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banaamelia's reviews
189 reviews
Mr. Wrong Number by Lynn Painter
2.25
I had really high hopes after reading Better Than The Movies but this just didn't hit. It started off well enough but after a while the FMC's hot mess-ness became so repetitive and boring. I didn't buy the romance and ultimately I don't think Colin and Olivia actually liked each other.
They most definitely split up two weeks after the book ended.
Also, Olivia was blunt and rude and not in a remotely charming way.
When she drank his special bottle of tequila that his sister got him, it annoyed me so much I wanted to climb inside the book and punch her.
She had a bad opinion of him the whole way through so how did she suddenly fall in love with him? He also sounded repulsed by her for half of the book so I don't know how the author expected us to root for them?
Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
emotional
funny
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
There are not enough stars in the world for this book 🥲🤍
Abby Jimenez, I regret not picking up your books sooner. Why did you have me kicking my feet and giggling from the first chapter?
I never knew I could like a mmc like Daniel before, I thought I was strictly a morally grey kind of girl but Daniel has raised the bar forever.
While it had me screaming for Alexis to just tell everyone to f themselves and do what she wanted, the conflict was done so well and it felt so real to the point that I was truly empathising with her and understanding that it’s not as easy as it seems sometimes.
I usually despise insta-love tropes but this was so beautifully done, definitely one of my favourite reads.
I’m so eager to read the rest of the books in the series as well as Abby Jimenez’s other works, a new favourite author for sure.
Abby Jimenez, I regret not picking up your books sooner. Why did you have me kicking my feet and giggling from the first chapter?
I never knew I could like a mmc like Daniel before, I thought I was strictly a morally grey kind of girl but Daniel has raised the bar forever.
While it had me screaming for Alexis to just tell everyone to f themselves and do what she wanted, the conflict was done so well and it felt so real to the point that I was truly empathising with her and understanding that it’s not as easy as it seems sometimes.
I usually despise insta-love tropes but this was so beautifully done, definitely one of my favourite reads.
I’m so eager to read the rest of the books in the series as well as Abby Jimenez’s other works, a new favourite author for sure.
When She Falls by Gabrielle Sands
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
From the very first book, I couldn’t wait for Gemma and Ras’s story, unfortunately I was left disappointed and wholly underwhelmed. While it wasn’t an altogether bad book, it didn’t meet the expectations I had.
I really hoped that Gemma would continue to show her fierce, strong personality. I did not expect her to be so meek and a pushover. I understand her past trauma plays a part but her personality seemed so unrealistic.
I couldn’t stand her “I need to do this for the family” bull. It was a SNOREFEST. For what the story was, it took a long time to tell. I saw more glimpses of Rafaele and Cleo than the actual storyline.
As I said, it wasn’t necessarily a bad book.
It’s redeeming qualities were how much of a loverboy Ras is. He was such a simp, and I generally preferred his POV more than Gemma’s. However, I hated the Nunzio storyline. It was just not my cup of tea whatsoever. Additionally, we know basically nothing about his family. We met his mother for entirely no reason. This book just didn’t hit for me the way the first two did. I would have looked forward to Rafaele and Cleo’s book, but I find her so unlikeable from what I’ve seen so far.
It’s a shame because I have taken a break from mafia romances for a while and I don’t think this was the right book for me to have jumped back in with.
Upon reflection I’ve changed my rating from 3.5 to a 3.
I really hoped that Gemma would continue to show her fierce, strong personality. I did not expect her to be so meek and a pushover. I understand her past trauma plays a part but her personality seemed so unrealistic.
I couldn’t stand her “I need to do this for the family” bull. It was a SNOREFEST. For what the story was, it took a long time to tell. I saw more glimpses of Rafaele and Cleo than the actual storyline.
As I said, it wasn’t necessarily a bad book.
It’s redeeming qualities were how much of a loverboy Ras is. He was such a simp, and I generally preferred his POV more than Gemma’s. However, I hated the Nunzio storyline. It was just not my cup of tea whatsoever. Additionally, we know basically nothing about his family. We met his mother for entirely no reason. This book just didn’t hit for me the way the first two did. I would have looked forward to Rafaele and Cleo’s book, but I find her so unlikeable from what I’ve seen so far.
It’s a shame because I have taken a break from mafia romances for a while and I don’t think this was the right book for me to have jumped back in with.
Upon reflection I’ve changed my rating from 3.5 to a 3.
Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
After years of listening to everyone on booktok telling me this is a must-read, I finally gave in. I was so disappointed when I realised in the first chapter that this was about high-schoolers. But that went away so quick. I don’t remember the last time I stayed up all night to finish a book but that’s exactly what I did with Better Than The Movies. It pulled me in so much that I genuinely forgot I was reading, I felt like I was in the book. It was like watching a new favourite movie, and I found so much of myself in Liz. Choosing songs to be a soundtrack to her life and memorising every single romcom known to man, her obsession with love, it was like I was Liz. Hate that it took me so long to read it but I love this feeling of having read it for the first time. Cannot wait for the next book!
Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
3.25
I did enjoy Done & Dusted overall but what I didn’t love was how it felt very insta-love to me, we didn’t get many scenes outside of Luke and Emmy and truthfully I need a bit more conflict. It felt too smooth sailing for my liking. Not to say it was a bad book in the slightest. Lyla Sage is an excellent writer and she writes the characters very likably and the dialogue is entertaining and natural in my opinion. Also, the representation of Emmy’s ADHD was completely accurate to my experience with ADHD and it was heartwarming to feel understood by characters in a book. It was a great starting point for the rest of the series as truth be told I’m more intrigued by Gus and Teddy’s storyline.