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Book Review: Class Clown (The Thornback Society #4) by Aspen Hadley

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 345 pages
Author: Aspen Hadley
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ruby Jenkins is obsessed with two romance novels, and making life into an adventure. She’s always up for anything, especially flirting her way to Mr. Right.

When her latest conquest ends abruptly, she finds herself in need of a summer job. In desperation, she agrees to be the on-site nurse at a sleepaway summer camp for kids, where her younger brother will be her boss.

Ruby immediately begins picturing the romantic moments she’ll create in the mountains, but none of her daydreams included bunking with her brother and his best friend – the robot.

Nico Crawford is ex-military, and while he may look like he stepped off the cover of a magazine, to Ruby he’s always been a machine with less personality than a rock, a real side character with nothing to add to the plot.

As the weeks roll by, however, Ruby’s assumptions are put to the test. And when plot twists threaten her way of thinking, only she can decide if she’s truly ready to turn the next page.

TRYING A LITTLE TOO HARD.

I have really enjoyed this series and was looking forward to this book a lot. And I feel a bit disappointed in the story as a whole. I did enjoy many of the romance aspects. It’s really sweet and I loved how reserved and kind Nico was to Ruby. He’s a gentle giant type I could easily get behind and the little soft touches and kisses absolutely melted me.

What wasn’t working for me was the humor. While I found some funny, I found most odd? I think that’s the word I’m looking for. It just wasn’t my type of humor and thus I kind of cringed at the jokes or scenes. Ruby was trying too hard with the matchmaker aspects too and I tried to hustle past those scenes.

I think the ending came together well and I did like the extended epilogue and getting to see all of the couples again. Ultimately it’s a good series even if this was my least favorite of the bunch.

Overall audience notes:

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

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Book Review: All the Pieces (The Seddledowne #3) by Susan Henshaw

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 324 pages
Author: Susan Henshaw
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A closed-door, high school sweethearts, second chance, football romance from Amazon bestselling author Susan Henshaw.

Millions watch him play. Except the one who matters most.

Blue

I made the worst mistake of my life when I let my dad move me across the country after my sophomore year of high school. Had my football career taken off? Yes. But I’d lost the best thing that ever happened to me because of it. Anna Dupree was the only girl who ever loved me as a person and not for my athletic talent. Who cares if I can run the forty in 4.2 seconds, or if beautiful women sneak into my hotel room at away games? Without Anna, I’m a man slogging through the desert, desperate for a drink.

Anna

My gorgeous ex wasn’t supposed to know I came to his game. But when my meddling, country pop-star uncle calls me to the fifty-yard line to perform a pre-game duet in front of one hundred thousand screaming fans, that secret’s shot to pieces. Somehow, I make it through the song. All I have to do is get off this field and I’m outta here. Forget the game. But then I look up and who happens to be jogging toward me in his tight football pants, wearing that adorable, cocky grin I fell in love with all those years ago? Yeah, the one guy I’ve spent the last four years trying to forget. My uncle is so dead when we get off this field.

All To Pieces is book three in the interconnected Seddledowne Series and can be read as a standalone.

UNREALISTIC CHAOS.

These books are so hard to review because they are very frustrating YET I am hooked on reading. The pacing is really great and draws you in and even when you’re shaking your kindle you are still trying to flip pages to see what’s going to pop up next.

There were some aspects to the football plot line that were just unrealistic to me. And combined that with an issue involving the FMC, I just…can’t. It was drawn out and there was way too much effort involved.

Now I did enjoy a lot of the scenes. There’s some good swoon and I am always down for sports romances. I liked seeing the whole family again and getting those small town vibes too.

So, there’s plenty of good, but also not, but also I already have book four downloaded. WHY AM I LIKE THIS.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Sports Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: heated make-outs
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: mentions of loss of a loved one (recounted), an emotionally manipulative father

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Monthly Reading Wrap-up: December 2025

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How is it the end of 2025 already? I love that I somehow wrapped up the book so *evenly* with 40 books read and a grand total of 420 for the year! There were a lot of Sanderson novellas this month and I’m looking forward to all of the awesome books coming in 2026.

