Book Review: Poisoned Ivy (Legacies #1) by Ava Rani

October 22, 2026January 13, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Contemporary Romance
Length: 398 pages
Author: Ava Rani
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: October 17th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Maxton Hall meets Rory Gilmore’s college years in this decadent college romance that equal parts passion, privilege and mystery.

Malena Amin is two people.

At home, she the respectable, rule-abiding daughter that her controlling family expects. At her prestigious Ivy-League University, she’s the risk-taking, adventurous woman that she wants to be. With parents who demand to know her location settings at all times, Malena uses a secret phone and secret bank account to make her double life possible.

But when her tutoring job falls through, she hits a snag in funding that double life. So, Malena sets her eyes on the prize money from a National feature-writing contest through the school paper. And when she intercepts an invitation to an ultra-exclusive secret society on campus-she has the perfect story.

She’ll attend, lay low, and get an inside look.

Unfortunately, she’s discovered early in the night by the notorious playboy and Hastings Media heir: Conrad Hastings.

The frustratingly attractive Conrad doesn’t aspire to anything other than a good time. But when his newspaper-magnate father discovers that he’s delinquent on work for the school paper, Conrad needs to complete it before his father can make good on an ultimatum. So, he agrees to let Malena into the secret society-temporarily- if she agrees to share a byline on the article they’ll write together. Conrad fulfils his obligations, and Malena gets the inside look she needs for the contest.

But, the two soon discover an art world mystery hidden between lavish parties and Gothic libraries. And more concerningly: a palpable spark between them. With new clues unraveling before them, mounting desire they can’t ignore and Malena’s web of lies threatening to collapse-their partnership becomes a lot more than a simple deal.

GO FOR THE AUDIO.

I’m a sucker if I see that an audiobook offers duet narration so here we are!! A new to me author and I totally think I’m going to read the next book in this series. I would love more college romance books so this hit the spot. I loved the yearning and the dash of mystery and that undeniable connection between Conrad and Malena.

I didn’t love a few innuendo based things about the book. It kind of felt forced and overdone. Same with the spice. Less is more for this story.

But I adored Conrad. He was just THERE in all the ways Malena needed. I really liked Malena’s friends too. What I wouldn’t do to have such a solid base like that. The setting with the amongst the wealthy with secret societies and such was different than my usual which made for a quick and enjoyable listen.

Overall audience notes:

New adult college romance
Language: moderate
Romance: 5ish open door
Violence: low
Content warnings: domestic abuse (Mom pinches and slaps FMC), mentions of infidelity (not between the main couple)

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Book Review: When Sisters Collide (The Gifts of the Gods #2) by S.E. Bouvier

July 21, 2026January 31, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: New Adult Fantasy Romance
Length: 620 pages
Author: S.E. Bouvier
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: October 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two sisters, torn apart by fate, now stand on opposing sides of a brutal war.

High in the snowy mountains, Alena trains harder than ever under the watchful eye of an Amazon warrior. Driven by her sister’s heartbreaking choice, she’s determined to embrace her destiny as the Omega and fulfil the Mother Goddess’s command—defeat Emperor Tarquinius before his legions conquer the Western Lands and his greed destroys the remnants of the old gods. But when her closest allies are captured and enslaved, Alena’s world descends into chaos. She soon realises her sister’s treachery was only the beginning…

Meanwhile, Katell, now leader of the Black Helmets, battles on the war front against the Ice Kingdoms. Wielding the dangerous magic of Laran’s Tears, she is more powerful than ever, but at a steep cost to her health. When a rescue mission goes awry and she mistakenly attacks a legate, her loyalty to Rasenna is called into question. To prove her worth, Katell is sent to the besieged city of Tiryns with a single end the siege by any means necessary and capture the rebels hiding within its walls.

Under the gods’ unwavering eyes, the sisters’ paths draw them together once more. With loyalty and love hanging in the balance, they will be forced to decide where their true allegiances lie—and what they are willing to sacrifice.

Full of adventure, magic, and steamy romance, WHEN SISTERS COLLIDE is the second book in THE GIFTS OF THE GODS, a thrilling epic romantic fantasy series perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, An Ember in the Ashes, and Greek mythology.

Please note the series is New Adult and contains moderate steam/spice, some violence, language, and mature situations. Recommended for ages sixteen and up.

I’M GOING TO NEED YOU TO GO PICK UP THIS SERIES.

OH Y’ALL. I loved book one and this sequel held up. HELD UP. I can’t help but get hesitant when I see a book over 600 pages, but let me tell you, all worth it. I’m obsessed.

The romances are everythinggggg. And not always what you’re expecting or the typical route. Which is probably why they make me drool. I love when fantasy romances accomplish this kind of longing and betrayal and angsty tension that you can’t look away from. There’s multiple romantic plot lines (and even a new POV that might have one too???).

