Tag: spicy romance

Book Review: Broken Souls and Bones (Stonegate #1) by L.J. Andrews

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 480 pages
Author: L.J. Andrews
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: April 29th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Together they’ll restore a divided kingdom—or burn it down—in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews.

Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortress of Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood—the prince’s silent guard and rumored killer for the crown—invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she’s forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder.

To be the King’s melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But first she must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark.

As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he’s nothing like she assumed—and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny.

GREAT START.

I have been looking forward to this book since its announcement and I loooved the audiobook. It was a great story with a true slow burn that had an ending making me neeeed book two.

I was most invested in the romance. Watching the genuine connection from enemies to lovers was top tier. This is a trope that LJ Andrews continues to write incredibly well. There’s not a rush to lust. Providing banter and those moments to see each other in another light sets the scene for off the charts chemistry.

My mind did wander a bit in the first half and I struggled to stay fully engaged, and I think that settled in the back half. The characters and found family are another strong aspect that I often see in Andrews books. I feel like this gave the air of the usual cadence I’ve read in romantasy with some unique things that I loved seeing too.

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: high

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ALC Book Review: Jilted by Vi Keeland

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 266 pages
Author: Vi Keeland
Publisher: Bramble
Release Date: May 6th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

From #1 New York Times bestseller Vi Keeland comes a brand new slow burn, swooning romance where 27 Dresses meets The Hating Game.

Weddings. I spend every working minute talking and writing about them, when just the thought of one makes me want to scream. After my fiancé abandoned me at the altar last year, my dream job at Bride magazine has turned into a reoccurring nightmare.

To add insult to injury, the bridezilla at my latest assignment, somehow roped me into filling in for a missing bridesmaid. Of course, I had to get paired with the most gorgeous groomsman. Wilder Hayes is perfect—except when he opens his mouth and we end up bickering all evening. That is, until the coat closet incident.

At least I’ll never have to see him again. Or so I think… Until I walk into work on Monday and find out Wilder isn’t just a jerk, he’s also my boss’s son. And I’ll be spending the rest of the season working with him at every single wedding I cover this year.

Can the jilted bride and the man who is afraid of love find a way to heal each other?

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

THAT’S A NO FOR ME.

I had been warned before listening to this that it might not work for me. I went in level headed and admittedly did like it for the first 50%ish. The bones of the plot were good. The MMC was a rugby player and uber charming. I didn’t mind the FMC, all is hunky-dory.

But after the halfway mark things went downhill. So much so that I’m quite confident this is the only book I will read from this author. I’m good with that. I didn’t like the heaviness of the spice and the third act??? NOPE. One of my most frustrating tropes.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 4+ open door; high explicit
  • Content warnings: cheating (not the main characters), Parkinson’s disease, loss of a parent (recounted)

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Book Review: Sweet Wicked Vows (A Wicked Dade Book #1) by Rachel Donnan

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 347 pages
Author: Rachel Donnan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: November 28th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

JAXON
Revenge doesn’t have an expiry date.
So when my brother hands me the chance to get it, I jump.
It doesn’t matter that it involves marrying my main competitor and enemy’s daughter.
All I have to do is focus on the task at hand and not on the redhead who makes me question everything, including my own heart.

EVELYN
My whole world is being turned upside down.
Broken-hearted and thrust into becoming CEO of my dad’s company, I make a deal with the Dade devils.
Marriage for one year. Simple.
Except everything I start to feel for Jaxon is anything but simple.
No matter how much I crave him, falling in love with my temporary husband isn’t an option, right?

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

Okay so, I picked this book based off of seeing it recommend on a Thread I wrote. It just called to me. And at the time of me writing this review, it has less than 40 reviews on Goodreads. I took a shot in the dark, and I am here to say, I enjoyed this book.

The marriage of convenience trope CALLED to me. And I answered. I thought it was a clever plot with the feuding jewelry stores and I did like both characters. There was some good and feisty banter. I love a man who speaks a different language and I thought the romance showed a lot of potential.

What was missing for me was a fleshing out of all aspects of the plot and romance. Since I’ve read 1,000+ romance books I felt like my mind filled in the blanks because I knew where things were going. I do wish that we had some more background on the feud, the characters, just all of the little pieces put together.

Will I read the next book? Maybe. I think the spice was a bit out of my wheelhouse preference level (but if you like more spicy things, I would say try this!!). I’m not mad I took a chance on reading this though. It brought me out of a slump I was mulling me way through.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: multiple open door; fade to black
  • Violence: mild
  • Content Warnings: loss of a parent (recounted), loss of a parent (on page)

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Book Review: The Mist Thief (The Ever Seas #3) by L.J. Andrews

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 454 pages
Author: L.J. Andrews
Publisher: Victorious
Release Date: June 30th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

he tried to kill him, so he made her his wife.

Skadi first met her husband-to-be with blades in hand on the opposite side of a battle. She lost, and he claimed his prize.

To her horror, the king of the shadow elven agrees to marry her off to Jonas, a prince in the fae realms, as a way to unite their kingdoms against a shared enemy—the light elves. Skadi knows the marriage is nothing but a political game. Feelings won’t come into play.

Except her new husband makes not falling in love . . . challenging.

When new threats arise, Skadi must decide to either love her enemy, or keep him alive by betraying him to another.

Welcome to another installment in the Ever Seas world where pirates, fae, and elves collide with Vikings in a dark fantasy romance between a morally gray cinnamon roll and the broken princess who steals his heart.

*This book is a standalone with a guaranteed HEA, and can be read before The Ever King/Queen, but to see the full impact of their story, it’s recommended to read that duet first. This series is set in the same world as the bestselling Broken Kingdoms series, but can be read independently, and readers are encouraged to read the list of triggers inside.*

LOVELY STANDALONE.

I loved loved loved being back in this world. It hit that fantasy romance craving I am always in search of and it was MARRAIGE OF CONVENIENCE. How was I supposed to resist???

I loved Skadi and Jonas. I love seeing a man fall hard and do whatever he can to make Skadi feel comfortable and safe with him and his family.

Jonas stilled for a breath, then leaned forward, drawing his cheek alongside mine. “Be kind, be gentle, and be monstrous. I will want you every way.”

This line was used a few times throughout and I was OBSESSED every time I read it. Who doesn’t want to be loved this way? Through the darkness and the light. It resonated deeply and made this passionate book all the more.

The physicality of the relationship started to outweigh the plot in the second half. And that did bug me enough to notice and mark it. Otherwise I don’t have any issues. The plot is slower and heavily romance focused rather than the larger plot. It has the edge of feeling cozy while still dark and gritty. I can’t wait for more books with future couples!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Fantasy Romance
  • Language: high
  • Romance: 4+ open door
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: self harm (recounted), murder, assault, kidnapping, torture, mentions of emotional and mental abuse

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