  • Red Tempest Brother (The Winter Sea #3) by H.M. Long
  • [Novella] You Better Not Pout (Home for the Holidays) by Mia Sosa
  • Ruin the Friendship by K. Sinko
  • The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2) by Mary E. Pearson
  • [Novella] I Hate Dragons by Brandon Sanderson
  • [Novella] Dreamer by Brandon Sanderson
  • Falling in a Sea of Stars (Green Rider #8) by Kristen Britain
  • A Bond so Fierce and Fragile (Compelling Fates Saga #3) by Sophia St. Germain
  • [Novella] I’m Gonna Get You Back by Elena Armas
  • [Novella] Perfect State by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Rebel and the Rose (The City of Fantome #2) by Catherine Doyle
  • [Novella] Mitosis (The Reckoners #1.5) by Brandon Sanderson
  • [Novella] Firstborn by Brandon Sanderson
  • Gilded in Vengeance by Lyssa Mia Smith
  • Meet Me at the Christmas Cottage by Christen Krumm
  • [Novella] The Holiday Club by Ashley Manley
  • [ARC] Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson
  • The Strength of the Few (Hierarchy #2) by James Islington
  • [ARC/ALC] In Your Dreams (When in Rome #4) by Sarah Adams
  • The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chane Cleeton
  • [ARC] To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before the Graphic Novel by Jenny Han
  • Love Arranged (Lakefront Billionaires #3) by Lauren Asher
  • The Sacred Space Between by Kalie Reid
  • Seven Deadly Thorns by Amber Hamilton
  • Pick Me by Victoria Schade
  • I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jenny Bayliss
  • [ARC/ALC] Room to Breathe by Kasie West
  • Planes, Reins, and Automobiles (Catching Feelings #2) by Kate Watson
  • [ARC] House of Shadows (Royal Houses #2) by K.A. Linde
  • [ARC] Silver & Blood (Silver & Blood #1) by Jessie Mihalik
  • Anne of Avenue A (For the Love of Austen #3) by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding
  • Lessons in Falling by Christy Schillig
  • Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder
  • Mourner for Hire by Caitlin Moss
  • The Tempest Blade (The Bridge Kingdom #6) by Danielle L. Jensen
  • Love’s Racing Line by Hope Snyder
  • Everything’s Coming Up Rosie by Courtney Walsh
  • Bound by Ali Hazelwood
  • Fallen Gods (Fallen Gods #1) by Rachel Van Dyken
  • The Governess and the Rogue (Somerset Stories #6) by Mimi Matthews

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Book Review: The Holiday Club by Ashley Manley

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Holiday Romance Novella
Length: 203 pages
Author: Ashley Manley
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s lost the holidays she loved. He never wanted them in the first place. But this Christmas, everything could change.

Hollis Hartwell lives for parades on Main Street, matching pajamas, and small-town holiday magic—until a custody agreement hands every Christmas and town festival to her ex-husband. Now, with her magazine column on festive traditions looming and her heart anything but merry, Hollis is desperate for a new way to celebrate.

Enter Jay Randall. A rugged nonconformist who’d rather spend December riding a horse and buggy with his oddball best friend than decking any halls. When Hollis barges into their anti-Christmas plans hoping to prove that traditions matter, she gets more than she bargained for.

Sparks fly, beliefs are challenged, and amid beertending and unexpected pear trees, Hollis begins to wonder if the best traditions are the ones you create for yourself.

(please note, this title contains explicit language and romance)

OOOH I LOVED THIS.

Who knew that this charming novella would find its way to me this season and totally light up my day? I mean, it does kind of gut punch you in the beginning, but stay the course!!

I think as a parent, the sentiments surrounding creating the “perfect” holiday season and trying to accomplish all the things is what sang to me most. Understanding and realizing what’s actually important and what your children are truly noticing.

And I liked the romance!! For a novella I thought the slow burn was honestly pretty good. It gets a touch spicy for me, but easy to skip over. I loved the unconventional gang between Jay, Marv and Hollis. The core themes of this book just really spoke to me and I devoured this one.

Overall audience notes:

  • Holiday Romance Novella
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3ish open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: cheating (recounted), divorice

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