked me. Sunk its teeth into my soul and took me a long for some a perfect ride. Going to Spain, meeting the family, little confessions of love, ahhhh. I’m writing this review right after finishing so I am sporadic because I HAVE NO CHILL.

Watching walls crash down, and the most beautiful slowwww burn occur over this trip left me breathless. They discuss important topics with care and handled them so wel. My heart would flip every time Lina and Aaron got close. I couldn’t get enough.

“You feel complete in my arms. You feel like my home.”

Another great thing I loved was that the conflict was placed in the exact spot it needed to be. AAAAND it wasn’t overdone. No drag out, unnecessary issues. Pure, raw, revealing truths that made both characters shine brighter. Hot dang, I love Aaron and Lina so much.

A fantastic book. Had everything I want when I read a romance.

TL;DR: READ THIS BOOK.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: strong
Romance: kisses to a few open door scenes
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a parent, sexism in the workplace, grief, unsafe dieting (restriction of food)

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Book Review: A Trick for a Treat (Wayfair Witches #3) by A.A. Albright

March 10, 2021September 21, 2020 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Paranormal Cozy Mystery
Length: 238 pages
Author: A.A. Albright
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: October 22nd, 2017
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s Wanda’s first Halloween at home for years, but that doesn’t mean she gets to enjoy the holiday. A famous werewolf has disappeared, and his girlfriends are getting knocked off one by one. Murder and mayhem might be all in a day’s work for the Wayfair coven, but this time the stakes are higher than ever. This time, Wanda’s own friends are under suspicion.

Wanda needs to discover the real culprit, and she needs to do it fast – otherwise the people she cares about could spend their lives behind bars. Oh, and while she’s at it, she also needs to pass another few of the Minister’s tests. But who ever said that being a witch was easy?

SMITTEN BY THIS SERIES.

I am now three books in and still wanting to read more. There is clearly something enigmatic and easy to love about these books and my favorite witch, Wanda.

These mysteries have been uniquely different and I honestly don’t easily catch who the culprit is. It only makes me want to read more so I can figure out what paranormal fiend has become the villain now.

Not to mention, the subtle romance that I know will keep building. I am caught up in a small love triangle and…I don’t hate it? I KNOW. I’m just as surprised as you are.

It’s hard to write a long review because these are shorter books. I just like the feeling these books give me. They’re on the lighter-hearted side. The comedy makes me smile and feel like I’m right there with this coven. For someone who isn’t a general paranormal fan, these have captured my reading heart. Can’t wait for the next one and see what Wanda is up to next!

Overall audience notes: