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ariannaisbooked's reviews
422 reviews
Home for the Holidays by Lee Jacquot
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I don't usually enjoy step sibling romances & had totally forgotten that it's the main trope of this book. But I liked the way Lee Jacquot wrote their story & didn't make the step sibling part cringey like a lot of other similar novellas / books. It's the way I'm such a sucker for a guy who builds a house on a secluded property & constructs the house to be everything *she'd* like in the hopes that one day they'll be together.
Malum: Part 1 by Amo Jones
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book has a distinctly different vibe from the first 3 in the Elite King’s Club series & I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as the others. I expected a lot of ups and downs with this book but I just didn’t like Tillie & Nate’s story thus far as much as I liked the first part of the series.
I read the trigger warning in the beginning of the book & was very confused what it was actually about. It said there would be warnings leading up to the scene it was referencing. But there definitely were *not*. I don’t care that actually naming the situation in the trigger warning is somewhat of a spoiler, I would have rather seen it spelled out instead of being surprised with a scene with SIDS & then an immediate suicide attempt.
I read the trigger warning in the beginning of the book & was very confused what it was actually about. It said there would be warnings leading up to the scene it was referencing. But there definitely were *not*. I don’t care that actually naming the situation in the trigger warning is somewhat of a spoiler, I would have rather seen it spelled out instead of being surprised with a scene with SIDS & then an immediate suicide attempt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Suicide attempt
One Night by Lena Hendrix
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Lena Hendrix is one of my favorite small town romance authors & I think this one might be my favorite book of hers! The mutual pining between Sylvie and Duke was incredible! It created the perfect amount of tension, especially when they'd see each other in town and have to act like they weren't secretly friends. I went into this blind and honestly had no idea that it had the surprise pregnancy trope. I was shocked in the best way possible when I got to that part & ate up every second of the tension it created with all the side characters.
This book is perfect if you love:
- small town romance
- rivals to lovers
- from feuding families
- mutual pining
- surprise pregnancy
Thank you to Lena Hendrix for sending me an early copy!
This book is perfect if you love:
- small town romance
- rivals to lovers
- from feuding families
- mutual pining
- surprise pregnancy
Thank you to Lena Hendrix for sending me an early copy!
An Icy Infatuation by Emily Silver
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book is basically a love letter to the penguins of Antarctica and I loved every second of it! Reid & Bea's story is so beautiful in how natural it was for them to get together. I've previously read book 2 in this series so it was fun getting to see the gang's origin story!
Callum by Suzanna Manship
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Disclosure: I edited this book. The following review is a summary of my first reader thoughts as I read through her manuscript before turning on the editing side of my brain:
This is perhaps my favorite book of Suzanna's! It was so interesting to see Suzanna's TikToks as she was writing then finally reading the book to see how all those moments manifested in the book. Especially since she was concerned about it not being dark enough to be classified as a dark romance. But I can assure you, it's a dark romance. But a little more on the same vibe level as Butcher & Blackbird because it's dark but there are so many funny moments throughout the book. And there are even traditional Suzanna moments - like I literally cried so many tears at the
Callum's inner monologues >>>>>
Rosalind's sassiness & stabby-ness >>>>>
Features:
- first love, second chance
- romance between rival mafia members
- hate banging
- possessive MMC
- when he *makes* her wear his clothes microtrope
- when he wipes the tears from her face microtrope
This is perhaps my favorite book of Suzanna's! It was so interesting to see Suzanna's TikToks as she was writing then finally reading the book to see how all those moments manifested in the book. Especially since she was concerned about it not being dark enough to be classified as a dark romance. But I can assure you, it's a dark romance. But a little more on the same vibe level as Butcher & Blackbird because it's dark but there are so many funny moments throughout the book. And there are even traditional Suzanna moments - like I literally cried so many tears at the
Callum's inner monologues >>>>>
Rosalind's sassiness & stabby-ness >>>>>
Features:
- first love, second chance
- romance between rival mafia members
- hate banging
- possessive MMC
- when he *makes* her wear his clothes microtrope
- when he wipes the tears from her face microtrope
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death and Grief
Minor: Sexual assault and Trafficking
Sexual assault and trafficking take place prior to the events of the book and are mentioned but not explicitly described. Please see the author's website or note in the front of the book prior to reading if these are triggers for you.
