You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
amandas_reading_nook's Reviews (372)
I picked this book up hoping for something funny and lighthearted and got something a lot more emotional instead, haha. But that's on me for not reading the synopsis. In general, I liked this book. Was it a little cheesy? Sure. But that's exactly what I would expect from a book titled Kilt Trip. I did enjoy the romance and Addie's journey through her mom's pictures, but I honestly wish we had spent more time on her relationship with her dad. I felt like that was just thrown in there at the end, and it could have made Addie a more well-rounded character.
This book was just as sweet as everyone said it was! I really enjoyed how the author touched on all the different ways that pregnancy can affect your life and the relationships with the people around you. Obviously, the pregnancy affects Eve's relationship with Willa as she's been struggling with infertility, but she also has to navigate the father of the baby not being sure if he can step up for her, a crossroads in her career, and the possibility of falling in love with her best friend's brother at such a pivotal point in her life. I also really enjoyed the relationship that she developed with her nurse and all of the conversations that they had. I know not everyone loves an accidental pregnancy book, but this is one that I think a lot of people could enjoy!
I really thought I would like this book more than I did based on the reviews. The author's writing was fine, but I think I just wasn't in the mood for something that had so much angst. I also felt like it had too much going on between Delilah's feud with her stepsister and Claire battling with the father of her child. I kept questioning how the author was possibly going to wrap up all the different storylines as we started to near the ending.
I did enjoy the romance between Delilah and Claire though! It was surprisingly tender, and I thought that both characters had a decent amount of development as they opened up to each other.
I did enjoy the romance between Delilah and Claire though! It was surprisingly tender, and I thought that both characters had a decent amount of development as they opened up to each other.
I genuinely think that TJR's writing has improved with every book she has released. It's obvious how much research she put into this project. I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but it wasn't such an introspective look at what it means to live wrapped around an absolutely beautiful love story- more than one beautiful love story, really. I loved Frances and Joan's relationship, maybe even more than Vanessa and Joan's. Either way, Joan is one of my new favorite FMCs, right up there with Elizabeth Zott from Lessons in Chemistry.
This was so close to a five-star read for me- I just did not like the ending. Not the outcome of it, but where she left us in the story. I had so many questions! And I hate leaving a book with that, "but what happened next?!" feeling.
This was so close to a five-star read for me- I just did not like the ending. Not the outcome of it, but where she left us in the story. I had so many questions! And I hate leaving a book with that, "but what happened next?!" feeling.
Whew, this book was hot!
Brooks, a former NFL player, left the game after a serious injury, but has decided that the coaching life isn't for him. He wants to play again, and he only wants to do it with his former team. The only problem is they won't sign him with the bad boy image he gained after a break-up led to a series of back-alley break-ups. So when Siena, ex-girlfriend to one of the league's hottest quarterbacks, posts a picture of them that goes viral, Brooks tries to talk her into a fake relationship. Siena finally agrees when the brand deals start rolling in and she sees the opportunity to keep her late father's bait and tackle store afloat. Now all they have to do is convince everyone that they've been in a committed relationship while remembering that it's all pretend... right?
Brooks and Siena are some of my favorite characters that I've read this year. They both felt well-developed and fully fleshed out. I'll admit that I didn't think I was going to like Siena very much at first, but she really grew on me and I loved how much of a free spirit she was. I love it when an FMC isn't afraid to challenge the MMC in general. I enjoyed the journey that their relationship took as they slowly learned more about each other, let go of their bad first impressions, and let down their walls. I also lived for their banter- is it even a romance if they don't have good banter?
I did feel like the book was a little long, but I didn't necessarily think any of the plot points were drawn out. If anything, it was probably the number of spicy scenes that slowed down the pace, lol. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing! Just something to keep in mind, depending on what kind of romance you're in the mood for.
All in all, I really enjoyed this, and I will be eagerly awaiting Summer and Parker's story! It seems like we're in for an extra steamy one if the teasers in this book are anything to go by.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Brooks, a former NFL player, left the game after a serious injury, but has decided that the coaching life isn't for him. He wants to play again, and he only wants to do it with his former team. The only problem is they won't sign him with the bad boy image he gained after a break-up led to a series of back-alley break-ups. So when Siena, ex-girlfriend to one of the league's hottest quarterbacks, posts a picture of them that goes viral, Brooks tries to talk her into a fake relationship. Siena finally agrees when the brand deals start rolling in and she sees the opportunity to keep her late father's bait and tackle store afloat. Now all they have to do is convince everyone that they've been in a committed relationship while remembering that it's all pretend... right?
