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amandas_reading_nook's Reviews (372)
I enjoyed this book even though it wasn't really the fun rom-com I was expecting. I thought there would be silly antics as Marcella and Theo fake-dated in an attempt to make their respective crushes jealous, and instead, I got a much more emotional and angsty romance. I also just personally don't enjoy it when a love triangle involves brothers.
I did like the author's writing style though, and I would read another book by her!
I did like the author's writing style though, and I would read another book by her!
I really enjoyed this look into a grieving family. Joy's grief of losing both her mother and her mother's cultural knowledge made me examine my own relationship with my mother and her relationship with my daughter, as I have also defaulted to allowing my mom to be the one to teach my daughter about our culture. This book tackles a whole host of complex topics like divorce, sexuality, faith, and generational cycles. However, the author discusses many of them at only a surface level, and I only wish that we had dived deeper into them.
This was such a fun book! If you love a Paris Hilton/ London Tipton/ Alexis Rose type of character as much as I do, this is a must read!
When her grandmother is murdered, Pomona Afton, hotel heiress and party girl extraordinaire, finds herself cut off from her trust fund and kicked out of her hotel apartment after it's found that her grandmother's will states that all assets will be frozen if she is to die from "unnatural causes" until the murderer is caught. This forces Pomona to reassess her life choices as she has no where to go and no career to fall back on. Spurred on by the encouragement of her new roommate (and the son of her old nanny), Gabe, Pomona decides that they way to taking back control of her life is to solve her grandmother's murder.
Though this is a murder mystery, I would say that the real story here is the personal journey that Pomona goes on as she realizes how much more there is to life than just which party she's going to next. I equally loved watching her become so passionate about baking and deciding that she has tolerated other people's dismissal of her ambitions for far too long. I'm not sure how the author managed to make a spoiled, rich girl so endearing, but there were several points where I wanted to reach into the book and give Pomona a hug. That being said, I did still enjoy the murder mystery plot line. I did start to suspect who the murderer was pretty early on, but I thought the author did a great job of making other characters look suspicious. The romance in this book was the icing on the cake. I absolutely adored Gabe and felt like he went on a personal journey of his own as he helped Pomona get back on her feet. And dare I say that I thought the author left the ending open for another book? I honestly hope so, because I would love to see Pomona tackle another murder investigation. With Gabe, of course. We can't forget about him.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
When her grandmother is murdered, Pomona Afton, hotel heiress and party girl extraordinaire, finds herself cut off from her trust fund and kicked out of her hotel apartment after it's found that her grandmother's will states that all assets will be frozen if she is to die from "unnatural causes" until the murderer is caught. This forces Pomona to reassess her life choices as she has no where to go and no career to fall back on. Spurred on by the encouragement of her new roommate (and the son of her old nanny), Gabe, Pomona decides that they way to taking back control of her life is to solve her grandmother's murder.
Though this is a murder mystery, I would say that the real story here is the personal journey that Pomona goes on as she realizes how much more there is to life than just which party she's going to next. I equally loved watching her become so passionate about baking and deciding that she has tolerated other people's dismissal of her ambitions for far too long. I'm not sure how the author managed to make a spoiled, rich girl so endearing, but there were several points where I wanted to reach into the book and give Pomona a hug. That being said, I did still enjoy the murder mystery plot line. I did start to suspect who the murderer was pretty early on, but I thought the author did a great job of making other characters look suspicious. The romance in this book was the icing on the cake. I absolutely adored Gabe and felt like he went on a personal journey of his own as he helped Pomona get back on her feet. And dare I say that I thought the author left the ending open for another book? I honestly hope so, because I would love to see Pomona tackle another murder investigation. With Gabe, of course. We can't forget about him.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
While the entire premise of this felt far-fetched, I did enjoy how fast-paced it was. I also thought the author did a good job of weaving the different storylines together in a way that I never could have guessed. I did feel a little removed from the characters and wished that the author had done more showing instead of telling when it came to some of the more pivotal moments in their lives.
adventurous
emotional
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Now, this is the kind of cozy fantasy/mystery that I can get behind. I often feel like cozy books just don't have enough happening in the plot to hold my attention, and while this was a bit of a slow burn and a tad predictable, we were still building up to an ending that was action-packed and satisfying. Plus, I genuinely loved all of the character development in this one. The FMC was so endearing to me, and I couldn't help but root for her. Through in a little rivals-to-lovers plotline, and what's not to like? This was a little heavy on the facts about and care instructions for all of the magical creatures at the zoo, but I did enjoy how rich the world that the author created felt.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Another fun, spicy novella from Serena Pier!