No Trick Plays by Suzanna Manship
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I finished my beta read of No Trick Plays & I absolutely love this group of characters! It was so fun to see more of Ellie & King from Hey Batter Batter but it was also fun to see the teasers for the next book in the series 👀
It starts off as a bit of a slow burn but the spice is hotttt with Miller’s dirty talk! The dugout scene?! It’s going to live rent free in my brain now.
It starts off as a bit of a slow burn but the spice is hotttt with Miller’s dirty talk! The dugout scene?! It’s going to live rent free in my brain now.
Here With Me by Brooke Montgomery
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Easily one of my top 12 books of 2023! If I could rate this book infinity stars, I would!
Noah's been friends with her ex-boyfriend since they broke up a couple years ago. But when she goes to a rodeo and has a HOTTT one night stand with a sexy older man, she has no idea how their paths are about to cross again. Turns out, he's her ex-boyfriend's dad who had been divorced from her ex's mom for awhile & hadn't been in town in a decade. Not to mention, he's finally back in town to make amends with his son & is about to start working for Noah's family's ranch as their new farrier. But what happens when they can't keep their hands & eyes to themselves when they see each other every single day?!
There are parts of this book that hit way too close to home for me, specifically with Fisher and his suicide attempt. So please go into this book knowing that it will cover some very serious / hard to read topics. BUT it is still such a beautiful book of healing from trauma & grief while reconciling with the past & making amends. And let's just say that Daddy Fisher is HOTTTT. He might be 20 years older than Noah but he's got a dirty mouth & the body to bring that talking to actions. The way he fell so hard & fast for Noah just had me giggling & kicking my feet every time he said the CUTEST things to her. I know I've already said it, but this is one of my favorite books of the year!
And the side characters?! Just you wait. The rest of the series is going to be just as incredible as this one, if not better!
Content warnings:
- The prologue has an on page suicide attempt, so skip it if that could be triggering for you. There's an author's note right before the prologue that will also tell you this.
- Traumatic loss of a child
- Detailed descriptions of grief
Features:
- former bull rider turned farrier x horse trainer
- ex-boyfriend's dad
- HOT one night stand to forever
- healing after trauma
- a little mystery / who did it subplot
- Taylor Swift coded / references
Noah's been friends with her ex-boyfriend since they broke up a couple years ago. But when she goes to a rodeo and has a HOTTT one night stand with a sexy older man, she has no idea how their paths are about to cross again. Turns out, he's her ex-boyfriend's dad who had been divorced from her ex's mom for awhile & hadn't been in town in a decade. Not to mention, he's finally back in town to make amends with his son & is about to start working for Noah's family's ranch as their new farrier. But what happens when they can't keep their hands & eyes to themselves when they see each other every single day?!
There are parts of this book that hit way too close to home for me, specifically with Fisher and his suicide attempt. So please go into this book knowing that it will cover some very serious / hard to read topics. BUT it is still such a beautiful book of healing from trauma & grief while reconciling with the past & making amends. And let's just say that Daddy Fisher is HOTTTT. He might be 20 years older than Noah but he's got a dirty mouth & the body to bring that talking to actions. The way he fell so hard & fast for Noah just had me giggling & kicking my feet every time he said the CUTEST things to her. I know I've already said it, but this is one of my favorite books of the year!
And the side characters?! Just you wait. The rest of the series is going to be just as incredible as this one, if not better!
Content warnings:
- The prologue has an on page suicide attempt, so skip it if that could be triggering for you. There's an author's note right before the prologue that will also tell you this.
- Traumatic loss of a child
- Detailed descriptions of grief
Features:
- former bull rider turned farrier x horse trainer
- ex-boyfriend's dad
- HOT one night stand to forever
- healing after trauma
- a little mystery / who did it subplot
- Taylor Swift coded / references
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Abandonment
There's an author's note before the prologue that will tell you not to read it if suicide is a triggering topic for you. It has an on-page suicide attempt but the story can be read perfectly fine without reading it.
Fisher's daughter died in a tragic rock climbing accident and it is described on page towards the middle of the book. He also has many on-page thoughts about worthlessness and feeling like he should have been the one to die that day ten years ago.
Fisher's back in town to reconcile with his son & there are some detailed conversations between father & son about what really happened. In that conversation, the son also talks about his abandonment issues from suddenly losing his sister and then his father a few weeks later.