Brooks and Siena are some of my favorite characters that I've read this year. They both felt well-developed and fully fleshed out. I'll admit that I didn't think I was going to like Siena very much at first, but she really grew on me and I loved how much of a free spirit she was. I love it when an FMC isn't afraid to challenge the MMC in general. I enjoyed the journey that their relationship took as they slowly learned more about each other, let go of their bad first impressions, and let down their walls. I also lived for their banter- is it even a romance if they don't have good banter?
I did feel like the book was a little long, but I didn't necessarily think any of the plot points were drawn out. If anything, it was probably the number of spicy scenes that slowed down the pace, lol. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing! Just something to keep in mind, depending on what kind of romance you're in the mood for.
All in all, I really enjoyed this, and I will be eagerly awaiting Summer and Parker's story! It seems like we're in for an extra steamy one if the teasers in this book are anything to go by.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was nervous going into this book, because I have loved all of Ashley Poston's adult romances, but books with musician main characters have never been my favorite. They just always feel too cheesy for me, and something about all the songwriting and singing for one specific person gives me second-hand embarrassment. But if there was an author who could make me love a romance about musicians, I should have known that it would be Ashley Poston. I loved everything about this book. The mind reading, the Iwan and Clementine cameo, the setting, and, of course, Sasha and Joni. And even though I knew it was coming, the ending had me in absolute shambles. I was ugly crying all the way to the finish line. No world exists where I could give this book anything other than 5 stars.
I thought this was a perfectly entertaining thriller. The short chapters and quick pace kept me engaged with the story as I tried to figure out how all of the different pieces fit together. I really enjoyed all the different parents, various levels of horrible as they were. I also thought it was fun to revisit Agent Keller, and it added a little bit more depth and emotion to the story.
I was a little underwhelmed by the ending. What was arguably the most important action of the book happened in a few quick sentences, and I was really anticipating one final twist that never came.
I was a little underwhelmed by the ending. What was arguably the most important action of the book happened in a few quick sentences, and I was really anticipating one final twist that never came.
Unfortunately, this was not my favorite by Ali. While I still enjoyed her writing, I just was not feeling the chemistry between Conor and Maya. I want to believe that the age gap didn't bother me, but I had a hard time turning off the part of my brain that didn't buy that Conor fell for a 20-year-old after spending the weekend with her and other 20-year-olds. I also didn't love how much chasing Maya had to do for the relationship. I wasn't a huge fan of the ending in general, but also, why wasn't there an epilogue? If there were ever a couple that I didn't believe could last, it's this one, and Ali not writing their future made it feel like she agreed. My favorite part of this book was, by far, the Lukas and Scarlett cameo.
There is no romance trope I love more than a second-chance romance, and this was a good one!
Cynthie and Jack are actors who met on the set of a movie where they played the lead roles. Being that Jack is a well-connected nepobaby and Cynthie was plucked from an open casting call with no prior training or experience, they butted heads almost immediately. After vexing each other all throughout filming, they were talked into faking a relationship for the promotion of the movie. But once that was over, they went their separate ways, vowing to never speak to each other again. That is, until thirteen years later, when the studio was once again asking them to fake date, this time to garner excitement over a sequel to the movie that started it all. With Cynthie and Jack both in need of some good PR, they agree, but this time it won't be so easy for them to deny the attraction that has always been there.
I really enjoyed the romance between Cythie and Jack! I thought their characters had a lot of chemistry and growth throughout the book. The reason why I love second-chance romances so much is because I love it when two people can go their separate ways, grow and change, and then find their way back to each other, and this really did feel like a case of right person, wrong time. It was clear how much Cythie and Jack had matured in the years between when their paths crossed. I loved seeing them both apologize for their previous behavior and show grace for one another.
That being said, I did think the pacing of the book was a little off. The story is told in a dual timeline, and we spend a lot of time in the past in the first half of the book. Which was great in that we got to see how their relationship started, but there were some scenes that I didn't think contributed a lot to the overall plot, and therefore slowed the pace of the book down quite a bit. I was much more invested in their reunion in the present-day timeline. I also felt like the ending was drawn out; everything after about the 85% mark felt superfluous.
