Tag: romantic comedy

Book Review: Advanced Physical Chemistry (Chemistry Lessons #3) by Susannah Nix

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 274 pages
Author: Susannah Nix
Publisher: Haver Street Press
Release Date: March 16th, 2018
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

After four lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her.

Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being “good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose?

Only her heart.

Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible?

Advanced Physical Chemistry is the third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in STEM fields.

IT WAS OKAY.

I don’t know if I would have kept reading this if it wasn’t for speeding up the audiobook.

For a STEM heroine there wasn’t even much STEM conversation? I guess I was expecting a lot more since that seems to be the theme of this series and it wasn’t here. Much more about knitting and coffee. Which was alright, but nothing exciting.

There was practically no chemistry between these two. Penny decides she wants a friends with benefits relationship (other thing I don’t love) and instead of watching them realize their feelings for each other it was mostly them arguing. Caleb never wanted to talk about anything important and Penny wanted to make him talk about things. I never got behind the thought that they would actually make it past the end of the book (even though the epilogue says otherwise).

Meh. I don’t even feel like writing this review because of how unmemorable this book was. Moving on.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating (not between the main couple), rough parent relationships

ARC Book Review: How to Kiss Your Enemy (Hawthorne Brothers #3) by Jenny Proctor

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 280 pages
Author: Jenny Proctor
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: May 9th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

How is it possible for the chemistry between two chefs to be hotter than a ghost pepper yet colder than liquid nitrogen?

When THE Tatum Elliott shows up to run the catering kitchen at my family’s farm and event center, I don’t trust her anymore than I did back in culinary school.

But like it or not, she’s here. On my territory. My turf. In the kitchen that shares a building with my farm-to-table restaurant.

And she can’t seem to keep her hands off my parmesan.

Our old rivalry flares to life faster than a flambé, but there’s something else flaming between us too. And it’s heating up quicker than anything we’re making in the kitchen.

But I can’t forget that Tatum is the daughter of Gordon Elliott—America’s most famous chef. She belongs in a big city, in a restaurant with her name on it. Not running the catering arm of Stonebrook Farm.

Whatever her reasons for being here now, I can’t see her permanently walking away from the fame and fortune her father can offer her, no matter how well she fits in on the farm—how well she fits with me.

She’ll leave eventually—I’m sure of it. I just have to make sure that when she does, she doesn’t take my heart with her.

It’s enemies to lovers foodie edition in this fast-paced, banter-filled romcom from bestselling author, Jenny Proctor.

How to Kiss Your Enemy is a sweet romantic comedy with all the crackling chemistry and sizzling kisses you want in a closed-door romance but no explicit scenes.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

WHAT A GEM.

Another wonderful read from one of my favorite go-to closed door romance authors. I loved this!! Lennox and Tatum had this subtle enemy/angst vibe that grew into a beautiful romance and I loved every page.

Forced proximity is my kryptonite so I loved that Lennox and Tatum both worked near each other. It caused moment after moment of them meeting, reconnecting, and both coming to some realizations about how they’ve grown up since knowing each other in culinary school. I love great character growth and Tatum’s story especially was fantastic. I LOVELOVELOVE that she found a way to stand on her own and Lennox supported every step. This is another case of we’re having an argument but not breaking up third act and I am here for it x1000.

There’s plenty of swoony moments. Cooking for each other, snow storms without power, kisses in the office. ALL THERE. I just really loved how this relationship came together. It felt authentic and true. I adored the sweet dog. And I am absolutely IN LOVE with this family!! The conversations and text messages and the way the support is always there.

Another amazing installment in the Hawthorne brother’s series. This had a cozier vibe that I can’t quite nail down but know I FELT that had me snuggled up in a blanket devouring the pages. And now I am STOKED for Flint’s story!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of loss of a mother, strained father/daughter relationship, gaslighting (not b/t main couple), mentions of past cheating

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Book Review: Complex (The Sweet Rom”Com” #2) by Kortney Keisel

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 327 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: March 1st, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Tiny Little Lie #1: I want the new resort in Turks and Caicos to open on schedule.