Lady Venom Takes a Mistress by Kat Blackthorne
adventurous
dark
medium-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
5.0
Kat knew we needed more sapphic love in the Thorneverse & boy did she deliver!! I'm obsessed with this book! Lady Venom Takes a Mistress takes place in the same universe as the Halloween Boys series & it was so fun to see a certain someone make an appearance here too. The "f*ck the patriarchy" vibes in this book are immaculate.
Poesy has been raised to be the "perfect" woman so that she could be auctioned off at the bidding ceremony. She's been able to avoid being chosen for a few years now, but this is the year that she's not so lucky. When her plans don't work, she runs away from her future husband and straight into the arms of Lady Venom, who's known for killing off men in the forest. With the help of Lady Venom, Poesy learns much about herself & even how to protect herself.
Let's just say that Lady Venom is hottttt. I mean knife throwing?? Come on! She's such a badass & teaches Poesy how to use knives to her advantage as well. If you don't like paranormal romances, this one might not be for you. But if that is your jam, just know that Lady Venom has a forked tongue & she sure knows how to use it!
This book is the perfect transition into the autumnal vibes & highly recommend adding it to your fall TBR this year!
Thank you so much to Kat Blackthorne for sending me an early copy to read!
Poesy has been raised to be the "perfect" woman so that she could be auctioned off at the bidding ceremony. She's been able to avoid being chosen for a few years now, but this is the year that she's not so lucky. When her plans don't work, she runs away from her future husband and straight into the arms of Lady Venom, who's known for killing off men in the forest. With the help of Lady Venom, Poesy learns much about herself & even how to protect herself.
Let's just say that Lady Venom is hottttt. I mean knife throwing?? Come on! She's such a badass & teaches Poesy how to use knives to her advantage as well. If you don't like paranormal romances, this one might not be for you. But if that is your jam, just know that Lady Venom has a forked tongue & she sure knows how to use it!
This book is the perfect transition into the autumnal vibes & highly recommend adding it to your fall TBR this year!
Thank you so much to Kat Blackthorne for sending me an early copy to read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
The One I Need by Chelle Sloan
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was the first book I’ve read by Chelle Sloan & it will most definitely *not* be the last one either. It was so incredibly addictive!
Izzy is most definitely *not* a relationship girl. But Oliver is a hopeless romantic. After a chance meeting at a wedding, they have a one night stand. Of course Oliver isn’t ready to give Izzy up, so he takes her friendship when she won’t offer anything else. But one work trip to Vegas & a night out on the town together is enough to change everything when they wake up married.
I could see so much of myself in Oliver throughout this book! But I absolutely loved Izzy’s character & many of the side characters as well. I seriously can’t wait to continue on with this series!
Thank you so much to Chelle Sloan for sending me an early copy!
One Touch by Lena Hendrix
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
One Touch might just be my favorite of Lena's books that I've read so far!
Lemme just say that the tropes in this book are some of my all time favorites & especially when they're mixed together like this! Like ex-boyfriend's brother AND brother's best friend?! AND grumpy x sunshine?!
I was a little surprised that there wasn't a lottt more tension with the ex-boyfriend's brother situation. But don't worry, there's still plenty of tension & angst throughout the book! I love that we get to see so much of the side characters as well! The chickens having such a prominent role in this series? Hilarious! Beakface sure did raise some hell & had me laughing out loud as I was reading.
Perhaps my favorite thing with series of interconnected standalones like this are the little nods you get to the previous & upcoming couples' stories as well!
Features:
- grumpy x sunshine
- ex-boyfriend's brother
- brother's best friend
- small town romance
- forced proximity
- enemies to lovers
Thank you so much to Lena Hendrix for sending me an early copy to read!
Lemme just say that the tropes in this book are some of my all time favorites & especially when they're mixed together like this! Like ex-boyfriend's brother AND brother's best friend?! AND grumpy x sunshine?!
I was a little surprised that there wasn't a lottt more tension with the ex-boyfriend's brother situation. But don't worry, there's still plenty of tension & angst throughout the book! I love that we get to see so much of the side characters as well! The chickens having such a prominent role in this series? Hilarious! Beakface sure did raise some hell & had me laughing out loud as I was reading.
Perhaps my favorite thing with series of interconnected standalones like this are the little nods you get to the previous & upcoming couples' stories as well!
Features:
- grumpy x sunshine
- ex-boyfriend's brother
- brother's best friend
- small town romance
- forced proximity
- enemies to lovers
Thank you so much to Lena Hendrix for sending me an early copy to read!