This is a companion novel to Under Your Spell, but I wouldn't say it's necessary to read it before reading Let's Make a Scene.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cynthie and Jack are actors who met on the set of a movie where they played the lead roles. Being that Jack is a well-connected nepobaby and Cynthie was plucked from an open casting call with no prior training or experience, they butted heads almost immediately. After vexing each other all throughout filming, they were talked into faking a relationship for the promotion of the movie. But once that was over, they went their separate ways, vowing to never speak to each other again. That is, until thirteen years later, when the studio was once again asking them to fake date, this time to garner excitement over a sequel to the movie that started it all. With Cynthie and Jack both in need of some good PR, they agree, but this time it won't be so easy for them to deny the attraction that has always been there.
I really enjoyed the romance between Cythie and Jack! I thought their characters had a lot of chemistry and growth throughout the book. The reason why I love second-chance romances so much is because I love it when two people can go their separate ways, grow and change, and then find their way back to each other, and this really did feel like a case of right person, wrong time. It was clear how much Cythie and Jack had matured in the years between when their paths crossed. I loved seeing them both apologize for their previous behavior and show grace for one another.
That being said, I did think the pacing of the book was a little off. The story is told in a dual timeline, and we spend a lot of time in the past in the first half of the book. Which was great in that we got to see how their relationship started, but there were some scenes that I didn't think contributed a lot to the overall plot, and therefore slowed the pace of the book down quite a bit. I was much more invested in their reunion in the present-day timeline. I also felt like the ending was drawn out; everything after about the 85% mark felt superfluous.
This is a companion novel to Under Your Spell, but I wouldn't say it's necessary to read it before reading Let's Make a Scene.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun and quintessential rom-com!
Our FMC, Holly, is working as an unpaid intern at an environmental nonprofit after a scandal at the law firm where she was an attorney left her jobless with no references, single, and maybe just a little jaded. Now nearing the end of the internship, Holly and the five other interns will compete to host the most profitable fundraiser, determining which of them will secure the job as program liaison at the company's new office in Scotland. Holly decides to make a calendar featuring nature, men, and their dogs. Even though she only has a few weeks to find 12 attractive and willing models, her most daunting task is getting Jonathan, the office recluse, to help her with the project. But once she has him on board, the irony is, the closer she gets to pulling off the fundraiser, the more reasons Jonathan is giving her to stay.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was super cute and had such a fun premise. I loved all of the photoshoot scenes and how each of the models and their dogs had different personalities. It added a lot of levity to the story. I also loved Holly and Jonathan's relationship! The attraction was clearly there from the beginning, but the way they slowly opened up to each other and realized how similar their stories were was so precious to me.
A third-act break-up is never going to be my favorite trope, but I weirdly felt like it actually fit this story. There are a lot of themes of starting over, and not being afraid to take risks, and so it made sense to me that Holly and Jonathan couldn't really start their relationship until they were both ready to take that risk.
I would recommend this book if you are a fan of workplace romances, bad first impressions, and, of course, hot men and their dogs!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Our FMC, Holly, is working as an unpaid intern at an environmental nonprofit after a scandal at the law firm where she was an attorney left her jobless with no references, single, and maybe just a little jaded. Now nearing the end of the internship, Holly and the five other interns will compete to host the most profitable fundraiser, determining which of them will secure the job as program liaison at the company's new office in Scotland. Holly decides to make a calendar featuring nature, men, and their dogs. Even though she only has a few weeks to find 12 attractive and willing models, her most daunting task is getting Jonathan, the office recluse, to help her with the project. But once she has him on board, the irony is, the closer she gets to pulling off the fundraiser, the more reasons Jonathan is giving her to stay.
I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was super cute and had such a fun premise. I loved all of the photoshoot scenes and how each of the models and their dogs had different personalities. It added a lot of levity to the story. I also loved Holly and Jonathan's relationship! The attraction was clearly there from the beginning, but the way they slowly opened up to each other and realized how similar their stories were was so precious to me.
A third-act break-up is never going to be my favorite trope, but I weirdly felt like it actually fit this story. There are a lot of themes of starting over, and not being afraid to take risks, and so it made sense to me that Holly and Jonathan couldn't really start their relationship until they were both ready to take that risk.
I would recommend this book if you are a fan of workplace romances, bad first impressions, and, of course, hot men and their dogs!
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.