Tiny Little Lie #2:I’m not falling for Luke McKenna.

Unfortunately, those tiny little lies snowballed into something bigger. Much bigger. Now I’m stuck.

It sounds bad. But I’m not a bad person. I’m doing the right thing…I think. I’m telling myself I’m a superhero in heels, saving people I care about.

But the grumpy onsite contractor isn’t making things easy. The more I lie and try to stall the hotel opening, the harder he works to complete the project.

Did I mention he’s handsome?

And moody?

And brooding?

And my complete opposite in every way?

If the truth about what I’ve done comes out, Luke will never forgive me. Then I’ll have to face another truth: my attraction to him might actually be something more—something worth fighting for.

Complex is a grumpy/sunshine, and opposites attract romance with witty banter that will keep you laughing. The love story is charged with sizzling chemistry while keeping the romance closed-door.

Complex is the second book in The Sweet Rom “Com” series but can be read as a standalone.

GRUMP X SUNSHINE LOVE.

Another win for Keisel and contemporary romance.

I was definitely into this grump x sunshine + enemies to lovers read. The banter between Tessa and Luke was exactly where it needed to be and I liked the slow burn of their relationship overall. Tessa had the most work to grow on me because she intentionally came off as an unlovable main character. I thought there was decent enough growth and acknowledgement of her wrong doing to sustain the changes she was making to her life. I had a hard time thinking she’s go through with everything her boss was telling her to do? but it’s fiction, it’s fine.

I adored Luke. He was a great love interest and I always love watching walls slowly start to crumble between two souls finally finding each other. I enjoyed the humor and butting heads, and the sweet moments (like fishing at 3 AM).

Wanderlust was strong in this one and it’s a perfect read for summertime on a beach somewhere.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: infertility, cheating (mentions of a side character and its affect on main character)

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Book Review: Complete (The Sweet Rom”Com” #3) by Kortney Keisel

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 315 pages
Author: Kortney Keisel
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 24th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Ben and I are just friends.

We’ve tried to be more, but it never works. There’s no chemistry between us.

At least that’s the story I tell everyone.

Truth is, I’m pining for Ben. HARD. Like Taylor Swift, You Belong With Me, hard. I don’t know what happened. Suddenly, his casual touch is fire, and his easy smile stops my heart.

But Ben has put me in the friend zone. Permanently. His supermodel girlfriend and him setting me up with a pro football player confirm this.

It’s time to bury these feelings. Lock them up. A famous pro athlete is exactly what I need to get over my infatuation. Except Ben isn’t making things easy. He’s leveled up his touching and flirting—all good stuff unless you’re trying to move on with your life.

So what’s a girl to do? Confess my feelings and risk losing my best friend? Or keep on pretending and end up with the wrong man?

Complete is a friends-to-lovers, laugh-out-loud love story that keeps the romance closed-door. It’s book three in The Sweet Rom “Com” Series but can be read as a standalone.

GOOD HEAVENS.

I am a puddle after this one y’all!! Let me era of friends to lovers romances commence. This is one of the best renditions of this trope I’ve read.

Ben was such flirty hot mess and I loved it. I actually burst out in true laughter multiple times (aka the yacht scene IYKYK). There were many genuinely funny scenes that are the reason I love this romcom genre. Keisel did an amazing job at creating a book filled with serious subjects combined with the happiness I need when I read. I loved seeing Ben work through his parent issues. He definitely needed shaken a bit to get the point across, but when that aha moment hit you here the chorus shouting, FINALLY.

I adored Brooke!! She was a fantastic FMC that was filled with love and hope and I want to be her friend. The subplot with Trey actually worked out better than I could have hoped for. I was nervous that he’d get tossed aside, and I love how Keisel handled that. Not to mention, I am so here for the jealousy. I realized that I do love some jealous aspects (on both sides) to really push those feelings, when you know they are just IN LOVE.

Clearly I loved this. It’s my new favorite Keisel book and makes me excited for whatever she has in store next.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: death of a parent mentioned, recounting of home life (with yelling and indifferent parents)

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