I am once again amazed by the author's ability to write a romance based around an arguably unsexy holiday. Even though under an Easter bunny mask has to be the creepiest way to meet your potential future boyfriend, Pier makes it work! The chemistry between Anna and Chad is undeniable. I'll admit that I was skeptical of the age gap in this one, but thankfully, it wasn't presented in a way that felt icky. This is definitely the spiciest novella in the series so far, so I would recommend you check content warnings to make sure this is for you.
If you're looking for something quick and lighthearted to read, give this series a try!
I am once again amazed by the author's ability to write a romance based around an arguably unsexy holiday. Even though under an Easter bunny mask has to be the creepiest way to meet your potential future boyfriend, Pier makes it work! The chemistry between Anna and Chad is undeniable. I'll admit that I was skeptical of the age gap in this one, but thankfully, it wasn't presented in a way that felt icky. This is definitely the spiciest novella in the series so far, so I would recommend you check content warnings to make sure this is for you.
If you're looking for something quick and lighthearted to read, give this series a try!
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was seriously the perfect conclusion to this story. I absolutely adore Rune and Gideon's love story and thought that the author did a great job developing their characters. The tension and banter between them are top tier. I was worried that I would be frustrated by their continued cat-and-mouse game, but I felt like the author gave them compelling reasons for why they needed to work together and yet couldn't trust each other. Overall, a virtually perfect duology.
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was so curious about the connection between Noah and Dorian in Unbearable (especially since Noah has a boyfriend when we meet her), and their story did not disappoint! I loved everything about this book: the suspense, the connection between Noah and Gracie, and, of course, the romance. I'll admit that I've never had strong feelings about Single-Dad books, but this one might just have me seeking out more. I felt like Gracie was such an integral part of the story, and I loved how much her character added to the dynamic of Noah and Dorian trying to fight their feelings for each other.
I thought that Jerr's writing was good in Unbearable, but I think it improved significantly in Undone. Specifically, her dialogue felt like it flowed better (it was also spicier), and the more action-packed scenes felt more detailed.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic follow-up to Unbearable, and I am so excited for the rest of this series! Especially since we get a little sneak peek at who the other couples are going to be at the very end of this one ;)
I thought that Jerr's writing was good in Unbearable, but I think it improved significantly in Undone. Specifically, her dialogue felt like it flowed better (it was also spicier), and the more action-packed scenes felt more detailed.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic follow-up to Unbearable, and I am so excited for the rest of this series! Especially since we get a little sneak peek at who the other couples are going to be at the very end of this one ;)
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I think this book may have just sent me down a Romantic Suspense rabbit hole. I seriously enjoyed this so much! I loved Dotty and James' love story and liked how the author included flashbacks to show how their friendship evolved over the years. I thought they had great chemistry, and I absolutely ate up all of the tension between them. The ending was action-packed and super suspenseful; what more could I ask for? I can't wait to read more of this series!
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Don't read this unless you want to cry your heart out.
But seriously, this was such a heartbreaking story. I did think it was very well written, but I kept waiting for the moment when the book would put my broken heart back together and leave me with a renewed sense of hope or something, and it just never came. Unfortunately, this story is restrained by the time it is set in, and the main character was never going to get the kind of vindicated justice I wanted for her, which left me feeling disappointed at the end of the story. Otherwise, this probably would have been a five-star read for me.
But seriously, this was such a heartbreaking story. I did think it was very well written, but I kept waiting for the moment when the book would put my broken heart back together and leave me with a renewed sense of hope or something, and it just never came. Unfortunately, this story is restrained by the time it is set in, and the main character was never going to get the kind of vindicated justice I wanted for her, which left me feeling disappointed at the end of the story. Otherwise, this probably would have been a five-star read for me.