And while the romance sing the plot lines hold their own elite status. It’s a great combination of politicking, travel, battles with gods and more. Every chapter brings you something new. This may have taken me awhile to read but that was only because I was enjoying it so thoroughly I didn’t want it to end.

Overall audience notes:

New adult fantasy romance
Language: moderate
Romance: 2ish open door
Violence: high
Content warnings: loss of life, war themes

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ARC/ALC Book Review: Ancient History Between Us by Kaitlyn Hill

June 23, 2026June 12, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: NA Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Kaitlyn Hill
Publisher: Delacorte Romance
Release Date: June 23rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Three years since they last saw each other. Two months to untangle their complicated past. One unforgettable Italian summer.

As kids, Cammie Lovett and West Jacobs ran wild on dig sites around the world with their respective archeologist parents. But they haven’t spoken since three summers ago, when their first kiss was swiftly followed by a heartbreaking goodbye . . . This summer, though, an anniversary celebration of their parents’ most famous discovery will bring them back together under the same Italian villa’s roof.

Secretly, Cammie plans to make some discoveries of her own. She has her mom’s journal from the year she was born, and she’s determined to use it to find the father she’s never met. Though West doesn’t know where he stands with Cammie, he insists on joining the search. He’s never been able to let her take on a risky scheme alone, especially not one that takes them across the southern Italian coast—from the stunning cliffs of Capri to a Naples pizza kitchen, even to the ruins of Pompeii.

As the pair digs deeper into Cammie’s mom’s past, their own can’t help but resurface. Feelings are rekindled, truths are unearthed, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll discover that their own history isn’t as ancient as it seems.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy and PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook.

FOR THE MAMMA MIA FAN.

I had a blast with this book y’all. It felt like the best kind of summer beach read. It moves effortlessly and is set in Italy and has all of these moments that just say summer romance. I loved the childhood friends to lovers / second chance romance trope use. Cammie and West are this chaotic match that just works and I liked seeing them hash out the past and find their way back to each other.

Though I was a bit grumbly about the third act. After all the work that it took to get to a good place to throw it back out so quickly for the same story? Not needed.

Cammie’s quest to find her father was definitely Mamma Mia coded. And I think they’re both set in Italy too?? Some key pieces there that were similar. I liked the travel schemes that came about and seeing history collide. And West’s anxiety rep?? SO SEEN. All of those moments were [to me] well written and a depiction that I have felt in my own life. It really endeared me to his character.

🎧: I had the easiest time listening to this book. The narrators were fantastic and I was shocked when I realized I had listened to so much in an afternoon. Highly recommend going with the audiobook.

Overall audience notes:

NA Contemporary Romance
Language: mild
Romance: kisses
Violence: low
Content warnings: divorced parents, anxiety depiction

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Book Review: My Fault (Culpables #1) by Mercedes Ron

June 10, 2026June 22, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Romantic Suspense
Length: 416 pages
Author: Mercedes Ron
Publisher: Bloom Books
Release Date: June 6th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Fast-paced and sizzling with a forbidden enemies-to-lovers romance, My Fault is the first book in Mercedes Ron’s Culpable trilogy. This suspenseful YA series untangles the threads of love, trauma, and secrets, perfect for fans of Ugly Love and After.

Seventeen-year-old Noah Morgan loves her quiet, normal life in Toronto. But when her mother returns from a cruise unexpectedly married to a billionaire and announces they are moving to L.A., Noah is suddenly shoved out of her comfort zone and into a glittering world of illegal street races, lavish pool parties, and spoiled rich kids.

And her new stepbrother Nicholas is the most spoiled of them all. Arrogant, aloof, and viciously attractive, Nick is everything she hates, especially when she learns his bad boy persona isn’t just a façade. She’s spent her life running from danger, and Nick is danger incarnate. Yet neither of them can prevent the powerful attraction that flares between them―enough to turn their worlds upside-down and tempt them beyond all reason.

But Noah’s past may be even more dangerous than their forbidden romance. And if he wants her, Nick will have to decide if he’s willing to risk everything.

HOLY WATTPAD.

Yeah, this book had big wattpad vibes, and I gotta say, the movie was better.

I think I would have been close to hating this had I not already watched the movie so I knew what I was getting into. Because WOW, the whole thing feels over the top, there’s not a lot of development of anyone or anything, and you are dragged along this rollercoaster. It truly did follow the movie almost to a T so leaning into that made it more appealing.

I’m not sure what else to say about this one. It was like, I didn’t mind listening to it, but also, get this away from me now? BUT I AM WHO I AM and I am going to try book two (though the reviews from friends have taken away my optimism). Stay tuned.

Overall audience notes: